I know. I already posted my sadness at the demise of two of my favorite magazines practically back-to-back: Cottage Living and Country Home. But my last issue (the last issue) of Country Home just arrived and it made me even sadder.
It was thin as I fished it out of the mailbox, and I thought, “Well, they must not have been able to afford much.” But on the contrary, it’s one of the best issues I’ve ever seen — every story interesting and well photographed. Thin because it wasn’t full of ads — just story after story. It was great, and it’s a bummer not to have it to look forward to every month.
A big paper wrapper over the cover announced my subscription would be filled by…Family Circle? Nothing against Family Circle but it’s not quite the same. My Cottage Living subscription, at least, is being filled by Southern Living, which is another wonderful magazine, so I’m OK with that, even though the garden stuff isn’t much help up here in Zone 5.
I was fortunate to be able to pick up the 3 2005 issues of Cottage Living I was missing on eBay — all 3 in a lot of 5. Plus I managed to resell the 2 I didn’t need. So now I have a nice collection of inspiration to pull out on a rainy day or a daydreamy day or a creative-wannabe day.
Along those lines, Mike and I saw a very basic sewing machine at Big Lots last Friday (reconditioned), and when we got a 20 percent off coupon at check-out good for yesterday only, I knew I would buy it. (I did a quick search of online reviews for that model, and many people said, “I was looking for a basic, first machine for my 8-year-old…” so I knew it would work for me.)
I took sewing in jr. high and high school, with hilarious results. I remember making a gaucho-jumpsuit contraption (picture it — not quite like this but similarly awful) that instead of fitting my size 5 or 7 teenage body fit my mother at about a size 12. Oh, and there was that yellow calico ruffled pillow from 7th grade sewing I used for quite a while in my room. That was OK.
What I’m thinking of is more along the lines of the pillow — we’ll see how it goes. Mike (encouragingly) said, “Oh good, now you’ll be able to make curtains and things…” Oh you poor misguided man. Having grown up with a mother who is an excellent seamstress, he has no idea of the skill required and that I haven’t a clue. (One look at the gaucho-jumpsuit and he’d understand.)
But still, there’s a creative, crafty soul inside me somewhere — why else would I be drawn to the things I’m drawn to? (Or else, there’s a 1950s housewife in there — I’ve always said I’d be perfectly happy in that role.) Even if the results are too embarrassing to reveal, at least I’ll have fun trying. That’s today’s plan anyway.
There is nothing in a caterpillar
that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.
~ Buckminster Fuller
Writing by Ear 
Rege said,
Monday, February 23, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I think your sister Barbara is the next birthday.
WritingbyEar said,
Monday, February 23, 2009 at 4:58 pm
That’s only a month away — way too much pressure. I may just have figured out how to wind the bobbin by then.
jewels said,
Monday, February 23, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Go, Chris, go! I can’t wait to hear how the sewing goes. Sewing is one of my, “I wish I could do that things…” too! Along with gardening (ha!) and my latest dream…carpentry! I’m envisioning a built-in window seat in my kitchen that would look fabulous. It’s just too bad I can’t get past the dreaming part…
I also saw some magazine at the supermarket that was called Cottage Home or something and picked it up to purchase until I saw the price…$9.95!!
WritingbyEar said,
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 9:04 am
You go with the carpentry! Mike keeps threatening to teach me how to use his various power tools so I can build my own (damn) birdhouses and benches and things I’m always wanting him to do. (And keep us “northerners” posted on the garden — I bet you start seeing things pop up sometime in March!)