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September 2010
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Cross Stitch Tips & News ~ September 12th 2009
Patterns
Patch
Cross Stitch Club: Cross Stitch Tips
& News
Saturday, September 12th 2009
| | |
|
| Hi
Once
more, welcome to all
our readers, we hope
the
past
two weeks have again been kind to you and you enjoy
reading
this
issue of your Cross
Stitch Tips & News letter.
In this issue you'll
find a range of features below, including:- The
"Top
50" most popular
cross-stitch pattern downloads in August '09.
- Hacked
Faster Than You Can Boil An Egg
- Your
latest cross stitch tip (Who Else Would
Like To Add A Little Sparkle
To
Their Stitching?).
- Your
14-Day Story - "The Push".
- Recent
cross stitch articles...
- An Occasional Frivalous
Afterthought... (How smart is your right foot?)
- The
latest patterns uploaded
to the Cross Stitch
Library.
*~~* Patterns
Patch "Top 50"Here's
the monthly Patterns Patch
"Top 50" listing of our most popular downloaded cross-stitch patterns
at the end of August 2009:
1. Mountain Retreat
(<>)
| 2. Light of Peace
(<>)
| 3. Stepping Stone Cottage
| 4. The Good Shepherd's Cottage | | | | | | | 11. Last Supper With 12 Disciples | | 13. Dogwood Chapel(+1)
| 14. The Old
Cornmill
(-1)
 | | 16. Animal and Maiden
(<>) | 17. Valley of Peace(+3) | | | 20. The Cherokee Child(-1) | | 22. Angel's Spirit
(<>)
| 23. All in the Moonlight
(-2)
| 24. Bald Eagle on Stars &
Stripes | 25. World Trade Center Collage
(<>) | 26. The Toddler Angel(+1) | | | 29. Unicorns by The Magic Waterfall(+2) | | 31. Taking A Ride
(+2)
| 32. Butterflies and Daisies
(<>)
| 33. The Tiger Cubs Trio
(-2)
| 34. Little Faith
(+1)
| 35. Symbols
of the Tribe
(-1)
| 36. A Little Girl With Two
Kittens
(<>)
| 37. Springtime
Symphony
(+9)
| 38. Moo! Surrounded by
Sunflowers
(-1)
| 39. Mama's Boy
(+1)
| 40. Jesus Blessing The Children
(-2)
| 41. Spirited by the Wolf
(-2)
| 42.
Clarissa and Petey
(-1)
| 43. The
Milkmaid
(+1)
| 44. Three Kings of the Track
(+1)
| 45. The Gathering
(-3)
| 46.
Lamplight Brook
(N/E)
| 47. Mermaid and Daughter
(-4)
| 48. Mermaid's Ocean Hug
(-1)
| 49.
Fruit of the Vine
(<>)
| 50.
Love's Blessing
(-2) | 51. Almond Blossom Fairy
(<>) |
KEY: (+) = Places Moved
UP in the past
month; (-)
= Places
Moved DOWN in the past month; (<>)
Same position as last month;
<N/E>
= New Entry.
*~~* Hacked Faster Than You Can
Boil An EggHere's
4 Defensive Moves...You've bought a new
PC?
Great!
-- but don't connect it to the Internet just yet.
See, if you do,
there's every chance it will be hacked
within four minutes...
That's
right -- a new study by the SANS Institute's Internet Storm Centre
showed that an unprotected new PC will be hacked in less time than it
takes to boil an egg.
(SANS is short for
SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security. They're heavy-duty good guys on the
Internet.)
Now,
as you know, your first move after getting a new PC should be to apply
the latest patches to protect it and update any anti-virus programme...
and the normal way to get those patches is via the Internet.
But,
says SANS, your chances of actually getting the patches before some
spam bot hacks the PC are "odds you wouldn't bet on in Vegas".
Here are four
defensive steps you can take:
1. Get the Latest Service Pack on
CD
That
means Service Pack 1 for Vista, Service Pack 3 for XP. (or Service Pack
2 if you're worried about the niggling problems that are going on with
SP3.)
Either
download it yourself on your old PC or have a friend download it for
you.
Burn
it to CD.
Then
apply it to the new PC before you connect the PC to the Internet.
2. Connect the PC to the Internet
Through a Firewall
Don't connect your
new PC directly to the Internet through a USB modem.
Instead,
connect through a hardware router -- and make sure the router has its
firewall features turned on.
If
you don't have a hardware router, see if you can connect through
someone else's network for the first time so you can get any other
updates.
3.
Make Sure Windows Firewall Is Turned On
- Choose
Start -> Control Panel.
- Switch
to Classic view if Control Panel isn't already using it.
- Double-click
the Windows Firewall icon to open Windows Firewall.
- Make
certain it says Windows Firewall is On. If not, turn it on.
4. Go Straight to Windows
Update... Do Not Pass Go
Once you've
connected to the Internet, don't start browsing the Web to see how
snappily your new PC handles.
Instead,
run Windows Update immediately (choose Start -> Windows Update).
Install all the recommended updates and patches... reboot if Windows
tells you to. Update the anti-virus...
and THEN go surfing.
*~~*
Cross-Stitch
Tip (by Julia):Who Else Would Like To Add A
Little Sparkle To Their Stitching?
Every now and again,
it's good to add some glitz and glamour to enhance your stitching
projects.
This
cross stitch tip describes just some of the exciting
embellishments you can use to create interesting patterns and textures
in your cross stitch designs. With a little careful thought
and planning you can design your own unique and stunning creations.
Here are
five easy ways to do just this:
- Beads: Add
a bead just where you'd place a cross stitch or French knot on your
project.
- Sequins: Stitch
these onto your design using one strand of thread in the same shade of
cotton as the background. Sew from front to back, making four stitches
in a cross shape, going down into the centre of your sequin each time.
- Shimmering threads: 'Light
Effects' range of threads can now be bought from DMC. These are
light-reflecting threads that add highlights to your designs and make
them sparkle and shine. The shades include precious metals, jewels,
antiques, pearlescent, fluorescent and glow-in-the-dark, so there is a
Light Effect to suit every occasion. Light Effect colours will have the
letter 'E' before the colour number.
 - Metallic threads:
These can add shine and sparkle to your stitching. They're rarely
divisible, but can be combined with strands of other threads for a more
subtle effect.
- Cards: You can
buy many different card sizes and shapes as well as interesting and
sparkly finishes, you need never be stuck for inspiration. You may also
try writing a message on a cross stitched card with a sparkly pen, or
add glittery peel-off stickers.
If you've any personal tips on
cross stitching that you're willing to share with your fellow
stitchers, send
them to us here and we'll include them in a
future issue of Cross Stitch Tips & News.
*~~*
Here
is Your 14-Day Story..."The Push"
has a wonderful message ... and you won't be able to
resist exploring the website you'll discover at the end of
this
short 3-minute movie - enjoy!
"You never know
when one act, or one word of encouragement can change a life
forever."
~
Zig Ziglar
How true it is! Just
one act of kindness ... just one word of encouragement, can change a
life forever.
"The Push",
is a wonderful short story written by my co-author David McNally. The
story inspired this book, (Even
Eagles Need a Push) and the
movie you're about to watch. It
has only 182 words, but it captures the essence of encouragement in a
way you'll never forget.
So sit back, turn up
your speakers, and watch a beautiful 3 minute movie that will make your
heart smile.
And,
don't forget to pay it forward, by
sharing this e-mail with friends, family, and co-workers. A
little "shot of inspiration" is always a good thing!
Just click
here to watch "the push" (Opens in a new
window - it's a big file and takes a while to load, but well
worth the wait). To Life,
Mac Anderson
Founder,
Simple Truths *~~*
Membership For Fr'eeIf you'd like to
win three
months full membership to Patterns Patch for Fr'ee,
why not take a
look, it's really easy to enter. Don't forget to
search for the mystery word in this letter ~ Good Luck!
The latest winner(s)
of
our draw for Three-months
membership to Patterns Patch for Fr.ee are:
*~* Janel
Arntson
*~* & *~* Chrissie
Eubanks
*~*
"Well done Janel and Chrissie, you're nearly there!
All you have to do is email us to Accept and Activate
your prize!" (and please write " competition
winner" in your email). The number of
entries goes up each issue, so an increasing number of you are building
up credits
and enhancing your chances of being a future winner. Commiserations to
those who entered and didn't win this week. But hey, perseverance is a
virtue; try
again next time ~ it could be YOU! And for those of you
who didn't enter, why not? Don't you want this valuable gift? (Please
remember! Only one entry per person, per issue.). You've got to be in it TO WIN IT! Silver
(formerly Associate)
MembershipTo
overcome the problem of "spammers" accessing our new chat
room,
we've created a Silver
Membership,
which is fr*e, but limits access to just the chat rooms and
our community forums (the Cross Stitch forum and Intros/General forum).
Silver members will also qualify for a 20+% discount on some
of the patterns in our Cross Stitch Store.
(Note
that only patterns that have been in our Cross Stitch Library for three
months or more, will be offered for general sale in our
store). If
you want to join Patterns Patch
as a Silver
member and enjoy access to the chat rooms and community
forums, please join here. The
subscription form is easy to use and only asks for: your name,
email address, login name and passw*rd (you choose these last two
yourself). *~~*
Services
We have an ever
growing list of services our members and
subscribers can use and enjoy (mostly for fr*e), including: Make A Pattern For Me:
Yes,
we'll create a cross-stitch pattern for you, for fr^e. But there are a
couple of conditions that you need to know about ~ go read
the
details.
Is
there ANY aspect of cross stitch that's puzzling you? That you'd like a
simple explanation or an opinion on? We are always interested in
hearing your questions or comments. Our policy is there are no silly
questions. So don't be shy. Come forward and feel free to
ask anything you like. ask
the expert Our friendly experts Beryl and Lizzie
don't bite and will do their best to provide you with a full, easily
understood answer. Cross
Stitch Survey: Your
vote counts, so tell us your
opinion on cross stitch matters. You'll find our Cross Stitch Poll
(survey) on the Home page, down the left-hand column. Please take 30
seconds to give us your opinion by voting in our latest
survey. Go to Cross Stitch Poll (opens
in a new window), and scroll down a little and make your selection.
OK!
Not exactly a service, but if you need a good dose of motivation
or simply picking up, this is the place to go for a diverse range of
vidoes and presentations that will both inspire and amuse you.
Go
here to see the latest additions:
We
regularly add to this department so make sure you pay a visit each
time you read your Cross Stitch
Tips & News letter.
Why not pop
over and visit our Patterns
Patch Blog (opens
in a new window). You
can be sure of an interesting read, and while there feel fr*e
to
leave a comment or question.
| *~~*
An
Occasional Frivalous Afterthought...
This really works!!!
HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?
This is hysterical.
You have to try this. It is absolutely true. I guess there are some
things that the brain cannot handle.
HOW SMART IS YOUR
RIGHT FOOT?
You have to try this
please, it takes 2 seconds. I could not believe this! It is
from an orthopaedic surgeon............
This will confuse
your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you
can outsmart your foot, but, you can't. It is pre-programmed
in your brain!
1.
While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right
foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
2. Now, while doing
this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. Your foot
will change direction.
I told you so! And
there's nothing you can do about it! You and I both know how stupid it
is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if you've
not already done so.
Send it to your friends to
frustrate them too.
|
| *~~*
Recent Articles: These articles are
amongst those we've recently added to the
cross stitch articles library:
|
Men Who
Cross Stitch: Who'd Believe It?
Often
when we contemplate our cross stitch hobby we imagine serene scenes
with quiet women in rocking chairs, stitching away in a peaceful corner
of the room. Although this is a great thought it's usually far from the
typical cross stitch scene, although many of us wish it was. Cross
stitch can be done anywhere at any time and by any one . . . keep
reading
Cross
Stitch: Where it all began?
Cross stitch has
been embedded in our cultures for many, many years; its history and
origins can be traced back beyond the mid 1600's. The earliest known
cross stitch creation currently displayed is a piece of linen with silk
embroidery which is displayed in Pilgrim Hall and was created by Loara
Standish, the daughter of Captain Myles Standish, circa 1653. Cross
stitch is one of the oldest forms of stitching and has been a popular
and beloved hobby for men and women, boys and girls through out the
years. .. . keep
reading
What Can
A Good Membership Site do For YOU?
There
are hundreds of websites today that are dedicated to the art of cross
stitch so it can be quite difficult choosing that special one to join
over and above the rest. Below are a few things to consider when making
the choice . . . keep
reading
| | |
This is just a small sample of the 200 or so cross stitch
articles enjoyed by our
members. If you'd like
to read more, you can
join here right now.
|
| *~~*
New
Cross Stitch Patterns We're
giving EVERYONE who reads this letter a FREE Bonus cross
stitch pattern.
Follow the download instructions carefully
and Contact me if
you have any problems.
Some of our more experienced members have asked
us to consider
providing the occasional design that's a little more
"challenging". We've listened and will sometimes
list at least
one pattern with embellishments, such as: beads, knots,
backstitching, and so on.
Here you can view The
latest FREE downloads (for
members):
You'll find additional information and can also leave
comments and rank
(from 1 to 5) each download, if you so wish.
Please
note that you have until the next
issue of
your Cross
Stitch
Tips
& News letter to download the BONUS pattern. After
then it will be
available only to Standard Members in the Cross Stitch
Library.
If you'd like to try
and win a fr*e membership, reply to Membership for fr*e with
the word 'birchwood' in your email subject line (only one entry per
reader please).
We're trying to introduce as wide a range as possible in
the cross
stitch library to cater for all tastes. So if there's a theme we've
missed that you'd like to see patterns for, then
please drop a quick email to Contact us.
To
view this week's gallery, here's the link again
to view the
latest FREE downloads.
| | *~~*
... And Finally
As always, you are encouraged to contact me with any
questions or entries for future newsletters. You
can do that here.
When
the membership of Patterns
Patch
grows to a certain level we'll be able to approach major suppliers and
manufacturers and negotiate
discounts for our members. So please make
sure to encourage your stitching friends to join Patterns Patch. Forward
this fr*e cross stitch newsletter to them so that they can
subscribe to (www.patternspatch.com)
and receive future copies directly to their own mailbox.
Please do
not reply to this email.
It was sent to you by our computer, which is splendid at sending emails
but absolutely useless at reading them! To get in touch with us, please
send a short email to Contact
us.
Do
please take the time to let us know what you like or dislike about "Cross Stitch Tips &
News". We value all your emails and rely on them to move
us forward as we strive for cross stitch perfection.
... and
finally, if you have children, give them a hug and a
kiss, and
tell them you love them.
Truth, Joy, and
love,
John Wigham
PS
If you're not already a member, why not? You're missing
out on
so much! Why
not join right now?
Joining is so easy!
Your
next "Cross Stitch Tips & News" letter will
appear on SATURDAY
September 26th
2009.
Until
next time... Missed
an issue of
our "Cross Stitch Tips & News" letter? Find
them all here:
This free Cross
Stitch newsletter is brought to you by Patterns Patch Publishing.
|
| |
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