Thursday 31 March 2016

This is Your Life Harriet Chance by Jonathon Evison


Her husband Bernard has been dead for two years when Harriet receives a call from a travel agent about the cruise to Alaska that he had won.  Having no other obligations, she decides to take the cruise and spend the time pondering what else Bernard failed to share with her during their long marriage. Aided by his ghost and revelations from her best friend Mildred, it isn't long before Harriet starts to wonder whether she really knew him at all.

I was taken in by this story right from the opening pages.  I enjoyed the 50's game show style of the narrator.  It gave the tale a friendly inviting feeling.  With the story jumping around through Harriet's life, the narrator helped keep me on track when  I didn't pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapters.

Harriet seems to have led a full life: career, a solid marriage and children, but when we take a closer look, we notice that all is not shiny and perfect, there are chips along the edges and scratches in the finish.  Was she unaware or did she chose to view her life through rose coloured glassed to hide the imperfections.

In a crowd of people, I don't think I would have noticed Harriet.  She is a competent women, but not outstanding.  Friendly but not the life of the party.  She'd be a comfortable person to hang around with but not one I would seek out.  That being said, author Jonathan Evison made her more interesting by slowly revealing her life and the twists and secrets of which it is composed.  I look forward to reading more of his works.

Cover image courtesy Algonquin Books.

Tuesday 29 March 2016

Needlework Tuesday - March Madness Basketball Bag

 It was ages ago that I showed you this lovely all over basketball print.  Finally, I could not put it off any longer, it's March Madness for all the basketball fans.  This fabric was purchased with daughter's room mate in mind, who is a long time basketball fan.

I layered the themed fabric up with some cotton batting and a complimentary orangeish backing and quilted it with circles/loops.
 It doesn't look orange, but it really is a nice peach/orange.  Add some rick-rack for design, a zipper and a couple of seams, and voila, a new basketball.
 with the batting and quilting, it puffs out the sides of the bag so it does sort of look like a ball.  Daughter took it back to school sunday evening to deliver to her roomie.
 The weather here was rather frightful last week with a few days of freezing rain.  Ice on everything.  Good time to be inside sewing.  Once the icy pellets stopped hitting my face, I was outside with the camera wandering in my yard.  Our trees and shrubs seemed to have escaped fairly unscathed. Even though there were great icicles on the sumac, it didn't stop the birds from coming to eat the seeds.
 No sure how the yew will fare, it was so heavily iced.  The thing grows like a weed, I hack it back and next thing you know, it's grown up and threatening to cover the front windows again.


On Sunday, we gathered at my sister's for dinner and mom brought her latest quilt projects.  This one is for Ava, her newest great granddaughter who was less than a week old.   


 This one is for her next great granddaughter who was due that day, though we are still waiting her arrival.

 I love the backing on this one.  I'm sure it will keep the little one amused for hours.
 Now on to the block of the month that I am doing with my local guild.  I've added the next border.  This one was designated as a resting spot for our eyes, so I picked a fabric with a simple repeated pattern.  I have the instructions for the next pieced round.  Eight ladies brought their quilts to guild last evening.  It's amazing how different they look with the different fabric choices.  Many of us have made slight pattern variations and different interpretations of the instructions, making it fun to pick out the adaptations.   I plan to take photos of them all when we added the final borders.
Finally, daughter's socks.  I have turned the heels, using a short row method in garter stitch.  This was a new approach and not sure how much I like it, though it was easy to do.  This photo shows the one pattern repeat on the back of the leg.  I still have quite a bit of wool left, and will keep knitting the sock taller. At the rate I'm going, I might even have final photos for you next week.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and found a bit of stitching time.  Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your recent needlework post.
 

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Needlework Tuesday - Stripes and Jelly Rolls

Have you seen the new Strip-R fabrics from Northcott.  They give the impression of pieced stripes but it's printed that way.  Each pattern stripe is 2 inches, so it does away with sewing all those jelly roll cuts together.

Top of the photo shows the right side and the bottom of the photo shows the reverse.  This colourway is from the Porcelain Blue fabric line

I also purchased a piece of the Stonehenge Gradations which is printed in the same manner.

Yesterday, I got together with several friends from my local bee and we worked on quilts using the Strip-R fabric.  We used the pattern Strip Ts from Wanda's Designs.  It is quite easy to make as long as I keep my strips facing the same way so they all line up in the end. 
This is the jelly roll project.  It is made from an assortment of left overs from other projects that my bee had worked on.  I am making this simple to piece block.  Take all the 2 1/2 inch width strips of any length, sew them together across the short ends.  Cut to 12 1/2 inch lengths and sew six of them together to make a block.  I have sorted into several loose colour groups.  Still have reds, blues and blacks to piece, then I'll see what I can do with them.  This quilt will be donated to charity. not sure which one.
I've started my second pair of socks for the Craftsy class.  This pair is knit to up, which I have been wanting to try.  I am using two balls of Heart and Sole from Red Heart in colour Mellow Stripe.  These are for daughter.

I thought we were in for early spring weather.  It was warm for the past two weeks, and now we are back to winter with hail, snow and that snow that is the round, hard little pellets that seem to chase me down the street when I am walking.  of course, my bulbs are several inches out of the ground and teasing me.  While Mother Nature figures her self out, I'll alternate walking, knitting and quilting.  That will keep me happy and busy.


Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Mister Linky is waiting below.

Friday 18 March 2016

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

This is a wonderfully enjoyable tale.  Author Douglas Adams has taken a highly improbably scenario, the earth being disintegrated to make way for a galactic highway, and turned it into a funny but riveting story.

Arthur Dent is a rather unassuming man trying to get through his day and maybe find a good cuppa tea.  His friend Ford Prefect has some bad news for him, his world is going to be destroyed in a few minutes, and oh yeah, he's an alien who can save him.  Not very probable, but I was hooked.

Zaphod Beeblebrox is an outlandish character who also happens to be the President of the Imperial Galactic Government.   I am in awe of his ineptitude at life in general, but love his quirkiness.  He's a fun character who could take the story in any numbeer of directions at any moment.

I like the way Mr. Adams balanced the male characters.  Arthur, Ford and Zaphod are distinctive and each take the lead at various times, but none outshines or dominates the storyline.  Even though this book was first published in 1979, it has aged well.  The references to the new digital watches is even more funny with the advent of the current computer/phone watches.  The humor contained in the book is ageless.

The story continues in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Thanks to PanMacMillan for use of the cover image.


Wednesday 16 March 2016

The Bride Wore Blue by Cheryl Bolen

This was an engaging story, once I started, I didn't want to put it down.

Thomas Moreland had scrimped and saved for years to afford his passage to India where he'd planned to make his fortune.  On his way to the port, he was set upon by highway men, robbed and left for dead. 

Felicity Harrison had not expected to be widowed at such a young age.  She was struggling to raise her younger sister and tame her brother's wild ways.  Her life got complicated when a nabob (a Britain who has made his fortune in India) moved into the area and enticed Felicity to lend him and his sister their respectability.

Author Cheryl Bolen brought to light the snobbery of the time.  Those who worked honestly and earned their money were looked down upon by those who were born into wealth and title. (not that those with titles were guaranteed to be 'nice' people).  I really don't understand this sense of entitlement and it was enjoyable to read as Felicity welcomed and grew to enjoy the nabob and his family more than she did some of her genteel neighbours.

This is a well constructed story with some good twists.  I feel that I got to know the various family members and was even cheering them on in their relationships.  This is the first book in the Brides of Bath Series.  I look forward to reading more of the Pembrokes in the next book.

Cover image courtesy author Cheryl Bolen 

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Needlework Tuesday - Who Lives in a pineapple under the sea - or on my teapot

 I've started my mission of tidying my sewing area.  I took over the dining room years ago, but projects and supplies have been oozing out of that room into the rest of the house.  While there are many quilts in progress, there are also bags of supplies for yet to be started projects.

Why should I be purchasing new supplies, when I have so many sitting and waiting.  Probably because I have forgotten about them.  While I was tidying, I found a bag with two skein a a gold/orange worsted weight yarn from my sister.  I recalled that I wanted it for a pineapple tea cosy.

Since there is no better time than the present, I grabbed some needles and started in.
 The pattern is from the book Tea Cozies 3 by Sian Brown.   I did make a few changes.  The pattern calls for using DK weight yarn, using two strands for the body.  I used one strand of a worsted weight yarn.  I used one strand of Astra for the leaves. I worked the body on 5.5 mm needles.  Since the stitch is loose and somewhat airy, I added a stocking knit stitch liner, which I tacked to the outed along the openings..

It was fun to make, specially the leaves.  They really do add a funky touch.  It is a small cosy and fits a 2 cup pot.

 I finished all the toiletry bags I was telling you about a few weeks back.  I did them assembly line fashion and they were complete in three days.   There are all sorts of free patterns on line, though I found a video at Ludlow Quilt and Sew that shows inserting the metal measuring tape.  At my guild they wanted us to put in the tapes so that they curved inward and didn't make the snapping sound. 
 This gave me a great opportunity to practise machine quilting.  Simple follow the printed stripes.
 I tried some wandering wavy lines that I have been wanting to use on a large quilt.
 More of the swirls I used on my last quilt.
And again, the wavy lines, though side to side this time.  I did this one the most and varied the distance between the lines.  For a large quilt, I'll be putting them a bit further apart.

These bags will have some toiletry articles added and then they will be delivered to Mary's Place  at the YMCA in Kitchener, Ontario.  They operate an emergency shelter for those in need of temporary housing.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

i mess up last week and forgot to put up Mister linky.  Feel free to add a linky for this week and one for last week.  I don't want to miss any of your projects.  Have a great week and if the weather co-operates, I hope you spend some time in the fresh air like I've been doing. 

 

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Needlework Tuesday - Empowering Women Around the World

Today is International Women's Day.  I decided to recognize the roll of women in daily life by making a loan to a group of women in Guatemala to help them purchase a new loom for their business.

Kiva is a wonderful organization that helps small business people around the world borrow money to grow their businesses.  The following video explains:



Visit the Kiva website for additional details.

Today is a great day to make a loan, as loans to women are being matched by a number of organizations.  My $25. loan turns into $50.   Once the loan is repaid, I can either lend the money to another person, or request that my money be returned to me.

I hope that you will consider making a loan to a deserving woman who is working hard to support her family.

Update: March 10, 2016



Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Next week I'll be back with a more traditional needlework post.  Mr. Linky is waiting below for your needlework related post.

Thursday 3 March 2016

The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly

In works of fiction, authors have the freedom to kill whomever they desire.  When author Timothy Brennan agrees to a book reading at Pen McClure's books shop, he doesn't realize that he is the one that will end up dead.  Pen has a lot at stake and has to make this shop a success.  she can't allow this murder to go unsolved.

Not satisfied with the progress the police are making, Jack Shepard is determined to help with the investigation.  Only problem, Jack is long dead and his ghost haunts the building where the book store is located.  He has to work through Pen to get the job done.   It was totally amusing that while Pen still thinks Jack is a delusion, she wants his help and seeks comfort from him.

 The author employed a colourful assortment of 1950's era slang.  Some I understood, but there were a few I had to re-read to understand.  At first, I felt the usage of these was overdone, but as I spent more time with Jack the Ghost, I realized that a detective of that era probably did speak that way and that it wasn't an air or image he was putting on.

I enjoyed this story and the characters of Pen and Jack.  Even though they are very different people, they work together well and compliment each others skills.

There are six stories in the Haunted Bookshop Series.



Author Cleo Coyle ( which is husband and wife team of Marc Cerasini and Alice Alfonsi)  writing as Alice Kimberly

Tuesday 1 March 2016

Needlework Tuesday - Otomen by Aya Kanno

 Early in January, I thought a change was due for Needlework Tuesday. I wrote a book review of a needlework themed cosy mystery. Click here to visit that post . It was well received by my readers so I thought I'd do it again.  This time my daughter influenced made my book selection.  She felt it was time for me to read a manga, a short novel done in Japanese comic style.

An Otomen is a guy who likes girly things. Cute, sparkly, romantic, sewing, knitting, baking, cooking, that kind of stuff.  Not the usual masculine activities.  Asuka Masamune outwardly does all the tough stuff like judo, karate and kendo, but the side he keeps hidden is all soft and cuddly.

Asuka and his friend Juta  both like the Ryo, the new girl at their school.  She doesn't like the girly stuff and says she could only ever like a manly man.  This leads Asuka to some difficult decisions.

At first, I was a bit confused by what seemed to be multiple story lines, but I continued reading and it became clear.  A few side bars are messages from author Aya Kanno.  They are not part of the story, rather she is sharing background about herself , helping to explain why she writes shojo  (love story) comics.  Shojo are also Asuka's favourite books.  Further layers are added when we learn of Juta's career. While attending school, he also creates shojo comics based on his friend Asuka.

I think I will definitely enjoy this story more the second time I read it.  I'm sure I missed making various connections the first time.  The artwork is wonderful and contains so many details, that multiple readings will reveal more depth to the story.

 There is one point that totally cracked me up.  Asuka has won a judo match during which he accidentally tore his opponent's judogi (judo uniform).  He quickly whips out his sewing kit and does the repair.  The needle that he uses is shown as being at least four inches long.  The purpose of this match was to show that Asuka is a  manly  man.  The patch he put over the tear looks like a five lobed flower.  Perfect.

 Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Next week I'll be back with a more traditional needlework post.  Mr. Linky is waiting below for your needlework related post.