The Buzz on PaperCoterie

My Pretend Lawyer Made Me Write This: I have not been compensated for this post.  I received a free, personalized journal from PaperCoterie when I visited the MomSelect Suite while at BlogHer.  PaperCoterie is offering a $40 Promocode to me and more importantly, to anyone else who would like to use it.  That means you. Yes, YOU. Details at the end of the post!

Official Press Release:

Salt Lake City, Utah – August 1, 2011 – Inspired by Kelly Corrigan’s book, Lift, Paper Coterie hopes to inspire its audience to take photographs and document the ordinary in creative, new ways.  From August 1 through August 31, 2011 all visitors will receive a $40 credit to spend.  There is no minimum purchase and visitors pay only standard shipping rates.  Paper Coterie is an online circle of friends who are passionate about documenting the everyday through personalized photo books, calendars, wall décor, and other creative and innovative products. “We are extremely excited to be hosting Begin Anywhere Month and introducing Kelly and her books to our community,” said Melisa Jeffers of Paper Coterie.  “Knowing how and where to start documenting can be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to memory keeping, and we hope that our Begin Anywhere event provides both inspiration and a starting point to our community.”

Registrants can choose from a beautiful selection of elegantly designed books and journals; calendars in several formats, home décor items and gifts, recipe cards and more.  The $40 credit does not include shipping. 

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at Paper Coterie.  For more information, visit us online at www.papercoterie.com.

My take?

My first few visits to Paper Coterie were a little clunky - it seemed they were doing some updates/fixes at the time.  Since then, my visits have gone smoother.  The hardest part was deciding what to buy with the $40 promotional code.  I flitted around - I had already received a personalized journal from Paper Coterie while at BlogHer and  I wasn't in the mood for a photo book.  Unfortunately, I don't need a growth chart for my babies who are now doing things such as walking, talking and GOING TO SCHOOL (because that airplane growth chart I linked to?  Is wicked cool. And my babies?  Are TALLER than those charts.)

In a democratic surfing move, I clicked on the Recipe section thinking it was probably just your typical recipe cards.   Except I was wrong.  Paper Coterie does not offer your typical recipe cards - they offer pretty recipe cards which are personalized.  However, what really caught my eye was the cookbook section.  Personalized cookbooks.  As in "cookbooks with MY recipes IN them".

Hold your horses, Fannie Farmer.

Honestly?  This post has been delayed because I can't drag myself away from making my own cookbook.  And even while writing this, I've been clicking over and playing around with my cookbook-in-progress.  Furthermore, during this whole process of finding recipes to add,  I've been compiling hand-scribbled notes, things copied into my phone, and a mountain of print-outs. I have even searched emails for old recipes.

And I am putting them into my own cookbook.   I am almost done with my first cookbook and therefore, MUST create a second cookbook.

This whole "make your own cookbook" is a new concept to me and Paper Coterie has made it fairly easy.   You simply create an account, click on the recipe book of your choice and get started.   That's it! You can stop mid-stream and save your project to complete later (I am on Day 3 of working on my cookbook.)  I fumbled a bit with the actual editing portion at first but once I got the hang of it, the going was pretty fast.  I do wish that I could do things like bold or italicize individual pieces of text within a text box, but perhaps, that will come in later versions.

In the meantime, I am pretty happy with the results:

That particular quirky style and font appealed to me, but if that's not your thing,  they do have several styles to choose from (I will probably choose "On The Dot" for my 2nd cookbook).  I cannot wait to finish this cookbook! Currently, when I go through my weekly meal planning on Sunday afternoons, I have to flip through papers, cookbooks and even my memory.  Inevitably, I forget about certain dishes and eventually find myself in a cooking funk.  I am looking forward to having my "loose" recipes contained within 1 or 2 books that I can flip through along with my other books cranked out by the Big Publishers.

Paper Coterie doesn't just offer cookbooks.  So, I will stop my fangirl praise for a millisecond to mention that they do also offer photo books and journals, memory keepers, and decor items.  In fact, I am also intrigued by their "Prompt Me" book's official description:

Start creating this engaging book built by Paper Coterie's Prompt Me tool. In the coming weeks, Prompt Me will create your book using your responses to a series of creative questions, fun prompts, and photos. Let Prompt Me help you document the beauty of life well lived. 28-page minimum book is printed on premium 50% recycled fiber paper.

I was SO tempted to do a Prompt Me book for this post, but was afraid of the time commitment - right now is a bit crazy.

Okay - here's the important part, right???

So what's in this for you??? Until August 31st, Midnight, any reader who visits www.papercoterie.com can use the promo code BEGINANYWHERE to receive a $40 credit. There is no minimum purchase necessary, and shipping is not included. 


Truly, you'd be crazy to not check Paper Coterie out.  Halloween is trickling into the stores and you know what that means.


Christmas is coming.

The Buzz on Peas and Bananas: Outside With Lil Boo.

For the lawyer's personal pleasure:  I received a copy of this book for review and there was no other compensation for this review.

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION:
The first book of the Peas and Bananas series. Peas and Bananas Outside with Lil Boo is an illustrated children’s book based on the creative events experienced through the eyes of Lil Boo. The events in the first story of a series are based on exploring an array of outdoor adventures from the eyes of a toddler. Follow Lil Boo and his imaginary friend Onote from the letters A to Z in a fascinating rhyming adventure outside.

EXCERPT 1:

The wonderful things you see from your room.
It's like riding on a broom!
So many wonderful things to do.
Let's go outside and see the view.

EXCERPT 2:

A cactus is awfully prickly.
Even so, a touch is fickly-tickly.
Have you ever seen a prickly, fickly, tickly cactus?
Lil Boo has, and its name is Magnus.

Cactus to dirt - without a squirt!

My take?
Truthfully, I was disappointed.  I have a pretty extensive collection of children's books, much of it collected before I even had kids of my own.  Therefore, when I was contacted by the author regarding a potential review of Peas and Bananas, I jumped on it.  The chance to review a book not mass marketed was very appealing to me - the thought of discovering something new.  But, sadly, I was not really taken with this book.

Interestingly, I loved, loved the illustrations - they were adorable and some of the renderings of the animals were simply beautiful (the owl was my favorite!)  However, I was confused with where the story was going and some of the wording/poetry had a rhythm that was hard for me to read out loud.  I understand the need to make up words to make things "work" and that children's literature grants a wide girth in that respect (hello, Dr. Seuss?!)  But this was a little much for me. 

Of course, like many parents there are books that WE love and then there are books that we suffer through to please our children. Sadly, I knew the review for Peas and Bananas was sunk when my kids did not stick around for the entire reading.

In fairness, I included two excerpts to give you a chance to see for yourself if this would be the type of book for you.  Obviously, I cannot purport to be the "end all/be all" when it comes to reviewing children's literature!

The Buzz on "Yum-Yum Bento Box" by Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa

For the lawyer's personal pleasure: I was given this game by Quirk Publications for FREE to review and you can pry this book from my dead, cold hands.  Or, I could just leave it to you in my Last Will & Testament.  That might be easier. 

Confession:  When I saw that I had a message from Quirk Publications, I got a little excited.  They are a publisher of amusing, unusual reads and I knew they were probably offering to send me something worth reviewing.  And when I realized they were offering to send me a copy of book solely about bento boxes, I knew I had hit some Review Blog Gold.

When I received Yum-Yum Bento Box by Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa, I sat down to read it and finished it one sitting.  It was entertaining and some of the results were just too twee for words (the mushroom on the cover is "Capital A" Adorable.)  This book also left me with a strong hankering for an egg mold.  Ahem.

Official Description:

Divided into “Cuties and Critters,” “Fairy-Tale Friends,” and “Special Day Treats,” Yum-Yum Bento Box also includes additional recipes for mini snacks and save-it-for-later lunches, a glossary, and much more. Inside, readers will learn:

·         Which tools are needed to craft bento boxes and where to find them.

·         How to style and shape foods into charaben (or cute characters) using bento basics and advanced techniques.

·         How to make a Piggy Burger, plum flowers, miniature omelets, animals, elves, princesses, and more!

Whether you’re an experienced bento maker eager to expand your repertoire or a bento newbie looking to spice up a ham and cheese sandwich in a fast five minutes, Yum-Yum Bento Box: Fresh Recipes for Adorable Lunches has something for everyone. Why spend money on generic, unhealthy packaged lunches when you could be making unique and wholesome bentos?

The upshot?  If you are a beginner to bentos, this is a good place to start - the book is crammed with all sorts of little photo insets which provide step-by-step instructions that demonstrate how to create many of the items displayed.  There are also "quick tips" offered throughout this book as well.

We have the Laptop Lunchbox systems (which hey, I totally paid for with my own real dollars!).  However, in regard to lunches, my kids are still in their granola bars, nuts, cheese and applesauce moods.  In the meantime, I am keeping this book for future reference. 

If you are currently doing lunchmeats, cheese and crackers for your kids' lunches, you can already get some mileage out of this book just on those ingredients alone.  For the more experienced bento enthusiast, there are some more complicated creations as well.

This is a bright, colorful and perky publication with a sturdy construction.  Definitely, it is gift quality.

And I still have plans to get that egg mold the next time I am at our Asian superstore. Yes, my kids love hard-boiled eggs.

The Buzz on "Booze Cakes" by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone

I have written extensively about my inability to bake.  I try and fail miserably,  then I try again.  Therefore, when I was offered the opportunity to review Booze Cakes by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone, I hesitated.  Who the hell am I to review a book about baking?  However.  While I may not be a baker, I do love reading cookbooks in general and seriously,  I just could not resist this book.  I mean, look at the cover.  Are you not craving cake right now?

I suspected this book would be chock full of luscious food photography and I was correct.  Every page is accompanied by a lovely photograph and several of the recipes feature "how-to" photographs to help you with preparation.  The book has four main sections (Classic Booze Cakes, Cocktail Cakes, Cake Shots, and Cakes with a Twist)  but I found the supplemental sections to be helpful as well.  There are recipes for homemade liqueurs and mixers (i.e. limoncello, sour cherries) and there are directions for toppings, frostings and fancy garnishes ( i.e. candied items such as cherries, flowers; flavored sugars such as lavender, herbal; specialty decorations such as marzipan carrots, meringues).

The recipes that appealed to me the most were the recipes for the English Trifle (drizzled with brandy), the Tres Leches cake (involving cachaça, a Brazilian distilled spirit) and the Chocolate Lava Cake (using port wine!)  In fact, including variations, there are 108 cake recipes and 32 cake shot recipes!   This book will not become boring anytime soon.

If there is a baker in your life, this would make such a thoughtful gift and I do believe an inventive baker would have fun with this book, its variations and the supplemental sections that can be used for other recipes.  Besides, if you present this as a gift, perhaps they might return the favor by leaving a cake on your doorstep?  At least, that is what I am hoping for as I pass this beautiful book to my baking friend Caroline! 

I wish I could have tried at least one recipe before posting this review - I promise to update this post with my friend's thoughts as she tries her hand at baking from this (I am curious what she will think of the Carrot Cake recipe, in particular, since that is one of her favorite cakes.)

The Buzz on "The Rookie Moms Handbook" by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss

The Winner!
These random numbers were brought to you by Random.org (aka Blame Them, Not Me):

Commenter #2 MB has won the Rookie Mom's Handbook!

Please email me your snail mail address to cagey333(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Last summer at BlogHer, I had the great fortune to meet Heather Flett, one of the author's of the Rookie Moms Handbook. I requested a copy of the book to review and Heather got right on it. I, however, did not get right on it. In fact, I did not even near it. I am terribly ashamed at myself for neglecting to review this lovely book sooner. It really was enjoyable and thought-provoking - I wish I could have had a copy of this before I had a baby myself

The subtitle of the book is "250 Activities to do with (and without!) your baby". A few of the ideas are pretty inspired: #242 Get More Out of Goodnight Moon (i.e. noticing the changing position of the bunny in bed, the mouse in the room, the changing patterns of grays, the advancement of the clock, etc.) or #169 Take Your Tot to a Grown Up Restaurant (Hint: Arrive early with the old folks and avoid ruining someone's date night) or #139 Sharpen Your Brain (i.e. doing word jumbles, Sudoku or just reading the newspaper. With both of my babies, I would make a point of reading one local news website and CNN every day just so I would have something to talk about with my husband!) A few are just plain common sense: #42 Curl Up and Dye (i.e. get a hair cut, an eyebrow wax, etc.) or #185 Host a TV Night With Your Pals (I hosted a Survivor finale party when my son was fairly little - it was great having everyone come over!) or #159 Introduce the Tupperware (i.e. get out the Tupperware for you baby to play with)

I can definitely recommend this read for both mothers staying home full-time or those going back to work. There are many fun ideas presented here and it would definitely help a new mom keep perspective of her non-mothering side.

I am giving away my review copy of this! Please comment on this post by Midnight, February 14th and I will draw someone at random.

The Buzz on "The Pregnancy Instruction Manual" by Sarah Jordan

I recently received a copy of The Pregnancy Manual: Essential Information, Troubleshooting Tips, and Advice for Parents-to-Be by Sarah Jordan with David Ufberg, M.D.

In short, I would classify this as a Fun Read. It is a small, compact book chock full of useful information and is filled with quirky illustrations. The overall structure of the book is similar to that of an instruction manual, even down to the diagrams of various situations (e.g. an emergency delivery, packing the hospital bag, food cravings, and "signs of child delivery initialization".) My favorite diagrams were "Coitus Interruptus" and the hilarious comparison of "Real Baby vs. TV Baby".

While this could not be considered the "end all and be all" to one's books on pregnancy (it was certainly light on the breastfeeding information), I definitely recommend this as a fun read for a pregnant mom or dad. In particular, if you know someone who has a tendency to stress out or give in to paranoia, I would suggest this a gift to encourage some light-heartedness. Furthermore, an added benefit to this book is that it is very Dad Friendly and would make an excellent gift for a dad, too.

After all, pregnancy should be fun, too. Right? Right.

Note: Normally, I would offer this up as a giveaway, which I intend to do with most of the books I review here. However, in this case, I cannot offer it. I owe a commenter a nice gesture, so I am paying it forward.