Incoherent Scribblings

As you may have read in the previous entry, I had a job interview. I think it went pretty well and I am cautiously optimistic that it might be the one, but we will have to wait and see…

Anyway, as you may or may not imagine, The Interview was hard on The New Guy.

During the two weeks leading up to The Interview, The New Guy tried various tactics to convince me that even if I did get an offer I didn’t want take a job so far away from him. I was mostly silent when this strategy was employed, but I suppose I did rub a little bit of salt in his wounds when I informed him that after the interview I was going to visit my best friend for at least a week.

At first he was pouty (which was kind of cute… for about 2 days) but then he became rather clingy and to be honest I was looking so forward to leaving that I practically jumped in my car and raced down the road the day I left.

I actually didn’t plan on my leave of absence as being the “make or break” of our relationship, but it was. I took my cell phone with me for emergencies, but never expected the slew of voice mails he left me (about two a day) trying to make me feel guilty for leaving him “all alone” to qualify as enough of a crisis to warrant using my nationwide minutes… in fact, I began to wonder if I was being stalked.

On Monday morning the last straw came: I was in bed and the doorbell rang. I didn’t answer it, because, well, I was in bed! It rang again. Then I heard the door open (Remember we live in Small Town, Iowa. No one locks their doors) and my name being called. I nearly fell down the stairs when I saw The New Guy standing in the doorway. (OK, maybe I am using a little bit of dramatic flair, after all I did recognize his voice when he called my name.)

After forced pleasantries I told him that I would talk to him later that evening. And when he called at 6:00pm on the dot, I broke up with him. To be frank, I probably didn’t sound very nice when I told him we didn’t want the same things out of life and I didn’t want to see him anymore.

I wish I could have told him we could stay “friends,” but in my experience that never works. I haven’t heard from him in two days. I don’t want to hear from him again, but I suspect that I will… After all, a break-up couldn’t really be that easy, could it?

Today’s SBQ was suggested by Danielle and is:

Have you ever been to a stitching retreat?

Alas, no. It sounds like a good candidate to add to my 101 Things in 1001 Days though…

Since I am getting dangerously close to finishing “Celtic Spring,” I have decided to start two new projects in the coming days.

Firstly, I will be starting Passione Ricamo’s “Romantic Stitcher” on 32 count Pearled Barley Belfast linen from Lakeside Linens. This will be done as a SAL with Cathy. I have not yet named my stitcher, but I can already tell you that I will be converting her hair color from black to blonde.

Secondly, I will be starting “Poet’s Heart” from Lavender Wings on 32 count White Belfast. I found this chartpack in the dollar bin when I was at Dawn’s LNS and totally fell in love with it. The verse states:

If twilight’s moon were made of cheese
And midnight’s sun of butter
Just think of all the wondrous things
A poet’s heart might utter

I don’t know which one I am going to start first, but I realized that if I am going to have a bunch of WIPs again I probably needed to come up a rotation plan that has a little more structure than the current screaming rotation that I have been working from.

For the record, here is what my current situation looks like:

WIPs:

• Above the Clouds ~ 50% complete
• * Four Seasons Cats ~ 25% complete
• Fairy Flora ~ 60-65% complete
• Celtic Spring ~ 85% complete

Round Robins and Exchanges:

• Biscornu Exchange ~ Post Date February 28, 2007; 50% complete

To Be Started:

• Romantic Stitcher
• Poet’s Heart

As I mentioned in my February goals, I would like to focus on “Celtic Spring” and try and finish it by March 11, 2007.

In order to do this and accomplish my two new starts, the first tier of my new rotation will consist of finishing the second side of my Biscornu Exchange first. I will then start one of my new projects (most likely “Romantic Stitcher) and work on it for one day. The next day I will go back to “Celtic Spring” and work on it that day. The day after I will then start my second new project and work on it for another day.

Once I have made it through the first tier, I will finish my Biscornu Exchange and when I need a break from focusing on “Celtic Spring,” I will work on “Above the Clouds” or “Fairy Flora.” Once “Celtic Spring” is done I will go back to a screaming rotation that includes the two new starts.

* I have decided to put “Four Seasons Cats” aside for the time being. The next cat that I want to stitch is Summer and I have decided to wait until the beginning of summer to stitch it.

To the left you will see some of what I did while I was in Arkansas last week. It is from the 2005 JCS Ornament Issue and is Little House Needleworks “Home for the Holidays.” I modified the colors of the house, chose only to stitch the top half, and turned it into my finest needleroll so far. I am quite proud of it.

As an exception in my 25 Projects Challenge, I was allowed to buy some stash while visiting Dawn! Originally we were going to try and go to Tulsa to The Silver Needle, but there was a snow storm on the day we were going to go, so we just settled for Dawn’s LNS. I made out pretty good and did a great job of raiding the dollar bin for treasures!

From the dollar bin:

• “Poet’s Heart” Chartpack– Lavender Wings
• “Emerald & Lily of the Valley” - Black Swan’s “The Gemstones and Flowers Series”
• “Strawberry Band Sampler” - Hillside Samplings
• “Hearts and Stars Mini Sampler” – Mosey n’ Me
• “Spring’s Notice” – Blackbird Designs

At regular price:

• 10″ x 15″ piece of white Meran
• Sampler pack of Needle Necessities with 1371, 1551, 151, and 178
• 2005 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue
• “The Old Doll” – Little House Needleworks
• “Forget Me Not Needleroll” with charm – Sweetheart Tree

In addition, while I was on my mini-break I made some interesting observations about my stitching.

Number 1: I am really favoring samplers at the moment because of the specialty stitches they offer. I never thought I would actually like samplers so much!
Number 2: I have finally decided that monochromatic designs can be just as pretty as designs with lots of colors. (This is something that I never thought I would agree with.)

Number 3: I like designs that are done in the style of antique samplers. I am not yet sure if I like antique reproduction designs, but I would like to try one.

I have reshuffled my 25 Projects list to toss out a few things that I have decided I don’t want to stitch that badly after all so that I can add a few different things… including Lavender Wings’ “Poet’s Heart.”

I don’t think I mentioned it, but I have been spending the past week visiting Dawn so I sort of spaced off the fact that it is already the beginning of February! It is goal day though, so without further ado, here they are!

For January, I planned to:

1. Finish and mail my Winter Quaker Exchange Piece. (Post date January 10) - Yes!
2. Participate in the Robin’s Nest January Stitch-A-Thon. - Yes!
3. Continue working through my rotation. - Yes!
4. Get ready to start my “Romantic Stitcher” SAT with Cathy. - Sort of… I am really ready to start a new piece, but I am still looking for the perfect fabric.
5. Choose my pattern for the Biscornu Exchange at the Robin’s Nest and if I have time, make a practice one. - Yes and Yes. I have chosen my pattern for the exchange and am actually 50% done with my biscornu for XXX. And I made a practice one when I decided to make the Winter Quaker into my first biscornu.

Now for February, I plan to:

1. Finish and mail my Biscornu Exchange Piece. (Post date February 28)
2. Participate in the Robin’s Nest February Stitch-A-Thon.
3. Continue working through my rotation with a focus on “Celtic Spring.”
4. Start “Romantic Stitcher” (my SAT with Cathy) and “Poet’s Heart” by Lavender Wings.