Sunday Post: Christmas in New York, goodbye 2016, etc.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog…

Oh my gosh, I cannot believe that December is flying by so quickly and that Christmas is right around the corner. This is always a busy time of year and I haven’t gotten in as much reading time as I would have liked to, but that’s ok. Once the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over hopefully I can get more time to read.

Lately, I feel like after a busy day I can’t sit and focus on reading. I tend to gravitate towards crocheting instead, I think it’s because my hands are moving. Does that make sense? With crochet, depending on the project, I usually don’t have to focus too much and I can just do it while watching tv.

Mailbox Monday: A crafty mailbox and a little Austen

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Happiness is books in my mailbox and I have a very crafty mailbox to share this week. Aside from books in the mail, our elf on the shelf Noel showed up this week also. He has been hanging out around my book shelves.

Sunset in Central Park  by Sarah Morgan arrived via AmazonVine. This one caught my eye because it has two things I enjoy, romance and New York.

In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it’s been right under your nose all along…

Mailbox Monday: It’s all about Christmas

“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.”-Kahlil Gibran

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Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you are all doing well. We drove out to Upstate NY last week for some picture-taking, hence the photo above. It was a beautiful day and a great way to de-stress a bit after a crazy week. It was the perfect Fall day.

On a bookish note, I know that Thanksgiving hasn’t even arrived, yet I couldn’t help be in the Christmas spirit already. I just have one book to share this week:

Crochet Stories: E. T. A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker by Lindsay Smith

source: free review copy via NetGalley
title: Crochet Stories: E. T. A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker by Lindsay Smith
published: Dover Publications (November 18, 2015)
pages: 96
genre: crochet/crafting
rated: 4 out of 5

Description
Experience the enduring charms of the holiday classic in an entirely different way! This version of the beloved tale is illustrated with full-color images of crocheted characters. Each chapter of the adventure ― from the Christmas Eve party to the fierce battle between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King to the visit to Toyland and beyond ― features complete instructions for crocheting charming representations of the story’s personalities and props.

Twelve easy-to-follow patterns depict Marie and her Nutcracker, the Mouse King, the enchanted clock, a Christmas tree surrounded by wrapped gifts, and other festive figures. Well-illustrated instructions specify yarn colors, materials, gauge, and abbreviations for stitches; a Techniques section offers guidance to crocheters. All patterns specify yarns that are readily available in craft stores. The ideal gifts for all Nutcracker enthusiasts, these amigurumi figures are keepsake treasures that will brighten every holiday season.

My thoughts:
First off, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and I hope you are all enjoying the holidays with your loved ones. I thought today was a good day to post my thoughts on this crochet pattern book.

Lindsay Smith has created twelve patterns inspired by the beloved classic story, The Nutcracker.
What I like here is that the patterns are easy to follow and the presentation is very well done. How cute are these little holiday themed creations? The characters are introduced before each crochet pattern with snippets from the book, which I thought was a nice touch. There is a Technique section at the end of the book to help guide you as well.