999 Book Challenge -- January Synopsis

I read 13 books in January, and have 8 for my challenge.
Graphic Novels--Adults: Watchmen, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, The Alcoholic
Graphic Novels--Youth: Fashion Kitty, Runaways vol. 1
Mysteries--Adults: Neon Rain (New Orleans)
Mysteries--Youth: The London Eye Mystery (London)
Biography/Memoir--Adult: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I also read, but am not really including these in my challenge 3 Sookie Stackhouse mysteries, Brain Droppings, Lost Duke of Wyndham, and Fortune's Fool.

I'm hoping to finish out my graphic novel category in February.

Ginger Edwards--Rose Stool

After the seminar Saturday, I was inspired to finally tackle finishing the stool I started back in November when I took the Ginger Edwards seminar. I really only had the leaves and lettering to finish. I think I might finally "get" the leaves, and I probably should have tried to redo some, but eh...they look like leaves. :-) In case you have trouble reading the lettering...it says "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Hydrangeas

Saturday we had a member taught seminar at the Heart of Texas Tolers; it had been postponed from September. We painted a Ros Stallcup hydrangea design. I had never painted hydrangeas before so I was excited. Boy, they are hard! Val, the teacher, had a great way of explaining leaves, and I think I might finally get it!! I am actually pleased with my leaves, which is very unusual for me. I painted the piece on the top of a TV tray. I have 3 more trays, so I'll have to use them in the future so I'll have a painted set.

Santa

This santa was a Heart of Texas Toler's class I missed over the summer. I finally got around to painting it, and then it sat for a bit while I tracked down a little plug/button for his nose.

Door Mitten

I figured since it's the middle of January, I should probably think about taking down my Christmas wreath! I finally sewed the snowflake onto the door mitten I made last year. Initially I was going to use a stick and more ribbon to hang this, but I kept it simple. I still think it might need something else, but it's cute.

Snow Scene

For the January Heart of Texas Tolers meeting, we painted a winter barn scene. I did mine on a 5x7 canvas. It was a fun, easy painting day.

999 Book Challenge

Library Thing has a group that is doing a 999 challenge. Read 9 books in 9 categories by 9/9/09. You get to pick your own categories. I think it sounds like a fun way to push yourself to read new things. I'm going to be ambitious and read 9 adult and where appropriate 9 children's/ya books.

I've picked the following categories:
1. Award winners--Pulitzer, National Book Award, Nobel, etc. I will stick with fiction for these.
2. Classics--I'm going to try to keep this to classics I've never read, but I think I might sneak in a few that I just want to reread.
3. Biography/Memoir
4. Historical fiction--I'm shooting to do one book from a different time period, and try to do some different countries too. Most that I've read in this category tend to be set in England.
5. Mysteries--I'm planning on picking different locales for this one. For example, Burke's Robicheaux stories take place in New Orleans, Alexander McCall Smith in Botswana, and another in Scotland. I think this might be hard in the children's/ya area, but we'll see.
6. Science Fiction
7. Graphic Novels
8. Fantasy--I've been reading a fair bit in this genre, but I really want to get more breadth so I will try to focus on authors I haven't read before.
9. Horror--including supernatural/paranormal. This last category is the only one that I think might change. I don't do a lot in horror, because I'm a complete and utter wimp. However, I do love vampire, and other supernatural creatures, stories. A lot of the kids I've helped find books at work like scary stories.