Hunger Games
I jumped on the Hunger Games bandwagon late. The books had been loaded onto my iPad for about a year before I cracked them open. But once I did, I was hooked. I read all three over Thanksgiving weekend. They were completely unputdownable for me. Some people dismiss YA Fiction as fluff, but I find some to be compelling and thoughtful. That was the case with this trilogy. And now I am super excited for the movie. I have plans to see it on Monday after work. (Hopefully after the opening weekend rush.) The trailer is already exciting and I can’t wait to see how they bring Katniss’ world to life.
If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, here it is.
40×40 List #16: Get published
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by my friend Joe over at Bradford Woodworking. He asked if they could use one of the photos I took at their workshop as the cover of their 2012 catalog. Of course I was thrilled and agreed immediately. Here’s the cover:
I totally love the simplicity of the cover. It’s so clean and really makes me want to check out what’s inside.
If you’re interested in the whole catalog, you can check out the PDF here.
I love all of the unique and interesting pieces that Bradford Woodworking hand crafts. I own a set of their Pure & Simple Stools and I get compliments on them all the time. Someday I’ll add one of the pitchfork benches to my collection!
Good Media Day.
Yesterday was a good media day. I downloaded the Steve Jobs bio and the new Coldplay record. Hooray for a new book and new music!
Blogtoberfest
It’s Blogtoberfest time! Cathy over at {tinniegirl} hosts this month-long blogfest! It’s a great way to start posting more often and connect with new readers. Last year I was in Austin, TX for 3 weeks in October and wasn’t able to participate, but this year, I am ready to go. I posted everyday in September except for 4 days, so I am excited to complete a full month of blog posts! I’m also cooking up a giveaway to do during October, so check back to see what it will be!
Interested in joining in? Click on over to Cathy’s blog for more info and to get signed up!
SMASH!
Have you seen the SMASH line of journals? Probably not because they are SO IMPOSSIBLE to find (in Phoenix, at least)! I spent most of last week having my guy drive me to every craft & paper store in a 20 mile radius to find them. I still can’t drive due to the broken ankle debacle, so he won tons of boyfriend points for tolerating all of the chick shopping trips. He even tweeted about the experience:
and my favorite one from the day:
It’s true… I’m like a magpie to a piece of tinfoil when I see a clearance sign.
Anyway, back to the SMASH books. They are made by K&Company. Right now you can buy them right on their website, and I’ve found a few on Amazon. I know what you’re saying… “Stel, it’s just a journal… what’s the big deal?” I’ll tell you what the big deal is… THE PEN that comes with it! It’s not just a pen! One side of the pen is, well, a pen… but the other side? A glue stick! Genius! Now you can stick those ticket stubs and little notes and musings into a pretty rad spiral bound book because you always have adhesive with you! Neat!
The books are themed and the pages are printed with graphics and quotes that match the theme. I ordered the green “eco” book and some of the accessories (like washi tape, clips, adhesive pockets, etc) for a friend for her birthday (the whole point of the epic search). Of course I picked one up for myself (the pink one, naturally). If you’re interested, check out this quick video that the company put together to spread the word about SMASH. I guarantee you’ll want to get SMASHED too.
Deep Down True
I loved Juliette Fay’s first book, Shelter Me. In fact, I recommended it to everyone that I know who reads. It’s a great story, excellent characters, and one that will leave you thinking about it long after it is finished.
I stumbled upon Deep Down True at Target while I was waiting for a prescription to be filled. Could it be? A new book from Juliette Fay? I had randomly checked Amazon for new books by her and never came across any, so this was a real surprise. Lately, I have been buying all of my books on my iPad, but I picked up the paperback and bought it when my prescription was ready. I brought it with me to Los Gatos when I flew for An Artful Journey, but always stayed up way too late to want to do any reading before bed. I didn’t even crack it open on the plane. I think subconsciously I knew if I started it, I wouldn’t want to stop reading it. I was right.
I started the book on Friday night before bed. I read late into the wee hours, not wanting to put it down. I read a bit on Saturday morning before starting the day, and Sunday, I barely put it down, causing my guy to ask me, “Is that book really that good?” Yes. Yes it is.
I’m not going to give you a synopsis, you can read that on Amazon. Nor will I spoil any of it for you. Just know that it’s well written and will completely suck you in from page one. You’ll fall in love with every character and eventually want to become BFFs with all of them. Well, maybe not all, but most. It’s not at all related to Shelter Me, so you can read either in any order. I recommend reading both. Trust me.
You can buy Deep Down True here.
Links {& other cool stuff}
Somewhere between Halloween and New Year’s Day, I stopped posting my “this month I’m into…” blog posts. But I have things I want to share that aren’t always enough for a full post. So, sporadically, I’ll post some links and products that I’ve discovered.
{Caveat- these are all based only I my opinion. I don’t get paid or free product for posting about these items. If that ever happens, I’ll happily disclose it.}
I came across this link of Mark Bittman’s 25 Favorite Minimalist Recipes on the NYT website. There seem to be an amazing amount of easy and delicious looking recipes on this list! Can’t wait to try a few out!
Real Simple has posted a video for that age-old conundrum of how to fold a fitted sheet.
Preserve recycled/recyclable toothbrushes- I’ve been using these for a few years, but yesterday I bought one that came in it’s own mailing pouch to re-send it back for recycling. Pretty rad. They also have a subscription service so you can have fresh toothbrushes delivered right to your home with pre-paid envelopes to send back your used brush. I like that.
I’ve signed up for two online classes.
The first is Part 2 of Kal Barteski’s Nurture Your Creativity & Be Bulletproof (I took part 1 back in the fall)
The second is The She Art Workshop from Christy Tomlinson. I have been compelled to draw figures and girlies (and the occasional robot) so I am hoping this class will help me find my “voice” in figure drawing. Stay tuned, I am sure I’ll have experimental drawings to share.
My new food obsession seems to be oatmeal! Though we don’t have the cold winters like most of the country, it’s still in the 30s/40s when I get up in the morning. A nice warm bowl of oatmeal seems to be what fills me up and gets me moving. Lately, since I’ve been more focused on real food and less on processed food, I was worried that I would not be able to find an instant oatmeal that I could fix at work in a short amount of time. Enter Better Oats Oat Revolution. No preservatives, no artificial flavors (in most selections) and whole oats. These are the three flavors I picked up recently and I just love them. It’s also interesting to note that every time I make my breakfast, someone in the office comments on how great it looks and smells. Win! Oh! the other cool thing about this oatmeal is the packaging, which I’ll admit, is what sucked me in. It’s a tall, skinny box and the packets use less packaging AND can be used as the water measuring device! genius!
What I’m Into: November Edition
The weather is turning gorgeous in Phoenix. It's not cold by any stretch of the word, but we can sleep with the windows open and be comfortable. It might not feel like fall, but it feels less like summer!
Here's what I'm into this November:
Come Dine with Me on BBCAmerica
Four amateur cooks vie for a cash prize given to the best overall dinner party.
This show cracks me up. I love that the expectations get lower and lower with each night's dinner and some of the menus are downright amazing.
Froyo
Have I mentioned my obsession with Frozen Yogurt or Froyo as we call it in my house? Phoenix must have the monopoly on serve yourself yogurt shops. They are everywhere! It's usually a simple shop with 8-10 soft serve machines each serving different flavors of frozen yogurt. You grab a (way too big) cup and start filling it with the yogurt flavors of your choice. If it's an exceptionally good shop, they'll give you little sample cups so you can taste as you go. Then, once you have your flavors pumped into your bowl, you head over to the salad bar type toppings station. This is where the fun begins. Load it up with candy, dried cereal, fresh fruit, syrups, whatever you want. Oh, but don't forget, you pay by weight… usually about 32-37cents an ounce depending on the shop. It's great fun to make different flavor combinations. My personal favorite is Red Velvet frozen yogurt with graham cracker crumbs. Oh yeah.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part1)
November 19, 2010
Watch the trailer here.
Tron Legacy Soundtrack by Daft Punk
Available November 23
"You Are Your Own Muse" eCourse by Vivian McMaster
This class is a 6-week exploration of self-portraiture, which will partner well with the photography classes I am taking for school. I'm excited to dive into this and see what exercises Vivian assigns us. I've heard nothing but good things about her and can't wait to get started.
What I’m into: October edition
I spent most of this month in Austin, TX for a work event, so it’s safe to say that I was “into” Austin for October, but here are a few other things I am into this month.
History of Popular Culture course that I am taking for school
New Sufjan Stevens record + concert in Mesa on 10/22
The new 2011 MINI Countryman (which is why I was in Austin)
Gin & Tonic. My new drink of choice especially if made with Plymouth or Hendricks gin.
(Extra lime, plz.) Bonus points if you can get this guy to make it for you. (He’s a great bartender!)
Liquid Chalk Markers. These are awesome!
Are you into anything cool this October? Anything new and exciting I should know about? Drop me a comment and let me know!
What I’m into: September edition
Ahhh… it's September. Possibly my favorite month of the year. Fall is by far my favorite season and it's a little sad that I don't really get to experience it anymore in my current city, Phoenix. The good news is that a short drive north will yield blushing red and brilliant gold leaves and cooler temperatures, so I can get my fall fix in the next few months.
Here's what I'm into this September.
David Gray & Ray LaMontagne @ the Dodge Theater in PHX on September 1 (that's tonight!)
Kal's Be Bulletproof + Nurture Creativity Online Class. I'm taking the Slow & Steady version which starts on September 10th. Are you in the class? Which one are you taking?
I think this is going to be hilarious!
The return of Modern Family on September 23rd.
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Even though it's still 102 degrees outside, I can order a Pumpkin Spice Latte, turn up the AC in my MINI and pretend it's chilly enough for a hot beverage.
PS: I missed my August edition while I was on blog break, so I'll be putting that list together and backdating it.
