Bookmarks and More Bookmarks

For some reason, I was in the mood to stitch bookmarks.  I found a pattern booklet of multiple bookmarks, "Read Between the Lines," by Blue Ribbon Designs.  Here are three examples.

And while I was thinking of bookmarks, I ran across a pattern from Stoney Creek, and some bright colored fabric.  Our church gives Bibles to second graders each May, and I decided I would stitch some bookmarks to be given to the children along with their new Bibles.  I picked six bright colors, and  adapted the design from Stoney Creek.  Inserted into the plastic sleeve along with the bookmark were the lyrics to "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know."  I stitched six bookmarks (neglecting to take a photo before I dropped them off at church).  Here are the first two stitched ahead for next year.

While I was in the mood for stitching small items, I also completed "This is my Joy" designed by Little House Needleworks.  A quick little nativity scene that I can make into an ornament.

Wha la, another thing coming and the Trojan Horse

Well, I have to climb on my "English major" soapbox for a few minutes.

First, someone on one of the needlework chat rooms to which I belong posted a photograph of a completed project, noting "wha la."  I think that's "voila".  Not sure how you could hear "voila" often enough to know what it means without knowing how to pronounce or spell it.

Another error I run across with some frequency is an author having a character utter the phrase, "well, if you think that, you have another thing coming."  What?  How does that make sense?  I think the authors in question need "another think coming."

And the third item: we're studying "Pericles" in this spring's Shakespeare class.  We're reading an edition that has lots and lots of notes to the point that I feel like my intelligence is being insulted.  I'm guessing the edition is designed for college students (the play wouldn't fit in high school), but if current college students need this level of explanation, we're in big trouble.

Case in point: Pericles says in Act 1, Scene 4, when he arrives in Tarsus:

"And these our ships, you happily may think 

Are like the Trojan horse was stuffed within

With bloody veins expecting overthrow...."

This text is accompanied by the explanation, complete with picture, that the Trojan horse was "an enormous wooden horse, stuffed with Greek soldiers who burned down Troy." 

As for stitching, a big catastrophe this week.  I sat down and went to position my magnifying lamp to begin stitching, only to discover that my lamp no longer was self-balancing, that is, the swing arm did not stay at the level I put it.  The lamp ended up falling to its lowest level, which meant it was literally in my lap, and there was no way to stitch under it.  Well, when there's a will, there's a way. Since I couldn't adjust the lamp, I needed to adjust the stitching area.  I raised the lamp base on a pile of books (still too low), then on a low end table (too high), and finally used a small stool I had in the closet (just right).  So I could continue stitching while I ordered a replacement lamp swing arm attachment.  It arrived today, so I can send my original lamp swing arm back to the factory for repair. What can I say but voila! (or is that wha la?), I'm back in business.

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote

Why am I writing Middle English, you ask?  Well, I was remembering back to High School English class, and reading the Prologue to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in Middle English, in Mrs. Ham's Senior English class.  And not only did we have to read it, we had to memorize the beginning lines.

For some reason, I still can easily recite the first eight lines, which begin, "Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, The droghte of Marche has perced to the roote...."

What brings this to mind now is that this spring's Shakespeare class started yesterday.  This year, we're studying "Pericles," which I do not remember reading previously.  As a handout to the first session, our professor gave us the source material Shakespeare used, the original "Tale of Apollonius of Tyre," written in, you guess it - Middle English.  As I first looked at the handout, I thought, oh no, this is going to be difficult. But it wasn't!

I Love Easter...

We spent Easter in Dubuque, with Dad at my brother and sister-in-law's home.   Renee's sister and brother-in-law joined us, and we had very interesting conversations around the table.  Delicious ham dinner, with choice or pie or cake for desert.  John and Renee set the table using the napkin rings I had stitched for them as a Christmas present.  Looked very nice, if I do say so myself.

I belong to several needlework chat rooms, and one day before Easter, someone posted "I love Easter," which I thought was a nice sentiment until - wait for it - she completed the sentence, "the colors are so yummy."  Of all the reasons to love Easter, the pastel colors that signify spring would not be my first choice.

When One Cement Mixer is Not Enough

One of our local hardware stores is going out of business, and we stopped by last week (after the initial rush of customers).  I picked up a pack of 9V batteries for my smoke detectors, and a tube of super glue.  Dennis, who was on the look-out for display cases and such, ended up buying not one but two portable cement mixers, and two heavy-duty moving dollies.

My latest finish is "Jingle Bells Xmas Tree Farm" by The Victoria Sampler.

I'm now starting on my latest on-line class, this is Patriotic Sparklers Part 2 by Margaret Bendig, through EGA.  You may remember that I posted about taking the Part 1 class last year.  At that time, we students liked the class so much we persuaded EGA and the teacher to teach Part 2.

And, an update on Tidal Textures.  This was a class I took at EGA Seminar in Myrtle Beach.  I first posted a photo of the painted canvas with shells scattered on it.  I now have accomplished quite a bit of stitching on the background water and sand for the tidal pool.  Lots more effort than this photo shows since I ripped stuff out two or three times as I went along - sometimes I liked the stitch but the color was off, at other times I liked the color but the stitch wasn't quite right.  I've set this aside and been working on other things, but one of these days will get back to it.

Progress on background stitching of sea and sand on Tidal Textures

My new electric blanket came with a 20-pound weight

I like to snuggle under a heated blanket on these cold evenings, while watching TV or reading.  I had been using a heated throw which frustrated me because it just wasn't big enough.  If I wanted to cover my chest and shoulders, then my feet stuck out the bottom.  If I covered my feet, then my shoulders were cold.  So, I finally gave in and purchased a twin-sized electric blanket.

Of course, now it's way too big.  Which means the bottom of the blanket drags on the floor.  And guess who figured out quite quickly that there was now a warm spot on the floor, that he could sleep on or under, or wrapped up in.  So, when I would go to shift position, or move the blanket, there is now a nice 20-pound cat weighing it down.

My first finish of 2016 is "Stitching Feeds My Heart" by Silver Creek Samplers.  I changed the colors and the wording.  I really fell in love with this design, because stitching truly does feed my heart.

Year End

We spent Christmas Day in Dubuque, with my Dad in assisted living.  Unfortunately, he wasn't feeling well.  As usual, it was a bookish Christmas, though my brother and sister-in-law were treated to a couple of drones, and I got two Roku gizmos for my living room and bedroom TVs.  Now to figure out how to hook them up!

I did stitch a Christmas ornament, which as usual, I have yet to actually finish into an ornament.  My pile of "to finish" pieces is getting taller and taller.  One of these days....

Christmas Cardinal from the Stoney Creek Collection

A quick finish was "Bonnie Rose" designed by Louise Henderson of Cherished Stitches.  It was a free pattern provided by Fiberworks in Waverly.  I used threads and fabric from my stash.

And thus the year ended quietly.