Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

The Birds is a classic suspense horror film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.   Alfred Hitchcock bought the rights to Daphne du Maurier’s 1952 novella, but only used the title and the idea of birds attacking people.  I have loved all things scary since I was young, which is when I first saw this movie…and it did not disappointed.  The psychological undertones seem quaint to me now, but the suspense is still there in the birds’ unexplained attacks on the population of Bodega Bay, California.  Hitchcock captures the horror of the random nature of the attacks and the suspense between attacks.  He also masterfully captures the hysteria that results when unexplained things occur.  Fun Fact:  Tippi Hedren is Melanie Griffith’s mom.

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April Showers Bring May Flowers

Inspiration:

McCall’s Pattern #M6047 (This pattern has instructions for 10 different fabric flowers. It is well worth purchasing, if you love fabric flowers.)

Supplies:

Jumbo (5/8″ wide) Rick Rack

Felt

Marker

Scissors

Thread

Needle

Fabric Glue (optional – not in the picture)

1.  Mark and cut a 2-1/2″ circle from the felt.

2.  Using a double-threaded needle, tack the end of the rick rack to the outer edge of the felt circle.  I used a little fabric glue on the raw edge to prevent fraying.

3.  Hand gather along one edge of the rick rack, adjust fullness and sew the rick rack to the outer edge of the felt circle.  I sewed through three “bumps,” gathered, then tacked down…repeat.

4.  Continue gathering and sewing the rick rack to the felt circle, overlapping rows.

5.  Turn under the end at the center of the flower and tack down.

6.  What a pretty flower!  Add a pin back to make a lovely accessory or sew on to a pillow that needs a pick-me-up.

May 2, 2011 was the 400th Anniversary of the publication of the King James Version of The Holy Bible.  The King James version was actually the third official translation of the Bible into English.

Commissioned by King James I of England, the King James Bible was conceived to create a translation that was accurate, acceptable to all and beautiful enough for the king.  Begun in 1604 and completed in 1611, the translation is the work of a committee of 47 scholars that made up the Hampton Court Conference.

Why mention this on the day I write about greyhounds?  The greyhound is the only breed of dog mentioned in the King James Bible.

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away from any;

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

Proverbs 30: 29-31, KJV

Newer biblical translations have changed “greyhound” to “strutting rooster,” which appears to be an alternative translation of the Hebrew term mothen zarzir.  Freedom, Casper and I prefer the King James version.

May’s 4 Faves all come from my friends.  Check out what they like.

Zonda & Miura (Amy’s Greyhounds)

This week’s faves come from my friend, Amy.  Amy is mom to Miura and Zonda (greyhounds) and Hemi, Shelby,  Fin and Rally (kitties).

Trix TickLasso

Amy is a greyhound rescue angel.  She fosters, goes to Meet & Greets and helps out when our group receives greyhounds from the tracks.  It’s during that last activity that she’s given the TickLasso a workout that’s made it one of her favorite things.  The TickLasso removes ticks completely…even between toes and deep in ears.  This is definitely being added to my greyhound first aid kit.

Chaco Sandals

Amy loves these because they have arch support and they’re durable.  Oh, and they’re cute too!

EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database

Amy knows all the best sites for information.  Here’s one of her favorites for getting information on beauty products.  EWG gives a rating based on the health concerns of the ingredients used in specific products.  It also provides in-depth information on why specific ingredients may be hazardous.  You can search more than 65,000 items on the database.

Meadowlake Farm

While searching EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database, Amy found Meadowlake Farm skincare products.  Amy loves them for their natural ingredients and for their effectiveness.

I am PUMPED about this book.  Why?  Anyone who know me, knows that I am Weird (with a capital “W”) about my books  I like them pristine.  This book is CRAZY for me.  I am both excited and sickened by it.  Considering that most of the best things in life cause these two conflicting emotions (marriage, children, sex, making new friends, getting a new pet), I’ve got to think it will be good.  Where The Artist’s Way was a very personal and private journey; I can’t wait to share everything about this adventure with you!  I would love to have you join me.  Grab a copy…then, post comments, send me emails and pictures.  I’d love to share your fun too!  I’m not sure how much time I’m going to spend with this…we’ll just see how it unfolds.

The author, Keri Smith, has an awesome website.  Check it out.

 

Friday morning, I was up at 4 am with two of my girlfriends, watching the Royal Wedding.  We donned tiaras and watched until we had to leave to catch our flight back to Indiana.  Watching the Royal Wedding had me reminiscing about my one and only “brush with royalty.”

In 1985, I was stationed in Hawaii and heard on the news that Prince Charles and Princess Diana were going to stop off in Hawaii between their visit to Australia and their visit to the US.  Their plane was going to land at Hickam Air Force Base.  I was thrilled.  My initial plan was that I just wanted to say I was on the base the same time Princess Diana was.  I grabbed my camera, on the off chance that I could get a picture of the plane. 

I got to Hickam Air Force Base and was able to find the airfield the plane was coming in on.  When I got there, I saw some people walking towards something; so I walked with them.  To my surprise, there was an area cordoned off for people to stand.  I’m thinking, “This is getting interesting.  I may actually get to see the plane and the royal couple in the distance.”

The plane came in, and I fired off quite a few shots hoping I’d get a good picture (this was the day of the film camera).  Then, a limousine pulled up.  WHAT?  Maybe I’d be able to get an even closer shot.  The Prince and Princess headed towards the limo and then decided to come over and meet the crowd.  WHAT?  And the rest is history.  I got to shake Princess Diana’s hand AND document the whole thing with the worst pictures ever taken.  Here is the story…

Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a collection of essays by Joan Didion.  Published in 1968, it captures America (particularly California) in the 1960’s.   Although Didion was young (early 30’s) when she wrote the book, she had the sense that the world as she knew it was falling apart.  As a writer, she had to come to terms with those feelings and in doing so, she created a haunting portrait of America during this turbulent period.  This book became a favorite of mine because of Didion’s beautiful writing and her ability to convey through a diverse set of essays, a “feeling” for a period in our history and our culture.  If you have an interest in 1960’s America, I consider this an essential.

Set in the mid-19th century, this is the story of a mute pianist who travels with her daughter and her beloved piano to New Zealand  for an arranged marriage to a New Zealand frontiersman.  When her husband won’t move the piano from the coast, a neighbor agrees to buy the piano and move it if Ada will give him piano lessons.  This is a love story.  It is haunting and erotic.  The cinematography and soundtrack are dreamlike and extraordinarily beautiful. It is an exceptional period piece, but the stories it tells are timeless.

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Inspiration:

Simplicity Pattern 2667 – You don’t need the pattern to do this project.

Supplies:

Flannel Top

Pattern (or craft paper to make your own pattern)

Scissors

Pins

Thread

Sewing Machine

Ribbon, cord or rattail

1. Cut two rectangles 13″ x 18″.  I laid out my pattern to take advantage of a pocket and decorative piping for my top piece.

2.  Measure down 4-1/4″ from the top of the bag and mark or pin each side.  We will use this to form the casing for the drawstring cord.

3.  With right sides together and using a 1/2″ seam allowance, stitch around the sides and bottom of the bag.  Remember, leave side edges above your marks unstitched.

4.  Narrow hem the unstitched side edges of the bag above your marks.  Do this for both the front and the back of your bag.

5.  To form the casing on the front and back of the bag, measure down 2-1/2″ from the top and fold each upper edge at this mark.  Fold under 1/4″ along the raw edge.  Stitch close to the inner folded edge and again 5/8″ above that stitching.

6.  Turn bag right side out.  Cut ribbon, cord or rattail for drawstring.  I cut my piece 36″ long.  Insert the ends of the drawstring through the casing.

7.  You’re all ready for your next trip, and you won’t have to worry about your shoes smudging your clothes.

The internet can be a dangerous thing.  Recently, Casper came across some information that he’s been “lording” over Freedom.  What do you think?

Greyhounds come in 18 official colors.  The great diversity in dog coat colors is almost entirely human-influenced.

One of the reasons for diversity in the greyhound coats may have come about through the Forest Laws.  The Forest Laws were a general term for old English restriction laws that were the prerogative of the king of England and allowed him to convert any portion of the country into a “forest,” designed as a hunting area for the monarch or the aristocracy (by invitation). The concept was introduced in the 11th century, and at the height of its practice in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, fully one-third of the land area of southern England was designated as royal forest. Forest law prescribed harsh punishment for anyone who committed any of a range of offenses within the forests.  Number 31 of the original Canute Laws, for example, states that:

“No meane person may keepe any greihounds, but freemen may keepe greihounds, so that their knees may be cut before the verderons of the forest, and without cutting of their knees also, if he does not abide 10 miles from the bounds of the forest. But if they doe come any nearer to the forest, they shall pay 12 pence for every mile; but if the greihound be found within the forest, the master or owner of the dog shall forfeit the dog and 10 shillings to the king.”

It is known that in England during the medieval period, lords and royalty keen to own greyhounds for sport, requested they be bred to color variants that made them easier to view and identify in pursuit of their quarry.  The lighter colors, patch-like markings and white appeared in the breed.  Commoners who could not own greyhounds, preferred hounds with coat colors that were not easily seen and that would help them subvert the laws.

I have spoken with Casper and let him know in no uncertain terms that those distinctions no longer exist, particularly in this house.  Casper gives me a sorrowful, princely look that seems to says, “If you want to be seen cavorting with that common, brindly hound and risk the wrath of the monarch, I tried to warn you.”

No more internet for Casper.