February Photo a Day Challenge

In case you missed this...I thought someone would like to take the challenge...

Enjoy your day!!

:-)

Book Review: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

Book: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? 

Genre: Chick Lit 

Author: Claudia Carroll 

Cover Critique:

Very sparkly and girly cover, apt for a chick lit. I HEART it!

Book Blurb:

Absence makes the heart grow fonder…doesn’t it? What happens when two people decide to take a year off…from each other? Annie and Dan were the perfect couple. But now the not-so-newly weds are feeling more like flatmates than soul mates and wondering where all the fun and fireworks went …When Annie lands her big break in a smash-hit show…that’s heading for the bright lights of Broadway she’s over the moon. Goodbye remote Irish village of Stickens and hello Big Apple! But with their relationship already on the rocks, how will Annie and Dan survive the distance? They’re hitting the pause button on their marriage. One year off from each other – no strings attached, except a date to meet at the Rockefeller Centre to decide their fate. Will they both turn up? Or is it too late for love? (Courtesy: Amazon.com)

Review:

Just like the bubbly cover and the witty title, I was expecting the novel to be full of laughs and a gripping read, as suggested by many reviews I read on Amazon (Now after finishing the novel, I am wondering how it got so many rave reviews). I bought this book in paperback thinking it would stay up on my shelf in the corner where I keep the books I like to read and savour again and again. But after reading the complete novel, I have to say I was disappointed to an extent. This is the first book I read of this author and it failed to impress me in a sense that I may not be impulsively buying any other novels of her.

It would be wrong to say that it is a total crap or utter waste of my time. I did enjoy the way she introduced the characters in the first chapter, putting a hilarious spin on a not-so-good situation: that Annie’s husband Dan does not give her the attention and affection which she deserves and demands. Since the novel is written from Annie’s point of view, you get the feeling that it does get boring after the second chapter, with her constant whining and grumbling about Dan’s time-crunch and workaholic attitude along with her complains that their in-laws who interfere a lot in her house, where she thinks that she should be the boss.

After the author establishes the basic plot, she does not take it further, her witty jokes and impulsive heroine are not enough to save the story from getting redundant in the middle and then utterly predictable near the end. The theme of long-distance relationship, was good to begin with but sadly, the writer did not fully explore it through Annie’s story. A mediocre read which lacked the depth and maturity of a skilful writer.


As far as the other characters are concerned, none of them were so unique or affable so as to stay with me after I finished the book. The only character which I found likable was of Jules, her sister-in-law, who in a way is Annie’s true friend. In my opinion, she is the only fully-sketched genuine character that left an impression on me, with her heart of gold, her immature but lively attitude and her quirks and flaws.

There are annoying slang words which the author keeps on using every third paragraph in the novel. I do not understand why she twists their spelling, for example, instead of “fuck off”, she uses, “feck off”, for the word “shit”, she writes “shite”. Does it have anything to do with the fact that Annie has Irish accent? Then there is the irritating recurring use of the words “anyway” and “anyroadup”, which spoils the reading fun and pissed me off totally!

I personally did not find the repeated mention of “constipated goat” and other aweful diseases (in relation to Dan’s work as a vet), to be pleasant. Maybe because I am not too fond of a hero who is a vet or to be honest a doctor, but that would be my personal choice, other readers may find it completely tolerable and even fun.

Overall, it was a mixed experience for me but since minuses outweigh the plus points of this book, I would have to say, it is not my cup of tea. I would prefer a Jill Mansell any day of the week for a quick session of light humor coupled with a strong grip on the story, than opting for this!

Review Girl Rating: 6/10

If you want to buy it and make your own opinion, click here.

If you have already read this book and have a different view, feel free to share. Not to mention, if you agree with me and enjoyed this review, make sure you let me know through your comment.

Favorite iPhone Apps this week

Does this look familiar?

My wallet is loaded with preferred customer cards.  Did you know there was an app for those?  Thanks to Tina, I now use Key Ring.  After scanning all your cards, it houses all of your info (and backs them up to your email address for your own security), so you don't have to haul all those cards around.  It is free and you can read more about it here.   LOVE.

Downloaded the Day One app last week, after reading about it on Cathy Zielske's blog.  She's been using it as a took for her Project Life, so I gave it a shot.  Kind of neat when you are in a pinch, or want to remember something your 5 year old said...

Enjoy your day!

welcome in my "ODD TOWN"

benvenuti nel mio mondo!

this kit I created has an old feeling but then I enjoyed making the animals in it wear some funny hats and bags so in the end it turned to be more of an Odd town... I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it!
It has 22 papers, 116 unique elements + 49 shadowed one and 8 wordarts!

"ODD TOWN" on sale from today @ deviantscrap

And don't forget that on the 2nd of february I will pick 2 lucky winners among those that left a comment to the sneek peek post to have the chance to win become a follower and leave a message in http://prissdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/peek-for-you-unanticipazione.html

here you have the previews and the amazing pages my friends did for me!











and here you have the wonderful pages from my darling darling friends!

by Tinci


by networka


by irenchen


by foxeysquirrel


by Delph


BY Lorenza


by Véro


by hekas



by mamiemoi


by eagleszem


by sandramilie


by heathers


by celinoa


by krysty


by sansoncina


by beaute


by gagatek


by serena


by july-c


by jeanet


by irishgull


by mamamatveya


by maryline


by justyna


by anndahl


by yelina


by helline


by svetlanka


by mummyd


you can buy the kit HERE

Project Life Weekly Topics

Hello Monday!

First off, thank you so much for the kind words on my PL post.  I can't tell you how many people touched me with all the sweet comments--in person on on the computer!  THANK YOU for cheering me on and inspiring me to keep this up for yet another year.  I hope you enjoy the journey with me, and that even if you're not doing a PL project, that somewhere you too will take bits and pieces of it and use it for good somewhere with your own scrappy journey.   It's all good!

I wanted to post a list of the weekly topics I have jotted down for my 2012 Project Life.  While the list is numbered 1-52, please note that this list in in no particular order.  I have a copy of it posted by my computer, and as each topic is covered, I plan on crossing it off my list.  Note too that there are enough open weeks to do "random stuff" here and there, or if I come up with a great idea, say in June or something.  This flexibility also allows for life events, in the occasion that something unexpected comes up.

52 Project Life Weekly Topics:

1. Around Here.
2. Us.
3. Winter Fun
4. Technology in our Lives
5. What and Where we Eat
6. Things we can't live without...
7. No Photos Week
8. No Words Week.
9. Jami--right now
10. Evan--Right now
11. Griffin--right now
12. Sage Advice (Grandparents week)
13. I Know This Much is True.
14. TV & Movies we Love
15. Music we Love
16. Friends for Life
17. Taylor's Graduation
18. First week of School
19. Last week of School
20. Trish--week
21. Chris--week
22. Where we Shop
23. What we Wear
24. Where We Work
25. Fall Fun
26. Summer Fun
27. Springtime Fun
28. The Boys (Chris & E & G)
29. The Girls (Me & J)
30. Our Pets
31. Where we Live (City & Neighborhood)
32. Neighbors we Love
33. Scrappy Girlfriends
34. Gratitude
35. Faith & Church & Spirituality
36. Inlaws
37. My Parents
38. What we Drive (cars)
39. Our Yard
40. Spring Break
41. "I Miss..."
42. Christmas
43. Thanksgiving
44. Family Vacation
45. At Play
46. Our Home
47. Politics/Election Week (Nov.)
48. Open
49. Open
50. Open
51. Open
52.  Open

(Personal names used are family members--FYI.)

I'll be answering questions in tomorrow's blog post, so if you have any others, please feel free to ask!

Enjoy your day!

Bubble gum pink and Louis Vuitton

For those of you who may not know me here is a little history behind my love of fashion and the impeccable and iconic fashion magazines VOGUE and ELLE.

It was tradition in our home that at the beginning of each school year my mom bought us clothes, very practical clothes, jeans, cotton shirts etc. (also, it was California so the seasons didn't change too much). If we wanted anything brand name or fashionable we had to pay for it ourselves. I began babysitting regularly around 12 years old. This babysitting money was often spent on 1 or 2 items at the LIMITED, GAP or Nordstrom's Brass Plum. The rest went to my annual subscriptions to VOGUE and ELLE magazine. (yes, I began subscribing to these magazines when I was 12)

During my Jr. High and HS years I was grounded a lot. I wasn't a bad kid at all. I was stubborn, quick witted and rarely backed down from an argument with my parents. Sometimes my dad would just stare at me and say "you'd make a good lawyer"...that was of course after he grounded me for 3 weeks for "talking back". Needless to say I spent many an afternoon grounded in my bedroom, and while I sat in my room doing anything but homework I would pour over my fashion magazines and daydream of the day I would become a designer, photographer or model (at 5'2" I knew that was just a dream).

When my mom would take us to the library I would often get large books on Fashion Designers like Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace etc.... I even began drawing my designs in a book. I had fabric swabs, and colors and textures all laid out. (What I wouldn't give to still have that book).

So you can imagine my nostalgia and pleasant surprise when I saw my daughter gazing in awe at the newest Louis Vuitton spread in this months VOGUE. You have to admit any little girl would fall in love with these doll like pictures and pastel colors.

(ps I wouldn't mind that yellow and white purse or those awesome shoes)

Project Life--My take on it...

By now, you have all seen dozens of versions of Project Life.  They're all over blogs, websites, and of course, Pinterest.  This is my fourth year (yikes!) on PL, so I hope that I can provide some insight on the topic from someone who has done it a while.  Let's hear it for the veterans out there!  Whoop!

Let me state up front--I wasn't going to do it this year.  Back in October, I started to notice that my pages were looking similar, that I was looking for things to photograph, and that I was basically lacking inspiration on any level.  I tend to operate in that manner.  I will be hot and heavy into one project, and the next week, I'm full throttle on to something else.  I will go back and visit projects, reinvent things and such--but with PL, I was getting flat out bored.  I wanted to funnel all the energy that I put into those books into something new and challenging.  So I made the decision to take a break for 2012 and maybe revisit the topic again in a year or so.

What changed my mind?  Two things.  The first was my friend, Jen.  The woman had me worked over before I even knew what hit me.  Gotta love a girlfriend.  How did she do it?  One simple phone call.  "Okay, don't be mad at me, and just listen.  I couldn't decide which Project Life kit to get this year, so I bought three different versions and divided each one of them into three monster kits, so I hope you didn't already get yours."  Hello--no guesswork with what kit to get, no ordering or hassle--I'm feeling the draw.  Add to that another close friend who was going to try it for the first time--and so the three of us would support one another.  Did it hurt that those two said friends own Cameos and are total techies who were willing to help me have fun and create cool new things?  Do you see where this is headed?  Second thing--and this is a biggie here folks--looking back at my other finished versions.  Honest and truly.  I can't fully describe how thankful I am that I have these books that document the littlest details that are so often overlooked and forgotten.  When I went back and looked at the first year I did this, I had forgotten so much already.  Our kids look so much different now.  Family members have passed.  Neighbors have come and gone.  Interests have changed and evolved.  And it's all right there, in those pages.  That gratitude made me consider moving into another year...

Once I made the decision to invest my time, money and energy into this again, I knew that I would have to do things differently this year for me to be interested and to not fall into a rut.  I had remembered Jamie Pate's version from last year, and how she so beautifully did a weekly theme, and I thought that would be enough to catapult me into starting something fresh and different.  Sure enough, it was.  So with pen in hand, I began to make a list of 52 weekly topics for me to cover in this year's Project Life...

Today, I wanted to share my take on the title page and my first three weeks.  Here is my title page:

I played around with this idea a bit before I got to a place where I was happy with it.  The one thing I wanted to do for sure was to use elements on the title page that would be carried throughout the book this year.  What are those?  Photos of my family.  Bright colors, with no rhyme or reason necessarily.  Punches and die cuts.  Chipboard, labels, and vintage elements.  Twine.  Tiny alphas.  And handwritten elements from each person in our clan.  (Note:  the above white card contains each of our signatures and ages, as a quick reference in years to come.)

Where did I get the "2012" numbers?  I bought wooden letters and covered them in yarn (similar to this project) as a New Year's decoration.  I also thought ahead for next year and bought a "3", so I have the option to recycle the idea for next year.

Week 1--Using Design A & E Page Protectors

I didn't figure out I was doing PL until I was actually into the first week of the new year, so I had to go with just random life stuff the first week.  I am not one of those people who get hung up on chronological stuff--and doing PL for the past few years has really helped me let go of those notions and stressful thoughts.  So I used the photos I had, and went with it.  The left side is the B side to the title page, so I had to go with it.  I mixed black and white with colored pictures, and varied the size of the photos.  The right page is a Design E page--a set of 4 6x6 square pockets.  I simply created 4 6x6 square layouts (using my iPhone Instagram and Camera + apps, paired with the PicFrame app) on my phone, and uploaded them to my computer and then to Costco.  I had all four printed out in one 12x12 layout ($2.99), and simply cut them when I got home.  You'll notice, I only used 3 6x6 layouts on this page.  The other 6x6 will be used on another scrapbook layout.  What did I document?  Sunday breakfasts with my folks.  Crafting project.  A sunset.  The opening of a new McDonald's in our little town.  Snapshots.  Simply, everyday stuff.

__________________________________

Week 2--Design E and Design A Page Protectors

Around Here--Week 2.  This week, my intention was to do more photos of things around our house (as in the bottom left collage.)  Looking back on it, I didn't really accomplish what I set out to do.  But you know what?  I'm good with that.  This is the kind of flexibility that is frankly required for me to make it work for me.  What did I document?  Our son shoveling snow, the forecast, our son coming home from school, a basketball game, our pooch, playing outside, a sweet text from our niece, my husband losing at Nerf Darts, planning upcoming Cavs games, and dinner with friends.  I used one of my favorite October Afternoon papers just because I like it, and made it work.

__________________________________

Week 3--Design A and Design F Page Protectors

Jamison. Week 3.  I knew our daughter was preparing for a big week, so I knew documenting just her for a week would be fun.  It was so much more than I ever expected!!  At twelve, she's got a lot going on.  So I snapped away and tried to give a glimpse of her and where she is right now in this place.  I love how it turned out.  What did I document?  The girl loves clothes--and so I photographed her every morning before school, showing her style and interest in the topic.  A photo of her practicing her clarinet, and a photo of dance practice.  A photo of her texting.  Her holding our dog.  Her first dance performance of the year.  A photo with her bestie.  Her bedroom.  And a new set of braces on her pearly whites.  On one of the fold out 3x4 journaling cards, I wrote all about my feelings for her right now.  On the front of that card, she filled it with tons of her favorite things, in her own handwriting.

Now, there will be weeks where not a lot is going on, for sure.  But one of the reasons I like changing it up with the weekly version for me is that I get to touch on a person or topic a bit more in depth.  That crazy concept has me giddy like a school girl, and I can't wait to document our lives a little differently, using the exact same framework.  How cool is that???

_____________________________

Overall...

My style.  I take lots and lots of pictures.  I love my iPhone, and like to play with apps and features, and so do my kids.  That almost always results in pairing down photos (I know--crazy, huh?).  I must say, having the iPhone has made me feel more creative in a whole different sense, and hopefully that will help when the boredom sets in.  Because it will. 

Elements used.  Free Printables.  For the love of God and all things holy, I've been a printing fool, using all the freebies out there for Project Life.  Look here if you need any assistance in that department.  And this blog post is an excellent resource for printable cards.  So stinkin' FUN. I'm also ga-ga over die cuts & punches.  Labels.  Vintage elements here and there.  Chipboard.  Small alphas.  Not complicated.  And nothing too bulky so things fit into the protectors nicely.

My outlook?  Excited.  Motivated.  Interested all over again.  Aware of pitfalls and also how to deal with them and move on.  Flexible.  Experienced.  I got this.

I look forward to sharing regular updates with you here on the blog.  I will also be posting a bit more detail in the next coming week.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have--I'll do my best to answer you!

Enjoy your day!

Book Review: Widow on the World

Book: Widow on the World

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Contemporary Fiction 

Author: Pamela Fudge

Cover Critique:

I admit that I bought this book in a split second, because of the cute egg faces on the cover. Those who read my blog should know by now, I am a sucker for cuteness! *smiles* Can you believe I did not even read the blurb before buying? Now, that is the selling power of a good cover!

Book Blurb:

Widowed at 45, Denise has come to the end of that first year alone and survived. It's time to get back out in the world and live her life. However, life, and particularly her own family, seems to have other ideas as first her mother and then her daughter move into a house that is suddenly bursting at the seams. A battle of wills ensues, but it is a battle that Denise is determined to win by fair means or foul, because only when she has sorted everyone else's lives out can she finally get on with her own. Romance doesn't figure anywhere in her calculations but Denise, of all people, should know that life doesn't always go according to plan. (Courtesy: Amazon.co.uk)

Review:

When I read the blurb, I thought that since this book is about a widow, it is going to be depressing and I might need a box of tissues handy for tears, but I was so wrong! In spite of the fact that this book deals with many serious and grim topics, the tone of the novel is not at all harsh or repulsive. As a matter of fact, at some points in the novel, I felt that it was written more like a “comedy of errors” than a gloomy piece for dramatic effect.

The main character of Denise comes out as that of a strong and powerful woman who manages not only her own problems but also straightens the life of her teenage daughter (Bobbie) and directionless mother (Elaine) who throw their load of trouble her way. Both of them suffer from selfishness and simply ignore to acknowledge how much inconvenience they cause to Denise. If that was not enough, her daughter’s boyfriend (Jason) who is a rotten egg - basically “pain in the ass”, also comes to live with them uninvited. What follows is a series of disasters. Curious to know more? Read the book to know the rest of the story.

The author’s style of writing is bold and blunt. With years of experience on her hand, Pamela writes with confidence and skill of a veteran, creating a fine balance between the vulnerability and strength of characters portrayed in this beautiful novel. The characters come to life and the reader is immersed in their world.


Apart from the female characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of male characters introduced in the novel: Sam, Adam, Jason, Petie and Denise’s Dad. The story ends on a predictable note, I am not too fond of it, maybe because I was expecting the story to be left open-ended and upto reader’s imagination. But nonetheless, it was wrapped up nicely.

If I were to dissect this novel in terms of the themes that are explored throughout, they would be:

- Dealing with death of a closed one (i.e. partner, in this case scenario)

- Coming to terms with reality and the practical aspect of life

- Making the best out of life, whatever it throws towards you

- Parenting in modern times

- Family bonding

- Mother-daughter relationship

- Teenage rebellion

- Adult relationships (love, sex, marital affairs, emotional blackmail)

- The needs and desires of modern woman which is subsequently changing the role of woman as wife, mother and daughter in the society.


As said in one of my previous reviews as well that the books I like the most are the ones that enrich my life with valuable words of wisdom. This is not a self-help book but it certainly has some powerful messages to convey that can improve one’s life a lot. According to my understanding, these would be:

- Whenever taking U-turns in life, one should try to make sound, rational and logical decisions

- As they say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”.

- Do not give up on yourself no matter what happens!

- Believe in yourself and your abilities.

- Sometimes, you need to bring your nerves of steel to handle the complexities of life.

- Life does not give you “second chances”, once it’s done, it cannot be undone. In other words, there is no rewind button!


Since many of the themes are of universal nature, this book will appeal to everyone in some way or the other. Especially if you are a woman, it does not matter whether you are in your teens or fourties or even seventies, this book will make you happy with its sheer honesty and optimism.

I read the book in parts, some on the train when I was coming back from my weekend break, some while sipping evening tea, and I am sure I would not have enjoyed it as much if I had read it in single sitting. It is the kind of story you like to read when you are relaxed and have time to ponder and contemplate the various situations (there are many!) happening in the book. Read this book, I can guarantee it is not a waste of time.

Review Girl Rating: 9.5 / 10


To buy this book, click here.

About the Author:

Pamela Fudge was brought up in Poole, Dorset. She wrote poetry, mainly for her family, and then discovered a talent for short fiction, which has been published by most of the national magazines over a period of twenty years. A creative writing tutor for 11 years “Widow on the World” is her third published novel. Having been widowed not once, but twice in recent years, Pamela is well qualified to comment on the adage that life goes on. To know more about her writing, visit her website: http://www.pamfudge.co.uk/novels.html