The State of Things

I've been trying to catch up on my blog reading. There are a lot of lists out there, long lists of things accomplished in 2006 and goals for 2007. After much consideration, I think I'm going to pass on posting lists right now. I had a slightly better than average year in 2006 with 43 finishes. The truth is that I'm not in the mood today to look back at 2006; it was a good year, but now it is gone. As for goals, I'm still pondering what it is that I want to accomplish in 2007.

A few days ago I wrote a lengthy post about SharonB's Take A Stitch Tuesday and saved it as a draft. I would really love to participate in the challenge. I'm interested in surface embroidery and it sounds like an awesome learning experience. Now enter...a reality check. Today I looked long and hard at my "Things To Do In 2007" list and realized a more appropriate title would be "2,007 Things To Do." Ok, maybe there aren't quite 2,007 things on the list...but there really are too many things I want to do. In fact, there are quite a few things I have already committed to. I want to do everything, but the truth is I can't do everything. My overbooked October and November (and subsequent fall from the face of the earth) should be a lesson to learn from, not a pattern to repeat. As much as I would love to, I'm not going to participate in the challenge. I've deleted the draft. I'm looking forward to seeing the stitches that the participates are taking and living vicariously through them. There is going to be a lot of fun eye candy this year!

One of the projects on my plate is my office/craft room. I've mentioned several times that the sewing table is piled with stuff and has been for months. It really is sad, because the rest of the house is rather neat and orderly by comparison. For some reason I allow myself be a real pig in this space. The fact that I brought home a carload of stuff nearly every weekend in October sure didn't help. I have more toys than I know what to do with. Literally. I've been chipping away at the piles on the table. I worked on it for several hours yesterday, and when I finished it still looked like this:

Here's what you are looking at. The large dark bag on the left is full of kitted up projects. This is the original Move It Out Monday bag, with over 30 projects ready to start. The basket is one of 3 containers I use for WIPs. The white tote bag on the floor contains yarn and several knitting looms, one of which has about 2 inches of scarf on it. I took a class from Cyndi at Jeanne's stitch-in, and loom knitting is really fun. On the seat of the chair are a few charts with fabric but I still need to pull the floss. At the bottom of that pile is a sewing project. This brings us to the top of the table, where obviously there still isn't room for my sewing machine. The table top is a mish-mash of papers, leftover fabric bits, several projects that need "finishing" and a multitude of miscellaneous items that have no business in my craft area. To the right of the table I have a few things piled on the floor:

The box on the left holds charts and kits (and whatever!) that need to find a new home. The pink basket is mostly stuff from Sue's estate. I bought some of her finishes, as well as several of her WIPs. I intend to finish the WIPs but I need for a little more time to pass before I can begin on any of them. That's my new boom-box, plunked down on the floor. (It has since been moved to a safer location!) The paper sack is full of cross stitch kits. With all of this clutter around, I didn't have a flat surface to work on so I opened up the laundry closet doors and used it as a work space. Did I mention that my office/craft area is also the laundry room?

All of my cross stitch charts are stored in file folders, alphabetized by publisher in ring binders. Putting away new stash can be a smidge time consuming. I set things up with my box of sheet protectors on the left, a spot in the middle for whatever ring binder I was currently working on, and (in this case) two piles of free charts - the pile on the left are "to be filed" and the pile on the right is for "oops, I already have that one." This uber-organized filing system is a little time consuming on the front end, but when push comes to shove I can almost always find things when I look for them. So I'm sticking with it! I hope to have the top of the table "unearthed" before the weekend. I hope.

When not laboring in my office I did manage to get a little stitching time in. I worked long and hard on the Bent Creek Spring Soapbox project. Click here (then scroll down just a little) to see what it looked like in October. This is the progress I made before I finally said "uncle" -

This has become a very tedious project. The banding isn't fun to stitch on. Every stitch is a struggle. I'm a little more than half way done, so I will certainly be finishing it. It is a shame about the banding. If I had it to do over again I am sure I would stitch it on some other fabric. Next time I pick it up I will try using a bigger needle. My petites (love them!) are probably not the right tool for the job.

On a happier note, I put the Soapbox aside and started a new project on New Years Eve. It is "Topiary" by Homespun Elegance. I finished it in no time at all.

I LOVE the way it turned out. The colors are great together. I do love green! I haven't decided yet how to finish it.




Before I wrap this up I want to answer a few questions from the Comments section. First of all, some of you have been patiently waiting for a picture of the exclusive Lizzie*Kate design I received at camp in October. The picture is rotten, but you get the idea.

It came with sparkle fabric (not my thing) and the floss/button. I think the design is really cute, but the fabric will almost certainly get mailed to Joy.

Sue asked where the Lebanon show was located. Sorry to be so mysterious! Lebanon is in southern Illinois, about 25 miles east of St. Louis, MO. Mom & Me (LNS in Lebanon) has hosted the show for several years.

So that's the state of things. I'm off to declutter my office. Maybe it will help declutter my mind as well!