Amy

“A Stitch in Crime” by Cathy Elliot

February 2, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

Thea’s first quilt show is coming apart at the seams!

Thea James has accepted an assignment as co-chairperson for Larkindale’s first quilt show extravaganza. Juggling the new assignment with running her antique business, she’s already feeling frayed when things start to unravel.

Mary-Alice Wentworth, a much-loved town matriarch, respected quilt judge, and Thea’s dear friend, is covertly conked on the head during the kick-off Quilt Show Soiree, throwing suspicion on her guests. It also appears that a valuable diamond brooch has been stolen during the attack. The family is furious. But is it because of their mugged mother or the missing diamonds?

When a renowned textile expert goes MIA and the famous Wentworth heritage quilt disappears, Larkindale’s reputation as a tourist haven is at risk. Thea attempts to piece the mystery together and save the town’s investment in the quilt show before Mary-Alice is attacked again . . . with far worse results.

Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.

Cathy Elliot has penned a quirky, quilty mystery! This story has just about everything fun – humor, forgetfulness, animals running amuck, and lots of sugary sweets. Even the most serious situations in the story didn’t feel threatening or dangerous, and I think this was because the rest of the story was so completely funny.

Thea isn’t exactly Sherlock Holmes. She may get results through her snooping, but she bumbles through each episode with as much grace as an bull in a china shop. She’s so sincere, however, and acts with such a good heart that you can’t help but like her. This dichotomy creates a loveable character with a lighthearted atmosphere who, although she’s obviously stressed about the problems in the story, that stress doesn’t transfer to the reader. You have to laugh at her crazy situations while empathizing with her worries, and it takes a talented writer to make you feel both simultaneously.

Thea learns several spiritual lessons throughout the story. I liked the way that Elliot created her to be a realistic person who acknowledges her need for a deeper faith. Neither the story nor the lessons are super deep, but they are important lessons that every person needs to know.

My biggest problem with the book is that it left me craving some really awesome chocolate chip cookies. Elliot’s descriptions of Emby’s baking are so clear that the book ought to come with a package of them – or, at the very least, the recipe.

A Stitch in Crime is the perfect lighthearted story to read in front of a cozy fire – or maybe under your favorite quilt.

Author and speaker Cathy Elliot nourishes her night-owl habit by creating cozy mysteries and more on her trusty laptop in Anderson, California. Like the protagonist in her new mystery, Cathy is an avid quilter. Besides collecting (too much) cool fabric, she also enjoys hunting for antique treasures.

Connect with Cathy online: website, Facebook

I received a free copy of A Stitch in Crime from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

Studying France: Baking Bread

January 30, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

One of the kids’ very favorite parts of studying France is the food, and bread tops that list. They’ve been enjoying French baguettes, sticks, and croissants, and so we decided that it was time to try baking our own French bread.

We chose this recipe. It’s simple and quick with clean ingredients.

The kids made the bread from start to scratch on their own. They mixed, timed, shaped, rolled, and baked it by themselves.

They were SO proud of their bread!

My Little Man even did the dishes afterwards. What could be better?

What can your kids cook by themselves?

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Hearts for Home Blog Hop – January 29, 2015

January 29, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

Do you have exciting new things happening this week? We’ve been busy getting braces, celebrating a birthday, and working on a big school project. Share what’s happening in your neck of the woods below!

A Nest in the Rocks is now one of the co-hosts for the weekly Hearts for Home Blog link-up, which means that every Thursday you’ll find lots of great tips, recipes, and other family-friendly ideas listed throughout this post. If you’re a blogger, we’d love to have you link up your posts and join us. You can find information about the other co-hosts of this hop here.

The most clicked post from last week was 2014 Homeschool Blog Award Winners.

Some of my favorite posts from last week were:

– Bacon Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Ball Recipe

– Art Projects for Kids – Impressionists

– 5 Days of Classic Books for Girls: Little House

If your post is listed above, please grab one of our ‘Featured Blogger’ buttons! Congratulations, and thanks for writing such inspiring posts.

Link up your family-friendly blog posts below. Please add our button to your post to link back to this one. Happy hopping!

An InLinkz Link-up

Lenten Devotions for Young Children

January 27, 2015 by Amy 15 Comments

**I am excited to share this new subscriber freebie with you. Read on for details about how to get your copy of “Lenten Devotions for Young Children” FREE!

Each year we talk about how we’re going to recognize Lent as a family. Usually we each choose different things that we feel called to fast from for the duration of the Lenten season.

I didn’t realize that this had such a big impact on My Big Helper until she started talking about Lent immediately after Christmas.

She talked about it so much, sharing all her ideas for things that she could give up, that finally My Little Man, who doesn’t seem to remember much about this season yet, said, “What is Lent, anyway?”

As I got ready to answer him, he quickly added, “And will we have more special devotions like the Jesse Tree with Advent?”

He stumped me with that one, because while we try to have a family devotional time each night, we’ve always just continued with our regular devotional book right through Lent.

But he really liked the Jesse Tree format, and he seemed to get a lot out of the stories, so I decided to create our own Lenten devotions centered on the Jesse Tree format and the idea of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

Each devotion comes with a scripture reference, an objective, a simple lesson, a prayer, and the matching ornament.

We’ve printed ours off – cut out the eggs, glued them onto triangular banners, and we’re going to attach one each night to a string over the mantel or a doorway after completing that devotion. You could also just go with the square shape as is – it would certainly be easier to cut out – and hang them from a branch like the Jesse tree, or maybe just look at them and skip the crafty part altogether.

But for the next 46 days we’re going to walk through Lent this way – each sacrificing something important to us, praying our way through the wanting-it times, remembering how very much more Jesus gave for us.In case there are any other curious four-year-olds out there, I thought I’d share. And if you choose to use any or all of these devotions, I hope they bless your family.

Because this is such a large file, I’ve struggled to find an efficient way to share them with you, and I think I have it figured out! These devotions are now a subscriber freebie here at A Nest in the Rocks. Just sign up on the right side of this page, and you’ll get a code in your next Nest update that will allow you to download the devotions for free.

Do you recognize Lent as a family? If so, how?

Looking for a great set of devotions for yourself? Check out this devotional that Candace Crabtree has written!

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“Hidden Agenda” by Lisa Harris

January 26, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

Product Details

His cover is blown. Now his enemies are on his heels and closing in.

Presumed dead by friends and family, Michael Hunt is alive–and on the run. Presumed dead by friends and family, the undercover assignment he’s been working for the past eight months has just been blown. With a hit out on his life and corruption inside the Atlanta police department, Michael finds himself hunted by both the cartel and the law. His only hope is Olivia Hamilton–the daughter of the man who wants him dead.

Hidden Agenda is the most suspenseful, action-packed book I’ve read in a long time, and I couldn’t put it down. Literally. I read it in a single sitting. I couldn’t wait to find out how Olivia and Michael would find their way out of this one.

The characters were fascinating. Like the proverbial onion, Harris peeled back secret after secret, told through one peripheral character after another, as Olivia tried to determine the truth about her father. With more secrets than Fort Knox and more danger than James Bond, Michael and Olivia had everything to lose as they tried to fight their way to the truth – and that made for an exciting ride of a read.

Michael’s conundrem asks one single question that charges the whole story with high energy: if both villians and cops want you dead, where do you turn? Who do you trust? This angle kept me turning pages and intrigued throughout every plot twist and turn – and there were many.

If Hidden Agenda is indicative of Lisa Harris’ work, I can’t wait to read more!

I received a free copy of Hidden Agenda from Baker Books in exchange for a free review.

Studying France: Building the Eiffel Tower

January 23, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

What do you think of when you think of Paris? For me, it’s the Eiffel Tower. There are many historic, exciting landmarks in this beautiful city, but the Eiffel Tower has to be one of the most iconic, and so we had to build our own version during our study of France.

We used sugar wafer cookies. I bought two big packages of chocolate ones and a smaller package of vanilla, and we arranged ourselves into teams. I set a timer for 30 minutes, and with a fair share of cookies each, we attempted to make our towers.

This is a very simple project, but it can have great educational lessons. We studied the shape, construction, and history of the tower, and those lessons came out during this activity. Then, when the time came, we used peanut butter as glue to hold the cookies together. Just plan out how you want to stack the cookies to get your chosen shape, and carefully spread peanut butter where the joint will be.

This project just lit My Big Helper up. She was all over it! We had spent the day learning about the Eiffel Tower, and she excitedly tried to be true to the actual structure – counting landings, legs, etc, to make a recognizable representation. She even reported that she knew why I chose these cookies: because they already had a cross-hatch design stamped on them that resembled the lacy ironwork of the actual tower!

My Big Helper’s finished tower looked like this. She is VERY proud of her tower! Although … she won’t mind eating it, either.

Studying the Eiffel Tower? Check out these great resources!

Hearts for Home Blog Hop – January 22, 2015

January 22, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

While we started the week unseasonably warm, the mercury is dropping this week. Today we have nowhere to be, and so we’re snuggled in, working on some French projects and our new fairy tale story assignment. What are you up to?

The most clicked post this week was Tools to Help You Get Organized.

Some of my favorite posts from last week were:

– Scripture Filled Home ~Creatively Bring God’s Word

– Art Projects for Kids – Impressionists

– 5 Days of Classic Books for Girls: Little House

If your post is listed above, please grab one of our ‘Featured Blogger’ buttons! Congratulations, and thanks for writing such inspiring posts.

Link up your family-friendly blog posts below. Please add our button to your post to link back to this one. Happy hopping!

An InLinkz Link-up

New Devotional: “Wait Only Upon God” by Candace Crabtree

January 20, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

Sometimes we have a dream but can’t see the way to fruition. Sometimes we’re not sure where we’re supposed to be or what we’re to do. That place of waiting can be really hard, but author Candace Crabtree has written a new 40-day devotional to help you through it.

Wait Only Upon God is a versatile, flexible devotional about waiting. The format is beautifully simple: it contains scripture, a short reflection upon the scripture, and the space for prayers and journaling. I love Crabtree’s smooth and sincere writing style. Her honest, thoughtful words are provocative and inspiring.

This would be a wonderful devotional to use during the Lenten season. If you begin on February 18 and use it every day except Sundays, you’ll end at Eastertime. I can’t think of a better or more fitting scripture plan for Lent.

Wait Only Upon God is debuting at a special price. For one week only, you can purchase this book for only $7.99. After that, the price will go up to the regular price of $8.99.

Crabtree is also running a special giveaway on her blog this week to celebrate the publication of this newest book. You can enter here. She’s also offering free printables with the purchase of your book. You’ll find the download link inside the book.

You can purchase the ebook version of Wait Only Upon God here.

“The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues” by Cindy Vincent

January 19, 2015 by Amy 4 Comments

Buckley and Bogey, Cat Detectives, find their next big case with the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency to be their most complicated ever! It all starts when someone hides a mysterious package in their Mom’s antique store — in the middle of the night! Of course, the boys find it, and put it in a nice, safe place, until they can open it . . . and, find the rightful owner. But that’s when a whole bunch of suspicious people show up in St. Gertrude, and every single one of them seems to be after that package! Holy Catnip! Plus, everything happens just when a priceless, jeweled statue collection goes on display at the St. Gertrude Museum. Missing from that collection are two jewel covered cat statues that disappeared almost a hundred and fifty years ago.

But soon Buckley and Bogey wonder how long those statues will stay missing. Because this is one case that really keeps them on their paws! From a trip to the Museum, and to an old church for the Blessing of the Animals; and from dinosaurs to diamonds, they end up dodging shady suspects the whole time. It sure helps to have their friends with them, especially when the bad guys make a beeline for boys. That’s because it becomes very clear, very quick — the priceless cat statues aren’t the only cats those crooks are after! Holy Mackerel!

Your child will love Bogey and Buckley. They’re funny, smart, and into everything. You’ll love them, too – because they star in the perfect mystery books for young readers.

Bogey’s character is modeled after – you guessed it! – Humphrey Bogart. He’s full of cliches and style, but he’s kind and a good mentor to Buckley, too. Buckley is a bit more dramatic. He’s a younger cat who’s still growing into his paws and is full of enthusiasm – but still gets scared in the face of danger. His timidity and newness to the world of detective work makes him the perfect character to bridge the gap between classic gumshoe slang and the abilities of young readers.

This story is marketed as being suitable for tweens, but my kids could’ve read it long before then – and it’s certainly clean and wholesome enough for any reader. Buckley even learns several life lessons throughout the story, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it. If my kids are going to read about crime and drama, I want the characters to learn from their mistakes. In this case, it wasn’t that Buckley or Bogart caused the problems, but the dangerous scenarios were serious. They were caused by people with major criminal intent, and having Buckley learn from their mistakes is the perfect way to balance this suspenseful plot with the spiritual needs of a young child.

The crime drama was not the least bit scary, though. Even though Buckley trembles and needs the reassurance of frequent cat treats, his tendency to yell, “Holy catnip!” and frequent saluting mishaps made the whole story funny.

I must admit that in the beginning Buckley’s never-ending dialogue made it difficult for me to adapt to the flow of the story, but My Big Helper had no such problem. She dove right in and loved it from the first page – and after finding my literary balance, I enjoyed it, too.

The Case of the Jeweled Cat Statues would make a great family read-aloud or fun story for beginning readers through tweens. It’s clean, wholesome, and fun all the way through. We can’t wait to check out more books by Cindy Vincent. Don’t take my word for it, though – read on to find out what My Big Helper thought:

I like The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues because of the adventure, mystery, lesson, and the perspective. In the suspenseful parts, I felt just like Buckley the cat. I laughed every time Buckley messed up at saluting Bogey and my heart stopped in exciting parts. I love how the author combined a mystery and a lesson in friendship together. This book is cat-astic and once you read it, you’ll want to get your paws on another one!

Click here to read other reviews in this bloggy hop or here to purchase your own copy now.

Cindy Vincent was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She holds an M.A.Ed, and is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper books, the Daisy Diamond Detective book series, and the Cats are Part of His Kingdom, Too: 33 Daily Devotions to Understanding God’s Love. She lives with her husband and the real, live Buckley and Bogey, who run surveillance on her house each and every night.

Find Cindy, Buckley, and Bogey online: website

I received a free copy of The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“Masterpiece Marriage” by Gina Welborn

January 17, 2015 by Amy Leave a Comment

He wants to save his business. She wants to be a professor. But are they asking for more than they can really have?

After a flood damages the looms at Zenus Dane’s Philadelphia textile mill and the bank demands loan payment, Zenus turns to his aunt for help repurposing his textiles. Trouble is . . . his aunt has already been hired by the lovely yet secretive Englishwoman Mary Varrs.

Eager to acquire his aunt’s quilt patterns, Zenus attends the summer Quilting Bee, a social event his aunt has uniquely designed with the secret purpose of finding Zenus a wife. However Zenus only has eyes for Mary, but Mary has no such desire for him.

Though his aunt is determined to design a masterpiece marriage, both Zenus and Mary will have to overcome their stubborn ways. Can he realize that love requires stepping out of his routine? And will she recognize that following her heart doesn’t mean sacrificing her ambition?

Masterpiece Marriage is a historical fiction story like no other. There’s not a flirtatious wink in the whole book. The characters are not shallow or fickle, and yet love and it’s role in marriage – as well as the role of men and women in society – headlines the plot.

Masterpiece Marriage is set in a most unique period of history. It takes place during a time when suffragettes are marching for the vote and are just beginning to be accepted to institutions of higher learning around the world. When the vast majority of women are leaving home for marriage and children as they have for generations before them. It’s this very perspective that makes this book stand out from every other romance novel on the shelf: both characters choose to pursue other things before love.

I like both Zenus and Mary. Mary works diligently to pursue her dreams. Zenus struggles to please others while bearing a load of pain from his youth. They both have much to overcome, and that makes this my favorite type of story: one of perseverance and victory.

If you’re looking for a romantic story that contains more than fluff and warm fuzzies, Masterpiece Marriage is the book for you.

Purchase your own copy of this book here or read other reviews on this bloggy hop here.

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Gina Welborn is the author of several novels and novellas, including The Heiress’s Courtship. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers; the president of Faith, Hope and Love; and a founding member of InkwellInspirations.com. She lives in Cache, Oklahoma, with her pastor husband and their five children. Visit her online at GinaWelborn.com.

I received a free copy of Masterpiece Marriage from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.