Stephanie Rische

Blogger and Writer: Capturing Stories of God's Grace

Friday Favorites for July

friday_favorites_header1

And now . . . for a few of my favorite things for July. Enjoy!

For anyone who has ever tried to articulate whether they like a book . . .
These book reviews by kids are part insightful and part hilarious. Case in point: “This was a good book but it didn’t make much sense.” Book Reviews by Kids

For bookmark aficionados . . .
I realize a scrap of paper or a receipt would work just as well, but I do love a good bookmark. These are fabulous—especially the bedside lamp bookmark. Creative Bookmarks

For anyone who has wondered if their marital status makes them less valuable . . .
Shauna Niequist nails it again: “Marriage doesn’t make you me more special. It’s not a status symbol.” You Are Significant with or without a Significant Other

For anyone who likes to devour books . . .
These cakes are literary and culinary masterpieces. Just wait till you see the Narnia-themed one! Gorgeous and Delicious Literary Cakes

 

Friday Favorites

friday_favorites_header1

Here are a few of my favorite things lately. Enjoy!

For anyone who literally wants to devour books . . .
I was amazed by these lush photos of “the most memorable meals in literature.” Fictitious Dishes

For anyone who spends an inordinate time choosing the right font . . .
If you make a scientific discovery and announce it in Comic Sans, will people take you seriously? How Typeface Influences the Way We Read and Think

For anyone struggling to find balance in their relationships . . .
Shauna Niequist says, “Cooking and cleaning never built a marriage. But listening and memory-making and looking each other in the eye will.” On Laundry and Love Stories

For anyone who wishes they could take their favorite book with them wherever they go . . .
I love books a lot, but I’m not sure I’m committed enough for permanent inking. 20 Book Tattoos

 

 

Friday Favorites: April

friday_favorites_header1

For anyone looking for a customized book recommendation . . .
These book recommendations are based on your personality type. Does yours fit? (Full disclosure: I read The Marriage Plot, the choice for INFJ, and I wasn’t crazy about it.) Myers-Briggs Books

For anyone who appreciates a good dose of marketing irony . . .
Somehow these products didn’t translate perfectly into other languages. Pee Cola, anyone? 8 Disastrous Product Names

For literary geeks who are looking for a summer road trip . . .
You could visit King’s Crossing this year. Or maybe Prince Edward Island, for all you Anne of Green Gables fans. Or perhaps you’d prefer a quiet getaway to Walden Pond. 12 Literary Pilgrimages

For anyone who’s had a long winter and is itching for a beautiful view . . .
These places are bound to make you want to hop on a plane to Bolivia or Maldives or Namibia: Surreal Places That Actually Exist on Earth

For anyone who’s wondered if Easter morning would ever come . . .
Jennifer Dukes Lee offers this lovely reflection on Holy Week: “I lived years of Good Fridays, holding out for Sunday, swimming in doubt.” Sunday’s Coming

For anyone who wants to believe in miracles . . .
Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, was reunited with the childhood friend who inspired one of his books—some 80 years later. An Easter Miracle

Friday Favorites: March

friday_favorites_header

For anyone who has ever felt guilty about their overdue library books . . .
You may have kept Divergent a few days past the due date, but this post should assuage your fears. These books were returned several decades late: Ridiculously Overdue Library Books That Were Finally Returned

For anyone who has wanted justice for a literary hero . . .
What if literary villains were tried in an actual court? Here’s what their sentences would be in real life: Leading Villains in Children’s Literature Enter Legal System

For anyone who needs a laugh today . . .
A German retirement community recreated scenes from famous movies to hilarious results. I hope to have this much spunk someday: Retirement Community Movie Calendar

For anyone who is feeling weary . . .
Shauna Niequist says, “I used to be spontaneous and silly, warm and whimsical. I used to dance in the kitchen and eat cake for breakfast with my kids.” More Love, Less Hustle

For all you book lovers out there . . .
If it’s a good book, I’ll read it just about anywhere. But I wouldn’t complain about having a nook like one of these: 10 Terrific Reading Nooks

Friday Favorites: November

friday_favorites_headerEvery month I curate a list of favorite discoveries from around the web. Here are January’s best finds.

  • For anyone who needs a laugh…
    In this hilarious collection of tweets, a word has been added to each title to completely change the meaning. Cases in point: I Kissed Carbon Dating Goodbye, The Taco Shack, Blue Like Jazz Hands. I promise you’ll laugh. Add a Word, Ruin a Christian Book. Plus, here’s a link to some mocked-up covers with new titles: Add a Word Covers
  • For all romantics—practical and otherwise…
    Ann Voskamp says, “True love isn’t found. It’s carved.” Why There Really Are No Blurred Lines
  • For people who love an actual book…
    This artist has created one-of-a-kind bindings for classic books. They’re not so much books as works of art, or in his words, “literary artifacts.” Bindings for Classic Books
  • For lovers of nature and/or photography…
    These are the contest winners for National Geographic’s traveler photo contest. Breathtaking. Outdoor Scenes Contest
  • For anyone who thinks the English language is hard…
    Why say it in a sentence when you can squeeze it all into a 63-letter word? Here’s a list of really long German words and their definitions: Eight Ridiculously Long German Words

 

Friday Favorites: September edition

Here are a few recent favorites I’d like to share with you today. Enjoy!

For Book Lovers…

These clever photoshopped covers show how much a simple letter can change the meaning of a title: Book Titles with a Letter Missing.

 ff sept

 

For Lexiphiles…

I’ve always wondered why cleave can mean “to stick to something” or “to be divided.” Apparently there are other crazy words like that in the English language: 14 Words That Are Their Own Opposites.

 ff sept2

 

For Travelers…

Now that summer is over, it’s time to start dreaming up your next travel adventure. Here’s a fantastic list of literary spots to add to your itinerary: 50 Places Every Literary Fan Should Visit

 ff sept 3

 

For Music Fans…

I’ve been listening to this All Sons and Daughters album for months straight, it seems, and it never gets old. The music is beautiful, and the lyrics are real: All Sons and Daughters

ff sept 3

 

For Anyone Wondering What Makes a Relationship Successful

In honor of her 12th anniversary, Shauna Niequist’s offers these insightful reflections about being intentional about keeping a marriage strong: On Marriage, Music, and the Fire Escape

ff sept 5

Friday Favorites: August

On this August Friday, here are are some of my recent favorites:

 

For introverts (and those who are mystified by them)…

I saw myself all over this list—maybe you will too. (Or maybe this will explain a lot about an introvert you love!) 23 Signs You’re Secretly an Introvert

 

ff August

 

For all productive types…
I loved Shauna Niequist’s challenge: Waste five minutes today. It’s All about the Heart Not the Hustle

 

ff August2

 

For everyone who’s feeling nostalgic about back-to-school time…

This is a rare recording of A. A. Milne reading Winnie the Pooh in 1929. Hear the Classic Winnie the Pooh Read by the Author

 

ff august3

 

For personality-type geeks…
These tongue-in-cheek prayers based on personality types cracked me up. Is it any surprise that the prayer for my INFJ type is “Lord help me not be a perfectionist. (Did I spell that correctly?)”? Prayers for Myers Briggs Types

 

ff august4

 

For all the book lovers out there…
This quirky post marries two of my things: books and ice cream. My favorite book-inspired flavor: Clockwork Orange Dreamsicle. Book-Inspired Ice Cream Flavors

ff august5

Friday Favorites: June

This Friday I thought I’d share a few of my recent favorite things with you.

For anyone who loves to read…

This site is fantastic—kind of like Pandora for book lovers.

What Should I Read Next

For all angsty writers (wait, is that redundant?)…

If you’ve ever felt the pain and suffering of writing (or not writing), this is for you:

Having Trouble Writing? Try This Famous Author’s Technique

ff June5

For anyone who loves a second breakfast…

I kind of want to live in (or at least visit) these Hobbit houses.

Real Life Houses That Look like They Belong in the Shire

ff June3

For anyone who knows they’ll never live up to Pinterest…

Next time you’re having a rough day, all you need to do is look at these babies in pumpkins. That’s real life.

Reasons You Should Never Reenact Pinterest Photos

ff June2

For anyone who needs a little boost of brave…

“Sometimes it’s good to let them see you sweat even when it feels awkward. Fear seems to grow in the darkness of isolation.”

Why You Need to Tell Someone How Scared You Are

ff June1

Friday Favorites

For all the pleasers out there…

If you’ve ever struggled with trying to add to grace, wanting to earn a smile from God and other people, I highly recommend this book by Tullian Tchividjian. It has been a game changer for me: Jesus + Nothing = Everything

ff4

For all the teachers out there…

Teaching has to be one of the hardest, most thankless jobs out there. I had some amazing teachers and I know some amazing teachers, so I want to remind all you hardworking teachers out there that you are making a difference. (And you will make it through these last few weeks, I promise!) Dear Teachers Everywhere

 ff2

For kids and everyone who loves a kid…

This was a fun list of children’s books—it made me reminisce about some of my childhood favorites and make a trip to the library to check out a few I missed: 25 Books Every Kid Should Have on Their Bookshelf

 

ff3

For Literary Nerds

In honor of Shakespeare’s birthday a couple of weeks ago, here’s a list of words we can thank him for. The world wouldn’t be the same without him, because I don’t think there’s a true synonym for bedazzled! 20 Words We Owe to William Shakespeare

 

ff1

 

For Moms and Non-Moms Alike…

Mother’s Day can be one of the trickiest holidays to handle. How do we honor moms while acknowledging women who don’t fit the traditional mold? This post by Sarah Arthur offers a compassionate perspective: Are Women Really Saved through Childbearing?

 

Friday Favorites

For grammar geeks with a sweet tooth:
I couldn’t help but crack up about these cakes gone grammatically wrong: Cake Wrecks

cake1

For introverts (and those who love them):

Donald Miller shares these practical tips for living with and loving introverts: How to Get along with an Introvert

For word nerds:
If you are a word nerd like me, you will deliciate in these obsolete words. Let’s bring them back!
Obsolete Words That Should Make a Comeback

For anyone weary of the “perfect life syndrome”:
Shauna Niequist offers this insightful perspective about our tendency to compare our own real life with everyone else’s peak moments: Instagram’s Envy Effect

For anyone who knows someone who’s ill:
Here’s some practical advice about how to avoid sticking your foot in your mouth when someone you know is sick: How Not to Say the Wrong Thing