Blog: Quilting Magic with Ties #holidayanthology #crafting #readromance

A lot of you know I call my husband Handsome. When we first married, he gave me a card signed with Handsome Husband. I shortened it. (And Handsome is a pretty nice looking guy. )

I grew up when working men wore suits to their job and to church, to shows, etc. I like the look. Handsome’s career began at a large accounting firm and he wore the “uniform” too. He especially liked ties and for a long time, never threw any away.

An employee at his company makes quilts. After a chat, he decided to have one made into a quilt. Take a look:

Michelle Miles: Crafty Crafts

I’ve been in a bad funk with the writing lately (mostly ignoring it) so I decided to turn my attention elsewhere.

Most of you know I do other crafts. I opened my first Etsy shop to sell my handmade cross-stitch ornaments. I stitch A LOT of Santa faces. They are so cute. But I’m expanding and doing other little ornaments.

Stuff like this:

And this:

CUT! Costumes in Movies, part 4 #historicalromance #moviecostumes #readromance

From the CUT! Costumes in Movies exhibit, I'm focusing on evening gowns. And are there some doozies:

Who loved to play dress up? Me! Once, I went to a tag sale when I was about ten and for a very small fee, I bought a dark blue evening gown. I just loved it. Today is our last look at CUT!! and I'm featuring evening gowns. 

From Phantom of the Opera, we have this lovely pink creation worn by Emily Rossum as Christine:

Isn't it gorgeous? Love the shade of pink, how the train is gathered and embellished with flowers and ribbons.

Have I said how much I LOVE red? This stunning red dress was worn by Laura Flynn Boyle:

A little art deco flavor, slimmer silhouette:

And lastly, a slinky dress and suit:

Plotting Princesses: Vicki Batman - You know what’s really annoying? #MFRWorg #readromance #householdchores

I try not to be a gripey person. I take on tasks I dislike and finish them. There is one household chore I really dislike, and I think you’ll be surprised when I say... 

Changing out the toilet paper tube for a fresh roll.

Yep, the springy thing bouncing all over the room, getting on hands and knees and finding it, and pushing all just so to get it back in the holder drives me crazy. I wish I had installed the kind where the roll slips over the rod.

Silly, isn’t it?

Vicki Batman : A Writer’s Good Life #MFRWorg #readromance #RWA2018

The best part of being a writer is meeting writers. Sharing, collaborating, buying books. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m at the Romance Writer’s of American convention attending workshops, classes, dinners and lunches, and signing books at the Indie Signing. 

Last year was a huge one for me. I signed at the Indie Signing and my mystery at the Signing for Literacy. I had so much fun. Many writer friends I’ve made over fourteen years stopped by and picked up books. There were strangers who came looking for me! A friend who made the call to notify me I’d finalled in her chapter’s contest.

I think I broke my smile that day.

I’m not a fast writer lately. Life has pushed me around and I do what I do. Though, when I have looked back, I have been amazed at what I’ve done:

35 short stories and essays

2 romantic comedy mysteries

So I’m absorbing new information, hanging with old and new friends, and soon shall be flexing my fingers and hitting the keyboard. 

Author Vicki Batman on Handbag and Book - My Observations about Dogs #gettingapet #catsanddogs #romanticcomedy

Some of you may be laughing hysterically just from the title of my blog because you know I grew up with cats, not dogs. My mom didn’t want to fence the yard for a dog. Our first cat was a huge gray guy named appropriately Smokey. He was born between our wooden and the neighbor’s chain link fences. 

Over the years, there were others, like Mischief, Fuzzy, Snuffer. Our last two were farm cats from Kansas named Romper, aka Roo, Roo-roo, Romp, and her sister, Scooter, aka Scoo. 

Handsome, however, grew up with dogs. He loves to tell the story of their sheepdog who ate the Thanksgiving turkey (Christmas Story, anyone?). So when #1son was about three, he adopted Baxter, a sheep dog who grew VERY LARGE. Baxter was too big for little kids and no one could walk him well.

After Baxter and Snuffer passed, we adopted the farm girls. They were little and squirmy and perfect for boys’ love. Both had a long shy streak and would hide behind furniture when people came over.

Many years passed and Handsome began to yearn for another dog.

Michelle Miles: Living in a Fishbowl

I had a recent experience on Facebook that has me questioning my very existence on Facebook.

My post was somewhat controversial, though I had no intention of it being that way, and generated over 170 comments (don’t bother looking for it; the post is no longer available for public consumption). It was merely my observation of the double standard that exists in our world. What’s good for the goose is sometimes not good for the gander.

When we put ourselves on social media, and post things that are considered hot topics, we unwittingly invite these people into our world. If our thought or opinion doesn’t align with theirs, then we’re open for attack. Everyone and everything comes under careful scrutiny by people who know better and people who have no problem telling us about it.