My Hand and Other Stuff

First my hand injury is better, the stitches are out. I will have a small scar, but nothing that will really bother me…. I figure I’m lucky its not much worse. I think I just missed the nerve that runs up the thumb, at lease every time I saw a physician, they would ask me about the nerve.

Second we are without broadband internet again. It’s been more than 2 weeks, and who knows how much longer. It’s amazing how much more time I have to read…. when the Internet is down. I read the one book on the Xoom (there is a lesson here…. keep at least 2 books on it for electronic reading) and I have read 2 paper books and started a third.

I was delayed getting back into the sewing room, due to the hand injury. I was asked by one of the “home groups” to show my small Twinchie, 4x4 and postcard collections, I have received from swaps and friends. More specifically, some of the ways to display them. The postcards were easy…. since I have displayed them. I use a chain, and hang them by hooks on the chain… like a clothesline (no picture). The Twinchies and 4x4’s had been languishing and not displayed.

So I whipped up a couple of boxes- one Twinchie Box and one 4x4 box (no top). I also put 6 4x4’s together…. that if folded would make a box or left unfolded as wall display. I also showed one in a frame (no picture), added a magnet to the back of a 4x4 (red heart 4x4)…. because sometimes the kitchen needs some fabric art too. I put the rest of the Twinchies on a fabric panel display.

I passed the Postcards around, and there were lots of questions about them going through the mail…. They just loved looking at them, reading the notes, and where they came from. In South Africa, the mail system is not quite as reliable… as the US. The interest was also in the filler we use (Peltex, which I brought samples of) and at the end gave each a sample of Peltex and a challenge…. to make a postcard. Which we will exchange at the end of October….

And 2 weeks ago I was taken to the Oriental Market in Johannesburg by my friend and (sister) Elmarie. What a fun place. I could spend a day or more poking around in the shops and stores. Lots of fabric, mostly decorator… but a few gems here and there. I did purchase this fabulous hand embroidered Elephant panel, which is destined as a Christmas gift…. (click on the picture for a larger/better view). There is lots of gold thread and many bright colors…. but it is not over powering…. I did not realize that the elephants were not identical… until I took the picture. The shop where I purchased it has aisles that are barely 2 feet wide…. so seeing the whole thing was impossible…. in the shop.

More Later-

Beth