I think I have written earlier that babies have been born and still some due among our friends so Aunty Sari has kept the needle running. :) Here is the newest addition to baby gifts. I am going to sew a towel with a hood and this is going to be on the hood. It's from Rico Design, design 73846, from the booklet number 77. That booklet contains several charts with these same funny characters. I changed the chart a little bit so it fits on the towel.
By the way I got the last chart downloaded from Heaven and Earth Designs. I got an email telling that they activated the link again and there was no problems when I downloaded it.
Click the pic to see it larger
I haven't been able to go to town this week because of a flu so I still don't have the black thread for the Wedding Sampler I. Luckily it doesn't have a deadline since it is going to be a memento of our own wedding day.
I also got a wonderfull knitting pattern for a bear overalls for a baby so some knitting yarns are also on my shoppig list. And I already ordered some yarn from Novita-club's internet store and I bet those are waiting for me today when I get home. I should take some photos of the yarns as soon as I fetch them from the post office. It's like getting a present eventhough I have paid them myself. :D
It has been a while since the last time I posted something. That's because almost the whole February went so that I didn't read or did any handiwork. My shoulder decided it doesn't wont to co-operate with me and I couldn't even hold a book because of the pain. It's finally getting better and I get my hands on my project again. You can imagine how boring it is when all you can do is lie aroud and watch tv. I promised myself that I get aphoto of finished Wedding Sampler I here soon. :)
(posted on Neula ja lankaa 5 March 2008)
Today I finished reading Sonderkommando - Auschwitz. It's written as an interview as Shlomo Venezia, tells his story about being a sonderkommando at the concentration camp of Auschwitz - Birkenau. He was sent to the camp when he was 21 years old. He had to work at the gas chambers and destroy the bodies of murdered people. When you read this you realize even more clearly the horrible things that the nazis did the WW II. But there is no way anyone can understand how people are able to act that way against other people. What also felt bad was when Shlomo tells how he tried to tell people whatt had happened and no one believed or wanted to hear. After holding it in a long time he wanted to tell his story when antisemitism started to rise its ugly head again around Europe. Shlomo Venezia has been telling about his experiences in schools. I really recommend this book. It is part of the world history that should never be forgotten.
Michael Powell's Wedding Sampler I is advancing well even though I haven't stitched a lot in the last week because of other things I've had to do. I still have to stitch the hearts around the main picture and a small piece of the church. And of course the backstitches which is going to take some time.
(posted on Neula ja lankaa 4 February 2008)
On 30th of January I finished Marley and Me byJohn Grogan. It is a really funny story about Marley, the wildest but also th emost loving and loyal dog. John thinks that Marley must be the worst behaving dog in the whole world and even if it destroys everything and puts John and Jenny in very embarrassing situations it still manages to steal their hearts.
I dont' have pets but I imagine that almost every dog owner finds something to relate to in this book. Every pet has a little bit of Marley in them. :)
Sales have started at the internet bookstores and so I ordered some more books to my ever so full bookshelf. A positive surprise was when I found Stitch 'n Bitch books The Knitter's handbook and Crochet The Happy Hooker with very low price tags on them. I have been looking for the Finish version of knitter's handbook since it was sold out (the Finish version has yarns that are easier to find in Finland).
The third book I bought was Dorte Lyager's Knit - and relax. A small book about stress and the fact we all knitters know: doing something creative with your hands releaves stress. :) Patterns in the book are nice and easy so you don't get stressed with them. ;) I would have liked some colour pictures but all in all this is a nice book. In addition to these books I bought some novels and a cookbook too.
(posted on Neula ja lankaa 7 January 2008)
23rd of December I finished reading Diane Setterfields The Thirteenth Tale. I had to finish it before Christmas Eve because I had a feeling that I might get some books from Santa. :)
The book is about Margaret Lea who is a passionate reader and works at her fathers antiquarian bookshop. She gets a letter from Vida Winter who is a famous and loved author. Vida finally wants to tell the truth about her life and wants Margaret to write the story. The book takes the reader deep on Vidas past and tells a peculiar story. The ending was surprising which was really refreshing since nowdays you can quite easily guess what happens in the end of most books.
Santa brought me Marko Leino's book Joulutarina (A Christmas Story), and I started to read it right away. I finished it the next day.
Here are all the lovely things I received from the exchange. Even though we had no theme these all are stars and snowflakes. :) Thank you for everyone who was taking part in this. For the first timer this was really exciting and I bet I'll participate in another exchange later.
Rica sent me these beautifull snowflakes and an angel:
Made by Sloth:
Snani sent me these:
And these are from Appelsiini who hosted the exchange:
And one on a close-up. Hyvää Joulua means Merry Christmas.
(posted on Neula ja lankaa15 November 2007)
KOKOPELLI
Known as a fertility god, prankster, healer and story teller, Kokopelli has been a source of wonder throughout the country for centuries. Kokopelli embodies the true American Southwest, and dates back over 3,000 years ago, when the first petroglyphs were carved. Although his true origins are unknown, this travelling, flute-playing Casanova is a sacred figure to many South western Native Americans. Carvings of this hunch-backed flute-playing figure have been found painted and carved into rock walls and boulders throughout the Southwest.There are many myths of the famous Kokopelli. One of which is that he travelled from village to village bringing the changing of winter to spring; melting the snow and bringing about rain for a successful harvest. It is also said that the hunch on his back depicted the sacks of seeds and songs he carried. Legend also has it that the flute playing also symbolized the transition of winter to spring. Kokopelli's flute is said to be heard in the spring's breeze, while bringing warmth. It is also said that he was the source of human conception. Legend has it, everyone in the village would sing and dance throughout the night when they heard Kokopelli play his flute. The next morning, every maiden in the village would be with child.He is regarded as the universal symbol of fertility for all life, be it crops, hopes, dreams, or love.
"He of the singing reed,
He of the sacred seed,
comes to assure the fertility
and good fortune of our people."
-Linda Lay Shuler-
Story
Long ago when the world was new, a child was born in Pueblo in New Mexico. He had a large head and grew very tall. His name was Kokopelli. The other children in the village teased Kokopelli because he looked different. The Medicine Man seeing this problem decided to make Kokopelli a clown. "See Kokopelli, people will laugh with you not at you. "Kokopelli became a wonderful clown and entertained the villagers at all the dances and festivals but at night he would climb into the hills and cry because he really did not want to be different.One night he cried so loud that he could be heard throughout the universe where Spiderwoman was hanging the stars. She called to Kokopelli to come to her, so up he climbed into the universe and told Spiderwoman his sad story. "You have a good heart Kokopelli and deserve a reward. Go fill your back with stars." So he did. Then Spiderwoman gave Kokopelli a magic flute. "Go back to earth and play this flute from village to village. The music will be so beautiful it will fill the people's hearts with joy. The joy will make their feet dance. The dancing will make the joy rise into the clouds and the clouds will cry tears of joy which will water the three sisters: corn, squash and beans. Then there will be an abundant harvest and at every harvest festival, Kokopelli, you throw a handful of stars into the crowd and each young maiden who catches one will hold it to her breast and it will go inside her body and someday she will have a little baby."So from that day on Kokopelli has been a symbol of all these good things which are: music, dancing, rain, harvest and fertility.
