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Kind Librarians, Marbled Paper, and a Finish

 

Sebastian Coman Photography on Unsplash

Summer Reading
Reading books in the summertime feels different. Maybe it’s because I have fond memories of signing up for summer reading clubs as a child. I loved filling out the lists from the librarians of all the books I had read that Summer. I still have two t-shirts that I won for reading a certain number of books! A part of me still feels like I should be winning t-shirts for completing books…
Lately, I’ve been reading in the Regency era (what a surprise!). My curiosity was piqued by the BBC’s adaptation of The Other Bennet Sister. I haven’t watched the series yet, but after seeing it pop up in my feed, I decided to give the book a shot. Imagine how happy I was when it was available on Kindle Unlimited! * I won’t give any spoilers away, don’t worry, but it was such a beautiful book! It was wonderful to see beloved characters again, and none of them felt fake. The character development was masterfully done, and she made me feel as if I could reach out and touch Regency London. The dialogue and writing style were superb. You can tell that the author loves Jane Austen, and throughout the book, there were Easter eggs of quotes from Austen’s other novels. Every time I found one, it was like seeing a friend waving at me from the page! This book is easily one of the best I’ve read this year, and now it makes me want to watch the series on BritBox! Then again, maybe I’ll save it for Autumn, when I can be wrapped up in warm blankets with a mug of hot chocolate…
Another book I enjoyed was Seeking Persephone by Sarah Eden. As with The Other Bennet Sister, I only heard about this book after seeing clips of the show on Instagram. Now, I have this thing where I will read the book before I watch any adaptations. So, after being impressed by the clips, I decided to give the book a try. I went to my Libby app discover that there were three holds on each copy at my library. No problem, though, I put a hold on it. However, I was pleasantly surprised when, not too long afterwards, I got a notification telling me that my hold was ready! My library ordered more copies of the book, taking pity on us all. Thank you, kind librarian!
When I say I enjoyed this book, I should really say that I devoured this book. It’s not terribly long, but for a slow reader like me to finish a book in under three days is a sign that a book is very, very good. Half of the time, I was gasping in shock to an invisible audience. 
It was amazing! And the series? Thankfully, it’s available to stream at the Castle. It’s entered my list of classic shows to watch, and seeing as I’ve already watched it twice (yes, twice), I think it’s safe to say that I’ll watch it many more times. If it comes out on DVD, I’m going to snatch it up like a chicken on a June bug!
WIP Update
Leilani the Hula Dancer
At last. This project has been at least seven years in the making. I say minimum, because that’s the oldest reference to this project that I can find in my archives. While it hasn’t been seven years of continuous stitching, that’s still a really long time to have a WIP! But she’s a WIP no more; behold!



She’s done!!! What a beautiful lady, and the colors in this chart are stunning. It’s such a perfect summer stitch. I made some floss substitutions along the way, and I’m glad I did, as that makes this chart feel more unique to me. Does that make sense? The backstitch brought her to life! Her facial features are so fine, and I love the backstitch that makes her wisps of hair. I can feel that lovely Hawaiian trade wind in my face as I type this! This is my first project working with beads, and my verdict is this: beads are so fun! I love the color and texture that they lent Leilani. I love all the beads, but my favorites are the bugle beads in her skirt. I didn’t use invisible floss for the beading. Instead, I matched the bead colors to floss.



I’m so thrilled that I’ve gotten a finish! That’s my first finish this year on a project that’s not one of my Etsy charts. She’s not fully finished yet, so until I frame her, she’ll be safe in a drawer. Ideally, she’ll be framed behind archival glass, so those beautiful silk flosses don’t fade.
Once Upon a Time
In my rush to finish Leilani before my July 1st deadline, I decided to delay starting another one of my own designs. Now that Leilani is done, I can start this:



This is one of my more recent designs. I've been designing many more round designs lately, so this rectangle will be a change of pace. 
If you'd like to stitch along with me, this chart is available instantly from my Etsy shop. The link to the chart is here. Feel free to share your progress pictures in the comment section or tag me on Instagram or Substack Notes! This chart has a lot of fully finishing potential. I’ve been brainstorming, and here are a few things you could do with it:
  1. Make it into a banner, and hang it from your bookshelf
  2. Frame it
  3. Make it the front of a book bag/ Kindle bag
I might choose the third option… 
Treasure Mermaid
According to my WIP schedule, it’s time for Treasure Mermaid by Mirabilia!



A reminder that last year, we decided to name her Aurora. Well, it’s Aurora’s time to shine! Normally, it would be very hard to follow a WIP like Leilani, but Aurora can do it. Here’s what she looked like the last time I was stitching her:



Can I finish her in two months? Probably not. But never say never!
Odds & Ends
When I read, I like to have music playing in the background. When I read period pieces, this is my go-to:
I agree with Steve!
This is mesmerizing. Marbled paper is beautiful.

Happy stitching and see you next time!

*This post is not sponsored by Amazon, in case you’re wondering.

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