Book Love: Jesus Land.

I read the book Jesus Land about three weeks ago now. I was mesmerized by it from the moment I picked it up and never stopped reading it until I had it finished that same day. This book spoke to me in ways I had never imagined. As soon as I put it down, I contacted the author through her website. She recently returned my e-mail with a brief but lovely response - for which I am grateful.

I wanted to write a review about this book here on the blog, but find that words fail me. Instead, I will post the letter that I sent to her on the day that I read the book. To protect the identity of a couple of people, I have deleted a sentence or two ... but for the most part, this is what I sent to the author, Julia Scheeres on July 11, 2009:

Dear Julia,

I just finished your book Jesus Land --- literally five minutes ago. As soon as I put it down, I had to visit your website to see if there was a way in which I could contact you to express my sincerest thanks for your book, as well as my deepest apologies for the pain I can only imagine that you feel over the death of your brother. I also hope to express to you that as an adoptive Mom to a Haitian born son, I am eternally grateful that you have put to words so much of what I have seen in the adoption community .... that is ... over zealous, white, evangelical Christians who adopt "black" children in order to "save their souls" ... all the while never truly loving these children as family, and often treating them as burdens to be overcome in order to become right with God, etc...etc... David's story is one that I have witnessed in my own life. It is why I bought the book. It is a subject matter that I have desperately wanted to see written about. And you wrote about it so perfectly ... so lovingly ... so honestly ...

I truly feel at such a loss to express to you just how much your book means to me. I have deleted at least a hundred different sentences in this brief e-mail already. I guess I am overwhelmed with emotions. Perhaps I haven't given myself time to fully digest the book --- as I read it non-stop as soon as I picked it up today. I just know that I NEEDED to contact you.

I can tell you that my son, Isaac, is the light of my life. Though I never gave birth to him (plainly obvious from my lily white skin)... I truly believe that he and I made a pact to become mother and child before either one of us was born. His adoption story is one that I would love to share with you sometime. It has its own magic & heartbreak. And ultimately it is a love story ... just as your relationship to your brother is. My son (age 4) and I get many of the same looks as you and your brother did. Our relationship is totally understood by some ... unimaginable to many ... disgusting to others ... and yet there are those who think I am some sort of hero for adopting the "unwanted" from a third-world country (these people make my stomach lurch). And then there are those evangelical Christians who worked with the same evangelical orphanage that I did --- people who were also adopting --- but for all the wrong reasons (to bring these heathen kids to Jesus and to never "spare the rod" in doing so) --- these are the people who often haunt my thoughts. It is their adopted children (some who I came to love) that I cry for. The orphanage itself reminds me of the "reform school" that you and your brother endured. In order to work with them I needed to act the part of the evangelical christian ... a role that was easy for me given my childhood ... but was hard for my Turkish born husband. I wish I could have taken all the children home with us ... but I knew who my son was ... and it was him we came to find. Not to rescue ... but to FIND. I already knew him in my heart, I just needed to get him home to me for good. And I did. And life is good. But I never forget the others.

(deleted paragraph)

Anyway ... I am rambling a bit. I just really want to thank you in a million ways ... for a million reasons. Your abuse at the hands of Jerome is something else that spoke to me personally ... as well as your relationship with Scott ... your reasoning for such a relationship, etc. I felt you girl. Truly. And though I am so sorry for the life experience it took for you to write such a memoir, I thank you for putting it out there.

Lastly, if you are interested, I invite you to check out my blog: www.thishandmadelife.blogspot.com. The following posts deal with parts of my son's adoption:

http://thishandmadelife.blogspot.com/2008/02/fever.html

http://thishandmadelife.blogspot.com/2008/08/songs-for-isaac.html

http://thishandmadelife.blogspot.com/2008/10/good-news.html

There are many more, but I'd have to do some serious blog searching to find them (he came home over 3 years ago).

Well, again, thank you Julia from the bottom of my heart. Please know that I now carry you and David in my heart forever. You did him a wonderful tribute by sharing him with others ... as he cannot now be forgotten ... ever. Please let me know if there is any way I can help the children of Escuela Caribe. I have signed up for your updates ...

Much love to you & yours,

Jodi

The above photo is of Julia and her brother, David. taken in 1986.

I hope by my putting this letter "out there" --- some of you may be interested in reading the book. Though some parts of the book spoke to me more than others, this really is a memoir for everybody. It is interesting and compelling on more levels than I could convey here. If you read it, please let me know what you think.


Thanks & Love,

Jodi

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Some Bargains to Share.

Hi all. I just wanted to "pop in" to share some bargains with you that I recently found on Amazon.com. I purchased them all myself, so can attest for their quality. If you are interested, better get 'em while you can, as quanities are limited:


The Night Before Christmas: Hardcover. $6.99. Absolutely gorgeous papercut artwork. And I personally love that the characters are all shown as silhouettes, so that my son can decide what color skin Santa has.

Pirate Pete: Hardcover. $5.99. Not your "average" pirate. This one is sweet ... yet still very "piratey". Perfect for younger kids. Would make a great gift. (Isaac is getting his copy for Christmas).

The Hero and the Crown: Paperback. $4.99. Robin McKinley has quite a following among both teens and adults. Her work is wonderfully crafted. Just read the reviews. This book would make a great gift for a reading teen... or an adult like me who can't get enough fantasy fiction.

An Ordinary Man: Hardcover. $6.99. This book is the autobiography of the incredible man who saved many lives during the Rwanda genocide by secretly opening his hotel up for refugees. The movie "Hotel Rwanda" is based on this book.

I hope you find my occassional bargain tips useful. You can find all these bargain books and more in my Amazon.com shop. I have just added a "bargains" section. You may want to occasionally check back there to see what other goodies I find.

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Jodi

P.S. I am still working on my Digital Photography School Scavenger Hunt ... see HERE for my latest entries. Are any of you giving it a go?

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The Sisters Grimm.

If you don't know by now, I am a lover of children's literature ... especially the fairy tale variety. And I am a HUGE fan of the "series" ... you know ... books that come out in a chronological order ... tales that build upon one another ... tales where characters are so well constructed that they begin to feel like family. I read every Harry Potter book (who didn't really?), every one of the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" novels, and several in between. Now, I am hooked on "The Sisters Grimm"... and for good reason.

These books are ingenious. Imagine throwing every childhood fairy tale character into their own little town ... where they cannot leave from ... mix in some human neighbors ... force the "everafters" (that's what fairy tale characters are called) to try to lead normal lives (Snow White is a teacher, the Three Pigs are all policeman, etc.) ... and let the chaos ensue. It is hilarious, adventurous, and a trip back into my own childhood fantasies.

The Sisters Grimm ... and their whole Grimm family ... serve as fairy tale detectives in this crazy little town. I don't want to give anything away, so I will just leave it at that. These tales are told from their perspective. Each story unravels a mystery... and perhaps I am a little naive, but I do not see the endings coming. They each have their own little twist that keeps them fresh and exciting.

I highly recommend these books for independant readers ages 8 and up. Or for parent/child bedtime readings for the younger child. Knowledge of basic fairy tales is not totally essential (Jack & the Beanstalk, The Three Bears, Snow White, etc) but will make the stories all the more fun and interesting.

The author gives some great commentary at the end of the books, as well as questions/answers about the reading and offerings of additional information regarding fairy tales around the world. Good stuff.

And - of course - I highly recommend this series for those adults who are young at heart. Just read the reviews on Amazon.com. They are mostly written by adults who have enjoyed these books right along with their kids. Gives you and the kids that much more to chat about ... and to relate to.

At $5.95 each - they are well worth the investment. ENJOY!

Love,
Jodi

P.S. Please remember that if you do wish to purchase these books through Amazon.com, you can do so through the little Amazon.com box to the right of my blog. By using my link, Isaac will earn 4% of your sales in gift certificates that he and I can use toward his homeschooling books. THANK YOU!

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Some Book "Referrals"...

Books I am loving right now:

Print Liberation: The Screen Printing Primer by Nick Paparone. Perfect for beginner level screen printers. Comes with some ready to use art. So well written and engaging --- with lots of photo inspirations.

Mother Teresa by Mary Cobb. Yes, this book was written for younger people ... but I just love this DK Biography series. Each book gives me such intriquing insight into their subjects without putting me to sleep. There is plenty of wonderful info (and pictures)contained without overdoing it. For $4.99 each - I recommend everyone treat themselves to one. I have enjoyed Harry Houdini, Ben Franklin, Annie Oakley, Marie Curie, and Joan of Arc. All well done.

The Digital Photography Book. by Scott Kelby. A must for anyone interested in improving their digital photography. I carry it around in my camera bag so that I can refer to it. Surely, I will eventually outgrow it, but for now it is like carrying around my own personal professional photographer coach in my backpack.

Books I am looking forward to loving (on Pre-order):

Screen Your Stuff: A Fun, Funky Introduction to Silk-Screening Your Tees, Totes, Towels & More by Levy and Georgelin.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling. I am certain that if this woman wrote a book on the art of paper towel designs ... I would read it.

SO... what are you reading???

Love,

Jodi

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An Egg is Quiet.

I have faith that spring is coming despite the seven-foot snow piles in my front yard. I have been here before ... in that limbo of a March in Maine ... where the sun shines but the snow continues to fall. I know that in just a couple of weeks, I will be "enjoying" mud puddles that are often twelve feet in diameter and at least six inches deep. I will be watching (and hearing) all my bird friends return to their spring/summer feeding and breeding grounds. My chickens will begin frolicking in the grass and laying fresh eggs. And Isaac and I will be outside WAY more than we are in.

With spring fever (and we DO get spring fever around here ... big time) fast approaching, I have been pulling out some of my recent "spring" book purchases for all to enjoy. And I SO have a favorite this year: An Egg is Quiet by Diana Aston and Sylvia Long. This book may go down as my favorite non-fiction picture book of all time. Perhaps it is because I am so enamored with eggs in general ... perhaps it is the amazing illustrations ... or perhaps it is the simple way that this book conveys so much knowledge and wonder. Any which way, it is a wonderful way to learn and appreciate the way that so much of life is created and nurtured through "eggs".

You can visit here to learn more about this book, but I wanted to share some of the incredible illustrations here as well:

This book inspires me in so many ways. Each time I look through it, I get especially excited about letting my hens hatch out some of their own chicks this year. It has been a while since we have done so. And I look forward to sharing the wonder and beauty of this experience with Isaac.

I hope you are all finding your own special ways to welcome (or summon) in spring this year.

Love,

Jodi

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A Highly Recommended Book:

I bought this sweet book for Isaac before he came home to us. I just new it contained a message that I wanted him to hear over and over again.

Little Raccoon is forever asking his Mom WHEN it is that she loves him the most. Is it when he cleans up his room? Is it when he does well at his swimming lessons? Is it when he can climb a tree very well? And Mother keeps telling him that though she loves when he does all of those things, that is not when she loves him MOST. Finally, after several attempts to find out when it is that Mom loves him most of all, Little Raccoon gets exasperated, and asks, "Is it now?" To which Mother replies, "Yes, it is NOW. Now is the time that I love you most of all. Do you know why? ... Because there is no special time. I love you all the time. So, whatever time it happens to be - day or night - that's the time I love you most Little Raccoon."

"You mean right now?" asks Little Raccoon.
"Yes, right now," said his Mother. "It is always right now."

(Gives me a chill every time I read it :)

Though I think this book is great for any child & parent to read together, I especially believe that is is most beneficial to children who were adopted at an older age ... and may have some serious doubts as to whether they are truly loved just for being who they are ... or whether they have to continue to prove themselves to be lovable. This book speaks to that so well, and can be used as a catalyst for some wonderful discussion. The illustrations contained are sure to keep your child interested ... they're full of whimsy ... and the raccoon is so darn cute.

If you are interested in learning more about the book, please click here. And for the sake of full disclosure, if you purchase this book through the link provided, my family will receive a small but useful referral fee.

Thank you & Enjoy!
Love,
Jodi

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Try Some Paper Crafts.

I have always enjoyed working with fabric. It comes in so many colors, textures, themes, etc. I love collecting it, cutting it, touching it (oh, I love the touching :) and sewing it. But I had no idea, until recently, that working with paper could be so satisfying as well. I think I have found a new obsession ... I mean, hobby.

It all started with a simple snowflake book:

I bought it for $9.95 on Amazon.... and have been making snowflakes almost daily since! When I use a pattern in this book, I get a quick and beautiful result from paper and a just a few snips with the scissors. Not a bad way to spend 10 minutes. Now these snowflakes are taking over our house...

But it doesn't end there. I went on to buy this book as well:

I am having such fun with it. There are some amazing patterns in this book - and all are easily accomplished by anyone (that means you!) with some paper, sharp scissors and an exacto-knife. There are dragons, snowflakes, animals of all kinds, people, large scenes and small, etc... Truly something for everyone - at every level. Here was my very first attempt at cutting a pattern from this book:

No doubt - these little chickies will be multiplying all over the house this Easter.

Ahhh ... but of course, my paper obsession continued to grow, so I picked up this amazing book as well:

It has become an absolute favorite. I had been visiting this author's blog for quite some time, but though I admired her artwork, I assumed it was beyond my capabilities. Then I bought her book ... and I am taking such pleasure in creating personal collages... and lovin' the results:

She uses fabric in her collages as well (a step I haven't yet taken), so crafting in this way may be the ultimate blending of my two favorite materials. Oh, and paint is certainly alot of fun as well!

So, for those who have written me in the past, to say that they admire my sewing because they themselves are not "crafty", I say ... phooey.. you are wrong. We are all crafty, we all have art to share ... and perhaps you may want to start expressing yourself with some snowflakes ... and then move on from there :)

Enjoy!

Love, Jodi

P.S. More papercrafting books are on their way to my mailbox (of course), so I will be sure to offer up more ideas as I receive them :)

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Inspiration: Chief Mankiller

Many years ago I read this great book by and about an Indian chief who achieved amazing things for her people against incredible odds. Her story was such an inspiration to me. At that time I was just beginning my journey into womanhood ... I had just left home to get married ... and I had no clue yet about the wonder, beauty and power of women. Chief Mankiller , and many other inspirational female authors, helped to initiate my self-exploration into what it meant to be a woman, a wife, a mother, a member of my community, etc.

And today, by divine intervention, I came across the following quote:

"When people cease waiting for great leaders or prophets to solve entrenched problems and look, instead, within themselves - trusting their own thinking, believing in their own power - and to their families and communities for solutions, change will follow. In traditional indigenous communities, there is an understanding that our lives play themselves out within a set of reciprocal relationships. If each human being in the world could fully understand that we all are interdependent and responsible for one another, it would save the world." ~ Wilma Mankiller

I am now reminded of the power of me (& you), of the beauty of the reciprocal relationships I (we) share with so many others, and of my (our) responsibility to the whole of humanity. I was thankful to have found it today, and thought I would pass along the book title that inspired me so many years ago ...

Mankiller: A Chief and Her People

Much Love,
Jodi

P.S. Day 9 of "30 Days of the Everyday"

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Craft Book Love.

Ahhh ... I can't tell you how happy my recent surge in craft book collecting has made me lately. I used to buy maybe three or four new craft books a year. But in the past two months or so, I have added at least 10 to my collection, and I am almost giddy with excitement. There is nothing like an inspirational craft book to get my creative juices flowing. And I have been well inspired by some of my recent picks.

So, here is a list of the goodies I have obtained ... with some comments on why I love them so ... and some links if you are interested in purchasing your own copies. (Just click on the titles for more info and buying information). Enjoy :

Fabric Art Journals: Making, Sewing, and Embellishing Journals from Cloth and Fibers One of my absolute favorites. The first part of the book gives you all the information you need to get started, including techniques, tools, stitches, etc. All well explained, including visuals. Perfect for beginners & advanced crafters alike. The second part is full of gorgeous projects with step-by-step instruction. All are well within the capabilities of any level of crafter, as it is not so much the construction of the books that is inspired, but rather it is what you do to embellish them that is key. And the last part of the book gives you several pages of examples of cloth books made by others. Lots of inspiration on the possibilites of various embellishment techniques there. I am just wild for this book and am itching to get started!

The Impatient Patchworker: 20 Great Projects You Can Make in a Hurry This is one of those books that should be a staple in any crafter's home. Though it is certainly a beginner's book - it serves as a reminder to advanced crafters of the possibilites of quick and simple gift-making. The instructions are clear and come with detailed illustration of almost every step. I have used this book for making several gifts, including patchworked potholders (not your Grandma's potholders either - these are way more hip), and patchworked pillows (again with the "hip").

Kids Embroidery: Projects for Kids of All Ages I fully intended to give this book to Meaghan for Christmas, but found that I cannot let go of it! I guess the "...for Kids of All Ages" applied to me. There are some sweet and simple craft projects in here that I just have to try. But more than that, the instruction is so well-illustrated that I am going to keep this book as a reference to guide me through the various embroidery stitches that I tend to forget how to do only minutes after doing them.

Quilted Memories: Journaling, Scrapbooking & Creating Keepsakes with Fabric This is the first craft book that I actually read. I mean, I usually just skim these books for what I need, but this book was so intriguing, inspired and well-written, that I was compelled to lay in bed and read the whole book. It is just wonderful. There are some nice instructions for those that want to make similar projects, but the beauty of this book is the inspiration it gives for coming up with your own unique pieces. Incorporating my photography with my sewing has become a goal of mine, and this book gives me basically all I need to get started on doing so. I HIGHLY recommend this one.

How To Make Books : Fold, Cut & Stitch Your Way to a One-of-a-Kind Book I found this book on several other blogs that I read. For a while, this book was all the rage in the blogging world. And although it was so far from my current interests (I hadn't really crafted in paper at all), I thought I would check it out anyway. And I am now yet another blogger who sings the praises of this book - and will begin to explore the possibilites of my own book making... as it looks so much simpler than I ever would have thought. There is even instruction for making a book out of one sheet of paper ... and it is not as basic as you might imagine. The book is well written and quirky-fun. Perhaps the illustrations are somewha lacking fr my taste, as I need things to be visualy "spelled out" for me. But I think the text makes up for this. Anyway, I have now begun to journey into the world of paper craft and am getting exited about it.

Chic Bags: 22 Handbags, Purses, Totes and Accessories to Make My husband gave this book to me for Christmas this year and I was pleasantly surprised by his insight! In fact, just weeks prior, I had been drooling over this very book at my local Borders Bookstore. The patterns contained range from beginner to advanced and all are quite accessible. The illustrated directions are well laid out and easy to follow. And the bags are all quite unique. Some of the fabric choices are hideous (in my humble opinion), but it is not a far stretch for me to imagine the bags in my own fabric choices. And as I am learning, a girl can never have too many bags!

Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts If a craft book can be "classy", then this one is. It is very well-written, so well-organized and the photography is absolute eye-candy. The book is divided into sections of projects that are grouped together by how long they will take you to complete: Less-than-2-Hour Gifts, 2- to 4-Hour Gifts, and so on. Gift projects range from Scrapbooks and coasters ... to pillowcases and tablecloths... to stuffed elephants and quilts. All sorts of goodies. All well described and illustrated. Such a great book!

Crafts to Celebrate the Seasons I have to admit that this is my least favorite of all my recent book purchases. And in fact, I did not purchase this one, but rather I mooched it on Bookmooch.com (the other above titles are not available on Bookmooch at this time). I do think Mary Engelbreit's cheerful artistry is fun & whimsical ... and I appreciate it and am interested in incorporating some of it in my new home, but this book just seems downright silly and unworthy of the rest of my list. But I included it for balance ... and it is not without some charming projects - like the sweet mittens in the above photo. I say, borrow it from a library because you won't need it for long. Quite uninspiring, brief and way-too-quirky (the eggshell Easter projects seem ridiculous).

So There It Is! I hope you enjoyed this list ... and I hope you found some gems within it to add to your own bookshelves. I think that I will make this a regular part of my blogging ... sharing book lists like this one. I have an enormous collection and am always adding to it, so perhaps readers can benefit from these sorts of book reviews.

Please feel free to add some of your recent craft book purchases to the comment section as well as some of your own thoughts on the above mentioned titles.

Thank You & Enjoy the Day!

~ Jodi

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