Kell

Ooh, lovely, Andy! I love boats.

Yes - I've never seen anyone reading outside a wigwam before!

Wow - that sounds amazing! WHere did you get that kit/chart from?

I've just ordered a few more bookmark kits from that site, Lexie - thank you!

Yes, it has to be you, but you can cover your face with a book so nobody can see it (for example, look at the pic in my profile - you can only see my eyes and the top of my head, but you could do it so that only the top of your head was visible from behind the book). As for cropping it - well, we wouldn't be able to see where you're reading if you did that!

Janet - Get stitching! Lilywhite - Yes, I started running short of time to do cross stitch too, which is why I ended up not doing it any more - reading took priority. Now, of course, Xander takes priority, but as I get limited reading time, it's going to be reduced even more now. But I can always do cross stitch while while I'm watching telly with Dale (obviously, I don't read when I'm doing that - LOL!), which would mean I'm not cutting into book time too much after all... Loopyloo - I LOVE that cat pic! A bit advanced for me right now (I'm pretty much starting almost from scratch as it's been so long - LOL!). I think tiny projects will be the way to go for some time yet, till I get more time to myself again. Nici - I hope you'll find a good one with a decent kit as a free kit. Let me know how you get on! I finished the gold edging and started on one of the leaves at the bottom today...

I always found it very relaxing - almost meditative. It's quite easy once you get the hang of it. The basic cross stitch is just done in rows - You do all the stiches one way: / / / / / Then go back the other way doing the cross over stitch: You can get very simple starter sets to try - I always suggest getting a cross stitch magazine with a free kit on the front to see if you enjoy it before forking out for any more stuff.

Dale had a couple of days off, so I got a little bit of "me" time which I used up by soaking in the tub with a book.

How to Eat Like a Hot Chick: Lose the Guilt, Find the Fabulous by Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent Synopsis: Sassy, irreverent and in-your-face, this is every hot chick's guide to having your cake and eating it. Learn how to eat confidently, without any apologies, and still manage to look gorgeous. Originally a self-published success, How to Eat Like a Hot Chick will make every woman feel sexy and beautiful. It offers real-life examples on how to take pleasure in food without adhering to complicated diets or self-denial. In the style of the bestseller Skinny Bitch (except who wants the stress of being a vegan?), the authors take a hilarious, glam-girl, take-no-prisoners approach to looking and feeling your best. Hot chicks don't deny themselves anything. Hot chicks don't ever apologise. Hot chicks simply enjoy their food and learn to make the right choices every day so that they remain hot. Packed full of sassy wit and goodwill to spare, the authors reveal the secrets of what hot chicks really eat. From which cocktails will keep you light on your feet well past midnight, and exactly what you should (and shouldn't) eat on a date to how to avoid pigging-out when you're down in the dumps or hungover.The authors understand that sometimes you're going to slip up - you're only human after all, but their simple rule is that if you wolf down that big piece of chocolate cake 'just know that you'll be eating a ton of spinach for dinner'. Dozens of smart ideas and healthier food options, as well as lists of foods to avoid at all costs make How to Eat Like a Hot Chick every girl's best friend. Slimming down and loving yourself is easier (and more fun) than you ever thought possible. My thoughts: This is a shining example of self publishing being picked up by a publishing house and becoming a success. Lipper and Vincent have pitched the tone just right - the balance of seriousness versus lightheartedness is spot on, and the advice is all common sense. To be honest, most of the information will already be well known to established "dieters", but this is presented not as a diet, but as a way of life that can be maintained with minimal effort. It does have some jargony phrases, one or two of which are a little annoying on occasion, for example, repeated talk of "this is your heyday" reminded me distinctly of Miss Jean Brodie in her Prime, but it's enough of a fun and easy read that it doesn't bother one too much as you flip the pages. The best thing about Eating Like a Hot Chick is that it extols the virtues of having a little bit of what you fancy - nothing is out of bounds, providing you follow up a lunchtime binge on chocolate cake with a pound of spinach for dinner! It also points out that starving yourself is, as we already knew, not Hot - Hot Chicks enjoy their food! Rating: 8/10 Other titles by this author: How to Love Like a Hot Chick: The Girlfriend to Girlfriend Guide to Getting the Love You Deserve

I bet I know exactly what your idea was!

The rules are now posted for the photo comp HERE. The rules for the Big Book Swap are now posted HERE.

In honour of World Book Day (which falls on 5 March) I'm proud to announce a competition for reading in unusual places. The Rules: 1. The photo must be of yourself holding a book. 2. As some people don't like posting photos of themselves, you may cover your face with the book if you so wish! 3. You must be reading in an unusual place. 4. You must take care not to get injured - please, no posing on chimneypots! Any injuries sustained during the photo-taking competition are NOT the fault of anyone here on the forum! You are responsible for your own safety! 5. All photos must be posted in this thread by 5pm on Thursday 5th March. 6. I'm hosting this competition, so other Mods can feel free to enter. 7. This competition is open to all members who have 25 or more posts. 8. You can post more than one photo, so long as they are all of you at different locations. 8. My decision is final. The prize will be a book (of course). In deference to the spirit of being green, it will be a pre-loved book (one which I already have!), but the winner can take their pick of the books listed (their condition will also be listed in case anyone is bothered by books that look like they've already been read - some of them are as-new!). THIS THREAD IS FOR POSTING THE PHOTOS ONLY. THE PHOTO ENTRIES: Inver by a wigwam at Center Parks FreewheelingAndy on a boat Kate on a bidet Gyre at Newark Castle Nici76 sneakily reading at work! Louiseog on a sleigh The winner was Kate on a bidet! Well done, Kate!

How about a "book swap"? We could set up a thread of fokls who are interested and each person is paired up with another and they send each other a book they've already read and enjoyed (to keep, of course, otherwise it would just be a multi-person book loan!) in time for World Book Day.

I'm so pleased you're pleased, Lexie! I really enjoyed it - it's something completely unusual.

Me too!

LOL - Oh dear! Keep another recomendation on the backburner just in case then, as the idea is to read something you've not read before...

Excellent news - I'm glad you like the sound of it, Roxi!

She might not have read that one yet... Hopefully not, and at least someone will be getting one of their favourite authors. Totally the luck of the draw - LOL!

That was actually what gave me the idea- of course, I'd expect our members to be more careful and sensible than that - LOL!

I've ordered mine from Green Metropolis. Looks like an interesting read, so I'm looking forward to it.

OK - the allocatins have been made. Check HERE to see which book you've been allocated.

OK, here are the books everyone will be reading (pulled from a hat by Dale): Kell will read The Rabbit Factory by Marshall Karp (nominated by LouiseOg) Jo-Bridge will read Death at la Fenice by Donna Leon (nominated by Chimera) Chimera will read The Loop by Nicholas Evans (nominated by Ceinwenn) LouiseOg will read The Hacienda by Lisa St Aubin Du Teran (nominated by Jo-Bridge) Lovesreading will read A Certain Slant Of Light by Laura Whitcomb (nominated by Roxi) Roxi will read A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg (nominated by Lovesreading) Ceinwenn will read Matthew Flinders' Cat by Bryce Courtenay (nominated by Purple Poppy) Lexipiper will read Bringing Down the House: How Six Students Took Vegas for Millions by Ben Mezrich (nominated by Kell) Purple Poppy will read See Jane Die by Erica Spindler (nominated by Lexiepiper) I figure if we aim to read them by the end of March, that gives us a couple of weeks to get hold of them and a whole month to read. Once you've read them, let everyone know what you thought of the book you ended up reading (post it here, but you can also post a review in the appropriate forum area if you like). Note: If it turns out you've already read the book you've been allocated, you can ask the person who nominated it to recommend another book to you instead.

Perhaps we could all take photos of ourselves reading in unusual places on "the day" and post them here?