Make it: Book pocket and bookmark

I'm really into "crafty lit" - juicy novels that have characters who paint, bead, knit or sew. I'm the nerdy type who always has a book on me and I utilize every pocket of time to take in a chapter. Sometimes I'll lend a book, so for my favorite hardcovers, I make little borrowing pockets to keep track of who has it.

NOTE: IT is always better to BUY a book, that way the publishing industry will thrive and allow more scrumptuous titles for us to devour. However, it's OK to lend every so often. Therefore, this project is dedicated to book lovers who share their finds. These pockets and bookmarks are a fun way to add spice to your library, and keep all the titles in order. If you belong to a book club, think about setting aside a meeting so the members can whip up a batch!

Supplies:

Pockets
Book pockets and insert cards (one for each book)
Rubber stamps
Embossing powder and inks
Watercolors
Tape writer and tape
Beads
Yarn
Double-sided adhesive tape

Magnetic bookmarks
Card stock
Paper embellishments
Micromagnets
Adhesive

Directions: To make the pockets, work on a flat open surface. Before you begin to decorate the book pocket, think about the theme of the book, so you can make a card to match. Use the stamps, embossing powder, watercolor paints, beads and anything else that inspires you. Do the same for the card insert, but make sure to list the name of the book, and leave room for the name of the lender. Use the double-sided adhesive tape to affix the pocket to the inside of the book.

To make the magnetic bookmark, cut a piece of card stock measuring 2 inches square. Fold it in half and use a bone folder or other tool to make a sharp crease. Embellish the outside of the card as desired. Use adhesive to apply a magnet to the bottom of each inner flap.

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Currently reading...

I'm traveling this weekend, which means I'm cracking open a new novel to read. I am so anxious to get started on The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen.

Product Description
In this irresistible novel, Sarah Addison Allen, author of the New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets—and secret passions—are about to change her life forever.

Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night…. Until she finds her closet harboring Della Lee Baker, a local waitress who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother. With Della Lee’s tough love, Josey’s narrow existence quickly expands. She even bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who is hounded by books that inexplicably appear when she needs them—and who has a close connection to Josey’s longtime crush. Soon Josey is living in a world where the color red has startling powers, and passion can make eggs fry in their cartons. And that’s just for starters.

Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love—and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.

See? Doesn't it sound so enchanting??? Also seen on the bookstands - more knitting mysteries!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

A Book to Buy: B as in Beauty

B as in Beauty

I immediately knew I wanted to read this book when I watched the adorable trailer. Not only that hooked me, but also the name of the book, the cover - the fact that it was written from a female perspective, by a man! B, the main character is bursting with personality, humor and dignity. The storyline has that lovable kitsch factor. It summoned memories of the French film, Amélie. I had no idea what kind of journey the chapters would lead me to, but I excitedly followed along because of the fast,...more Description: Everyone in the world, it seems, is either prettier or thinner (or both) than Beauty Marie Zavala. And the only thing "B" resents more than her name is the way others judge her for the extra 40 pounds she can't lose. At least she has her career. Or did, until she overhears her boss criticizing her weight and devising a scheme to keep her from being promoted. Enter B's new tax accountant, a modern-day matchmaker determined to boost B's flagging self-esteem by introducing her to rich, successful men who will accept her for who she is. As B's confidence blossoms, so do her fantasies of revenge. But will B find true happiness or true disaster when she unwittingly falls for the one guy she shouldn't?

Why I loved this book: I immediately knew I wanted to read this book when I watched the adorable trailer. Not only that hooked me, but also the name of the book, the cover - the fact that it was written from a female perspective, by a man! B, the main character is bursting with personality, humor and dignity. The storyline has that lovable kitsch factor. It summoned memories of the French film, Amélie. I had no idea what kind of journey the chapters would lead me to, but I excitedly followed along because of the fast, entertaining pacing. 3/4ths in, it really sunk in that this plot was so well-crafted and thought out to foster self-empowerment, not only in the chracters but the reader as well. I love the positive perspectives of how to handle negative people regarding revenge (!!!), the message of love, the message of not judging others. all of it. I felt like a total geek when I reached the end because I was alone in my hotel room (for work), and I literally clapped my hands when it was over, just like when you see a great movie. I have to say, this goes down as one of my all-time favorite books! Alberto Ferreras is a wonderful storyteller!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

I met Debbie Macomber tonight!

FRESNO, CA --Around the time I was editing my novel about a craft group (2005!) I came across The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. It was purely by accident! I had been scouring the shelves of Barnes & Noble for writing books, and came across the title on the "new releases" table. I glanced at the back cover text, and KNEW I had to buy a copy. The story revolves around a Seattle knitting shop and the four diverse women who enroll in a beginner's baby blanket class.

The book struck a chord with readers, as well as knitters. It became a bestseller and kicked off a whole Blossom Street series. Each book centers on a new knitting class and the stories of the women fit with the theme of the project they make. Debbie adds in patterns and tips from the experts. Her writing is clear, concise, funny, warmhearted - and she is a master story teller!

I read ALL kinds of books. My favorites range from Laurie Notaro to Michele Serros to Sophie Kinsella to Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez to Terry McMillan to Meg Cabot and Jennifer Weiner. The list goes on! If you've been following my blog over the years, you can see all the others I've read as well. Debbie is on that list too! When I was working on my book and I felt like giving up, I'd reread Debbie's bio on her web site, about how she started with a typewriter on her kitchen table. She pushed on with her writing dream until it finally came true. Now she has dozens and dozens of books, and one of them is even being made into a TV movie for the Hallmark Channel.

Last night in my hotel room (I'm working at Duncan HQ this week), I heard a TV anchor promo an interview with her for the upcoming morning show. I missed it beccause I had to go to work. I mentioned it to a co-worker when I sat at my desk, and she told me Debbie would be at Barnes & Noble tonight for a signing. How totally random because I had just been thinking about her Blossom Street book recently!

I planned to zip by the signing, buy her new book, get it signed and make it home for American Idol. Um, well, I got there and the crowd had already hit 300! Not just female bookworms. There were scores of dudes to buy her books for their wives and moms, plus a lot of knitters talking about the patterns in the book. Some even brought their works in progress to show Debbie!

My friend had Debbie sign a book for me in case I didn't make it, but she signed my name with a "C" instead of a "K". So I waited in that long line (I was third to last) and got to meet her! I gave her glitter and she double signed my book. She is super perky and shiny and gave me a huge hug.

What a great night! 

When I'm home in Phoenix, I rarely get out to book signings (unless they are mine!), and now I'm inspired to check out a signing every time I'm in Fresno!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Currently reading...

Right now I'm reading Sophie Kinsella's "Can You Keep a Secret", which I LOVE, and next up is "B as in Beauty by Alberto Ferreras. This book trailer made me super excited!



CLICK HERE IF YOU CAN'T SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE.

This month I also read Hungry Woman in Paris by Josefina Lopez (Real Women Have Curves). It was saucy and sexy and very French - from a Mexicana viewpoint! Also - I heart, heart, heart the web site!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)