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When You Returned by Havelah Mclat

| Jasmin De Anda

A cute romance for the Hallmark fans…

When You Returned is a sweet, simple romance for when you just want to sit back and enjoy a book over a nice cup of coffee.

SYNOPSIS

Is their love strong enough to heal the wounds of the past?

Once a renowned skater, Jaclyn is now a single mother, working at the beloved skating rink in a small town in Colorado that has been in her family for generations. When the rink is at risk of being lost, she looks for help from professionals.

The last person she expects to help them get back on their feet is Lavern, an old flame from high school.

After running from grief over the loss of his brother eight years ago, Lavern is back in town on assignment from a company that helps struggling businesses. Assigned to help the rink recover, he now must face the girl he once loved and left behind.

Together, Lavern and Jaclyn are the only hope to save her family’s rink. But confronting the pain of the past might be more than they can imagine.

A Simple Premise…

When looking for a quick way to describe this book, I would say it reminds me of the Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movies, the sweet small town romances. It’s the kind of story that you’ll likely enjoy if you’re just looking for a sweet romance.

The premise for when you returned is that Jaclyn’s family skating rink is in danger after a foreclosure notice from the bank, and Lavern is the representative for his company sent to help them get the business back on it’s feet. I would describe this more as a small subplot. The issue with the rink is mentioned at the start, but doesn’t play a very important role in the story. There’s not much time spent discussing it. The true story is the one about Jaclyn and Lavern. There are a few things made clear from the start, one is that Jaclyn and Lavern haven’t spoken in years and the other is that Lavern left abruptly after the death of his brother. And those things are why this story is more about the two character’s reconnecting, and facing their feelings for each other.

A Quick Read…

The story is told quickly so there isn’t much room for questions, but it does have its sweet moments. I would say the parts I enjoyed more were the flashbacks, some between Jaclyn and Lavern and others between Lavern and his brother.

MORE DETAILS

Word Count (rounded)~ ?

Page Count: 256

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Character’s I Wish I Got to Know More…

There are of course two main character’s, Jaclyn and Lavern. Jaclyn’s backstory gets explored a little more. Her ambitions, her lost dreams, and her inspiration. Lavern on the other hand has his history told slowly primarily in flashbacks. But while I was given somewhat of an idea as to who these people were, I did wish I was given more.

While the technical details are shared: their family situation, their careers, the ghosts of their past. Their personalities are what needed more. I wanted to know what they enjoy, what makes them smile.

I wanted to know how Jaclyn likes spending time with her daughter and how her and her friend’s spend their time when she isn’t working or being a mother.

It was the same with Lavern. I wondered if he was a workaholic, or if he had hobbies. I wondered if he thought of Jaclyn beyond the simple nostalgic memories and if he ever felt guilt for leaving. I especially wondered what the two character’s were like in high school not as a couple, but as individuals.

My Rating…

I rate books with a five star system from would never read it again to loved it and can’t wait to reread it. I don’t really believe in calling a book bad because each person’s interests are different and a book I hated could be loved by someone else and vice versa. Everyone has different deal breakers.

I gave this book two stars because I enjoyed some sections of the book, but heartwarming romance just isn’t something I read often. I would recommend this to the Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movie fans.

The next book I’ll be reading is “The Girl in the Storm” which is another Indie Novel. I’m trying to read a lot of Indie author novel’s which is why I plan to read a new book every week. If you’re an author, let me know a little about your book in the comments!

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Sign Here by Claudia Lux

| Jasmin De Anda

An intriguing mystery that fell a little flat for me…

Sign Here is a humorous and interesting read that may have been in need of just a little more information.

SYNOPSIS

Peyote Trip has a pretty good gig in the deals department on the fifth floor of Hell. Sure, none of the pens work, the coffee machine has been out of order for a century, and the only drink on offer is Jägermeister, but Pey has a plan—and all he needs is one last member of the Harrison family to sell their soul.

When the Harrisons retreat to the family lake house for the summer, with their daughter Mickey’s precocious new friend, Ruth, in tow, the opportunity Pey has waited a millennium for might finally be in his grasp. And with the help of his charismatic coworker Calamity, he sets a plan in motion.

But things aren’t always as they seem, on Earth or in Hell. And as old secrets and new dangers scrape away at the Harrisons’ shiny surface, revealing the darkness beneath, everyone must face the consequences of their choices.

A Humorous Story…

Hell as an office, how can that not be amusing? It’s easy to relate to the irritants that make it Hell. If you’re legal to drink, then you know that a bar that only serves Jägermeister is just horrible to think about. All the small things that make life in Hell intolerable definitely make this an amusing read. But the surprising thing is this story was less dark comedy and more mystery.

A Mystery That Fell Just a Little Flat for Me..

“Sign Here” when it comes down to it is a mystery. Peyote has a plan that requires just one more soul from the Harrison family, but what is that plan? As the story began to unravel, I was intrigued, new questions being asked with each chapter. Questions like why does he need this family? Who is Calamity really? But as my questions were answered, I only found myself asking more questions.

Two Stories that Never Connected…

“Sign Here” is really two stories in one book. One is the story of Peyote, the fifth floor employee in Hell looking to get a promotion. The other is the story of the Harrison family who is harboring a dark past we know nothing about. From the beginning it’s made clear that these two stories are meant to connect. After all, this is the family Peyote needs to complete his plan.

MORE DETAILS

Word Count (rounded)~ ?

Page Count: 432

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Psychological

This was the part of the story I found lacking. Peyote mentions throughout the story how he desperately needs one of the Harrison’s to sign over their soul. But what is he doing in order to achieve that goal? For someone who needs them, he never interacts with them and hardly ever even interferes. I felt the story could’ve benefited more if part of being required to make deals with humans was some manipulation. If Peyote had to push the family member’s into feeling they needed to sell their soul, it would have made it more meaningful.

In the end the employees of Hell aren’t doing much work, they’re just there to have the human sign on the dotted line, or click the button in this case. Sure they don’t mention the fine print, but it just never felt malevolant enough.

My Rating…

I rate books with a five star system from would never read it again to loved it and can’t wait to reread it. I don’t really believe in calling a book bad because each person’s interests are different and a book I hated could be loved by someone else and vice versa. Everyone has different deal breakers.

I gave this book two stars because I enjoyed some sections of the book, but as a whole I found the story lacking and don’t plan to reread it in the future. Maybe a show would add that extra information to make the story feel more complete.

The next book I’ll be reading is “When He Returned” which is an Indie Novel. I’m trying to read a lot of Indie author novel’s which is why I plan to read a new book every week.

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It Ends With Us by Colleen hoover

| Jasmin De Anda

A Tale of Youth, Hardships, and Strength…

It Ends With Us is a more grounded romance of a young woman finding love.

SYNOPSIS

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

What’s So Special About This Book?

Colleen Hoover is all the rage right now. Having written dozens of novels, the first time I read one of her books I honestly expected a cookie cutter romance because who really can release that many novels so close together and still be unique. Well Colleen can.

“It Ends With Us” at it’s core is a story of abuse. Lily has a past where she was forced to watch her mother suffer. Traumatized heroine’s are my guilty pleasure. I see a trigger warning, I read it. It’s not that I enjoy their suffering, I’m not sadistic. It’s their strength and recovery that I love. (A guy who saves her and worries about her is always a bonus). But this one was different because it was realistic. Most books that center abuse tend to pain the male as a monster incapable of empathy or kindness. Some stick to the pattern of abuse followed by apologies. But with this book I got to see the true psychology of why a woman stays with her abuser, but also the judgement they face.

A Heartbreaking Story…

The only Colleen Hoover book I ever read had me crying and I expected the same here. Luckily it wasn’t that bad, but it was still emotional and I imagine the movie will have me sobbing.

In this story we follow Lily Bloom, a 23-year-old living in Boston. Lily is innocent, smart, and brave as hell. She knows what she wants and goes for it, but when she meets Ryle, the matters of the heart prove to be more confusing than she expected. Her experiences prove that what you think and what you feel are difficult to separate and it’s never as simple as finding the love of your life and living happily ever after. Especially when her first love Atlas enters the picture.

MORE DETAILS

Word Count (rounded)~ 115, 000

Page Count: 384

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction

As much as I sometimes wanted to shake Lily and tell her to think, I was able to understand why things were the way they were.

A Surprisingly Special Story…

I’m pretty picky with romance. If it’s not a specific type of story, I tend to ignore it. But I definitely enjoyed this one. If you’re tired of the cliches of romantic fiction, I would definitely suggest trying this book. Sure there’s still a gay best friend but he isn’t used as her therapist. There may be a love triangle but there’s no alpha male dominance fight over who she does or doesn’t deserve. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s entertaining.

My Rating…

I rate books with a five star system from would never read it again to loved it and can’t wait to reread it. I don’t really believe in calling a book bad because each person’s interests are different and a book I hated could be loved by someone else and vice versa. Everyone has different deal breakers.

I gave this book three stars because I really enjoyed it but I don’t think I’ll be rereading it. I’ll probably end up watching that movie over and over again though.

The next book I’ll be reading is “Sign Here”. I’m trying to read a lot of Indie author novel’s too which is why I plan to read a new book every week.

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The Seven Husband’s of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

| Jasmin De Anda

The scandalous and heartbreaking story of a fictional famous retired actress…

The Seven Husband’s of Evelyn Hugo is a story of Hollywood scandal and how one woman used that to her advantage.

SYNOPSIS

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

The Question About Evelyn Hugo…

Evelyn Hugo, reclusive actress who mysteriously retired and has refused to participate in any interviews since. But what happens when she suddenly requests an article to be written, and wants amateur journalist Monique Grant to do the job?

From the beginning it is made clear that this story is about unraveling the question of who Evelyn Hugo truly is. We are given snippets of how the media saw her, but Evelyn makes it clear as she tells her story that the media knew nothing. Reading her story had me intrigued as I learned what was the truth and what was the lies she had carefully given.

An Emotional Journey…

A story about an actress is something I would expect to be difficult. Most actors deal with scrutiny and lack of privacy and I imagine that has its toll on their mental health. Add in the fact that Evelyn Hugo is a Cuban woman in the 50s and her struggle becomes more difficult. But in no way was I prepared for the story of her romantic life to be so heartbreaking.

Halfway through this book I was rooting for Evelyn to have one moment of peace and happiness. Which Brings me to what I considered the highlight of this book.

The Character’s…

Something I feel is being lost in story’s are good, unique character’s. There’s always the gay friend, the perky ball of sunshine best friend there to cheer up an awkward main character. There’s the playboy who says he’ll never settle down. Then there’s the male lead, who can be a number of cliches. But none of the character’s fit these boxes.

MORE DETAILS

Word Count (rounded)~ 100, 000

Page Count: 400

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction,, Psychological Fiction

The main character, Monique Grant was a bit lost in the story, but Evelyn and her friend’s were extraordinary.

Evelyn Hugo is gorgeous, smart, and mesmerizing. But she can also be manipulative and cruel in order to get what she wants. She’s a woman who realized early on that the world would always sexualize her and therefore learned to accept that by turning her body into a weapon. At her best and even at her worst, I adored her.

There are two character’s who are an integral part of her story. The first is Harry, a Hollywood producer who is the start of her career. Harry is the man she could not seem to seduce, the main who is always honest with her no matter how cruel the truth is. What I loved most was that he was a man who always looked out for her and her career.

The second side character is Celia St. James. At the start of the story she is the naive emerging actress, beautiful in an innocent way. But as Evelyn and Celia become closer, Celia becomes a wonderful friend. But I won’t say more because I don’t want to give any spoilers.

A Story I Can’t Forget…

Evelyn’s story is one that will definitely always stick with me. I can’t wait to see the live action adaptation. I hope that the show expand’s on Monique’s character because she didn’t have much in the story but I felt her story had a lot of potential to have more of an impact.

My Rating…

I rate books with a five star system from would never read it again to loved it and can’t wait to reread it. I don’t really believe in calling a book bad because each person’s interests are different and a book I hated could be loved by someone else and vice versa. Everyone has different deal breakers.

I gave this book five stars because as despite being a fantasy and sci-fi fan, I was hooked.

The next book I’ll be reading is “It Ends With Us”. I’m trying to read a lot of Indie author novel’s too which is why I plan to read a new book every week.

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, VE Schwab

| Jasmin De Anda

The spectacular journey of a girl cursed to live forever…

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue is the both magical and tragic life of a girl who was cursed to be forgotten.

SYNOPSIS

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

The Wonderfully Tragic Life of Addie…

Reading the description, my first thought was that this book would be a romance. It is a romance, but it is also so much more. The romance in case anyone is wondering I would consider instalove, but for good reason. Addie is cursed so no one can remember her. And whatever you think this means, multiply how bad it is by a hundred. She is truly a ghost, so after living for almost three hundred years, it’s no wonder she’s instantly enamored with the young man who says “I remember you”.

Throughout her story, you do get the feeling of a life that’s magical, but it doesn’t shy away from the hardships of her life. She may not be able to die, but she can still suffer and that is made very clear. But by the end, Addie was a character I was so invested in.

I would describe the heart of the book to be one of magic and tragedy because following a character who is immortal is magical, but it’s also incredibly tragic. The story is told in two timelines. It begins with her life in modern day, then jumps back to the start of her journey before she was cursed.

MORE DETAILS

Word Count (rounded)~ 112, 000

Page Count: 448

Genres: Historical Fantasy, Fantasy

It keeps going back and forth between the two time periods, but continues to move linearly as it tells her story. Each flashback continues after the last one left off, never backtracking so it’s easy to follow. But luckily the author made it very convenient because every chapter is dated so you know exactly when it is without having to deal with looking for context clues.

A Character to Remember…

Addie LaRue is a young French woman. At the beginning of her story she is innocent and naive, but in the pages of her modern life, she is strong, vibrant, and so smart. The author did such a wonderful job of showing her character development as her past timeline got closer to the present day. That way I was able to see the change in her character, and easily understand how she became the woman she is, but I also came to admire her for it. When I read a book with a female main character, I like to imagine I’m that character. Usually that’s an easy feat because in most cases with the books I’ve read that involve romance, the main character is more of a vehicle to take you through the story. Their personalities usually are so strong at the start but get lost in the story. That was definitely not the case here. 

There is a male main character, I know I haven’t really said anything about him, but that’s just how amazing Addie is. The male lead is Henry, a young man who owns a bookstore in New York. I really don’t want to say anything about him because it sticks to Addie’s perspective so the reader can get to know him as she does. I really wish I had more to say about him, but honestly he didn’t exactly stick out to me. That wasn’t because I thought he was boring, he is a complex character who some people will likely find relatable. For me, it was more like he didn’t stand a chance of standing out on the page next to Addie. But I thought the best aspect of his character was the mystery. He remembers her and that is a big deal, so there really is a big mystery of how and why he is the only person to remember her.

Their characters felt so real that it made it difficult for me to imagine certain actors. I couldn’t land on a face for Addie. With Henry, I ended up reverting back to my go to actor when I can’t pick someone, which is Ben Barnes. Sometimes I just need a voice and a face to picture, and my default for romance is always him for the male lead.

Other Themes…

There are LGBTQ themes to a certain extent. The author deals with sexuality as fluid so the main characters are never labeled as bisexual, but both characters do have a history of relationships with both sexes.

My Rating…

I rate books with a five star system from would never read it again to loved it and can’t wait to reread it. I don’t really believe in calling a book bad because each person’s interests are different and a book I hated could be loved by someone else and vice versa. Everyone has different deal breakers.

I gave this book five stars because as a contemporary fantasy fan, this hit all the marks of magic, mystery, and tragedy that I love, and more importantly, had a main character I could fall in love with.

The next book I’ll be reading is “The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo” just as soon as I get the pile blocking my bookcase doors out of the way. If you read this book, let me know what you think!

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Painting Disney Purses

| Jasmin De Anda

Hello and welcome to my Blog! In this post, I’m going to show you how I took these purses and painted them with Disney characters!

the purses

A few months ago, I bought these cute purses through a wholesale website. When I first started selling on Etsy, I actually started with painting jackets and purses with different character art. My first sale was a green Loki jacket. But when I started painting wood letters, I left that behind and thought it was time to start again. Of course my first thought for these bags was Disney characters! I actually picked out characters for all six of the purses, but I painted two of them back in February and I got tired of waiting to release the video.

MATERIALS USED

Faux Leather Purses

Leather Filler

Angelus Leather Paint

Stencil Vinyl

Masking Tape

WHAT PAINT TO USE

With faux leather items, I always use Angelus leather paint. It’s a really great leather paint that is waterproof and scratch proof, and I can confirm I learned that the hard way when I messed up while painting a spider-man jacket. It only took me five seconds to get to the sink and by then it was already too late. But if you paint anything and make a mistake, rubbing alcohol is your best bet to get it removed. Let’s get onto the painting.

purse 1: Steamboat Willie

For the first purse, I really wanted something black and white. I had already decided that one of these bags would have Mickey Mouse, and with the black and white idea in my head, I started looking at steamboat willie pictures. But first, I wanted my bag to have a black border. I painted the edges past the stitching, making sure to get every side.

Normally when I paint on leather, I paint my sketch in white leather paint because it’s the easiest color to cover up, but I couldn’t exactly do that with a white purse. So I grabbed a pencil instead and got to work drawing. Unfortunately I couldn’t record this because the light made it hard to see my pencil lines and I had to get really close to paint it. With my sketch complete, it was time to paint!

Luckily I had all the colors so mixing paint wasn’t necessary. The colors I used were “Light Grey”, Dark Grey, and Black. With leather paint, it’s best to work in thin coats and to let them dry really well before painting the next coat. If you paint another coat too soon, sometimes it lifts the paint on the layer before and makes things really patchy. 

pURSE 2: Stitch

For the blue purse, I thought it was just grey enough where I could paint Stitch. Lilo and Stitch was one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid, and I had the perfect picture for the bag. For this purse, I used Pale Blue, Light Blue, Hot Pink. For his ears, I did have to mix paint. I mixed together hot pink and lilac to get the perfect shade.

I then used burgundy for the inside of his mouth, white for the eyes of course, and Navy blue for the nose. For stitch’s teeth, I needed a yellowed white, so I mixed white, pale yellow, and some light grey. Finally it was time for the line art. I grabbed my fine point paintbrush and used my black paint to finish my painting.

I could have stopped here, but I couldn’t get this hawaiian flower pattern out of my head. Using the cricut design space, I uploaded a floral pattern and made this stencil, making sure I had a circle opening at the center for the magnetic clasp. I cut the stencil on stencil vinyl and weeded out the pattern then used masking tape to transfer the stencil to the bag. Whenever I use stencil vinyl to paint, I never use a paint brush.

Using a paint brush always makes it streaky and more likely to bleed under the stencil. I love using makeup sponges to stamp on the paint instead in order to get an even coat. Once I finished, I removed the stencil vinyl and used a paint brush and some rubbing alcohol to clean up the places where the paint bled through. You do have to work fast though because if you wait too long, the paint might not come off. 

After I finished the purses, it was bothering me how noticeable the purse metal text was even covered in paint. I bought a paintable filler on the Angelus website and used my bone folder to fill in those spaces and try to get it as smooth as I could. All that was left was to repaint the covered section and the purses were finished!!

THE FINAL PRODUCTS!

What’s Next?

I am planning on painting the remaining bags eventually. I already have the characters mostly planned out. I have my sketches finished for Ursula, Hades, and Eeyore ready to paint.

I am selling these purses on my Stargazer Artistry Etsy, home to all geeky products. 

I recently started a Patreon where I am uploading any stencils and images I use in these videos, but since I’m having a slow start, there isn’t much on there. But I’m excited to get it running. I really hoped you liked this video. If you did, please like it, and subscribe if you want to see when future videos are up. If you have any suggestions or requests for either DIY videos or characters you want me to paint, comment down below. Even though this isn’t exactly a tutorial, I do have all the materials I used linked down in the description. Thank you for watching and I’ll try to get the next tutorial uploaded soon. Bye.

MAKING a pr box for my book!

| Jasmin De Anda

Hey, if you’re new to my blog, welcome. My name is Jasmin. I am a recently self-published author of a contemporary fantasy novel called “Archaic”. If you want to know more about the book, I have a video where I talk about it and the characters within it. Just click here to view the video.

When I first started planning marketing strategies, one of the things I really wanted to do was put together a PR Box for bloggers and YouTubers, because if I’m bothering them with my book, I at least want to give something in case they do decide to read it, as thanks.

Originally, I had planned on custom ordering boxes. I had the design and the specs ready, my logo at the top, a quote on the inside, flames along the inside sides. But unfortunately, most printing places have a minimum order requirement of 500 boxes, and the ones that don’t charge much more.

I had considered getting the 500 and keeping them in a warehouse, but it just ended up being too expensive, and it’s so difficult finding bloggers with open PO Boxes that I just didn’t want to end up with a bunch of boxes I would never use.

PAINTING THE BOX

That meant looking for substitutes. That was when I remembered magnetic gift boxes. I found grey magnetic gift boxes in the perfect size and thought that maybe instead, I could paint them. The first thing I did was take my designs and cut them using my cricut, onto stencil vinyl. For the surface of the box, I wanted to have the same smoky surface as my book cover. So I took a makeup sponge and tore the edges off to get a textured edge, then dipped into grey paint and stamped it on, making sure to blend it out. 

Next, I applied the stencil vinyl with my logo and stamped on black acrylic paint. That was issue number two. It turns out the surface of the box was too smooth for the paint to stick to it so the moment I peeled up the stencil, a lot of the paint peeled up with it. I knew I needed to do something to keep the paint from scratching off so easily. Once I touched up the paint that peeled, I used a matte sealer and sprayed the box outside with a total of four coats, allowing twenty minutes between each coat. That was enough to make the paint at least durable enough for handling. Next I painted the quote on the inside and did the same, spraying it four times to seal it in.

For the outside, I wanted a flat backed gem, just like the logo, but I couldn’t find one that was the right color. I bought the gem size I wanted and made a mold using mold putty, then made a resin gem. Turns out I’m bad at making a mold because my mold had a lot of bubbles on the surface. Not the resin, but the mold itself. I didn’t feel like trying again, so I painted a layer of UV resin on the gem and cured it to at least give it the shine even if it meant losing the details. Then I glued it to the box also using UV resin and the box was finished!

deciding what to put inside

ITEM 1: THE BOOK

When I was deciding what to put inside the actual box, I had a few ideas. First, of course, was the book. I decided to put the case laminate hardcover so I wouldn’t have to worry about any damage to the book.

ITEM 2: EVANGELINE’S BRACELET AND A JEWELRY CASE

I wanted to make sure my items were relevant to the book of course. First I made a jewelry case and bracelet. In the book, my angel character, Evangeline, has an angel winged bracelet. I purchased all the materials I needed to make the bracelet on Amazon. This included the angel wing charms, a blue drop charm, two sizes of chains, jump rings, and the clasp. I cut the chains to the correct size, making sure it would be adjustable.

I then attached the pieces together with jump rings, and the bracelet was done. At first, I thought of just sending the bracelet alone, but I thought it would be a good idea for it to be in a jewelry case.

On my website, I sell jewelry cases, so I had a bunch of jewelry cases in my inventory. I picked the white satin like case and thought about what design I wanted on the surface. In the book, I describe the angels of having bat-like wings with translucent feathers that resemble ice crystals, blue in color. I drew out the angel wings to have that bat shape I had envisioned. Then I looked at the Siser HTV options and found this beautiful blue vinyl that was perfect for the wings. Then I ordered these cards on vistaprint. They’re square business cards. I had them printed double sided with the wings on one side, and a quote mentioning her bracelet on the other.

ITEM 3: BOOKMARKS

The second Item inside is a bookmark. My mom had bought these sublimation bookmarks and had suggested I include them in the box. I had a few thoughts on designs. First, I thought of going with a simple version of the book cover. Then I thought about quotes, and then characters. I didn’t want to use too much of my angel characters because they aren’t the focus of my book, so I thought this was the perfect chance to have my antagonist shown. My antagonist for this book is introduced in the first chapter, and it is a winged man called “Borrit”. I took a random actor headshot and photoshopped him until he was unrecognizable, and resembled my antagonist. The problem was that in my book, he has patches of scales on his skin and my first edit did not look so great. I kept showing it to my friend and because I knew she would be honest. First, she said he looked like a hot guy with eczema. Then it was a hot guy with eczema from hell. Well I told her there was no stopping him from being hot, but I could at least try to fix up the scales. I wanted to avoid cartoon dragon scales and wanted it to be more like animal scales and although the final result is not perfect, I am at least happy with it. I added shadows and flames to add to a more menacing appearance. If you’re attracted to him, well let’s face it, most movie villains have fans.

ITEM 4: A PERSONALIZED ITEM

Finally, I wanted to have one item that was more personalized to the blogger. I was making a total of three boxes to start. Unfortunately, only one made it to the intended blogger, or at least I hope since it was the only one not returned to me. For her, I saw she had put a video of her favorite things which included a specific journal brand. I used heat transfer vinyl to add my logo to it. 

The second one I sent was to Corinne Leigh of Threadbanger. She’s not a book blogger of course, but she’s a book lover and I loved watching her videos. That return to sender notice definitely stung. I had hoped their PO Box was miraculously open since Rob is back to uploading videos, but I was sadly disappointed. For hers I had designed a witchy moon cover and stamped it onto a black journal with red pearlescent paint. But the journal didn’t go to waste because I found a blogger through threads who was interested in promoting new authors and I sent it to her. Her page is all dark romance books, I’ll link her instagram below. Obviously that is not witchy, but I thought maybe at least the colors would possibly appeal to her. 

The third box which was also returned, I couldn’t find information on her likes so I just fixed up a book bag. 

packing everything up

I wanted everything to look nice, so I bought a blue metallic tissue to wrap everything in, threw down some shredded paper for protection, and my logo sticker and closed it up. For shipping, I wrapped the box in craft paper and shipped them out!

And that is how I put together my first PR Boxes. I still have two Boxes, so if you’re a blogger interested in one, send me an email or message me on my instagram. Just please include information on your blog. 

If you’re interested in seeing more videos, please subscribe to my channel. Thank you so much for watching!

Faux Leather Bow Tutorial

| Jasmin De Anda

Hello. Welcome to my blog! Today, I’m going to show you how I make these cute faux leather bows.

I first started making these bows about three years ago, in 2020 and the reason was. Originally I wanted to make those big ribbon bows that other sellers have, but I was having a hard time trying to get my designs to look good in ribbon. Then I saw paper bows and I thought, what if I made them with leather so it’s more durable and stiff enough to be painted on. 

MATERIALS AND VENDORS

Faux Leather (Marine Vinyl Fabrics)

Leather Paint (Angelus)

HTV (Siser Easyweed)

Alligator Clips

E6000 Glue

Parchment Paper

EQUIPMENT REFERENCED

Bow Stencil

Leather Press

Cricut Machine

Cricut Mini Iron

WHAT YOU NEED

These bows are actually simple to make. The first thing you need is the faux leather which is better sold by the yard. Originally, I was purchasing the leather from an Etsy seller, but I ran into a problem with consistency. I had ordered one yard of each color to start, but one day I ran out of red and when I ordered more, the new shipment was a much brighter red and I couldn’t use it for some of the designs because the color didn’t match. Then my mom found a vendor that I switched to and luckily they had both shades of red.

The bows consist of a total of four pieces. The back piece, the center bow, the top bow, and the center strip that keeps it all together. 

THREE CUTTING METHODS

METHOD 1: TRACING BY HAND

There are three methods of cutting the pieces. The first one is what I originally did when I first started, which is to use a paper stencil. I purchased the bow template from an Etsy seller and printed it on cardstock, then cut out the shapes. Then using the stencils trace the shape onto the back of the material and cut them out. This is the method to use if you can’t afford the equipment to speed things up. If you’re doing this, I recommend using a felt tip pen because if you use a ballpoint or marker, even though the marks are on the back of the material, the ink still bleeds through and stains the edges after you cut them. With a felt tip pen, I’ve never had this issue.

METHOD 2: USING A LEATHER CUTTER

The second method is to use a leather press. A leather press is this heavy duty press that is used to punch out the shapes. It uses these leather cutters which you can find from online sellers, or order them custom made like I did. What you do is first cut the leather into rectangles big enough for the shape, then you place the sheet on top of the cutter and slide it under, then punch out the shape. I would say this method is much faster than tracing because drawing straight lines is faster than tracing the stencil over and over. It also leads to much smoother cuts.

Unfortunately, the issue I did run into was that I couldn’t get it to completely cut the piece cleanly. The cutters weren’t flat, so I would have to punch it, then very carefully slide the cutter forward and punch it again, but sometimes the leather would stick or shift. So most of the time I would just cut what was left with scissors. This method is faster, and you do get less from the material but not enough to really impact the cost per bow.

METHOD 3: USING A CUTTING MACHINE

The third method is what I currently use, and it is to use a cutting machine. I own a cricut explore air two. For this, I took my stencil and converted it into an svg cutting file on convertio. What I love about this is I’m able to create custom shapes depending on the bow I’m making. For example, for my mickey bow, I made a mickey ear back piece instead of the standard shape.

For this, I see how many of each shape fits on a 12×24 cutting mat, then I cut the leather into the correct size sheets. Then place the material face up on a strong grip mat. Two things are very important here. The first is you must use a strong grip mat otherwise the material will slide. The second thing is make sure you place the fabric side of the leather directly on the mat. Unfortunately it will make your mat wear faster, but if you put the leather side down, the glue will come off and ruin your mat along with leading to extra work cleaning off the glue from the cut pieces. I cut my leather on the bonded fabric setting on regular depth and it cuts it almost perfectly, with only a few strings left attached that I have to cut.

TWO WAYS TO DECORATE

METHOD 1: PAINTING

Once you have your pieces, this is the time to paint or decorate them. There are two options. The first is to paint using leather paint. I use Angelus brand which is very permanent and easy to apply. This method works great for small details, and designs where you want more depth, shading, or more freedom. It is important to paint in thin coats, allowing time to dry in between. If you paint your second coat too soon, it may lift the coat beneath and lead to a patchy appearance.

METHOD 2: HEAT TRANSFER VINYL

The other method is to use heat transfer vinyl. I love using heat transfer vinyl for more symmetrical shapes as well as colors that take multiple coats to apply. 

I briefly showed a total of three bows in the video. Two coco themed bows, and a sorcerer mickey bow. For sorcerer mickey, I used to use silver paint. But since the painted parts are stars and a moon, I switched to HTV for cleaner, opaque shapes. I use a cricut silver HTV, and using my mini cricut iron, with a piece of parchment paper between, press for only five seconds. With small vinyl pieces, it’s important to not heat them for too long or else the vinyl will melt and stick to the plastic rather than the material. For the coco I also used HTV, which was a bit more time consuming because the details were so small, I had to be very careful when weeding the vinyl since not all the shapes were completely cut.

GLUING THE PIECES

Once you have your pieces, the last step is gluing. Originally, I was using contact cement to glue the pieces, but although the glue was strong, it dried too quickly. I ended up switching to E6000 which has worked great. Apply the glue to all three points, then close the bow and use an alligator clip to keep it together until it dries. Once those pieces are dry, use the glue again to glue them together.

Finally, it’s time for the center strip. I usually can get these using the scraps from cut pieces. I cut long strips and cut them as I go. Apply the glue to the center of the bow then position the strip. Next apply glue to the end and wrap it around. Hold the bow until it’s dry, then slide the alligator clip through and push down, making sure it’s all holding together.

THE RESULT!

That’s how you make a leather bow! I sell these bows for $6 each on my Etsy. I sell the character themed ones on Stargazer Artistry, and other designs on Stargazer Lily Boutique.

If you found this tutorial helpful, please hit the like button. If you’re interested in seeing more tutorials, please subscribe. Have a craft project you’re curious about? Then comment down below and I’ll give it a shot. Thank you so much for watching.

I Published My First Book!

| Jasmin De Anda

What I hope readers will consider a compelling fantasy story…

After ten years of writing this book on and off, I finally finished and self published my book! I am planning on writing more posts about the process, but this post is solely to tell you about my book, and what this means to me.

SYNOPSIS

Archaic presents the battle of good and evil in a realm of sorcerers and angels, as an evil force plans to unleash an unimaginable horror on Earth.

Cornelius Alewar, leader of the sorcerers helping humankind, is unexpectedly reunited with his grandson, Eric. Cornelius, who has lived almost two centuries, and is known more recently as Neil, had thought Eric was killed along with his mother, Leanna, 13 years before. Having found himself different from other boys all his young life, Eric happily joins his grandfather in the land of Luxwick. But life in Luxwick is not as peaceful as he expects. Cornelius has been at odds against a powerful sorcerer called Malphilus, whom he has shared a connection with since birth, and now Eric has found himself caught in their web. But Eric wishes to become a hero as he doggedly tries to stop an evil plot before it comes to its full fruition.

Years in the Making…

“Archaic” started as a few notes written when I was fifteen years old which when reading them years later, I realized were just a rip off of Harry Potter. Luckily writing a book wasn’t exactly something I knew how to do at fifteen, so the next time I tried writing this story, although it was still inspired by Harry Potter, I had a stronger imagination at sixteen and therefore had a story which could stand separately.

I remember being seventeen years old when the summer before my senior year, I decided I wanted to write a book and I wanted that book to be “Archaic”. I had a phone full of dozens of story ideas, but I knew this was the one I was ready for. So I sat down on my couch with my laptop ready and got to work on the first chapter. When I returned to school for senior year, I decided to ask my junior English teacher, who was then my Yearbook teacher, to read the first chapter. When she returned it, the sight of the pages filled with notes and corrections at first overwhelmed me, until I read them. Despite my mediocre writing skills, her feedback made me feel like I truly had something with potential. That year, I spent every free moment in classes writing what I could in a notebook to be typed later. But life got busy and I didn’t have as much time to write, so it wasn’t until I was twenty-two that my first draft was finished, and twenty-four when I had a final draft I was ready to show the world. But as I mentioned before, this isn’t about the process, this is about what this story means to me. Which is why I want to talk about my characters.

MORE DETAILS

Word Count (rounded)~ 102,000

Page Count: 320

Genres: Contemporary Fantasy, Mystery

Ebook
Paperback
BARNES & NOBLE

Creating Characters I Love…

Characters are always my favorite part of a story. Although my first notes contained a plot far from original, I do take pride in the fact that my characters were, even then. My story started with a single character called Cornelius “Neil” Alewar, an English man with the curse of immortality, but he was not created alone. It was when I first saw X-Men first class that I had a thought. What if there were two people connected since birth, yet torn apart by their differences? What if there were two people with a mental connection, linked together by a bond so strong, and unable to escape each other, not even by death? And so Malphilus, the adversary was created.

I remember how excited I was when one by one, my characters came to life. They all began as nothing but names, but as I wrote their backstories, their personalities soon took shape as well. And as I found actors to draw inspiration from, I eventually reached a point where to me they were real. Not actually of course, but they became so clear in my mind that if felt like they were. Their dialogue changed in rewrites to better match their personality, and as the plot moved forward, I could write their actions and reactions without thinking. How Evangeline would always worry, but be the first to speak her mind. How Theo’s first instinct would be anger, then eventually remorse for the mistakes he’s made when clouded by that very anger. Then there was Neil, the character who will always hold a special place in my heart. He is a man so tired and so broken, but so insistent on shouldering his burdens alone.

Although I am proud of the story I created, I am more proud of the characters and I truly hope I’ve succeeded in writing a story that will make others cherish these characters as well.

The Story I Always Wanted to Read…

I remember watching an interview with legendary comic writer Stan Lee where he told a group of college students that the most important thing is to write what you love. I’ve always adored fantasy stories, so I did just that. But something that was always so important for me was that my story made sense. All my favorite stories are the ones that you could tell were planned out, while the stories that drove me crazy I could tell started with a premise, but lost their way to a proper ending. That was part of the reason it took me so long to finish this story, because I wanted to plan out every detail, every cause and effect, every ending.

What’s Next….

Being finished with this book is something I wasn’t sure would ever happen, and I will publish a few posts on the process I went through to finally have this book available. But this isn’t a standalone book, it’s the first of a series, a series I have completely mapped out. The hard part is actually writing down the details, but I’m ready to start. I still have an app filled with notes of dozens of ideas for other stories, and I may work on one of those in between. That’s actually the only way I was able to finish this book, by giving myself some much needed breaks creatively, allowing myself to focus on other ideas. But even know this series is important to me, and getting it out there for others to see what’s next is my primary goal.

“Archaic” is available to purchase on my website www.stargazerlilyboutique.com. By purchasing it directly from my website, you would be allowing me to gain the full profits. But for those more comfortable with more known websites, it is also available on Barnes & Noble.

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