Swaptree is soooo cool!!

Okay I'm a book nut. I confess. I really really really like to read. Well my husband told me about an online book trading site this summer. After we moved I decided to join. After all, I had a ton of books that I was thinking of selling but the local used book store doesn't give you much. I figured it would be nice to swap a book for a book and it only cost shipping. That's cheaper than buying them at the used book store, though not as cheap as buying them at goodwill or a garage sale. Anyhoo, I've traded tons of books and I've gotten books for just about every member in the family. They trade more than books, they trade dvds, cds, books, etc. But I'm only interested in the books, LOL.

Books are my other hobby besides crafting. Recently I've started replacing all of my favorite books with hardcover versions where I can, so I have even more books to get rid of on swaptree. I get packages almost everyday. Colin looks forward to the mail too, since I get alot of books for him also.

Woodworking and stuff

Well I've been pretty busy. I need to post some pictures. I made 2 pairs of wrap pants for me and a ton of teacher appreciation gifts. I need to get pictures of the wrap pants still, but I got the fabric at MalWart in the $2.00/yard fabric section. So the pants only cost me $5.00/pair.

I've been reading alot lately too. If you haven't read The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward, you must read it. Its excellent. Its a paranormal romance series that is based on vampires as a seperate species. You must read it in order. She just released the 6th book in the series... Lover Enshrined. Other noteworthy books I've read lately are One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, Midnight Rising by Laura Adrian, The Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur, Vampire Interupted by Lynsay Sands, etc..... Yep I love books. Those are just some of the paperbooks I've read recently. I've also been reading some e-books.

Anyway I think I'm about ready to start some woodworking projects. I want to make a beanbag toss for the boys. I'm thinking about doing some woodburning on it, I might make it a skull and crossbones. I also want to make some chairs for outside. I've found some great patterns for some simple chairs:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Plank-Chair/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Folding-Shelves-From-Bunkbed-Ladders-and-other-Ins/
http://tech.cls.utk.edu/wood/projects/bogchair/bog_chair_mark_iii.htm
http://www.currentmiddleages.org/tents/chair4stargazer.pdf
http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/cached_files/27813_files/

I just need to go through them all and figure out what directions/dementions I like the best. I found a fabulous site for free woodworking patterns. http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/resources/index.php?cat=102

And since I'm sharing, LOL, check out this absolutely awesome shelving unit.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Ten-Green---modular-shelving/
I wish I had known about it in college. I think they look way better than the old stand by of wood and cinder blocks. I like this other one too:
http://www.iamanangelchaser.com/products/booKrates/booKrates.html

I've been completely stuck on instructables lately. Its amazing what information you can find on that site. I love the steampunk crafts I've found. I might just have to do the boys room to mimic a steampunk-esque room. We'll see. Anyway, you'd think I'd have updated this before now since I've been on the computer alot lately, but I just forgot and got busy doing other things. I'll try to take some garden pic updates soon too.

Books last week

I read a number of books last week. Easy to do when your kiddos are sick.

Paperback
The Undead Next Door - Kerrelyn Sparks - This is 4th book in her "Love at stake" series. I've enjoyed every book in this series so far. I reccommend it for a good read.

e-Book
Shards of the Mind - Theolyn Boese - This is book 2 in Ta'e'sha Chronicles - I love this series. Its a very emotional series. I can't wait til the next one comes out. Its nice to see the characters grow. The Ta'e'sha Chronicles are about a species of beings that are from another planet and can change into merpeople. You meet the captain and his family and their aquisition of a human mate. You can find it at Loose-id.
http://www.loose-id.com/detail.aspx?ID=670

I bought and read Camille Anthony's entire Werewulf Series. She also publishes at Loose-id.
http://www.loose-id.com/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=13
Multiracial and I guess multispecies I love a good werewolf story.

Its some good readin'

UGH!!! I promise I have been crafting

Our camera broke. I don't know where our old camera is and I keep forgetting to ask dh. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures up soon of my projects. I did get some with dh's camera phone the other day, I'll just have to remember to get them off his phone.

I made a purse with assessories for a friend's child for her birthday. I absolutely LOVE how it turned out. I've been making braided barrettes lately too. Other than that I've knitted some alien wash clothes and wove some potholders. Oh and I also made some green on green acorns. And a few other things if I think on it, LOL.

I've also been reading alot again lately. E-books are my friend. I recently read 2 great books from New Concepts Publishing. Unbridled by Raven Willow-Wood http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/unbridled.htm
and Rules of Engagement by Kaitlyn O'Connor http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/rulesofengagement.htm .
Unbridled is a new series by Raven Willow-Wood and is about centaurs and an alternate world/dimension. Rules of Engagement is the 4th book in Kaitlyn O'Connor's Cyborg Series. I really love her style of writing. This series is about organic cyborgs who gain self awareness and begin to want freedom and families of their own and their rode to that freedom. I've read several others lately too that are just as good.