Category Archives: Reading

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity loses an hour grudgingly

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Bookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

Cookity

Gluten Free

Artsy Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Map Art Lab: 52 Exciting Art Explorations in Mapmaking, Imagination, and Travel by Jill K Berry & Linden McNeilly. Loved! Definitely need to buy my own copy because the library copy is just bristling with “try this” bookmarks.
Making an Impression: Designing and Creating Artful Stamps by Geninne Zlatkis. Pretty good book about getting started carving rubber stamps, although it was definitely focused more on using the templates provided by the author than on actually designing or creating stamps.
Hawkeye, Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido, & Alan Davis. I’ve been intrigued by the out-of-context Clint Barton snippets I’ve seen on tumblr, so I decided to check out the actual comic book. I did skip the Young Avengers comic in the back – probably would’ve read it if it had been in the same style as the rest.

*looking winsome* -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity is never ready for the start of Daylight Savings Time

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Contest(s)

Bookity

Do, Learn, Make, Think

Cookity

Gluten free

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Decorated Journal: Creating Beautifully Expressive Journal Pages by Gwen Diehn. Very good book about art journaling, covering everything from choosing materials and blank books to types of journals people keep to prompts and journaling ideas to instructions for binding your own journals. Recommended. I got this from the library, but a used copy of my very own is already on its way from Thrift Books. 🙂
The Decorated Page: Journals, Scrapbooks and Albums Made Simply Beautiful by Gwen Diehn. I didn’t think this was quite as good as her later book, The Decorated Journal: Creating Beautifully Expressive Journal Pages, but I still liked it enough to order a copy through Thrift Books. I felt that this book really showed the scrapbooking roots of art journaling and, in fact, at the time (2002), the term “art journaling” doesn’t seem to have been in use, based on Diehn’s discussion about what such illustrated journals should be called.

*dorking out* -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity is still in shock that it was 58F/14.4C in Minnesota in February

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Bookity

Think, Learn, Make, Do

Cookity

Gluten Free

Artsy Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Adventures in Bookbinding: Hand Crafting Mixed-Media Books by Jeannine Stein. I enjoyed seeing some of the unusual techniques the author used to create these books. And I thought it was cool/clever that, for each book, the author provided regular directions, shortcut directions, and “master” directions.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

“Is this all there is to life?” -Mayhem

Covers, Linkity linkity link, Reviewettes

Linkity really didn’t expect allergies in February

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Congrats to Susana, who won Lovers Leap by JL Merrow! Lovers Leap will be released by Riptide Publishing on February 29.

If you’re using mobile and things are weird, it’s probably because I have the mobile plugin for my site turned off right now – it decided that everyone was on mobile. *sigh*

Bookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

Cookity

Gluten Free

Artsy Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Mixed Media Revolution: Creative Ideas for Reusing Your Art by Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson. So-so whirlwind overview of many, many mixed media techniques. Some of the techniques required you to scan QR codes or visit the publisher’s website for more details, which I found annoying.
The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists by Seth Apter. This did not fare well being read after An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I was completely unprepared for how this book sucked me in – I read it in one sitting, tissue box close by.

“Soooooooo bored!!!!!” -Mayhem

*falling asleep, balefully* -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

The return of linkity!

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Bookity

Learn, Do, Make, Think

Cookity

Gluten Free

Artsy Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers by Danny Gregory. Good look at the journals/sketchbooks of 50 different artistically minded people, including (in their own words) how long they’ve been keeping a journal, why they keep up the habit, and their preferred materials.

*sleepy glaring* Why are you laughing at me, Mom?! You are mean!!” -Mayhem

I was laughing at May’s little “catlick” from Chaos. 🙂

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Lovers Leap by JL Merrow [CONTEST CLOSED]

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Many thanks to JL Merrow for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Lovers Leap, for a lucky commenter to win! Lovers Leap will be released by Riptide Publishing on February 29.

If they looked, would they ever leap?

Good-looking, confident, and doted on by his widowed mum, Michael is used to thinking only of himself. Getting shoved off an Isle of Wight pier by an exasperated ex ought to come as a wake-up call – but then he meets Rufus and he’s right back to letting the little head take charge. Rufus is cute, keen, and gets under Michael’s skin in a disturbing way.

Would-be chef Rufus can’t believe his luck when a dripping wet dream of a man walks out of the sea on his birthday, especially when Michael ends up staying at the family B&B. Life is perfect – at least until Michael has to go home to the mainland.

Rufus can’t leave the island for reasons he’s entirely neglected to mention. And though Michael identifies as bi, breaking his mum’s heart by coming out and having an actual relationship with a guy has never been his plan. With both men determined to keep their secrets, a leap of faith could land them in deep water.

Excerpt (scroll down and select tab)

Other Books

About JL

JL Merrow is that rare beast: an English person who refuses to drink tea.  Having grown up by the seaside, she also loathes fish and chips.  She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again.  Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne. She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporaries and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. You can find out more about JL at her website, blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Friday, February 26.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

*making happy paws on the back of Chaos’ neck* -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity hopes normal service will be restored next week

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The insurance company now owns the remains of my old car. I now own a new-to-me car and will pick it up today, when I’ll deal with a few final related things. I’m hoping things will be back to normal next week. Here’s some brief linkity, in roughly the order it would be in if there were headings and all. 🙂

Reading Update
Book Play: Creative Adventures in Handmade Books by Margaret Couch Cogswell. This book starts with a very thorough overview of materials and techniques, then moves on to making a few basic books before finishing up with some unusual and creative interpretations of the book form. Definitely a good reference book.
Paint Mojo – A Mixed-Media Workshop: Creative Layering Techniques for Personal Expression by Tracy Verdugo. It was ok. I think. I skimmed a lot. Here it is, six days later, and I remember pretty much nothing about this book. D’oh.

*contemplating his diabolical plans for world domination… after he figures out how to get the lock on the kitty food pantry cupboard open*

Reading, Reviewettes

Surprise!No Linkity :(

20 Comments

Sorry for surprise!no Linkity. 🙁 It’s kind of been a week from hell here. I’ve been on an unpleasant every other day migraine pattern since last Friday. We had 10″ of snow and broke a snowfall record for February 2. Wednesday I thought I’d take a nice drive around Lake of the Isles while the parking lot at my building was being plowed out and my car slid into a 2016 Mercedes on a hill. I’m ok – just very sore and achey – but am waiting for word on whether my car can be repaired or if it’s totaled.

So! Tell me about your weeks, which were hopefully much better than mine. Also (I don’t remember to say this enough) – thanks to everyone who reads, especially to those of you who comment. Your comments always brighten my day. 🙂

Reading Update
The Declaration of You!: How to Find It, Own It and Shout It from the Rooftops by Michelle Ward & Jessica Swift. It was just too rah-rah and cutesy cute for me.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity needs a nap – move over, Chaos

7 Comments

Congrats to Elisa, who won A Bear Walks into a Bar by Eden Winters!

Bookity

Do, Think, Learn, Make

Cookity

Gluten Free

Artsy Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Creative Foundations: 40 Scrapbook and Mixed-Media Techniques to Build Your Artistic Toolbox by Vicki Boutin. Too many exclamation points, too cutesy, and too much time spent pushing a certain line of products.
Art of Layers: Simple Techniques, Inventive Scrapbook Pages, Imaginative Papercrafts by Ronda Palazzari. I think I just need to stay away from books with “scrapbook” in the title.
Collaborative Art Journals and Shared Visions in Mixed Media by LK Ludwig. Interesting overview of different ways in which artists work together and exchange work, such as swapping art and working together on a work or works. Although this was published in 2009, it felt more dated than that – probably because most of the collaboration and swapping was coordinated via Yahoo groups.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity thinks +20F/-6.7C feels like a heat wave now

8 Comments

Congrats to Yvette, who won Yesterday by to Mickie B Ashling!  Yesterday is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Bookity

Do, Make, Think, Learn

Cookity

Gluten Free

Artsy Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Alphabetica: An A-Z Creativity Guide for Collage and Book Artists by Lynne Perrella. I was hoping this would be inspiring, but mostly it was annoying. The first part of the book showcased various pages from the collaborative art journal project, in no discernible order, but definitely not in alphabetical order: letters were used multiple times (and possibly not at all – I couldn’t be bothered to confirm this bit). The second part of the book featured very short descriptions from each artist about how they worked on their parts.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

How can he breathe?!