So I’m on Instagram (and I’m kinda lonely)…
Posted: May 14, 2016 Filed under: On social media | Tags: aussie-owned, bookstagram, colouring, Instagram 4 CommentsAussie Owned and Read — where I am a co-blogger — just got itself onto Instagram (@aussie_owned_read), courtesy of the super-enthusiastic Sharon. I’d been thinking I should create myself an account for a while now, because something-something-social-media, and AOR’s involvement encouraged me to jump on the bandwagon.
You can find me @cassandrapage01. I’ve been off crook from work for most of the past week, feeling too unwell to write much of anything. But not too crook to take lots of pics, apparently.
What can you expect to find if you follow me over there?
Definitely some of this…
And a little bit of this…
This (obviously)…
And occasionally, if you’re really unlucky, some of this…
Are you on Instagram? If you leave a comment with your handle, I’ll pop over and stalk say hi to you.
Audiobooks, colouring and being an adult
Posted: September 6, 2015 Filed under: On Books, On me | Tags: audiobook, colouring Leave a comment
Since I joined Audible in June last year (they lured me in with a month’s free trial), I’ve become a bit of an audiobook addict. Usually I read my paperbacks in bed, and these days I’m generally so tired when I hit the sack that I barely manage to read a chapter before I fall asleep. Audiobooks, on the other hand, give me something to listen to in the car other than music and the news. I’d also listen to them while preparing dinner, folding the washing, that sort of thing.
More recently, I bought myself one of those newfangled adult colouring books and a set of coloured pencils. Now my new favourite form of relaxation is to sit at the dining table, surrounded by pencils and shavings, and scribble away while listening to the doings of whatever characters I’m shipping at the time.
It is basically the best thing ever.
When I first heard that adult colouring books were a thing, I was a bit bemused by the idea. (Trivia: there are also “adult” colouring books, if you know what I mean. *wink wink, nudge nudge* I don’t have any of those, but apparently Amazon does if you’re curious.) One of my friends expressed an interest in them, so after the Aussie Owned and Read post on them, I ordered a couple for her birthday — and then in the meantime she went out and bought herself one of the same ones. So I kept the double-up, which is Secret Garden by Johanna Basford.
Colouring in is a great, meditative way to keep my hands busy while my mind is off on a fantastical adventure. (Or listening to a memoir.) It’s more fun than folding the washing, and more satisfying than driving the car.
Don’t colour while driving, though. #protip
“Faye” – a photomanipulation by yours truly
I’ve experimented with various forms of art over the years – I did art in high school, but never really excelled. I’ve also experimented with digital art (photomanipulations), which is something I’m better at, but not brilliant at. Writing is the art-form I’m best at, probably because it requires less hand-eye coordination — though there’s always something new to learn there too (thankfully, or wouldn’t it be boring?).
Still, even though I’m still a bit of an amateur, it’s such a delight to be able to look back through the colouring book — I decided to do the pictures in order — and see how much my shading in particular has improved. It’s also funny to see the way I associate particular images with different books. 🙂
Colouring and audiobooks: I highly recommend it.
The Last Six Books I Got my Grubby Mitts On
Posted: July 14, 2015 Filed under: On Books | Tags: Chuck Wendig, colouring, TBR, top ten tuesday Leave a comment
It’s been a while since I did a Top Ten Tuesday, and since the last one I’ve changed my blog’s colour scheme. So I decided to recolour the logo to suit. I hope that’s okay, Broke and Bookish folks!
Just a reminder of what this is — Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish blog hop where book nerds get to blog about books! In lists! It’s totally awesome. 🙂 This week’s theme is “Last Ten Books That Came Into My Possession (bought, library, review copies)”. With one exception, I bought these books … because I have a credit card and poor impulse control. But I’m only listing six books, because I can’t remember which ones were seven through ten and I’d hate to mislead you, dear reader.
One: Secret Garden by Johanna Basford
Okay, this one’s a colouring book, not a novel, but the question wasn’t specific. I actually bought it for a friend’s birthday, and then discovered she’d just ordered herself a copy. (Why do people do that?!) So I decided to keep it for myself. I’ve been home sick this last week, and I’ve spent a lot of time colouring. Lots of fun!
Two: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
The Book Depository sent me an email a few weeks ago, promoting some books they had on sale. I’ve been curious about this series, so I figured, why not? (I have a problem; I know!)
Three: Hit by Delilah S. Dawson
Bought it, read it, loved it. I also adore that cover. It’s a credit card with a very sensible piece of advice in the byline: “always read the fine print”.
Four & five: Atlanta Burns and Under the Empyrean Sky by Chuck Wendig
I think I bought these on the same order as Throne of Glass (and they weren’t on sale … shh). I haven’t had a chance to read them yet, but based on the Wendig books I have read, I have no doubt that photographing them with a Tigger pillow is just about the most inappropriate combination ever. But I like the way he brings out the colours, so nyah!
Why do I own a Tigger pillow? It was a Christmas present from my then-four-year-old son.
Six: Keir by Pippa Jay
The new copy of Keir is the one on the left; I already owned the one on the right. It was recently re-released with a new, even more gorgeous cover, and while I was chatting to Pippa on Twitter I expressed a little bit of cover envy. Her response was to send me a copy of the new edition as well. Isn’t she the best? (Seriously, go follow her. And if you like sci-fi romance, read her books too!)
So those are my six. Have you read/coloured any of them? And what’s the most recent book you acquired? Let me know in the comments!
Cassandra Page 