Slump

This week's SBQ is "How do you deal with a stitching slump?" I have to say that I haven't been in one for so long... I think, for me, having goals really helps. But otherwise, I just start a new project that is calling out to me. You knew I was going to say that, didn't you? That's just the way I'm made.

I am almost finished my uncle's scrapbooks. Even though my days aren't filled with stitching, I am still finding time to take care of the rrs while I watch tv at night. Now that all my seasons are final (I only really watch CSI and House), I may find that I don't stitch as much. Or maybe not--we've been watching a lot of netflix lately on the nights that we don't have shows. And I was born to multitask. (And, since I control the Netflix list, no foreign films will find their way to the top of the queue for a while!)

I'm heading to Montreal for the long weekend tomorrow, so you won't hear from me 'Til Tuesday.

Tagged, The Book Meme

1. Total number of books I've owned: ever? It would have to be 2000. At least, although we’re down to a much more manageable number that fit in about 20 boxes.

2. Last book I bought. The History of Love, Nicole Krauss

3. The last book I read. The Full Cupboard of Life, Alexander McCall Smith. Finished it last night.

4. Five books that mean a lot to me. I'm going to regret not thinking about this more, but here goes...

• For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway. This was the book I was reading in high school when I “got” studying English.
  
• Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang, Joyce Carol Oates. I love girl power.
  
• Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. Because “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” has to be the best sentence in the English language. Truly ironic, and it tells you how to read the rest of the story. Oh yeah, and without this book, we wouldn’t know how hot Colin Firth was in wet 18th Century garb.
  
• Bee Season, Myla Goldberg. Because crazy never looked so beautiful.
  
• Bone People, Keri Hulme. Because love was never so heartbreaking and the real seamy underside of life, never so beautifully acknowledged. And it proved that Mike Reynolds and I were the sickest people in our reading group.
  

5. Which five people would you most like to see fill this out in their blog?
amy!, Michele, Candice, Laura, Sarra

Down

Last week, the free wireless provider that I use, the local grocery store, had a problem with their server. So, I couldn't report that I have two new rrs to work on. It's for the Sisters and Best Friends RR. It's way behind--I was supposed to get one of these in January--so I don't know if I should rush it to catch up or if I should take my time like everyone else. Especially since I hardly worked on the little shepherd at all. And now I am supposed to have moved on to the Toy Gatherer... I think I have to go back to the ten hour rotation; I could do ten hours on each of these neglected projects this week, especially since we are driving up to Canada this weekend. That's a lot of passenger time.

Now That Wasn't So Bad, Was It?

Yesterday, I diggied myself up, printed some resumes and business cards, and hit the job fair. Despite being called "The Big Hire," there weren't that many employers there. And even fewer who would hire someone like me. I did give my resume to five people, four of whom threw it away, I'm sure. But still, now I have real business clothes should I ever get an interview. But you didn't come here for that...

I'm not stitching in favor of scrappping. I've decided I'm doing alphabet albums for my family members for Christmas this year. My cousin has been helping me with the letters. So for grandma we have "V is for Vodka Martini," and "S is for Surf" and mom has "L is for loud" and "B is for Beach." Etc. I've decided grandma's album will have letters cut from animal print papers and mom's is going to be brown background papers with lime, hot pink, and turquoise letters and embellishments. This is going to be fun. So I'm trying to get last Christmas's album done so I can move on.

---

Stitching Blogger's Question
How many strands of floss to you prefer to stitch with? Why?
I prefer to stitch with one strand of floss for most projects because it takes so much less time to prepare the floss. If there are more strands, you have to realign them after you strip, but with only one you strip and thread the needle and you're off! I think I first saw the beauty of stitching with one strand over two (on 32 count fabric) when I stitched Ewe & Eye & Friends' Christmas Pudding. Although there was an airiness about the stitching, the coverage was much better than you'd think. I do, however, stitch with what's called for most of the time. And usually that's 2 strands of floss.

I've been scrapbooking anyway

I suppose the question of whether to post progress on a friend's gift is a bit moot. I've been scrapbooking. I know I mentioned last November making a scrapbook for my uncle, the fisherman. Well, calling him a fisherman is a bit like calling Lance Armstrong a cyclist. Okay that's a bit of an exaggeration, but only just. My uncle has won the Winni Derby (2000) and finished second a couple of years ago. The Winni Derby takes place sometime after ice out at Lake Winnipesaukee (try spelling that five times fast) in New Hampshire. About 3,000 people from all over the U.S.--and indeed foreign countries--come to compete. At any rate, my aunt had collected lots of clippings about this and they were just shoved into an envelope. Now they are de-acidified and most are in a new scrapbook. I'm still working on it. I'm making a separate book for his fishing trips that aren't part of the derby. I found some great paper with jumping fish on sale at AC Moore. I paid about $1 for 25 or so pages. This was my feat of last week. This week's feat is going to a job fair tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Moving on. . .or not

I didn't stitch one stitch on Sissy's poncho. Not one, and now it is time to move on to Anne, Petite Bergere. Since this is a gift for a friend who reads the blog, I think perhaps I shouldn't blog about it. Leaving me with too little for you all... sorry. Oh, and thanks for all the commiserating on my personal stitching hell. You're good to be so understanding. And, Kunni, you are a saint.

This isn't Ironic Either, Alannis

So last night, I was stitching a Cherished Teddy (r) ornament while watching House*. Are there two characters more opposite? Did you know that I identify with House more than with the (ostensibly real) woman who wants me to stitch Cherished Teddies (r)? I think the only way I can deal with the saccharine of the Cherished Teddy (r) is to have a good dose of misanthropy wafting in the ears.

I think Hugh Laurie has to be one of the Hottest Men on Television. Of course, I didn't think this when he was playing Jasper in the 101 Dalmatians. I find men attractive--sorry to digress so much from the blog topic--when they are or appear to be smart. That's why I almost never feel attracted to movie stars. All it takes is one bad interview, where the actor says something banal or downright stupid, and it's over for me. The strange thing is that the dude at one time in his life (when I first met him) looked exactly like Hugh Laurie's costar, Robert Sean Leonard (when he played the suicidal kid in Dead Poet's Society). Of course, neither the dude nor Robert Sean Leonard look the way they did then, and they seem to look less alike today.

But back to the Cherished Teddies (r)... Can we put a contract out on Gloria and Pat for inflicting on us in cross-stitch not only Cherished Teddies (r) but also Precious Moments (r)?

* Just in case you don't believe that's not irony, check it out.

My White Whale

I have been so sick these past few days, so forgive the lack of posts. Yesterday, I had a fever of 102. I'm still a little feverish today, but I feel so much better.

I've been working on the PS RR. I gave myself permission not to move on to the knitting I have scheduled for two reasons. First, I was sick. No one should be expected to do things they don't feel like doing when they are sick. Second, the Prairie Schooler RR is behind, so I want to stay on top of it. The current project is PS 34 --I can't remember the name and it's OOP--but it has "In 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue" on the top with a big ship in the middle. When I saw the pattern, I thought it was awful, but the stitched bits have really changed my mind. It looks really nice. I have now stitched the whale on the bottom three times. First, I was off a couple of stitches. Then, I realized I was stitching one over one when I was supposed to be stitching two over one. D'oh! At any rate, I am almost done with my small section. Then I'll get to move on to the Cherished Teddy. I'm not kidding. These RRs have been sent to torture me.

To be Finished...

I took these pictures the other day, when my cousin and I were going through my "to be finished" pile. There they all were and it became crystal clear to me that I have a major problem. I only finish the gifts. In the hypothetical future, when I don't live in my cousin's basement (okay, not so hypothetical...) my house could be warmly decorated with my stitching. Instead it's just stuffed in a plastic bin. I thought that sharing this failure with my readers may give me some incentive to get on it. So I took the photos fully expecting to post them on Wednesday, but I forgot. Then I took the kid to the Franklin Institute yesterday and couldn't get her to leave. Now imagine my surprise when Renee's Stitching Bloggers question was about finishing! Or my lack thereof... Here it is in vivid color.

as cubes. I think. Maybe small frames? This is part of my problem. 

as wall hangings. You can see I've started some. At least I've chosen the fabrics for each. 

professionally. I think the Heart's Content ornaments really need to be box pillows and the Heart Strings Santa needs to be a stand up. I just don't have the sewing skills. 

...I don't know how. I'm totally open to suggestions on these. 

To be framed. (From left: Ewe & I, Plumpudding; Dimples Designs, Free Bee; Trilogy, Spring is in the Air; Twisted Threads, Trio of Hearts; Chessie and Me, Be Thee Mine.) 

as ornaments. 

as needlework accessories.  

as pillows. (An early Lizzie*Kate and a Mill Hill Angel) 

Getting Closer

I realized, while I was sitting in my car waiting for Fireside Stitchery to open, that I am getting close to finishing my ufos. Okay, close in my estimation. Including a couple of new projects--Anne, Petite Bergere and Vous et nul autre--I have only ten ufos. Some of which are very small. So I've decided that as I finish two, I get to start one. When I finish APB and the Camp Wannasew necessary, I can start the Sampler Company's Floral Sampler. When I finish Toy Gatherer and Pins and Needles (from a class I took with Lauren Sauer many moons ago), I can start the Apple Sampler designed by Curtis Boehringer for the old Sampler Magazine. When I finish Vous et Nul Autre and Elizabethan Rose (from a class I took with Rae Iverson), I can start the Shaker Box scissor holder from Fancy Work. I could go on, but I should probably not get too far ahead of myself. There is major work, for instance, to be done on Toy Gatherer as I haven't even finished the cross-stitches let alone the beading and adding other embellishments. It's good to know where you're going. I wish the rest of my life were this under control...

May Goals

Last month, I was able to finish three of my four goals.
1. Complete ornament 4 RR
2. Complete Heart in Hand Wee Ones RR
3. Complete Williamsburg Doorway

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to bring myself to work on Sissy's poncho. And now I read in People that ponchos are out. It was in People, so it must be true.

For May, I will endeavor to work on different projects for a week each, rather than working ten hours on each, since it's become more difficult for me to gauge the amount of time I spend on my projects.
Week 1: Wannasew project and round robins
Week 2: poncho
Week 3: Anne, Petite Bergere
Week 4: Toy Gatherer
Week 5: round robins