Book Review...My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Bethany House Books offers a WONDERFUL program called Blogging For Books.  If you have a blog, and are willing to read and review new books put out by Bethany House, then you can sign up. They allow you about 5 choices every month or so, of new books to read and review.  I love Christian fiction, so that is mostly what I choose.  And in exchange for receiving a new book from them, I review it here on my blog, and also at Amazon.com.  The book I most recently received and read is called My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade.  I believe she is a relatively new author.  But you'd never know it.  This was the MOST engaging story I've read in a long time.


The story line involves a red headed, 31 year old social worker named Kate, her sweet and spunky grandmother, an old family home that they are rennovating, and a darkly handsome and yet emotionally wounded ex-professional NHL player named Matt who has left the NHL after the death of his lovely young wife, and now keeps to himself while rennovating old homes.  Isn't that a recipe for a story that pulls at all of your heart strings?


Becky Wade used so many delicious and different choices of words that were just exactly what might really be said in the different scenarios in the story.  The plot had the right mix of moving along while keeping you desperately wanting to read ahead to find out what's next.  There are several side stories going on in the book as well, centering around Gram's senior citizen friends, which become a big part of Kate and Matt's life as well.  The multi-generational story line keeps it realistic and fun.


My only complaint is that Becky Wade used a few slang words that I personally find offensive...they were 'bad' words when I was growing up.  So even though many of my peers and the younger set use them freely today, I haven't really seen them in Christian fiction before.  This will make the book inappropriate for someone like my Mom to read.


Aside from that...this book is one I could BARELY put down at 11pm so I could get to sleep.  And I confess...I did peek ahead many times so that I could get alittle satisfaction before calling it a night and having to wait til the next evening to read more.  Haha!  :)  Click on the photo above to be taken to Amazon for a closer look at this book.


Thanks for visiting!!
Blessings,


Donna

Bethany House Book Reviews

Dear Blog Friends,

I have been terribly neglectful of my blog for several months.  I have excuses.  My Etsy shop keeps me busy almost every day.  A GOOD problem to have.  :)  My toothbrush pouches for traveling are very popular, so I am busy sewing and shipping most days.  The other excuse is even more wonderful!  My 2 adorable Grand Darlings!  Carson is 5.5 months old and Eloise is 4 months old.  I've gotten to take several trips this summer already, to spend time with these two precious little ones.  Bliss.  :)

But I want to let you know about something else that brings me joy, relaxation, encouragement, and mental vacations.  Bethany House Christian fiction books are a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day and get my mind to relax so that I fall right to sleep when the lights go out!  They are quality, inspiring, interesting, and are something I look forward to every single night.  I'd like to share with you several that I have read this spring and summer.

An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser captured my attention before I even opened the cover. Such beautiful artwork on the cover!  And the mystery of the title and the scene on the cover drew me in.  The main character, Lucy, a young Italian dressmaker living with her extended family in New York City, is sweet and smart.  Her family depends on her to help make a living and to help lead them in wise decisions, as her father has died.  Lucy's friendship with one of the young socialites for which she sews clothes, leads her to a wonderful summer away from hot New York City, to the seaside delights of Rhode Island.  While there, she chances to meet a wonderful, wealthy young man and they fall in love.  BUT...who is this young man, and does she really have the freedom to accept his love and devotion?  Time will tell!  I will definitely read this book again in the future.  It was captivating.  I enjoyed the scenery so nicely painted with words.  I like to sew, so I enjoyed the descriptions of the dress designing and hat making.  And Lucy is a character that is easy to love.  Click the photo above to be taken to Amazon for more information.

In Too Deep by Mary Connealy was a fun book.  Ethan Kincaid is a rugged, strong, man of honor.  He has trouble expressing his true feelings and tends to try to smile problems away.  He feels very responsible for his brothers and for a certain young widow who needs protection.  Therefore, he proposes to Audra, and is suddenly a husband and the father of two little girls.  Audra is independent and strong, but is facing fears of her own.  Can love grow and flourish in such a situation?  And with dangerous crooks in search of a treasure they believe that Audra possesses?  What about the perilous cave on their land which both intrigues the Kincaid family and also strikes dread in their hearts?  Is it a friend or a foe?  You'll fall in love with Ethan, Audra, the Kincaid brothers, the baby girls, and the  determined Julia in this story from long ago.  I enjoyed reading about the workings of an 1800s ranch. Click the photo above to find more info on Mary's book.

DIY Composition Notebooks to a Grandma's Journal

I am such a blessed woman.  I turned 50 in December, and  became a grandma for the first time in January and the second time in February!  Carson Davis is 16 weeks old and Eloise Mae is 9 weeks old.  And I get to be their Mimi.  Complete bliss!

I met an experienced grandmother who told me that she has journals for her grandchildren.  She writes in them about the times she spends with them, and as the kids are getting older, they love to read them.  I was smitten by this idea, right away.

Since I've decorated Composition notebooks before to use as holiday idea books (read about that here) and life organizers too, I decided to go that route with Mimi Journals.  October Afternoon has adorable vintage papers that I decided were perfect for my project.

For each of the journals, I chose coordinating papers, some buttons, and I printed the baby's name on cardstock.

And with the use of a pencil, scissors, glue stick, raised foam dot, photo splits, tacky glue, and spray adhesive, it just took about 30 minutes to cut the papers to size and attach them and the buttons.  I love this one for Carson.  Carson is ALL boy.  And I can just see him riding his bike some day with boots on, like the little boy I used as an embellishment.  :)

Inside I will journal about the excitement of waiting for his birth.  The things I made for him or found for  him.  The special events of the day he was born, and then about the times I've gotten to spend with him since then.  I will add a few photos, plus other paper ephemera from times we've been together.  Can't wait!

Eloise is a sweet, gentle, darling baby girl.  So I made her book all pinkness and prettiness.

I just spent 3 days with her in her home in Chicago!  So I have already written in her journal and gotten it up-to-date.  I am including a few pictures of her birth, the Valentine card her Mommy sent to Papa and I from Eloise before she was born, the hospital cafeteria receipt from when we were there, etc.

LOVE THESE BABIES!

Feel so blessed to be their Mimi.  

Daily praying for them and their sweet

parents.  And looking forward to all the memories we will get to make over the years.

These embellished, personalized journals are easy to make.  I hope you'll give one a try.

Blessings!

Donna

(Mimi!)
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How to Nest for Less

1940's Gossip Bench

Meet the newest member of our home...a little 1940s Gossip Bench!  I've been stopping to ooh and ahh over little Telephone Benches or Gossip Benches for the past few years, but I really didn't have a good spot for one.  Until THIS girl!  

She was in a corner booth at a local favorite Flea Market.  She caught my eye right away.  I looked.  I liked.  I walked away. Then I came right back and looked some more!  She's only 30 inches wide, which is small enough for the spot I had for her.  And that rounded table part just got to me.  Love!

She was very scratched.  But sturdy.  She had a red velvet upholstered seat that had to go...it was worn out and had dog hair on it.  Ick.  But she was only $25 and I HAD to bring her home.  And I'm sooooo glad I did!!

An antique dealer recommended that I not paint her or refinish her, but just use dark wood scratch remover.  That was certainly easy!

I couldn't resist this little piece of fabric for the seat.  I have aqua and this green throughout my house.  And the chocolate brown circles match the wood!

The little cubby in the table is meant for the phone book back in the day when benches like this were used.  The phone was stationary, so a bench/table like this was a great place to sit and use the phone.

This hat is very special to me...it belonged to Auntie B...my husband's spiritual grandmother.  She is still living and prays for us every day.  She was a pastor's wife, and wore hats to church.  Isn't it precious?

And now this little lady is clean, reupholstered, and gracing our dining room!

I love her!  And she fits here beautifully and perfectly.

Thank you for stopping in my home and letting me show you my weekend project and new favorite piece of furniture!  I had a ball!

Blessings!
Donna


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Woodland Theme Baby Meet and Greet

This happy little 10 week old boy is our first grandchild!
Introducing Carson Davis, born to our beautiful daughter Lindsey and her husband Rich.  Carson and his family live 6 hours north of us, so it was a BIG deal when he got to come to Mimi and Papa's house for the first time last weekend.  To celebrate, we hosted a Meet and Greet so that our friends could meet this little love bug and help us celebrate his life!

Mimi (that's me!) had SUCH a fun time planning and preparing for the Meet and Greet.  I made this bunting of his name to hang in the great room.

Pinterest taught me to make these adorable birds, which fit right in with the Forest Friends theme of this shower. This hung on the door to greet our guests.

I wanted to have a little party favor for each family to take home.  I planted these Snapdragon seeds 10 days in advance in little peat pods.  Happily they came up nicely and sat on a square of wax paper inside these cute cupcake liners.  

I had two plates of them on the entryway table, and made cute little scrapbook paper plant pokes to adorn each one.

Carson's nursery is an adorable Forest Friends theme, so I did the food and decor to go along with that.

Do you like the Cheese and Tomato Toadstools?  They are as tasty as they are cute!  Borrowed this idea from some of Lindsey's friends.

I found this idea online as well, altho I used a brownie mix instead of a chocolate cake mix.  And that way only the white part needed frosting, plus brownies are easier to eat by hand.

These Acorn Sweets were soooo cute!  And easy to make, altho a wee bit tedious.  You'll find the ingredients and instructions for them HERE.

I got brown vinyl tablecloths marked down at Walmart, and purchased .59 landscaping bricks to use as risers on the table.  Spanish moss added color and texture, and large slit marshmallows made great food label holders!

I wanted to have a mix of sweet, salty, healthy, and fun treats for the 1:30-3:30pm event.  Texas caviar was mildy spicy and quite healthy.  And boy was it a HIT!  I had requests for the recipe...do you want it too?  Come back in a few days and I'll post it.  I took a recipe from online and tweaked it a bit.

This Chocolate Chip Cheeseball/Spread was also very popular.  I served it with animal crackers and graham crackers.  You'll find the recipe for it HERE.

Grape tomato halves sitting atop an inch slice of mozzarella cheesestick.

The first guests to arrive were both sets of great grandparents, one of whom traveled 7 hours to be here!  This set happens to be my parents who live here in town.  They are enthralled with their first great grandchild!

It's me!  Everything is set up and I'm ready to begin!  See the orange cans holding miniature daffodils?  They are peach cans that I washed and put scrapbook paper around.  Free!  The two candy cans are also just washed cans decorated with paper.

And here come our sweet friends!  We've only lived here in Southern Indiana for 23 months, but God has given us delightful neighbors and friends.

We ended up with about 35 of us!

Lovely gifts!  Carson got diapers, blankets, toys, a high chair, and a whole summer wardrobe!

This little curly-blond-haired cherub belongs to my sweet friend, Kristen.  And her name is just as precious as she is...
Winnie June

Carson is soooo blessed!  He has loving parents who adore him. Two sets of grandparents who both call him their FIRST grandchild.  And two sets of great grandparents who enjoyed him to pieces.

Hope you enjoyed this visit to our party.  I loved showing it to you all!



Blessings,
Donna

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