Bad Language

Posted on June 14, 2007 by Jenna Magee

Oh yeah, if you want to hear me start rolling a litany of obscenities off of my tongue, just mention TB guy. Seriously. This man’s actions and attempts at defending those selfish and obviously carefully calculated actions makes me see red. I really want to see them put him in jail for a while. Let’s see, how many counts of reckless endangerment would that add up to? Two commercial, international flights full of innocent people? Yeah, that would add up pretty nicely. I wonder how far they are going to pursue this? I know that the CDC is doing an awful lot of research into what happened, but I hope that they are going to put more thought into it than just how to keep it from happening again in the future. This man was well-educated and, by all accounts, highly intelligent. He knew the risks and he played games (like moving up his flight to Greece and then taking a return flight to Canada and driving across the border to re-enter the U.S.) to avoid being detained. He obviously knew exactly what he was doing.

I saw a part of an interview with him and his new wife (congratulations, girl; you certainly caught yourself a winner) on Good Morning America. The wife was crying, I think. What a joke. They both claim that they didn’t intend to put anyone at risk. Say what? The girl’s father is a TB researcher for the CDC! Plus, the government was busy trying to figure out ways to intercept him and keep him from leaving the country and returning. I’m sorry, but “I didn’t know” doesn’t fly here (no pun intended). I would really like to see some serious punishments imposed on him for this behavior. Going on the infamous “no fly” list in perpetuity would be a good start. Other people are placed on that list for no reason other than having the wrong name; it would be nice to see someone be added to the list who really deserves it. I also wouldn’t mind seeing his illustrious personal injury lawyer (boy, does that speak volumes about his character) career suffer as a result. I know he’s still fairly young, so I don’t want his entire life ruined, but I think that he should have to deal with some serious, long-term consequences for choosing to put the lives of so many people at risk so that he could have his posh little wedding in Greece.

Ugh. I have to stop talking about this before I burst a blood vessel. Grrrrr…

Posted in Life in General | 3 Comments

Another One Bites the Dust

Posted on June 12, 2007 by Jenna Magee

Model, that is. Now it’s time for me to do some other stitching. I would say for myself, but not really. I have something I need to finish up and then send to Sandie Vanosdall to review. Plus I have to stitch Summer Dragon for our RR. By that time, I may well have another model to work on, but I don’t know what the plans are. 🙂

I’ve been doing some secret finishing, too, along with my secret stitching, so I really don’t have much to show for my time. Not right now, at least. 😉

Posted in Stitching | 4 Comments

The Human Condition

Posted on June 7, 2007 by Jenna Magee

I was just “talking” to Barbara the other day and mentioned that I’ve been feeling restless lately. It’s like no matter what I’m doing, I feel like I want to or ought to be doing something different. Then the thought came to me: Isn’t it inherent to us, as human beings, to strive for something more, something else? Isn’t that the nature of the human condition? Or is it?

I was curious as to what others thought. Do you ever feel this way? I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m content with my lot in life, as a whole. I have a good life, I have good friends and I have everything I need. I just wonder sometimes if I wasn’t meant to be doing something more with my life.

I cannot express it any more clearly than that, unfortunately. It’s just a persistent feeling that I could be doing something big, something important, something… I don’t know. Like I’m supposed to be this bigger, better, brighter star. If I could put my finger on it, I would probably be a lot happier. Not that I’m not happy now. There’s just this tickle that’s always lurking in the back of my brain. Like a shadow that flits by the corner of your eye, but when you turn your head quickly to catch it, all you get is dizzy. 😆

On another note, I had my biweekly appointment with Dr. Steve last night. Solid waterworks from start to finish, for the most part. I hate being out of control, especially when it comes to crying, so it’s never comfortable for me. I blame that on working in an male-dominated industry for too many years. But I suck it up and deal because I need to work through some of this old pain that I’m still carrying around.

Divorce is an ugly thing. Don’t get me wrong, if you are deeply unhappy in a relationship or being abused, get out! It’s no better for a child to deal with constant fighting, tension and stress in their lives. But don’t kid yourself. Even an amicable divorce can scar a child. Even a teenage child. There is no “easy” divorce or easy decision where children are involved. As I’ve heard Dr. Phil say time and time again, children have a unique ability to find fault in and blame themselves when adults are unhappy.

Or, in my case, you end up with a lifelong struggle against an overwhelming urge to “fix” everyone that you care about and everything that’s wrong in their lives. Yep, that’s me. A fixer. And it hurts because I cannot fix anyone other than myself. That’s reality. But reality and logic often have little to do with affairs of the heart, now do they? 😉

Anyway, I have abandonment issues. We started off talking about me wanting to help fix the problems of a coworker who was just diagnosed with endometriosis and is being pressured by her doctor to either have children now or have a full hysterectomy. Yeah, we won’t get into that issue in this post, but let’s just say that it hits close to home, since I was diagnosed at the tender age of 18 with endometriosis myself. Which brings me around to the whole issue of should we have a child or not. And, for some reason, last night the ‘nots’ weren’t weighing as much as they usually do. I’ll blame it on hormones or something. I’m just not 100% comfortable yet with the decision to not have children, I guess. And I may never be. I run just as much risk of being unhappy with the decision to have a child. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t, I suppose.

And then, somehow, by the end of the session, everything came back around to the abandonment issue. Crud. That’s a thorn that lies so deep and have been so thoroughly covered with layers and layers of scar tissue over the years that I’m having a tough time pulling it out so that I can examine it and hopefully get rid of it. And it’s painful. Crud. The adult in me can easily use logic and reason to explain it away, but the kid in me has her fingers in her ears, saying “La la la la la la la la. I can’t hear you and I don’t care. It still sucks.” Sooner or later, the two are going to have to meet on neutral ground and come to an agreement if I am ever going to heal.

I think the thorn is shifting, but everytime I move it up towards the light a little bit during a session with Dr. Steve, I go home afterwards and bury it again, covering it over with yet another layer of scar tissue. Something tells me this is going to be a bloody battle…

Posted in Journey to Self-Discovery | 10 Comments

SBQ: Challenge Me

Posted on June 6, 2007 by Jenna Magee

This week’s SBQ was suggested by Ish and is:

What has been your most challenging project and why?

To date, my most challenging project was a hardanger model stitching project that I completed last summer. The design has not been published, so I can’t go into great detail, but it was a sachet packed with weaving and filling, the likes of which I had never attempted before personally, much less for model stitching. I was able to finish it and the designer was pleased. A lot of sweat and toil went into it, that’s for sure.

As far as a current project goes, my most challenging project right now is Fairy Moon. I just haven’t been able to get motivated to pick it up in so long, it’s actually become a WIP again. Shame on me.

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SBQ: Needling Away

Posted on June 5, 2007 by Jenna Magee

This SBQ was suggested Kathryn and is:

How many needles do you use during a project? Have you ever loaded up a needle for every color? Do you use a new needle for every project or recycle your favorite needle?

I have tried multiple needles, but it doesn’t really do anything for me, except dump more needles on my floor. 😆 I don’t know that I have ever loaded a needle for every color. I tend to really go through needles, so if I touch one and then don’t use it for a while, that’s a bad thing. It’s more prone to tarnish that way than if I use if continuously.

I use a needle until the finish rots. 😉 As I think someone else already described, the surface gets pitted and rough. I throw them out when they get that way and grab a fresh one. I’m really impressed with the Permin needles that I’ve started carrying at OSL. You can’t beat the price (a packet of 25 for $6.00), the finish is really slick and smooth and they seem to last longer than any other needle for me so far. Love ’em!

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 4 Comments

SBQ: One Last Piece?

Posted on June 4, 2007 by Jenna Magee

This brutal SBQ was suggested by Juls and was:

If you could only stitch one more piece what would it be and why?

I was honestly thinking of not answering this one because it’s such a tough (and unfathomable) question. But once I gave it a little bit of thought, the answer popped right into my head. If I could only stitch one more piece, it would be Mirabilia’s Stargazer. The why should be somewhat obvious. It would be the closest thing to a legacy that I could possibly leave behind of my cross stitching passion. Plus, it’s so… me. 😀

Now, ask me what fabric I would stitch it on and it would be even harder to answer!

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 3 Comments

This Week in Stitching

Posted on June 3, 2007 by Jenna Magee

I barely stitched at all this week, so the fact that I managed two finishes is purely a fluke. Seriously.

First up is Butterfly Fantasy. This was stitched from a Dimensions kit. I worked on it this week when I wasn’t feeling so hot because the plastic canvas made it easier to stitch without having to focus as much. I even cut it apart and glued it together and instructed.



Then I finished my current commuter project, as well. I’m working on ornaments for my travel projects now so that I can try to catch up on my monthly ornament commitments that I’ve missed. This one is called Angel Heart Ornament by Charland Designs as published in the 2002 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue.



As you can see, I was lazy about carrying threads, so the darker threads are showing through the fabric. Ask me if I care at this moment. 😆

In the meantime, I really need to start a new model. I also started the Pretty Posies sampler from The Sweetheart Tree as a wedding gift for friends who are getting married in October. And I’ve kitted up the Alyssum Scissors Pocket by The Cat’s Whiskers Design Studio and bought the Gingher Alyssa scissors on eBay to go with it.

On a completely unrelated note, I completed my financial aid applications for The Art Institute Online this week, having submitted my application to the school late last week. I still haven’t heard whether my employer is going to offer any assistance or not, but I’m planning on moving forward no matter what and starting my first class in August. Next on my list is to purchase the necessary software and acquaint myself with it before the beginning of class.

We worked in the garden yesterday, as well, getting 3 beds ready for planting and most of the existing seedlings transplanted. Seedlings… HAH! Several of the tomato plants are already blooming. They passed the seedling stage a while ago. I just hope that they survive the transplantation. We have one bed left to clear out and prepare, then I can transplant the last of the tomato plants. I still need to sow some seeds in one half of one of the beds, too. I didn’t have nearly as much room once I transplanted everything as I thought I would. We may have to establish two additional beds for next year!

After getting all cleaned up from our grubby time in the garden, Terry decided to take me out to P.F. Chang’s for dinner. We first ate at one of these Chinese chain restaurants in Salt Lake City in March and the food was really excellent. The nearest one is 40 minutes away, so we’ve been putting off a trip to eat there until now. I told Terry the other day that I wanted to capitalize on not having children and start being more spontaneous about going out and going away, etc., so this was his idea. 🙂 Our first date in quite some time!

Is it strange that I’m in my thirties, but I still feel like a teenager? Especially when we go out together. Terry makes me feel young and giddy. Wearing a short-ish skirt didn’t hurt, either. 😉 Tee-hee!

Posted in Stitching | 11 Comments

PIF Package – Round 2

Posted on June 2, 2007 by Jenna Magee

This time, a package of Pay-It-Forward gifts winged its way to South Africa to make its home with Coral.

Thankfully, everything arrived intact and didn’t take too long. Most importantly, though, Coral liked the items! She had specifically requested something done in hardanger, so I made a small doily and a suncatcher for her. The suncatcher was in her color, pink, and the doily was in mine, purple. 😉

The suncatcher was designed by Roz Watnemo and carefully copied (with Roz’s specific permission) and sent to me by Cathy B. some time ago. I stitched it on a sliver of 28 count white evenweave fabric using Perle Sweets overdyed pearl cottons in #8 and #12 in the color Bubblegum:

The doily is a design by Jean Mann that was published in The Big Book of Small Doilies and was meant to be a box top. I stitched it on a piece of 24 count off-white evenweave with DMC pearl cotton. The filling stitch in the center is called Edelweiss and this was my first attempt. It’s not perfect, but, as I told Coral, I guess it’s passable. 😉

So, that’s one more recipient down. Two to go. 🙂

Posted in Stitching | 6 Comments

I Made That!

Posted on June 1, 2007 by Jenna Magee

I’m on the “Be a Sweetheart” list to receive newsletters from Sandie Vansodall of The Sweetheart Tree when she releases new products, so I found a newsletter in my email yesterday morning from her. I was so tickled to see that she is releasing the first four charts of the Teenie Tweenie Twelve Days of Christmas collection. Four Calling Birds is the first model that I stitched for her just a couple of months ago. So, that model in the square frame at the bottom of the New Releases page? That’s my handiwork. That’s right, I made that! Woohoo!



I’m so happy to see it out so quickly. Sandie loved my stitching so much that we immediately settled on having me stitch another one on the series, Ten Lords A-Leaping. So, when that comes out in the fall, you’ll be able to see even more of my work. I’m just excited because a lot of my other model stitching work has gotten buried over the years. Either they were duplicates for trunk shows, designs that weren’t released or shop models. Now I’m working for my favorite designer and my work is being seen. So cool!

Of her other new designs, I like H is for Hearts and, of course, Pirouette in Purple. I think I know where my next model stitching payment will be going. I just have to start the model! 😉 So much stitching to do, so little time. You know I really have the itch to stitch when all I do is daydream about what I could be working on while I’m at work!

Posted in Stitching | 13 Comments

June Stitching Goals

Posted on June 1, 2007 by Jenna Magee
  • Stitch model and send back
  • Stitch Summer Dragon and send out
  • Finish Just Nan – Barnabee’s Quest (?)
  • Work on Alma Lynne – Computer Wizard
  • Work on Dimensions – Bonsai and Buddha
  • Start The Sweetheart Tree – Pretty Posies
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