• Culture and Entertainment

    Jane Austen Enamel Pins by Amanda Kastner

    Ages back I learned of Amanda Kastner’s work through Sense and Sensibility patterns who produced a historical pattern of hers. Her sister’s blog (it’s been made private) featured a lovely piece of stylized artwork by her of her sister (that was where the idea I wanted artwork of my on my blog).

    Anyhow, more recently I’ve been following her artwork, she’s done some coloring books (I want to get the Jane Austen one) and graphic novels (I have the Illusionarium, but I’d like the others as well). Visit her shop here.

    Most recently she’s been making enamel pins for classic story characters. I know I have no use for these, and I always find something to buy, but they are so lovely, I have Anne and Diana, and I’m participating in the current Kickstarter for the Jane Austen ones here. My favorite is yet to be unlocked (and I’m assuming there might be more stretch goals), but by the time this is published it probably will. I’m assuming some of these pins will be available in her shop, but not the Lizzie one or not for long?

    Now I will just have to find a way to display them. My sister-in-law’s sister made a silver corkboard Disney castle for all my sister-in-law’s Disney pins, and it’s on my niece’s nursery wall. And I thought I’d taken a photo of that but can’t find it.

  • Reading

    Book and Media Haul

    Our city library system has regular sales, so I got a few items there. Plus I’ve been buying discounted Barnes and Noble giftcards and combining these with Barnes and Nobles coupons to buy books from Barnes and Noble. Finally, Half-Price had as store wide Memorial Day sale (I hope they have one for the 4th).

    My library booksale haul. Suitably studious . . . now I just need to start those courses.

    Barnes and Noble.

    My Half Price haul. I think I buy beautiful books as idols or something since I’m afraid to actually touch and read them.

  • Reading

    Bookish Post One Billion and One

    I think I wrote this the end of January and just did not schedule it.

    I have been compiling a treasury of links of bloggers’ book list. I want to keep adding to my running book lists.

    I am not doing the Goodreads challenge; I am looking more at goals about types of books/reads rather than numbers. I found these two challenges via this blogger and this blogger (I think I will write is some ideas for books on them; for the over 500 I will count the book I am reading now, 1/31, Daniel Deronda). Please note that the Popsugar site is less than good. I might extend these over a year, so as to be reasonable rather than burdensome.

    I won these bookmarks in this giveaway.
    I cannot remember if I posted a photo of my sort of book journal; I think I did. I have been rather opinion lazy/exhausted/disgusted lately plus I have so very many projects I am always intending to do plus I have full-time hours between my two jobs (as of 1/31), so will we see if I have much to put in here. I would rather it be a as-inspired sort of journal (it has pages full of North and South book and movie commentary written in several installments). I love Barnes and Noble notebooks and journals and the Half-Price metallic art cover collection from which I own many.
    I should like to finish my Classics Club list this year. I will not be repeating that challenge. I am more of a guidelines individual although this is less restrictive than many book challenges/lists.