Category Archives: Movies

WIP Wednesday #235 & WIPocalypse catchups

Posted in cross stitch, DIY home, family, grateful, growing, house - gardens, me, Mirabilia, Movies, Nora Corbett, photos, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

I could quite easily copy/paste the same info as last time we met.

Still plodding away on the reno at MIL’s (deck done, but the weather isn’t conducive to concreting so Mase & I have been planting like mad things)…he took the photos from this last batch. It’s cool to have a gardening buddy. We knew the tags are unlikely to stay with the plants, so at least we have a rough idea of what we planted in this batch. His fav is the Fireworks.

Still radio silence from the SIL (I’m about ready to tell her not to come up, but that would hurt the MIL & actually, I need a break)…

Still working slowly on Fairy Idyll…mostly hour chunks when I can get control of the TV remote from Mum! We watched The Great NZ Bake Off last night, and the guy in the photo was eliminated. GF sponge cake is hard, y’all.

I did start and finish CloudsFactory’s The Princess Bride, as a tribute to William Goldman. If you haven’t seen the movie, you’re in for a treat. And it’s PG, so family safe. I think I want to add his name and dates to the bottom tho. Appropriately, this is on Cloudburst 28ct Lugana from Countrystitch. 

Now, because the stitchy bug has been gone, or superseded with all the other things, I didn’t post in either the Oct or Nov WIPocalypse pages. I’ve given up on Stitch From Stash, as I have been buying ALL THE THINGS and really gone ridiculous (for me. Maybe not if you’re Katy the Stash Queen). I am daily anticipating the first parcel from 123…and the fabric from Catherine at Countrystitch. I went for Urewera Mist (that mottle one). I’m going to return Gail’s Fairy Idyll chart as I have my working copy & will hunt out an original for myself. I really, really want to work on Shakespeare’s Fairies so I will, once the fabric arrives. Stitching & guilt shouldn’t go together IMO, & I also know that if I do park a Mira for a while, I will always return to it. 

So – here’s the Q&A I missed from the last two episodes.

October 28 – Do you prefer to stitch on a rotation or one project at a time? I’ve tried rotation and it doesn’t work for me. I prefer to leave a project out on the bars rather than pop on or off…& I usually have a car project with me to break up the monotony of being monogamous.

November 25 – What new stitches or techniques did you learn this year? Eh – nothing. I brought back some embroidery (two hoops, whoop-de-woo) & perfected my pin stitch, but that’s about it.

Movie Review – Cars 3

Posted in family, Movies by

This one has been eagerly anticipated in my household. It is perfect for a family date night – Louise at 22 even came along! The target market is probably still parents like me who enjoy Pixar, and little boys like Mase who love cars in general, not just Cars, but it’s definitely a whole family show.

cars 3PLOT: Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage! (Pixar).

Cars 3 is a much better sequel than Cars 2. It’s uplifting and encouraging without being preachy or PC, & while the female character becomes a lead and learns to achieve her goals, there is so much that you can apply to your little boy too. Learning to accept or embrace change, learning from the past, having an all-inclusive attitude to others – massive life lessons.

The story arc is a natural progression from a young, brash Lightning to his (Cars 2) hot young thing to his now need to learn who he really is. I can see a potential continuation to Cars 4 (please!!!!) & really enjoyed the view of who Doc Hudson was and how he came to be the Doc we met in the original Cars.

mcqueen beach cars 3.jpgGraphically, it’s so rich and lush. Parts look so realistic, you could think you were watching drone footage. Full kudos to the whole Pixar team that are involved with this movie. Even the end credits are perfect. I so want the Mater as ET poster!

And as I’ve told Si, I plan to get the paint job Lightning has at the end applied to the Toy Car. He is not as impressed as I would hope. Mase plans to buy the DVD as soon as it’s released.

Movie Review – In-Lawfully Yours

Posted in me, Movies by

inlawfully-yoursFollowing both the death of her father-in-law and a divorce, Jesse, a New Yorker, returns to a small town to live with her now widowed mother-in-law. Jesse struggles to fit in with the local townsfolk who don’t welcome her with open arms to say the least. Jesse becomes acquainted with the local pastor, her widowed brother-in-law, falling in love with him, much to the dismay of the community. Things get even more complicated when her ex-husband comes calling, suspiciously trying to win her back. Between her love life and entangled in-laws, Jesse is tested as she seeks the answer to where she truly belongs.

For an interview with Marilu Henner: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/66576/20160916/in-lawfully-yours-actress-marilu-henner-discusses-new-faith-based-romantic-comedy.htm

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL0Y68422Gw

Take-away concept:  the importance of embracing everyone – no matter where they are on their (faith) journey.

This one popped up on my Netflix queue yesterday as I was having a hermit day (solo parenting 4 kids is no joke, peeps). I do like Henner’s work, and think she’s really funny as an actress, and her performance didn’t disappoint. I’d never seen some of the other actors (clearly I stopped with the Grey’s Anatomy too early) but they also seemed well cast. I particularly liked Erin Muroski as Daphne.

Three quarters of this movie is good, bordering on great. Some of Jessie’s dialogue definitely made me smile. My only issue is the ending – it was too neat & I didn’t feel that the baddies got their comeuppance. I guess as a book it would work better – SPOILER ALERT – you’d understand why Ben felt it was time to move on, and why Doris is so judgemental but I guess that is one reflection of how some Christians are.

Don’t look to this movie to answer any of the big questions but it’s one to relax with & safe for the younger tween/teen girls who look for a rom-com.

3 ½ stars (out of 5).