Incoherent Scribblings

Homework Sunday

I have a major assignment due for my novel writing class today so I didn’t get a chance to work on “Harvest Witch” yesterday. However, after class on Monday nights I usually try to relax by stitching for a couple of hours, so I will work on her tonight instead.

In preparation for tonight’s class, I spent most of yesterday afternoon with my nose buried in Madame Bovary. I read an excerpt of this novel in French many years ago when I was studying abroad in Paris, but apparently had either forgotten what I had read or never understood it in the first place because I feel like I am reading everything for the first time.

The translation I am reading is the 1886 translation by Eleanor Marx-Aveling and is not exactly an easy read. However, I am plodding my way through and find that I am actually enjoying myself a wee bit. In my opinion, Madame Bovary is an interesting character who I don’t exactly like, but I can’t help but pity her. Her romantic notions may make her a silly woman, but like many women of her day she is trapped in circumstances that are only partly of her own making.

Once I decided I had had enough of Madame Bovary for the day, I took a crafty break and finished “Winter Love” into a pillow-style ornament. I had originally intended to make this into a tuck-pillow ornament, but after I trimmed my stitching I realized I didn’t really leave enough room for the “border” that characterizes a tuck-pillow so I just fell back on a regular pillow-style ornament instead.

I then settled down to work on my mock proposal to a publisher and except for printing it out, had it ready for class before I fell into bed around 1 a.m.

Thanksgiving Break Stitching

I know it has been a while since I had any stitching progress to show and while I could blame it on all the time I have been spending with a certain someone that is not the whole story.

As anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows, I am very, very close to finishing “Above the Clouds.” So close, in fact that I thought with a little concentrated effort I could finish Confetti by the end of November. That was my goal and I have tried very diligently to meet it. However, after almost 20 hours I was tired of Confetti and wanted very badly to change projects.

At that point I decided to start working on Outi’s belated birthday exchange piece. It was a good distraction from Confetti and I thought I was on a roll: I would finish Outi’s present in no time flat, get back to Confetti, and voilà! my November goals would be met and all would be well.

Unfortunately, things were not to be that way…

I was about one-third of the way into Outi’s exchange piece when I discovered a huge mistake. Because it was one of those boo-boos that couldn’t be fudged, I ended up having to frog out almost half of what I had stitched. As you can well imagine, by the time I was finished frogging I was so frustrated that I knew that it had to be put away for a while. (I am still going to try and get it to you by Christmas Outi!)

I keep saying that I am so close to finishing “Above the Clouds,” (and I am!) but it is a TW and as a result, needs full attention and unbroken concentration to really make any progress.

However, by Thursday afternoon I thought was ready. So with my tummy full of turkey I sat down and attempted to make some more progress on Confetti. Within fifteen minutes my desire for that after-Thanksgiving-dinner nap had taken over and Confetti was put away for the day.

The next day I tried yet again to make some progress, but I was restless and couldn’t find my stitching groove. After about an hour I gave up and began to wonder if I was in danger of temporarily losing my stitching mojo.

Disappointed at my lack of progress on Confetti, it was then that I started fondling my stash. I wrapped my DMC 100s, rearranged my bobbin boxes with the help of the kittens, and began flipping through my JCS Ornament issues.

I thought perhaps I needed a happy dance: Something simple and fast that would make me feel like I had accomplished something. Soon I was inspired. I found a scrap of fabric and within minutes I had started “Spool Ornament” by Sue Hillis from this year’s ornie issue.

After the errands were done and before the snow started falling on Saturday, my needles were flying. By the time I was ready for bed that evening “Spool Ornament” was (mostly) finished and I knew that I hadn’t lost my mojo, I was just sick of the things I was “supposed” to be working on.

Yes, I would still like to finish “Above the Clouds” before the end of the year, but I have decided that if I don’t it is no big deal. I will finish it when I am ready.

The Last Exchange

Well, I am finally finished with my last exchange. I saw that Terri received her package from me and I finally remembered to take a pic of the lovely heart-shaped ornament that I received from Karin.

For Terri, I stitched a Quaker-esque design in redwork from one of the stitching magazines that I got at that yard sale a couple of months ago and finished it into a diamond-shaped ornament. (I forgot to photograph the back of the ornie, but Terri has a pretty good picture of both sides on her blog.) I also included some floss for Terri and a postcard. I hope you enjoy your exchange Terri. I sure enjoyed stitching it for you.

I haven’t been doing much stitching over the past few days because I have been focused on reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I could have probably finished the book in on sitting, but I decided to try and take my time and enjoy the book… which I almost managed. I only read a few chapters at a time for a few days, but then last night I only had about 350 pages left and since it was getting good, I just couldn’t put it down anymore.

And WOW! what a ride!

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but realized that I really need to go back and read books five and six. Though I have read the first four books three or four times a piece, I have only read five and six once and though I remembered the main plot points, there are so many details that I had obviously forgotten.

Overall, I would have to say that I am pretty pleased with the way everything came together and wrapped up at the end. There were definitely a few twists, but at the same time, I was pleased to find that some of the suspicions I had concerning a few of the characters were true.

Yep, two thumbs up for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!