hump busting!

I have been busting my hump and makeing sure I have my things in line for the new Usborne Connect 4 Challenge.

Our Usborne Home Office offers us some amazing challenges to help get our businesses going and to reward us with fabulous prizes.  We have earned a 42" TV, an iPad2, and a free trip to Convention.

Here is what I am working on now:

I have completed the "Start Now to Earn More!" portion and the February Requirements.  I want the ENTIRE ENCHILADA!!  

On top of those cool things I earned the January Home Office Challenge I and II.  Yeah!  Who loves fun, free stuff!  Fun Flashlight and a Clock/Picture frame to put on my desk.  (I really need to clean my desk off!)

January Home Office Challenge I and II

AND February Home Office Challenge I and II.

A great wipe-clean book to add to my inventory and a $50.00 Land's End Gift Card for some new Logo Clothes!! :)  Some new Polo Shirts would be great!

Here is what I am working on for March.

  A $50.00 iTunes Card really floats my boat!  I want it! All of this just for selling the amazing books that I truly love!

Happy Valentines Day from the Crazy Book Lady!

Happy Valentines Day!

Finally.... Hemlock Ring

When Jerrod Flood published pictures of his Hemlock Ring Blanket I immediately knew I wanted to knit it.  I doubted my skills though.  I haven't done a ton of lace knitting.  I know I searched for it several times and had printed out the pattern more than once.

 

I took a break from knitting for about a year.  I have an addiction problem with projects.  Once I start something it is literally all I want to do.  That's it.  I think about it all the time.  Especially knitting.  I long to sit and knit.  I think it's the repetitive movement.  It is very calming to me.

I have started knitting again.  Sparingly.  Especially if I know I will have long chunks of time available to me.  Going to a Conference?  I'd never be able to sit still through long meetings without something for my hands to do.  Must stay busy.

I finally found the pattern I had printed and the yarn I felt would be perfect.  Here it is:  In it's glory!!

Pined out on the floor Blocking

Beautiful Center

All the pretty points

Book Fair Fun!

Today we kicked off Lutheran School's Week at St. Paul's Church.  It was a great service and the kids sand beautifully.  Jacob is always a little hesitant to get up and sing in front of the congregation but he did just fine.  I was very proud.

Tomorrow we kick off all the fun at School and start out with VIP Day.  The book fair starts bright and early.  The book fair runs Monday, Tuesday and Thursday during the different events of Lutheran School's Week.  Read about all the fun we had at the last big book fair here.

Interested in helping to support St. Paul's and their wish for new books?  Shop at www.GiveMyBooksALook.com and be sure to click St. Paul's School.

Getting Ready?

I love the holidays.  Each of them individually... Halloween... Thanksgiving... Christmas....  As much as I love the Holidays themselves.  I love preparing for them.  I love thinking about spending time with my loved ones and preparing gifts for them.

Amanda and I have started coloring Christmas Cards for her teacher and dance coaches.  I'm teaching her to think about each person as she creates their master piece.  What colors will they like?  Hope each master piece makes them smile.  

Hard at Work

Finished Master Piece

Maybe you'll be lucky enough to get one of her hand crafted Master pieces.

Author Spotlight! Sport Stories!

Author Spotlight:

Richard Torrey

Richard Torrey was born in Los Angeles, CA. where he began doodling as soon as he could hold a crayon. In third grade, Richard showed a picture of a horse he had drawn to the legendary comic strip creator, Charles Schulz. Schulz drew Snoopy on the back of the picture, inspiring Richard to follow a similar career path. 

After graduating from Allegheny College with a BA in Psychology, Torrey created the first of two successful syndicated comic strips; Hartland (King Features), followed with a sports strip, PETE and CLETE (Creators Syndicate), both of which appeared in hundreds of newspapers around the world.   

Since then, Richard has been an author, illustrator, and editorial cartoonist. His list of clients includes Highlights Magazine, KidCity (a Sesame Street publication), The National, and Inside Sports. For the better part of two decades, he has been the creator of a top-selling line of greeting cards for Recycled Paper Greetings Inc. 

More recently, Richard’s interests have turned to children’s books. A Baseball Story, A Hockey Story and the popular series, A Football Story all give new-to-the-game players detailed, child's-eye view of each sport on and off the field.

The son of Hockey Hall-of-Famer, Bill Torrey, Richard lives in Long Island, New York, with his wife and two children. His preferred medium is Peanut butter and Jelly and failing that, Watercolor/Pen and ink and acrylic.

Pure Elation - New Titles

This is seriously how I feel every time Usborne announces new titles.  Pure Elation!!  Serious!  I'm not kidding!  When I browse through the new titles I instantly think of You Guys!  "Oh! I know, Nolan will love this sticker book!" or "This Dinosaur book would be perfect for Camden!"  Plus I instantly make a mental list of the books I want for my own kids!!

View all the New Titles here!! 

Some of my New Favorites are:  

Building your own Spaceships Sticker Book!

Lift-the-flap Colors

Secrets of the Apple Tree

Sticker Dolly Dressing Ice Skaters

There are a ton of other great new titles available so be sure to check them out!!  I have already placed my order and I can't wait to get them to show you!!  

We have a ton of great new Holiday Titles.  I will be highlighting my favorites soon!!