books, reading, study, homework etc..........

Hey there!  So far I'm not doing very well with my scheduling.  I feel like I didn't get much done today.  So, I've got big cleaning/planting plans for tomorrow.  We'll see how that goes.  Wish me luck!

What I did get done today though, was start a new Bible study.  Those of you who aren't interested in this can just scroll down. 

Beth Moore has a summer Bible study every year on her blog.  This year we are studying Ruth.  See here for the link.  Its a quick study, only going until Aug. 3.  Let me know if you'd like to do it with me.  Maybe I can set up a special page on the blog here just for us.  I'm excited to get this started as my study habits haven't been what they should lately and God has been showing me that I need to get it together!  So do it with me!  It'll be fun!

I also started the Prout Summer Reading Program.  Every summer my kids like to forget school even exists.  So several years ago I set up the "Program".  Now, I know many of you will not agree with my Program and that's okay.  It works for us and thats what counts. 

Here is what we do:  the big kids get $5 for every 100 pages they read and the little kid gets $5 for every 50 pages she reads.  And it doesn't count towards summer homework.  The big kids both have AP classes next year and so have homework this summer.  It only counts towards recreational reading.  And of course, we discuss what they read.  Just keeping them honest.

Last year they made some bucks.  This year I've gotten Grace to start the Narnia books and 15 is rereading Eclipse to get ready for the movie, and the boy?  Hmmm........he's not too interested this summer. Which is funny because he needs the money.  He'll come around......eventually.

I don't get it!  As a child (and adult) I loved/love reading!  I would read all the time.  Even now, I know that I better not start a book unless all the chores are done for a few days.  Because I have a hard time putting it down.  Are these children mine? 

To help Grace get into the idea of it, we made bookmarks.  I asked her what colors she wanted and she said, "blue, red and yellow".  Well, okay.  Here is what came of that:

Flight of the Butterfly and Typeset Alpha (retired).  Whisper white and yoyo yellow (retiring) cardstock.  Real red craft ink, brilliant blue (retiring) classic ink.  Small heart punch, glassy glaze embossing powder (retiring), clear embossing powder, white gel pen, Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon (retiring), filigree brad and dimensionals.

I had some chipboard frame thingys from a few years ago.  We made a bookmark something like this at convention.  I inked up the chipboard with the Real Red craft ink and embossed it twice with the glassy glaze embossing powder.  I did 2 of them, one for the front and one for the back.

I used the white gel pen for the little dots on the heart.

Here is the back.  I sandwiched the ribbon between the cardstock.  I used the Tombow tape to tape in the ribbon and then used the Tombow Multi Glue (my fave) to glue the chipboard pieces together.

The ribbon is about 12 inches long.  I wanted to make sure the brad hung out the bottom of her book.  She loved it!  She was very helpful in deciding on what should be what color. 

So then I decided I needed 2 new bookmarks for my study. 

Flight of the Butterfly and Inspired by Nature.  Crumb cake,whisper white and choc. chip cardstock.  Sahara sand, more mustard, pumpkin pie and old olive inks.  Cropodile, hemp, 1 1/4" choc. chip striped ribbon, 1/2" circle punch and corner rounder.

Its kinda big but I love it!  I had intended to make a bunch for my friend (hey Michele) for her birthday.  But of course I never completed them and she never got any.  Sorry :(  This birthday, I promise.

I used the Rock 'n Roll technique on the butterflies.  Just ink up your stamp in the lighter color (more mustard) and then roll the edges in the darker color (pumpkin pie).  Ta Dah! 

I didn't laminate them because the Tombow Multi Glue will keep it together forever.  Love that stuff!  And............I don't have a laminator at home.  And........I'm too cheap to take it somewhere to get it done.

I don't own any of the jumbo eyelets, cheapo person here, so I just punched my choc. chip cardstock with the 3/16" punch on the Cropodile and then punched that out with my 1/2" circle punch.  Thus making my own hole reinforcers.  Ta Dah! 

I also used the wide striped choc.chip ribbon because it is retiring and I thought it looked like a material that Jesus might have worn.  Its a stretch, but work with me here.

Then I decided I needed another one for my study guide book.  We are using Kelly Minter's, Ruth: love, loss and legacy.   Smaller book so I made a smaller bookmark.

Refuge and Strength (retiring).  Confetti White cardstock.  Choc. chip craft and classic ink and old olive ink.  1 1/4" striped choc. chip ribbon (retiring), old chipboard frames and Tombow Multi Glue.

I used my choc. chip craft ink spot to color the chipboard.  I didn't emboss it this time.  Makes it look a little more rustic.  Craft ink works better on covering chipboard than classic ink.  Craft is the thicker pigment ink and Classic is more of a clear waterbased ink.

Same as the other side just a different saying.  The ribbon is about 12 inches long.  Super simple and easy to make. 

Well this post turned out to be a lot longer than I thought.  Its already 9:35!  Past my bedtime!  Well, except for Monday nights.  Did you watch Bachelorette last night?  Chris L. is still my fave but he needs to kick up the romance a notch.  Just saying..........

Alrighty then.  Thanks for stopping by and if you lasted through this whole post, God Bless You!  But really, would it be fun if I kept it short and sweet all the time? 

Blessings, b.