Tuesday, March 4, 2014

2013 in Books



I've been neglecting my scrapbooking again, although in truth this is a layout I've been working on off and on over the last month.

I love reading, but I realized at the beginning of last year that I had really neglected that pastime, so I resolved to read at least one book a month.  I did far better than that and ended up reading almost two a month, which still pales in comparison to what I used to consume, but I'm definitely on the right track.

I stamped a bunch of the library cards from Lawn Fawn's Check This Out set, and recorded the title/author and then my thoughts about the book.  I also rated them on a scale from 1-5, with 5 being the best.

The little pockets are a Taylored Expression die, and the papers are older, from October Afternoon's 9 to 5 collection and Studio Calico, Yearbook.   Those big numbers are fussy cut from a Yearbook sheet and then I went over the sketchy lines with a Micron pen to darken them a bit.



It's kind of an eclectic mix of papers, but it's fun, bright and I like the balance.

Hoping that this is just the first in a series of layouts like this that I make.  Interestingly I realized that I mostly read non-fiction and newer books (mostly because I normally go to the new book section to pick out my books these days....it's just easier and more out in the open when there are two girls to wrangle).  All the fiction books I read this year are part of series' that I had started a while back, and most of them were kids' books.  It's not that I'm opposed to fiction books for people my age.  There's stuff that I really like, but I often feel it's kind of a shot in the dark, and if I'm going to read something sad/depressing/dark, I would prefer that it's because it's a real story....I don't know, more inspiring or acceptable if it's real I guess.

Oh, and if you're wondering which books I gave a five star rating to, here they are:

A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar
The Astor Orphan:  A Memoir by Alexandra Aldrich
The Council of Mirrors by Michael Buckley
V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
Isaac's Army by Matthew Brzezinski
The Favored Daughter by Fawzia Koofi
An Ordinary Man by Paul Ruesesabagina

That's all for today.  Have a great day!

Supplies Used
Paper/Cardstock:  October Afternoon - 9 to 5 collection; Studio Calico - Yearbook Collection; CTMH - Colonial White Cardstock
Stamps:  Lawn Fawn - Check This Out
Ink:  CTMH - Chocoate
Other:  Taylored Expressions - Library Pocket Die; AC - Amy Tangerine Daily Thickers; Scor-tape; Pigma - Brown Micron Pen

15 comments:

  1. You know I'm a big fan of your layouts too and this is stunning Miriam!
    Love the bold graphic look here and the no-photo L.O is never easy to achieve but you just rocked it!
    Thanks~

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  2. Looks great, Miriam! I've documented what I've read before in layouts and am glad I have!

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  3. Great idea and awesome LO! Now you have me interested in these. I am still plowing through Game of Thrones. On and off with it. But still obsessed with it.

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  4. Such an awesome page, Miriam! Love the pocket idea. I'll have to look into these books. I haven't read any of them. Right now I'm reading Gone Girl.

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  5. This is super cute! What a great idea!

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  6. awesome layout.. love those pockets..

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  7. FABULOUS post, Miriam!! Love your library pockets layout! What a creative idea and design! You even share the books you read and rated them! Love that!

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  8. Love the layout!! Great idea tooo!!

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  9. How fun to keep track of what you've read, and in such a stylish manner, too! Love the mix of colors and the big numbers on the pockets.

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  10. Love this Mariam and I have neglected my scrapbooking terribly, Ii need to get back into it and get back into reading too!

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  11. Awesome! LOVE it! Hugs, Karin.
    ps. saving your 5star list for my turn at choosing book for bookclub.

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  12. Such a great idea Miriam. I only manage to read in the summer these days.

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  13. Wonderful idea, and if I actually read anything ever, I would totally steal this! Love how interactive it is with the pockets.

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