Nancy Naigle's Blog, page 3

Exploring the Art of Home Cooking - Part III of V

Welcome back for Part III of Exploring the Art of Home Cooking. We talked about Home Cooking and Family Time in Part II of V. Today,...

Exploring the Art of Home Cooking - Part II OF V

Tips for enhancing your cooking experience.

Exploring the Art of Home Cooking - Part I of V

Home cooking is more than just preparing meals; it's about creating an experience, nurturing relationships, and embracing a lifestyle that promotes health and wellbeing. In recent years, more people have turned to home cooking, rediscovering the joy of making meals from scratch. I love includng recipes in my novels to create that sense of community.

Exciting Release Week for "The Shell Collector" Series!

It's RELEASE WEEK for the second novel in the Shell Collector series! I’m thrilled to share the journey back to the charming coastal town...

Beach Read Just Released: Discover Nancy Naigle's Latest Novel Today!

It's RELEASE WEEK for the second novel in the Shell Collector series. Read about the book, read the free prologue, and then download the...

What's New in Romance?

To Light The Way Forward is on sale at ChristianBook.com 25% off....grab this deal today!

BOOK SIGNINGS w Nancy Naigle

With the new book coming out here in the next week or so, I'm excited to be out on the road visiting readers and friends to celebrate. I...

Excerpt: To Light The Way Forward

Hey friends, we're on the final countdown to the release of the second Shell Collector novel TO LIGHT THE WAY...

Every Gal Needs A Name!

And this girl is gonna have a story!

Over the past few years, several of my readers have been so sweet to have gifted me the most amazing "book page" art. Christmas ornaments, picture frames, those cool books with the folded pages and even an angel. I treasure every single one of them, and it amazes me that all of them are so different. While cruising Pinterest one weekend for cool ideas and some tips on how to make those ornaments I ran across dress forms that had been dressed up in gowns made from book pages.

 

           You know where this is headed, right? You've been there!

An idea began to brew...

You see, during my last move from Patrick Springs to the city of Franklin, VA I had a few boxes of books damaged. And I don't mean just a bent corner but some of them got wet. Yikes! I've given most of the gently damaged ones away, or dropped them in the Little Free Libraries, but I still have a few that are beyond repair. So, I thought why not try some of those cool book page crafts?

 

Well, a little Pinterest scrolling can get a girl in trouble and I came across these super clever antique dress forms with book page dresses on them! Yep, the ones in the picture above (on the right) are on my inspiration board. Oh my gosh! They are so cool.

My bestie was at the Brimfield Auction up North this past summer and found me one sweet deal on this dress form. She's on a great wrought iron rolling base, and I can't wait to doll her up. Yes, that's really her in the picture above on the left. Naked as a jaybird and bless her heart she appears a little man-handled, but when I get done with her I hope she's elegant as those pretty inspiration pics from my motivation board. I plan to start with the bodice, because it just seems right, plus it is sort of the only part I've got figured out so far. I think I'm going to cut butterfly shapes out of my book pages so that I can decoupage them and have some of them 3D like they are beginning to flutter away.

I can't wait to get started. I'll try to upload some pics each month of her journey.

But first, I do feel like she needs a name, do you?

Here's what we know about her.

Born in 1965 to the S.M. Benjamin Model Co.

Dress Size: 12.

Last known address: Brimfield. Massachusetts

1=Drop your suggestions in the comments below.

2=And if you're feeling really creative, give me some ideas on how I can work her into a book!

;)

Thanks for joining me on this little crafting adventure.

You are loved! And a little Valentine's gift.

You Are Loved – A Valentine’s Day Reminder

Valentine’s Day often gets wrapped up in images of chocolates, roses, candlelit dinners, and grand romantic gestures. But love is so much bigger than that. It’s in the friendships that make us laugh until we cry, the kindness of a stranger holding the door, the warmth of a handwritten note. It’s in the memories of those we’ve loved and lost, in the dreams we still hold close to our hearts.

If you’re spending this Valentine’s Day alone, I want you to remember—you are valued, cherished, and loved in more ways than you may even realize.

Love isn’t limited to one day or one kind of relationship. It’s woven into everyday moments, into the way you care for yourself, and your friends. In the way you show up for others, and the way your heart carries hope.

So this week, celebrate the love that exists all around you. Yes, 360 degrees around you. Treat yourself with kindness. Be the sunshine in someone else's day. Buy yourself flowers, or sneak a single rose into someone's mailbox who may need that cheerful surprise. If you're alone, give yourself grace and dream a little. Count your blessings and be grateful for the quiet time to reflect and position yourself to fulfill those dreams in your heart.

And if you need a cozy escape, I’d love to share a little FREE story. It'll only take you a few minutes to read. Just a little something specialfrom me to you—my very first published short story, Forever In My Heart. I had no idea when I wrote this for a collection of Valentine's short stories that the man in this story, Derek, would become the hero of Life After Perfect (Book1 of the Boot Creek Novels) published four years later where he finds love again.

 Download your free copy of Forever in My Heart here

Wishing you a day filled with love in all its beautiful forms.

You are a special treasure, just as you are.

With love,

Nancy