Wednesday Word: Monograms, Going Naked, and Korea

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Old lace pattern/monogram magazines, stacks found at the brocante. 

Descriptions detailing how to…

Do you know how to embroidery? 

 

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If I could would I? 

I would rather draw patterns, then thread a needle.

 

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Some letters, monograms are more common than others in France, at the brocantes monograms with the letters:

M, C, A, T, J…. are easier to find.

Lucky for me C.A. is common. 

 

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Embroidering, stitching, sewing… are a more creative way to spend ones time, then blogging about it that is. 

How do you spend your creative energy?

 

 

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Cut out lace making. 

Mine would be a hole.

Patience is not one of my virtues when it comes to creativity.

 

 

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If I was a young thing back in the 1900s my undergarments would be without pretty detailing.

I would sew ribbons on mine, or wrap myself in a sheet and go naked.

 

You might be wondering what all this has to do with Korea and Wednesday's word? For years the French have pronouced my name as, "Core-A," and I cannot stand it. I even thought of changing my name. Then one day I heard how the French say, Korea.

 

 
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My mother's name is Dolores. An old fashion name, though the letter "D" is harder to find in France. Sorry, Debe, David, Denise…

The letter "C" is easier because way back then they thought of me… yes they did. I can hear them even now, hundreds of years later:

"You know that American girl who will one day come and live in France? The one with the weird name, Corey, that is pronouced like Korea (Corée) we gotta make her some linens so when she goes to the brocante she will feel at home."

 

 

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So there you have it… Wednesday's word.

How do you say Korea in French?

Corey.

That is how I tell French people how to say my name.

"You know the country in Asia, Korea? Well that is how you pronounce my name."

Yes, they look at me strangely.

But at least I have French linens with my initials.

 



Comments

21 responses to “Wednesday Word: Monograms, Going Naked, and Korea”

  1. Well I would be in luck too, as my initials are J.M. I love the beautiful M initial, in your photo above.
    My creative energy is spent on making quilts, both bed-size and wall hanging, some patterns are traditional & some are modern. But I have never had the patience to make clothes…nothing ever seems to fit well.

  2. So glad my name starts with an M! My creative energy is spent repurposing things, moving plants about in the garden and doing crafts. Except for ones involving sewing..don’t like sewing at all but appreciate people who do.
    How is your back today?

  3. christine

    So glad your back feels better – arnica and relaxation usually help a lot. No ice, warmth is what you need to relax the contracted muscle. My creative energy – cooking ( and then eating ) and patchwork. xxx from VERY rainy Burgundy.

  4. Yours is the first Corey I have seen spelled that way. The other Cory I know spells it with out the e… You don’t have to change your name just spell it differently and the French will pronounce it differently;)

  5. I am smiling at your determination to get your name pronounced correctly. Very creative! And you say you are not creative. Each of us is creative in different ways. I did find my initials in France, but of course my M is on that list. My creative energy these days is different than it once was. For now it is blogging, taking pictures, and playing with small ideas of things to do – sometimes glass, sometimes photoshop, sometimes fabric sewn, or a sewing pattern made for my business.

  6. Janet with Eiffel

    I spend most of my creative energy in my garden.
    Also love to paint. I’ll paint anything.
    Furniture at my house gets painted often,
    walls more often. I have painted
    the master bedroom 7 times in 6 years.
    Husband has suggested that if we ever sell
    this house we will need to change the sq. ft.
    information because so much paint has been
    added to the walls, the rooms are getting smaller.

  7. Hmmmmm….the mysteries of language 🙂
    So glad your back is better Corey….I’ve found through the years that stretching excercises every day help keep back problems away, though I dont do them each day as I should. My creative energy has taken a back seat this week as rain and miserable weather have made me feel sleepy…but when I have that energy, it goes into gardening or making soap.

  8. Hmmmm…the mysteries of language!
    Glad your back is better Corey…daily stretching helps prevent back injuries if you can remember to do it daily. It strengthens muscles and that helps keep your spine in line.
    So much rain and miserable weather this week I’ve no creative energy…but when I have it, it goes into making soap or gardening.

  9. Massilianana

    Bonjour Corey ,
    I’m catching up on my reading of your posts (3 days late !) and I hope your back is better, osteopathy generally works well.
    I too have trouble making English speaking persons pronounce my name – Agnès -right. For instance at work there is a very sweet American teacher, Andy, who comes in the compagny nearly everyday to teach English to some employees. We often chat but he calls me ‘AGG-ness’ which sounds terrible, really terrible. I tried to convince him that if he said ‘Ann’ then ‘Yes’ , he would nail it ! But he refuses ! Yep he does. So I call him André, he hates it…………;o)

  10. Creative energy equals knitting, crochet. I enjoy all types of needlework including embroidery! Monograms with padded satin stitch are not so easy. Even though satin stitch is simple, it is very difficult to make it neat. Those patterns are simply beautiful. The D with lily of the valley… I am happy to know that when I visit France I will be able to find linens and other items with my monogram – ‘C’! Now that my daughter is grown I do not do French hand sewing. I hope I remember how when I have grand-children!!! Hope you are still improving, dear Corey.

  11. Diogenes

    Corey, I kinda like the sound of Core-A…a little exotic. I would never have the patience to do embroidery or needlepoint…plus, I would probably have a bag of chips or cookies next to me if I did, and we all know how that would end, LOL…

  12. I love the way French people say my name, “Nah tah lee” and I agree with Agnes, the Americn “Agg ness” is not pretty, but the French “Ann yes” is very pretty.
    I like to make things. I love to work with clay, making Boston terriers, ducks, rabbits…
    I also love to sew – clothing, upholstery, quilts. Right now I am making BEACHBALL purses. I also design quilts for a group who donates quilts to children’s homes and lap robes to nursing homes.

  13. Youre hilarious……..thankyou ,,,!!!
    Made my day….and it was a good one!
    My name sounds so much better in french Than english…..think it may mean i should live in france!

  14. My initial K isn’t easy to find either, and I usually as the tagline, “like Kim Novak” for my name here in France (unfortunately not like her in looks, although I was named after her!) My creative energy is spent writing and wine tasting 🙂

  15. Beautiful post. Makes me wish I had the time and patience to take up embroidery.

  16. That explains why I can never find anything with a d! I paint, rug hook, knit and embroider. I may try that d from your post!
    Hope your back is better.

  17. I was taught to do needlework by my grandmother-if it wasn’t still my grandmother monogrammed it!thus every article of clothing I had was monogrammed with PB. How I loved my initals + still do. xxpeggybrawelldesign.com

  18. Kathie B

    I empathize re the infrequency of “K”!
    The letter “K” doesn’t even exist in Portuguese, nor does the “IE” ending (“Y” doesn’t exist in Portuguese, either, so that wouldn’t be any improvement). Both “K” and “IE” tend to flummox my friends in the Azores, in terms of spelling as well as pronunciation. Folks there pretty much call me “KAH-tee,” and one dear Lusophone amigo who knows little English persists in spelling my name as “Kate.” Of course, I’m just glad to hear from him, so never call him on it (just keep signing my name “Kathie”).

  19. Those French were really thinking ahead! I’d be out of luck as my initials are LO. O is a very hard initial to find anywhere. Maybe Ireland?
    I love to embroider and sew.

  20. Amazing what people can do with names! I am just thrilled to have found that evasive D with the L that you offered. I will treasure it even more!
    Hope you back is still better!

  21. Jeannie

    I was raised by my grandmother who felt that idle hands where the Devil’s workshop. From her I learned all of the needlecrafts. By far my favorite is with needle and thread – embroidery and quilting. She also taught me to paint and garden. We now laugh that she wanted to make sure I wasn’t bored after I retired. 🙂 Lovely monogram and embroidery sheets.

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