Kathiey's Bookish Adventures

One thing that has always be intriguing to me is making a book you are reading part of your life. How can you do that you may ask? My thinking is that if you come across and interesting place you could visit that place or someplace similar. If you read about an activity in a book that you would like to try you would take the time to try that activity.
In this series called "My Bookish Adventures", I am going to do just that. I will choose one book from my five-book reading wrap-up. I will select something from that book and bring it to my life in
some way.

Below is my YouTube Channel version of my adventure...

Let's look at my books from my wrap-up.

If I choose Rebecca I guess I could go out and find a nice handsome older man and be whisked away to his gigantic estate. Well, that is not happening. So, what could I do related to this book? I could travel to Monto Carlo but we are in a coronavirus pandemic so that would not be wise or even doable now. They seemed to have some lovely plants on the estate I guess I could buy a nice plant to put on my back porch.

If I choose The Braid I could go buy a nice wig which I may need now that I can't go to the salon to get my hair colored due to the CoronaVirus pandemic. I have always wanted to visit Canada but I don't have a passport that is up to date and again the pandemic would not allow such travel now.

If I decided to have an adventure based on Nevermoor, The Trials of Morrigan Crow, I would go skydiving. If they can jump off of rooftops with umbrellas I can jump out of a plane. In reality, I have no desire to jump out of a plane. When I was seventeen I remember asking my parents if I could skydive. Needless to say, the answer was "NO!". At the age of seventeen, I probably would have tried it, but at the age, I am now, I have no desire. You can call it wisdom or cowardice but in reality, it is probably a little bit of both

In thinking about the book The Stepsister and what I would do as an adventure based on the book I narrowed it down to horseback riding. There is so much in the book that is magical and impossible to do but I wish I could. Isabelle was a great rider and I used to have horses so it would be fun to go horseback riding. You guessed it, even the places I could go riding around here are closed due to the virus, they are practicing social distancing which I believe is the right thing to do. I do have a visit to a dude ranch on my bucket list. I have to make that happen once this pandemic is over.


The book I decided to focus on was Flu. This was one of my least favorite books on my five book reading wrap-up but sadly it fits the current situation. I am in isolation due to social distancing so I had to find something to do at home.

There is a Christmas movie I love, A Christmas Carol, the one made in 1951 with Alastair Sim. In the movie, he has a housemaid named Mrs. Dilber. Mrs. Dilber had a saying she would use to explain her actions during different circumstances. She would say "in keeping with the situation".

With Mrs. Dilber in mind, I am going to attempt to make facemasks "in keeping with the situation"

Facemasks are impossible to acquire during this pandemic. Hospitals and the people that really need them can't get them, there is a shortage nationwide.

I have decided to make a few facemasks, not to wear in routine situations such as a walk around the neighborhood or a visit to the grocery store during the delegated old people hours. No, these would be to use if you have to enter a Dr's office or somewhere else where there may be an increased risk of exposure.

(Things have changed since I first wrote this. They are now encouraging people to wear face masks in public settings. I still don't wear one when out walking Brodie because I can stay more than 6 feet away from others. I do wear one in the grocery store now. In some parts of the country it is mandatory that you wear a face-covering in public settings.)

Do I have any idea what I am doing? No. Do I know how to sew? Not really although in the very distant past I have made a few Halloween Costumes for my kids and a couple of Christmas tree skirts for under the tree.

First I have to open my new sewing machine and figure out how to use it. Then I have to watch several youtube videos on how to make the masks and figure out based on what I have at home the best one to fit my skill level. Next, I will need to find fabric. Maybe I will make them out of old shirts or other fabric I have hidden somewhere in my house.

Well, I am nervous about it but that is why it is an adventure. Let's get started.

I used YouTube tutorials as my guide in this process.
I have decided to use this video for the pattern for my face mask

I really can't use this one for the pattern because you have to print out the pattern and my printer is lacking ink. What I do want to use is a section where she places wire at the nose for a better fit. I think I may have some in the garage. Now I have to learn not only a straight stitch but a zig-zag stitch. Hence the adventure right:-)

Here is one more that seems pretty easy and is explained very well.

                                    
Ok, let's get started.

My first attempt. I made one with elastic. A sloppy job I must admit but it is a face covering. I did not like the elastic, it would not stay put behind my ears.

The second attempt was making face-coverings with ties.

This seemed to work much better.

You will find many flaws with the crafting of the mask but again, it does work and it is a face-covering that can help protect ourselves and others from the virus.

Below is Erica who is in her third trimester and her hubby heading to the OBGYN proudly sporting the stylish masks.

I have made more for Josh and Steph and the kids. I am delivering them tomorrow, Easter Sunday, but at a distance. I can't wait until I can hug them again.

 As my mom always said

"This too shall pass"

                                                              Stay safe and healthy.

Happy Reading and Adventures Everyone!

Kathiey:-)