... we left our heroine (me) desperately searching for a job, studying for the Foreign Service, watching the World Cup and getting ready to move house (that part you may have not known about).
As you know, the Germans lost to Spain (stupid Octopus) taking third when it was all over. They had some great team members this year: Klose, Mueller and Oezil - and my other favorite Schweinsteiger (because you know it is a fun name to say). It was shame to see the team captain Ballack out on the wounded listed.
As for the FSWE, I did not pass (again). I knew it the second I finished the multiple choice, which is such a shame because my essay rocked! It was a topic that was catered to me – could have argued it any which way and I felt I could have given a solid, grammatically correct short essay. But they do not grade the essay unless you pass the multiple choice. I didn’t even bother to ask what my score was this year. I knew that I had failed and that was that. I decided to take this June off and will sit for the exam this fall (2011).
By end of last summer we had moved into a large house with my brother and spent a fabulous week’s vacation with my sister’s family at OBX.
This year I was able to plant a garden! (I know I kill things but we shall see how it goes – that is if the damn deer don’t eat it all first!)
And what about my job situation? After almost 8 years, Jacqui decided to sell Woolwinders. It was obvious her heart was not into it anymore as she had started a new amazing business that was meant to be a side thing, but really took off. Paige, one of the teachers and employees made an offer Jacqui and Lew could not refuse. She bought the store, remodeled and opened an all new Woolwinders one month later. The store is beautiful! It is a different atmosphere but still a beautiful place to shop and visit. During this time I was offered two jobs, one of which was sort of of out of the blue as it was something that I had interviewed for 2.5 previous and had heard nary a word. The other was a job at another yarn store as a part-time manager, which I WOULD HAVE LOVED!!!!! But alas, medical benefits and larger salary came in to play – even Fritz and my brother were sad for me since they knew how much I really wanted the yarn shop gig to begin with.
All things work out for the best! On August 10th I began my training as a store manager for one of the 2 major fabric chains in the country. I don’t plan to ever link to it or say its name because I know they troll the internet (like all bosses these days) to see what their employees might be saying about them. It's the one that is less craft more fabric.Yes, it says it on my Facebook account and I will leave it at that.
The initial downside of the job was that I was offered the store in Leesburg, VA – 50 miles away – not the one in Gaithersburg only 13 miles away. I had a beautiful remodeled store with a fabulous crew (minus an assistant manager) that I hand-picked and it was a breeze – almost no customers really. But then I got my wish and as of February 28th I was moved to the crazy, insane, floor falling apart Gaithersburg store and I LOVE IT!!! More than half my crew is Spanish speaking to go with more than half my spanish speaking customer base. I have been learning to understand a lot of sewing-Spanish.
No more 15 hours of commuting a week and less money spent on gas and no toll road! More time spent with Max and I was able to plan his fabulous Robot themed 4th birthday party!
That is another post for another time (and I promise there will be more other times now that I have caught up with my life – almost)
12 June 2011
In our last episode.....
26 April 2010
15 December 2009
And another 2 months has passed.....
Of me not posting on my blog
But you can always find me on Facebook – I just spend way to much time there – it is true.
Since last posting, there was Halloween…well, so I heard. I have been told of a fabulous holiday where children WANT to dress in fun costumes and got Trick-or-Treating for yummy candies….not my son.
(There were chaps by the way. And a hat.)
So then November flew on by…
In the first week – actually the first 2 or 3 days of the month, I got a last minute text message and was asked to make this dress. For SHOWBOAT at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA (Did I mention they won a Tony last year?)
As quick as possible – as in cut and sewed on Wednesday, fit on Thursday, altered and fit again on Friday, and then the finishing was passed on to someone else to have ready for photo call on Saturday evening. . I hope nobody looks to close to the inside……For a quick faking of a Victorian day outfit complete with fake bustle, it was not bad. I do wish I had changed a few lines, such as knocking the shoulder seam down the back or the doing the front princess seams a bit differently, but you do what you can….
Then there were the doll clothes!!!! OMG! Tiny seams! Tiny pockets (for their tiny handkerchiefs of course)! And I had the easy lot – there were also tiny jean jackets with all that top stitching! This was another Simplicity project that I was a part of and the moment it was done there was *another* Simplicity project and there is even another one to be finished before the end of the year. So yeah – I have been a bit busy...
And I have not even gotten to Thanksgiving! Another story, another time...
Before I go I will show you a cute little sweater that I actually did make for Maxim- This time it is crocheted:
Pattern: Milo the Owl Sweater from CROCHET DESIGN FOR KIDS by Lucinda Guy
Yarn: Rowan Pure Wool DK in Navy 011 (5.5 balls), Glacier 005, and Earth 018
Hook: E
Extras: none
Changes: no Owl or cross-stitch detail - may make the sleeves a bit longer by adding 3 rounds of single crochet in brown.
26 October 2009
so here's what happened...
Last Spring a customer, who happens to be a designer, at the store was looking for a sample knitter who could fair isle. Well, believe it or not, I fair-isle pretty well (in wool anyway, I am currently realizing that the act of fair isle combined with cotton and me are not as pretty on first try, or second...but that is another story).
So she offered me the one time chance to knit a sample for her and she liked it and the yarn company liked it and now is in print in the MISSION FALLS DUET pattern book!
I made the Indie Vest by Simona Merchant-Dest (rav link).
So here are my pictures of the vest:
BTW - I LOVED knitting with this yarn and knitting this pattern, there are plenty of ends to weave in, which was a bummer, BUT the pattern was simple (for me) and the yarn was a dream.
I am currently working on another sample for the same designer and company. And once it is approved and out in print, I will let you know about that one too :)
On the more personal side of life, still job hunting. Had a couple of very good interviews. One of which I did not get, but an impression was made and she passed my resume onto another department. So I am not certain where it all stands. Just keeping my fingers crossed since I really like this new opportunity and the characters involved :).
And on a Max note - we are debating between a cowboy or a pirate for Halloween 2009 :) I want pirate but I think he would rather be a cowboy. I am taking the day off from the store and Max and I are going Trick or Treat-ing in the Apartment bldg...maybe we will go to an event at a bookstore or something terribly stay-at-home mom like :) (I cannot wait!)
06 September 2009
Roadblock
Just over 3 months since I last blogged. ACK! It is a disgrace in the land of blogging, I know.
Sad – pathetic even! (Imagine Snagglepuss saying that)
What was I doing? You really want to know?
Well let’s take a look in the life of me in pictures:
Studying for the FSOT (and did not pass - barely - there is always next year)
Knitting
Jan’s wedding (for which I sewed the veil and made my own dress to wear – but no good pics yet)
Max looking cute in suit
Me sitting on couch
Okay that last one is obviously Daddy and Max on the couch. I admit - I am vain and any pictures of me sitting on the couch other than the one of the cool hair and studying for an exam, are absolutely horrendous!
Although that last one is mostly what I have been doing. Theatre is quiet in the summer and the lack of work has turned me into a non-creative couch potato.
No bueno.
The lack of employment is very frustrating. Financially and creatively.
I know. I know. Many of you might think to yourselves that this would be a perfect opportunity to use my time wisely and market myself more or become more creative and more productive. Maybe sew more for myself or Max or others even…..
Ummmmm…… not so much. I think that it is hard for those who have creative jobs to become more creative in these times. This is one of those moments that I am considering taking the other fork in the road and becoming more businesslike in my endeavors. I find it hard to create when the thing that has kept me in the black is the thing that is keeping me from getting a job.
There seems to be a roadblock in the employment department.
That roadblock is the so often heard phrase of “But you’re an artist….” or “But you work in the arts why would you want to work in an office?”
The second roadblock is my résumé and those who see it in a professional/non-theatrical setting.
I have an amazing résumé. (Of course I believe this :) afterall, it is MY résumé.) It just seems to me that the word THEATRE has been written in N1H1 flu ink or something and very few look past the titles and not see what I have actually accomplished. It is possible that I haven’t been clear enough. I have had some really good friends look at it for me and offer some brilliant advice on how to change the language and style a bit. Which I think has helped.
It doesn’t help that more than 10% of the country is out of work (I believe it is more than 15% due to those who have stopped looking for work are no longer on the official register and there are those like me who are “self-employed” artist types who are not eligible for unemployment based on your State’s unemployment laws). There are many talented people looking for work…so I know I am not the only one.
And maybe discussing this on my knitting blog is not one of my better ideas….but if the employers find this post then they must be truly interested in me and want to know who I am. Basically, they Googled :). There are some fabulous ‘made for Marietta’ type jobs out there (Museums and companies who deal with Language training…department of commerce is also very interesting to me …maybe going back to school?)….alas……
On a positive note (there are some good things here): I AM spending more time with Max, who is ridiculously cute, and I have been working more at the yarn store this fall and teaching a new Safari class on Saturday mornings.
I am also looking into teaching workshops at a local Art Co-op as well as teaching knitting and crochet at MC to students who have developmental disabilities - expanding on my experiences of designing costumes for ArtStream (who I will be designing for again spring 2010).
So it is not all bad.
24 April 2009
Spring Cleaning
i know, i know - another month has gone by and i haven't blogged.
It isn't that i don't want to - it is just that there doesn't seem like there is much of anything to share. Nothing exciting I guess....i think i am in a bit of a slump.
I was so crazy busy for so long and now everything seems to be in a big long pause...and the work is not coming in as regularly as i would have liked ...but that means i have time to take on this disaster:
and make it look like this:
It may not seem perfectly clean - but there has been more labeling and organization going on which *is* making it easier for me to use my space again.
One of the things i seem to be taking on is bridal alterations. It is that season after all!
And i spend alot more time with Max. He is talking so much! And he is a dancing cheesehead :)
I really need to take some pictures of the items i have been working on - a sweater for Max, more crocheted toys, and a gift for my friend Jess.
One of the new and crazy things in my life is the time and energy that I am putting into a possible career change. It would be a huge change...not theatre at all. I think the last 6 years fried me a bit. I am loving the new groups that I am working for, but I have lived this dream for almost 20 years, why not live another?
18 March 2009
do you love fabric?
11 March 2009
under construction
No i will not let this lag another two months - heck not even a week - but i am trying a few new things with the blog new header and background - i just have to re-load the illustrator on the computer before i can do anything :)
09 March 2009
2
2 years since my dad'd passing
2 weeks until Max's 2nd birthday
2 shows i am designing in
2 different states
2 weeks until they both begin tech
2 weeks since one of my best friends went into the hospital for chemo
2 days a week at the store
2 fat kitties on the couch
2 days a week in german class
2 very important men (one big, one small) in my life
2 many projects on the needles and under the sewing machine
2 much time spent on facebook
25 December 2008
Happy Holidays!!!!!!
At this exact moment in time, my kitchen is doing a repeat of last year. Makin' cookies for the holidays.
In other news, I am officially self-employed. YEAH!!!! I am working at the store a few days a week and then sewing/designing/knitting/finishing etc the rest of the week.....nerve racking....crazy....but i am excited. I just cannot WAIT to start creating again....this will be part of my new year's resolutions, along with taking a german course and a tailoring course....and maybe lose 20 lbs :) oh and find a new hair dresser...mine moved to spain :(
11 December 2008
not dead yet (again)
wow! 1 whole month has gone buy since i was last here.
I will be posting more now that i am not working full time - but it is amazing how much you work when you are not working.....
My last show opened at Imagination Stage. Miss Nelson is Missing is a fun fun fun show and if you are in the DC area until January 4th (so pre-innauguration) you should really check it out. If you do not believe me, check out the reviews(and the pics - i patterned both the Miss Nelson Dress and Viola Swamp Dress. Check out the matching plaid and all those pleats respectively):
washington post
dctheatre scene
????? but cool pic
so Thanksgiving was my last weekend and then I got SICK!! My last vacation was maternity leave - so 18 months later my body decided to shut down! Big time and i have been way under the weather since then. And i am building another show which runs next week at the Baltimore Theatre Project. So if you are in Baltimore next week, come and see ALICE IN WONDERLAND wednesday through sunday. It is a dance piece and i am not sure what it is like since this whole process has been very strange....very.
I will know on monday....
and i know i owe pictures from so many things - but this is just to tell you that i am alive :)
08 November 2008
Why can't i sleep at night?
The last few months have been crazy and ridiculous and not filled with much sleep.
After much deliberation and stress, I decided that it was time to leave my full time gig.
You are thinking:
Marietta! In this economy? Are you daft girl?
Well, my answer is:
duh! of course i am stupid!
But (because there is always a but) I have been ...unhappy in my job for awhile. And not really unhappy, just needing to do the next thing. Needing to move on and grow as a costumier (pretentious SAT word) and develop other mad skills (like how to type and spell) Or verbesser the Deutsch
Financially, I'm screwed - and really who isn't right now? But (because there is another but) mentally I will be happy as a clam (...do clams smile?)
As i mentioned in an earlier post, part of my reasoning was for this guy:
(Max as Luke Skywalker Halloween 2008 - and, no, he does not have a light saber. A light saber is a prop, not a costume. Props fall under Daddy's domain and Daddy did not get his prop)
The other reason is because of Fritz - who we shall now refer to as MR. Fritz :)
Here is Mr. Fritz's First Day of School picture:
Now here is his 2nd day of school picture:
Getting up at 5:30 am does not make Mr Fritz pleasant - nor does a nagging wife who wants a picture.
Fritz of the tshirt and jeans is now Mr Fritz of the shirt, tie, jacket and Dockers. He is now a High School Teacher of Technical Theatre.
My plan is a little vague at the moment - but I will be freelancing in the theatre world and in the knitting world a bit more.
Since September, I have built costumes for 3 shows at work, 1 dance company, 1 small opera, 1 high school show, another dance company assisting a broadway designer and building costume for another theatre on the other side of town. There might be something that I am forgetting.....
oh and raising a baby.
side note: yes i voted!!!! and i the lines were crazy long and i am thrilled i helped make history! i am really looking forward to the next four years and no, i idid not like what Michelle Obama was wearing on election night. So far that was the the only one total miss out of all her campaigning outfits.
08 October 2008
I'm not Dead....yet!
Okay - It has been almost 8 weeks and i have been a bad bad blogger. I even suck at posting pics on flickr! Really!
And there is so much to tell you! Crafting! Life! Crafting! Work! Crafting!!!
Okay to start:
The Cubs have failed me. After 100 years I really thought we could beat it...but this is getting ridiculous. We saw them lose to the Mets the week before it was all over and i couldn't take it. I should have known that it was going to be bad when Max puked into his popcorn bucket.....really..... he did....good training for his college career
That is just the beginning of the good and the bad drama in the KNIT-OR -GET -OFF household.....hint: I will no longer be working here full time (this is GOOD drama)
Partly (is that proper english?) due to this adorable guy:
new outfit for Max- burda pattern #9617 ,size 18mths, pants and shirt
basic black knit and stripey knit both from GStreet sale table.
started 9/30 finished 10/2
oh but there is so much to tell you!!!!!!!!! i will try to write more often - i promise and there are lots of pictures to show you all.....
and then, just for fun: (i am sure you know it but i had to do it...i was in the mood for consumate v's)
18 August 2008
Swaps, gifts and other things that come in the mail
And I think the baby excuse is getting old...no matter how cute!
So let us start with gifts:
As a birthday surprise (3 MONTHS AGO!!!!!) SewMad sent me the most wonderful birthday package:
The most fabulous seam ripper (fliegenpilz!), stitch markers made by herself, jack skelington buttons, beautiful fat quarters, a nifty piece of fabric from IKEA (that I am seriously considering turning into a shopping bag, or two), hot pink mohair, and the piece de-resistance (how do you spell that?):
My very own SewMad original, a Fliegenpilz wallet. I love it! And I use it all the time now. My cigarette case –turned- wallet is now living in the diaper bag with important Maxim info (insurance card etc).
I had to wait until she posted her fabulous pattern (which I also have a pattern for now – thank you Katrin) before I could post a pic of the wallet – of course i waited way past the time she posted it .
If you haven’t figured it by now I am not very punctual with much of anything.
As for the swaps – I joined 2 apron swaps this summer. The first one was over at Apronista.ning.com (because I need to join another on-line community). The apron I made went to Sue Ann of Giabella Designs and the apron I received was from Deb, the Crochetholic. I loved my apron from Deb! So cute! And it is already blessed by Rit Dye and Clorox Bleach from work.
The next swap was on Ravelry.com. The Sew Obsessed group decided to have its first swap this summer thanks to Carlitadee. We all took a vote and aprons won! SO I got the chance to make another apron – this time I copied an apron given to me by my MIL. I actually cut out 2 before I cut out a 3rd and finished it. Swaps are hard if you do not really know what the person likes. I realize that I had a fabric that I thought my swap partner had used in the past – so I changed my mind entirely – I also realized that one of the aprons was really for me (haven't finished it tho...of course)
Here it is modeled by my old boss: (little trinkets thrown in found here.)
Isn’t she cute? And she makes my new sewing room look good.
Here is a view of the room from where she was standing.
There is another swap – the Theatrical Crafters on Ravelry are also running a swap…i really need to get working on that one...but I have until the end of the month….
There is so much more to fill you all in on - all good news (and no, not pregnant). I will be taking some time off this and next week – so hopefully I will get some more knitting and crocheting along with a bit of blogging in :)
22 July 2008
a whole month!
Wow! Has it really been a whole month? Where have I been you might ask? Well no where really. Just at the theatre for most of May and June and trying to recoup during the month of July.
There has been limited personal crafting – but there have been a few things that I wanted to share with you for while but just haven’t had the chance to do so. That baby and that job have been getting in the way of fun sewing. And lack of space to craft at home have made it difficult.
But that is changing very soon:
Here is Fritz:
and here they are!!! My new cutting table, ironing table and sewing machine table all built to my specs! (read: really flippin' tall - 42" for the tall tables and 32" for the shorter)
It is still a work in progress. And it will probably take awhile. Nothing is in the ‘cute’ organizational style – old diaper boxes used for storage bins for magazines and single patterns, as well my sewing patterns and a few other random things. I plan on using baby formula tins for notions and trims – and some of those leftover baby jars and tupperwares. There will be one or two more trips to IKEA for better lighting and other organizational tools.
And while organizing the disaster that was our guest room soon to be my personal studio (imagine happy dance here), I started taking pics of my yarn stash to post on Ravelry.
If you cannot find me there (mafgreene) then check my stash out on Flickr: here and here and here
The sad part is that I found quite a few (read: a crap load) of unfinished projects. The first one will be 5 years old this fall. the 2nd is an on-again, off-again relationship for the last two years...it might grow up to be a lovely blanket someday
and let us not forget these lonely socks…..some day they will have a friend
And here is an adorable pic of my boy!
Also check me out over at Woolwinders– I was the guest blogger this week pushing the penguin!
03 June 2008
Anniversaries and birthdays
My fabulous assistant, Jessica, has made these most delicious cupcakes to celebrate my 3 ½ decades on the planet. I hear there are more treats planned for later in the week by the other lovely assistant, Katherine. After eating 3 of these yummies today I really do not need anything other sweets….of course, that is saying like I do not need any more yarn or fabric…such a silly concept.
For my birthday/anniversary present, I received a lovely gift from Fritz and Max.
THEY ARE NOT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is Tuesday night and I have not seen them since Saturday. Can you believe it? It wasn’t so bad on Sunday and Monday since I was in Delaware checking out my mom’s new digs:
Some love shots of the garden.
The lovely Mamie.
And neighboring gardens.
Last night was awful though – I was home all alone and really missed Max – first time we have been apart since he was born….both fantastic and depressing. I mean, how can you not miss this face?
In other news, the personal/work life has been incredibly stressful, so when I get home, I have almost no interest in the knitting or crocheting or even sewing. Our next show THE NEVERENDING STORY is absolutely overwhelming for us at the moment. There are many many many costumes and not enough time to make it all happen – and not enough staff. We have been working hard on this show for way too long – it is truly the never-ending show.
Outside of the crazy number of costumes, the costume shop is also responsible for dyeing the ‘nothing’ fabric.
Here it is in stages:
