Simply stitching

I found an uncompleted embroidery I was working on when I was cleaning my room and I decided to work on it again. It was supposed to be a sort of mini-comforter project that could be converted to a throw pillow which I saw from my boss, except what she bought just had a printed design. I have been asking her to bring it once more so I know where I could place the zipper for the conversion (from comforter to pillow) but she never brought it again saying she can’t remember where she placed it so I stopped working on it too. However, when I saw it again I felt the urge to sew and realized that I don’t have to use zipper but I could do something else to convert it still…

So I am back to working on the second panel of embroidery since only one panel is complete. I was planning 5 panels for it but I think I’ll just make it three. The embroidery is simple actually just a combination of back stitch and stem stitch and using only one color. See the first panel???



When I started working on it again I actually felt relaxed and joyful. My ten year old niece came to my room and watched me for a while then ask me for some cloth so she could sew too! So I gave her a cloth which she cut into small pieces and drew a design ( a heart) on one and asked me how and started sewing her own as I told her how to handle the cloth and hold the needle and thread. She’s still having difficulty but I’m sure in time if she is interested that she could handle it well.

I was telling her how both my grandmothers were good at sewing especially on darning. The way my paternal grandmother darned you won’t easily notice that the cloth was torn or had a hole. Her hand stitches were so fine that they blend with the cloth. My maternal grandmother was also good not just at darning but also sewing pieces together. When I would darn I would try my best to do it as well as them… some of my works were neat I think but theirs were still tops!

I was also telling my niece how I embroidered in college. I embroidered my pants, blouse (even my friends formal blouse), the bags I made… they were all just small stuff not really big and some of my embroidery looked like patches. Embroidered clothes and stuff was not the trend during my time but I like doing it… I thought I was unique then and by the time the trend came I was focused on other things but would smile as i remembered the works that i did.

Then there was a boom on cross stitching… almost every girl in the office (even a married boy) was crossstitching. Their patterns were neat and looked like paintings and some were huge works which they followed from a pattern. I enjoyed looking at their work but I wasn’t interested on making one. Somehow the work seemed too complex for me to appreciate, I still liked small designs which I would suit to what I need…

And now I’m back to simple stitchin. I am not in a hurry to finish my project but it is nice to feel joy while pushing and pulling the needle and thread. My eyes could not easily thread the needle anymore but just the thought of working on it again felt good!

Beth

It was another of those nights when my 2 siblings and their other halves decided to have a drinking and singing session. They were talking it over earlier when we went to the grocery as they bought the pulutan (beer food mates) and their drinks -- just vodka their chaser (del monte four seasons) and some beer. I bought my own iced tea just in case.

I was in mama’s room resting a bit when I heard them started their singing. I decided to come out to hang out and watch them sing. They all laughed when they saw me come out of the room… Eto na ang tirador ng pulutan! (Here comes the one who just finishes the food!) A standing joke since I don’t drink and just eat their food. Anyway, I sat with them and indeed took some of the food…. Then I decided to take a bottle also…

My bottle of iced tea from the fridge!

They were taking turns singing. They are all good karaoke singers and know a lot of songs.

Me… I don’t know most of the title of the songs so I can’t choose from the selection list. Even if I leaf through the list I can’t seem to find songs that I know enough to sing…

Anyway I got to sing one song then continued leafing through the alphabetical title list while they continued on their singing…

Then I chanced upon “Beth” by Kiss! Ahh that’s a song for me! I’m Beth in fact I would tell people that I’m the Bethiest Beth I know!

I know about the song from a long time ago but I could not remember it. I just asked Dan to play it so I could listen and see if I could sing with it but I could not sing along with it so I read the lyrics… and I told them that it is a sad song since it was not even telling “Oh Beth you are pretty… you are my beloved and the stuff”. Hehehe… Instead I could visualize Beth just alone and waiting! (But still a part of me was saying so what if she was waiting…plenty to do while one is alone in fact I look forward to my “alone” time which I call my “Beth” time).

Anyway, I was listening and I liked the melody, it is not really something you think from a rock band… it is soft and come to think of it, it really is a beautiful song… an assurance song that even if Beth’s loved one is away that he is thinking of her.

Ahhh here I am rambling and it is already very late… they have finally stopped singing and I’m back here in my room. In fact Jenny already fell asleep earlier on the couch while the others were still singing.

It is real quiet now… another “beth” time and I’d like to hear once more the music…



That is nice... something for me.

This is how we overcome!

We have finished singing our worship songs including Hillsong’s “This is how we overcome” and I felt good since I like the song…



It is one great song of worship!
And i really like it...
But surprisingly our speaker did not! :(

She said later on to the group that she did not like this song and preferred the other songs. She did not like the word overcome since we don’t really overcome but instead we get transformed. So she would have preferred “transformed” in the lyrics…

Now to sing “this is how we are transformed… this is how we are transformed” instead of “this is how we overcome… this is how we overcome” doesn’t really sound nice…

Later on our smaller group, we get talk about it with many agreeing somehow with our speaker repeating her reason. But I could not agree! I know our speaker has her reason and she actually explained it well… but I still like the song and I don’t mind using the word overcome especially as it is mentioned in its context and I’ll go on singing it!

Now I wonder if it will still be part of our worship songs in our future assemblies????

Ahh! I sure hope so!

Cory Aquino 1933 - 2009

I woke up expecting to hear cartoons on TV
But there was none…
Instead I was hearing a newscast...
The sky is good, there’s no storm…
what could the children be watching?
I get down and saw John-john
Intently watching the screen
There on the news they say…
Cory is finally gone.

Cory Aquino died at 3:18 am today
Among her family and friends
Praying by her side
While the country was sleeping and still.

I remember how proud I was
To be part of the bloodless revolt
that put her in power and restored our democracy.
I was so proud to be a Filipino then…
And deep inside, I still am.

But so many things have changed since she held office
Even she somehow changed along the way
People will judge her but then again they always do
What is important is she’s at peace with herself
And on that, I am certainly sure.

I heard them say she’s the icon of democracy
And indeed she is
But more than anything I think her biggest legacy
Is responding to a call even if faced with great difficulty.

So for you Tita Cory… Goodbye!
I know you’re at peace.
Say hello to Ninoy from me
Hold hands and pray as ever
For our country’s freedom, peace…
and prosperity.

May God bless us all!

and here is another legacy which i'm proud to say I was part of...
EDSA 1986... the bloodless revolution...


The Filipinos' gift to the world!