September 8th 2015 - New author

September 8th 2015 - New author

A few months back I bought a book in a local charity shop for 25p that sounded really interesting, it was Entranced by Nora Roberts. At the time I didn't realise it was part of a set.  I have since read book 1 and I am trying to get books 3 and 4.

This bargain find has got me hooked on a great author and I am now looking to buy more of her books.  From what I have found online she has written over 200 books in the name or Nora Roberts and even more under her pseudo name of JD Robbs.  I will be looking for those as well.

Yesterday whilst I was shopping I found 2 more of her books in charity shops - birthright and treasure.I bought them and I now need to find the extra books for treasure.  If I plan to buy all her books I am going to need to buy/make some more book shelves, not that I am sure of where to put them as have no room.  I do like the idea of bookshelves built around windows and doors so that they are set back. 

July 29th 2015 - Library

July 29th 2015 - Library

Whilst going through lil mans book bag I found a letter about "the record breakers reading challenge" at the local library.  For this he has to read 6 books over the summer and he gets stickers and things as he goes along.  We got the bus to town and walked round to the library.  We spoke to the lady at the desk and got him his own library card.  We asked the lady about the reading challenge and she sent us to another desk to sort it.

The lady went through the paperwork and told us what he needs to do for it.  We took the paperwork and went over to the children's book area and started to look for books.  Lil man wasn't sure what he wanted so we headed to the learning to read section where we found a nice big pile that were suitable, we sat on 1 of the seats and went through them to see which ones he wanted to bring home.

He choose 3 learning to read and a bigger children's book from 1 of the boxes.  He has the books for 3 weeks but has already read 2 of the 4 he brought home.  The reading of 6 books isn't going to be a problem for him to do.  We have said that we will take a picture of him with all the books he reads and print them out so he can show his teacher when  he goes back to school in september.

June 25th 2015 - 2015 reading challenge update

June 25th 2015 - 2015  reading challenge up date

Back on 9th January 2015 I posted a pin about a reading challenge for the year.  A few of the books I had initially put on the list have been altered to a different book that fits the category.  There were 50 books on the list (52 if you count the other 2 from the trilogy), I have 23 so far (and that is including the extra 2 of the trilogy).

There is 1 I wont be reading on the list and that is something that scares you as I don't do scary!!  Despite only having read 23 off the list I have read 29books in total this year - some proper paper books others on the kindle.

I do plan to try and read more off the list the problem is that I need to buy them as kindle or books

April 29th 2015 - Book Quotes

April 29th 2015 - Book Quotes

As part of the story sack for family learning I decided that I would add a Dr Seuss quote to the bag, which has been printed on t-shirt transfer paper for me to iron and and then the small book from felt with Book quotes on each page.

I hunted the net for ages trying to find some quotes that the kids would understand.  I choose the ones that are in the link (I made the pin of them).  Each quote has been written out in pencil on a small piece of material and I am back stitching the letters on each one.  This is taking longer than I thought it would but never mind, will look good when it's done and they are fixed to the felt book.

Here is 2 of the quotes - 1 drawn in pencil and the other that has been sewn

March 18th 2015 - Family Learning

March 18th 2015 - Family Learning

Today at the family learning at the school we didn't have the children in with us as they were all involved with Commando Joe who does sports and things with them, and today he had brought in an inflatable assualt course for them to do and as they were at different times they didn't come.

The first of today's tasks was a spelling test of 5 hard words that most people can't spell - I got 4/5 as I put an extra letter on the last word.  The words were necessary, secretary, piece, accommodation and rhythm(n added at end).  We then talked about ways of remembering the words whether it be through pictures of phrases.  And after about hour we were asked to re-write the words down, I got 5/5 then.

We were then all given bookmarks to make for our children - I got the one with the apple and the one with the purple book.  I hope the boys like them.  The initial ideas was for the children to make them but as they wern't with us we did them.

We went to more things about spelling including a KS1 SATs paper where they had to spell words linked to the pictures and then write the word in the space that the lady read out in the story.  Some of the words were not easy for 6/7year olds I tell you.  We also did a SATs paper that KS2 would do and again it wasn't easy although I got 20/20, some of the words I thought would be hard for 10/11year olds.  Linked to this a paragraph that had had the full stops and capital letters put in the wrong place and we had to sort them, some of us said we would put them in different places.

The lady teaching the course gave us all a question that we had to answer - they were both open and closed questions.  Mine was "what would your dream job be?" I answered Paramedic.  And as I had only given a 1 word answer I was asked If I would ever do it - the answer is no because of my knee problems and it never would be an option as my knees are not strong enough.  Everyone had different questions.  We were then asked what our children would say as an answer to our question - I said that my youngest would say a Chef and we got talking about why and I told them that he has his own business plan already written and who is doing what job.  For my other son I said that he wants to be a Fireman but as hes asthmatic he can't.

Finally the trip to the farm we are going on after Easter as the last week of the course was talked about and how we need to take wellies and lunch etc.  This should be a good day, we only have next week left in the classroom and then the course is ended.  They are hoping to do a short 5week craft course after Easter as well and then another 10week course from September.

March 14th 2015 - 3 more books from list

March 14th 2015 - 2 more books from list

Back on 9th January I made a post about the 2015 reading challenge.  This morning I have added 3 more books to the list of completed books, giving me a total now of 6/50 read.  I have read more than this so far this year but not all have been on the challenge list.

The 3 that I read this morning are Bulgy from Thomas the Tank from the category of "non-human characters" and Monster stories for under fives from the category of "book with a number in title" and the 3rd book was the dinosaur that pooped a lot from the category "funny".  All of these were read to my lil man, who like his Mum loves books and reading.  He's happy cos some of his on his shelf he can actually read on his own now.

We try and read at least 1 book or story a day, usually at bedtime, but occasionally like today, he will come down with a book and ask if we can read it.  The 3rd of today's he came back from town with as he went and used he book day token.

As its a dry day and the sun is shining I think I'm going to go out and do some of the garden, and I know lil man wants to plant his carrot seeds in his planter.

March 5th 2015 - 2 pins for 1 today (see post)

March 5th 2015 - 2 pins for 1 today (see post)

Today there is going to be 2 pins for the price of 1!  That is because  of 2 things - 1. it's world book day and 2/3 sons have gone to school dressed up and 2. I had a brain wave last night on how to do something that I need to share as it may help others.

Lets start with number 1 on the list.  Today is world book day, this is a great day that aims to raise awareness of books and reading and encourages children to do so.  Most schools allow the children to dress up as a character froma book.  My youngest decided as soon as he knew they were dressing up that he was going as Thomas the tank engine.  He was going to wear his dressing up playsuit of thomas but its very thin and most of the back is open (it ties at the neck) and  as the weather doesn't know what its doing at the moment (snow, hail, rain and sun all on same day 2 days ago) I told him to wear his thick thomas onesie, which has thomas from the top to bottom, not small pics or the writing but a big thomas (see pic). My middle son wanted to go as Hiccup the Viking (see FEbruary 26th and 27th) from How to train your dragon.  This proved a bit hared than the simple onesie, but I managed to make him it and everyone that saw the photo of himand stock image of hiccup said I had down really well.  (See pic).

 

I will also add the instructions for Hiccip to one of my very early blog posts about making costumes for book day and parties etc.

NOW for the 2nd part of todays pin, this is a how to by me as when I looked yesterday on google and pinterest all I was finding was shop bought or make your own with wire or dental floss of which I have neither.

This how to is about making a needle threader from a drinking straw.

On March 3rd I posted about making a clown wig from wool and a hat.  Things were going ok to start with, then after 1 row round the hat my finger started to really get sore from where I was threading wool into a needle.  So I got out my needle threader (for cotton as all I had) and after 3 strands of wool it broke! 

After going on google and Pinterest to try and find how to make 1, I hunted the house and hubbys tool boxes etc to see if I could find any thin wire (no such luck) and the strimmer wire was too thick for needle as well and I don't have dental floss in the house either.  Call it what you like but I choose the word FATE 2 drinking straws fell out of the packet that sits on top of my cupboards (or my boys use them 1 per drink and then bin them).  Well this got me thinking - straws are flexible I wonder if it will fit through eye of needle if squashed?  AND yes it does!

For this make your own needle threader you need a drinking straw, a pair of scissors and a big eyed needle.  It's very simple to do.  Step 1 - cut a small (1-2cm long) piece off the drinking straw.  Step 2 - thread wool into straw.  Step 3 - squash straw flat.  Step 4 - push the straw through eye of needle.  Step 5 - remove strw and needle is threaded.  Then repeat the steps for each piece you need to do - this is lots with this clown wig!!!

Step 1 top left, step 2 bottom left, step 3 top right, step 4 middle right and step 5 bottom right

February 25th 2015 - Family learning at the school

February 25th 2015 - Family learning at the school

Today is another week of the family learning at the school.  We were talking about stories and making them up and how you can come up with a story just from looking at 1 picture or from 1 line that is already written down.

We mad jigsaw pieces about ourselves to go on a display board on the wall, similar to this -

I forgot to take a picture of it but will do next week.  My puzzle piece I covered it in purple tissue paper, I added my name down the side in black letters, a big pink pig in the middle as I collect pigs and have liked them since I was a toddler, a gold ring with a silver glitter diamond, a rose and some stars.  I was going to put a green cross for first aid on it but you couldn't really tell what the cross was for.

When the children came to join us for their part they all headed for the biscuits staright away, I do wonder if this is why they are coming along to it! lol!  Once I had managed to collect my 2 boys from the snacks I explained to them what they were going to be doing.  There was 2 parts to their work - the first was to make a simple book from a piece of A4 paper by folding it and then cutting and re folding it (see the book link above to pinterest).  The second part was to colour or stick things onto a paper person that will be the character in their mini book.

Blake decided that his person was going to be a zoo keeper called  Blake and he gave him zebra print trousers, a giraffe print top and red hair (see below).  And Kenzie made a boy with silver spiley hair and named him spike (see below).  They were then laminated, had a hole put on the top and a piece of string threaded through and were selotaped to the middle of the book so that the character can visit every page in their mini books.  They have got to finish them next week.

 

The pics of the jigsaw shapes we made.

February 22nd 2015 - Trilogy of books finished

February 22nd 2015 - Trilogy of books finished

Today I have finished reading Keri Arthur's Circle Trilogy of books, Circle of Fire, Circle of Death and Circle of Desire.  These are being classed towards the 2015 reading challenge I posted about back in January.

Although the books are classed as a trilogy they are not all part of the same story which is what I thought they would be and why I was eager to read them all one after the other.  They do have links to same magic circle but they do not have the same people in.

I enjoyed reading the three books as they are magic/paranormal based.  But they didn't seem very different to other books of this genre, and nothing that really stands out.  They are well written though and interesting.

January 9th 2015 - 2015 reading challenge

JANUARY 9th 2015 - 2015 reading challenge

I have downloaded and printed out the 2015 reading challenge,  I think this could be quite a challenge for some of the 50 books on the list as they are not what I normally like to read.

I have gone through the list and made a note of books that I have on my shelves (but not read) and also through the net for ideas like the book published in 2015 and an author under 30yrs old etc.  I will update and cross out books when I have read them.

The reading challenge can be found here.

the reading list so far - the blue are the planned books

BOOKS!!!

Yesterday saw the arrival of a box FULL of books that I had won on ebay very cheaply.  And today I have WON 2 more books on the book website.

So my book shelf is now rather full, and I need to start reading them, well i've started reading a few but have lots still to read.

Book review

I have had an email from an author today asking me if I would be prepared to read his book and write an honest review of it.  Well I have agreed and he has sent me over an e-book of it.

Watch this space for the updated review.  which I will also be posting on other sites.

Sooooooooooo much pain again!

Last night my knee gave (again) and I ended up in a heap on the floor!  This is the 1st time it has done this in about 4months, and it has re-aggrevated my knee injury from january 2013.  So after ringing my GP and not being able to get in until friday the nurse advised me if I was in pain to go to A&E. 

Off to A&E I went to have my knee prodded n pulled about and me end up in even more pain! (why do docs always say sorry when they are making you cry out in pain???  LOL!)  Well the doc advised strapping it up and resting it and using my crutches if I need to walk about.  He doesn't think there is any new damage but the old injury again.

So its now a waiting game to see what my gp is going to do and wait for the appointment to the orthopeadic docs, meanwhile taking pain killers like they are going out of fashion!  NOT that they are helping much. :(

But as I cant do much means I have time to look for more competitions to enter and I can sit and read my books :)

1st Prize of the year

Today in my email I received the following:

"Congratulations Amy!

You are one of our First Reads lucky winners! You will soon receive a free copy of A Cry In The Night in the mail. Please allow a few weeks for shipping."





I went over to the Goodreads website to double check and yes I have won a copy of the book, I was one of the lucky 10 people out of 297 that entered.

Once the book arrives and I have read it I will add a review of it on here, on amazon and on Goodreads!

New books

When I moved house a few months ago nearly all my books ended up going to the charity shop by accident.  This was very upsetting when I reaslised, as some of the books I had had many years and as they had come free with magazines I doubt I will be able to replace them.

So I have set about purchasing new books when I find them cheaply.  I have picked up some in charity shops and others in sales.

Today I have received 2 more parcels in the post of new books. Slowly my book shelf is starting to look a bit fuller.

Some of my new books

As per the picture you can see there are some Katie Price books, I picked up a couple in a charity shop before Christmas and I wasn't sure I would enjoy them, but thought I would give them a try anyway.  Well I enjoyed them and that's why I have bought some more. 

Once I have read them I plan on writing reviews of them, whether on here or on Goodreads or both i've not yet decided.