Hello to all who may still be checking my blog

for signs of life on occasion.   It's been a while 

since I last posted and I have no excuse except

perhaps laziness.

And it does seem that blogging is becoming 

something of a fading fad ... albeit a fad that

lasted for roughly 10 years or so.

So many bloggers have stopped posting or

have gone to private settings or have moved

to vlogging on Youtube instead.   Not to 

mention other forms of social media that I

may not be familiar with, dinosaur that I am

when it comes to things techie.

When it comes to Youtube I follow:  booktubers,

flosstubers, journal-tubers, art-tubers etc.  There

are "tubers" for every interest it seems.

(Hmmm .... wonder if there are such things as cat-

tubers???  Probably.  But I digress .... ).

Confession:  If a vlog post lasts longer then 20

minutes I don't bother.   I can happily read a blog 

post as long as your arm but when it comes to the

newer fad of vlogging I usually get bored sooner

rather then later.

With the exception of a few vloggers that is.

(Hello Vonna!!)

I have been tempted to try my own hand at vlogging

though it would more likely be of the booktube 

variety rather then flosstubing.

But when it comes to vlogging there's something that

you need there that you don't need when blogging.

Blogging you should to be able to compose your

words into pleasant, interesting sentences.   You don't

even need to know how to spell as long as you have

spellcheck.   Thought I suppose having a grasp of the

sometimes discombobulating theories of grammar

might come in handy as well.

I don't worry about that sort of thing too much myself.

Obviously!

Ahem!

But there is something more you need when vlogging.

Personality.   Enthusiasm.   Charisma.    Stage presence.    

You can't just drone on, and on, and on .... not if 

you want to attract viewers and keep them as 

subscribers/followers.

I don't know that I'd have that ... whatever it is.

It's easier for me to express in writing what I

want to say.   Well, usually.    And I would be

so self conscious on a vlog.   Does this camera

make me look fat?  Is my hair on straight?   Are

my eyebrows even?    What's that on my chin?

And then there's the lighting, camera, setting,

props, editing.   OMG!!!!

No, I'll stick to blogging.  Sporadic posts 

not withstanding it's more my thing.   

An important reason that I wanted to post today is a 

wonderful package that I received in the mail 

yesterday from Andrea at The Craftroom.

Talented stitcher,  amazing finisher and long time

blogging friend ... and a more generous soul you'd

be hard pressed to find anywhere.

Andrea gives away a number of her Christmas

ornaments every year to lucky followers of her

blog and has done so for many years.   I won one

of her ornaments way back in 2009 and it's a

cherished possession let me tell you.

This year Andrea sent me this beautiful ornament

along with the other treasures that you can see in

the previous pictures.   It's freaking gorgeous!!!

I am stunned.  I am speechless (well, I was when

I opened the package .... trust me).   It may be one of

the nicest memories that I'll have of this Christmas

season.

Thank you Andrea.  Just ... ah .... thank you!

Other pastimes of note.   Journalling.  The days of 

writing in a little pink diary with a tiny lock and key

have evolved, as have so many other creative pursuits,

into so much more.

Not just writing but also adding photos,  magazine pictures,

ephemera from daily activities,  clip art and on an on.

Being a visual person it appeals to me a lot.   I have kept

written journals in the past but these "visual" journals please

me even more.

Part written journal,  part photo album,  part art journal,

part place to keep favourite images from magazines

like Victoria that I can't allow myself to hoard,  much as

I might want to.

And for someone with a short and often faulty memory

it's a great way to remember.

And I am using up a lot of those craft supplies that are

taking up space in my craft room.

Win, win.

Reading.  

Here are a few of the books that I have been

reading this Fall.

Ann Bishop's "Others" series.   I've been 

collecting these books for awhile but just 

picked up the first one in October to read.

Tore through all four in no time flat.  

Fantasy,  strong characters, good story lines

that evolve through each book.   Humor.  

Book five comes out in the new year.

I'm not at all religious but I do enjoy the

Mitford books.   I own and have read them all.   

This is a nice ... wouldn't it be great if the world

and the way religion was practised was

really like this ... series of stories.  Heart

warming, comfort reading.   

Also great character building, humor and

story weaving.

English humor.   Great characters.  Perhaps a bit of a 

satire?  Or a commentary on a way of life? Gentle

love story between two diverse characters ....

one set in his own ways and not inclined to

see any other way of living or thinking.

Oh, and the love story is between two people

who are, shall we say, of a more mature age?

Nice change from the 20 to 30 year olds we

usually see in books falling in love.

Wow!!   Loved this one.   A bit of a history story,  a bit of

a love story,  a bit of a time travel story.   Could not put it

down!!

Another historical novel,  based on true events.  Did you

ever read or hear about the apartment in a Paris building

opened for the first time 70 years after it's doors were locked

at the beginning of the second world war????

The author creates a history and a backstory about what might 

have been behind this fascinating event and the people 

who might have lived there.  How the contents of the apartment 

might have related to those people.  Why it was abandoned.

Very good read.

And finally ....

My latest obsession.

I got Netflix in November.    Started watching a few 

programs and movies.   Picked out the first episode of

Downton Abbey remembering all of the hype about it 

from a few years ago.   Started watching it.   Ohhh myyy!!

I'm doomed!!!

Crushing on Matthew and Mr Bates and Tom.

And the reason that I got Netflix in the first place.

The Crown. 

Devoured it!!  

Tried to space it out.   Watch one a night or every other

night.   Just to make it last.

Yeah,  that didn't work.

Soooo,  when's the next season coming????

*****************************************************

And that's about all from me for this time around.  If you've

read this far I congratulate you.   And thank you.

Have a great day!

Cheers!