10 Hot Summer Reads

Stopping by to post my Christmas Gift List for this month's book club. The lovely Renee from Memoirs of a Mother is hosting...

I don't know about you, but if I'm picking a summer read I don't want anything too heavy, I want entertainment and escapism. Something to devour on the beach or beside the Christmas tree. Save the heavy stuff for winter. ;)

So here are a couple of my favorite page turners and beach reads in a mix of genres and in no particular order:


1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

This book still tops the Young Adult list in my opinion. You will have it read in an afternoon.

It is a freaky concept: a televised battle to the death for the entertainment of upper class citizens in a dystopian world. Think, a futuristic Gladiator but with teenagers and an assortment of heavy weapons. Twisted, but it works. Here's the trailer for the upcoming movie, it'll give you a bit more of an idea...

2. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.

Not everyone's cup of tea but if you enjoy fantasy then you need to read this book. It is long. It is set in an epic scale world. It is full of some of the most unique ideas in current fantasy writing. The first book in a planned series of ten...I am waiting desperately for the release of part two next year.


3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

A brand new book by Laini Taylor full of twists and turns and unique ideas: think wishes traded for teeth. See my review here for more.


4. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.

I am currently reading the second book in this seven book series (and counting) and loving it. I actually picked it up before I'd discovered the new HBO tv series. So it's a great time to start reading if you enjoy seeing books come to life on screen. See my review here. This is a fantasy series that is low on magic, high on political intrigue.


5. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

A witty, bizarre and completely fantastical book about London's 'underworld' by the brilliant Neil Gaiman.


6. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

Cute and funny. You'll finish it in a couple of hours. One of the best current books in the YA genre.


7. The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning.

Don't expect to eat, shower or speak to anyone for three days straight if you pick up this series.  Definitely not for everyone but if you're interested see my review here. Top tip: If you're heading away on holiday pack all five or you'll be kicking yourself.


8. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.

The best book if you enjoy sobbing. Puffy-eyed, hiccuping sobbing. This book is brilliant. YA (my fav) Australian author (often a good time) and, ok so it's not a light fluffy read but it's beautifully moving. Highly highly recommended.


9. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.

Funny and clever. A girl, Frankie, masterminding the pranks behind an all male secret society.


10. Divergent by Veronica Roth.

The latest good thing on the YA dystopia scene. If you enjoyed The Hunger Games you'll like this one. My (very short) review here.


Would love to check out your summer/christmas reads. Join the book club and link up here!

cute kids & clever people

Wow is this weather intense or what? Auckland may not know whether she wants to shine or pour, but she definitely knows how to do muggy. Eek! I've spent a large percentage of my days this week with baby in arms, rocking and jiggling then peeling his sweaty little body off mine and into his bassinet. And Sophia has spent a lot of her time covered in sand, her skin whiter than ever under layers of sludgy sunblock.

















And we've been doing a bit of Christmas baking and much present wrapping (not to mention the present shopping which is now complete--phew).

















And there are many other things I've intended to do but haven't quite gotten to. As per usual these December weeks have disappeared and Christmas Eve is now days away. So I'm left with not a lot to share but a few pics of the little cuties we've spent time with recently. I can't get enough of shooting kiddies at the moment so I'm sure there will be many more of these to come over the next few days...

Love them!

And as for those clever people I alluded to in the title of this post...

The beautiful, talented and unbelievably inspiring Dee from Tiny Eyes and Dee*Construction painted this exquisite portrait of our little William. We just love it! So special. Clever lady...check out her blog and facebook...

And when I saw Lyla (one of Dee's custom dolls, pictured below) I had to nab her for my little niece. Of course, once she'd arrived I was tempted to keep her, but that's how it goes--the best pressies are the ones you want to keep!

















And the other clever lady I have been wanting to showcase (yet again) for a while now is my ultra talented mum. She recently exhibited and sold out--it's stunning stuff. The following is a shot of my fav...

(Check out Mum's website here.)











Exquisite!


















A while back now I bundled up my littlies and took them to Mum's exhibition. Sophia checked out the art and then made her own. And I can't help but thinking that she is a little artist in the making. :) [The above pieces are by artist Suzanne Day--unfortunately no website to link to.]


















I hope to be back at least once before Christmas, I'm not liking posting so infrequently!

Hope you all are managing to enjoy this period in the midst of the madness!!

x

rainbows, gifts and fun

So, I'm not finished with the 'art kit' kiddie gift idea. Sophia's friend's birthdays all seem to fall around this time of year--I guess we're on a roll. Thus, I have two more to share.











I thought we'd make Sophia's little friend Abby a Craft Crate. I got a little crate for $8 at Farro and thought it would look cute filled with jars. Fortunately Mum's handy used jar box was full of old baby-food jars (great size for little bits and pieces) and I was inspired--after playing around with sand art a little and trying, unsuccessfully, to dye it with food colouring--to fill them with coloured salt. Sophia and I have since discovered that coloured salt is a super fun and vibrant alternative to glitter. I'll detail the process below, but it's quick and easy and Sophia practically made it herself.

So, we filled five little jars with brightly coloured 'art salt' and I covered the jar lids with pieces of scrap fabric (see craft jar post for details on how to do this). I grabbed a couple of extra jars, one for buttons, another for two little pottles of glitter, and in the third I put a bunch of paper doilies. I've been hankering to make things out of doilies for a while so watch this space for a few activities.











That's all! I figure once all the salt has been used the jars could be refilled with other crafty bits and pieces. And really you could stick anything you wanted to in them, for me it's all about the packaging, the idea and the hours fun to be had for the little recipient. See the next gift (below) or the craft jar post for alternative things you could fill the jars with.

For a card I spray glued a doily to brown paper, folded it in half and tied the gift together with string. Cute--want one for myself.
























As for that coloured salt. I googled how to do it and found this tutorial. But Sophia practically explains it visually in the next few pics. Took a minute or so to make each colour and the process was an awesome toddler activity in itself.











We filled some jars up for ourselves and had fun making 'art' with it.























So then we got on this rainbow kick and since I included jelly in the kit below, I thought we'd make some rainbow jelly. Just for fun.

Since jars seem to be my thing at the moment we filled them with the jelly and invited Sophia's little friend Emma to share it with us. Now, I did include jelly in Ben's gift below with the intention of it being both a fun thing to make and potentially to smush and mash around a bit. Because why not, really? I didn't actually expect the girls to go there. I guess I expected more of our own jelly version of a tea party.

We were all quite civil to begin with.

















But it didn't last long.























Conclusion: rainbow jelly is art. Yummy art. :)

As for Ben's gift, I wanted to go that get your hands in and get messy route. So I made this Things to Slush Mush and Mash kit.









I Mod Podged punched circles onto the box and used my stamps to write the label. Again, see the Craft Jar post for more details on this idea. (Mod Podge is great fyi, both a glue and a sealer so you can kind of paper mache and varnish all with a couple of coats from one bottle.)











I filled the box with the following: a tube of finger paint, a bottle of pva, some playdough, a sponge cut into shapes for stamping, a few collagy bits like cotton balls, a jar of sand, a can of shaving cream (will explain) and yes, a bag of jelly.

Just to make them all look nice and coordinated I Mod Podged circles onto the bottles and cans of pva and paint etc. And we covered the jar lids with Sophia's potato stamp print work.

















And to finish it off I used the circles again as a gift tag.











So much fun to be had inside this little box. Sophia tested out the sponge stamping. Not as crisp as potato stamping, but fun none the less. And reusable, just wash out the sponges and store for next time. I would stick to plain shapes like squares, circles and triangles etc. We cut out some stars and little people and trees but you would never know it from the end result.

















Loved it though, and Sophia is so proud of all her little master pieces.

As for that shaving cream, I read in a magazine somewhere (Littlies I think) that it can be great for 'shower art' on a rainy day. Finger paint away then wash it off with the shower hose. So...











Twas great!


Well, there are a couple more toddler gift ideas for you. And don't worry, the birthday parties are only just beginning so the theme's not over yet. ;)


Thought I'd end with a few super cute pics of little Miss Emma.











And a couple from today of those two little buds sitting on potties and giggling away together like little girties. Love it!





















:)

x