During winter, with mountains of snow and a raging pandemic, two little girls along with their parents took a three-day trip to a warm island to get a little reprieve from the cold and from a year of quarantining in their own home. They quickly realized that the pandemic was real wherever they went. Nevertheless, they had a blast on their short getaway. While on the island, the family had an encounter with a woman who shared some very important lessons about priceless things. The Message of the Priceless Dolls reinforces the lesson that we should cherish the things that are most meaningful, valuable, and priceless in one's life--things that cannot be exchanged for money.
"Precious Gift, Priceless Treasure," is a book for parents of special children. It deals with the challenges these parents have to face. The author candidly shares her trials and the wisdom gained from the laughter and the tears. She does not discount the value of early intervention. However there are instances when even the most religious and judicious management does not bring the desired results. Furthermore, there are still places where handicapped children are shunned and discriminated against. With these thoughts in mind, she emphasizes the importance of spirituality and the need for an intimate relationship with God. Using appropriate Bible verses at the end of each chapter, she encourages the reader to reflect on the story and the Word of God. Her strong faith in God helped her accept the reality that her only daughter is different. She has learned to let go of society's norms and focus instead on man's real goal-HEAVEN! The book tries to minister to parents who are lost, helpless, and hopeless. Many of them feel like failures when their special child is unable to lead a "normal life." With their incessant quest for normalcy, they fall into the trap of neglecting their other children, themselves, or turning their ire on God. Instead of clinging to God and imploring Him for necessary graces needed to cope, they erroneously depart from His presence. There is danger in this mindset, for turning away from Him who gave us the gift of LIFE will only lead to hopelessness and desperation. The book conveys a distinctive meaning to the words, "gift," and "treasure," as perceived by the author. "HOPE AMIDST HOPELESSNESS" is the slogan for this book.
The author of "Brilliant" returns with the continuing story of Kick Keswick, respectable wife of a Scotland Yard detective by day, and master jewel thief by night. "Fast-paced, atmospheric, and wryly amusing."--"Kirkus Reviews." Martin's Press.
Darlin Donuts Cozy Mini Mysteries Donuts and Murder 1: The Gossip Columnist Donuts and Murder 2: The Mourner Donuts and Murder 3: The Rich Housewife Donuts and Murder 4: Death by Obituary Donuts and Murder 5: The Selfie Thrill Seeker Donuts and Murder 6: Celebrity Death Hoax Donuts and Murder 7: The Wrong Address Donuts and Murder 8: The Celebrity Nanny Donuts and Murder 9: The Missing Doll Donuts and Murder 10: The Con Artist
Celebrates stitched doll art by providing full-sized templates for twenty-three human, animal, and creature doll projects, and features artist profiles, studio photographs, and descriptions of signature techniques.
In December 2008, my worst nightmare came true . . . How do you pick yourself up after the one thing you most feared happens to you? Alexandra Penney's revealing, spirited, and ultimately redemptive true story shows us how. Throughout her life, Alexandra Penney's worst fear was of becoming a bag lady. Even as she worked several jobs while raising a son as a single mother, wrote a bestselling advice book, and became editor in chief of Self magazine, she was haunted by the image of herself alone, bankrupt, and living on the street. She even went to therapy in an attempt to alleviate the worry that all she had worked for could crumble. And then, one day, that's exactly what happened. Penney had taken a friend's advice and invested nearly everything she had ever earned--all of her savings--with Bernie Madoff. One day she was successful and wealthy; the next she had almost nothing. Suddenly, at an age when many Americans retire, Penney saw her worst nightmares coming true. Based on her popular blog posts on The Daily Beast, this memoir chronicles Penney's struggle to cope with the devastating financial and emotional fallout of being cheated out of her life savings and illuminates her journey back to sanity, solvency, and security. "I will work harder than I ever have before--which was pretty hard indeed--and see what happens. I have the feeling something good will come of it: tough, challenging work and laserlike focus have always paid off for me. . . . Was it better to have it and then lose it? Yes, yes, yes! Even though I lived with horrible bag lady fears of losing it all, now that those financial fears have materialized, I'm in pretty good shape and looking to what's next. Experiences -- good and bad, exciting and boring, tragic and absurd -- make up a life. Not to have lived to the fullest is the saddest, most irresponsible life I can think of." --- from The Bag Lady Papers
'Fast-paced and clever, with a pleasing blend of political intrigue and romantic suspense as well as a whodunnit, this is perfect entertainment for a winter's evening' - Guardian 'Elena is a delicious villainess, and the compelling dynamic between plutocrat and protégée makes this an addictive read' - The Sunday Times 'Part thriller, part romance, part social commentary, this is a wildly entertaining novel' Literary Review The Firm meets McMafia in Marina Palmer's thrilling and exciting novel, which opens the door on the Russian high life in London and corruption at the heart of British politics, reaching all the way into the Secret Services. Packed with twists, intrigue, betrayal, romance and suspense, The Russian Doll constantly wrong-foots the reader and delivers a perfect narrative, right to the last page. How much did she just say the salary was? When Ruth Miller returns a dropped scarf to Elena Shilkov, she is whisked from a dreary shared house to a world of unimagined luxury. The super-rich Russian wants a new personal assistant and won't take no for an answer. Ruth gets accommodation, a credit card, and a complete wardrobe makeover. And she's good at the job; distributing gifts, attending galas, dealing with the high-society movers and shakers fighting for Elena's attention. Then the sinister truth begins to reveal itself, that nothing is quite what it seems in Elena's dangerous, deceptive world. Ruth should get away. But it's already too late. 'Best book I've read this year' - Simon Conway, author of The Stranger 'The Russian Doll gripped me with layer upon dangerous layer' - Alison Bruce, author of The Moment Before Impact 'I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day . . . Superb!' - Mara Timon, author of City of Spies
When a corpse is discovered under a car at the local auto restoration garage, Sophie “Phee” Kimball gears up to investigate a crime that puts a whole new twist on the term “body shop” . . . The seniors of Sun City West are celebrating again, this time over the news that Wayne from the pinochle club finally has a chance to restore his classic car. Phee goes along for the ride, but her thoughts are on her agency’s latest case—a priceless artifact that’s missing from the local museum. It’s an antique doll supposedly filled with treasure—but also carrying a curse for whoever possesses it. Then a dead body is found under Wayne’s car, along with signs of foul play, and Phee is coaxed into helping get him off the hook. It’s clear to Phee that the victim was killed by sabotaged machinery, but the garage attracts so much foot traffic that narrowing down a list of suspects will be nearly impossible. Harder still will be keeping her mother’s gaggle of friends from meddling in the case, especially after they throw a wrench into the works by trying to locate the missing doll. Soon Phee and the whole group are careening toward a head-on collision with a thief, a killer, and a cursed doll, and she can only hope they don’t drive her insane—or worse—make her the next victim . . . Praise for the Books of J. C. Eaton: “Fun characters, a touch of humor, and a great mystery, the perfect combination for a cozy.” —Lena Gregory, author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries on Ditched 4 Murder “So cleverly written, you won’t guess the perpetrators until the very end.” —Mary Marks, award-winning author of the Quilting Mystery Series on Booked 4 Murder “A thoroughly entertaining series debut, with enjoyable yet realistic characters and enough plot twists—and dead ends—to appeal from beginning to end.” —Booklist, starred review, on Booked 4 Murder “Enjoy this laugh-out-loud funny mystery that will make you scream for the authors to get busy on the next one.” —Suspense Magazine on Molded 4 Murder
Hand-sewing soft dolls has never been easier with these adorable patterns from the Gingermelon Dolls designer. The eagerly anticipated first book by popular toy designer Shelly Down, My Felt Doll shows sewers of all abilities how to make adorable soft dolls—and more than forty accompanying accessories—using the most basic of materials and skills. With just felt sheets and a handful of simple notions, you will learn how to sew the simple yet delightful doll pattern and then discover eleven imaginative variations on the design—from a mermaid to a witch, from a princess to a superhero, and from a ballerina to a bride—guaranteed to delight little girls everywhere. With no hems to sew and all the stitching done by hand, My Felt Doll makes a great entry point to sewing dolls for beginners and even children. Full-size templates make life easy—trace straight from the page with no need to enlarge. “Totally lovely . . . The instructions are clear and Shelly’s hand-drawn illustrations for each step are a perfect accompaniment . . . This is one of those instances in which buying a book is really worthwhile.” —While She Naps “Great for absolute beginners with no sewing experience . . . Also, a great addition to an experienced plushie maker . . . as the details and color palette will surely inspire you in your next customization.” —Noisybeak “The cutest book . . . Since the dolls are entirely handsewn out of wool felt, they take a little extra time, but the end results were so cute!” —Clover & Violet
