Life with paper, scissors and glue

Random witterings and posts from a chaotic mind

Recent Posts

    • Rediscovering Scrapbooking: My Creative Comeback

      My first ever blog , on the eponymously named Blogger, back in 2014 was originally about scrapbooking which, as the mother of three teenagers, I had been doing for quite a few years and with varying degrees of success. Some of those pages are lovely and others are a horrific mess. After a couple of years of sharing layouts, photos, crafting stash etc. it morphed into one featuring book reviews and discussions. Pivotal to this was receiving a Kindle for Christmas of 2015. Oh boy did I go book crazy!

      The wider variety of gizmos and gadgets saw a move to WordPress in 2019 where I continued to regularly press publish on posts until 2023, when a temporary hiatus became a much longer than expected break. I had taken on more responsibility at work and was yet to find that elusive work-life balance that is spoken about so often.

      In October 2025 ome unexpected and unwelcome news knocked my world sideways and thus began a very trying personal journey, one which eventually led, via lots of different steps, events and opportunities, to me returning to scrapbooking. I’m still reading and reviewing, albeit not as quickly as I did and the reviews are only written now if inspiration strikes hard. That or they are a few lines lacking the depth and passion I used to achieve. I think part of that is because I pressure myself to write a detailed review for every book I read and that just isn’t sustainable at the moment.

      Getting back on track, not only have I “resubscribed” to scrapbooking but also to the amazing Quirky Kits, available from Crafty Templates (no affiliation other than being a huge fan!). It’s been 10 years since I last had this kit and scrapped regularly but they are just as good as I remember.

      The first photo is from the Crafty Templates website, showing the full kit. I did take photos of my own kit but I’m very rusty and they looked awful when I uploaded them to the post! The two I have included were very much the best of a bad bunch and don’t really demonstrate how lovely this kit is.

      The kit includes lots of papers by Pinkfresh Studio, along with some puffy stickers, enamel dots and letter stickers.

      I’ve finished one layout, inspired by a mood board challenge in the Quirky Kits FB group. There is a lot of story behind this one, which I may use in a future post, where my current plan is to feature a mix of both books and crafting.

      Until then happy blogging, reading and (if you enjoy it) crafting.

      L x

    • WordPress Anniversary

    • Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST – 14th March

      Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST – 14th March

      Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post hosted by Jen @That’s What I’m Talking About, where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the questions from Jen’s blog and answer them on your own.



      How do you measure blogging success?

      Followers, page views, interactions, etc.

      Blogging has always been much more about me having a space to share my bookish views and thoughts, so “success” hasn’t been a feature of my plans in general. Comments from other bloggers do make me feel the effort has been worthwhile, which is why I try to visit blogs I enjoy reading as often as possible to leave a comment.

      Some other interactions hold less appeal to me as a lot of bloggers will follow you and like posts with the hope that you will return the favour,. Since they don’t visit the page and read its content those likes and follows feel a little empty.

    • Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST – 7th March

      Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST – 7th March

      Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post hosted by Jen @That’s What I’m Talking About, where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the questions from Jen’s blog and answer it on your own.



      Travel: are you getting out? Where have you been?

      Partly due to the cost of living crisis and partly due to other circumstances we haven’t been anywhere so far this year, nor do we have a getaway booked. That said I am working on getting my husband to agree to a few days away. He quite fancies going up to Scotland, but it will take 5 hours just to get over the border and as it’s only a short break I would rather not spend so long on the journey!

      We try to get out every Sunday for a walk, mostly within 5 or 6 miles of where we live. Last half term, we travelled across to Belper for the day but mainly it’s been work, work, work, followed by housework at the weekend.

    • #BookReview #LibraryReads #RomCom #TheLittleBookShopOfLoveStories #JaimieAdmans

      #BookReview #LibraryReads #RomCom #TheLittleBookShopOfLoveStories #JaimieAdmans

      The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans

      Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

      Genre/Age       Romantic Comedy / 15+

      Goodreads


      Synopsis

      Today is the Mondayest Monday ever. Hallie Winstone has been fired – and it wasn’t even her fault!

      Having lost her job and humiliated herself in front of a whole restaurant full of diners, this is absolutely, one hundred percent, the worst day of her life.
       
      That is until she receives an email announcing that she is the lucky winner of the Once Upon a Page Bookshop!
       
      Owning a bookshop has always been Hallie’s dream, and when she starts to find secret love letters on the first page of every book, she knows she’s stumbled across something special.

      But Hallie’s beloved bookshop is in financial trouble, and with sales dwindling, she can’t help but wonder if she is really cut out to run a business.

      Things start to look up when she meets gorgeous, bookish Dimitri and between them, they post a few of the hidden messages online, reuniting people who thought they were lost forever.
       
      But maybe it’s time for Hallie to find her own happy-ever-after, too?

      My Thoughts

      Brief Summary
      Jaimie Admans has a knack for creating loveable, down-to-earth characters who steal your heart in the most charming of ways. I was so busy focusing on the easy-to-spot plot twist that would cause friction between Hallie and Dimitri that I totally missed guessing the much more important plot twists that made this story so wonderful. This book made me feel and for that alone, I would give it 5 stars.

      Themes and Trigger Warnings
      Grief, loss due to cancer, loss due to an accident, dysfunctional families and infidelity are all touched on in the book. We also see a character letting go of things that weigh them down, and starting to heal because of it.

      Star Rating
      5-stars. Was it perfect? Probably not but the book is so quirky, endearing and wonderful that I couldn’t put it down.

      The Characters
      I loved, loved, LOVED that Dimitri was as accident-prone, goofy and odd-ball as Hallie. It was quite refreshing that the hero needed rescuing and encouragement as much as the heroine did. I also loved that this couple was not only perfect for one another but perfect because of one another. Hallie’s family were fantastic, it was so lovely how her sister came through for her when times got tough and her mum was just too funny for words. Drake was a little too much of a caricature for my tastes, but this is a feel-good rom-com so the churlish, humourless bad guy is a must somewhere in the plot.

      The Plot
      This has to have one of the best meet-cutes ever, and the fact that it was the MMC who was dorky and clumsy, yet pulled it off with aplomb, only made me love him, and this book, more. The messages in the books were such an interesting subplot and the idea of displaying them as leaves on a tree – well I really want to see that in real life somewhere!

      The Writing & The World-Building
      Both of these can only be described as amazing. I don’t have much ability to create a visual image but Ms Admans had me there, in that little Cotswold village, sitting on a dilapidated roof terrace, gazing up and down the high street, searching for the buried “treasure” of a six-year-old boy and watching Heathcliff (the goldfish) eye up passing poodles. This book drew me in from the very beginning and it took me on the most magical, enjoyable, love-filled journey that I could ever wish to make.

    • Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST

      Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST

      Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post hosted by Jen @That’s What I’m Talking About, where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the questions from Jen’s blog and answer it on your own.


      What is your ideal book/audiobook length?

      I would rather a book be shorter and to the point than be packed with filler and drag a story that would fill 2 books out into 5 or more books (I’m looking at you, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Sarah J. Maas). That said I do enjoy a book that takes time to develop the characters and story fully. Under 200 pages can sometimes be just a bit too short, and over 600 pages it needs plenty of action to stop boredom from setting in. According to The Storygraph, my reading is just about equally split between books over 300 pages and books under 300 pages.

      For audiobooks, I wish my answer to this was different, but it’s zero minutes because despite having tried a variety of different narrators – including a British voice – but I have yet to find one that I enjoy. Whether it’s because I’m a visual learner, it’s because I struggle to build images in my head, or a combination of the two, but I either tune out and realise I’ve not heard what has been said, or I get irritated by the narrator’s voice/accent. Either way, I can’t focus on the story.

    • The Sunday Post – 26th Feb

      The Sunday Post – 26th Feb

      A huge shout out to the amazing Kimberley @Caffeinated Reviewer, for continuing to host The Sunday Post. It’s a great place to meet other bloggers and find some great book recommendations.

      Life in General

      I had a very restful week off work, the older-by-a-minute son has finally bought his own car, which meant we didn’t have to do round trips to the next town over to take him to and from work. We took a day trip to Belper, a beautiful market town in Derbyshire.

      We had such a busy week at work that two of us were convinced we’d been back for two weeks rather than just one. It’s also been good to leave work in the light, along with the snowdrops flowering in my garden it is a sure sign that spring is on the way.

      Read Over The Last Two Weeks

      A fair few of these were short stories and novellas, so whilst the number looks impressive the page count is less so. If you enjoy romance I would highly recommend The Little Book Shop of Love Stories.

      Currently Reading

      Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin


      Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy trilogy, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Sara Holland.

      Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
      As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.
      Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

      Up Next

      Two library books and a trilogy that was on sale at 99p – far too good a bargain to be missed!

    • #BookReview #FantasyMystery #Suspense #ArcFromAuthor

      #BookReview #FantasyMystery #Suspense #ArcFromAuthor

      Spirit Guide by Byrd Nash

      Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

      Genre/Age       Paranormal/Fantasy Mystery, YA plus

      Goodreads


      Synopsis

      Are missing girls linked to a mysterious séance where ghosts become flesh?

      When a nobleman’s daughter goes missing, Elinor Chalamet and Tristan Fontaine, the Duke de Archambeau, must work together to discover who has kidnapped her and why.
      Saddled with a bumbling apprentice, a drunk soldier, and a prickly nobleman who won’t explain why he hasn’t paid a proper call, Elinor must decide if the Society is hiding something from her. When the investigation reveals a connection to an old rival, she finds herself going it alone, something Tristan had demanded she not do.
      Will her dance with ghosts be a permanent arrangement?
      And when Tristan Fontaine discovers her missing, who will be able to face his wrath?

      Elinor Chalamet uses her wits and her ghost-talking skills to hunt for her father’s killer in Alenbonné, a coastal city where ghosts walk at all hours. The third of a six-part gaslamp fantasy ghost mystery series featuring a Sherlock Holmes-like female character in a slow burn romance
      ._____________________________________________

      A quick-paced, fun and compelling read for lovers of the supernatural:
      #1 Ghost Talker
      #2 Delicious Death
      #3 Spirit Guide
      #4 Gray Lady
      #5 Untimely Grave
      #6 Ghastly Mistake

      My Thoughts

      Brief Summary
      This is the third book in the series and whilst each mystery is standalone the books do need to be read in order to fully enjoy and understand them. Elinor and Tristan, along with Elinor’s scatterbrained apprentice, are soon caught up in the hunt for a missing noblewoman and her servant. All the clues point to The Morpheus Society being heavily embroiled in this sorry affair and Elinor’s loyalties are questioned.

      Star Rating
      4.5 stars. The story had me gripped from start to finish and I ended up reading late into the night as I couldn’t put it down.

      The Characters
      The characters are being developed over the series, which is why I recommend reading the books in the correct order. In this one, we see both Elinor and Tristan opening up to one another a little more, though there’s a fine line between passionate ardour and ire. I adored Twyla, Elinor’s apprentice, and hope we see more of her in future books. She added a nice air of fun and unpredictability.

      The Writing
      The story beings In medias res, with Twyla struggling to banish a rather unpleasant ghost following an unsuccessful seance. The author then weaves a captivating story that moves along at a fairly brisk pace. There are enough clues to make the “big reveal” feel tenable without being too obvious, and the author often answers one question with another, so that even though the plot is moving forward we still don’t have all the answers.
      I was pleased that we saw some movement towards finding out who killed Elinor’s father, as well as seeing Tristan be a little more open about his feelings for Elinor.

      The World-Building
      The setting is fantasy, though reminiscent of Western Europe in the late-Victorian age. There are also paranormal elements – the ability to see and communicate with ghosts and to observe echoes of images held within objects. The world-building focuses both on the paranormal aspects and on the hierarchy of Sarnesian society. Information on surrounding countries/regions is less detailed but still sufficient for the story to work.
      In this book, we also found out more about the Morpheus Society and got a better idea of just what has kept Tristan, Duke de Archambeau, so busy.

    • Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST

      Tell Me Something Tuesday #TMST

      Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post hosted by Jen @That’s What I’m Talking About, where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the questions from Jen’s blog and answer it on your own.



      Time for a pet update! Tell us about yours.

      We have two cats, one who is old and arthritic and the other a grump with a bad habit of biting us. The older cat, a tabby called Catty, has lived with us for about 18 months. Our neighbours moved and left him with a couple who lived a few doors down from us, he however decided to move into our house. We adopted Nipper, and wasn’t he well-named by his previous owner, when he was a year or so old in October of 2013.

      We also have a number of house guinea pigs, most live in the younger-by-a-minute twin’s bedroom. I just hope that when he moves out (he’s nearly 23 so I’m sure he will be looking to spread his wings soon) those little piggies go with him!

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