Monday, April 9, 2012

A little more Mario (and a lot more whining)

Finished up my 10 hours on Mario last night (and got about an hour in on Middle Earf) so here goes.

Before:


After:


Not NEARLY as much as I hoped, but there are some light cream stitches that are a little harder to see. The blob of red in there is Lakitu's mine that he's throwing down at Luigi and Princess Peach (who will make an appearance in the next row down). It's my first time gridding on Mario as well and I have to say I'm never going back! It makes a world of difference.

On a personal note, some of you know that I've been kind of down lately. I've been doing a lot of thinking (always dangerous) and kind of working myself up and bringing myself down. The thing is, it's really stupid. No, seriously, it's stupid. I'm doing this to myself on purpose. Why? I don't know. My life is FAR from perfect, but I have so much to be grateful for. I'm in a position right now where I can choose not to work and can, instead, spend some time to figure myself out and decide what I want to do (and stitch!). I'm learning so many things about myself, my passions, my likes and my dislikes. This is all at the sacrifice of earning money, but perhaps this is more valuable. I have a family who loves me, and even though they're crazy, annoying, overbearing, and very often hard to stand, they're also loving and caring. I have a Boyfriend who is absolutely amazing. I mean honestly, I have no complaints. We've been together for almost a year and I would not change a thing about him. Not one. I have had the benefit of being able to travel to some crazy places (Poland, Germany, Italy, Iceland, road trip through the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria, trips to Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Iowa, the list goes on!) and I'm only 25. I'm educated, which is a chance I was given that not many people get. There is just so much for me to be grateful for that it's time for me to stop griping and  worrying about the past and the people in it. I'm "deleting" them from my life, so to speak, and not looking back. They've played their roles in my life, because without them I wouldn't be the person I am now, but their parts are done and I'm moving on.

Thank you to those who have had to hear me vent via e-mail, especially a huge thanks to Joyce, Lesli, and Anne who have had to bear the brunt of most of my whining (and Boyfriend, of course, since he has had to deal with it as an immediate presence). And a huge thanks to all of you who take their time to come here, look at my stitching, read my incessant whining, and leave a comment (or not!). You are all lovely people and I'm so very glad I started this blog and can share my love of stitching with people who have appreciation for it instead of scorn for my "old lady hobby."

18 comments:

Unknown said...

We love you just the way you are! I think life gives us low points, just so we can really appreciate the good times, as well as learn and grow as you have been. Keep your chin up hunnie, you are an amazing person!
As always, your stitching is fantastic, I always enjoy reading your blog, so vent away!

/big hugs,
Nikki

lesli said...

Ewa...Mario is looking great! The gridding itself takes a chunk of time...so count that as an accomplishment!
You have definitely done and seen some amazing things in your life...at only 25! So much to be grateful for...focus on that stuff!
I ran across this quote last year and loved it....kept it to look at every once in a while ...to help me smile through those yucky times.

"Time to photoshop my life. Touch up the edges, adjust the tones, blur out the background, focus on me, and crop people out." - anonymous

Photoshop away, girl!

Unknown said...

Nice progress! I love to read your blog, and by all means vent away. Sometimes we all need to vent just a little, regardless of how much we have to be grateful for ;-) No life is perfect, so it is only natural that we'll experience low points in our life sooner or later.

Vent away girl, you sound as if you might need to ;-)

sharine said...

Mario is looking great. I think being in your 20's is the time for working everything and yourself out. It's great that you have such a caring boyfriend to vent to.Big hugs((((())))))

XXXStitching (Emma) said...

Mario is looking great! Glad your getting yourself together. Totally agree with Sharine 20s is for finding yourself and learning to love that self (the end of my 20s is looming yikes lol) I have found that the saying you can't please everyone so you might as well please yourself is a good one and i don't take it in its selfish way but it is helpful at times.

Love your blog and non little old lady stitching. take care xxxx

demeter83 said...

Your stitching looks gorgeous, and you whine as much as you want :-) It helps to get it off your chest sometimes. Hope you're okay chick!

Pull the other thread said...

Don't worry about venting, we all need it. No matter what your going through in life it can be hard. In a lot of ways I'm the same, I find myself completely consumed by my past and the things that happened, you just have to try to let it go (which can be really hard). Lean on those who want to be there for you, which includes us fellow crafters and bloggers. Feel free to talk to us anytime :)

dulcinella said...

very well stitched. and you're right, I just gridded the first time as I am starting a HAED and now I'm kind of angry at myself not doing it before:-)
As to the rest: sometimes you have to delete people from your past, however ugly this may sound. It's not that these people are bad, but they are just not the right people for you. You are very smart to think about all the things you talk about, and this thinking can only help you grow as a human being. I just wish I had been so smart at your age, it took me a few decades longer to realize some of this. so whine away:-)

Unknown said...

Nice to see some progress on Mario, too. :) I bet you'll get more done on it next time, now that you have the gridding done.

I tend to carry my past mistakes and failures with me in my head and they frequently cause me to feel insecure, incompetent, disappointed with myself, and just plain bad. The healthy thing to do would be to just learn what I can from them and then let them go, but I find that they always come back to haunt me and bring me down no matter how hard I try to kick them out of my head. So I think I understand how it feels for you, and I totally don't mind the occasional whining/venting/ranting.

Chelle said...

So I'm curious about the gridding, because I'm about to grid my first HAED (when the thread arrives). Do you remove it and if so, do you remove it right after you stitch the design part or all of it at the end?

One stitcher had commented somewhere that she had noticed that on some gridded pieces, she had noticed a grid pattern when you get right up close to a piece, but this is of way less concern to me than getting the counting right on this project, because if you get off...oh boy, are you gonna be sorry!

Chelle
www.lifeonthedomesticfront.blogspot.com

Anne said...

Oh EWA!!! The mind can be a most wonderful and terrible thing at the same time can't it?!!! I can psyche myself out so easily it's scary. I've always got to count my blessings and stop counting what I don't have. I agree with you about certain people playing a part in your life bit. No point in keeping negative people who put you down in life around, right? I had a friend who was always doing that to me. Not fun.

Definitely take this time to figure out what you want to do. You are in a good position to do so, plus you are doing your Masters!!!! That will take a lot of our focus for sure!!!

HUGS!!

Anne

Unknown said...

Venting is good, being comfortable enough to share your feelings on your blog is also a wonderful thing. You shared all your blessings, having tons of blessings, doesn't mean you are not allowed the time to be in a funk... Keeping you in my thoughts

Minnie said...

You have done a lot to be just 25 and we all need to vent every now and then so don't worry. Shake it off and move on. And who says this is a old lady hobby. I'm mature not old. LOL

Stitching Noni said...

Whoo girl - don't beat yourself up! Vent and whine as much as you want - we will still come and visit and read and love your work and you no matter what! My hubby is a bit like you - he often beats himself up over the past and what he could have/should have done and forgets about what he has achieved... but lately he has been working very hard to put those things (and people) in a shredder and get rid of them. I love the photoshop quote! You have done an amazing amount of stuff for 25 - I am 48 this year and haven't seen or done half what you have.... Our hobby is so not an old lady hobby and it does peeve me when people give you that weird look when you tell them what your hobby is! I agree with Minnie - I'm mature not old - just like a fine wine or cheese :o)
Enjoy your life and keep on stitching and talking to us - we are always here - even if it takes us some time to catch up on all blog reading!!
Take care and keep smiling :o)

Ali O'Donnell said...

Love how Mario is looking!

Joysze said...

((((((HUGS)))))) You have done more in your 25 years than others can ever hope. You don't whine... you share. :) There's a huge difference. ;)

Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches said...

gorgeous stitching :D sometimes a good vent just makes you feel better.

Valentina said...

I understand you Ewa, I've been through something similar some years ago. The most important thing, as you've said, is to moving on!

Ps. I love your, and mine "old lady hobby" ;)