Erik HOMEMADE Coffee Break eZine

1001 Things to be Thankful For book review

 

1001 Things to be Thankful For, Published by Hallmark Cards, Inc

Most all of us have a list, at least a mental list, of who and what we are thankful for. Especially at this time of year, we enjoy ruminating exactly what we are grateful for. It is no wonder, then, that we found this sweet little book at our local Hallmark(tm) store--while picking out Thanksgiving cards to send to those we love far away, and whom we are thankful for.

1001 Things to be Thankful For really made us think a little deeper. Some things to be thankful for are so obvious: loving family, a roof over our heads, food on the table...but this book takes it one step farther and recognizes the little, often overlooked things that make daily life bearable or recalls a memory tucked so far back that just the very idea makes us smile!

Published by Hallmark(tm) Gift Books, each "thing" in the book is numbered, some with a beautiful Hallmark(tm) photos, others just a mention...some make you ponder, some make you think "it's been so long"; each "thing" a jog of the memory or a jog of a smile. Everyone will surely enjoy a glance (or a read!) of this book! Who would resist #234 fresh-squeezed lemonade or #623 housework burns 250 calories per hour? There are far too many (1001 to be exact!) to list them here!

Full of quotes, facts, and little thoughts, 1001 Things to be Thankful For would be wonderful given to your favorite holiday hostess this year! Get a copy for yourself, for your own guests to enjoy...how wonderful to pass around the table and read aloud after Thanksgiving dinner...making memories that will give you even more things to be thankful for...then you can add to the list (#1002, #1003...)...but who really is counting?! 

Look for 1001 Things to be Thankful For with the gift books at your local Hallmark(tm) Gold Crown store or retailer or visit www.hallmark.com for more information.

Instant Gratification Jewelry book review

 

Instant Gratification Jewelry

by Annie Guthrie, phototographs by Julie Toy, published by Chronicle Books

Stringing beads into jewelry sounds easy enough, but it takes an artist to bring sophistication to mere cord and bead. In fact, make that two artists: Annie Guthrie (jeweler and author) and Julie Toy (photographer). Both women have come together to create Instant Gratifiaction Jewelery, published by Chronicle Books.

The actual idea of "instant gratification" made us examine this book a little closer. String and beads--how hard can it be? However there is more to it than that! Like any artistic expression, there is thought and soul invloved and Ms Guthrie does a wonderful job using a variety of techniques and materials to create interesting and inspired designs. And not just of necklaces, but hairbands, chokers, anklets, and more. Her designs are easy, clean, sophisticated, and modern; they allow the beauty of the material to catch the eye.

With Ms Guthrie's designs, Julie Toy takes craft photography to a higher level. If the title intrigued us, the photos kept us turning the pages. Soft edges, perfect props, and pin-point focus set everything apart from the ho-hum craft book.  

Junk Mail Origami book review

 

Junk Mail Origami

by Duy and Tramy Nguyen, published by Sterling Publishing

Like us, you probably recycle hundreds of pounds of junk mail a year. Mailbox-to-bin, it just keeps coming, even after you have opted-out and taken your name off of every list possible. STOP! Now there is a use for all of those pretty glossy paper advertisements and offers that are too good to refuse! Thanks to Duy and Tramy Nguyen, you too, will want to start putting your junk mail to good use! 

The NFL Gameday Cookbook book review

  

The NFL Gameday Cookbook

By Ray "Dr BBQ" Lampe, published by Chronicle Books

If one thing can be said of football fans, they sure love the game; they sure love great food, and when put together, the two couldn't be better! The NFL Gameday Cookbook revels in "the Game" and everything it encompasses from tail-gating to armchair quarter-backing, finger food to knife and fork necessity; and lots of napkins, please!

A Victorian Christmas book review

 

A Victorian Christmas, Sentiments and Sounds of a Bygone Era

by Lucinda Cockrell; mandolin by Butch Baldassari, published by Thomas Nelson

As crafters we find we are constantly looking for inspiration for many different reasons for many different projects. At the holidays there are always verses to be found for greeting cards and scrapbook pages or just the right little sentiment to be jotted down on a gift tag or at the end of a letter to a dear friend; the right words can be so meaningful...

Turning Twenty pattern review

Turning Twenty Quilt Pattern/booklet

By Tricia Cribbs/FriendFolks

Review by Pat, Erik's mother. (Pat has made 4 Turning Twenty quilts--and has several more cut and ready to sew, so we feel she is our resident expert!)

I love collecting fabric! Bright colors, exciting florals, Halloween, Christmas; I love collecting fabrics! When I saw the pattern booklet for Turning Twenty, I knew this was a pattern for me! Not only is this pattern easy to put together (all of the pieces are cut straight-of-grain with no strange angles or bias to cope with) with large, easy-to-handle pieces to show off the wonderful colorful prints I am so reluctant to cut!

Sew Simple book review

SEW SIMPLE Thoughtful Gifts & Easy Accessories 

by Gooseberry Patch, published by Leisure Arts, Inc.

I have always been drawn to Gooseberry Patch books and leaflets. Vickie, JoAnn, and their "country friends" seem to agree with me...flea market chic doesn't have to be "shabby".

SEW SIMPLE is a fabulous example of how scraps, left-overs, and flea market finds can be combined into amazing sewing projects and pretty what-nots worthy of gift giving.

Little Heathens book review

Little Heathens  High Spirits and Hard Times on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression  

By Mildred Armstrong Kalish, published by Bantham Dell 

I am the first one to tell everyone that I do not read for enjoyment very often; I read for information. That said, I knew it was going to be a long trip back from Spokane, Washington, after all I had a lengthy airport layover and reading is a productive pastime. After all, I was up-to-date on my work related things, so my mind was free to "just pick something".

I was looking around the bookstore in downtown Spokane and saw Little Heathens was a staff pick. The employees ideas about the book were positive. The comments on the back cover were interesting and the few pages I thumbed through sounded good; an easy read, maybe even enjoyable. This might be a good book, I thought, setting the book down and moving on, leaving the bookstore without buying anything for my return trip.