Currently Enjoying...

1. Flicker from Berroco - This yarn is so light and squishy and it has a hint of metallic in it. 2. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling - I love her writing style and she has some great stories. 3. Prisma Chrome Eyeshadow from Sephora - I happened into Sephora the day these were released and couldn't leave without a few.  4. Ceremonials by Florence + The Machine - Have been listening to this over and over again on Spotify. 5. Twirl from Kate Spade - Got a sample of this and couldn't go more than a week or two without buying it!  6. Special Effects Flackies Collection from Finger Paints - I'm convinced this is 2012's answer to 2011's Crackle Polish. Check out some swatches here. Rumor has it these will only be sold in store not online so if you are interested head over to your nearest Sally Beauty, I got the last ones my store had! 7. Friendship Bracelets from Jewelmint - I've been kind of obsessed with Jewelmint for the past few months and have loved the 4 pieces of jewelry I've gotten off the website. There are all styles of jewelry and new things every month. Sign up here to take a style quiz to see your recommended pieces.  8. Coca Cola Zero - Sometimes I like to mix mine with grenadine.  9. Chelsea Flats from Payless - I bought these glittery flats in 3 colors. It's a party on your feet! 10. Jane By Design by ABC Family - This show just makes me giddy, so far in the first episode there wasn't anything I didn't like. Can't wait for more. 11. Dream Bouncy Blush from Maybelline - Some of you may know I've become somewhat of a makeup junkie in the last year and I have a thing about blushes that have a formula out of the ordinary. These look like a powder blush but they are almost like a spongy creme. Amazing and fun to put on! 12. Mollie Makes Magazine - I love that this is a mix of lifestyle and diy. Fun for crafty ideas.  13. iPad case from Missoni for Target - Was excited to get this for Christmas, my iPad didn't have a home until now!

I first did this type of post all the way back in 2007 and have been wanting to do it again ever since.  

What are you currently enjoying?

** I bought all of these products myself and one was a Christmas gift!

This Week in Books

Pretty Little Secrets by Sara Shepard (Amazon)

With Borders closed I'm enjoying using my Dad's Amazon Prime account to get my new releases. It's sad driving by the still abandoned Borders.

Lookalikes 145

Neither of these really light my fire (ha ha) but I love that Shadow Hills has that vibrant streak through the black. It almost looks like blown glass.

Thanks to Gail who suggested this lookalike!

Have you spotted a Lookalike you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Press Play: November + December (formerly This Year in Movies)

 NOVEMBER

Bored to Death Season 2

Super

DECEMBER

Horrible Bosses

New Year's Eve (favorite)

Christmas Cupid

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Tiny Furniture

Breaking Dawn Part 1

Elf (rewatch favorite)

The Help

Have you seen any of these? What did you think?

Hardcover vs. Paperback 130

Amazon.com:

Called "A writer to watch, a tremendous talent" by the Chicago Tribune, Bich Minh Nguyen makes her fiction debut with the deeply moving and entertaining story of two Vietnamese sisters. Aside from their petite stature, Van and Linny Luong couldn't be more different. Diligent, unassuming Van works as an immigration lawyer in the Michigan suburbs where she resides with her handsome, Chinese-American lawyer husband. Beautiful, fashionable Linny lives in Chicago and has drifted into an affair with a married man. When Van's picture-perfect marriage collapses and Linny finds herself grappling to escape her dead-end life, the long-estranged sisters are unable to confide in one another- until their eccentric inventor father calls them back home to the Vietnamese American community they fled long ago.

I LOOOOVE the photo on the paperback. I want those tights and that shoe! That's really all I have to say about that!

Have you spotted a Hardcover vs. Paperback you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

The Lying Game: Winter Premiere Tonight!

Hey, The Lying Game and Pretty Little Liars fans! The Lying Game and Pretty Little Liars are back tonight with all new episodes. (yay!) I for one am very excited!

A few weeks back I got a mysterious package in the mail. Turns out it was the first two new episodes of The Lying Game's Winter Season! 

I don't want to spoil anything in the upcoming episodes but I'll share a few tidbits. 

 In the first two episodes...

• We'll find out the outcome of the cliffhanger of the Summer Season 

• A new mystery will be revealed that confuses more than just the audience

• There is a new cast member

• Emma will receive a belated and mysterious birthday gift

• Emma and Ethan will take the blame for something they didn't do

• Emma will act on her future, as Sutton

Basically there is a lot going on as usual!

Have you been watching The Lying Game, are you going to watch tonight? Also have you heard about Jane by Design? I'm super excited to see it Tuesday night! Some fashion and tv bloggers have been doing Style Challenges leading up the Jane by Design, here's the blogger I've been following!

This Week In Books

1. Ruthless by Sara Shepard (Amazon)

2. Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral (Review)

3. The Duke Is Mine by Eloise James (Review)

4. Get Your Sparkle On! Jewelry Kit by Lindsay Cain (Boutique)

5. Knit Noro Accessories (Amazon)

6. Teach Yourself Visually: Jewelry Making and Beading 

by Chris Franchetti Michaels (Amazon)

7. Irises by Francisco X. Stork (Review)

8. Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer (Review)

9. The Girls of No Return Erin Saldin (Review)

A New Year, A New Look

Happy New Year! I'm celebrating with a blog redesign. I've had my look for about 4 years and decided it was time for a reinvention! Not just the blog itself but the way I create my posts. I've very excited to jolt my blog with some new energy and fun, I hope you enjoy it too! I'm not planning to change my content but expand on it with posts on some of my other interests!

<3

Lookalikes 144

*waves* 

 Between by Jessica Warman

Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

It's very interesting that while these are two different pictures both of the girls have their heads down. I like the composition of Unlovable a little better but neither of them have that spark for me.

Thanks to Sophia who spotted this lookalike! 

Have you spotted a Lookalike you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Recently In Books

Man a lot of time as passed since I last posted one of these, but I'm really excited about the books I got!

Book Depository: (this was my first order and it came faster than something I ordered from Amazon days beforehand!)
Meet Me at Mike's by Pip Lincolne
Meet Me at Mike's Crafty Journal by Pip Lincolne
Make Hey! While the Sun Shines by Pip Lincolne
Sew La Tea Do by Pip Lincolne
How to Make Jewellery with Tatty Devine

Amazon:
Microcrafts compiled by Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz and Friends
The Best of Knitscene by Lisa Shroyer
60 More Quick Knits
Sewing in a Straight Line by Bretta Bara
State of Craft edited by Victoria Woodcock
Cakespy by Jesie Oleson
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Knitpicks.com:
Cute & Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench
A Life in Stitches by Rachael Herron
The Knitters Life List by Gwen W. Steege

Target:
Bad Boys Do by Victoria Dahl
Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl

BooksAMillion: (Haven't been to one of these in years, it seemed a lot like Borders too bad it's too far away to go to often!)

The Summer of You by Kate Noble
Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Just Showed Up Review Copies:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney
The Vampire Diaries The Hunters Vol 1 Phantom created by L.J. Smith
Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci

This Year in Movies: September & October

With Fall TV back on I haven't been watching too many dvds but here is what I watched in the last two months!

SEPTEMBER:

One Day- I thought there was no way this could be bad, turned out I was wrong. Rather disappointing.

The Good Wife Season 1

Starstruck

Burlesque- Was really surprised how much I liked it. It was just beautiful to watch!

Sherlock Holmes

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold- Great concept, he always makes great documentaries.

Prom- Really really liked this!

Never Let Me Go- Interesting concept for a movie... probably should have read the book first!

Something Borrowed

Cyrus

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog

You Again- Just a fun movie, enjoyed re-watching it.

OCTOBER:

Urbanized- Really interesting documentary by the man that made Helvetica!


Royal Pains Season 2- For being a show about a doctor I'm surprised but how much I like it!

Bad Teacher-Odd movie, for some reason it was fun watching her get away with it but at the same time I don't know what to really think of it. Felt really disjointed at times.

Weekly Dose of Crafts

And the posting about crafts continues! Last Friday I found myself buying a kit to learn to glitter stamp, I have no idea how that happened but it made me very excited. I ended up learning a bit about the world of glitter and investigating other ways to use glitter. I somehow decided I also wanted to make some ornaments and when I found this tutorial both of these interests collided!

So far I've made 13 ornaments, Monday night I made 12 in about an hour and a half and that was with multiple breaks to admire the ornaments! Do you have any fun ideas for ways to use glitter? If so I'm all ears! I have a few other ideas but would love to hear more!

Last week I placed a KnitPicks order to make myself some new winter accessories including this set, and this and this and this. We'll see how many of these I actually end up making! I also ordered a few books!

Of my chosen winter accessories I decided to start with the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret because I had read it doesn't take very long! Below is my progress for two nights. I would have gotten further but I needed to get a needle!

Yarn used:

KnitPicks Sugarbunny in Lavender

Are you on Pinterest? I've been really enjoying it recently! You can find me on there as Mint910!

For more crafty goodness be sure to stop over at WIP Wednesday! And find me on Raverly as mint910.

Weekly Dose of Crafts

I might not have posted anything crafty since July (err that was a long time ago) but I've still been making things. So let me share a few things!

My current favorite WIP is something a little new for me, I'm not totally following a pattern, well I am but I'm not at the same time. Back in September Target released a new designer line, Missoni by Target. People were in there buying up everything the day it released. I happened to go the same day to buy some food and luckily happened across these Missoni by Target shoes (I wasn't even on the hunt for them) and couldn't leave them there. I liked the pattern so much I decided I must make a blanket that mimicked them!

Mine look just a little different from this

 First I decided I wanted to knit the blanket since I've never knit a blanket and then I decided I'd probably never finish it so I moved to crochet. I thought about yarn for a few days, I knew I wanted something soft and fluffy but still on the cheap side (my first crochet blanket ended up weighing too much and is a little uncomfortable to use). I settled on Bernat Roving when I realized its colors were very close to that of my shoes. I searched a few stores and ended up buying a few colors online. As you can see below one of the colors didn't pass the test.

Yarn Pyramid!

I started the blanket a little over a week ago using this stitch pattern but making up the stripes based exactly on my shoes and I'd say I'm almost close to half done! I've even been using it as its gotten a little cold here and it's very very warm so far but also not heavy at all! Hooray! I'm only getting about 7 and a half rows from each skein of yarn but its well worth it!

I really don't think I could be any happier with how this is turning out!

 Yarn used:

Bernat Roving

Flint

Rice Paper

Lotus

Magenta

Orchid

Plum

Have you seen the new Caron yarn by Vickie Howell? Sheep(ish) from her new line Stitch. Rock. Love.? I've been eying it at Joann the last few months!

Just so happens that Vickie Howell was the cover girl on the Knit Simple Holiday Issue sporting her Cover Cowl full of giant cables! The cover claimed you could knit it during the day and wear it that night! Not having tried cables for a LONG time and really wanting to try Sheep(ish) I jumped at the chance to knit this cowl up!

 I'm happy to report that the claims of a quick knit were true! I started it one late afternoon during the weekend and finished the following afternoon, I really think that's got to be some kind of record for me! This has renewed my fascination with cables and I have some plans for some upcoming cabled accessories!

Still needs buttons!

Yarn used:

Sheep(ish) Magenta 

I just have to note this is not actually Magenta, it's really purple!! 

Isn't Sheep(ish) pretty! This pile of yarn leads me to my next WIP.

While exploring Vickie Howell's blog I came across her Color Card Scarf, click the link to see how pretty it is! I gasped when I saw it! The catch was to make it that beautiful would involve using all 21 colors of Sheep(ish) and being the yarn hoarder I am I went for it instead of just trying to find something I already had. I think all but one color I got for at least 40% off over a few weeks.

I was working on this the week before my Missoni blanket when I got stopped by a color I didn't have at the time.

Rainbowy!

Yarn Used:

Sheep(ish) all colors

I really have a thing for novelty yarn so here are two scarves I made from two of the new Red Heart Boutique yarn lines. I made the first in maybe 2 or so weeks and the second in about 2 days!

The first is the Lengthwise Knit Scarf in Boutique Magical.

Yarn used:

Red Heart Boutique Magical Open Sesame

I also just had to try the new Boutique ribbon yarn Sashay in this pattern! 

Yarn used:

Red Heart Boutique Sashay Jive

So that's what I've been up to recently, how about you?

For more crafty goodness be sure to stop over at WIP Wednesday! And find me on Raverly as mint910.

This Week in Books

This is actually about the last month or so in books!

Just showed up review copies:

Catwalk by Deborah Gregory

The Lost Songs by Caroline B. Cooney

All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky by Joe R. Lansdale

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin

My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin

The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall

Empire of Ruins: The Hunchback Assignments 3 by Arthur Slade

What Boys Really Want by Pete Hautman

A Plague Year by Edward Bloor

Unforsaken by Sophie Littlefield

Painting from the Cave by Gary Paulsen

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

Every You, Me Every by David Levithan

The Death Cure by  James Dashner

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Purchased at Barnes & Noble (because it is the only place that sells this):

Yummy Crochet by Kristen Rask

Purchased at the William and Sonoma signing (so it's signed!):

Cake Pops by Bakerella

P.S. Like my new bedspread?

Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found by Sophie Blackall

I'm a big fan of non-traditional books, ones that don't exactly fit in any one category and Missed Connections by Sophie Blackall is a great example of one. Sophie Blackall has a fascination with missed connections, a glance on a train or a brief chat, a meeting at the time didn't maybe mean a whole lot (or maybe it did) and a person wishing after the fact they could get in touch with the person.

Missed Connections is a blog turned book of beautifully illustrated missed connections. Blackall takes the words people have written and turns them into beautiful pieces of art. Originally I was taken with Blackall's beautiful paintings (beautiful and delicate detail and color) but I also found the idea of exploring Missed Connections really interesting. Blackall has written a really nice introduction to her book so when you look at and read the missed connections it is much more meaningful than just looking at some pretty pictures.

One of my favorite Missed Connections from the book

If you loved missed connections or beautiful artwork you should definitely check out Sophie Blackall's Missed Connections.

Missed Connections was released October 4th 2011
Genre: Awesome
4.5/5 Stars
Accepted Review Copy

Suburgatory: A TV Pilot Review + An Advance Viewing

Last week I received a bag of goodies in the mail. At first I was confused, what were they for and then I read the note from Dallas Royce and saw the card about an advance screening of Suburgatory which is a new fall tv show from ABC I was excited for!

Oddly enough I was really into some of the things in the bag, what does that say about me, yeah I'm from the suburbs. :)

 Because I was already so excited to see this new sitcom I sat right down and watched the pilot episode and let me tell you, it did not disappoint, I actually liked it even more than I thought I would.

The show features Tessa (I love her look of disgust) and her father George (Jeremy Sisto as a father?! It's crazy, when I think of him I think of Clueless and Six Feet Under, definitely not a father but it somehow works) who move from NYC to the suburbs. 

I found it to be a wonderful fish out of water story filled with sarcastic dialogue and narration, perfect suburban imagery and a whole bunch of laughs. If you like Mean Girls you'll love this!

One of my favorite characters is Dahlia (in the leopard print skirt) who has some of the funniest lines and deadpans them perfectly. Basically this show was awesome and if the creators can keep it going full steam ahead they are going to have a great show on their hands!

Are you interested? Here's the trailer:

 

While the show doesn't premiere until tomorrow (This Wednesday at 8:30/7:30 Central on ABC) I am able to share a code that allows you to watch the episode right now! If you can't tell I'd definitely recommend it!

To view, visit www.abc.com/suburgatoryscreening 

Enter Code: pWNlhSSKa

If you check out the show, now or when it premieres stop back and let me know what you think! This Fall TV season is turning out to be something great!

This Week In Books

Young Artists Draw Manga by Christopher Hart (Just showed up review copy)
Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found by Sophie Blackall (Accepted review copy-already read this, and boy I loved it!)
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington (Just showed up review copy)

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Earlier this summer when I found out the Lying Game was being made into a ABC Family show jut like the author's other series, Pretty Little Liars, I squealed with glee. And while I didn't finish the book before the show started it got me going on it.

For anyone else that has read the first 8 books in the Pretty Little Liars series there is a sort of funny connection (I think) between this series and that one, anyone else notice that? Anyhow onto the story... this is another mystery that involves a set of twins, one living and one dead (?) whom both narrate. The living twin, Emma ends up taking over her sister's life and tries to figure out what happened to her sister Sutton, who is basically a ghost who has no memory of what happened to her.

This first book in the series is very much a set up for the whole series (Just like the first PLL book) so not a ton is revealed or really happens for that matter but I'm really excited to see where it goes. I love the whole concept of the Lying Game, which is actually a game and I hope we get to learn more about that in the upcoming books.

And if you are interested I would definitely suggest the tv show, right now I think I might like that a little more than the book but of course everything happens faster on tv! ;P As it stands now the show is a little different than the book but we'll see how it plays out!

The Lying Game was released on December 7th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Got copies from several places!

This Year In Movies: July & August

The last two months I watched a lot of stuff, in July 12 movies and 4 tv shows and in August  5 movies and 6 tv shows. A lot of it was just ok so I'm just going to talk about the ones I have something to say about.


JULY:

Due Date

It's Kind of a Funny Story-I remember this one being kind of interesting.

Country Strong

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist-Rewatch!

Monk Season 7-I got back into my Monk kick from a few months ago!

Napolean Dynamite-Rewatch

Monk Season 8

Just Go With It-This was sort of fun.

The Other Woman

Scott Pilgrim-Rewatch

Hall Pass

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallow Part 2-Definitely not my favorite of the series but it did what it had to just like the book did.


Red Riding Hood-A lot of smoke and mirrors and not enough meat.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules-I love the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, I think this is my new favorite book to movie series!

Life Unexpected Season 1-The people on this show fight so much I'm sort of glad they canceled it, it was stressful!

Life Unexpected Season 2

AUGUST:

The Hard Times of RJ Berger Season 1-I wanted to try out an MTV show, now that they don't really play music anymore, it was better than I thought it would be but still weird.

Dilema

My Future Boyfriend- I finally tried Netflix Instant View on my iPad and sort of fell in love with it!

Revenge of the Bridesmaids

Rio-  This was a cute movie!

The Hard Times of RJ Berger Season 2

Jersey Shore Season 1- I cannot believe I even watched this. I've been curious for years and once I started I couldn't stop!

Arthur

Jersey Shore Season 2

Jersey Shore Season 3

10 Things I Hate About You Season 1- When I heard about this show I decided I would never watch it, why mess with a classic right? But then I saw it on Netflix Instant View and gave it a try, and actually it was really good and different enough. Too bad it got canceled!

This Week in Books

All purchased at Borders, apparently it is closing in 10 days. :(

29 by Adena Halpern
The Book of Even More Awesome by Neil Pasricha
The English American by Alison Larkin
You Dropped a Blonde on Me by Dakota Cassidy

This Week In Books

Just Showed Up for Review Copies:
Ingenue by Jillian Larkin
The Project by Brian Falkner
The Game of Triumphs by Laura Powell
Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
Tiffany's Table Manners For Teenagers by Walter Hoving
Hooked by Catherine Greenman
Reaching Through Time: Three Novellas by Lurlene McDaniel
The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood
Fabulous Finds by J. Lee Drexler & James R. Cohen

This Week in Books or The Last Few Weeks

Just Showed Up Review Copies:
The Dark Glamour by Gabriella Pierce 
The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr
The pace Between by Brenna Yovanoff
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (came with a cute bag, flower and tattoos)
Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber
Jesus, My Father, The CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron
The Seduction of Scandal by Cathy Maxwell
Bronxwood by Coe Booth
Underdogs by Markus Zusak

Purchased at Target:
Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard

Borders (3 trips to 2 Borders): :(
How to Knit a Heart Back Home by Rachael Herron
How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
P.S. I Made This by Erica Domesek
Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney
The Corporate Creative by Andy Epstein
Been There, Done That by Carol Snow
The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Lookalikes 143

 The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

 The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner

Shadowman by Erin Kellison

Here is another interesting one, B +  C = A basically! While Shadowman isn't an exact match it's very similar to the girl on The Name of the Star. My vote instantly goes to The Silver Blade.  The other two have too much going on for me and have a mixed bag of elements on their covers that make me stop and go "Huh?"

Thanks to Khy and Gail who helped me piece together this puzzle! 

Have you spotted a Lookalike you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

The Lying Game Sneak Peek

Yesterday I found a package on my front step containing a copy of Sara Shepard's The Lying Game. But since it was sent by ABC Family I figured it was no ordinary copy so I flipped it open.

At first glance I didn't notice anything inside of the book beyond that note until I sat down and slowly started flipping the pages. I noticed that certain letters were underlined.

Turned out the message read "Search Secret Sneak Peek on YouTube."

My search revealed this video! I'm so excited to read the books and watch the show! Are you?

#NinePaths Question Answered by Grace Phipps (Amy)

When the Nine Paths game ended I had the opportunity to ask Grace Phipps who plays Amy a question! Here is her answer!

Are you guys watching The Nine Lives of Chloe King? Are you enjoying it! I've been enjoying the show so far! I love how a normal girl can one day all of a sudden basically kick everyone's butts if she needs to! I like how she's been using her powers to help her friends and people in need!

Anyone excited for the new ABC Family show, The Lying Game? Even thought I haven't read the book yet, I popped out today to buy the second book! I want to read it before the show starts on the 15th! Fingers crossed!