Book Love & Beauty at The Nest

Winner of the Grace for the Good Girl giveaway is....

Kristen {#4 in the comments}. Congratulations! {I sent you an e-mail.}

For the rest of you, head on over to wherever you buy books and get a copy. You can read more reviews here and maybe even win a copy from some of the other reviewers.

Lucky me, I was able to share in the book love at the Nester's party for her sister, Emily, who just happens to be the author of this book. I know, some sisters just get all the skills. 

Lily, Emily, Me, Nester

But you just have to love them because they are such swell girls, welcoming and real and silly. Also? They wear boots with party dresses. Love that.

I got to hang out with Lily and we were so engrossed in conversation {shocker} we didn't even realize we were blocking all the other guests from the brownies. I told everyone how she runs an empire out of her home and it's true. {Non-subliminal message: Go buy a Padalily.}

And if all of that wasn't enough, I got to hug Bonita in real life. Bonita says the nicest things to me. Sincere encouragement is always such a blessing. {Non-sublimal message: Read Bonita's blog.}

Bonita & Me

And right before I left, I met Ellen {of Handmade Recess} and I told her what a fan I am of her handmade bags. Seriously, I had just been at her blog a week earlier looking at her pretty, pretty wares. {Non-subliminal message: Visit Ellen and buy a lovely bag.}

I've never been to a blog convention or anything like that so it was a real treat to chat with fellow bloggers. Lindsey has a kitchen blog and Melissa has an event-planning blog and it's just fun to meet other girls doing their thing like I do. 

As for the party itself, that Nester, she went and killed a thousand books just for their pages. Librarians everywhere just formed a mob and are planning to hunt her down. 

She made book-page wreaths and book-page garlands and book-page leaves and book-page trees and a book-page tablecloth. She even a book-page chandy. Oh it was just swoon-worthy in every way.

I found myself looking covetously at my kids' homeschool books this morning, wondering if they'd miss a few pages or if maybe we could just make crafts out of their books instead of having to write in them. 

And while I am rambling, I just have to tell you this hilarious story: 

So I met this sweet and fun girl, Melissa. She's friends with Emily and the Nester and she'd told Emily at some point how great it was that she'd gotten so many well-known speakers and authors to endorse the book. As she went on to list such noteworthy people, she threw my name {not "Scooper," but my real name} in the pot with all of these famous writer / speaker gals. 

Well, Emily was clearly puzzled and asked Melissa, "Um, do you know her?" To which Melissa replied, "Well isn't she one of those Women of Faith speakers or something?" Emily laughed and said, "{Insert my real name!} That's Scooper!" 

I probably told that all wrong and in the worst paraphrase possible but you get the gist. It struck me as hilarious. Because really, I live in obscurity sort of in the middle of nowhere and my name has never been on a poster or book or anything else. My speaking gigs have consisted of classrooms, tours of historic sites, and when I ran for student government stuff a hundred years ago. 

I am not even almost famous. 

But I do think it would be funny if Melissa had started a big rumor at that party and I got famous for being no one. It would be funny until everyone realized I didn't have a clue about anything. Sort of like when Kramer got fired from Brant Leland and he didn't even work there to begin with. When Jerry asked him what was in his briefcase, Kramer just said, "Crackers." 

{That line gets me every time.}

I keep envisioning myself all dressed up and speaking to throngs of people about nothing and carrying a briefcase full of crackers around with me.

Goodness, I have seriously digressed. Apparently this post has followed after a Seinfeld episode. It's become a post about nothing. 

Anyway, if I don't post for a while, you'll know why: I'm too busy being famous. 

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P.S. If the formatting is all wonky, my apologies. Blogger has a new editing set-up and it may be the death of me. Also, do any of you have trouble commenting? I guess you can't really comment and let me know but if so, send me an e-mail.