Disrupted Lives by Brenda Youngerman--Book Review

Disrupted Lives by Brenda Youngerman
ISBN 978-1-61204-192-6
Published by Strategic Publishing Group

This is the 3rd novel I've had the privilege to read by Brenda Youngerman.  I've loved them all, and hope to eventually get a chance to read all that she has written.  I'm proud to call Brenda my online friend.  She's a wonderful person with a kind heart and gentle spirit.

Brenda has a writing style that I love.  She reels you in to each story by starting close to the end of the story, but then she takes you back to the beginning and finally back to the final end.  Her style makes you want to keep reading as all of her characters lives are intertwined in some way.  Disrupted Lives is no different.

Taken from the back of the novel:

A name does notmake a person, a person makes a name.
From 1920 to present day Georgia, this saga of family secrets and old Southern prejudices are explored in the explosive novel.  


The book starts out with Amelia and Darren and Amelia has just woke up from yet another one of her numerous nightmares.  Nightmares over a baby her parents forced her to give up when she was a teenager.


So the story goes, back to the beginning.  It amazes me how the story line goes in Disrupted Lives, as it does in all of Brenda's novels.  Story lines are easy to follow, but just when you are sure of what happened next, you are surprised.   I do enjoy how things end up for the positive.


I do not like to give much away about a book in my reviews, but will leave you by saying I highly recommend Disrupted Lives, as well as all other Brenda Youngerman books.


For further information on the book, please visit: http://sbpra.com/brendayoungerman/




You can buy your copy right here from amazon:





Disclaimer:  I rec'd a copy of Disrupted Lives by the author for the purpose of this review and blog tour.  I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are my own.

 

Shop Hop Saturday 7/16/11

It's Saturday again already.  Days just string together anymore and I always stay busy.
This past week I didn't complete any new crafts to list in my etsy store.  I worked on some, but nothing completed.
Tuesday was our sewing club at church where I learned a new quilting technique.  I haven't had my sewing machine back out since that day.

I have been working on orders that have come in.  It's such a great feeling to get orders!  I'm waiting for materials to come in to complete one order of fabric bags, but half of her order has already been shipped.  I had an order for dish scrubbies that I completed and mailed out.  And, the order I am currently working on is for 12 washcloths.

We are having another garage sale today--once again with no other advertising except signs hung up around town.  Last time all I sold was 2 dish scrubbies, so while I was already making them for an order, I made some more to put in my big jar on my craft table.  I did try to call in for an ad in the newspaper but I called 30 minutes past the deadline.  With highs in the triple digits, it is too hot to sit outside, and most definately if we don't have lots of customers and actually make some money.

Ok, back to business.  I did manage to get a few new items created in my zazzle store.   I will share those today.   I still have trouble with trying to design there.  I did a couple of t-shirts but I can't get my pics to be as large on the t-shirts as I want.  I was trying to make a bag as well, same problem.  If I make it to fit the product then I get the warning about the photo will be pixeled.  I printed out the help on what size photos should be.  Hopefully I can keep my goal and get a few new items in my store each week.

Sunflower with Flag Postage Stamps

Sunflower with Flag Poster

Kansas Postcard

5 Little Kittens T-Shirt

Sunflower with Flag T-shirt

I hope you will click the button below and join us this week on the Shop Hop!

 

52 Weeks of Organizing--Week 28 (Week 5 for Me)

Friday again. Seems that working this challenge is really the only thing keeping me going on my attempt to organize and de-clutter. That's a good thing though, and exactly why I was glad to find orgjunkie and the challenge.
However, it seems that motivation comes the day before it's time to do the post so that I have something to post. I suppose that is ok too as long as things are getting done.

This week I re-claimed my kitchen counters.
Check out this before photo.....yuck!!  Let's see.....my mom's muffin tins that never were returned to her, a box of bread,  back of I don't know what, recycle items, and a lot of misc. junk.

Ta da!  This is what I have now.  This took me close to an hour to find places for things and wash everything down.  If you could see the white crockpot in the corner of the first photo, it's now up in the cabinet and replaced with a 6 qt red one.  It was hilarious...we were sitting at supper last night and my 14 yr old looked over at the counter and said, "We have a toaster??  I didn't even know that."  It was hilarious!

I have an awful confession to make........the coffee table is staying pretty cleared off, but the 2 side tables are needing help again.  One is my daughter and grandchildren's stuff, the one by me is my stuff.....it will get cleaned off though as it's become my sewing machine table since my craft room had to be turned in to a bedroom while they all live with us.

 I am posting this to the linky over at orgjunkie.  Please click the button below and hope over and either join in, or see what others have accomplished this past week.

 

Frugal Friday's With Marsha 7/15/11

Good Friday to all! I got distracted this morning so a little late getting this posted.
Steve won a $100 gift card at work so we were attempting to plan a little getaway on his vacation.

Nothing in particular to report this week as far as my own being frugal. Just the usual hanging laundry on the line--and my daughter has also hung hers on the line too! We did get one tomato out of the garden. The plants are growing like crazy, but sure not producing.

Here are this weeks tips from the 99 Cent Solutions Book:
Baking Soda:
1. Soften beans--Afraid those beans have been on the shelf too long? Just throw in a pinch of baking soda while they soak. Then also add a fresh pinch of baking soda while they cook to reduce the "after effects" of eating them.

2. Get rid of fishy odor--Been chopping something pungent? The smell of garlic or fish can linger on your fingers long after the food is gone. Avoid that by scrubbing your wet hands with baking soda, just as if it were soap, then rinse in warm water. Your hands will smell sweet, and feel softer, too.

3. Make a rainy day toy for the kids-- Kids stuck inside with nothing to do? Boil 2 cups of baking soda and 1 cup cornstarch and 1 1/2 cups water until thickened. Remove from the heat and cool. It makes a fun, pliable modeling clay that's good for the day.

I hope to see lots of link up's this week. Remember, you can post anything you've posted that relates to being frugal from the prior week....and the linky stays open all week until the next one goes up.

Squidoo Hopping 7/14/11

Happy Thursday!  Welcome to this week's squidoo hop.

Shouldn't it be squidoo pay day?

I rec'd an email asking me if I would like a 30 day subscription to fotopia and then do a website review for them here on my blog.  Fotopia offers royalty free photos and such.  I accepted right away with squidoo in mind.  I believe it was Gale who emailed me about changing some of my intro pics.  I tend to just go make words in paint when I don't have a photo for the intro.  I will be taking full advantage of my free 30 days membership on Fotopia where I can download up to 5 images each day.  It looks really great so far.
I updated one lens intro pic using one of my downloads---you will it on my Books for All Ages lens.  I also updated the Christmas countdown module while I was there.

On suggestion last week I did a little tweeking in my With Violets Book Review lens.  What I see there is that I have my review of the book in the intro.  I don't like that.  I want my review in a text module.  However, I didn't change it yet with squidoo squaking about how many words are in our intros.  Suggestions on what to put in the intro area other than the name of the book, the author, the ISBN number and publisher?  Or, would these things make the intro long enough?

Also this past week I found that I had a wrong URL in my Jerky Direct Business Opportunity lens.  This lens is staying towards the top of my list, so that makes me happy.  

I have 4 lenses in the pink so I will try to concentrate on seeing what updates I can get done to those this week and get them moved up.  I'm still confused on that....with the thousands, probably close to a million lenses that are out there, how would you ever keep all of your lenses out of the pink??  I really do not get it, and really do not like that they become works in progress if rank goes higher than 400,000 and then not accessible through search engines (at least that's what I read).

Anyway, I hope to see lots hopping along this week. I always look forward to hopping around to those who link up!

New Facebook Coupon for All-Natural Sausages

Looking for ways to save on healthy grilling at home this summer? Original Brat Hans, leading provider of all-natural gourmet sausages and all-natural chicken meatballs, is offering a coupon for $1.00 off your next purchase when you “Like” Original Brat Hans on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheOriginalBratHans

Original Brat Hans^® products, created by lifetime sausage maker and butcher Hans Liebl, include Bratwurst, chicken and pork sausages in a variety of flavors. Each are made from all-natural meats and contain no antibiotics, added hormones, preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, or MSG.

The Original Brat Hans^® brand is distributed by Coleman Natural Foods and can be found exclusively at most Whole Foods Markets. Click here for recipe ideas and grilling tips.

WIP Wednesday 7/13/11

At least I did get some things done this past week so I do have photos to show this week.

Let's start with the fabric bags.  I completed one for an order and have these 2 ready to sew:

Now let's move on to the string quilt I was making for church.  I did work to get it finishes since one of the ladies was going to show us a new quilt technique at club yesterday.  I wanted to share the pic of it completed.

 So....our new lesson was a jelly roll quilt.  She brought instructions copied for each of us.  The instructions are titled the Easiest Ever Jelly Roll Throw.   I had no clue what a jelly roll was....and still really didn't until I was home and looked it up online.  She told me to not do the diagonal stitching when adding each strip as per the instructions.  I see online what it looks like when you do.  Also we did not use 40 inch strips either.  We have a huge box of scrap material to use up in our club, so our strips are all different sizes.   I think it looks neat, and yes, another project for me.  I think, however, that I have all my scraps here at the house cut to 2 inches.  I can still do this though and just make the original strip lots of inches longer right?  If not, I will cut up my other material.  You know me, I'm on to another project now that I've learned something new.  I will also be starting another top for sewing club as well.
Here is a pic of me working on sewing down from the first strip:

Once home from club I couldn't help but keep sewing until the top was done. Once you get past sewing a line of 1600 inches of strips and folding in half to go down the first time, it sews up really quickly.  Some of the other lady's will now work later to put in the center, put on the back, hem and tie it.  It's laying on our king size bed and the sun is shining on it from one window.  I think it looks cool.

 Until next week, please click the buttons below of the blogs that I participate in each week.
 

Downy Unstopables---This Stuff is "da bomb"!!

Downy Unstopables is  a new laundry scent booster.  The dissolving scent beads to in before you start the wash so more scent infuses into your clothes, sheets and towels.  The freshness lasts for more than 30 days.


New Downy Unstopables just hit select stores.  I was given the opportunity to try it and share it with you, my blog readers.


I encourage you to sign up at http://www.vocalpoint.com as they have another exclusive Downy UNSTOPABLES sample offer coming soon!


Downy Unstopables go directly into the washer drum to infuse a fresh, unstoppable scent.   Shake a little, or shake a lot.  Toss into the drum of the washer before starting the wash.  Safe to be used in HE machines as well..  Drop in any machine-washable clothes, towels, or other fabrics.


DO NOT PUT IN YOUR LIQUID DISPENSER OR DRYER.


You can use Unstopables with or without fabric softner.  Safe for all colors, fabrics, and loads.  Great for active wear and towels.


Unstopables comes in 2 scents:  Fresh-Cleam, Airy, Crisp and Lush-Luxurious, Relaxing, Romantic.




My review/opinion:
I fell in love with Downy Unstopables the moment I opened up my package that came in the mail!
I had spent almost 6 hours out in over 100 degree weather, but couldn't wait to start a load of clothes and give the product a try.


I didn't have any of my own clothes to try it on first so I went to my teenagers closet and grabbed a load worth of dirty clothes.  She was spending the night with a friend so she wasn't home to know what I was doing.  When she came home, she smelled her laundry as soon as she walked in the door and asked me what was smelling so great.  Shoot, she even went right away and put her laundry away!


I've done 4 more loads using Downy Unstopables since that first day.  I'm telling you, as I said in my title, this stuff is the bomb!  I'm definitely sold!  It's wonderful  to crawl into bed at night with sheets that just smell fantastic.


Recently 5 of my grandchildren have moved in to our house for a bit.  They are insisting they can't wear any of their clothes if they've not been washed wtih the Unstopables.  They want to smell good.  My daughter said she took them to the store in the clothes I had washed for them and she just had to keep stopping the shopping cart to smell their clothes.


I also want to note that I hang my clothes out on the line to dry.  I've not had liquid fabric softener, so this is so much an added plus to have the lined dried clothes have such a great scent.


Downy Unstopables "knocks the sock off" the competitor!


Here is a photo of my bottle on the washer and a photo of my first load out on the line drying.

Disclaimer:  I received a full size bottle of Downy Unstopables (as well as a pair of socks) as a member of vocalpoint.com for the purpose of trying the product and sharing  my thoughts with my blog readers.  I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions about the product are my own.

Mary Bragg--Tattoos and Bruises CD Winner!

Sorry to be a little late announcing the winner....

Using random.org,  I chose a winner of the Mary Bragg Tattoos and Bruises CD--

Congrats to:
 Jenn Spencer said... 2 I liked @marybragg on FB!

Thanks!
Jenn

Jenn will have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks!

Mailbox Monday 7/11/11

Boy, I sure felt like I got a lot more mail than I actually did.  It was a pretty great week though, especially considering a holiday, no mail day.
Magazines: Time, People, Good Housekeeping, Car & Driver, Bloomsberg Businessweek
A few other pieces of hausernet mail
Organize in Style P&G coupon booklet
$11.35 commission check from Jerky Direct
Book--My Calorie Counter, ordered with pointsandprizes points
Book--Life In Spite of Me--to read and review for blogging4books
Playtex Sport samples
$5.98 refund check from Nexcare (not pictured)


In my church mailbox--$50 check for cleaning in June.
In my email--paypal for a fabric bag order.
.06 paypal from matesgate.biz
paypal for a dish scrubbie order