The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

If you love a good mystery (and one that is well written), you will love this book!  I will not lie, it took me a good 75 pages to "really get into" the story.  The first 75 pages were interesting, just not captivating.  That being said, once you do "really get into" the novel, good luck trying to put it down before finishing the last sentence of the last chapter.

The basis of the book?  Margaret Lea, a bookseller's daughter, is contacted by the world famous author, Vida Winter.  The dying author hires Margaret to tell her own long-hidden life story.  The dramatic tale unfolds in the setting of two estates:  Vida Winter's estate in Yorkshire and Angelfield, Winter's childhood home.  Telling you anything more would be unfair; a reader should be left to enjoy each page without any sort of spoilers.

What I can tell you is that Setterfield's talent is every English literature teacher's dream.  The incredible detail of each scene can only be outdone by a strong personal memory.  It is evident that the tale takes place over a long period of time, but emphasis is always on the complexity of each character, rather than historical references.  Setterfield created believable characters and her sensible narrator keeps the dramatic tale grounded in reality.

Put this book on your list.  It is out in paperback; no excuses.

CRAFTING

I love love love crafts.  This past weekend I visited The Renegade Craft Fair.  It was AMAZING.  I picked up a pair of earrings, a gorgeous print, and a TON of ideas!  You will be sure that next year I will bring my camera so that I can share more with you!

Speaking of crafts, I am itching to start crafting thanks to two books I recently acquired.  The first book, Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts, was a birthday gift.

From this book, I crafted tissue paper pom poms for a friend's bridal shower that I hosted.

Now, I am focused on creating some crafts from the book  Craft Hope, a gift from a very thoughtful friend (and fellow crafter).

This book is AMAZING.  The book is FULL of darling crafts:  dolls, quilts, scarves, pillow cases, soft blocks, aprons and tons, tons more!  The best part of the book is that each craft is linked to a charity.  Check out the website The Craft Hope Book to learn more about this incredible publication.  

Happy Crafting!

Eloise Inspires The Plaza Hotel

Fanciful Friday is here at last!

Books inspire so many people in so many ways: costumes, movies, amusement parks, and television shows.  If you are not familiar with the Eloise books, you should be.  The stories are darling.  Eloise is a six-year-old girl who lives in the "room on the tippy-top floor" of the New York landmark Plaza Hotel with her nanny, her puppy, and her turtle.  Eloise has inspired made for television movies and an animated series.  Recently, Betsey Johnson found inspiration in Kay Thompson's pint-size resident of the Plaza Hotel.  Obviously drawing from Hilary Knight's beautiful illustrations, Betsey Johnson took her first professional stab at interior designs.  From the picture featured in Elle Decor's article, she hit a home run!  A whimsical night in this fabulous suite at the Plaza Hotel starts at $995.00, but it is free to view Eloise's famous portrait in the hotel lobby!

Here is the picture from the Elle Decor website provided courtesy of the Plaza Hotel.

Please do check out the article!  It is too cute!  Elle Decor: A Pint-Size Plaza Suite