Book: Pants on Fire

Summary: When London editor Georgia Abbott comes to Sydney to work on Glow, a glossy woman's magazine, she has high hopes for a bright new start. Leaving behind a broken heart (her own) and a philandering ex-fiance, she's look forward to immersing herself in the Tim Tam-eating sisterhood of woman's mags. No to mention being whisked off into the dusty Australian sunset by a suntanned, Akubra-hatted fantasy man. At first, things seem promising, as Georgia is swept up in a whirl of A-list parties, dancing, dinners and debauchery. But while Australian water may go down the plughole the other way, Australian men are starting to look all too familiar. And then there's the chaotic bunch of woman Georgia works with on Glow, to whom every relationship disaster is a potential article, not least of all Georgia's, whose quest for love is fast becoming headline material. What to do when all the blokes you've found are either gay, married, unfaithful, unable or just plain unworthy?

What I thought: Really loved this. Not as good as Mad About the Boy but still witty and fun.  Looking forward to reading more of her stuff :)

Book: Texas

Summary: On a rundown station in the remote top end of Australia, life for Susannah is isolated and difficult. Susannah is left alone by her husband who is the manager of the station. She is forced to cope with their young twins, the hard physical work of running the homestead, and the frustration that these things now mark the boundaries of her life. Nothing is as she expected it to be; a dark history seeps through the land and the air shimmers with heat and an intangible menace. And then a young English girl, Laura, hired by her husband, arrives on the property to work as a jillaroo. Laura falls in love with Texas, the Aboriginal head stockman, naively believing that her love will pull him out of long-held destructive habits. And Susannah, preoccupied by her own struggles, watches from the sidelines.


What I thought: For me I just didn't get this book. It didn't really flow. I was rather disappointed. I only persisted as it was small.

Kaszazz Workshop

On Saturday night I headed to my friends house for a scrapbooking workshop. We did the below double page Kaszazz layout. I absolutely love it. Now just to find some photos worthy of it! (Sorry for the crappy photo).

Stamp Club Cards

On Friday night I headed to Stamp Club and the below are the cards we made. I love them all!

Book: Jilted

Summary: After more than ten years away, Australian soap star Ellie Hughes returns to the small country town of Hope Junction, determined to remain anonymous while caring for her injured godmother, Matilda.  But word spreads fast in the tight-knit community. It isn't long before the people of Hope's are gossiping about the real reason for Ellie's visit and why she broke the heart of golden boy Flynn Quartermaine all those years ago.  Soon Ellie and Flynn are thrown back together again, forced to deal with the unresolved emotions between them. For Ellie is not the only one with secrets. Flynn has his own demons to battle, and Matilda is hiding something from her much-loved goddaughter. When all is uncovered, can the ill-fated lovers overcome the wounds of their past? Or is Flynn destined to be jilted again?

What I thought: I liked this book. Really enjoyed the story. The fact that I won a copy of it helped too!  I wasn't swayed enough though to go and purchase her first book which is a glitzy type of chick lit book but I would buy any more rural romance ones that she does.

Book: Mad About the Boy

Summary: Of all the nightmare options that passed through Antonia Heaveringham's head when her husband Hugo uttered the words, 'I've got something to tell you . . .', a coming out speech never figured. Suddenly alone in their adopted home of Sydney, with no friends save for her six-year-old son Tom and a pair of jewelled Jimmy Choo mules, Antonia soon finds that an attractive single woman is not nearly so welcome on the champagne social scene as the wife of a glamorous English aristocrat.

It is only the arrival of Hugo's outrageous lavender-haired Uncle Percy that lifts her out of her depression – and propels her into the gym to combat the effects of some serious comfort eating. There she meets the mysterious James, who leads her into a shadowy world of criminals, corruption and high-stakes property deals. But what starts out as a lark leads her into a situation where keeping a secret becomes a matter of life, death – and love.

What I thought: I LOVED it! Why has it taken me so long to read her. Highly recommend!

Book: Dead Heat

Summary: National Parks Ranger Jo Lockwood is often alone in the wilderness, and she likes it that way – until she discovers the body of a man, brutally murdered. Detective Nick Matheson’s new posting to the north-west of New South Wales is supposed to be an uneventful return to normal duties and a normal life. He knows organised crime from the inside out and suspects that the victim in the camping ground is not an isolated murder.  Jo is committed to helping the investigation but she has seen the killer’s face and now she’s at risk. Nick’s determined to protect her but as the body count starts mounting, his past and present collide, threatening the people he cares about most. Trapped in rugged country in scorching summer heat, pursued by hunters who can’t afford to fail, Nick and Jo will need to trust each other completely, and use all their skills and knowledge in order to survive.

What I thought: I LOVED this book. Sure it was a little far fetched but I was still hooked. I thought I had read somewhere that it would centre on the same small town as her first two books but this didn't. Oh well, maybe her next one will. I really enjoyed it though can recommend it for a bit of rural crime/romance :)

Book: Size Doesn't Matter

Summary:  Heather should be happy. She’s finally got a boyfriend and although he was only supposed to be her "rebound guy", things have gotten serious fast . . . She's also actually passing her first college course, and better yet her dad’s moving out. On the down side, her boss, Dr. Veatch, may well be the most boring man on the face of the planet . . . But that hardly seems reason enough to put a bullet through his head. Can Heather find her boss’s murderer, answer Tad’s question, and get her landlord Cooper to realize that by letting her go, he’s making the biggest mistake of his life, all while maintaining a fifteen hundred calorie per day diet?

What I thought: I did enjoy this one but not as much as the first two in the series. A few laughs but not as many... Looking forward to book 4 though which is coming out soon!

Book: Morgan's Law

Summary: High flying advertising executive, Sarah Murphy, heads to a small town to fulfil a mysterious last wish of her late grandmother. Her journey leads her to love and greater understanding of both herself and her grandmother.  When Sarah Murphy returns to Australia she desperately needs a break from her high-powered London life. And though mystified by her grandmother's dying wish for her ashes to be scattered under 'the wishing tree' on the banks of the Negallan River, she sets out to do just that.

While searching for the wishing tree, Sarah stays in the small township of Negallan. It's there that she finally has some time to relax and unwind, there that she finds herself drawn to a handsome local farmer, and there that she discovers her enquiries about her grandmother are causing disquiet within the powerful local Morgan family.  Will the Morgans prevent Sarah from discovering the truth about her grandmother? And should she risk her glittering career in the UK for a simpler existence in the country, and the possibility of true love?



What I thought: Once again I was swept away in this fabulous story.  Couldn't wait for the kids to be tucked up in bed and asleep so I could jump back in to where I had left off. Just loved it!

Book: Heart of the Valley

Summary: Brooke Kingston is smart, capable and strongwilled – some might even say stubborn – and lives in the beautiful Hunter Valley on her family property. More at home on horseback than in heels, her life revolves around her beloved 'boys' – showjumpers Poddy, Oddy and Sod.  Then a tragic accident leaves Brooke a mess. Newcomer Lachie Cambridge is hired to manage the farm, and Brooke finds herself out of a job and out of luck. But she won't go without a fight.  What she doesn't expect is Lachie himself – a handsome, gentle giant with a will to match her own. But with every day that Lachie stays, Brooke's future on the farm is more uncertain. Will she be forced to choose between her home and the man she's falling for?

What I thought: OMG. I loved this book. Stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. I'm not a huge horse type person but this one had me suckered right in. Highly recommend!

Blogging June, the Final Day

Wow - June 30 is here (finally) and I am pleased to say that I managed to blog 30 times again. A bit different to last year where I actually managed to do it everyday as opposed to this year where it has been done in chunks. I suppose this can mainly be put done to work (new job - very busy) and kids (who have been sick and demand lots of attention). Anyway, I hope that you may have learned a little bit about me, in particular the books I read and the cards I make. Plus some sporadic library and family stuff inbetween.

This year I'm very much behind with reading other people's post.  I am yet to read anything written past mid June but hopefully that'll change this week. Once again it comes down to work and family commitments which leave me very time poor.  But rest assured I have enjoined all that has been written and am looking forward to reading more.

So my blog will continue with my crafting and reading habits but they will be dwindling in the next 6 months as I am back to Uni soon aftert having this first semester off.  Sigh. So much to do and not enough time!

Kaszazz Card Workshop

Last night I went to my friend Vicky's house to make the below three cards as part of a Kaszazz workshop. I'm happy with the yellow ine but the others have dodgy stamping on them. I love the fact that I can easily replicate this one at home and change it slightly to suit the materials I already have. It was also a great nice as per usual just to catch up with some gorgeous girls :)

Card Challenge

My friends is running a card making challenge every month (see my entries below). Basically the gist behind it is that you pay $5 and she sends you a pack with envelope, cardstock and other bits (ribbon, bling, paper, button etc.). Then you have until the end of the month to design a card using only the materials you have been supplied with. So far I have created the 4 below. I'm really loving seeing other people's cards and what they come up with using the same materials (some are so inventive!). If you are deemed the winner for the month you get a gift voucher to spend with Kaszazz and free entry into next month's challenge. My efforts have so far got me absolutely nowhere but I am still loving it! I actually like all my cards below except the Mother's Day one.  If you are interested in joing contact Lisa at cougala@hotmail.com

Book: Shattered Sky

Summary: Surviving a missile strike on her aircraft suddenly seems like the easy part for Lauren Bennett. A year after being attacked mid flight, Lauren is sure she’s overcome her guilt at losing a friend in the ensuing crash. Her brittle, glossy veneer doesn’t fool Callam Granger, though. But the naval patrol boat captain knows he’s got no right to an opinion. He wasn’t there when she needed him most and she’s not going to let him forget it. On a routine surveillance assignment Lauren uncovers an operation trafficking sex slaves. Pursuing the women – and their captors – will take her deep into the Australian outback and a reluctant Callam knows this time he can’t let her go alone. Is it possible for Lauren and Callam to put aside old enmities to outwit, outrun and ultimately out-fly the traffickers? Or will the frantic race to free the women simply ignite their emotions, endangering yet more lives?

What I thought: Again I found this one a bit slow to get into but once I did I couldn't put it down!

Book: Jacaranda

Summary: At nineteen, Molly Jones has the world at her feet. Then one drunken night she falls into bed with Mark, a cowboy just passing through. By the time Molly realises she is pregnant, Mark is long gone.  Now, at twenty-six, Molly’s life is almost perfect. She’s the devoted mother of Rose, and a renowned horse trainer. She lives amid the beauty of Jacaranda Farm, surrounded by family and friends – none closer than hunky stockman Heath. But she’s still looking for the love of her life, and a father for Rose.  When Mark stumbles back into her world, as charming as ever, Molly begins to hope for a future she’d long ago relinquished. But how will Mark react when he learns he’s a father? And could the man of Molly’s dreams be closer to home than she thinks?

What I thought: This was OK. I found the first half a bit slow and the writing was very basic and what I would call dumbed down. But once I hit the second half I really got into it and enjoyed it.

Book: Love Rules

Summary: Is love ever enough? Thea - sensible and cautious - has always believed in old-fashioned romance. Her best friend Alice is more of a 'fun first, think later' kind of girl. But just recently they've both been behaving out of character. When Thea Luckmore falls head over heels for a man she meets on Primrose Hill and Alice Heggarty marries her best friend Mark, both women are blissfully happy - for a while. But it's not long before Alice admits to herself she likes the thrill of the chase more than the easy pace of married life. And then Thea makes a shocking discovery - one which forces her to rewrite her rules for everlasting love!

What I thought: Another new author that I loved! This was actually rather raunchy in places (which was ok!). Plus I so did not pick the second half of the story or how it would all pan out. A really good book and am definitely adding her to my chick lit pile more often!

Book: Outback Sunset

Summary:  When English actress Vanessa Forsythe falls in love with Ben Selby, her life changes forever. Leaving behind her beautiful Belgravia apartment, she becomes mistress of Amaroo Downs, a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory. Not only does Vanessa have to adjust to the outback lifestyle, but she has to make her place in the Selby family. Ben′s brother, Curtis, isn′t too pleased to have to make allowances for the English blow-in, while his mother, Hilary, finds it difficult to let go of her hold on Amaroo, even though she no longer lives on the station.  However, Vanessa′s real challenge comes when a family secret threatens to overturn life on Amaroo, and someone seems determined to bring her happiness there to an end.

What I thought: OMG, this is just like reading Di Morrissey. Very happy to have found this new author (though she has since passed away). Anyway, I did enjoy the book and am looking forward to reading her again.

Kid 2 - Luke

This is Luke, my spunky little boy. He is now 16 months old and boy has time flown. I blogged about him last June too. Amazing what can happen in just one year. We can now walk, sleep, talk (some words) and boy can we eat! Luke is the human garbage disposal. If we are full (or if Adam doesn't eat his dinner) that's ok because Luke will polish everything off!

Luke loves playing with toys (cars especially) and he loves putting stuff like blocks in other things. He also loves to get right to back of the cupboard to get that toy as per the photo above! But most importantly he loves "Ducky" which he got for Easter. Snuggles in to him everynight.

He FINALLY sleeps through. This was a nightmare kid. Realistically it was only once he turned one that he stopped crying in the night and has only been about a month since he has slept right through for a full 12 hours (I was spoilt with Adam I know...)

Luke loves his big brother most of all. Together they laugh, play (and fight). But Luke adores him. Follows him everywhere. So lovely to see...

Really looking forward to the next 12months as Luke will go from baby to toddler. Fun times ahead!

Kid 1 - Adam

This is my gorgeous little boy Adam. The first picture is of a rare lunchtime nap, and the second is him posing after seeing the photo of him sleeping. I blogged about Adam (or Addy, or Adsy) last June. It really is amazing at this age how much kids grow up. He turned 3 in March.

In the last year he has become a little man. He is now toilet trained (except at night), he now swims all alone with the other big kids and he no longer has a dummy.

Current obsessions include dressing up in costumes (Batman, Buzz Lightyear, Lizard etc.) TV wise we are obsessed with Mike the Knight and still fairly fond of Shaun the Sheep. Food wise we are obsessed with eating very little (but mushrooms, sausages, cheese, juice and bananas are ok).

He is still a fabulous big brother though he needs to learn to share (especially his cars), and needs to stop pushing if he doesn't get his own way.

All is all he is a fabulous little munchkin. Love him to bits and looking forward to seeing him develop in the next year.

Book: The Dog Fence

Summary: At 5400 kilometres, the Dog Fence is one of the longest man-made structures on Earth. It slices across Australia’s desert heart, dividing the continent to keep dingoes away from livestock. Bestselling author James Woodford embarks on a journey to follow its length, travelling some of the loneliest and harshest country in the world. He begins on a clifftop overlooking the Great Australian Bight and ends in the foothills of Queensland’s Bunya Mountains. He meets many of the remarkable people who maintain this amazing barrier as he passes through rocket ranges, nuclear test areas, sacred sites and places where nineteenth-century explorers perished. The Dog Fence is an enthralling account of a most unusual journey over sand, gibber plains and salt lakes. It is about the hazards of travel, the lessons of history and the passion and resilience of the men and women on the land.

What I thought: LOVED this book! I have had it on my shelves for years but picked it up because I watched a story on Landline about it. I couldn't put it down. I would read bits then Google to find out more about stations and locations. Just amazing!