Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 41

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 41 – October 14, 2011

Bon Jour!  Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our blog at www.cajunstitchery.blogspot.com, and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.   We are also on Twitter and Facebook. 

Visit our on-line catalogs at:

http://www.imprintit.biz/cgi-bin/cobrand/site.w?location=olc/catalog-home.w&top=catalog&frasmes=no&target=main&sponsor=000699

and www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery.

The screen embroidery is finished.  George is going to make a frame for the screen to fit in my studio window.  Each design fits in the middle of a glass pane on the window.  The screen embroidery was very easy to do and I’m pleased with the end product.  There are so many things that can be done with the fiberglass screen.  I’ve seen beach bags made from it.  From the articles that I’ve read, sewing on the screen is not difficult.  In fact, we could embroider logos on screens.  That would be pretty cool to have your logo on a window screen or screen door for your store front.  Imagine the comments that would bring.

I know there are people who do not like Facebook, but I am certainly not one of them.  I have met so many people via Facebook that I would never have met otherwise.  My Facebook friends have actually become good friends and I have met face-to-face with many of them.  Mama would have loved Facebook.  Lately, friends have been posting some really cute pictures and sayings.  In the evenings, George and I go through the posts and have some really good laugh time together.  Last night a friend posted a button that said, “Don’t make me go all CAJUN on your ass.”  I loved it.  This morning I digitized it in a variety of designs.  That embroidery design is going to go on my clothing someplace.  At the arts and wine festival there were a few people who came over and asked where our Cajun stuff was.  Guess I better get some Cajun embroidery done.  Of course, with Christmas approaching, we have our Heaux, Heaux, Heaux design.  Last year we put that design on tea towels.  Let me know if you need some.

Our friend from Orlando departed this past Sunday.  We had a wonderful time together.  She even got to meet some of our wonderful neighbors.  She is engaged and the wedding will be next fall.  After catching up with all of the embroidery that I’ve done this year, she loved the can wrap and spent the weekend digitizing her wedding design for the can wrap.  Before she left, she made two of them.  They turned out nice.  While she was doing that, we began talking about boring needles.  Oh my gosh, I want a boring needle.  With a boring needle Boudreaux will be able to cut holes.  You may not think that an embroiderer would want holes but for items like the can wraps that have eyelets, rather than punching the holes after the eyelet is embroidered, the boring needle will cut the hole and then embroider the eyelet.  It makes the hole much neater and it is one less thing that I would have to do after the embroidery is done.  A boring needle is mostly used for cutwork and eyelets are a type of cutwork.  When we looked online for boring needles we found that they are about $28 each.  That’s a lot for a needle.  The thing we could not find is a place that sells them.  So, we are still looking for boring needles.

Remember my friend at Toucansave.com?  I hope everyone registered on their site.  If you had problems registering, try again.  There was a glitch that has now been fixed.  Anyway, the current coupon is for the Coffee House.  A few years ago a place called The Coffee House opened on Navy Boulevard, just a couple of blocks away from me.  One of my neighbors told me about it and he really liked it.  Although I wanted to go to The Coffee House, I never made it over there.  A few months ago I heard that it had closed.  It is so sad when a small business closes.  It turned out that they did not close but the rumor mill had run rampant.  So, Toucansave got with The Coffee House and are offering coupons this month.  I bought mine yesterday and George and I intend to go there today or tomorrow.  I think we paid about $4 for a $10 coupon.  So, for about $4 we can go to The Coffee House and get $10 worth of coffee, pastries, wraps, etc.  Not a bad deal at all.  I may end up getting more coupons.  A coupon is good for one visit.  But, heck, if George and I go there without the coupon, we would walk away with a tab of at least $10, anyway.  If you are local, especially if you live near NAS, go to Toucansave.com and take advantage of this fabulous deal.  We all need to support local businesses.

Wednesday I met a Facebook friend at Bonelli’s for lunch.  Bonelli’s is my Pensacola favorite dining establishment.  My friend owns Flamingo A Friend.  For those of you who do not live in the Pensacola area, Flamingo A Friend is a local business where for birthdays, anniversaries or whatever the occasion, they will put plastic flamingos all over your yard for a day.  I’ve also seen black crows and a variety of other things.  It is just a really cool and different thing to do for these occasions.  We met for lunch and bonded immediately.  She also has a business called Mr. Margarita that furnishes margaritas for parties.  Now she is also doing some arts and crafts but our meeting was getting to know each other.  I love to brainstorm and she does, too. 

We have partnered with Uptown Park Records, Hines Cleaning Service, Success & Friends, and The Cell Phone Place for Rebuilding The City of Pensacola Food Drive. Each of these businesses, including Cajun Stitchery, has a box displayed for the purpose of collecting non-perishable food for the Bay Area Food Bank to distribute to homeless shelters. The food is collected once per week. Folks, times are tough for everyone. But for the grace of God, there goes I. Let's make these boxes overflow with non-perishable food.  What I didn’t know before is that Bay Area Food Bank, located in Milton, is the only food bank that supplies food to the homeless shelters for 7 counties, including Escambia and Santa Rosa.  I do not want to make light of the other food banks.  They do a good and useful job.  They supply directly to people in need of food.  Bay Area supplies to the shelters.  All are in need of food.

All cell phone holders in our Etsy store are half price ($5.00), so stop by www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com and get some cute cell phone holders as gifts for Christmas.

CHRISTMAS is around the corner.  Get that Christmas shopping done now and enjoy the holidays.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list. 

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Thank you Sandy Goodman for the following:

A new priest, born and raised in Texas, comes to
Lafayette, LA to serve and is nervous about
hearing confessions, so he asks the older priest
to sit in on his sessions.

The new priest hears a couple of confessions, then
the old priest asks him to step out of the
confessional for a few suggestions.

The old priest suggests, "Cross your arms over
your chest, and rub your chin with one hand and
try saying things like 'yes, I see,' and 'yes, go
on,' and 'I understand.'

The new priest crosses his arms, rubs his chin
with one hand and repeats all the suggested
remarks to the old priest.

The old priest says, "Now, don't you think that's
a little better than slapping your knee and
saying, "No shit... what happened next?"

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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S.  You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 39

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 39 – September 30, 2011

 Bon Jour!  Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our blog at www.cajunstitchery.blogspot.com, and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.   We are also on Twitter and Facebook. 

Visit our on-line catalogs at:

http://www.imprintit.biz/cgi-bin/cobrand/site.w?location=olc/catalog-home.w&top=catalog&frasmes=no&target=main&sponsor=000699

and www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery.

This week was mostly spent getting ready for the festival this weekend, Pensacola Beach 4^th Annual Arts & Wine Festival.  We will be booth #8 at Artists’ Village in the parking lot of the Visitors Center on Pensacola Beach.  The festival is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  It is free and worth the drive out.  Stop by and say “hi”.

I made so many can wraps this week that one evening I was tired, had a glass of wine and wrote a Can Wrap Rap.  This has been the source of a lot of laughter.  Who knew I could write rap? 

Woke up this morning - to sew and embroider

It keeps me off the streets - so I don't loiter

I wanted to make - something functional

So I - could - have lunch and munch you know

I made a can wrap

Yes I did, it's so cool

I made a can wrap

It's adjustable

Buy my can wrap

Only 7 bucks each

Have a can wrap

And take it to the beach.

Someone mentioned that I should dress like a rapper and have my pants hanging low and my underwear showing.  My response was that the visual image of old lady’s panties showing out the top of the pants is more than I can bear.  However, we were really tempted to dress me up like a rapper with my ball cap on sideways and the whole rap  costume, take a picture and post it on my teenage granddaughter’s Facebook page.  I called my son in Tampa and sang my rap song.  He thinks I’ve lost my mind.  As for the old lady’s panties hanging out the top of the pants, he said, “Mom.  Don’t go there.” 

One of my friends sent a humorous email about how to be a blues singer.  One of the items was how to choose a stage name for a blues singer.  Using that criteria and understanding that this is rap and not the blues, we did coin my rap name – Too Short Cajun Mama.  George is calling me “Too Short.”

We had friends sending in additional lyrics to the rap, as well. 

My neighbors have been writing rap lyrics for everything this week.  Some of you will remember that we named our neighborhood group the Possum Pack.  We took note this week that Heidi the cross-eyed possum passed away in a German zoo.  Yes, this was in the news.  One of our neighbors wrote his rap, Ode to Heidi.

As much fun as we have had with rap lyrics this week, it just goes to show what a great marketing tool jingles are.  Think about the great commercial jingles.  Who remembers:  I’m a pepper, you’re a pepper, he’s a pepper, she’s a pepper, wouldn’t you like to be a pepper, too.  Yep, after all of these years, I still know the Dr. Pepper song.  Or, I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony – Coca Cola.  Visually, people remember pictures; and, audibly, people remember music and rhyme.  I need to write a Cajun Stitchery jingle.  I’m open to ideas. 

Cajun Stitchery has made some beautiful and fun things this week.  We’ve worked until 11 p.m. almost every night and there is still so much left to do.

We received several Cajun jokes via email from various friends.  These jokes will be used over the next several weeks.  However, the joke for this week is George’s favorite and had us both laughing until we cried.  Keep those jokes coming.

CHRISTMAS is around the corner.  Get that Christmas shopping done now and enjoy the holidays.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list. 

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Thank you Marshall Larrivere for the following:

Walking into the bar, Boudreaux said to Charlie

the bartender, “Pour me a stiff one - just had another fight with the

little wife.”

“Oh yeah?” said Charlie, “And how did this one end?”

“When it was over,” Boudreaux replied, “She came

to me on her hands and knees.”

“Really,” said Charles, “Now that's a switch!?

What did she say?”

She said, “Come out from under the bed, you little

coward.”

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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S.  You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

Cajun Corner, Vol. 3, No. 33

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 33 – August 19, 2011

Bon Jour!  Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.   We are also on Twitter and Facebook.

When Nancy and I were pre-teens and teenagers Mama made two great big bags for our Christmas presents.  She probably used about two yards of fabric for each one.  One was green and one was red.  She got some iron on letters and ironed “Nancy” on one and “Peggy” on the other.  She closed the big bags with cording that slipped through an opening at the top of the bags and she attached bells to the cording.  They were very cute and very practical.

We always opened our Christmas presents after midnight mass.  Nancy would open her bag and I would open mine.  After the presents were opened, we would have breakfast and then everyone would go to bed.

Mama was very practical but very creative.  I made a bag like this for George a few years back.  Of course, I embroidered his name and a cute elf on it.  Not only are these bags practical but also environmentally friendly Not even Mama realized that she was a conservationist.  They are environmentally friendly because the presents were not wrapped.  Newspaper was wadded up inside to hide the shapes of the presents but, as Mama used to say, “Santa doesn’t wrap presents.”  If anyone ever wants one of these bags, let me know.

The topic is Christmas and I’m talking about Christmas because I’m preparing for the 4^th Annual Pensacola Beach Arts & Wine Festival.  I began making Christmas stockings.  We’ll let’s back up.  I began considering making Christmas stockings.  I have a red fuzzy Christmas stocking that I purchased sometime ago at the store and used that as my standard.  I digitized a stocking with a curly elf toe.  Then I stitched it out.  It was much smaller than the store bought and although it would make a cute little stocking; it wasn’t what I had in mind.  See the photographs attached.  The first one had the ornaments.  I could get my hand in but it could be a tight fit if someone had large hands.  I then widened it.  See the photo with the snowflakes and the little Eskimo.  That worked well but I wanted it longer.  Then I increased the length and widened the top a bit.   So far my final is the one with the candles.  It’s not quite as big as the standard stocking but it is a nice size.  Then I did the one with the elf and the candy canes.  I fell in love with that one.  These stocking are not finished because I need to put a cuff on the top and I’m working on that. 

Since I was digitizing, stitching and thinking about stockings, I realized that over the years stockings have become larger and larger.  I’ve seen stockings that hang from a mantle and go all the way to the floor.  What is the point of that other than novelty?  When I was growing up, we did not have a fireplace or mantle.  I don’t recall actually having a stocking; we had the bags.  We did have stockings for our boys when they were growing up and would put little things in the stockings, such as little toys or lotto tickets or candy and treats or little novelty type stuff.  I don’t think the stockings were intended to encapsulate all of the presents.  Maybe historically they were, but not since the tradition of putting the presents under the tree.  I must admit, though, that Christmas stockings in general are pretty.  My ultimate decision was that it probably doesn’t matter how large the stocking is anymore.  So, I’m sticking with the final size that I created.

Last weekend George and I celebrated our 41^st wedding anniversary.  Our plan was to have lunch in Perdido with George’s sister, Kathie, on Saturday noon.  Come home and then go to Pensacola Beach to celebrate our friend, Amy’s, birthday.  It rained while we were having lunch in Perdido and followed us home.  We decided that we really didn’t feel like driving in the rain to Pensacola Beach.  So, we stayed home.  On Sunday, we planned to take the Pensacola Historical Trolley.  The owner is one of my friends on Facebook.  I messaged him on Facebook to ask if they were going to be having the tour.  No answer.  I went to his website that said that they have the tour 7 days at week at 11:00 a. m.  It did suggest that you make reservations.  I called on the phone and got a voice mail.  So, we went to the Visitor’s Center and looked around while we were waiting for the trolley.  11:00 came and went and no trolley.  We waited until 11:30 or so and left.  We decided to just drive around and take in the sights and actually ended up in Gulf Shores.  Then my phone rang.  It was the guy at the trolley company.  They had a group that reserved the trolley for a special tour that morning.  At least he did call back.  So, it appeared that most of our plans did not come to fruition but we enjoyed each other’s company.

I messaged a friend of mine on Facebook who is into scrapbooking and asked her about the tiny appliqués.  She told me that scrap bookers love that kind of stuff.  So, I’m going to have a basket or bowl or something at the festival with a bunch of tiny appliqués.  We’ll see how they sell.

There are so many ideas going through my head about the festival and things I want to make and ways I want to decorate the tent.  At one point I was worried that I would not have enough stuff.  That was only a fleeting thought because I am bulging at the seams with stuff.  If anyone has any old fishing nets, I’ll be glad to take them off of your hands.  I think I want to have a theme to our tent this year.

A couple of friends made an appointment with me for today.  We spent almost 3 hours taking orders and letting them look at Cajun Stitchery’s wares.  It was so much fun.  I’m always open for this.  Just make an appointment and I’ll set aside some time and pull out all of our stuff and just give a grand display.  Of course, I’ll serve coffee, water, wine, or whatever you like.  We can even look at designs on the computer.  Enjoy it all while sitting at my kitchen table.

We still have our shipment of XL Fruit of the Loom, Adult, short sleeve, tee shirts in a variety of colors.  I chose XL because that tends to be the size most often ordered.  Of course, I can get you whatever size you like.  The colors that we have are:  athletic heather, black, forest green, Kelly, khaki, J. Navy, pacific blue, royal blue, true red, and white.  Tee shirts make great gifts and everyone can use them.  So, if you are planning for Christmas, think about giving a tee shirt with a name or monogram embroidered.  Of course, we can embroider anything you like.  Just remember the old saying that the sweetest sound is your own name.  Give a tee to someone with their nickname or special term of endearment embroidered on it.  So what, if you don’t have the entire logo digitized; get a tee with the name of your company anyway.  (If there are enough responses for other sizes, I might get that size next time.)

SALE:  In stock XL Fruit of the Loom, Adult, short sleeve, tee shirts with a name or monogram for $10.00 plus shipping/sales tax.  Sale is good until we run out of stock.  See above paragraph for available colors.

I should be ordering towels in the next month or two.  If anyone needs towels, let me know.

Don’t forget the upcoming Mystic Krewe of Nereid’s annual Splash Party.  The Splash Party will be held on Sunday, August 28^th, beginning at 2:00 p.m., at Paradise Bar & Grill on Pensacola Beach.  Mark your calendars.  It’s going to be a real S-P-L-A-S-H.

Speaking of the Splash party tonight is our krewe’s monthly meeting.  My friend from Alabama is going to drop by and pick me up and we are going to spend the night on the beach.  Our meeting will be a working meeting and we will be preparing everything for the Splash Extravaganza.  Don’t miss this event.  It is family oriented, so bring the kids.   Dress up like mermaids and bring your water blasters.

As planned, this past Tuesday I was on local radio station, 1620.  I had prepared a cheat sheet, just in case I became so flustered that I couldn’t think of what I was to say.  The whole thing lasted about 30 seconds.  The cheat sheet should always be with me.  That was one handy little thing to have.

CHRISTMAS is around the corner.  Unbelievable, I know.  Get that Christmas shopping done now and enjoy the holidays.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list. 

Cajun French Phrase of the Week:

Cracher en l'air ca va tomber sur le nez= if you do evil it will come back to hit you in the face or what goes around comes around

Taken from:  http://www.acadian-roots.com/cajun-names.html

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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S.  You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

In-The-Hoop Pot Holders

It dawned on me recently that our annual Arts & Wine Festival on the beach is just a few months away.  It is usually the first weekend in October.  I found some tutorials on making potholders in-the-hoop but they just don't seem big enough.  I'm on a quest for the perfect embroidered potholder done completely in-the-hoop.

Potholders were probably the very first item that Mama taught me to sew when I was a little girl.  She would lay a piece of fabric down and then we would use our scrap material, neatly layered over the fabric until we felt it was thick enough.  Finally, we would lay another piece of fabric on top of the layers and start machine quilting.  Anything is fine.  The point is to sew around to hold all of those little scrap pieces in place.  We would sew straight lines across, usually at one inch intervals; then up and down.  After the quilting was done, we trimmed the edges to make them straight, sewed around the edges and finally, add bias tape around the edges.  Potholders are great beginner projects for children.

A few decades down the road from those early days and I'm still making potholders.  The embroidery machine is funny about how many layers of fabric it will stitch.  I am working on that.  I started off hooping some plastic.  The heavy plastic is sturdy and after the satin stitches are applied, you can pull the item away from the plastic with a clean edge.  I sew a single stitch line around the shape of the potholder.  Then I apply 2 layers of fabric.  Put that back in the machine and sew another line around the shape.  Take the hoop off the machine and trim the excess fabric.  This is just like an applique.  Then put the hoop back into the machine and stitch the middle design.  Depending on the size of the middle design, you may want additional quilting.  This is the time to stitch the stipple.  Then take the hoop off the machine and add a couple of layers of fabric to the bottom.  I just pin the fabric to the plastic but make sure the pins are far away from the path of the needle.  Put the hoop back in the machine and sew another outline.  Take the hoop out and trim the edges.  Then I take 2 pieces of fabric, folded in half and pin them so that the folded edges meet in the middle on the back of the potholder.  Pin in place and sew another outline and trim.  Finish with your satin stitch.  The reason for the folded pieces is to put your hand inside, creating a mitt.


Yep, that's a lot of trimming and putting the hoop in and out of the machine.  You can save time and effort by not doing the "mitt" and just pin all of your layers of fabric on the bottom before the quilting and let the machine run to the end.  I'm still working on more layers of fabric.  Yes, I know I could and should probably use batting.  In fact, the machine doesn't have a problem with batting at all and I would get the thickness much easier.  Let's face it, I'm stubborn and I want to use up that scrap fabric.  Anyway, I'm still perfecting the process and hope to have lots of beautiful potholders on sale at the Arts & Wine Festival this year.

C'est tout, mes amis

Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 19

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 19 – May 13, 2011


Bon Jour! Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our blog at www.cajunstitchery.blogspot.com, catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.

We have a lot to cover today, so let’s get started.

First topic is a trip to Louisiana. A few months back when my cousin Kim came to visit, I kept telling her that aside from looking at all of the Theaux’s for her genealogy, she should also meet and look into the Landry’s. Mama and my Aunt Lil have told me such wonderful stories about being little girls with my great grandmother, who was always referred to as “Mom.” My great grandfather was Henry Landry. Mom’s maiden name was Felecie Romero. Both sides of the family have a rich history, but the Landry’s are, by far, the party animal side of the family. The Landry’s are the Cajun side of the family.

Nevertheless, I told Kim that I need to introduce her to some of the Landry’s. She said that she had a conference coming up in May in one of the Carolina’s and we planned that after her conference, she would fly to Pensacola where we would drive to Lafayette. Sounds like a good time and a good plan. I cannot take off very much time because when I’m gone Cajun Stitchery is closed and Cajun Stitchery cannot afford to be closed. So, I planned one day to drive to Lafayette, one day to visit, one day to return. I contacted my cousin Eddie to help gather some Landry’s for Kim to meet. Eddie replied that he would be glad to help and May was a good month for that. Besides, we wanted to visit with my Aunt Philo who is now 92 years old.

Kim left California for the Carolina’s early this week. I began making some solid plans. First, I contacted Aunt Philo’s friend, Paulette, to see if she would be in town for our visit. It turned out that Paulette is going to be in Daytona Beach the entire week. That’s okay. I will still visit my aunt. Since Philo is deaf, I don’t want to visit if we aren’t going to understand each other. If she can see, she was always able to read my lips and Kim says she is fluent in sign language. So, we are still okay with that.

Neither Kim nor I could get in touch with Eddie since that first message. That’s okay because I can get in touch with my cousin Roland. I called Roland and found out that one of his sons was recently killed in an auto accident in Naples, Florida. Roland said the son was cremated and they had a nice memorial service in Naples and last weekend they had another memorial service in Louisiana. The whole family attended. I was heartbroken. I am so keenly aware of the unfathomable heartache of losing a child, no matter how old he is. Roland, a true Landry, nevertheless wanted us to come. He said to let him know what day we would be there as soon as I knew, so they could gather some local Landry’s to meet Kim.

George had been vacillating about going. He really wants to go. If he goes, then we need to board the dogs with the vet. I called the vet and got the information that I needed. They will board the dogs; give them their shots and annual check up, all at the same time. But they need to know in advance when we will be leaving the dogs. We have to make reservations for the pups which I did not because I wasn’t sure what days we would be going to Louisiana.

I then contacted my friend, Sandy, to let her know that we were coming. Sandy and I have never met face-to-face. She was a good friend of Mama’s and has become a good friend of mine via email and the internet. I would love to meet Sandy face-to-face. Sandy replied that she would love to meet me, as well. She will be in town. One problem, though, Louisiana is having a flood and next week is forecast to be the worse of it because the Army Corp of Engineers is probably going to open the Morganza Spillway which will flood New Iberia and the surrounding areas. They may have to evacuate. She suggested that I watch the flood news and sent me a map of the flood area in the Atchafalaya Basin.

At this point, George and I started realizing that if Memphis is flooded from the Mississippi and they are dealing with mass devastation, and the river has begun flooding the State of Mississippi, and we have to cross the Pearl River in Mississippi and the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, not to mention the Atchafalaya, it may not be a matter of whether or not our destination gets flooded. It may be that we cannot get there through the flood on I-10. I began searching the internet for any news. The Bonnet Carre Spillway has already been opened to divert the water from New Orleans. The Advertiser in Lafayette is prominently reporting what to do if you are told to evacuate. The flood is headline news all over the area. The Louisiana governor said the Morganza Spillway will be opened and to expect 5-25 feet of flooding throughout the Basin, including New Iberia and St. Martinsville. Lafayette probably will not get flooded.

The last thing that anyone needs during an impending or potential environmental devastation is company from out-of-state. So, I tried contacting Kim. Kim will arrive in Pensacola late Sunday afternoon. Bless her heart, she’s in the middle of a conference and I’m emailing that we may not be able to go to Louisiana. She replied that we will discuss this when she gets here and see the situation at that time. I love a cool head. Of course, in order to make reservations to board the dogs, we have to give at least a little leeway. Besides, if she has work to do in Louisiana, she may want to fly directly to Lafayette, rather than Pensacola. No. She says her work is in Baton Rouge. The last I read was that Baton Rouge has already begun flooding.

Then I called Roland to let him know the situation. Like a true Landry, he says, “it’s not going to flood here.” Then he begins to explain the levy system that was constructed after the 1927 flood. Hmmm. He said that the government isn’t going to close I-10 and I should be able to get there. Hmmm. Roland lives in Youngsville, between Lafayette and New Iberia.

As it stands today, I don’t know. Common sense tells me not to take chances and intentionally travel an area that I know is already having problems. George doesn’t want me to go, especially since my trip back to Pensacola would be me alone, if he doesn’t go. On the other hand, my heart wants to go play with the family in Louisiana. Who knows what will happen between now and Sunday?

As a sideline from calling the veterinarian, it dawned on me after talking with Leigh Ann that I should make the dogs coats with the Cajun Stitchery logo embroidered on the side. I love animals and I know that dogs are built to work. Some dogs are hunters; some are workers, some herd, etc. Evie has always had chores. She cleans the floor and frequently is a pre-washer for the dishes. Stinky doesn’t have chores – she’s a princess. I decided that their new jobs will entail advertising for Cajun Stitchery. You know what they say; the two biggest attention getters are babies and animals. So, I made Evie a coat with the Cajun Stitchery logo on either side. I haven’t made one for Stinky yet. They need to wear their coats to the vet’s. Maybe we’ll pick up some business there.

Over the past year or two, some of the girls have been giving collapsible market baskets for gifts. The market baskets are cloth with a collapsible aluminum frame. They get the girl’s name or initials embroidered on the side of the market baskets. They get these baskets from a really cool store in Gulf Breeze. Well, that’s not right. They should get them from Cajun Stitchery. That is, if Cajun Stitchery could offer them. We can now. Browsing around on the internet for wholesalers, I found the baskets and oh so much more. I did find a place that carries the baskets that the girls have been giving. But I found another place that carries the baskets, but better. I can get either. The girls told me they pay about $30 for the baskets that they have been giving. I can do that, too. I found a really cool wholesaler in Georgia that sells the baskets in zebra, leopard and a multitude of other prints. These baskets are lined with a zippered inside pocket, and I can embroider on them. The cool thing is that I can sell them for $30, too, including the embroidered name/initials. This wholesaler also carries the insulated market basket with zippered top to keep your items cool. I can sell the insulated market basket for $35. They have bunches of other cool stuff. I have already placed an order with them for a variety of items. One of my girls has already ordered the 3 piece rolling luggage with telescopic handles ($200), rolling insulated cooler with telescopic handle ($40), insulated market basket ($35), and lined market basket ($30), all in zebra print. The pictures and descriptions appear to be a high quality. Something else they have that really caught my eye was an entire line of fleur de lis items.

Believe it or not, as I was typing the above, the first shipment from my zebra wholesaler came in. The luggage will be coming in a separate shipment next week. The rolling cooler in zebra print with hot pink trim, came with black trim and the wholesaler is sending the correct one. A fleur de lis wallet that I ordered was out of stock and not included but this stuff is beautiful. I cannot embroider on all of it. For instance, the insulation on the insulated market basket with zippered top would be compromised if I embroidered on it. But I can embroider on the lined market basket and the rolling cooler with telescopic handle. I even got myself a treat. I bought a hounds tooth lined market basket that I will be embroidering our logo upon. There are some really cool wallets and purses. I’m including the professional pictures of most of these items but honestly, some of these pictures don’t do the product justice. It’s mostly laminated fabric. It shines! Email me if you want to place an order or have any questions.

Memorial Day is coming up at the end of May and I’ve listed several patriotic items in our Etsy store. For this week only – through next Thursday – I will embroider “USA” in red, white, and/or blue on your jeans or a shirt or other embroiderable item for $5.00. This is really a good sale because our minimum order is $9.45.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list.

Thank you Kathi for sending the following joke:

Thibodeaux called the airlines information desk and inquired, "How long does it take to fly from Baton Rouge to New Orleans?" "Just a minute," said the busy clerk. "Well, said Thibodeaux, "If it has to go dat fast, I tink I'll just take da bus."

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French Phrase of the Week: The following was taken from LSU.edu regarding Cajun french differing from other french:

In Louisiana when we jouer à la pelote, it is typically a game of baseball, football or soccer that we are referring to. Careful, though, because for our French-speaking Canadian neighbors, la pelote refers to female genitalia.

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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S. You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 18

 Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 18 – May 6, 2011

Bon Jour! Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.

The weekend in Mexico Beach was fabulous. What is the old saying about the best intentions? Several girls, including myself, were planning on going to Mexico Beach to visit a friend. In fact, there were 10 girls. Over the past couple of years this has become a regular part of our calendar. Our friend only has room for a maximum number of 10 overnight visitors. As you have probably noticed our girlfriend network entails a lot more than 10 girls. Being the polite and delicate ladies that we are, we decided that we would not mention the trip to anyone else because we didn’t want to offend anyone. We were not at liberty to invite people to someone else’s home. And, we didn’t want to put our hostess in an awkward position, either. It all turned out to appear that we were keeping this trip a “secret” from everyone. In fact, we all felt like it was a “secret” and we never intended that to happen. All I can say is that we truly meant well. Oh, by the way, we had a wonderful time.

Today, Cajun Stitchery was closed for half a day because George and I attended a memorial service for a friend.

When I got home last weekend, the lilies had bloomed. They are beautiful. I love the lily time of the year.

I finally finished Kim’s diaper stacker. Oh, it turned out so precious. The diaper stackers are not hard to make at all. I was just taking my time because I knew she didn’t need it right away. I have a pattern that I kind of use for the diaper stackers but they don’t really require a pattern. You just need to know that it is 8 inches deep, 13 inches wide, and 25 inches high. Cut 4 rectangles a bit larger than 8 inches by 13 inches and sew 2 of them together on all 4 sides for a sturdy bottom. Take the remaining 2 rectangles and sew them together on three sides. Slip a piece of sturdy cardboard or foam board into the open end. This piece will go inside the diaper stacker for a solid, removable, base to hold the diapers flat. Then take a piece of fabric 25 inches tall and wide enough to go completely around the 8 inch rectangle. That would be 8”+8”+13”+13” for 42 inches. Then take 2 strips of fabric 25” tall, the width is up to you, to sew to each edge of the 42” piece of fabric, right side of strip to wrong side of big fabric. Do this to each end of the 42” piece, iron the seam toward the strip, and fold the other long side of the strip in about ¼”, and iron. Then fold over to the seam on the right side of the 42” piece of fabric. Do this one each of the 25” sides of the 42” fabric. Pin, baste and sew the large fabric to the base. At this point, you can do what you want with the top. I make large pleats on the sides and sew the top closed, then put a triangular shaped piece of fabric (doubled) on top enveloping the top seam. Then just add something to hang the diaper stacker from and you’re done. I use an O ring. If you have any questions, drop me an email and I’ll be glad to explain the process a bit better.

One of my friends told me that one of the baby hummingbirds fell out of the nest on “As the Birds Turn” and has gone to see its maker. George and I were taking a break this week in what George calls our Summer Patio and we heard little cheeps. I went to look and there was a baby chick sitting in the leaves at the base of one of our oak trees. This area has lots of ants. In fact, we are having a terrible time with ants this year. We thought the chick had fallen out of its nest and we were worried that the ants would get it. So, we put it in a shoe box and took it to the Wildlife Sanctuary. Then we had second thoughts. Of course, at this point it was too late to do anything. Now we think that this was a sparrow and they nest on or near the ground. Now we feel like we have ripped the sparrow family apart. We were just so worried that the chick would get eaten by the ants.

This week I’ve been working at the Etsy store. I still don’t have 100 items for sale but as of today, there are 90 items in that store, 42 items are handkerchiefs. I wouldn’t make so many handkerchiefs if that wasn’t the main thing that people buy at the store. I love dainty cloth hankies but never realized how much others do, too. Since Mother’s Day is Sunday, I’m now looking toward Memorial Day and Father’s Day. The red, white and blue are well represented in the Etsy store.

While at the refreshment part of the memorial service today, a friend of mine told me that although she has sewn in the past, she would like me to give her a refresher course so she can make some aprons. We won’t be doing this right away but probably next month some time. I was pleasantly surprised at this request. I have been playing with the idea of teaching sewing when the house next door gets remodeled and we move in. After all, I have 7 working machines. There seems to be a re-emerging of the old handmade skills. That makes me very happy. For a long time I’ve noticed that young people, as well as older people, don’t know how to sew and weren’t taught by their mothers. It would be a shame to see these skills become only memories. It’s important to keep these things alive. So, we will find out if I can teach. I’m very excited about this.

Another friend of mine just got back from a trip to Argentina and Chile. I still want to hear more stories of her trip. She says it was confusing with the north being the hot area and the south being the cold area – just the opposite of us. Sounds like a fascinating trip.

The joke this week reminds me of my mother. Since Sunday is Mother’s Day perhaps a story about Mama would be appropriate. New Iberia has a beautiful main street with lovely antebellum homes and beautiful lawns. One Sunday morning in spring Mama decided to go for a drive. As she was driving down this street, she would drive over to the left to see those pretty flowers. Then she would drive to the right side of the road to see those flowers. Mama said no one else was on the road because everyone was at church. So, she took her leisurely drive and then turned a corner to head back home. A police office came behind her and pulled her over. “What were you doing back there?” he inquired. My mother rolled down her window and with a look of total disgust, said, “Young man, never pull over an old lady when she has to pee. If you don’t let me get home, I will pee right here in my car. How in the world am I going to clean this up?” He was laughing so hard, he let her go. True story.

Another time Mama was stopped for a red light when a police car pulled beside her in the other lane. She rolled down her window and motioned for the officer to roll his window down, as well. He did. She said, “Want to drag?” My mother was a piece of work. I couldn’t make this stuff up.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list.

This may be a repeat but it’s so funny. Thank you Sandy for sending the following joke:

Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?

Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.

Older Woman: Oh, I see.

Officer: Can I see your license please?

Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.

Officer: Don't have one?

Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.

Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.

Older Woman: I can't do that.

Officer: Why not?

Older Woman: I stole this car.

Officer: Stole it?

Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.

Officer: You what?

Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun.

Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of her vehicle.

Older woman: Is there a problem sir?

Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.

Older Woman: Murdered the owner?

Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?

Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers.

The officer is quite stunned.

Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license.

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.

Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.

Don't Mess With Mature Ladies

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French Phrase of the Week: The following was taken from LSU.edu regarding Cajun french differing from other french:

Cajuns try not to be shocked if newly arrived Canadians remark upon all the grosses bibittes in South Louisiana. They mean the roaches and other insects. They're not being lewd; they simply haven't yet learned that bibitte in Louisiana French refers to male genitalia.

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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S. You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.