Two-Hour Beaded Projects by Ann Benson

 

Two-Hour Beaded Projects, Ann Benson, Sterling Publishing

This book is the sister to the last beading book I read, Beadwork Basics also by Ann Benson. This book contains more projects, and not just jewelry making, but also clothing embellishments, candles, boxes, and much more. There are projects for all different levels of experience. There are bead stringing projects, and there are bead sewing projects which take more time. 

This is a fun book for inspiration and if you just want to try something new or different.

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Girl Scout Hand Book for the Intermediate Program 1942

Girl Scout Handbook 1942

I love to go to thrift stores, yard sales, and estate sales. This was a little jewel I picked up second hand. This is the 1942 edition of the Girl Scout Handbook. It has a green and yellow cover, and some lovely line drawn illustrations inside showing Girl Scouts and work and play.

This particular book belonged to a girl by the name of Betty Carol Kimball, and shows she was a Second Class Girl Scout. 

I was never a Girl Scout, but I was a Missionette and a Sunbeam. Sunbeams were the Salvation Army's version of scouting, and Missionettes were the Assembly of God's version. I think Sunbeams were much more similar to the Girl Scouts, which included camping, nature walks, learning to set the table, etc., where Missionettes did include these types of activities, but also had a very intensive focus on Bible reading, Scripture memorization, missions and outreach.

As a task-oriented person, I actually enjoyed reading through this and learning about the origins of scouting and what a girl had to do to earn badges. It reminded me a lot of my childhood. I don't know what modern-day Girl Scouting looks like, but if you can ever come across a vintage handbook, you might just enjoy reading it and maybe be inspired to try some of the activities and expand your own skills.

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Beadwork Basics by Ann Benson

Beadwork Basics, by Ann Benson, published by Sterling Publishing Co.

About 25 years ago, while I was a young stay at home mom trying to figure out what to do with my artistic creativity, I joined a crafter's book of the month club. I had such a thirst for creative knowledge, ideas, and inspiration, I poured a whole lot of our meager finances into buying books to satisfy that desire to create. Many of them ended up in Mount TBR (To-Be-Read) and never saw the light of day again. This was one of the first, I think. 

This has a  lot of fun projects in it, from simply made beaded dangle earrings, to more advanced seed bead purses and even a Marilyn Monroe pin that's pretty cool. It's a neat book to go through, starting out with an introduction to supplies, what beads are made of, what findings are and how to use them, etc. 

Even if you can't find the particular beads used in some of the projects, you can still use the setup to create your own unique creation. Pick it up and be inspired!

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Basic Drawing Techniques edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf

 

I picked up this book at a yard sale this last summer for about a dollar, but the information inside is invaluable to any artist. It is Basic Drawing Techniques, edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf, from North Light Books. It covers the basics of drawing, from beginner to portraiture. 

I got a degree in drawing and painting from Academy of Art University, and a lot of what is in this book is in the foundation classes an art student would take there. If you are looking for a resource to brush up on your drawing, or even for how to teach others, this is the book for you. 

It begins with an overview of the supplies you will need, whether drawing with pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, or marker. It discussed the different types of papers available and how they work with different media. From there, you will learn about basic lines, shapes, forms, shading, perspective, quick sketching, animals, anatomy, figures, and portraits. 

This one is definitely going into my permanent library. I highly recommend it.

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The Book of Luke, Holman Christian Standard Bible

 The Book of Luke, the fourth book in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, it is also one of the four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. It was written by Luke, a doctor and follower of Christ in the early Church, and was written as one of two letters to Theophilus. We don't know exactly who Theophilus was, but by reading Luke and Acts, both of whom were written to Theophilus, we can gather that he was possibly seeking for the truth of who Christ was, and the origin of the Christian church.

In this book we find in the second chapter, the account of Christ's birth which is often read at Christmastime, and from there it proceeds to give an account of the life of Christ and his miracles, teachings, death, and resurrection. 

As I was finishing up the last chapter today, the words in the above photo spoke to me. Jesus had died and been resurrected, but many of his disciples were not aware of that yet. They were still grieving and probably dealing with PTSD from watching him be brutally executed and wondering if they were next. They were wondering what to do and where to go, and many of them reverted back to their old professions, such as fishing. 

Then Jesus comes along and explains to them the Old Testament and the Prophets, and how he fulfilled most of the Messianic prophecies. Then he reveals himself as resurrected Jesus--not a ghost, as he shows by eating with them, and having them touch him. He opens their eyes to the truth, and proceeds to give them directions and their purpose. No longer are they just students, but now it's time for them to step up as His ambassadors, telling the world about Jesus and the salvation that ALL men, Jews and Gentiles, can have through Him. They are to start locally, and spread out to the rest of the world. 

It's amazing how that happened, studying early New Testament Church History. Despite persecution and threats and even brutal death to those practicing Christianity, it continued to spread and grow.

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1Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

 The first book of 2022 that I have finished is 1 Kings, in the Holman Christian Standard edition.

In this book of the Bible, it begins with David's last days, goes through Solomon's life, which started out great--he built God's temple, God gave him wisdom, riches, and prosperity, on provision that Solomon remain faithful to God-- but Solomon gets distracted by the many women he marries and brings into his harem. These are women who bring in their own gods from their own cultures and instead of stopping it, he allows it, and eventually follows suit---after having personal experience with the one true God. Because of this, God pronounces judgment on Israel, and it will be divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. 

The line of David will continue through Judah. God promises good for the king of Israel, again, if he obeys and remains faithful. We see that again and again, God promises prosperity if leaders will follow him, and most turn away, bringing pain, division, and death. This is a record of the kings of Israel and Judah, and what happens in their reigns. 

Also in this book you will find some of the division and drama in David's children's lives, and later, the story of Elijah the Prophet.

Something that struck me as interesting is the wording chosen in the last chapter, 1 Kings 22:27 "...Put this guy in prison.." It amazes me how different versions of the Bible can be. This is the first time I have ever noticed the words "this guy" being used in a Bible!

The Bible I am reading from is The Illustrator's Notetaking Bible in the Holman Christian Standard edition, softcover. It has little doodles on the margins that you can color in. As an artist, I thought this might be fun, and I bought it to give me something to do a few years ago when I went on a mission trip to Kenya and had 20 hours of traveling by plane. Honestly, that's probably the only time I have colored in it, because as a professional artist, if I have spare time, it's usually spent creating art to sell...that's an area I would like to work on, just spending more time enjoying little stuff like coloring. But then again, that might have to wait on retirement. I guess maybe it's time to read some time management books!

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2022 Books I Have Read

 JANUARY 2022

1 Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Book of Luke, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Basic Drawing Techniques edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf

Beadwork Basics, Ann Benson

Girl Scout Hand Book for the Intermediate Program, 1942 edition

Two-Hour Beaded Projects, Ann Benson

Old Stories of the East, James Baldwin

FEBRUARY

Bookbinding Basics, Paola Rosati

II Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Book of John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

China Dolls, Lisa See

Whole 30 Food Freedom Forever, Melissa Hartwig

Toots and Other Stories, Anna Adams Gordon

MARCH

1 Chronicles, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Masters of Painting: Their Works/Their Lives/Their Times by Bernadine Kielty

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents, Claire Berman

Acts, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk, by Kelli Estes

Painted Garden Art Anyone Can Do, Lin Wellford

APRIL

Romans, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Corinthians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 Corinthians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope

It Starts with Food, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig

Draw 50 Animals, Lee J. Ames

Creative Color for the Oil Painter, Wendon Blake

MAY

2 Chronicles, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Galatians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Ephesians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

One Glorious Ambition, Jane Kirkpatrick

Philippians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Natural Woman, Natural Menopause, Marcus Laux ND and Christine Conrad

Ezra, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Mom's Little Book of Photo Tips, Lisa Bearnson

Peony in Love, Lisa See

Colossians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Thessalonians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Growing Up with Dick and Jane, Carole Kismaric and Marvin Heiferman

2 Thessalonians, /Holman Christian Standard Bible

JUNE

1 Timothy, Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 Timothy, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Nehemiah, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Philemon, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson

JULY

Esther, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrews, Holman Christian Standard Bible

James, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Peter, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Priest's Graveyard, Ted Dekker

Thunder from Jerusalem, Bodie & Brock Thoene

AUGUST

2 Peter, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Children's Book of Games and Puzzles, Helen Jill Fletcher

Step by Step Beadcraft by Judith Glassman

1, 2, 3 John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Jude, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Job, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Falling Leaves, Adeline Yen Mah

SEPTEMBER

Revelation, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Blue Tattoo, The Life of Olive Oatman, by Margot Mifflin

Family Scrapbooks, Memory Makers

Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen

OCTOBER

Flower Net, Lisa See

Creating Art at the Speed of Life, Pam Carriker

NOVEMBER

Psalms, Holman Christian Standard Version

Her Mother's Hope, Francine Rivers

A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson

Proverbs, Holman Christian Standard Version

DECEMBER

Ecclesiastes, Holman Christian Standard Version

Song of Solomon, Holman Christian Standard Version

Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher

TOTAL not including books of the Bible: 36

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

Welcome to My Blog

   Elephant and Angel Wings, oil, by Amy VanGaasbeck

 Hello and welcome to my new blog, which is simply a place for me to record the books I have read, enjoyed, or books I recommend.  I will have an ongoing list of books read through the year, and will try to comment on each book in its own post. Feel free to comment, if you have a perspective you would like to share about the books discussed. 

A little about me: I have been reading since I was about 2 1/2 or 3 years old and can still remember the moment the words made sense, when my Mom taught me to read from a Dick and Jane book, back in the late 70's. I have been in love with reading ever since then. 

I am a member of BookCrossing, "gomboggit", but haven't been very active there since I started art college (I am a professional artist--oil painter with a degree in fine art). However, I still do release bookcrossing books, mostly into Little Free Libraries, of which I have one I steward in front of my house. 

I have read through the Bible probably four times now, once as a young girl, once in high school, probably twice as an adult but who's counting, right? I just enjoy reading it and I learn something new each time. So..you will see that I include each book of the Bible as a separate book in my list.

My favorite genre to read is well written historical fiction, as well as sci-fi/fantasy. The key is "well-written". However, I always have a few different books going. My daily reading pile usually consists of 1 magazine, 1 large format book, 1 non-fiction, 1 fiction, and a Bible. I believe in keeping your brain exercised and stimulated, which is really important throughout your whole life, and reading is a great way to do that.

So with that said, I hope you enjoy!

Do you want to show appreciation for my love of books or perhaps buy me a book or two? Follow this link to Paypal. I thank you! paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck