Book Review :: Curio by Evangeline Denmark

Curio is a hardcover book written by Evangeline Denmark.

Because Curio is a teen/tween book, I am going to hand this over to my daughter for the review (*spoilers included*):

Grey Howard lives in Mercury City, where Chemists roam the streets with their chemia magic. Grey's grandfather, Olan Howard, owns a shop where the ancient curio cabinet lies, unused. Grey receives a strange mark on her skin, which makes Olan believe she is special. His faithful assistant, Hiamon, sends Grey on a journey through the curio cabinet, telling her to rescue "him". While she's in the cabinet, she finds a world made of metal, porcelain, and other materials. The "porcies" (people made of porcelain) welcome her into their home, where "tocks" (metal people) are the servants. In Curio she meets the "Mad Tock", a boy named Blaise. Blaise also has a mark, and he tells her that they are both Defenders. Together they fight a battle, defeat Lord Blueboy, and escape. (Blaise is the one Hiamon wanted Grey to save. He had been sent into the cabinet a long time ago.)

I asked my daughter a few questions about Curio - here they are with her responses:

Was the book interesting?

Yes.

Do you plan to read it again?

Yes.

What did you like about this book?

Everything.

What (if anything) did you NOT like about this book?

Nothing.

Would you recommend this book to others your age?

Yes.

What ages do you think would enjoy this book best?

12 to 15

Any other comments about this book?

It's a good book. 

Out of a total of 5 possible stars, what would you rate this book?

4 stars.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Distressed Foil Embellished Onesies {The Twinery}

Today I've got a fun project to share with you...distressed foil embellished onesies!

Foil is so popular right now, and I love the fact that it can be applied to fabric. I wanted to create a fun gift for two of my newest nieces, and I thought decorated onesies would be perfect. My sisters-in-law like vintage and/or shabby chic styles, so distressing on the hearts was the perfect look.

This may look like a difficult and time-consuming project, but it really wasn't. In fact, it went something like this:

Step One: Punch shapes from Hot Melt Adhesive.
*Step Two: Feed the kids.
Step Three: Iron Hot Melt Adhesive punched shapes onto onesies.
*Step Four: Change a diaper.
Step Five: Iron Deco Foil onto onesies.
*Step Six: Put baby down for nap.
Step Seven: Peel back  to reveal finished design.
*Step Eight: Think to yourself, "Wait...you're not finished. These are cute. You should make one for your own baby."
*Step Nine: Repeat steps one through seven.

*Some steps may not apply to all crafters. Feel free to insert a chocolate break instead.

To get that fun, distressed look, I simply set the iron to a higher temperature than was recommended on the package when ironing on the foil. (It will dull some of the high shine of the foil and alter the amount of adhesion, so you will only want to do this if you are wanting the distressed look.)

After I created the onesies for my nieces, I went back and made another onesie, this time choosing a star embellishment for a "little sheriff" look.  

And, of course, no gift is complete without being tied up with The Twinery's fabulous twine! I chose Solid Lilac and Solid Peapod for the heart onesies, and Copper Shimmer twine for the star onesie.

If you are looking to do a distressed foil look on paper, that is possible, too. Simply place parchment paper over the foiled image (after you've peeled the transfer sheet off), and use firm pressure with an iron, being sure to move it back and forth. This will wrinkle and dull the foil - a perfect distressed look!

Before you go...I don't mean to alarm you, but it's come to my attention that some people are using irons for things other than craft projects. I just felt the need to spread the word incase you come in contact with one of these people. They are out there.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: 
Transfer Foil: Therm O Web (Deco Foil - various colors);
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Peapod, Solid Lilac, Copper Shimmer); 
 Tools: Fiskars (Squeeze Punches, Scissors);

Adventures in Bible art & journaling :: A Peek Inside - Journaling Bible Comparison

If you are interested in Bible art & journaling, please consider joining me in the "Bible Art & Journaling" group on Facebook.

I've received some great feedback from my post about choosing a journaling Bible (going over the specifications on a variety of journaling Bibles currently offered and some that are coming soon), and I wanted to take things just a step further. 

Today, let's look inside a few of the popular journaling Bibles. I hope to give you a good idea of layout and size - particularly if you are shopping for a journaling Bible online. 

I will be comparing the following journaling Bibles today:

Note-Taker's Bible (NASB version is shown, others are offered) - published by Zondervan

NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition - published by Zondervan

ESV Single Column Journaling Bible - published by Crossway

ESV Journaling Bible (Double Column) - published by Crossway

(Please note that the Note-Taker's Bible shown in these pictures is the one I have been using for my Bible art. I have drawn and written in it and it has some marks on the edges of the pages because of this. The other Bibles pictured are in new condition.)

First, a look at the exterior sizing:

(From left to right: Note-Taker's Bible, NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column)

(From bottom to top: Note-Taker's Bible, NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column)

(From top to bottom: Note-Taker's Bible, NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column)

(Due to the angle, the above picture makes the Note-Taker's Bible look a bit thicker than it is. In reality it is closer to, but just slightly thicker than, the ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column. The NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition and ESV Single Column Journaling Bible are very similar to each other in thickness.)


Now...let's take a look inside.

(From top to bottom: Note-Taker's Bible, NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column)

Because the Bibles are stacked on top of each other, this picture does not accurately show the font sizes of each of these Bibles. The ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column, shown at the bottom of the picture, definitely has the smallest font. 

If you are particular about font size, they are as follows (in my opinion) from smallest to largest: ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, Note-Taker's Bible. 

You can see that the pages are not all the same as far as color goes. The Note-Taker's Bible has white pages, the NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition has cream-colored pages (with a faint orange tint, when compared to the others), and the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible and ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column both have cream-colored pages (on the ivory side, when compared to the others).

(From bottom to top: Note-Taker's Bible, NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column)

The NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition, ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, and ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column offer more space on the side margins, but they do not offer the large bottom margin of the Note-Taker's Bible.

(Top row, right: Note-Taker's Bible. Top row, left: NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition. 

Bottom row, right: ESV Single Column Journaling Bible. Bottom row, left: ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column)

In the above photo, you can see a difference in the open space offered in places such as the Psalms. (This is definitely where a single column Bible like the NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition or ESV Single Column Journaling Bible will offer more "real estate" for your art.)

Okay...now that we've seen them all together, let's take a look at the footprint and margin sizes of each Bible, individually.

For each Bible I will be first sharing a picture on a standard 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper. To the side, you will see a standard size Bic ballpoint pen and a Sakura Pigma Micron pen (the second being my current drawing tool of choice for Bible art).

I will also share pictures showing each Bible's margins with a ruler for reference.

(Please note that taking pictures from overhead may have distorted the sizing a little bit due to angle and distance from the camera, but I did my best to give you an overall idea of size. I tried to line up the bottom of the pens with the bottom edge of each of the Bibles, so you can see that some distortion took place.)


First up, the Note-Taker's Bible:

(Page length: just over 9 1/8", but not quite 9 1/4")

(Margin width: just over 1 1/4", but not quite 1 3/8")

Bottom margin: just over 1 5/8" (or more, depending on footnotes)
(Page width, not pictured: just about 6 1/4")


Next, let's look at the NIV Holy Bible -Journal Edition:

(Page length: 8")

(Margin width: 2")

Here's a look at the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible:

(Page length: just over 7 7/8", but not quite 8")

(Margin width: 2")

And, finally, let's look at the ESV Journaling Bible - Double Column:

(Page length: 7 1/4")

(Margin width: 2")

Whew!
I know that is a lot of pictures, but I know that many of you (like me) are doing your shopping online, and I wanted to give you a chance to peek inside of the journaling Bibles you might be looking at.

That's all I've got to share for today, but if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Have a great day!

Find all my posts pertaining to Bible art or journaling here.

Book Review :: NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition

The NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition is a fantastic choice for anyone who is looking for a journaling Bible with space to record notes or create art. The NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition is currently available in 4 cover variations: solid hardcover with elastic strap, brown imitation leather with cross design, brown/blue imitation leather with flower design, and leather flap cover with strap.

For this review, I will be looking at the solid hardcover with elastic strap.

The NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition has has all black text (including the words of Christ) and is laid out in a single column on cream colored pages. The text is standard size - not large, but not extra small. There are lightly lined side margins that are perfect for note taking. Where the text does not span the entire line, you will have more unlined margin space (particularly in the Psalms and Proverbs). This is the NIV version of the Bible (© 1973, 1978, 1984, & 2011).

Let's take a look at the footprint and margin sizes of the NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition.

The photo above shows the NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition on a standard 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper. To the side, you can see a standard size Bic ballpoint pen and a Sakura Pigma Micron pen (the second being my current drawing tool of choice for Bible art).

(Please note that taking pictures from overhead may have distorted the sizing a little bit due to angle and distance from the camera, but I did my best to give you an overall idea of size. I tried to line up the bottom of the pens with the bottom edge of the Bible, so you can see that some distortion took place.)

Below you can see the margins of the NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition (with a ruler for reference).

(Page length: 8")

(Margin width: 2")

If you would like to see the NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition compared to other popular journaling Bibles currently out (including interior views of all), you can now find my journaling Bible comparison post here. 

If you would like to know what options for journaling Bibles are out currently or coming soon, check out my post on choosing a journaling Bible here. 

And, as always, you can find all my posts pertaining to Bible art or journaling here.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Book Reviews :: London Art Chase and A Dolphin Wish (Glimmer Girls Series) by Natalie Grant

London Art Chase and A Dolphin Wish are the first two books in the Faithgirlz Glimmer Girls Series by Natalie Grant. (The third book, The Miracle in Music City, is set to be released later this year.)

The first book in the Faithgirlz Glimmer Girls Series is London Art Chase.

Because London Art Chase is a "tween" book, I am going to hand this over to my daughter for the review (*spoilers included*):

Maddie, her sisters (Mia and Lulu), her nanny, and her parents are off to London! Maddie's mom (Gloria Glimmer) is a famous singer , and she's performing in a concert. On a trip to the National Gallery, Maddie sees a thief steal her favorite painting. She drags her sisters all over London to find the thief, and even goes so far as to break the rules and run away! Maddie soon finds that the thief wasn't really a thief, but someone who cleans the paintings! But she and the "thief" (Mr. Hughs) soon find the real thief and get back their paintings. Maddie became a hero!

I asked my daughter a few questions about London Art Chase - here they are with her responses:

Was the book interesting?

Yes.

Do you plan to read it again?

Yes.

What did you like about this book?

The mystery mixed with real life.

What (if anything) did you NOT like about this book?

Nothing.

Would you recommend this book to others your age?

Yes.

What ages do you think would enjoy this book best?

8 to 12

Any other comments about this book?

No.

Out of a total of 5 possible stars, what would you rate this book?

5 stars.

The second book in the Faithgirlz Glimmer Girls Series is A Dolphin Wish.

Again, because A Dolphin Wish is a "tween" book, I am going to hand this over to my daughter for the review (*spoilers included*):

Mia is off to San Diego! She goes to Captain Swashbuckler's Adventure Park and finds out that someone is letting out the animals! Mia doesn't want anything to happen to the dolphins, so she buries herself into the mystery, wanting to be a hero like Maddie. Lulu, the greatest fit-thrower ever and never afraid to stand up for herself or her sisters, (and always speaks her mind), is a great help to Mia and she soon solves the mystery after the third trip to the theme park! Mia is now a hero like Maddie! Now it's Lulu's turn!

I asked my daughter a few questions about A Dolphin Wish - here they are with her responses:

Was the book interesting?

Yes.

Do you plan to read it again?

Yes.

What did you like about this book?

Everything.

What (if anything) did you NOT like about this book?

Nothing at ALL.

Would you recommend this book to others your age?

Yes.

What ages do you think would enjoy this book best?

8 to 12

Any other comments about this book?

I love it. I like it better than the last one (London Art Chase).

Out of a total of 5 possible stars, what would you rate this book?

5 stars.

The Glimmer Girls series by Natalie Grant is a great option for tween readers, and I know my daughter is looking forward to the third book in the series (The Miracle in Music City) being released later in 2016.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Grateful

I'm back with another shaker card.

Not much to say about this one - I was just playing around with a few dies cuts and loved this color combo:

Shaker cards are so fun - makes me feel like a kid again!

Hope you're having a great day!

Supplies: 
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink; 
Dies: My Favorite Things; Paper Smooches;
Sequins: Pretty Pink Posh; Martha Stewart; 
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Book Review :: Without a Trace (Faithgirlz Samantha Sanderson Series) by Robin Caroll

Without a Trace by Robin Caroll is the fourth book in the Samantha Sanderson series.

(There are three previously available titles in the series: At The Movies, On The Scene, and Off The Record.)

Samantha (Sam) Sanderson is the daughter of a journalist and a police officer. Sam wants to be a journalist like her mom and is off to a good start because she is on the staff of the school newspaper. In each book in the series, some sort of mystery arises and she tries to solve it with the help of her best friend, Makayla. (Her dad is usually involved in some way, too.) Sam likes to write articles for the school newspaper about the mystery at hand.

Because Without a Trace is a "tween" book, I am going to hand this over to my daughter for the review (*spoilers included*):

"Sam" Sanderson is at it again, this time searching for a boy named Tam Lee. The police think he ran away, but Sam doesn't. The police get more and more worried because Tam has been gone for 3 days. Sam soon finds that Tam was doing a report on missing kids, and deduces that Tam was trying to prove that the first 3 hours are most important when a child goes missing. Sam gathers more and more information and helps her father with the case. Suddenly, Tam's parents get a call from Tam, and Sam quickly goes to investigate. They soon find Tam is in a panic room, where he had hidden, but then got trapped in.

I asked my daughter a few questions about Without a Trace - here they are with her responses:

Was the book interesting? 

Yes.

Do you plan to read it again?

Yes.

What did you like about this book?

The mystery.

What (if anything) did you NOT like about this book?

It was kind of scary for me.

Would you recommend this book to others your age?

Yes.

What ages do you think would enjoy this book best?
Probably 8 to 12.

Any other comments about this book?

No.

Out of a total of 5 possible stars, what would you rate this book?

5 stars.

My daughter has enjoyed the Samantha Sanderson series, and the book Without a Trace is another good choice for your tween reader. 

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Valentine Treat (Peanut Butter Balls) {The Twinery}

Hi there! 

Today I'm sharing a delicious treat with you!  

Okay, it's not easy to share homemade, chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls through the internet...but I can at least share the recipe with you. (And the recipe makes plenty to share with friends and neighbors.) 

You can find the recipe here:

Recipe:

4 cups natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt...no sugar)

8 cups (2 lb. bag) powdered sugar

2 cups butter

2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients and chill in refrigerator until firm.

Scoop into balls and place in fridge or freezer until firm.

Melt 2 pounds chocolate chips with 1 stick (1/4 box) Gulf Wax paraffin wax in a double boiler (or a dish over a pan of hot water).

Dip each peanut butter ball in chocolate coating. Place on tray that has been covered with wax paper & return to fridge or freezer to firm up. Dip tops in melted chocolate (if needed) and return to fridge or freezer to firm up. Store in fridge or freezer.

This recipe is pretty forgiving. Add more peanut butter, more butter, more sugar...more chocolate...whatever you want. 

And I don't pretend to be some master chocolatier - these aren't the prettiest things. (In fact, my friends and I call them my "peanut butter blobs".) 

But they sure do taste good!

Once you've got all those treats made, it's time to wrap them up.

I created these quick and easy boxes that each hold three peanut butter balls:

And, of course, I used The Twinery's twine to add an extra pop of color (and hold the boxes closed).

...delicious treats all packaged up and ready to pass out for Valentine's Day! 

(If you don't eat them all first.)

Enjoy!

Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Charcoal, Solid Honeydew, Solid Pink Sorbet); 
Patterned Paper: Heidi Swapp; Jen Hadfield;
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); We R Memory Keepers (1-2-3 Punch Board);