{Guest Post} A Spa Day Without Leaving Home by Larissa Reinhart

If you need some extra smiles right now, you should absolutely check out Larissa Reinhart's books! The newest in the Maize Albright All Star Detective series comes out today.

My heroine, Maizie Albright, grew up in Beverly Hills accustomed to weekly mani-pedi’s, blowouts, and facials. For her, a spa day wasn’t a luxury, it was part of a routine. But now that a kindly California judge decided Maizie would be better off living with her father in Black Pine, Georgia, and working in anything besides the entertainment industry, her weekly spa dates have gone by the wayside. After her legal fees and other bills (and learning that her ex-manager and still-mother had siphoned off most of her money), the ex-child star can no longer afford weekly Olyplex treatments let alone gemstone peels and bee venom facials.

Her Black Pine besties, Tiffany and Rhonda, are estheticians at LA HAIR, a salon that peaked in the early 90s and still serves the older clientele of Black Pine. Maizie goes to LA HAIR for advice and hugs and the occasional manicure and blow out (when she has the cash). For all other times, Maizie will have to learn to keep that sheen and polish with home treatments.

“Taking my hour, I ran toward all that was goodness and holy. In my world that was hugs from friends. And a quick blow out. I received both from LA HAIR, my go-to for hair, nails, and emotional guidance.
Pushing through the black and gold crackle-painted glass door, I strode into the oldish shop in an oldish Black Pine strip mall. The layered scents of Aquage, ammonia, and acetone wafted through the space, filling me with soothing ASMR-y vibes. A new water fountain featuring faux bamboo trickled in a corner and a top hits station played through speakers painted to look like rocks. Bottles of marked-up hair care products and marked-down homemade jewelry lined metal shelves that anchored the row of black vinyl chairs in the waiting area. On the end tables, I would find months-old People, Glamour, and Country Living magazines with pages torn out by customers who felt justified in stealing coupons and recipes.
Although one could not compare LA HAIR with the atmosphere or services given at a Beverly Hills salon, I also never worried about getting stabbed in the back with a pair of gold-plated scissors. LA HAIR — referring to the city or French article, no one knew or cared — had been with me through good times and bad.
Mostly bad since that'd been the luck forcing my move to Georgia in the first place.” (18 CALIBER, Maizie Albright Star Detective book 6)
.
Because we can all use a spa day — especially during this anxiety-ridden time while we’re at home —I thought it’d be fun to explore some creative DIY spa kits. My youngest daughter loves Five-Minute Crafts and similar shows. She also loves to do DIY beauty care, so I pulled together this list mainly from crafts she’s done. (She does an excellent home DIP manicure, too, by the way.)

These are all ingredients you should find around your home. Have fun with your daughters and granddaughters with some of these treatments, or just treat yourself. Get out your fluffiest towels, light some candles, put on a robe, relax and rejuvenate. Something I’m sure you deserve during this time!


Coffee Sugar Scrub

1 c ground coffee
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c olive oil (or another oil)
Mix together. Rub on skin before a shower, then rinse off.

Tumeric Honey Mask

1/4 c raw honey
1/4-1/2 t turmeric powder
Combine. Spread on face and leave for 15 minutes. (Clears redness and dries up acne.)

Rejuvenating Manicure

1 lemon
1/2 a cucumber
Slice and place in a bowl of cool water. Soak hands for 10 minutes. Push back cuticles with an orange stick and paint as usual. (Lemon bleaches stained nails and cucumber soothes dry hands.)

Milk Body Soak Bath

4 c Milk
Honey
Essential Oil (lavender will be calming and soothing)

Fill tub with warm water, adding a small amount of honey and essential oil while it’s filling to spread the scent. Mix in 4 cups of milk. Rinse off in shower after the soak. (Lactic acid in milk helps to slough off dead skin cells, the oil and honey soothes skin and smells great.)

Conditioning Hair Mask

2-4 T Olive Oil or Coconut Oil (amount depending on length and thickness of hair)

Shampoo hair, towel-dry, and apply oil to damp hair (if your hair tends toward oily, don’t apply to roots). Wrap hair in a towel and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse hair in shower.

Brightening Facial

1 lemon
3 strawberries
1 banana

Remove stems and dice strawberries. Mash strawberries and banana in a bowl. Add the juice of 1 lemon. Avoiding the eyes, apply mask to face. Leave on for 15 minutes or until mask dries. Rinse off with cool water. (The vitamin C in strawberries lightens dark spots, lemon exfoliates, and banana conditions.)

Lip Scrub

Basic recipe
1 T oil (coconut, olive oil, or jojoba oil works)
1 T granulated sugar

Mix together until goopy (but not runny) and massage onto lips and wipe off. Apply lip balm after. Will store in refrigerator for a few weeks.

For flavor &  pizzazz:
Add equal parts wet and dry ingredients to keep the right, goopy texture.

Coconut oil, brown sugar, and a little cocoa powder.
Coconut oil, ground coffee, and granulated sugar.
Coconut oil, brown sugar, and a little cinnamon (a natural plumper).
Honey, granulated sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
The possibilities are endless!


Foot Scrub

1 part coconut oil
2 parts sugar
2-3 drops of essential oil (Peppermint is great for this)
Dash of lemon juice

Mix ingredients. Soak feet in warm water. Follow with foot scrub, massage mixture onto feet. Rinse, then rub your feet with lotion and slip into thick socks.

Sauna in the Shower

Essential oil
Washcloth

Run your shower at high heat until steamy. Spray a warm washcloth with essential oil. Get in shower and place washcloth over your face and breathe in the steamy scent. Great for unwinding and clearing up sinuses!


Hand Softener

2 spoonfuls of cold cream
2 drops tea tree oil
5 drops lavender oil
1 T olive oil
1 banana
Plastic dish gloves

Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth. Slather on hands and cuticles. Slip hands into gloves. If you have one, place gloved hands under a heating pad while you Netflix and Chill.


I hope these make you feel de-stressed and rejuvenated during this stressful time. During the pandemic, you can grab my first Maizie Albright Star Detective book, 15 MINUTES, for free. Try a treatment or two and relax with a book. I hope it will bring you some laughs and help you to unwind more!

15 MINUTES
Maizie Albright Star Detective book 1
Learn More: https://books2read.com/b/m2Xqor

18 CALIBER
Maizie Albright Star Detective book 6

MAIZIE’S GOT ONE MOTHER OF A CASE.
HER OWN.

Maizie’s mixing with international stars, spies, and her mother’s dark past in her sixth case in The Wall Street Journal bestselling series.

#WannabeSpy Maizie’s luck is running out. Maizie and Nash find themselves struggling to balance a new partnership and new relationship between missing persons’ cases, wild goose chases, and tracking a bullet into dangerous places. Sometimes it’s enough to make a girl NOT want to put a ring on it. When it comes to facing an 18-caliber killer, what will Maizie put up as the target? Her heart or her life?

Available everywhere: https://books2read.com/18Caliber

BIO:
A Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Larissa writes the Cherry Tucker Mystery, Maizie Albright Star Detective, and Finley Goodhart Crime Caper series as well as romantic comedies and women’s fiction. She loves to tell funny stories about Southern women looking for love (and sometimes dead bodies) in all the wrong places. You might have seen Larissa and family with their little dog, Biscuit, on HGTV's House Hunters International "Living for the Weekend in Nagoya" episode, but they’re back in Georgia now. Visit LarissaReinhart.com to learn more.

{Guest Post} Second Chance at Faith Releases Today! by Joanna Campbell Slan

Today marks the birthday (release date) of my newest book, Second Chance at Faith. This is a new (never published before) book, and the fourth episode/book in the life of Cara Mia Delgatto.

Writing about faith presented a challenge for me because I did not want to write an overtly religious book. In fact, I didn’t want to write about organized religion at all. That said, misplaced faith is an important part of this book. We often put our faith in the wrong things—and my characters did exactly that, over and over.

Cara puts her faith in her business acumen. She’s a savvy business owner, but she’s gotten a little too big for her britches. Lou puts his faith in a medical procedure. The Sabotinis put their faith in superstitions. These are three examples, but as you read the book, you’ll find more instances of misplaced faith.

My Second Chance books are contemporary and set on Florida’s East Coast, otherwise known as The Treasure Coast. Every Second Chance book includes a touch of history. Usually, I have to go out and do research for my stories. This time, my information was (literally) next door.

My neighbor, Bill Brisben, owned the rights to the sunken Spanish Armada of 1715. If that sounds familiar, this particular shipwreck was immortalized in the movie Fool’s Gold with Matthew Mc Conaughey and Kate Hudson. Bill’s wife, Dr. Lori Hamilton Brisben, and I are good friends. Lori told me about a coral and gold rosary that she wore to a few fancy events. The image stuck with me, and with the Brisbens’ permission, I used the piece in my book.

My books also include everything I love about life, and in this case, I tossed in a scene at Sweetie’s Ice Cream and More, a local ice cream shop. Sweetie’s was once owned by a man named Tony, whose lifelong dream was to retire and own an ice cream shop. That Tony sold the shop to another Toni, Antoinette Norris. Toni scoops up the best tasting salted caramel ice cream ever, produced by a Florida company named Laughing Cow.

I love crafting. In the book, EveLynn creates quilted pillow tops in the shape of shamrocks. I decided to try my hand at one in miniature. The paper piecing method works pretty well for miniature quilt making, but once I got the shamrock done, I realized a plain muslin background would not look good. I hand-sewed strips, cut them, and sewed them back together for a block pattern. Unfortunately, I didn’t make a pattern first. ARGH!! But I hope that well it’s all done, I can disguise my mistakes.
My books also include food I love, and in this case, I chose to focus on ice cream. I tossed in a scene at Sweetie’s Ice Cream and More, a local ice cream shop. Sweetie’s was once owned by a man named Tony, whose lifelong dream was to retire and own an ice cream shop. That Tony sold the shop to another Toni, Antoinette Norris. Toni scoops up the best tasting salted caramel ice cream ever, produced by a Florida company named Laughing Cow.

Tell me: What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? I’ll pick one lucky winner on Wednesday and give that person a digital copy of the first book in the series, Second Chance at Love.

More about Second Chance at Faith
The fourth book in a clean, romantic, mystery series set in Florida that focuses on love and friendship with a touch of history, too.
A priceless coral-and-gold artifact intended for a queen disappears from a locked hotel room in Stuart, Florida. The item was on loan as part of a charity event--and Cara Mia Delgatto was one of the first people who entered the empty ballroom. Who else could have stolen it but her?
The situation seems impossible! The philanthropic community of South Florida is blaming Cara for the loss—and the charity event is promptly canceled.
The backlash could hurt sales at the Treasure Chest, Cara’s store specializing in upcycled, recycled, and repurposed goods. She moved to the Treasure Coast of Florida for a second chance at life and love. Now it looks as though Cara's business might be caught in the undertow. In the meantime, her good friend MJ is battling with breast cancer, and Skye is having serious problems of her own. Cara's support system is seriously shipwrecked.
With all this going on, Cara's life is in turmoil. Can all this stormy weather sink her just like it did the Queen's Treasure Fleet of 1715?


Let’s Get Social—

List of Joanna’s Works
Joanna’s Website
Facebook Author Page
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Blog
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{Guest Post} The Great Es-Tape by Joanna Campbell Slan

Today I'm happy to have Joanna Campbell Slan guest posting with some helpful advice and a giveaway. 

Of the crafting tools I own and use, tape is probably one of my all-time favorites. It’s so incredibly versatile. Tape lends itself to “out of the box” thinking for a variety of crafts and stuff around the house. Just looking around, I found these weird ways I’ve used it recently:

1. Binding the edge of needlework. Yeah, I know. Good needlework artists would never stoop to putting tape on a raw edge. They would whipstitch a hem around their fabric. I’m not that girl. I grabbed my blue painter’s tape. After all, when the piece is finished, I plan to treat the raw edge with Fray-Check, trim it shorter, turn it under, and use iron-on seam binding to complete my work.

2. Keeping my power cord plugged in. This Dell computer of mine is nearly brand-new. I got it in January. But the battery isn’t recharging, and if the cord pops out, the computer goes….roadkill. After two hours on the phone, Dell and I have determined this little puppy needs to return to the factory. But I can’t live without my laptop! So that’ll have to wait until I’m back in Florida where I can use my desktop computer.

3. Holding that stupid flap up. These Brita water jugs are great for filtering water, but the person who engineers their design should be taken to an abandoned country road and shot. Honest to Pete. This SLF (stupid little flip) has a habit of falling closed and sticking, which causes water to run all over the place. I got tired of the hassle. Two inches of masking tape and the problem was solved.

4. Laminating on the fly. All of us have special talents. Mine happens to be finding four-leaf clovers. I used to dry them in books, but then I’d forget about them. Now I “laminate” them by using packing tape and sticking them to index cards. It’s not as sturdy as the REAL lamination, but it’s fast, cheap, and easy.

5. Tagging cords. Because I move back and forth between Florida and Washington, DC, tracking power cords is a hassle. Using a piece of bright green tape, I tagged this iPhone cord. Now it’s easy to find, and best of all, when I pack it up, I know I haven’t stolen my husband’s cord.

Okay, here’s a story I’ve never told anyone. Twenty years ago I was invited up to 3-M, the makers of Scotch tape, to talk about how they could do better in the scrapbook market. I suggested they product tape with designs on it.

“Designs? Like, patterns?” the product expert asked. (She was trying NOT to roll her eyes.)

“Right. Like cute little patterns, geometric patterns, colors.”

“How would scrapbookers use that?” The product expert looked dubious.

I could think of a million ways.

So the next time you use a patterned adhesive tape, wear a little smirk in my honor, OK?

Tell me what you use tape for and I’ll give one lucky person a digital copy of my newest book, Happy Homicides 5: The Purr-fect Crime.  I’ll choose a winner one week from today.

**
About the author:
Joanna Campbell Slan is full of crazy ideas that sometimes see fruition. When not taping stuff up, she’s writing. You can buy a copy of Happy Homicides 5: The Purr-fect Crime for only 99 cents by going to bit.ly/2HH5Purr – but hurry, because the price will go up later this month.

{Guest Post} Shibori: the Art of Japanese Indigo Tie-Dying by Larissa Reinhart

Shibori: the Art of Japanese Indigo Tie-Dying by Larissa Reinhart

I wanted to do a post about Japanese crafts, but you know what? There are so many, I had  to narrow it down to one. Crafts are so popular over here. Kids begin learning origami in preschool. There’s a plethora to choose from, from felting to amigurumi (crocheted animals) to kimono cloth dolls. I’m living in Nagoya where there are three huge traditional craft industries: glass making, pottery, and shibori: indigo tie-dying.

I thought I’d talk about Shibori because my artist heroine in the Cherry Tucker mystery series loves to DIY her clothing and accessories, from using puff paint to bedazzling to tie-dying. I think she’d get a kick out of Japanese tie-dying because it’s an amazing art form and still handcrafted today.

The little town of Arimatsu has been enveloped within the city of Nagoya but still retained a lot of traditional buildings. It was settled in the 1600s and part of the famous Tokaido road, linking Kyoto to Edo, the old and new capitols during the Shogun era. Arimatsu became famous for selling their dye-art towels to travelers and they’re still making fabrics for everything from kimonos to scarves today.

Shibori are traditionally dyed with indigo and still handcrafted. The various patterns come from different tying including: embroidery, pleating, looped binding, pole wrapping, rolled, and tying with thread (or a combination of these).

When my family visited Arimatsu, we let our daughters take a Shibori class. As you can see in the picture, there’s an ink that washes out showing the pattern they’ll use.

For the flower’s leaves, they were taught a simple running stitch: one thread per leaf that’s pulled tight, looped, and tied. This is called Nui Shibori.

The dots on the outside were pulled up, looped and tied with cotton thread, Kaneko Shibori. The Shibori craftsman can do this so well, it creates a tiny stippling effect.

To try this at home, you could use dressmaker’s chalk or a cloth pen to create your own pattern on white cotton cloth. Try the running stitch or the Kaneko-style tying.

Use one white cotton thread per shape.

Knot the end as you would normally for a running stitch and after stitching around the pattern(s), pull the thread until the material bunches. Wrap your thread tightly at the base three times, then wrap up to the top of the bunch (you’ll see in the picture it creates a kind of long, skinny spindle). Wrap the thread twice tightly at the top, then wrap back around to the base and twice more around the base. To knot, extend your middle and wring finger from the hand holding the cloth. Wrap the thread under and over the two fingers and then through. Pull tightly and do this once more.

For the dot effect, pinch and pull up a piece of material and follow the same pattern above: wrap three times at the bottom, around to the top, twice at the top, back to the base, twice around the base, and make the knots.

Remember to pull tightly as possible when doing this! Follow normal dying techniques using whatever dye you like.

Thanks for having me on, Michelle! It’s fun to share this traditional craft with your readers.

Bio:
A 2015 Georgia Author of the Year Best Mystery finalist, Larissa writes the Cherry Tucker Mystery and Maizie Albright Star Detective series. The sixth mystery, A Composition in Murder, releases November 15th and the Maizie Albright mystery debut, 15 Minutes, on January 24, 2017. Her family and Cairn Terrier, Biscuit, now live in Nagoya, Japan, but they still call Georgia home. See them on HGTV’s House Hunters International “Living for the Weekend in Nagoya” episode.
Visit her website and join her newsletter for more book news at http://smarturl.it/larissanewsletter and feel free to friend her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Social Media Links:

http://larissareinhart.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarissaReinhart
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Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/LarissaGoodreads

#10days #findthewoman #getthejob #doNOTfallinlove

"Child star and hilarious hot mess Maizie Albright trades Hollywood for the backwoods of Georgia and pure delight ensues. Maizie’s my new favorite escape from reality.” 

— Gretchen Archer, USA Today bestselling author of the Davis Way Crime Caper series

#WannaBeDetective 

When ex-teen star Maizie Albright returns to her Southern hometown of Black Pine, Georgia, she hoped to rid herself of Hollywood tabloid and reality show hell for a new career as a private investigator. Instead, Hollyweird follows her home. Maizie’s costar crushing, but now for her gumshoe boss. Her stage-monster mother still demands screen time. Her latest rival wants her kicked off the set, preferably back to a California prison.

By entangling herself in a missing person's case, she must reprise her most famous role. The job will demand a performance of a lifetime. But this time, the stakes are real and may prove deadly.

Kindle: http://smarturl.it/15MinutesKindle1

Nook: http://smarturl.it/15MinNook1

Kobo: http://smarturl.it/15MinutesKobo1

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/15MinutesiBooks1

Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/15MinGoodreads

{Guest Post} Me, My Shells, and I: Crafting with Seashells Part 4

I'm happy to have Joanna Campbell Slan guest posting again today. You can find part three here.

Me, My Shells, and I:

Crafting with Seashells

By Joanna Campbell Slan

~ Part 4 ~

I have a large sea shell collection which I keep scattered on beaches all over the world. Maybe you've seen it. -- Steven Wright

Okay, you’ve filled a bag with shells, and you toss it into your trunk for the long drive home.

Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. At the end of the trip, you might open your trunk and discover a very stinky surprise. Whenever possible, clean the shells the same day you find them.

At Cara Mia Delgatto’s shop, The Treasure Coast, her friend Skye Blue is the absolute Queen of Shell Crafting. So here are Skye’s best tips for preparing and using seashells:

1. Make sure your shells are unoccupied. (Hold them up to your ear. If you hear a scratching sound, there’s a hermit crab inside.) Look to see if a hinged shell is open or closed. A closed shell is nature’s way of saying, “Someone is home.”

2. Rinse the sand off of the shells. It’s best to do this outdoors. I’m not sure what sand can do to a septic system, and frankly, none of us want to find out. It’s easiest to bring a large sieve to the beach with you. When you rinse the sand off your feet, either at public shower or with a hose, rinse off the shells.

3. Soak the shells thoroughly. Skye likes to leave them overnight in a mixture of powdered dishwasher detergent and hot water. She has a big plastic jar with a lid that she’s dedicated to this purpose. A couple of times, she’ll pick up the jar and swirl the soapy water to help dislodge any junk. Then she’ll rinse them a second time in a large sieve and let them dry.

4. If there’s a bad smell, Skye suggests soaking the shell in a mixture of bleach and water (one part bleach to four parts water).

5. Shine the clean, dry shells with mineral oil, baby oil, or clear nail polish. (Skip the oils if you are going to be gluing the shells.)

6. If the shell is fragile, soak a piece of cotton in white glue and stuff the cavity or the concave area with the glue-soaked cotton. (Use a chopstick or a toothpick to poke the cotton, a few small bits at a time.) This will strengthen the cavity when it dries, making the shell less likely to break.

7. Use E-6000 Glue to attach the shells to your object. Let your project sit overnight and test the attachment points for security the next day.

Skye and I both strongly suggest that you avoid buying seashells from a shop. These are harvested from living creatures. Trust me, you can find glorious seashells on the beach. Why indulge in cruelty when you can get a beautiful shell absolutely free? Remember: The bigger the shell, the older the creature, so when you buy a large shell, you’ve interrupted the breeding cycle of a poor, defenseless animal.

Skye’s philosophy is that everything looks better with a seashell on it! Skye, Cara Mia Delgatto, and I hope you’ll give this hobby a try. We think you’ll enjoy using these gifts of nature in your crafting. And, if you see any of us on the beach, be sure to wave!

~The End~

About the Author: As soon as she finishes her writing chores for the day, Joanna Campbell Slan hooks the leash onto her dog, Jax, and they go for a walk on the beach. Her most recent book—All Washed Up—is set on the Treasure Coast of Florida and features Cara Mia Delgatto, an entrepreneur who recycles, upcycles, and repurposes décor items with a coastal theme. You can see a few of Joanna’s favorite things at www.Pinterest.com/joannaslan or contact her at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com You can read two of Joanna’s books free here: http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/teardownanddie and http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/inkreddead

{Guest Post} Me, My Shells, and I: Crafting with Seashells Part 3

I'm happy to have Joanna Campbell Slan guest posting again today. You can find part two here.

Me, My Shells, and I:

Crafting with Seashells

By Joanna Campbell Slan

~ Part 3 ~

I have a large sea shell collection which I keep scattered on beaches all over the world. Maybe you've seen it. -- Steven Wright

Here in Florida, people joke about the “Sanibel Stoop.” That’s the name we’ve given to the bent-over position that shell seekers adopt as they hunt for treasure. To a shell seeker, the perfect seashell is just a few feet farther up the beach. Cara Mia Delgatto and her friends spend a lot of time combing the beaches on the east coast of Florida. Besides finding wondrous seashells, they also pick up garbage that is harmful to sea creatures. I urge you to do the same. A soda straw, a bit of plastic twine, a plastic bag, or a fishhook could prove lethal to an endangered sea turtle.

Of course, you need to stay safe, too. Be sure to wear a lot of sunscreen, especially on the back of your neck and the tops of your ears. Take a bottle of water and stay hydrated.

Here are my best shell seeking tips:

1. Low tide is the best time for collecting shells. Full moons are thought to be the best time of month, too.
2. Winter versus summer? I’ve heard it said that the best shells are on the beach in the winter, and I’m not sure about that. However, I can tell you that shells seem to be seasonal. You find different shells at different times of year, so don’t let the season discourage you.
3. After the storm, you find the most shells ever, bar none.
4. On public beaches, you’ll want to get out there early, before the crowd. On weekdays, when fewer people are off of work, you are more likely to find good shells on public beaches.
5. Location, location, location. Ask the locals where to find the best shells. Also, the farther you go from parking places, the better the shell selection.
6. There are three major places where you’ll want to search for shells: the wrack line, the water line, and the surf.
a. Wrack Line – Generally the debris left by the most recent high tide. To search for shells here, you need to move aside seaweed and clutter. The shells you’ll find will be dull looking, because they’ve dried out.
b. Water Line – As the waves recede, they leave behind shells. Sometimes you have to move quickly to grab a shell before the next wave comes up. I find that wearing sunglasses makes it harder to see because of the glare, so I usually wear a hat with a brim.
c. Surf Line – On occasion, you’ll find a spot where the topology of the ocean floor causes it to dump a lot of shells on a shelf in shallow water before washing things up on the sand.

Next I’ll tell you how to prep your shells and how to attach them to your projects.

~To be continued~

About the Author: As soon as she finishes her writing chores for the day, Joanna Campbell Slan hooks the leash onto her dog, Jax, and they go for a walk on the beach. Her most recent book—All Washed Up—is set on the Treasure Coast of Florida and features Cara Mia Delgatto, an entrepreneur who recycles, upcycles, and repurposes décor items with a coastal theme. You can see a few of Joanna’s favorite things at www.Pinterest.com/joannaslan or contact her at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com You can read two of Joanna’s books free here: http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/teardownanddie and http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/inkreddead

{Guest Post} Me, My Shells, and I: Crafting with Seashells Part 2

I'm happy to have Joanna Campbell Slan guest posting again today. You can find part one here. This week's baby quilt linky party is here. 

Me, My Shells, and I:

Crafting with Seashells

By Joanna Campbell Slan

~ Part 2 ~

A beach is not only a sweep of sand, but shells of sea creatures, the sea glass, the seaweed, the incongruous objects washed up by the ocean.
-- Henry Grunwald

In my last post, I shared four cool ways I’m using seashells in my crafts. Here are four more:

5. Purse. The papier-mâché base of this purse is readily available at most Michaels Craft Stores for a pittance. It’s made by Darice. Crushed jingle shells create the glittery surface. (Put the jingle shells in a mortar and crush them with a pestle.) I drilled holes through flat oyster shells for the white “tags” that I embellished with orange scallop shells. Of course, this isn’t a very sturdy purse, but it would be a terrific case for keeping family photos!

6. Miniature Room Setting. The room is actually a small wooden cabinet I found in the “scratch and dent” area of Home Goods. I turned the cabinet upside down and decorated it with miniatures, including tons of small seashells. To find tiny shells, sift sand and shell mixtures through pieces of net or a kitchen sieve.

7. Hurricane Jar Filler. Okay, I confess: These are not seashells. They are actually the shells left behind by apple snails, a large invasive, non-native species here in South Florida. The empty shells are originally brown, but if you soak them in a mixture of one part bleach to four parts hot water, the brown comes away, leaving you these lovely white shells. I think I’ll also use some of these on papier-mâché letters to spell out my grand-nephew’s name.

8. Decorative Jar Filler. These are seashells, Lettered Olive Shells to be exact. My friend and I spent many hours beachcombing and collecting them. Aren’t they gorgeous? What I love is the idea that each of these shells represents time spent with a friend. How many are there in this jar? I don’t know, but it weighs about twenty pounds.

Next, I’ll share with you my best tips for finding terrific shells.

~To be continued Tomorrow~

About the Author: As soon as she finishes her writing chores for the day, Joanna Campbell Slan hooks the leash onto her dog, Jax, and they go for a walk on the beach. Her most recent book—All Washed Up—is set on the Treasure Coast of Florida and features Cara Mia Delgatto, an entrepreneur who recycles, upcycles, and repurposes décor items with a coastal theme. You can see a few of Joanna’s favorite things at www.Pinterest.com/joannaslan or contact her at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com You can read two of Joanna’s books free here: http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/teardownanddie and http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/inkreddead

{Guest Post} Me, My Shells, And I: Crafting With Seashells Part 1

For the past couple of weeks, my youngest son has been searching the creek that runs through our property for pieces of petrified wood that the winter rains washed downstream.  As for me, I'm happy to have a guest post by Joanna Campbell Slan about the treasures she finds in her neck of the woods...

Me, My Shells, and I:
Crafting with Seashells

By Joanna Campbell Slan

~ Part 1 ~

One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Anne might be wrong. I walk the beach nearly every day and pick up seashells. In fact, I’m such a regular on the beach that a fisherman stopped me the other day to ask, “Lady, where on earth are you putting all those shells?”

Good question—and a lot of my answers appear in my Cara Mia Delgatto mysteries, because like me, Cara’s never met a seashell she doesn’t like. Since it is important to “write what you know,” I’ve worked hard to create cool items that Cara can sell her in shop, The Treasure Chest. Because Michelle’s a good friend of mine (and any friend of Michelle’s is my buddy, too), I thought I’d share with you eight cool projects, plus tips for finding and using shells. Here we go!

1. Mirrors. Not long after moving to Florida, I saw a beautiful shell encrusted mirror that was out of my price range. So I decided to make one. It dawned on me while collecting shells that they don’t have to be perfect to be useful. In fact, broken shells are often best for using on mirrors, because you can layer them better. Cheap mirrors are fine, but make sure the hanger and frame can support the weight of the shells you’re adding.

2. Planter. My bedroom needed a pop of color and a fern seemed like a great idea, but I couldn’t find a planter I liked, so I made one. The base is a simple cardboard box that I reinforced with papier-mâché. Once that dried, I lined the inside with plastic. On the bottom are wooden “feet” I bought at Home Depot.

3. Vases. After finding so many empty liquor bottles on the sand, I decided to dress them up by adding rocks, shells, and twine. When they aren’t holding a flower or a piece of greenery, they display dried coral stems.

4. Jars. My husband is always emptying his pockets of change. I decided an old salsa jar was too ugly to leave on his nightstand, so I added seashells to the lid.

~To be continued Tomorrow~

About the Author: As soon as she finishes her writing chores for the day, Joanna Campbell Slan hooks the leash onto her dog, Jax, and they go for a walk on the beach. Her most recent book—All Washed Up—is set on the Treasure Coast of Florida and features Cara Mia Delgatto, an entrepreneur who recycles, upcycles, and repurposes décor items with a coastal theme. You can see a few of Joanna’s favorite things at www.Pinterest.com/joannaslan or contact her at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com You can read two of Joanna’s books free here: http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/teardownanddie and http://booklaunch.io/joannaslan/inkreddead

{Guest Post} Camille Minichino

Thanks for hosting me today, in all my personas: Camille Minichino, Margaret Grace, Ada Madison, and Jean Flowers.

With four pen names and as many mystery series, I'm always looking for ways to bring things together, such as having all four protagonists meet for lunch! Gloria Lamerino, retired physicist (the Periodic Table Mysteries) enjoys meeting miniaturist Gerry Porter (the Miniature Mysteries), math teacher Ada Madison (the Professor Sophie Knowles Mysteries) and Cassie Miller (the Postmistress Mysteries) in several short pieces and blog postings.

Other meetings of the protagonists come about when I build the series settings in miniature. I've included a photos of one example.

Here, I've turned a bookcase into a funeral home with an apartment on the top floor. It's Gloria's residence in 8 novels and 2 short stories in the Periodic Table Mysteries.

On the lower floor is the embalming room—it's not easy to find embalming tables, trocars, or mortician's pins in miniatures catalogs, so I had to do some improvising. The laundry room is on that level, too (on the right in the photo). No wonder Gloria's laundry is backed up—she's afraid to go down there alone, or after dark. I felt this scene needed some comic relief, so I added the ruby slippers under the embalming table. See what you think.

The next floor up holds the parlor, where the mortuary's clients are laid out for viewing. The casket started life as a box of paperclips. How embarrassing—while taking this photo, I noticed that my dollhouse floor needs vacuuming as much as my real life living-room floor!

Gloria's apartment is on the third floor. It also needs dusting and vacuuming! (The scale is standard dollhouse scale: 1 inch = 1 foot.)

The latest in this series is "The Neon Ornaments," included in the exciting new anthology Happy Homicides: Thirteen Cozy Holiday Mysteries, available online on October 15.

For more on my series and a gallery of miniatures, visit http://www.minichino.com

{Guest Post} Quickie Bookmarks by Amanda Lee

Today I'm happy to have a guest post by Gayle Trent/Amanda Lee, author of Wicked Stitch, the latest book in the Embroidery Mystery Series. 
For most small-business owners in Tallulah Falls, the upcoming Renaissance Faire is a wonderful way to promote their specialty shops. For Marcy’s nemesis, Nellie, and her sister, Clara, it’s an opportunity to finally put Marcy and her shop, the Seven-Year Stitch, out of business. Apparently the sisters like to make grudges a family affair and have set up competing booths right next to Marcy’s at the Ren Faire.
When Clara is discovered dead in her own booth—strangled by the scarf she had almost finished knitting—Marcy becomes the prime suspect. Now she has to do whatever it takes to keep her reputation from unraveling—and get to the bottom of a most deadly yarn....
This is the second book I've read in the series and I was intrigued to see more of the conflict between Marcy and Nellie. (I'm going to have to go get the first book to  find out how it all started!) The Renaissance Faire provides an interesting backdrop to the murder and investigation, with lots of interest potential suspects wandering around. I'll definitely be reading more of the Embroidery Mysteries. 

Quickie Bookmarks

by Amanda Lee

Ooops! Your event (book signing, birthday party, school event) is tomorrow, and you haven’t got any takeaways. Run by your local craft store and get some bookmarks with a clear window at the top. The bookmarks I used open, so you can put your sticker or photograph between the two sides of the bookmark. 

Since I write the embroidery mystery series, I could have theoretically made some small cross-stitch or blackwork project (in keeping with the Renaissance Faire theme of Wicked Stitch) and secured that in place and made some really snazzy bookmarks. But, alas, we don’t have time. Stitching—even small projects—generally takes a bit more planning and time, and this post is for those times when you’ve forgotten something at the last minute. Not that I’ve ever done that, mind you. Not that I’ve ever gone by the grocery store on the way to drop the kiddies off at school because I forgot that the school bake sale or the party or the “snack” (since they’re only allowed so many “parties” per year) was that day! 

But, just in case something like that does ever happen to one of us, here is a quick and easy craft to help save the day.

So you have your bookmarks—check. Now we need full-sized (8 ½ x 11) white sticker pages. You can get these at the grocery store or at an office supply store. Then insert the photo you’d like to use on your bookmark. This can be a little tricky. The bookmark packaging will tell you the size of the opening, but then you have to make sure your photo is neither too big nor too small. I wound up making mine a bit larger than I should have, but I decided I’d rather sacrifice the author name and have the title and the rest of the book cover big enough for people to see it clearly. Besides, if I’m an author and am giving you a bookmark featuring a book, it’s a safe bet that I wrote the book.

Finally, use another sheet of the full-size sticker paper to make a tag line for the bookmark. Look at all that prime real estate in the almost-finished photo above just going to waste! I added the tag line: Murderers can be crafty! And I finished up with my website address. Now anyone with one of these bookmarks can get a general idea what the book is about and where to find more information about it online.

If the event for which you need a bookmark is a school book fair or a child’s birthday party, simply tailor your design to suit the occasion. 

Happy crafting!

Gayle Trent (writing as Amanda Lee) writes the embroidery mystery series. Gayle/Amanda lives in Virginia when she’s not inhabiting the fictional world of Tallulah Falls. You can  find her online at 

http://www.gayletrent.com, https://www.facebook.com/GayleTrentandAmandaLee, https://twitter.com/GayleTrent, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/426208.Gayle_Trent.

This post is part of the author's blog tour with Great Escapes Book Tours and there's a giveaway for copies of Wicked Stitch that you can enter by heading over to the Rafflecopter Giveaway.

{Guest Post} Yes, We're *Virtually* Old Friends by Joanna Campbell Slan

I tend to get so caught up in the Kiki Lowenstein series and the Cara Mia Delgatto series that I forget Joanna writes fantastic historical fiction. The Glassblower's Wife is rich with vivid historical details and emotion. If you're looking for a short escape to the past, this one's for you. 

Yes, We're *Virtually* Old Friends

By Joanna Campbell Slan

I have no idea how Michelle and I met, but I'm pretty sure it was online. Looking back over our emails, we've been in touch with each other for nearly three years. I've read about her sons going trick-or-treating, and her daughter returning from a sleep over.

A lot of people complain about Facebook and blogs and social media. I'm not one of them. I'm a huge fan of all these wonderful ways of reaching out and staying in touch. It's true that I'm a bit of a hermit, so I know I'm not in the majority. The island that I live on is practically deserted. Only 300 souls live here year round. My husband travels a lot. Most days a big conversation at my house goes like this: "Wanna go outside and potty? Yummies! Sit! Roll Over."

Yup. That's me talking to my Havanese puppy, Jax.

So I value my online friends like Michelle. Many nights I literally fall asleep with my iPad on my chest while I feed my Pinterest addiction. (A friend once told me with a sigh, "Pinterest is like crack for soccer moms." I'm totally in agreement.)

The sad part is that if Michelle and I were both in an airport at the same time, we might pass each other by. I have no idea what she looks like!

The happy part is that I once posted on Facebook about a problem I was having with my hotel while traveling, and a dear friend I hadn't seen in twenty years was in the SAME town at the SAME time so we got together and had lunch. Wow. Was that ever cool!

A lot of my readers think of my characters as old friends. I'm known for my Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series and for my newer Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series.

I'm taking a chance by introducing Ruth Telfin, a heroine from 1684, in my newest work, The Glassblower's Wife. But Ruth has been tugging on my sleeve for more than a year. She's insistent that her story is worth telling.

I hope that some of you will give her a chance. Who knows? You might meet a new *virtual* friend!

**

About The Glassblower’s Wife –

In the late 1600s, the Doge of Venice sent assassins to kill a group of glassblowers who had been enticed by the French to work on the Palace of Versailles. One by one, the Jewish artisans were picked off…leaving the Hall of Mirrors unfinished, until an unlikely heroine stepped forward and performed a miracle.

Buy it today for only 99 cents!  * 4.8 out of 5 stars rating  

**

Free offer—

If you'd like to learn more about the background of this LONG short story, send an email to TGBWBonus@JoannaSlan.com You're receive a printable copy of the cover, discussion questions, and information about the fact and fiction in this tale.

**

About the author—

Joanna Campbell Slan is the national bestselling and award-winning author of twenty-eight published works. She loves history and traveling, but most of all, she loves walking the beach. Joanna and her husband David live with their Havanese puppy, Jax, on Jupiter Island, Florida. Visit her at www.JoannaSlan.com

**

Giveaways

There's a giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card over at the tour page. You can find that by clicking here.  And I've got a copy of the ebook to give away to one of my own readers. To enter, just leave a comment below before 11:50 PST April 13.  I'll randomly pick a comment and notify the winner.

Starting this week, my friend Joanna Campbell Slan will be giving away her work several times a month. To find out WHAT and WHEN, you must be on her mailing list. Go to http://www.JoannaSlan.com and sign up.

{Guest Post} Susannah Hardy, author of Feta Attraction

Looking for this week's Let's Make Baby Quilts linky party? Just click here!

Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to read Feta Attraction in time for today's post, but I'm looking forward to it.

Georgie Nikolopatos manages the Bonaparte House, a Greek restaurant and historic landmark in beautiful upstate New York rumored to possess ghosts and hidden treasure. But when her husband disappears and her main competitor is found dead, it’s up to Georgie to solve a big fat Greek murder.

With her husband, Spiro, inexplicably gone for days, Georgie has her hands full running the restaurant and dealing with the crew of the TV show Ghost Squad, called in by Spiro to inspect the house for haunting. So when she has a chance to take a boating excursion on the St. Lawrence River with her friend Keith Morgan, she jumps on it. But their idyll is quickly ruined when they discover the body of rival restaurant owner Domenic “Big Dom” DiTomasso floating in the water.

When the police start asking questions, it doesn’t help that Spiro can’t be found—and with Georgie on their suspect list, it’s up to her to find her missing husband and find out who killed Big Dom before someone else’s order is up.

Today I've got Susannah Hardy here to  share her thoughts about cozy mysteries. Be sure to read down to the bottom for the giveaway -- she's offered to give a $10 gift certificate to either Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts to one of my readers.

Hi, Michelle! Thanks for having me here today to talk about my debut mystery novel, FETA ATTRACTION, book 1 of the Greek to Me Mysteries.

So why are cozy mysteries so popular, and why do they matter?

For one thing, the reader always knows more or less what he or she is going to get—or not get—in a cozy mystery. One can always count on there being an engaging heroine (sometimes a hero, but overwhelmingly cozy sleuths are women), a victim, and a complex mystery with lots of suspects who each have their own reasons for wanting the victim dead, all set in a community the reader comes to know and love. Cozies generally come in series, so we get to revisit the characters (at least, the ones who don’t end up dead or incarcerated!) and the community more than once. I just love it when a new book in a favorite series comes out, so I can catch up with old friends and see what’s happening in a place I’ve come to know. Not that I’d necessarily want to live there—strangers often end up dying, LOL!

Other things you can count on in a cozy? You won’t find any gratuitous sex or violence. Sure, the basis of the story is a murder, but it happens off-stage. Death is sometimes accidental (perhaps victim and killer are arguing and it becomes physical, and the victim falls and hits his head), or deliberate, but the killing is not done in an excessive way. No multiple gunshots or stab wounds, and the killer isn’t hopped up on drugs or mentally ill. Nor will you find that the ultimate solution to the mystery involves anything other than the clues the reader has been given throughout the story—no surprising Mafia connections or drug cartels popping in at the last minute. No, the reasons for a murder are always personal—to someone. And romance? If there is one, it develops slowly, over several books.

There is a comfort in this kind of story. Aside from the familiarity of the setting and characters and the fun of trying to figure out what happened along with the amateur sleuth, a cozy mystery offers the absolute promise of justice.  Killers do not get away, they get what’s coming to them, and the community is safe again (at least until the next book). Our real-life world doesn’t always offer cut-and-dried, no-shades-of-gray justice.

That’s why we need cozies—to remind us that fairness and right can prevail, and we don’t need to see a lot of blood and gore to understand that. And that’s why I’ll keep reading them—and writing them.

It’s been a pleasure to be here today!

Links:

Amazon
Facebook 
Twitter

Bio:

Susannah Hardy thinks she has the best job in the world: making up stories and inventing recipes to go along with them. A native of northern New York, where she attended St. Lawrence University, Susannah now lives in Connecticut with her husband, teenage son, and Elvira the Wonder Cat.

For a chance to win a $10 gift card to Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks (winner's choice), leave a comment on this post before 11:59pm January 8 2015. I'll use the random number generator to pick a winner and Susannah will send you your prize.

{Guest Post} Making Memories by Sybil Johnson

Today I'm happy to have Sybil Johnson, the author of Fatal Brushstroke,  guest posting here on my blog. All I really know about tole painting is that my mother and grandmother used to do a lot of it. Sybil has kindly offered to fill in the details for us...

I started tole painting (or decorative painting as it’s usually called these days) in the early 90s when a group of us at work gathered in a conference room once a week or so, ate lunch, and worked on various projects. The experienced painter in the group taught us newbies the basics. During the period we were active, we painted many different designs, starting simple and getting more complex as we gained experience. Here’s our first project.

Every time I look at this wooden house, it reminds me of those first steps we took. How we learned to read a pattern, prepare the wood, transfer the design using a stylus and graphite paper, basecoat and paint the project and, finally, varnish the finished piece.

Over several years, we painted Christmas ornaments, cookie jar lids, sweatshirts, and a host of other projects. We practiced floating and comma strokes. We learned the difference between painting on wood, tin, and fabric. Some projects took longer than others, stretching out over several weeks or even months. (Because of deadlines at work we weren’t always able to paint every week, but we persisted.) This was one of our longer projects, a wooden box with a heart-shaped top I use today as a container for my sewing supplies.

The composition of the group ebbed and flowed as people left and joined the company, stopped painting or, in one sad case, passed away. These classes served as a solid basis for my later painting projects.

I no longer have all of the projects the group painted, but I do have something I consider far more important—the memories of those classes. How we talked and laughed as we worked on a project, helping each other out as we went. I never really thought about it at the time I started working on Fatal Brushstroke, but I think that camaraderie is one of the reasons I decided to set my mystery series in the world of decorative painting.

Now, I largely paint by myself, but every year my sister and I attend a painting convention together. Here’s a Christmas-themed tray we painted in a class a few years back. Every time I look at this tray, it reminds me of the fun time we had together.

So for me, painting is not only about creating something special, but also about making memories, memories that will stay with me forever and remind me of the friends I’ve made along the way.

You can find Sybil on Facebook or at her website.