Shiny! by Melissa Norris

Craft Critique Article : Sublime Stitching Ultimate Embroidery Kit

2009-09-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

I have an article up on Craft Critique today reviewing the Sublime Stitching Ultimate Embroidery Kit. Please go check it out and leave me wonderful comments on my awesomeness!

Just kidding, the apron is still a work in process but I'm excited about learning more and getting better at embroidery.

Off the Bookshelf : Julie and Julia

2009-09-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

I had picked up Julie & Julia , by Julie Powell, quite a while ago after seeing her as a guest on the Martha Stewart show. Unfortunately, I bought it at the same time as something else (who knows what now), so I never got around to reading it and it just sat on the bookshelf.

After seeing the trailer for the movie, that is now in theaters, I thought that this would be the perfect time to read it. I finished it up on the ride back from New Mexico on Monday. It is quite a nice book. The reason I say nice, is that it's not a piece of literature, it didn't move me, and it didn't completely change my way of thinking. However, it did make me smile, cringe (I couldn't handle cooking some of the foods she does), and laugh.

In reading some of the comments on Good Reads (one of my favorite book sites, by the way), a lot of people mentioned they didn't like it because of Julie. Well, not me. It doesn't bother me if someone uses foul language, especially when they are a frustrated cook! And a lot of people mentioned that she was whiney. But let's face it, the majority of us are. She was writing a memoir, based on her blog, and told it how it was. She was at a tough state in her life and if she's upset about it and wants to be whiney, then go for it!

The biggest thing to take away from this book, I think, is about breaking through and sticking with something. Most of us set challenges or goals for ourselves and never set it through. Julie has more determination and will power than I ever will. I have often set these goals, and made it to X number of days, and just lost it. She kept going and I am very impressed.

I definitely recommend this book for a quick, light read. Perfect for your next road trip. And after reading it, and hopefully seeing the movie soon, I really want to pick up the other book the movie was based on, Julia Child's My Life in France.

Stay tuned for more of my quasi book reviews here on the blog. Now that we don't have cable and I'm often too lazy to go upstairs to use the internet, what else am I going to do but read!

I know, I know

2009-08-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

It's time for me to start blogging again. It's strange how transition of any type, can make you transition out of something else. Even without knowing it.

A quick catch up...

We moved back to Texas in December after Justin being discharged from the Army.
We lived with his parents until June while he finished his last semester of college. He graduated in May with his degree in Hospitality Management and has been working for the DFW Marriott in Fort Worth.
We moved to Carrollton in June only a mile or less away from Kristin and Mac.
I started my new job with Expedia/Hotels.com in June and I love it.
Haydrienne started attending a Montessori school in June and I'm so impressed with how much she has learned. She can even read and she's not yet 4!

That's really about it. Crafting has been difficult as I'm limited to a small closet it Haydrienne's room. But hopefully I can get back into the swing of things. I have several projects that I need to work and I want to get to work on them.

Craft Critique is going great and growing all the time. We have so many exciting things in the works and we can't wait to see them come to fruition.

I think that's about it at the moment. I am trying to blog more and hopefully you will be hearing more from us. I need something to do in my lunch break.

~Melissa

Horrible Blogger

2009-03-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

I'm definitely aware of how bad I've been at blogging. I've been using Twitter a lot. Feel free to follow me there http://www.twitter.com/melissaboo

But don't worry. I'm working on getting my blog fixed up and will be back to blogging this weekend.

Later!

Ahhhhh.

2008-11-05T03:09:00.000-08:00

Even though I went to bed way past my usual bed time, I slept so peacefully last night. Everything that I and many other people in the country worked so hard for, ended in the way we wanted. Barack Obama is now our president-elect and I couldn't be happier.

I was very impressed with John McCain's concession speech. Very gracious and always a gentlemen. Unfortunately, a bit disappointed in his supporters which were booing, but it's understandable.

Joe Biden will be an excellent Vice President and Michelle Obama, a great first lady. I know they will both represent our country wonderfully.

I also would like to thank MSNBC with it's great coverage without the use of holograms. Seriously CNN, that was just weird.

I'm excited to see how everything plays out between now and January 20th and can't wait to see changes taking place.

Voting Day

2008-11-04T15:24:00.000-08:00

Voting day is definitely a big deal around here. We've been glued to MSNBC for the past 3 days, well at least 3 days, probably a lot more.

Fortunately, I was off of work today so I've been tuned in.

We went to vote this afternoon. Here in New York we still have the old fashioned lever booths, like you see on TV. It was hilarious because the people in front of us literally took 10 minutes, and there were only 3 things on the whole ballot. But oh well. It's still a cool experience to pull that lever.

I was kind of disappointed in our "I voted today" stickers. Just some words printed on some Avery labels, but I still wore it with pride.

We then headed to Starbucks to get our free coffee.

We're having people over tonight to watch the results to come in. We recently bought the School House Rock : Election Collection DVD and there was a vote tracker in it. So we've got it all set up on the wall to put our red and blue stickers on all the states.
So hopefully we will get an answer tonight and this doesn't drag on for very long. I hope you all took advantage of your right to vote and have a good evening watching the votes roll in.

~Melissa

Yes, I've moved again

2008-11-04T15:11:00.001-08:00

You're sick of me blog hopping right. That's ok. I am too.

I thought I liked Typepad but I was wrong. And I definitely didn't like my old Blogger. But I did like free...so, presenting, Shiny! by Melissa Norris.

This blog is all about me, my family, my hobbies, and my life.

I will be working on the layout in the next several weeks as I have time, but I'm pretty sure this is going to be my permanent home.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Melissa