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By Aimee, November 11, 2011

Artist and author Mary Anne Radmacher has a fun new book; Us!: Celebrating the Power of Friendship. Not only did I get a chance to review the book myself, but I have two copies to giveaway to two lucky readers! I loved everything about it, and it now sits on my coffee table, ready and willing to be read by all friends who enter.

“When we have a circle of friends, we have more fun. We get more done, we feel and are stronger, and we really do celebrate the power of our ‘us.’”  – Mary Anne Radmacher

Mary Anne’s new book is specifically designed as a gift to be shared with the friends who help to define and enrich our lives. It is a beautiful little volume, featuring Mary Anne’s signature artwork, along with quotes, aphorism, poems and meditations on the power and importance of our relationships. It is an ideal gift idea for those friends who mean the most. Such a sweet gift to give (and receive)!

Here is a short essay from Mary Anne that I get to share with you! I loved this because I am one of the lucky ones who gets to count family as friends!

LUCKY, Lucky You…

I laugh as I remember my husband’s question as he listened to his friend relate a great experience he had.   He asked, “Isn’t that guy a relative of yours?”  His friend replied affirmatively and asked, “Why?”   My husband expressed that it is outside his experience that somebody would have such a dynamic friendship with someone they are related to.

Are YOU lucky enough to have  “Family as Friend?”

Are you fortunate enough to LIKE the people to whom you are related?  If that one relative were not a blood-relation, would you choose them as a friend?  If that is so, have you told them as much?   Try it.  Mention something like,

“I thought about you today.  I recognize how blessed I am to be related to you.  Essentially we are a “double header” because we are family AND I consider you one of my finest friends.”

Maybe this is a simple understanding between you that remains unspoken.  The opportunity for loving and supportive words is available at every turn: utilize it.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the book for yourself, please leave a comment on this post before midnight on November 18th, 2011. Why is friendship important in your life?

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By Aimee, October 16, 2011

Recently I got the chance to read The Dieter’s Paradox: Why Dieting Makes Us Fat. What an interesting book! If you have always wondered why, despite all the information out there about weight loss, people still struggle to maintain a healthy weight, this is a good read for you! I am happy to be able to share this article from the author with you, which will give you a little insight about what the book is like.

Why Dieting Makes Us Fat: The Comparison Fallacy
By Alexander Chernev
Author of The Dieter’s Paradox: Why Dieting Makes Us Fat

What makes for a good choice? Most often, good choices are those that bring us closer to our goals. When we are lucky enough to have a set of options containing one that will clearly move us closer to our goal, making a “good” choice is easy. But what if we face a decision in which all options are “bad,” yet some are worse than others? Would selecting the best option, even though it is still “bad,” be a good decision? Continue reading 'The Dieter’s Paradox: Why Dieting Makes Us Fat'»

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By Aimee, September 25, 2011

Two really fun Do It Yourself books came out recently from the popular magazine, Do It Yourself. So many fun ideas, and all for the person who loves to tackle the project themselves! First up, Do It Yourself: Kitchens (Better Homes & Gardens Decorating).

Full of inspiring kitchen makeovers for $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000. Loads of great before-and-after photos, complete with budget breakdowns, which is really helpful for planning your own makeover. I also loved that the book has space planning tips, and of course, a lot of smaller projects that anyone can do to make their home more personal.

By far my favorite, likely because our kitchen is all made over, is the next book, Do It Yourself: 100+ Paint Projects (Better Homes & Gardens Decorating)!

Talk about tons of fun ideas! I am planning to do some of them very soon. One thing that I have always wanted to try, and that is explained in the book is stamping (or block printing) with a linoleum block. The book tells exactly what tools are needed, and I loved that they used the stamp on the front cover of a journal.

There are a lot of ideas in Do It Yourself: 100+ Paint Projects (Better Homes & Gardens Decorating) that could be perfect for handmade gifts for the holiday season, or year round giving. Not to mention fun ways to spruce up your home.

The book has great photos of the projects, how to tips on how to choose the right paintbrush for the project, and tips for painting on all kinds of different surfaces. I loved that there were also design templates included in the book.

If you are ready to get some creative juices flowing, both of these books will help you do just that!

*We received copies of both books for this review. As always, my opinion is my own.*

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By Aimee, July 21, 2011

I wanted to share some photos I took of one of our favorite pop-up books, Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book! I hope you enjoy sneaking a peek into this paper masterpiece!

Do you love the Harry Potter series too?! Which is your favorite book/movie?