I love my Kobo!

Dear Scribblers

Have you delved into the world of the e-book reader yet?

I must say, seeing as I like to touch and hold and feel, and adore the smell of books, I was a little skeptical of the lure of e-ink. Then I thought about it in the same way as writing, I keep a daily journal written with proper flowing ink, but I also blog, tweet and Facebook. I often make handwritten notes, but I also jot down ideas on my iPhone. I sometimes write out stories by hand, but also go great guns directly onto the MacBook.

This follows through to my crafting, I sometimes scribble my journalling, other times print out font. I even go the whole way and make complete digital pages. If I can be a hybrid-scrapper and writer, why not a hybrid-reader?

After checking out all the e-readers in the market place, I finally found my perfect match!

The Kobo Touch. It's a fantastic e-reader, with a responsive and easy to read touch screen, with only two buttons - on/off and home. Kobo Books is an amazing book store including plenty of free books and previews. You can even buy books elsewhere for use on it (drag and drop - including pdfs, plus Adobe Digital Editions), and loan e-books from your local library, if they offer that facility.

There's a whole social networking scene called Reading Life, including collecting rewards of virtual stickers as you read and then send them onto Facebook, and where you can also check your reading stats too.

The casing is very tactile and easy to hold, not to mention chic. Its quilted back reminds me somewhat of a very expensive designer handbag, that most of you will know is very close to my heart!

It can sync via your computer (PC and Mac, which is a bonus) or via WiFi, up to your own account at Kobo Books. If you've got an iPad or iPhone, you can app it to sync to that as well.

There are a couple of options I would like added though. These include being able to access the dictionary and notes sections directly, not just via a book, and also a crossword solver would be nice. There is already a sudoku game, plus sketchbook and internet browser in their extras section under experimental functionality.

In my opinion, it's so much better than anything that the other companies offer in the UK.  

I know this sounds like an advert, but it's not! I'm in no way connected with Kobo, nor am I getting any payment for writing this post. It's just I love it! I'm hooked on the free classics on my e-book reader.

It won't replace all my lovely books on my shelf, but it's a brilliant way to carry books with you, plus I've downloaded some of my long-term favourites which I can have with me at all times.

Happy Scribing... and Reading - however you do it!


NB: The extract shown on screen is from the free preview of 'The Eyre Affair' by Tom Fforde.

NaNoWriMo over and Christmas is coming!

Dear Scribblers

Where did the month go? I'm so sorry for neglecting you, sometimes time has the habit of whipping away from you. I hope you've been following the daily prompts on Twitter as an alternative.

NaNoWriMo, as is November, is over, and I'm pleased to report I hit my 50,000 word count before the end of the month. I'm a winner!

I still have more to write before my first draft is finished, then the process of editing and re-editing and re-editing and... you get the idea!

So, it's almost Christmas and winter celebrations, who can believe that it's the end of another year? There's that time doing it's busy again. Are you ready? To be honest, I haven't even started! Not one present bought, no tree up and - hangs head in shame - no cards made! Not written, not even bought. Oh, the horror! I've had a strange few months which has meant that thoughts of holidays have been quite far from my mind, but never fear. I'm pushing forward, and I know that I'll get it done in time. Although, as a naughty crafter, the cards will be coming from a shop this year.

Projects of the Day: 

1.  If you are one of those lucky people who are all sorted for Christmas, don't forget to take photos of all your wrapped presents, cards on display and tree. It will be something to add to your Christmas layouts.

2.  If you still have your holiday shopping and chores to do, remember to take photos as you go along. Make a list of all the things you need to do and include that in your layouts. Have fun with your tasks.

3.  How about gathering together some of your favourite photos from previous years, and making a collage.

4.  If you are a writer, take some of your favourite memories and put them together to create a 'Christmas through the ages' memoir.

NB: Please substitute the word Christmas, for your own festival if you follow a different religion. Enjoy your winter celebrations!

Happy Scribing!

The Crafty Scribe Communiqué - NaNoWriMo, LSNED & Tweets

News Flash... Communiqué... News Flash...

Dear Scribblers

So, autumn is here again, which means so is NaNoWriMo!

Once again I am subjecting myself to the terrors of trying to write a 50,000 word book in the month of November.

Second day in and just over 3500 words completed. As soon as they make the word counter available, I'll embed it on this blog, so you can watch my progress... or lack of it.

Why don't you join me? It's inspiring, it's nerve-wracking, it's creative, it's stressful, but mostly it's fun!

You've still got plenty of time to jump on the trampoline of typing, typos, titles, tales, tears, tantrums and titters. Dive onto their website, and see the full detail.

Now, onto apologies, it's been quite a while since I posted on my blog, as you can see without me telling you. Various reasons, but I'm glad to say I'm back.

For those of you who enjoyed my daily scrapbooking and journalling prompt series here on the blog, you'll be glad to hear that they are still available to view, starting from here to all the way through to number 160 here. Plus if you would like to receive ideas every day, please follow my Twitter account, as I tweet a new prompt every day.

Over the month of September, I joined in with Shimelle's Learn Something New Everyday course again, along with many other scrappers. However, this year I decided to do something different. I art journalled through the month! The first time I've ever tried anything like this.

Over the next few posts, I'll show you a few of my art journal pages for you to see, it was an interesting experience and I loved having a go. I'm not sure how successful they were, but I'll leave that to you to comment.

I'll be back soon. Have a great day. Carry on crafting and writing, Scribbers.

Happy Scribing!

Communiqué Ends... Communiqué Ends...

My Favourite Things Part 6 and Two Projects of the Day!

Dear Scribblers

There's jewellery, like the Tiffany and Cartier kind. There's more jewellery like the catalogue and high street kind. There's another lot like the cheapy, cheapy plastic wear-once-and-break kind. Then there's the Alchemy Gothic kind.

Alchemy Gothic are a fabulous UK company that makes jewellery, personal and home ware of the interesting kind, and I love 'em! They were creating jewellery adorned with skulls, fantasy, gothic and vampires, as standard, way before anyone else.

They produce amazing catalogues in which each item is lovingly photographed.  How about owning the Necromancer's Sigil ring? Or The Order of the Black Rose necklace. Each has it's own special name, many have stories attached to them and all of them are exquisitely manufactured and weirdly wonderful and beautiful to look at.

I wore my first item of Alchemy Gothic jewellery about 15 years ago, it was a plaited leather cuff with a little silver-tone skull. I still wear it. Slowly my collection has increased. Each piece was bought because it meant something to me and whenever I do wear one of the rings, or necklaces, or bracelets. I feel that I'm attached to a little piece of fantasy.

Project of the Day 1: Do you have a favourite piece of jewellery? You know what to do... getting crafting and creating!

Project of the Day 2: Dig through your jewellery box. Is there any broken pieces in there? Instead of throwing them away, or leaving it stuck in the dark never to be worn again, how about adding it to a layout or project? Adding something you've worn, will make your crafting feel even more personal.

Happy Scribing!

My Favourite Things Part 5 and Project of the Day

Dear Scribblers

There's An Appealing Apple Apparatus For That!

Hands up all those who love gadgets? Got your hand raised? Me too!

I'm a geek freak in a good way. What way could liking geek-feast goodies be bad, right?

Give me any new tech and I'm a happy girlie... especially if it's made by Apple.

I love my shiny smiley Apple products. I first used Macs at work 15 years ago and fell in love with their design and usability. We were able to play video and music on it at a time when the office still used Windows 5.1 on the other PC on my desk.

My first owned Apple product was the iPod Classic which still holds a mega amount of music and plays as well as it did when it was new.

An iMac was next, then the iPod Touch followed swiftly after.

I received my MacBook as a birthday present two years ago, and for my pressie last year it was my iPhone 3GS.

Okay, none of them are the latest models, but they don't need to be. They all do the jobs they are meant to do, and all are a pleasure to tap and swipe. They just work!

I bet you can guess what I want for my birthday this year? That's right, an iPad! It's a struggle, but I'm waiting for the iPad 3.

One comment I would like to make to all craft project CD makers. There's so many CDs available in the market, especially if you watch UK's Create and Craft channel, but most of them are Windows only. Please don't forget Mac users, we love craft too!

Project of the Day: Today's project came about when I looked through some of my hubby's old photos and found one of his desk in his teenage bedroom. Along with a pile of ignored school work stood his beloved ZX Spectrum computer. (Look it up!)

Do you have favourite technology that you use every day? Have you scrapped or written about it? Make a layout or journal entry about your gadgets, be sure to add a photograph. Technology design moves on so quickly, just think how fun it will be to look back at it in 5 or 10 years time and think how dated it looks.

Happy Scribing!

My Favourite Things Part 4 and Project of the Day

Dear Scribblers

Do you ever find that you are in the mood of comfort food? That special little treat that picks you up when you're feeling low?

Well, I have comfort books. Just as fulfilling with none of the calories!

They are The Belgariad and The Malloreon series by David and Leigh Eddings. I've written a little about these books before, please click here to read that entry.

I first began reading these books when I was 17, after being lent Pawn of Prophecy by my boyfriend, and devoured the first five books, known collectively as The Belgariad, within a few months. The boyfriend is long gone, but the love for the books stayed with me, although I needed to buy my own copies!

Impatiently, I waited for each book of the second series, The Malloreon plus the three companion books that followed, to be published and read these with as much delight and gusto as the first. You can probably tell by how worn the books are!

So why are they my favourites? I love the characters, the fantasy setting, the plot, action and comedy. Each time I dip into them, it's like a reunion with old friends. They are my comfort books as there's no effort in reading them. I know what's ahead, I've been there with them before but I still enjoy every page turn and get as much from the next read as I did the first. 

I've read a lot of books and a lot of fantasy, even further stories by David and Leigh Eddings (who sadly are no longer with us), however no other set of books have affected me like these. I like to begin reading them again every couple of years, normally around October time, as the nights begin to draw in and the weather becomes colder, I turn to The Belgariad and find comfort in beginning my journey with my friends all over again.

Project of the Day: Please try the Project of the Day from the previous post.  Or, if you would like to try something different... 

1. Make a list of all the books that you would like to read. 
2. Create journal pages or a mini-book, adding the title of one of the books to the top of every page. 
3. As you read the books, take a photo, add the dates you began reading and finished it, and write a review. You can even include where you read the book, who you passed the book on to, photos of you reading, what stopped you from reading it. Anything that makes your experience personal to you.
4. Fill the book up as you work down your list. This helps as an incentive to finally get round and read all those books that you promised yourself, as you see the pages fill up with your comments and achievements.

Happy Scribing!

My Favourite Things Part 3, Project of the Day and The Way of The Prompt!

Dear Scribblers

One of my first entries on The Crafty Scribe blog was about my favourite stationers - Smythson of Bond Street. I'm sure it's no surprise that their products are showing up again in My Favourite Things series.  Click here if you want to read the original entry.

When you enjoy writing by hand, you begin to appreciate the feel of a free-flowing ink pen and the smooth paper that will become the depository of your thoughts and ideas.

The name Smythson is linked to history, style, elegance and quality. Using their products evokes the feeling that you are part of that.

One of my special presents each year is a new diary. I'm also lucky to own their  journals, notebooks, writing pads and correspondence cards. Each one has a different use, although a couple of them I can't bring myself to use yet, I just love to stroke and look at them! Even on days when writers' block encroaches, putting one of the notebooks in front of me brushes the negativity away and lets inspiration spring forth.

Note: If you ever find yourself in Bond Street, London, drop into Smythson. Not only to see all their lovely products, but to visit their mini-museum which explains their history and also displays famously-owned diaries and notebooks from the past, such as royalty and movie stars.

Project of the Day: Do you have favourite products that you like to craft, write or draw with? Do you have them at hand to use or even just to look at to give you inspiration? Make up an area, maybe in a basket, box or file and put all your best bits and bobs together where they are easy for you to get hold of, that way when you are in need of a boost, or when an idea hits, you are ready to go.

Happy Scribing!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter to get regular Prompts for Journalling and Scrapbooking. Take each one and jot down ideas which you can turn into a layout, mini-book, journal entry, story or art page. Have fun with them. Who knows where your imagination and memory will take you.