This was the January selected reading for the Sistahood of the Reading Bellas club on SCS.
It is a cute and quick read with a well-developed lead character. Holly, a newspaper reporter, has been assigned to follow a detective and write about their adventures. The overall premise reminds me of one of my favorite television shows, Castle.
Holly is klutzy and accident prone, much to the chagrin of her handsome, no-nonsense detective. A string of robberies turns this novel into a mystery-within-a-romance.
My favorite aspect of the book is the British colloquialisms peppered throughout the scenes and dialogue. Have you ever met a bloke or made a run for the loo?
I would recommend this book if you’re looking for quirky characters with a happy ending.
Join us as we travel the world with the Unknown Mami. I am joining you from SW Ohio, just north of Cincinnati.
This statue is for real, and it is about 15 minutes from my house. You can see it on I-75, between Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio. It sits in front of a baptismal pond for the Solid Rock Church. Around these parts it's known as Big Butter Jesus or Touchdown Jesus (my favorite). The "big butter" is a reference to carvings made out of actual butter at the Ohio State Fair. Well, probably other state fairs, too.
I personally find it very distracting, and I am somewhat disgusted by the reported $250,000 it cost the church to erect. However, it has inspired a very funny song by comedian Heywood Banks. Here are the lyrics to "Big Butter Jesus":
In southern Ohio, just north of Cincinnati
I beheld a vision, next to the expressway.
Was a 60 foot jesus, with his hands in the air
looks like he’s carved out of butter,
just like at the state fair.
Big butter Jesus
Sweet cream Jesus
Oh country fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oleo Lord.
Well you see him from the chest up
like he’s about to do a back flip,
like he scored a touchdown
or maybe melting or about to drown.
Well I’ve been to the state fair
seen a cow made out of corn cobs
Garth Brooks made of string cheese
and the virgin out of olives.
Big butter Jesus
Sweet cream Jesus
Oh country fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oleo Lord.
Shipped in pieces on a flatbed
staring backwards was his big head
Driver stuck in traffic backups
desperately avoiding eye contact.
Well don’t make no graven images.
That’s one of the 10 commandments
I hope the grading curve is kindly
You get to heaven with a 90.
Big butter Jesus
Sweet cream Jesus
Oh country fresh Jesus
Unsalted Jesus
Oh Promise Jesus
Imperial Jesus
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oleo Lord.
Can’t believe it’s not Jesus
Oh spread the word.
For the full effect, check out the actual song on YouTube:
Hope I have made you laugh today. Have a great week!
Writer's Workshop: An open letter to a cartoon character.
I am angry with SpongeBob Squarepants.
Dear Mr. Squarepants:
Please leave my daughters alone. Especially Morgan. When you are not in her face and in her head, she is charming, smart and creative. When she gets fixated on one of your idiodic episodes, she mimics your antics until she is sent to the hallway by her teacher "until she can calm down".
You should know that you have been banned from our house. Any momentary relief I felt when my children would veg out in front of your show has been replaced by embarrassment (from the issues at school) and annoyance (from dinner conversation beginning with, "Mom, did you see what SpongeBob did...).
Yes, banned. It may seem harsh, and you may seem like an innocent sponge, but I know better. You are addictive and promote stupidity. Going cold-turkey was tough on my kids, I admit, but I am convinced they will be smarter and more interesting because of it.
As I mentioned earlier in the week, I am a guest designer for Lindsay's Stamp Stuff for the month of February. Check out her blog today for a cute freebie!
I tweaked the 10/15 sketch from Sketchy Thursdays and started the layout by spritizing Old Lace Glimmer Mist around the edge of the background paper.
The flower was colored using the following Prismacolor pencils, then blended with Gamsol: Olive green, Grass green, True blue, Crimson red, Carmine red, and Process red. The flower also got a shot of Glimmer Mist and a button center covered in Martha Stewart's Blue Topaz glitter. It was popped up in the middle of the sentiment using foam adhesive.
The dragonfly in the upper left-hand corner was covered in several layers of Crystal EP and mounted on foam adhesive.
Complete supply list:
Stamps: Lindsay's Stamp Stuff "Doodle Flowers" Ink: VersaMark; Rose Red (SU) Paper: background (We R Memory Keepers); strips (Me and My Big Ideas); white CS Other: Glimmer Mist (Old Lace); Prismacolor pencils; gamsol; button; MS glitter; foam adhesive; CM cutting system; Crystal EP (Stampendous)
Check back next Thursday for another project and another freebie from Lindsay!
I am happy to announce that I will be a guest designer for Lindsay's Stamp Stuff this month. Lindsay's Stamp Stuff is a digital stamp and paper company... cute and whimsical designs. Here is a little peak at what I have created using Lindsay's designs...
A package topper!
Here's a close-up of the layered lily stamp I watercolored, cut out, and layered.
Check back on Thursday for a scrapbook page and freebie!
I must say that being computer-less for a month is taking its toll... I have so much blogging to catch up on! So, if I regularly post on your blog and have been MIA lately, I will be back soon! My new laptop should arrive within the week!
Here are my latest pics for Project 365:
Day 17- Tinkerbell birthday party for a friend.
Day 18- I usually work late on Mondays, so hubs makes pancakes and bacon for the kids.
Day 19- Allergy testing for my oldest. Yuck!
Day 20- One of my current favorite radio stations.
Day 21- The spaceship house in Carlisle, Ohio.
Day 22- Passed this flower shop on the way to a doctor's appointment.
Day 23- Another birthday party!
Day 24- Went to visit a co-worker who had a baby on Dec. 26th. Welcome baby Claire!
Day 25- Chicken enchiladas for dinner. Yum!
Day 26- Huge sculpure at Miami University Middletown, otherwise known as MUM.
