Magazine Copy Cat Challenge!

There's a magazine copy cat challenge afoot!


It all started at Debbiedoo's blog and if you click on the blog link, you can see what the other copycats are up to.


I love magazines. They're full of so many great ideas and I always find inspiration between the pages whether it's Victoria Magazine or Vogue. So after deciding to participate, I had to find an image I wanted to re-create. There were so many, it was really hard to narrow it down to just one.


The magazine photo I chose to imitate was shot outside. So I thought, I'll do this outside, but then I didn't like the way the pictures turned out.


So I thought... hmmm... maybe I should try this inside.



Here is the original page from the May/June, 2010 issue of Victoria Magazine:


Below is my inside version. I switched the fruit to strawberries and since I didn't have a taller jar with a lid, I used a vase. The only thing I had to buy were the flowers.



Thanks for stopping by and having a peek! And thanks also to Debbie for hosting this event!

Goodies in the mail!

I love snail mail. I love to watch the postman place letters and such inside my mailbox. I don't have the words to tell you how happy it makes me to receive sweet little packages or magazines or holiday/birthday cards or even just an old-fashioned letter in the mail. So I wanted to take a minute or two and blog about all the great things I've received these past few months from some great bloggers.

First up, from Wendy at Bliss Angels, is this lovely wall hanging and tag. Please click on any of the photos to enlarge them.


This little girl is just precious! And I love the material and the flowers that were chosen to go with this print.


Check out the little paper crown pictured below.... It's so perfectly cut out that I can't help but think of tiny little scissors and lots & lots of patience!


Next is this lovely journal book cover. I adore this patchwork design with the different colored squares. This is from Jenxo and here is a link to her lovely blog. She was wonderful enough to include a journal book with the cover. And the best thing is that the cover can be removed and placed on the next book!


This is a lovely, lovely print, titled "Guard Your Heart", I received from Cindy at 12 Tribes. Around the woman's arms, it says: "Watch over your heart with diligence for from it flows the springs of life..."


Here is a close up of the heart she holds.


From Jennifer, at Jewelry by Jennifer Pride, I received these beautiful earrings. The colors of the glass beads are amber, purple and blue. The beads are translucent and just gorgeous!


Here is a simply wonderful mixed-media, wall hanging from Anna at Cottage 6 Studio. I love vintage photographs. The different papers chosen for this wall hanging are mixed together just right.


Anna has placed typed words to read: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."


Look at this beautiful heart from Janine at Jeany's Brunnen. There's an embroidered flower on either side of the heart. And the roses are raised as if they were blooming straight from the heart.


She also sent me the most divine card. It's so beautiful! I haven't made any cards these last couple of years, but now I'm completely inspired.



And I also received this sweet little book from Cheryl at In My Workroom. This book is handmade with a cloth binding. It's the perfect size to fit inside my purse!


The blank pages are all ready for my pen to begin its magic!


Here is my "Lucky Dip" package from Lisa Sarsfield. Can you see all the goodies? Lisa included a book page, cutout words, paper, vintage birds and lots of other wonderful ephemera.


OK... so I didn't get her in the mail, but everytime I spread anything out to be photographed, Ali Cat has to get in on the action:)



Thank you all so much Wendy, Jen, Cindy, Cheryl, Janine, Lisa, Jennifer and Anna!

Mary Modern

I just finished this book called Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelis.



The main character, Lucy, is a 27 year old woman, who's a scientist and lives in an unbelievable fantastic house, a Queen Anne Victorian. Her boyfriend, Gray, moves in with her and then Lucy decides to have a baby, but she can't conceive. So, Lucy finds an apron with her grandmother's blood on it and clones her own grandmother. Wait, there's a surprise for Lucy! Instead of having a new baby, she gets her grandmother, Mary, at the age of 22, who isn't too happy at being brought into this world.

At the beginning of the book, there's alot of setup for this madcap plot, including the romance of Lucy and Gray and tidbits from Mary's life. Mary is the most developed character in this book. Gray tries to be well developed, but retains his one dimensional status throughout the novel.

Downers: I'm not sure what politics have to do with Lucy's shenanigans, but the author, Camille DeAngelis, felt the need to throw in her political views. I confess I skimmed through those passages. And near the end, there's a "showdown" with a preacher, which I also felt unnecessary to the plot. All the politics and minister scenes did was add pages to the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed reading "Mary Modern" and would definitely recommend it!