A Creative Bibliophile - April 2021

I will admit that I have had a problem lately finding a book that keeps my attention .. I haven't had a problem finding books I want to read, but then I just can't seem to get into them and stay interested !! In the past I used to feel like I had to finish every book that I started .. But now there are too many on my To Read list - so I just close that book and move on to another.. This month I will tell you about 3 books - one I read and loved, one I started and wish I could have loved and one that I am loving now..

I came across a stamp set from 2016 when I was searching for something else ( and that happens every day !! ).It was perfect for my post .. I stamped the images from Coffee Donuts Friends by Darcie's Heart & Home onto 3 bookmark-sized pieces of mixed media paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink . The images were colored in with my COPICS. I added some book-themed and floral washi to the bookmarks and then adhered them to another layer of mixed-media paper to make them sturdier . As in previous posts, I also placed a piece of ledger paper on the back of the bookmarks for book lists, notes or reviews .

A book that I wanted to love is If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier.  I waited months for this book from the library and after much anticipation, I could just not get into it. The storyline fascinated me - a true crime lover and podcast listener searches for her favorite true crime podcaster who has gone missing .. I tried reading it several times and it never pulled me in .. I am keeping it until the due date and might try again, but no promises ..

I am sure many of my fellow readers are familiar with Jojo Moyes and her books.  I had actually never read any and one day this book - The Peacock Emporium - was the featured Nook book . I get e-mails daily with great deals on a particular book or sometimes a few titles. This one caught my eye and I bought it for $2.99 .

To look at this cover, you would never know that the book is about a coffee shop  - The Peacock Emporium. Full of characters, settings and details, this story begins in the 1960's and continues in 2001 with Suzanna Peacock . Her Emporium serves as the backdrop for several storylines with an eclectic cast of characters. Suzanna's mother Athene begins the book with her role as 'the Last Deb" and is a complex, spoiled character who lays the foundation for the rest of the story. At times, I did wonder how certain elements were going to tie together, but I feel that Moyes did a great job with that . I was drawn in to the cast of characters and looked forward to finding out where the book took them. The legacy of Suzanna's mother is a large part of this book, coloring many aspects of the storylines. I enjoyed learning the "real" story of their mother/daughter relationship. It was surprising and not at all predictable. I now have a few other books of hers on my TBR list - The Giver of Stars is at the top . An interesting fact - her book Me Before You was made into a movie starring Emilia Clarke .. A real tearjerker - I loved it !!

A book that I am reading now and loving is The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James . This is a ghost story about a woman who disappeared from the Sun Down Motel in 1982 and her niece who decides to try to find out what happened to her in 2017 . She actually gets a job at the same hotel --- sooooooooo, what could go wrong ?!?!?!  Let's just say that I do not read this book in bed at night .. It was sent to me by a fellow book lover and I started it but never got too far into it ... Not sure why, but I think I put it into one of my book bags and forgot it was there !!!

I hope you have enjoyed my book craziness this month !! Leave me a comment about a book you loved or one you hoped you would love but didn't or one you are loving now  - I'll randomly choose one commenter and  send them one of my bookmarks .. Until next time, stay safe and keep on reading ...

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / April 2021

April showers bring May flowers and that has certainly been true here in Virginia Beach.. But at least Spring is here, along with warmer weather and beautiful flowers. Brian has started planting in his raised beds out in the yard and I watch him from inside ( no green thumb here ) !! Michael, Lisa and I are back for your holiday inspiration and we even have a guest this month.. Have you been working on your holiday cards along with us ?? 

My first 2 cards are made with Close To My Heart stamp sets. They have fabulous stamps and I was lucky enough to get some great savings at their recent sales . I've been wanting to use these sets for awhile.

• I stamped the deer and sentiment on Kraft  cardstock and the scarf on white watercolor paper, all with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink. This Winter Friends stamps is available with or without the matching dies ( but the cost WITH the dies is a steal !! ) .
• I die cut the deer and trimmed the sentiment .
• Snowflakes also from the Winter Friends set were stamped around the sentiment with blue ink.
• I cut some Kraft cardstock to fit the  snowflake panel and laser cut from the Merry Laser Cut Card Pack ( which is 4 x 6 ) from Paper House Productions .
• The deer and scarf were colored with my COPICS and then the scarf was adhered to the deer. 
• The laser panel was adhered to the blue snowflake panel and then to the Kraft card base.
• I popped up the sentiment in the upper left corner with foam dots .
• The deer was adhered in the lower right corner.

• The Christmas by Aimee Ferre stamp set is no longer available but I just had to use it for this card !! I stamped the mitten image on watercolor paper with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink , fussy-cut it then colored it with my COPICS.
• On a piece of ledger paper, I brushed some Ranger Ink Stickles Nebula Glitter Gel . I used a wide paint brush to apply it across the center . This glitter gel has stars in it, which is very cool !!
• I applied some washi tape across the top of the card panel.
• The mitten was popped up with foam dots.
• I adhered the completed panel to a cream card base.

Nebula Glitter Gel 

At a recent Sizzix clearance sale, I got some of the best dies !! This Folk Christmas Tree is very detailed and the card needed no sentiment, I just used a bit of washi .

• I brushed some Nebula Glitter Gel across a piece of patterned tan paper then adhered it to a cream card base .
• A strip of wide holly washi was placed down the left side of the card.
• I die-cut the tree and planter and star from some metallic and textured cardstock .
• The tree was adhered above the planter and then the star was attached with a foam dot.

Close-up of Nebula Glitter Gel

My last card was assembled with supplies from the  Tim Holtz Idea-ology  Christmas Noel collection from 2020 . I used the ephemera pack, worn wallpaper papers, layers, sticker book and milk caps. I love love love these supplies and used bits and pieces that reminded me of growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania . My aunt and uncle had a dairy farm nearby . We had coal delivered and later oil to warm our home . The ornaments on the paper are like those on out tree when I was little . Memories that bring a smile to my face .

I hope you are inspired to start on your holiday cards by seeing what we make each month . Please take a look at the cards made by Michael and Lisa too !!

Michael - World of Michael Trent

Lisa - Life of a BZ Scrapper

As I mentioned earlier, we have a guest this month . Vannessa Osbourn has joined us before and her cards are always amazing . This one for today can be found at her IG page - vclaireo . She used a stencil and Distress Inks and has really created a masterpiece !! Please go to her IG page to find out all of the details .. Thanks so much for joining us again, Vannessa.

Thank you for stopping by Meticulosity ... Until next time, please stay safe and as always, Stay Creative ..

Debra Davison

 

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste /April 2021

Celeste and I are back for our April Coffee & Cards posts !! It is National Letter Writing Month so we decided to do a Snail Mail / Happy Mail post .. I send many letters and postcards every month to friends all over the world . But in April, I am in a group that assigns a penpal for the month, so I am sending even more snail mail than usual..  And this past year when we have all been spending much of our time at home and away from friends and loved ones, it's even more important to stay connected . It's always nice to see a letter from a friend in my mailbox. So, pick up a pen and some paper and write a note to someone.. You will make their brighter !!

I love all things snail mail - postage stamps, rubber stamps, paper, washi etc.. It was hard to choose a stamp set to use but I finally decided on Mr. Snailman from Trinity Stamps . The set includes a cute snail, sentiments and also stamps suitable for decorating your envelopes !!

Snail Mail - paper hug enclosed

Envelope Art

• On a pink-pattered card base, I adhered a piece of envelope patterned paper from the sweet Lucky Charm paper pad from Dear Lizzy by American Crafts .
• I stamped the snailman image on a piece of Solar White  cardstock and also on an April calendar panel from Graphic 45.
• Snail Mail was stamped with Ladybug Memento ink.  The snail and sentiment were stamped with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink .
• I fussy-cut the snail shell from the Neenah cardstock.
• The images were colored with my COPICS.
• I  created a border with a Martha Stewart border punch and a piece of vintage white ledger paper also from the Lucky Charm paper pad.
• A strip of thin pink confetti washi was placed down the vintage white border.
• I adhered the border down the left side of the card.
• I popped up the Neenah cardstock snail shell on top of the snail with a foam tab.
• The calendar panel was also popped up on the front of the card with foam tabs.

I also used several images from the Mr. Snailman stamp set to decorate the front of the envelope for this card . I always like to at least add some stickers or a stamped image to the front and back of my envelopes. Some of the envelopes I have received from friends are true works of art !!

I am sure that Celeste has created a fabulous Happy Mail card .. You can check out her post over at her blog - Stamping Junky ..Today I am drinking Twinkie coffee from a Mikasa cup. The pattern - Garden Gallery - is perfect for a gorgeous Spring day !!

I hope that you all are doing well and staying safe. Take care of yourself .. Thank you for visiting me once again  at  Meticulosity.. Until next time, Stay Creative !! And don't forget to let someone you know that you are thinking of them -  write a letter and send it off soon !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity