Quickest Project Ever!

So….does that title intrigue you? Are you also thinking, “ya right, I’ve heard that before”?!?

I get it, I totally understand because I too have fallen for that far more times than I’d care to confess lol! But you know me, you know I’m not going to lead you astray, I just finished a project that was the quickest thing I’ve made in ages, maybe forever!!!!

Ok so remember last week when I shared my 2024 year in review and I mentioned that I really wanted to add reading back into my routine? Well people, it’s happening, it’s actually happening!!!

The idea of getting back into reading came to me on Boxing Day last year actually! Jeff and Ella always go shopping that day while I stay home and relax, it’s a tradition that goes back many years. Well, for some absolutely stupid reason, I agreed to go with them this year, and it was as awful as I imagined it would be lol, however, we ended up at Indigo bookstore, kind of by accident but thankfully we did because that’s where we all ended up finding some good deals!

Right when we walked in the door, we were greeted with an entire wall of the Wicked paperback books and without hesitation, I picked one up fully intending to purchase it. You see, ever since I saw the movie I’ve been “slightly” obsessed with everything about it! I’ve always been a fan of the soundtrack but that’s all I knew about the story….until I saw the movie! I loved every second of it, in fact upon leaving the theater, I suggested to Jeff that we just head right back in to watch it again lol! Side note….at this point, I’ve seen the movie probably 5 times lol! I’ll just put it on while I’m sewing or anything, just letting it play in the background! So as I said, when I saw the book, it was a no-brainer….but then one of the lovely Indigo staff approached us and told us that all hard-cover books were 30% off that day! Hmmmm…..did this edition come in a hardcover? Off I went to track down it’s location in the Fiction section and when I did, you won’t believe what I found…..just look at this awesomeness that was sitting there on the shelf……

Isn’t she beautiful? This limited edition, in all it’s glorious green-ness, convinced me to put down that paperback, since, with the 30% discount price, the prices were not that far apart! So yes, right at this very moment is when I knew that reading was going to be a part of my life in 2025! Also on sale were games and puzzles soooooo………

Now let’s fast forward a couple of weeks and I’m meeting up with a friend who lives in the St. Catherine’s area. We meet half way in between and start the day with a late breakfast and then spend the rest of the day shopping, it’s always such a lovely day! Well, on this particular visit, she hands me a bag across the table and says “Happy belated birthday”, and what do you think was in the bag?!?

Books….books were in the bag, not Evori lol, she just felt the need to be in the picture apparently lol! Anyways, it was such a lovely gift, but also, isn’t it funny how your close friends seem to live in your brain sometimes lol? We hadn’t talked about me wanting to get back into reading, it wasn’t like she always gifted me books, and we certainly hadn’t ever talked about the fact that Nora Roberts was one of my favourite authors when I was reading more years ago!!!!! Life is funny sometimes isn’t it!

Well anyway, here we are, almost at the end of January and my 3 brand new books were still just sitting on my wardrobe, unopened. I didn’t like that, that wasn’t the plan. I’ve also started a new sewing project that I’m excited about so I think I was scared to start reading in case it delayed that project. It occurred to me that it really didn’t need to be a “one or the other” kind of situation, why couldn’t I do both things at the same time?!? I decided that perhaps this was a great time to break another habit that I’ve always fallen into, and that reading could help with it……instead of watching tv at night while I’m going to sleep, I could read a chapter or 2 of a book, so that’s exactly what I’ve been doing and it’s been great! I’m more ready for sleep after reading then having that bright tv flashing away….duhhhhh lol!

Now we’re just about at the project, I promise lol! You see, I read the first night and then I went to put the book down when I was ready for sleep but I didn’t have a bookmark! I looked all around to find a picture or anything that I could use and all I found was an old hydro bill so that became my bookmark lol! It definitely worked but it certainly wasn’t very aesthetically pleasing lol! Obviously I could have just gone and bought one, or even made one on my Cricut but I knew there was another alternative….I knew I could sew one because one of our amazing customers had shared pictures of ones she had made and I remember thinking that they were genius! At the time I didn’t have a use for them because any reading I did do was on my Kindle but now here I am with these beautiful books and they deserve more than an ugly hydro bill shoved in their lovely pages!

Off to YouTube I went and of course, there was tons of videos to chose from but I didn’t want to waste a bunch of time watching them all so I just kind of picked one and away I went! I didn’t even watch the entire video before starting, I watched enough to know what size of fabrics I needed and what kind of interfacing. I prepped those and then just sewed along with the video and literally, within minutes, I was done!

So here’s my inspiration picture, which was submitted to us by the lovely April S.

And using “DIY Corner Bookmarks by Stacey Lee Creative” on YouTube, here’s what I ended up with….

Eeekkkkkk……so cute AND so practical, and also, what an incredible stash buster! And if you’re someone that participates in crazy sales, I bet these would be huge sellers for all ages!!!

Now I’m all set for all my reading adventures! I was also thinking that I needed to make a book bag so I could take my reading on the road but I found a pouch that I made years ago that is a perfect fit, and there’s also a little pocked to keep my new booklight and charge cable in!

I’m just realizing that I entitled this blog “quickest project ever” but I feel like this might be my “longest blog post ever” lol! I’m kind of chatty tonight I guess lol!

Anyway, all this book chatter has me eager to get back to reading! For the record, I decided to start with the “Identity” book and I’m enthralled, it’s so good! I didn’t read the book description of the back, just started in and boy, oh boy, there was a huge twist already and I’m barely into it lol!

If you’re a reader and have a book I simply MUST read, let me know! In the past, I read all genres pretty much so I’m open to almost anything!

Have an amazing week everyone!

Shawna