This Week's Read 4/11

I actually read a book this week, people.  Things have been so chaotic around here with my cataclysmic month of disease....reading just hasn't happened.  But this week, I read a book!  Only one, since I'm throwing my sister's baby shower tomorrow (and with our cataclysmic month of disease, I was not on top of my game and have had to prepare everything in the space of one week!), but hopefully next week I'll be back to my normal reading habits!  (P.S. stay tuned for a post about the shower!)
Anyway!  The book!

Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund

I am a sucker for historical fiction with some romance, so when I saw this on the new arrivals display at our local library, I grabbed it.  And I REALLY enjoyed it.  Set in 1763 in Massachusetts, it follows a young woman and an young lawyer.  At the end of the book, I discovered it was loosely based on John and Abigail Adams courtship.  There isn't a lot recorded about that time in their lives, but the author took what there was and then made up the rest.  I've always been interested in that period of history, and especially in Abigail Adams, so it was fun to read the afterword (including what really happened and what she made up to fill in the blank spaces).  I liked this book so well, it's going on my Paperback Swap request wishlist!

It's been awhile, hasn't it?

If I hadn't already scheduled posts, there would have been nothing the last few weeks!  Man, it's been a rough month + in our house.  Can I just tell you?  In the last five or six weeks:
I had a 3 day sore throat/runny nose thing.
Then a week of really horrible insomnia.
Then my son and my baby got sick with a cold.
Then my husband and I got the cold.
And I didn't get better. Discovered I had a sinus infection.
Found out my baby had a double ear infection.
Husband's sore throat came back with a vengeance, and the nurse at his work told him his throat is covered in blisters.
Then on Sunday baby threw up repeatedly for about 5 hours and then couldn't eat for another day.
And then I broke out in hives, a reaction to one of my sinus infection meds.
Next, my daughter went through the whole throw up routine.
And yesterday, I went through the throw up routine.

Today I'm feeling better and so far am keeping my breakfast down!  Anyway, I'm really really REALLY hoping and praying this is the last of it.  March was definitely a lost cause for productivity.  Here's to April being better!

The one thing I did manage to do is some digiscrappin'....so I thought I'd post some of my latest layouts.

Template by Marie Stone

Kit: A Da-Doodly Love (retired) by Etc. by Danyale

Font: Smithy XT

 Template: Kimeric Kreations

Kit: Favorite Moments (retired) by Etc by Danyale

Fonts: Quixley LET, Quilline Script Thin

 Template: Rainy Dayz Designs

Kit: Never Fade Away by Scrapyrus Designs

Fonts: Pacifico, Old Newspaper, Pea Dacia

 Template: Cluster Queen Creations

Kit: Let Me Call You Sweetheart (retired) by Stolen Moments

Fonts: Modern No. 20, Olivier, MTF You Are

 Template: Etc by Danyale

Kit: An Innocent Heart charity collab

Fonts: CF Jack Story, Pea Memorable, Northern Lights

 Template: Cornelia Designs (retired designer)

Kit: Set Me Free and Blackbird by Stolen Moments

Fonts: CK Stylish Black, Claudia Jean, Walkway Black, CK Margaret

Template: Akizo Designs (basically just for the scalloped frame)

Kit: Aflutter by Wishing Well Creations

Fonts: Only by Request (with Mommyish Acrylic Style), Penelope Anne, MTF You Are

Digiscrap Tuesday Tip: Light Direction for Shadows

Okay guys, now that you have an idea how to get a layout going, this is EXTREMELY important.  Light source and shadows.  Let me show you an example of the importance of shadows:

No shadows

With shadows!  So much better!

Shadows make a huge difference in creating depth for realistic layouts.  They are a MUST.  I kid you not.  A MUST!!!  AND it is extremely important that every drop shadow cast in the same direction.  This is a great run-down on light sources from Karah Fredricks of The Lily-Pad.  Take a look, and hopefully that helps you understand what I mean.  Next week, I'll be back with some info on creating those shadows.