Laura Strutt's Blog, page 39
March 9, 2014
10 Rad Free To Do List Printables
Ahhh! Monday – how did you get here so fast?! I swear one second ago it was Friday evening and I promised that I would have a squillion things done and finished up before the new week swung in past.
But, you know what, I haven’t! Life got in the way, and that’s fine, that’s what it does. So, here I am Monday morning, the start of one of the busiest fortnights of my year so far and I’m woefully behind. So, far behind, I’m considering tearing March off the calendar and skipping ahead to April, and our exciting holiday that we’re planning! But, apparently, part of being a Grown Up is not to run away from our problems, challenges and chores. We are supposed to face up to them, right?
Having officially taken over the role of being Master of My Own Destiny (aka setting up and running a creative business) I feel as though it is something of a colossal business fail to be announcing on the internet that “Woah there girly! You’re over stretched!” Like somehow if you’re running your own business you suddenly lose the link to being human and having a set number of hours in the day. I think there will be a few long work days, a lot of coffee and some team talks with myself to get through all this.
I know I’m not the only one, everyone I’ve been chatting to recently seem to be having similar feelings – not enough hours in the day. Which is great, it’s good to be facing some challenges. You know, in that exhausting “will I ever get all this done” way. So, if you’re starting this work week with a series of tasks hanging over from last week – or even the week before – I’m with you, I feel your pain, but we’re going to get through this and we’re going to be totally rad at it!
As I have ruled out time travelling ahead to April and past this insane busy period there has to be a fun to way get organised, get motivated and to slay this workload. So, I’ve hunted out 10 Rad Free To Do List Printables – to help you stay on top of your schedule in true style!
PrettyLittleInspirations
MonicaJoyDesigns
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TheHoweDairies
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Goming
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LovingHere
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The ModernPolkaDot
PaperGlitter
♥Ο♥
TrendAddictionsThere’s nothing that a fancy To Do List can’t solve. I love them all, but which is your favourite?
If anyone needs me, I will be sat here working like to thing possessed though this pretty but rather epic To Do List – what’s on your schedule for the week ahead?
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March 8, 2014
Style Sunday: The Denim Shirt
When it comes to cool, I’m pretty certain that nothing beats the denim shirt. I mean, this has been around forever – from the the Marlboro Man to the hipster, this is one garment that will find it’s way into everyone’s closet!
This gorgeous skinny fit Denim Shirt, £19.99, H&M, got me to thinking making this style essential – so here is Style Sunday: The Denim Shirt 
The Pattern
Simplicity 1538, sizes 6-22, £8.95 SimplicityNewLook
This button-down shirt offers a range of variations, select design A for the yoke and bias pocket details – perfect for that classic denim shirt!
The Fabrics
From left to right
Pure denim, £ 10.99 per metre My Fabrics
Mid Blue Denim, £9 per meter, Turo Fabrics
Pre-Washed Denim £11 per metre, CandH
I’m the kind of girl that will find a zillion ways to wear a denim shirt – buttoned up and worn under a cute pinafore, knotted over a lacy skater dress or teams with some sharp capri pants – so, tell me, how do you wear your denim shirt?
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March 7, 2014
DotComGiftShop Mason Jar Winner Announcement!
If there was ever any proof needed that I was not alone in my love of the mason jar, then this giveaway is surely it!
I have been completely blown away by the response…it has taken me an actual age, and two very large cups of coffee, to collect together all the entries from the comments, from Twittter and over on Facebook! Thank you all so much for entering and getting behind this rad giveaway from the awesome crew over at DotComGiftShop – I only wish that I could give each and every one of you a set of these mega mason jars…sadly, I can’t – there can only be one winner!
Now, that the entries have all been gathered, added to the hat, given a good shuffle about, it is now finally time to announce the winner…
Congratualtions Lauren Greyson!
Please check your email and send over your UK postal address so we can get this awesome prize out to you!
Thank you all so much for entering, be sure to keep an eye out form more exciting giveaways, and be sure to check out the amazing rage of lovelies over at DotComGiftShop!
Y’all have a fantastic weekend!
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March 6, 2014
Guest Post: Creating a DIY Wedding
You guys! I’m super stoked to be guest posting over at BugsandFishes today! Over the past few weeks it’s kinda been wedding fever over here – I caught up with some real life cash-savvy brides who shared their experiences of creating a fabulous wedding day on a budget of 5K, check out these amazing ideas in The 5K wedding Series The US Edition and The Canadian Edition! Last week I shared a very honest breakdown of the budget of our DIY Wedding – and I wanted to thank you all for your super sweet comments, y’all know how to make a gal grin!
Hosting a DIY wedding can be a pretty big task – there is so much to think about, so much to do – so when the lovely Laura at BugsandFishes asked if I wanted to share some thoughts in a guest post on DIY weddings, I couldn’t wait to get started! 
So, why not head over to check out my Tips for Creating a DIY Wedding?! And, for those of you that wanted a few more peeks at some of my wedding photographs – taken by the amazing Kerrie Mitchell – there are heaps more for you to check out over on this guest post!
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March 5, 2014
Happy World Book Day!
Today friends, is World Book Day! This is a day to celebrate all books, authors, and everything that is great about books, and there are lots of amazing things about books!
I don’t think I need to tell you, I’m one of those ‘reader’ types. Reading books and stories is my favourite way to relax, to escape, to learn and to discover.
For as long as I can remember, having a ‘book-on-the-go’ was a really important of my daily life – you know the routine, “Purse, keys, phone…knitting, book” that’s me, every day, before I leave the house.
One of the first books that I remember reading as a child was Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, I remember sitting on the windowsill in my bedroom and sobbing, wiping my tears away on the handmade-by-my mum curtains (sorry mum!). I try to mix up the books that I read, discover new authors, and read classics. I try to switch between fiction with non-fiction, I try to read out of my comfort zone, take on recommendations of others. For the longest time my favourite author has been Douglas Coupland, but close on his heals is Chuck Palahniuk, and only recently I discovered John Green - I know, Im a little late to this particular party! So it’s looking like there is something of a race on for the top spot right now!
I don’t know that I have an all time favourite book but there are lots of quotes that I know will stay with me from some of my favourite reads over the years…
“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” — A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” — Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss (We love this story so much we had it as a reading at our wedding!)
“All families are psychotic. Everybody has basically the same family – it’s just reconfigured slightly different from one to the next.” — All Families are Psychotic, Douglas Coupland
“Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.” — The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
“There are three things we cry for in life: things that are lost, things that are found, and things that are magnificent.” — Girlfriend in a Coma, Douglas Coupland (yes another Douglas Coupland quote, I know, I can;t help myself…but I did say that he was my fave!
Right now, I’m reading The Souvenir by Theresa Fowler and next up, I think I’ll be returning to John Green with Looking for Alaska and also checking out Midlife Crisis at 30 by Lia Macko & Kerry Rubin. If you want to check out what I’m reading this year, head over to my Goodreads profile, Do you use Goodreads to keep tabs of all those books you can’t wait to read? Swing in past and say Hi – I’m always on the look out for great new books to be recommended to me!
I think you can learn quit a bit about a person just by asking a few bookish questions, so let’s go for it…let’s get to know each other a little better!
1 What is the first book you remember enjoying as a child?
2 Who is your all time, hands down favourite author?
3 Is there a quote from a book that has stuck with you long after you finished reading it?
4 What is next on your To Read pile?
OK, bookworms! How about we share some book love…want to join in? Easy! Simply add in your answers to these questions the comments below!
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March 4, 2014
DIY Dotty French Mani
It’s Wednesday! The working week is half way done – that means one of two things, either you’ve conquered half of your weekly tasks, or you’ve still got a mountain to climb. As a Glass Half Full kinda gal I’m going to say that this weeks goals are already half way achieved. I can say that honestly…if I don’t look too closely at the remaining To Do List!
So, to celebrate, I thought I’d treat myself to a mid-week mani! Something still smart enough to see me through the rest of the working week, but with a little bit of fun! The French Mani is an all time classic, it is a great way to feel really ‘put together’ with just a little bit of polish. I decided to give this classic a little bit of a fun twist! You can keep this as classic as you like with a blush pink and a bright white accent for the tips, go glitzy with bright pink and a glimmering silver, or pick a lovely latte palette, like I’ve done, with a nude buff and a soft cream. So here’s my DIY Dotty French Mani…
Grab your supplies…
You’ll need a base coat & top coat – or an all in one, like this handy beauty!
Nude buff polish – or your chosen shade for the main colour
Cream polish – or your chosen shade for the accent colour
A bobby pin (or, for those more fancy than me, proper nail art tools!)
A palette for the accent colour – I use a cosmetics tin lid, but anything that you can wipe clean is just grand!
Go right ahead and shape your nails and paint over your base coat.
With your chosen main colour, paint your nails with two full coats, allowing to dry fully between each application.
Decant a blob of the accent colour onto the palette, and open out a bobby pin and straighten out to create a handy little tool to create the perfect dots!
Working on the tips of the nails only, use the bobby pin to apply a neat line of perfectly shaped dots in the accent colour. Each nail will have a sweet little row of dots in place of the classic white tips – now, not only does this look super cute, it requires a lot less precision than a standard french manicure, just perfect for a mid-week mani!
Use the same dotting technique to add an accent tip on each nail. Once the dots have fully dried, apply a glossy top coat to fix the mani – sweet, simple and super cute!
I don’t know about you, but a 10 minute pick me up DIY beauty treat is a pretty good way to mark that halfway point on the journey to the weekend. Or, at least I can admire my cute mani while I frantically try to get those last things ticked off the To Do List before the weekend!
How’s your week shaping up – what about a fun mid-week mani to get you through to the weekend?
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March 3, 2014
DIY Board of Corks
If you loved Eliza Muldoon‘s guest post yesterday, sharing her thoughts on the importance of taking a little time out to work on something creative, you’re going to love this quick-make corkboard project!
This project is just one of the 52 fun and easy makes from Eliza’s new book Lazing on a Sunday Crafternoon – here’s where she got her inspirations and ideas for this quirky and cute make!
“I can’t explain how excited I was when I saw a bucketload of wine corks for sale at my much-loved re-use centre. When I was a kid, I saw a board made of corks in a magazine and I wondered how anyone would ever collect enough corks to make one (my mum was a non-drinker and my dad was more of a beer or rum man). I actually started asking people to save them for me but I never managed to get enough. So, when I saw the glorious bucketful, I knew exactly what I would use them for. I went straight upstairs to the timber offcut section and chose a bit of wood that wouldn’t need any cutting, 26cm x 30cm x 8mm. Then I floated home. If you don’t collect or stumble across a pile of wine corks, you might find them online (I have since bought them on eBay too). Choosing timber that matches the length and width of the corks saves time and effort; if you can’t find a suitable offcut, you can get a board cut to size at hardware stores (or look through their offcuts). They can also advise you on the best glues—you need one that’s quite thick so you can apply a layer to work the cork into.” So, why not make your own DIY Board of Corks to stash your own memo?
Grab your supplies…
About 100 wine corks
Piece of plywood 8-mm thick
Newspaper—it’s messy!
All-purpose glue
Picture-hanging strips—the removable, double-sided adhesive kind
Get busy…
Work out how many corks you need by lining them up across the top and then down the side. Make sure they covered the edges so you can’t see the backing board once the corks are glued on. This board uses six corks across and fourteen down, so 84 corks were needed in total.
Spread out newspaper and put the board on top. Put a line of glue across the board, enough to squish the corks into. Next very carefully glue the cork onto the board, arranging them one at a time so you can see the images. Ensuring the ends of corks along the edges of the board are even so consider the size and designs on the corks as you secure them. Continue until all the baord is covered and allow the glue to dry fully before hanging and using your new memo board!
♥ – ♥ – ♥
This project is taken from Lazing on a Sunday Crafternoon by Eliza Muldoon, £12.99, Murdoch Books, it’s packed 52 fun project ideas that are great for getting in some all important creative time into our busy schedule – many of these ideas are perfect for getting the Littles involved with too!
Readers of Made Peachy can get a copy of Lazing on a Sunday Crafternoon by Eliza Muldoon for the special price of £10 (RRP £12.99) including free UK P&P. To get your discounted copy, call MDL on 01256 302699 and quote GLR 9ZJ – be quick this offer runs through to the 3 April!
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March 2, 2014
Guest Post: Eliza Muldoon
Image: BlueMountainGazette
Creativity plays an important role in my life – it is my hobby, my work and my every day life. When a copy of Lazing on a Sunday Crafternoon landed on my desk, I fell in love with the concepts of taking time out to be creative as a family, spending time with the Littles to teach them how to use their hands, their imaginations and enjoy a little creativity.
Any book with this philosophy at it’s heart, along with a whole heap of projects to try your hand at – with the Littles too – will always get my vote! So, I’ll hand you over to Eliza Muldoon, who will share a little more about the process of creating this fun craft book.
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I was actually lecturing on the importance of creativity in our lives and suddenly realised that I was no longer making time for creativity in my own life. In the same lecture I asked students what it was that inspired their love for the arts – many of them described memories of childhood craft making. Those two ideas merged on my walk home from work and the Sunday Crafternoon project began that weekend! The idea was simply to make time for being creative again and to do so with my little girl, who was only two at the time. It had to be simple, easy and fun – otherwise I knew we wouldn’t do it. The idea for the book emerged six months into the project when a casual discussion led to a meeting with a publisher. I was thrilled that they thought our little project was worth sharing!
Children are naturally curious and creative beings – I was certainly compulsively creative when I was a young girl. As we get older I think our creative urges don’t disappear, they simply get suppressed because we start to think we’re not talented, other people are better than we are, or we simply have to spend our time on more ‘useful’ things. I was genuinely surprised when I realised that although my career is the arts, I had suppressed my own creative urges. Once I started making things I couldn’t stop, there are 52 projects in the book but we actually made over 100 things that year!
Making things affected me in many, often unexpected, ways. I felt more confident, inspired, appreciative, calm, more conscious of what I bought and our home is now filled with objects that we have joyfully made together. I now think that this has been one of the best decisions that I have made for my daughter, and for myself!
I feel incredibly fortunate to have had parents that tended to make things rather than buy things. My parents were born during the 1930s depression and being resourceful was central to how they went about their days. They would never have considered themselves creative or sustainable, but they definitely were. I think inheriting their ‘make do’ mindset has served me well. They taught me how to look at a shabby old object and see it’s potential and they also taught me basic skills to realise that potential.
The gift of making
One of my greatest Christmas presents ever was a shelving unit that I was given when I was 9 years old. I had drawn up an idea for shelves for my room, one that would hold all of my collections, toys and bits and pieces in very specific places. My dad found the drawing and made it, exactly to my specifications. I woke up on Christmas day with my dream shelving-unit in my room (I was a heavy sleeper!). It was incredible. It made me feel like a designer! I think moments like this have inspired confidence in me to continue to design and create things. It genuinely surprised me that I for a while I had stopped making things because I’d had such a good start. Hopefully our Sunday Crafternoons have given our daughter Lotte the skills and mindset that her nanna and poppa gave me.
The process is definitely as important as the outcome. The times we spend together making things continue to be amazing. It has really changed the way Lotte and I relate to each other. Sometimes when we make things I’m her teacher but often, especially as she is getting older, we are co-creators. It’s also time that’s not about cleaning the house, or getting ready for school, or doing everyday routine things – those things can so easily dominate and dull our days.
I actually think we spend a lot more time together than we might have if we didn’t create things. Just yesterday we went out riding our bikes to collect sticks to bring home – we made little tents for her dolls and wooden stars. It’s not just craft anymore, and it’s not just about her and I. Lotte has since written some songs on a children’s album with her Dad (I’m Not Singing) and a book for the Toulouse Lautrec Exhibition for the Australian National Gallery, also with her Dad (Draw with Me). Being creative is now a part of how our family works. I certainly think it would hold true for other families. We have a few friends that parent very creatively and their lives and days seem quite similar to ours. Sometimes people have said that they don’t have time or skills or energy to spend time with their kids that way, and I understand that sense because I had it too. I also used to think it was easier for us because we just have one child, but I know families that have four children that are as creative with their days as we are.
I think that if we have to spend a lot of time preparing, shopping or learning skills we may never make anything. The materials we had, or materials that I easily gathered along the way, usually inspired the projects in the book – I rarely went out and bought something with a particular idea in mind. At the start of the book I have included sections on supplies, storage and basic techniques that I found made it easier for us throughout the project. I think people will be surprised at the skills they already have, but haven’t used for a long time – I know I was!
Making a difference
The change in the relationship with my gorgeous girl was definitely the most enjoyable part. Another is the difference that it has made to our home – we now have a house filled with handmade loveliness. The little everyday reminders of the times we have spent together continue to make me smile; making her bed and seeing the hand-stitched ‘love you’ on her sheets, using our ‘picture pegs’ to hold inspiring pages that we pull from magazines and this morning she wore her ‘Janey socks’ to school.
On the flip side, there are challenging aspects. Like resisting the temptation to buy every second-hand object that holds craft potential! I completely lost control early on and bought every handmade doily, piece of vintage fabric or quirky object that got my attention. Thanks to a massive garage sale, I have cleared out our crazy collection. I have had a lot more self-control since!
It has already changed us in so many unexpected ways. I spend more of my working life being creative, rather than just talking about being creative. We are certainly more conscious of our consumption and environment habits than we used to be. We’ve recently moved to Melbourne, arguably Australia’s most creative city, so we can attend more arts events and festivals. I have also decided to reduce our cost of living so I can now work less (and mostly during school hours) which leaves our afternoons and weekends free for play, exploring and creating. Coming next….I’m working on a series of projects that encourage and teach parents and children to spend more creative time together. Lazing on a Sunday Crafternoon continues to be quite a journey!
♥ – ♥ – ♥
Lazing on a Sunday Crafternoon by Eliza Muldoon, £12.99, Murdoch Books.
I can’t wait to share one of Eliza’s creative ideas with y’all tomorrow! What kind of creative makes do you like to make with the Littles?
The post Guest Post: Eliza Muldoon appeared first on Made Peachy.
March 1, 2014
Style Sunday: The Easy Wear T-Shirt
I love this simple Boyfriend T-shirt, £8 from ASOS For me, T-shirts are one of those garments that will never go out of style. I mean these little beauts used to be the official Uniform of the Weekend, but with a little fancying up with accessories, teamed with a sharp pencil skirt and this will see you through the working week too. These soft, jersey essentials are here to stay!
Which is why this is the kind of wardrobe staple that I want to own in every colour – so this is one garment that it makes sense to search out a pattern for.
So, here are some awesome simple designs in today’s Style Sunday: The Easy Wear T-Shirt
The Pattern
New Look 6216, Sizes 8-18, £2.59 – on sale from £5.95 SimplicityNewLook
This easy make knit top with scoop neck and short all-in-one sleeves or higher neckline with three quarter dolman sleeves. Select Design C for this casual classic.
The Fabrics
1 Grey Marl Jersey £6.50 per metre Croft Mill
2 Micro Stripe Jersey £5.99 per metre My Fabrics
3 Monochrome Polka Dot Jersey £8.50 per meter Stone Fabrics
4 Organic Stripe Oatmeal Jersey £24.9 per metre Dragonfly Fabrics
Plain or patterned, I’ll never get enough of the classic Easy Wear T-Shirt – how do you style yours?
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February 28, 2014
Quick Catch Up: Hello March
February, you have been a wild and crazy ride! You have been a lightening bolt, a whirlwind, a blink-and-you’ll miss it kind of month.
So, much has been happening here – for a start you’d have to be living under a rock to have not noticed me mention that my DIY Wedding Book hit the book stores this month! And – STOP PRESS – at the time of writing this, it is in the TOP 50 Wedding Books on Amazon UK! It is such a strange feeling to be finally holding my book in my little mitts, I mean it feels like a whole lifetime ago that our dining room was converted into a photography studio and I was surrounded by cookies, flowers and veiling frantically working away to get all the projects worked up and shot. But, you know what – totally worth all the graft, every late night, coffee fueled minute of it! I’ve loved reminiscing about our wedding day, hearing other people’s wedding stories – what can I say, I’m a sucker for real life, big time, old fashioned love! If you’ve not had the chance to check out my mini series on 5K Weddings – be sure to these amazing weddings in the US Edition & the Canadian Edition to get a little inspiration on how to have a fabulous wedding without breaking the bank…I’ve also shared my very honest wedding breakdown too!
March is the start of getting back on the road and getting busy with some awesome craft and stitching shows around the country – I’m hoping that all this traveling about will help me to master the art of packing light. Seriously, if anyone has any tips that would be mega – I seem to take more with me for four days away at work than I did for two whole years globe trotting, what’s with that?
2014 Diary Dates
20 – 23 March
Sewing For Pleasure NEC Birmingham
3 – 5 April
Creative Stitches / Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch Excel, London
7 – 10 August
The Festival of Quilts NEC Birmingham
9 -12 October
The Knitting & Stitching Show Alexandra Palace, London
30 October – 2 November
The Knitting & Stitching Show RDS, Dublin
20 -23 November
The Knitting & Stitching Show HIC, Harrogate
One of the things that I’m looking forward to most this month is hosting a series of Mini Workshops at the Vilene Sewing Club at Sewing For Pleasure this year – all the projects have been finalised, the sewing machines have been booked and I’ll be packing out some pretty rad goodie bags over the next few days! I can’t wait to let you in on all the details of the projects…hopefully I can spill the beans this week! Did I say…I can’t wait?!
Back to a little closer to home, here is a round up of these things that have been happening here at PeachyHQ…
On Made Peachy:
Crafts: Crochet Heart Garland
Style: DIY Dotty Mani
Skills: Fancy Ideas for Simple Seams
Eats: Doggie Cupcakes & Cake Pops
My Browser Besties:
2: Craft Candy
3: Good Reads
My Blog Crushes:
3: LadyfaceBlog
4: Semi Sweet
Don’t miss out! Did you enter the giveaway from DotComGiftShop yet? There is still time to enter to win a set of lush mason jars which, trust me on this, are going to look super in your home!
One thing I have managed to do a whole lot of this month is reading – I’ve been burning though books like they are going out of style – which they aren’t, but you get what I mean. I challenged myself to read 24 books this year, so here are the next batch of reads that I’ve worked through – following on from books 1-4 I read in January
My Months Reads:
5 Alone (The Girl in a Box) – Robert J Crane
I’m not entirely sure that this book was ‘one for me’. The YA fiction centres around a girl who has lived in captivity and finally enters the real world (no spoilers) to embark on a action packed adventure to find answers. Whilst packed with brilliant concepts and a steady rolling plot, something was a little lacking.
6 War of the Worlds – H.G.Wells
A real page turner of a classic! Wells creates outstanding imagery and in many cases shares quite horrific depiction of a hostile alien invasion.This book certainly stands the test of time – even though the language can seem quite stuffy and formal in places.
7 The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
I knew that I would love this book – I just had no idea how truly and deeply I would fall in love with this. What can I say about this book that has not already been said? It’s a must-read, I found myself laughing, crying and saying “I can’t put you down, but I don’t want you to ever end!”
8 The Waterproof Bible – Andrew Kaufman
This book has been described as quirky, and on that front I’d have to agree. A weird and unusual book that leaves you in no doubt that it’s a weird and unusual book.
9 The Trouble With Alice – Olivia Glazebrook
A story of a relationship break up following a tragic accident. Reading out of my usual genre with this book, so perhaps this is not really a book for me. Touching of some dramatic issues, I wanted so much more, but was just left with a feeble break up.
You can check out my full reviews over on my Goodreads account!
How’s February been for you?
The post Quick Catch Up: Hello March appeared first on Made Peachy.
