Calendar Poodle SAL

Monday, April 2, 2018

Little Miss April

Hi friends! Here is my April cubby shelf.
Two new pieces are in there. The April wreath of pansies and the April poodle I designed.
Stitched one over one on 25ct white Zweigart Dublin linen with the called for DMC. This pattern can be found HERE  I love every single wreath so far this year, but I REALLY love this one!! Pansies are my favorite flower.💖

Here is the April Poodle.
Brian keeps referring to this poodle as "Little Miss April". She is stitched one over one with DMC on 25ct Bo Peep Pink Lugana.

If you would like to stitch this free pattern designed by me, please scroll to the top of my blog and click on the Calendar Poodle SAL tab at the top. This will take you to all my free poodle patterns. You will also see all the finishes done by our friends! 😍
Have you ever read a book just because you liked the cover? I admit I decided I was going to read this book when I saw the cover. Hmm. Maybe you will figure out my interest.

Are you spotting "Charley"? He would be the standard poodle seated next to John Steinbeck. I actually listened to this book. What a surprise I was in for. I was thinking how quaint this would be. John sets out from the East Coast with Charley to meet people across America. This was written in 1962. I was not even born yet.  I was really enjoying myself. It was so innocent. People were generally so nice. He made it out to California, then traveling back, through the south, I just about cried. I was just dumbstruck. He decided to go through New Orleans to see the "cheerleaders". These would be the horrid women that shouted obscenities at little 6-year old first-grade Ruby Bridges. I was so sickened by the racism. So was Steinbeck. It was so strong,so vile. Especially since I was listening to it I suppose. Wow. I never knew this was part of the book. I picked the book because it had a cute poodle on the cover.
An intimate journey across America, as told by one of its most beloved writers

To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colors and the light—these were John Steinbeck's goals as he set out, at the age of fifty-eight, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years.

With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and  the unexpected kindness of strangers. 
I have been asked by several people over the months and I need to tell you all. I have my daily migraines under control now. Praise be to God. I no longer have daily migraines because the neurologist I see here in town upped the dose of Topomax I am taking by a lot. If I am exposed to oven heat or out in the sun I will still get a migraine. I still get monthly migraines from my menstrual cycles. I am very grateful to God that I do not have them every, single day any more though.

My shoulder pain continues because my shoulder is "frozen". I have a prescription of Vicodan from the neurosurgeon to help me. I see a physical therapist on Thursday.

Thanks for stopping by today my friends! I am so glad you did. I hope you have a super week! I am stitching up an Easter pattern. Our Orthodox Easter is this Sunday. I hope to even finish it off into a door hanging ornament before then.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie



34 comments:

gracie said...

Love your April display. Glad the migraines are under control but sorry about the shoulder. By the way, your wreaths are lovely each month.

Stasi said...

Glad your migraines are under control..hope the shouder PT goes well. Happy April!

Margaret said...

Love your wreath and your little Miss April poodle! I hope the PT helps your shoulder. As for Travels with Charley -- was Steinbeck on the side of the racists??? I hope not!! I've never read this book. Heard of it, but never read it.

Mary said...

First, I'm so glad to hear that you are without the daily migraine. That is a blessing. I hope the frozen shoulder gets unfrozen soon! Sounds awfully painful.

Gosh, I thought Travels with Charley and Grapes of Wrath were required high school reading. I read East of Eden while in HS and loved that book too...He was a favorite author of mine for years. Glad you picked up the book.

Your latest poodle is adorable!! Goes so well with your newly stitched wreath.

Robin in Virginia said...

Happy April, Vickie! I really like your April display in your cubbie. I am happy to hear that your migraines seem to be under control. I hope the PT will help with the frozen shoulder and the pain you are experiencing. Thinking of you!

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Such pretty stitching Vickie,I love little Miss April :)

Andrea said...

Love your April display.

Hope everything health-wise continues to improve.

diamondc said...

Vickie: I love your cubbie shelf, it is a beautiful display of Your stitching, I ha e read books just because of the cover,I have never been disappointed with the story line.
Cute photo of your sweet baby.
I hope all your pain goes away soon.

Blessings
Catherine

Vicki said...

So glad to hear that you have much improvement in your health! Praying for continued healing...
Love your April shelf. It's such fun to see what you put in it each month.
I miss "Main Street Monday"...
Enjoy today!

Justine said...

Lovely funny for April, Vickie. Hope your shoulder continues to improve.

Manuela said...

I like your April cubby shelf.
Your pansies wreath looks great. Your little April poodle is very cute.
I hope all your pains go away,soon.
Hugs, Manuela

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

Praying your shoulder will heal quickly. :) Love your April cubby. Awww Little Miss April is too cute. Will have to stitch her up on my pink fabby soon. Wishing you a day filled with many blessings sweet friend. ((hugs))

Julie said...

The cubby is filling up nicely and looks fabulous.
The perfect book for you, and yes I do sometimes choose book due to its cover.

Beth said...

Travels with Charley is one of my all time favorite books - there's a great quote about Oregon rain in the book.

Jenny said...

Happy Easter my dear friend!

I absolutely love your April wreath and Little Miss April is so precious! Honestly Vickie you really have a talent in designing! Those little poodles are just so charming!

I am so happy to read that your migraines are better and I am praying that that your shoulder pain will get better with therapy! I can relate so well to shoulder pain and the agony it brings!

I have been thinking of you so very much my friend! My days are beyond full caring for my MIL but you are always in my thoughts and prayers!

Sending hugs and love your way!

MartinaM said...

Hi Vickie,
The small wreath is so cute, with the pansies it fits in perfectly with April. You can see them blooming everywhere in the flower boxes.
Your little poodle is again very well done, Miss April will definitely sniff the flowers.
I am glad to hear that your migraine is under control and you no longer have to torment yourself every day.
I pray for you that your shoulder pain will soon be under control, and that you'll feel better.
Big Hugs my friend, Martina

Carolien said...

Hello dear Vickie,

I have been thinking and praying for you a lot these days and was - being very busy, work etc. - assumed you wouldn't post for awhile. Imagine my surprise to see your last posts!!! I am so happy for you that the migraines can be tamed a little, controled, well I hope you know what I mean ... A frozen shoulder is a bad thing however. I am surprised you can still stitch with a frozen shoulder ... but I am happy you can! You and not stitching .... that would be something. I fully understand the gift you received, how sweet.

Take care, my friend and happy stitching!
Hugs Carolien

Carolien said...

P.S. Love your wreath and the display of your April beauties :)

FlashinScissors said...

Your cubby shelf is looking great!
Love Little Miss April.
I do sometimes choose a book because of its cover ..... sometimes a bit disappointing to say the least.
Once I find an author I enjoy I do tend to stick to them until I’ve read all they’ve written .... then comes the problem of finding another good author!
Hugs, Barbara xx

Инна said...

The shelf is getting better every month!
Dear Vicki, I'm glad that your migraine has passed! :)

Carol said...

So good to hear that your migraines are under control, Vickie! Now to get that shoulder unfrozen...

The little poodle piece is adorable for April and your cubby looks wonderful with the latest pansy wreath. I do love pansies, too :)

That is one thing about listening to books versus reading them--the emotions/language/violence really hit you more strongly. I think that is one reason I remember books I listen to much more than ones I read!

marly said...

Glad to hear about the migraines Vickie, that's huge! Frozen shoulder is not what I have but I know of it. Good luck with therapy.

Barb said...

Hi Vickie, I have been on a fairly long trip. So glad to see you are blogging after your surgery. Hope that shoulder is better very soon. Your cubby looks lovely.

rosey175 said...

Little Miss April is adorable with her tulip.

I have not read this Steinback book though I do enjoy his other works. The racism of that time was horrific. It still is, but at least more people are willing to call out others for being so ridiculously hateful.

Hooray for the migraine relief! I hope they can find the ultimate cause for them and then you'll never have another.

Penny said...

Your pansy wreath is just beautiful - those colors! And your little April poodle is adorable. : ) Yes, I have chosen a book to read because of the cover with mixed results. I have read several books recently and was stunned by the racism in them. I'm very, very glad to hear that your migraines are better and hopefully, you will soon have good news to share about your shoulder. Hugs and prayers for you.

moreofhim said...

Oh my goodness, Vickie! The April poodle looks just like Mitzi! How adorable and I will love stitching that poodle up first then the others. teehee I'm so thankful to God that you don't have the daily migraines and praying that God will loosen up that shoulder and take away all the pain. Your wreath is so beautiful! I love seeing all you're doing and so thankful you're doing better and able to stitch. Praise God!

Blessings - Julie

butterfly said...

Love your April Poodle and the pansy wreath . Your display is almost full and looks wonderful.
Have a lovely week hugs June,

Kaisievic said...

So glad to hear that your migraines are under control now, my dear. Lovely Easter display and stitching and thanks for the book review - I have already downloaded the audio book. Good luck with the shoulder, too.

laceystitcher said...

Praise God that you are not having your migraines everyday!! God does answer prayer. I am so thrill for you; continued blessings to you.

Brigitte said...

Little Miss April is so sweet with the tulip at her side. Tulips are my favourite spring flowers and I have a vase with a bunch of them in different hues of violet standing on the table right now - a gift from my son.
Lovely April wreath, and so spring-y in its colours.
Good to read that your daily migraines have disappeared due to the new dose of medication. And I hope that one day you can get rid of that frozen shoulder.
I have read some of Steinbeck's books and I loved them all. But I don't know this one.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Love the April wreath, poodle and whole cubby!
I am glad that some of your health issue are improving and hope that all will be resolved over the course of the year.
I often choose books by their covers; publishers spend a great deal of time (and money) choosing a design which reflects the contents of the book and will appeal to the reader.
You only have to look at our themed tables to see the trends on book cover design and how you can categorise a book without even reading the blurb!
Even the proof copies I get have carefully designed packaging to tempt you to read the book. The ones with free chocolates are always popular LOL

Lili said...

Hello Vickie!
The cubby shelf is so pretty! Love your April design, to sweet!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cathy said...

I am so glad to hear that your migraines are under control. I do hope for more good health news from you and will keep you in my prayers. The cubby is so beautiful and is a great idea for displaying stitching and other goodies!
Cathy

Meari said...

Little Miss April made me smile! :)