Uniquely Kayla

"Waiting on" Wednesday (2)

2011-08-24T14:30:00.000-04:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights an upcoming book release that we are eagerly anticipating.

Today, I am waiting on The Iron Knight. The Iron Fey series is one of my favorites, mostly because of Prince Ash. Love him!!! And this book is written from his perspective. He is trying to keep his promise to Meghan and if anything is right in this world, he will succeed!!! I believe this is the last book in the series, and I will cry if there is not a happily ever after for Meghan and Ash.

The Iron Knight
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publication Date: October 25

Summary from Goodreads :

"Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice."

Top Ten Tuesday (2)

2011-08-23T14:30:00.009-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is Top Ten Books You Loved But Never Wrote A Review For (either books you loved and couldn't bring yourself to write a review for or books that you read long before blogging...time to give them a shoutout!)

Well, considering I have never done a review on my blog, I will just list my Top Ten Favorite books. These are books that if I started doing reviews, I wouldn't review them because it would just be a major swooning and fangirl fest.

1. Twilight
2. New Moon
3. Eclipse
4. Breaking Dawn,
5.City of Bones
6. City of Ashes
7. City of Glass
8 City of Fallen Angels
9. The Truth About Forever
10. Hush, Hush

"Waiting on" Wednesday (1)

2011-08-17T14:30:00.032-04:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights an upcoming book release that we are eagerly anticipating.

My first "Waiting on" Wednesday is not my most anticipated book of 2011 but it is the next book that I am "Waiting on." I recently finished the Vampire Academy series and loved it! This is the first book in a spin-off series and since Rose has her happily ever after, I can't wait to see this world from Sydney's perspective. Oh, and Adrian will be there. He always brings the fun!

Bloodlines

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: August 23

Summary from Goodreads :

"The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood."

Top Ten Tuesday (1)

2011-08-16T15:00:00.006-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is a Freebie. We can pick anything we want to do a Top Ten Tuesday on and what a week to start. This week, I will do Top Ten Book Series. I love to read book series. It just seems more fulfilling to me when I get to be invested in characters over several books. In no particular order:

1. Twilight - I know some people hate the Twilight series, but I LOVE it! It is the catalyst that got me reading again and will probably always be my favorite.

2. The Mortal Instruments - I just can't say enough about the world and characters (especially Jace!) that Cassandra Clare has created in The Mortal Instruments series. AND I am soooo excited for the movie!!

3. Iron Fey - Prince Ash! That's all I have to say!

4. Morganville Vampires - I love this series and have found that most bloggers that I follow haven't read it. It is awesome and I love that the main character and her boyfriend are HUMAN! Who knew that was possible in paranormal YA? And then there's Myrnin...trust - he is AWESOME!!

5. The Tale of Lunarmorte - Samantha Young is a self-published author and this series is fantastic. Self-published books are hit or miss for me, but this series knocked it out of the park (as has the only other book by her I have read)! Give it a chance!

6. Hunger Games - Absolutely love Kat with Peeta! The story throughout this series was just so gripping, I couldn't put it down. Luckily I had all three books when I started the series. Gotta say the ending was a little bit of a let down for me. I wanted more happily ever after - it's just who I am!

7. Hush Hush - Nora about Patch: "He was the worst kind of wrong. He was so wrong it felt right, and that made me feel completely out of control."

8, Tiger Saga - Bought the first book at Wal-Mart late one night because I needed something to read and was surprisingly pleased with this book. The second book was just as good. Can't wait for Tiger's Voyage in November.

9. Vampire Academy - Just finished this series a couple of weeks ago and LOVED it. How did I go so long without reading? Sooooo looking forward to the Bloodlines series.

10. Infernal Devices - I know that only one of the books for this series is out, but I have great faith in Cassandra Clare's writing. The series as a whole will be awesome!

Booking Through Thursday (1)

2011-08-16T14:45:00.001-04:00

It’s National Book Week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status.

The closest book to me is my Nook (as it has been since I got it!) and I am currently reading My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent. The 5th sentence on page 56 of My Soul to Steal is:

Not yet.

This is my first Booking Through Thursday post!

Ash to Nash Book Tour

2011-08-06T20:42:00.000-04:00

Just had an amazing day with my niece Jordan. We drove to Sylva, NC to the City Lights Bookstore to see YA authors Beth Revis, Myra McEntire, and Victoria Schwab! These ladies are amazing, brilliant, funny, and an overall inspiration. This was my first book signing and what a way to start!

If you get the chance, go to a signing with these ladies...you will be laughing the entire time!

Kayla

Hobbies are meant to be fun

2011-05-15T05:49:00.000-04:00

Sooooo, I couldn't make it through the 'A Card a Day in the Month of May' challenge. Sadly I only got through 4 days. I could have pushed myself to keep going, but then it wouldn't be fun...and hobbies are meant to be fun. I have enough things I have to do, without adding card making to my plate. I want to ensure that card making continues to be something I choose to do, because as soon as it becomes a chore, I won't want to do it anymore.

So, until inspiration hits me again....have a good day! =)

A Card a Day in the Month of May - May 4th

2011-05-05T04:52:00.001-04:00

Here is my card for the fourth day of "A Card a Day in the Month of May." It seems that I am drawn to Penny Black stamps, as this card has another one of her stamps named "daydream." Haha! I picked the sentiment for the card before reading the name of the stamp! It couldn't have been more perfect if I tried.

I tend to add tons of embellishments to my cards, so am making an effort (after seeing so many beautiful, simple, sleek, clean cards) to try some with fewer embellishments. My attempt failed today, but there is always tomorrow. =)

A Card a Day in the Month of May - May 3rd

2011-05-04T05:20:00.001-04:00

Here is my card for the third day of "A Card a Day in the Month of May." So I finally was able to make a card based on the actual sketch for the week. I almost ruined the flower image for this card by trying to add flock to the center of the it. For some reason, my Zig glue pen started to dry as soon as I put it on the paper so I had to add Glossy Accents to get the flock to stick. It turned out pretty cool because the center of the flower is raised now.

I made this card yesterday (May 3rd) morning, but didn't get it posted until this morning, because Bite Club came out and I HAD to read it yesterday afternoon. It was so good! I love the Morganville Vampires series and completely think they should make it into a TV show - not a movie. Anyway, I <3 Shane!!!

A Card A Day in the Month of May - May 2nd

2011-05-02T05:19:00.004-04:00

Here is my card for the second day of "A Card a Day in the Month of May." I have been eyeing this stamp for several months, but somehow always found something else to buy at Hobby Lobby. When I went to Hobby Lobby on Saturday, I decided to buy this specific stamp before going in. I walked to the stamp aisle and....IT WASN'T THERE!!! Needless to say, since you see the card, I found one in the clearance section and snatched it up. It is a Penny Black stamp named Sisterhood and again colored with Copics. Tomorrow, hopefully a Mother's Day card.

A Card A Day in the Month of May - May 1st

2011-05-02T05:19:00.003-04:00

So, here is a pic of my first card for " A Card A Day in the Month of May." I saw this little girl stamp at Hobby Lobby the other day and HAD to use my 40% coupon to get her right then...never mind the more practical things that I planned to buy that day. I figured, "What is practical at Hobby Lobby?" It is a Stampabilities stamp named "Lucy Watering Her Flowers" and she is colored with Copics. You will probably notice a theme with any characters on my cards - they will all be blond because I don't have the correct markers to make brunettes, which I (along with Edward Cullen) prefer. =) HAHAHA!! Twilight reference in a stamping post = Winning!!!!

And two years later...A Card A Day in the Month of May

2011-05-02T05:15:00.000-04:00

So, I don't know about y'all, but for me, it is super easy to fall out of the habit of something and then never get back to it. This blog is case in point. Since I was last here, I decided that I am not a scrapbooker, but enjoy making cards. I just saw that The Angel Company (TAC) has started "A Card a Day in the Month of May" and I have decided to try to play along. I accidentally found TAC while randomly searching the internet for card making ideas.

My next post will be my first card for May 1st. Please keep in mind that I am currently working third shift on a project for work, so I may post 2 days worth of cards at once...heck, somedays I may even make them at once because (cheat alert) my day extends through 2 days (before and after work are 2 different days)!

Hopefully posting everyday in May will get me back in the habit of blogging.

Meal Planning 101 series Challenge 2

2009-08-27T16:00:00.001-04:00

So it took all I had last week to come up with 15 meals that my husband and I like to eat...AND then Toni at The Happy Housewife asks for 5 more meals!! And sides!! Are you kidding me?! Okay, so my point is that these next 5 meals are a bit of a stretch as I haven't made a couple them. I am sure that as I cook at home more often, my list of meals will change so I'm not going to stress over this too much.

My original 15 meals. (Now with a few links to recipes. I'm not sure how to make it open in a new window.)

My 5 new meals:

Crock pot BBQ pork
Hot dogs
Tacos (I'm not really sure how this didn't make it to the original 15.)
Pigs in a Blanket
Baked Alfredo Chicken

My list of sides (again, I haven't necessarily made all of these either):

Rice
Macaroni and cheese
Corn
Green beans
Peas
Butter beans
Lima beans
Baked beans

Salad
Garlic bread
Mashed potatoes
Baked potatoes
Fries
Crispy crowns
Cole slaw
Squash casserole

Go check out the other participants at Menu Planning 101 ~ Putting it all Together.

Meal Planning 101 series Challenge 1

2009-08-20T16:00:00.003-04:00

With this whole being new to blogging, I accidentally took a 'break.' It just happened, and I don't know how. I have been learning how to make cards and playing video games with my husband and generally going on with my life. However, when I saw The Happy Housewife's Meal Planning 101 series, I knew I had to participate. The first week's assignment was to make a list of 15 meals that your family enjoys. Meal planning is such a great way to save money on groceries (even when your family is only 2 people). I did it for a few months and it worked out great, but I have fallen off the band wagon. I'm ready to jump back on so, here goes:

Bubble pizza
Taco Soup
Hamburger Helper
Spaghetti
Garlic Chicken
Meatballs
Kielbasa
Salad
Bruschetta Chicken Bake
Breakfast
Lasagna Soup
BBQ Chicken
Vegetable Soup
Frozen Pizza
Baked pork chops

I can't wait to see what the next challenge will be!

To Scrap or Not to Scrap: That is the Question.

2009-04-21T13:25:00.004-04:00

I love pretty things. I know most girls love pretty things, but I love to have pretty things just because they are pretty. If the object is completely useless but pretty, I still want it. I have a closet full of pretty shoes that I never wear. I have a guest bedroom full of pretty yarn that I never use to crochet. And now, I have a kitchen table full of pretty paper that I have every intention of using...for now. I know myself well enough to know that this may not last, but I can't help myself! I have to try it. I have fought the urge to buy pretty paper for several weeks, but this week Hobby Lobby has all their packs of scrapbook paper, stickers, and punches on sale 1/2 price. It was the straw that broke my back - or wallet, whatever! Look out scrapbooking, here I come!!!!

Pool for my fingers

2009-04-17T09:57:00.004-04:00

When I was at my Mom's house yesterday, my neice Lizzy was eating Doritos. When you eat Doritos, the flavoring builds on your fingertips. Lizzy decidedly didn't like that so she stuck her hand in my Mom's dishwater. My mom pulled her hand out of the dishwater and told her that she couldn't do that and cleaned her hand. Lizzy responded with, "But it's a pool for my fingers." That kid cracks me up!

Uniquely Kayla

2009-04-04T13:43:00.006-04:00

The first post has been the one to stop me from blogging for many months. I never can think of what to say for the first time. I have ideas for other posts, but not the first. It feels so important, but really isn't. So here are some basic facts about me:

- My name is Kayla and I am a 25 year old married lady.
- I was named after a soap opera character in the early '80s.
- Thus far in my life, I have not met or heard of an older Kayla than me. Please don't prove me wrong. Let me relish in this small delusion for as long as possible. ;)
- I have been married to my wonderful man for almost 6 years now!
- I work for a large corporation that sent me to India about 2.5 years ago. It was one of the most unforgettable things that has ever happened to me. I'm sure I will share more of that experience throughout this blogging adventure.
- I go through stages in my interests, so this blog may be sporadic. There you have been warned! =)