February Blog Challenge

Hi All

What a busy few months is has been! Not only has my maternity leave finished :-( my gorgeous little girl has turned 1! I love this photo from her birthday, she was so excited when she was opening her pressies but her face says it all in this picture! Thought I'd share it with you all.

Anyway, once again, I have neglected my little cozy corner! In an attempt to get back to regular blogging, I have decided to blog each day in February-if you'd like to join me then please do :) Like others have done in the past, I have tried to come up with my own little schedule, it would be great if you'd like to join me! If you do, please add your link in the comments! If I get lots of people joining in, I will add the Linky tool to make it easier to share your blog post.

Here is my list of themes/topics for each day. Feel free to adapt them any way you would like:

1. Goals for 2015

2. Currently reading

3. Cleaning schedule

4. Review of some kind

5. Day in the life

6. Creative corner

7. Challenge yourself

8. Friendship

9. Organisation

10. 'Me' time

11. What's on my plate?

12. Date night

13. Share a recipe

14. Love

15. Cute or what?

16. Donate

17. Pets

18. Memories

19. Exercise

20. Photo of the day

21. 20 Minute pick up

22. A Christmas present still using

23. Lists

24. Favourite TV

25. Hobbies

26. Family time

27. Blogging goals

28. Try something new

I would love it if you could join me or at least pop by and say hello. I hope you enjoy my posts and am looking forward to getting back into my blogging!

See you tomorrow for my 2015 goals!
Thanks for stopping by!
Arline
xx

Book Review #6 (2014) - 'I Heart Hollywood' by Lindsey Kelk

Hi All

Firstly, I must apologise as I have been neglecting my blog recently. There isn't a particular reason why...you know when life just takes over? Well, yeah, that's it! Life just got in the way lol! My little one is definitely mobile now which keeps me busy, I've had a bit of a cold more recently and we've also been getting ready for Christmas (yes, I said the C word!) as we are having to budget as I'm on my last few months of maternity :( So that has what's been happening in a really quick nutshell...a bit like Angela's blog in the book I'm about to review, although not nearly as exciting! I will try and blog a little more, my birthday is coming up on Friday (eek!) and I'm hoping to have enough money to buy an Erin Condren Life Planner!! So that will be coming up and I thought I might document how I get ready for Christmas and what things I have planned for Chloe's first one!!

Anyway, let me get on to this book review! I have got a few books in my pile to review, another of Lindsey Kelk's, 'The Single Girl's To Do List' and Carole Matthew's, 'A Place to Call Home' but I finished this book today and have a spare hour to pop a short review for anyone who may be interested.

I Heart Hollywood (2010)
Lindsey Kelk
*****

As you know if you read my blog, I absolutely love chick lit, in fact I am beginning to dabble with a bit of writing of this genre myself. I found Kelk a couple of years ago and have loved every book of hers I've read. This is no exception. The 'I Heart' series never fails to please. I may be reading this series in the wrong order but it really doesn't seem to matter! They work on their own as well as a series in my opinion. Check out 'I Heart New York' if you want to start at the beginning!

Angela is faced with many dilemmas in this novel. Does she visit LA and grab the chance of a lifetime? Does she tell Alex she loves him? Does she face up to the gossip hounds? Does she face what happened the night before? The reader's are taken along on her journey to meet a famous actor, James Jacobs and carry out the interview of a lifetime. Will it all end in success or will it all go terribly wrong? Knowing Angela and her escapades I'll let you ponder on that one. Of course, Jenny Lopez is back to help her solve any problems she may face but will Angela realise that her best friend has problems of her own? And where does the love of her life, Alex, fit in? 

'I Heart Hollywood' is full of glamour, laughter and romance. Full of the classic ingredients of a chick lit but with twists and turns throughout that keeps the reader on their toes. The loveable characters of Angela and her crazy friend Jenny Lopez, are back and it is great to escape into their world for a little while. I laughed out loud many a time and if you have enjoyed any of the 'I Heart' series or are just looking for a new collection to read then definitely give this one a go. 

Brilliant!

Sorry it is so short but definitely try it! It was a great book and I'm looking forward to finishing the series...even if in the wrong order! Look out for 'I Heart Vegas' and 'I Heart Paris' reviews to come! Right, I'm off to bed! Hopefully my little one will have a good night!

Thanks for popping by!
Arline
xx

Second installment of chick lit...

Hi All

In May I joined in with the 'Blog Every Day in May' challenge which was really fun. As part of that, we had to share a poem or prose that we had written. One of my ambitions in life is to write a novel, I'd love that and have quite a few ideas in a variety of genres but chick lit seems to come a little easier to me. As part of the challenge I shared the first installment on something I have wanted to work on for a while....this is the first installment if you'd like to read it. Many of you commented and encouraged me to keep going, so here is the second installment. I'm hoping the third won't be nearly two months later this time! I am going to try and have a regular post, either every Friday if I can manage it or every fortnight on a Friday-maybe I could call it something....give me some ideas peeps! Well here it is...enjoy!

                Ian had betrayed her, Ian had made a fool of her, Ian had been the love of her life. Why could she not get over him? It had been a month since that awful day and still she couldn’t get her life together. Everything seemed to be on hold and Abigail really needed to pull herself out of it. All she could think about at the moment though was getting through today.

                “So how are you feeling about your presentation? Are you all set?” Carol asked in a low voice.

                “As ready as I’ll ever be. I don’t know how I’m going to get through being in the same room as him for a whole hour though.” Abigail’s voice quivered with panic, she was to deliver a presentation to her boss today with some of the major investors being present, and one of those investors was Ian.

                Mr Hopkins walked by and gave her the nod, the investors must already be in the room. She wondered if Ian knew that it was her delivering the presentation. Would he be feeling the same? Abigail didn’t have time to think about it all now, she needed to keep her composure or she could lose her job, and that would just top her year off! She followed her boss, receiving a ‘good luck’ mouthed by Carol and took a deep breath as she entered the conference room.

                Her eyes swept the room, smiling of course to make a good impression, until she saw him. Head down looking at his Blackberry, dressed sharply as always and still with that slightly ruffled look in his hair that he always used to have first thing in the morning. Abigail set up her PowerPoint and was ready to start. Ian had still not looked up from his phone-was he that rude that he wasn’t even going to look at her? After fumbling with her notecards and nervously beginning her presentation, Abigail soon got in her stride and began to deliver the project that she had worked on for the past year. She couldn’t help but glance in his direction every few minutes but soon decided to forget he was there, this was a real chance for her to make an impression on her boss and she didn’t want to mess it up, not after what he did to her.

                Before she knew it, an hour had passed uneventfully and after being thanked profusely by her boss, she was given the nod to leave. Abigail couldn’t decide whether Ian had just been damn right rude or whether he’d been purposely avoiding her gaze. She walked back to her desk, giving Carol a quick thumbs up from across the office just so she wouldn’t worry. Abigail turned on her computer and opened up her e-mails. 97 to work through, groan, this was one aspect of her job that she hated, what happened to the old fashioned letter or even phone call? As she scanned her inbox a familiar name caught her eye-Ian Swift. There were five e-mails from the past hour. So that’s what he was doing, he was looking at his Blackberry because he was e-mailing her. After no contact for the past month, Abigail knew that she should just delete them but something made her click open to the first e-mail from Ian Swift.

From: Smith, Ian

To: Waterford, Abigail

Date: 08/05/2012 10:02

Subject: Presentation

Abi, you are looking ridiculously hot today, I was an idiot, let’s meet up at lunch.

I xx

Is he serious? Abigail couldn’t work out whether he was just playing a sick joke or was being genuine. Did he really think she looked hot? Was he really admitting to being an idiot? Was she really considering meeting him after what he did?

From: Smith, Ian

To: Waterford, Abigail

Date: 08/05/2012 10:15

Subject: Lunch

We could go to your favourite coffee shop in Trafalgar Square. I can’t believe I let you go, being here listening to you today has finally made me realise what a fool I was. Please let me take you out.

I x

Abigail closed down her e-mails as she saw Carol walking over, if she saw them she’d march right into the meeting and tell him exactly what she thought of him! Best avoid that particular scene, especially today after the presentation had gone so well. However, the words of those e-mails haunted her as she relived what had just happened in the meeting room.  Was he really regretting it? She was so sure that he didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. Abigail was trying not to get her hopes up and couldn’t help remembering how hard the last month had been but a part of her couldn’t ignore what he said, deep down she still loved him, no matter what he had done.

There we go! Let me know your thoughts and if you'd like to read more!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs

Arline

xx

A Crafty Afternoon...

Hi All

Well it has been a little while since my last post! In fact, we've been on holiday, had our little girl christened and been to see the fam in the North East! Has been busy but I hope to update you all when I get a minute. Chloe has learnt how to move around, almost a crawl but not quite, so I am very busy during the day!!

However, she had a three hour nap during the day on Sunday so I had some crafting time and hubby got to do some gaming! Here are my makes, I am trying to get ahead for Christmas and thought I'd take part in a few new challenges and a few old ones too!

My first card is using a Penny Black stamp that I have had for a while and it is of a 'trendy' girl so for your more sophisticated recipient lol! I'd like to enter this into the Christmas at Sweet Stamping challenge which is to use Kraft card, the ABC Christmas challenge which is 'N' for 'Numbers' and the I Love Promarkers challenge which is 'Girls, girls, girls.'

My next card I'm not too sure about at the minute. It is using a LOTV image and some turquoise papers that I bought in Canada a few years ago...I'm not sure if I should have included another colour... Anyway, I'd like to enter this one into the Sparkles Christmas Challenge which is 'A Winter's Scene,' Craftyhazelnut's Challenge which is to 'Layer it up' and I have used the fab sketch from over at Sketch Saturday.

The third card I made I really like. It's not very often I do a card that isn't square anymore but I felt this image was made for a tall card. This stamp is one of the Bella ranges but can't remember which one! Sorry, I can find out for you if you would like, just leave me a comment and I'll get back to you. What an awful blogger I am!!!! I like the simplicity and the colours used on this card. I'd like to enter this in the Winter Wonderland challenge which is 'Blue Christmas,' the Creative Moments Challenge which is 'Anything Goes,' the Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra Challenge which is 'Anything Goes' and I have used the fab sketch over at the Completely Christmas Challenge.

My final card today is using a stamp which I have had in my cupboard for ages....I think it may be Penny Black but I'm not sure....it is super cute, I don't know why I've neglected it for so long! I'd like to enter this into the Sister Act Card Challenge which is 'Anything Goes,' a second entry into the Winter Wonderland Challenge which is 'Blue Christmas' and I have used the fab sketch at the Friday Sketch Challenge.

Since taking this picture I have added a sentiment as until I uploaded this I hadn't realised it was missing...d'oh moment!! 

I hope you enjoyed having a look at my crafty creations! I'm feeling like I'm getting scrapbook/ SMASHbook/ Project Life withdrawals so I will try and get some done as soon as possible and will share them with you. I have also written the second installment of my chick lit that I have been playing about with so will have that to share with you, hopefully, by the end of the week. It was lovely taking part in some challenges that I used to be a regular with and some new ones this week! Thanks to all who run them, I know how much work goes into it!

Hope you are all well, hope to catch up with you all soon!

Hugs

Arline

xx

Book Review #5 (2014) - 'Return to Longbourn' by Shannon Winslow

Return to Longbourn (2013)

Shannon Winslow

****

What will happen to the Bennet females, now that Mr. Bennet has died? 

With Mr. Tristan Collins on his way from America to claim his property, Mrs. Bennet hatches her plan. The new heir to Longbourn simply must marry one of her daughters. Nothing else will do. Will it be Mary or Kitty singled out for this dubious honor? When the gentleman in question turns out to be quite a catch after all, the contest between the sisters is on. Which one will be the next mistress of Longbourn? Or will the dark horse in the race take the prize?

Darcy, Elizabeth, and the rest of the "Pride and Prejudice" cast are back as the socially awkward Mary emerges from the shadows to take center stage in Shannon Winslow’s long-awaited sequel to her best-selling novel, "The Darcys of Pemberley."

Many Austen fans have a soft spot in their hearts for Mary Bennet, wondering if she might have the hidden makings of a heroine. Now, in "Return to Longbourn," we learn what really makes her tick. Find out if she’s destined to be a governess forever, or if she overcomes the misfortune of being "plain" to find love and her own happy ending.
(Taken from Amazon)

As an avid lover of all things Austen, especially anything to do with 'Pride and Prejudice,' I was really looking forward to reading this book about what happened to the remainder of the Bennet females as Lizzy, Jane and even Lydia went off to live their lives as married women. After a slow start I began to really enjoy this continuation of Austen's fantastic novel. It was interesting to see the character of Mary Bennet become centrestage and although I didn't always agree with the interpretation of her character, the surprising romantic and sensitive side of the most serious of Miss Bennets was enjoyable to read. 

As with all of Austen's novels, there were of course some strong male characters, Tristan Collins and Harrison Farnsworth. The 'new Mr Collins' was at first quite a mysterious character and it would've been nice to have known a little more of his life in America, but even without this he was a likeable man who reminded me a little of a cross between Mr Bingley and Denny! Harrison Farnsworth reminded me a lot of Mr Rochester in 'Jane Eyre' and the novel does hold quite a few similarities with Bronte's famous work. If you are a 'Pride and Prejudice' fan, then you will love the resurrection of the old characters, Lizzie, Kitty, Mr Darcy and even Charlotte Lucas makes an appearance. However, the star of the novel, in terms of capturing the essence of Austen's original, was Mrs Bennet! She was at her best in this novel, exactly as Austen created and often made me laugh out loud when talking to poor Mary.

If you enjoy an 'Austenesque' read, along with familiar characters and enjoy seeing the 'underdog' succeed then you will love this! My advice, keep going! The first 10-15 chapters (Don't worry-they are super short!) are quite hard going but once the story kicks off it is an enjoyable read and a great way to explore the other characters from the iconic Austen novel.

Hope you enjoyed this review, definitely worth a read if you are an Austen fan! Would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for popping by.

Arline

xx

**All opinions expressed in this review are my own, I have not received any compensation for my review and do not wish to offend in any way.

Day 31-Gratitude

Hi All

Well, I can't believe that I have managed to blog every day in May! It has shown me that I could blog a lot more than I have been doing and so I am first of all grateful to Summer for setting us the challenge. I have also met lots of new blogging friends and I hope to keep popping over and seeing them from time to time.

So here is my gratitude list today for my final post in the Blog Every Day in May Challenge:

I am grateful for:

1. My daughter
2. My husband
3. My family
4. My friends
5. My health
6. My job
7. My house and possessions
8. My life

Looking forward to reading your lists! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and looking forward to the next! I have a bit of a mad week coming up, we're off on our hols and then it is Chloe's christening! So my blog will be a little quiet over the next week but I hope to have lots to share with you when I return! Hope you will keep popping by...the next installment of my writing is written so watch this space those of you who wanted to read on ;)

Hugs

Arline

xx

Day 30-Best advice you've received lately.

Hi All

Well, being a new Mum, I am inundated with advice! Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming but I do appreciate it as everything is new to me!

Putting aside the advice I've received about looking after a baby, I would probably go back to a piece of advice that a very good friend gave to me:

Let people help you-it makes them feel good and it relieves your stress!

I'm not sure if they were the exact words but something along those lines! I find it really hard to accept help. This hasn't just been before Chloe was born, it was also before, particularly at work. I think it comes down to control. I like to be in control-not in a freaky 'Sleeping with the Enemy' way but I just like to do things myself to know they are done and in the way I would like. However, this has often led to me getting extremely stressed and it all getting too much. This has also happened since Chloe has been born-my friend said this to me as she wanted to do some of my housework to help me out and I didn't want her to as I felt it was putting on her but she said it made her feel good that she was able to help.

So I guess I need to let go of things, remember that if something isn't done how I would do it, doesn't mean it is not as good. I also need to ask for help more-I know I don't do this enough. So, those are my mini goals....to try to let go of control and to ask for help more. What's the best bit of advice you've received recently?

Thanks for popping down!

Arline

xx