Book Review: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Summary: If you loved Alex Fuentes, wait until you meet his brother Carlos...

Carlos Fuentes idolized his older brother, Alex, when he was a member of the Latino Blood. So when Alex chose to get jumped out of the gang for a chance at a future with his gringa girlfriend, Brittany, Carlos felt shocked and betrayed. Even worse, Alex forced Carlos to come back from Mexico to join him on the straight and narrow path. Trouble is, Carlos just wants to keep living on the edge. And ties to his Mexican gang aren’t easy to break, even hundreds of miles away in Colorado.

In Boulder, Carlos has to live with one of Alex’s college professors — and he feels completely out of place. He’s even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor’s daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he’s usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.  (-book jacket sleeve)

Review: I loved Perfect Chemistry with Alex and Brittany because of their romance.  And... Rules of Attraction did not disappoint.  Carlos story is right up there with older brother Alex, but if you're a hopeless romantic, you might favor Perfect Chemistry over Rules of Attraction.  But if you're into adventure and another bad boy/good girl story, you'll enjoy this one even so.  

Carlos and Kiara are a fun mix.  This book had laugh out loud moments because Kiara is a lively character and Carlos reaction towards Kiara's paybacks are down right hilarious.  I loved Kiara more than I did Brittany (in book one).  Kiara has a quirky toughness to her, and her love for over-sized t-shirts, hiking boots and old cars just about balances out the cocky wisecracks that Carlos is so well known for.

Pick this one up for sure.

Rating: 4/5

Swooning over the Fuentes brothers much?

Sprung on Pretty Packaging

As of late, my little etsy shop has been doing better than it's ever been.  The dream catcher bracelets are my newest addition to the shop.  I have been experimenting with packaging, and playing around with how I want to send out orders to my customers.  My bits and pieces of scrap piles have been sitting in a basket for a long time, and it's getting full.  I have been finding new ways to use them.

So I came up with these little cuties

My newest die cuts make bunting so much fun.

And tabs... I didn't know what to do with these at first.

Used my new favorite toy (sewing machine) to seal the packages, by sewing across the top.

Little bits of scraps are used as mini flag tabs. 

I love getting packages and letters in the mail, and I love gift wrapping... I always have.  Earlier in the month, I sent a package to my friend, and she said "It was the highlight of her month" wow right?  That made me really happy too.  I knew she was going through difficult times, so I spruced up her package by making her package extra special.

I think they are so cute and whimsical.  I think it adds an extra touch of special to take the time to make the package look pretty, makes it feel like a gift.  It took me a while to find my way with my packaging, I'm happy with the result.

Are you a sucker for pretty packaging?  I am -_-  Pretty packages make me smile, and I always imagine the smile on the receiver of the package.

As always, be creative.

AVON Coral Beat Nails

This week I'm loving bright corals.  Summer is finally upon us!  It's bright, it's bold, and it's definitely screams summer!

Current Favorites

  Favorite DIY Summer Stacks:

Favorite New Toy (thank you sister):

Favorite Fabric:

 

Favorite Fashion Video:

 

Is this fashion video creative or what? 

Tuesday Tip: Pretty Packages

Ever receive a gift that was package so beautifully that you didn't really care what was inside because you're so smitten by the gorgeous exterior?  Packaging is half the gift, well... to some people anyway =)  I love pretty packaging and something about it just give it the special feel.

Whenever I travel, I like to bring back gifts for my friends and family.  Sometimes, finding the perfect gift is frustrating, and I end up getting very inexpensive little treats, so I like to make it extra special even though I spent very little.  For Spring Break, my friends and family vacationed in Oahu, Hawaii so I brought back a box of macadamia chocolate and a cute little jar of pineapple jam for my friend Lora.  It cost $2 for the chocolate and $1.50 for jam, only $3.50 for both.

I love writing letters.  I have not seen my friend in a long time because we live 350+ miles away from each other, so we write and e-mail as much as we can.  Gifts are not the only thing I give special attention to, dressing up a plain white envelop brightens the day of whomever you send it to.  A few pieces from the scrap pile.

My favorite thing, hand-made cards.  My friend and I love to talk about anything and everything.  I made her this card because we literally have not talked in what feels like forever.

Card inspired by: http://michellewooderson.blogspot.com/

I used green pattern card stock from my scrap pile, a piece of doily, little pieces of scraps, and stamps.  Because I was afraid that the card stocks might fall off because my paper glue is not very good (any suggestion on strong paper glue that won't wrinkle, please do share), I decided to sew the papers right down the middle where the white boarder is.  At the same time I think it gives the card a very sweet delicate detail.

One of our favorite things to do is to grab a drink or ice cream at our favorite ice cream shop and walk around our favorite park while we talk about absolutely anything.  To get the two-toned, I used a stamp to stamp the image on two different color pattern paper and hand cut with a pair of scissor.  Then glued the lighter-tone sleeve over the darker, and added little hearts for a pop of color.

One thing left to do.  String, twine, yarn, ribbon... whatever you have on hand.

Because I already have all the supplies in my stash, this gift only cost $3.50 but I think it really packs a punch.  For the cute little jar of pineapple jam I mentioned earlier, I just ties a simple tag around the neck with the same string I used for the package.  As for the chocolate, I just used left over paint paper craft roll  that I had when I first moved into my new home, if I had brown paper bags, I would have used those too.

Sometimes, happiness is receiving pretty packages.  Get creative.

Creative Thursday: Coupon Book

As this time of year comes around, there are quite a few birthdays between my family and friends.  For the month of May: my boyfriend, my brother, and my best friend.  Through many gift givings of my own, hand-made gifts have been the best way to make someone feel special.  I've given many hand-made cards and gifts over the years and it never seize to amaze me when you get the feeling, your hand-made gift pretty much tops many of the other wonderful gifts that they received for their special day.  Giving gifts is just as fun as receiving them.  This year, for my boyfriend, I went with a hand-made coupon book, which pretty much covers: thoughtful, meaningful, useful, in addition to letting him know how much I love and appreciate him.  

Back cover

 All you need is:

pattern paper/cardstock

white paper

color pencils

twine/string

hole punch

Cut the coupons to the size of your choice (I did mine 2.5x5 in)

 Use color pencils/markers to write and decorate each coupon.  I made a total of 36 different things.  Originally, I wrote only the words like 'good for a 30 minute back rub'.  Along the way, I decided to add little illustrations and pictures because I wanted it to be more than just a coupon book.  Eventually, as I collect each coupon, I want to use them on scrapbook pages, they make wonderful memory page embellishments.

To make the cover, cut one long strip of pattern paper enough to go around the entire stack of coupons, with an extra 1/2 inch to tuck the cover into itself, like a matchbook.  Stack the coupons and wrap the pattern strip around the coupons.  Fold creases on the pattern strip so that the coupons fits nice and snug against the cover.  Then hole punch, loop, tie a knot and bow to secure.  I used stamps to add little messages of love to the front, inside, and back cover.

For many years now, out of the blues, my boyfriend would say "why do you love me?"  I really do suck at self-expressing.  Most times I want to put how I feel elegantly into words.  I love him for many reasons, and when he ask out of the blues I can never think of the right words to say at the moment.  I always end up saying the same things I have been saying for 11 years, and I always feel it just isn't enough to tell him how much I truly love the person he is.  So I thought for his birthday I would find a way to tell him.

So... I used a spool of twine and went around the entire living area, to the dining room, to the kitchen and ended in the living room where we spend most of our time.  I followed along the walls, letting the string hang from the clock, the picture frames, to the chandelier, the door hinges and knobs, across the cupboards, along the the stairway, across the window curtains, just following the layout of our home. 

Since boyfriend was still at work, I wanted this to be the first thing he saw when he open the front door, so I made sure I stuck the first one at eye level ; )

He was the first boy to ever open any door for me.  I was 16, and thought no body in real life ever really does that right?  But it was as natural as breathing.  He does it now for anyone and everyone, even strangers, and I think that's what I love most about him, that he can do things so naturally and effortlessly, a simple gesture, yet genuine... and think nothing of it.  I'm 27 years old now, and I still wonder if he'll still open doors when we're 70 hahaha -_-

I don't know anyone who smiles as much as he does.  His smile is infectious and his laugh is contagious.  And I'm so glad I'm not the only one who think so.  It's a wonderful feeling when friends, family and even strangers tell you that he is a good man.

I wrote 50+ little notes.  Honestly, once you sit down with a pen, a pad of paper and your thoughts, you can write forever and not realize that you're up to 100.

After I finished decorating the house with a long string of love notes, I made sure he came home to a nice home-cooked meal.  I placed the coupon book right next to his plate where he was sure to see it.  I couldn't help but just smile at him as he smiled and laughed at my messages and doodles and the utterly organized chaos I have created in our home.  I wish I could have captured a photo of the entire thing, it felt so whimsical and playful.

Towards the end of the night, as I was starting to take the string of notes down, boyfriend said, "what are you doing?"  I turned to him, "I'm taking down the notes..." and he said "Why?"  I just laughed, "Because we can't leave it up forever."  So, I decided to leave them up for the rest of the weekend, and had them down by Monday.  I gather all the notes and placed them in an envelop for keepsake. 

No need to spend a lot of money to give a thoughtful gift.  A simple gesture and just a bit of time and effort will win their hearts every time.  Get creative.

When you say "I love you" to your guy and he says '"why do you love me?", what do you tell him?