I am an exchanging fool

I have signed myself up for 5 exchanges for the rest of the summer and fall and Christmas.

I think it will be OK. None are too hard to deal with.

I have my SS exchange to finish for the 123 board. Tomorrow (payday), I have to place an order for some silks for my SS, and then get her some 32 count fabrics. I wish that 123 carried them in, like, 9X13 cuts, but that's OK. I don't want to be cheap, I just wanted to get a bigger selection for her.

I also signed up for the school box exchange and Halloween/fall ornament exchange on Sanman board. I already bought a really kick-butt metal lunchbox to put my school box exchange partner's goodies in--I know it's not a schoolbox, but it was much cuter than the pencil boxes, and you can store a project or something in it. Now to get some pencils--they had gorgeous ones at Barnes and Noble--and some other things to fill it. I am not quite sure if we are supposed to limit it to school supplies or if we can put stitchy stuff in, I figure I can do half and half. Colored pencils and a highlighter, maybe a tiny hot glue gun and some glue, a zippy pencil case--you can put stitchy supplies in that, and some floss. If I can still get them at the state fair, they have these wonderful candies like caramel creams, but they have apple in the center. They are THE BOMB, and those would probably be good in there. I don't think we were supposed to stitch anything.

As for the fall Halloween exchange, I need to know if my partner wants a fall or Halloween ornament before I get stitching. I found a really cute chart in the latest Cross Stitch Crazy that's a mouse in some poppies if she wants a fall chart. That would be really cute as a like a pillow. But if she wants a Halloween theme, I am not sure what to stitch.

I also signed up for a Christmas ornament exchange on 123. My partner is in Iceland, so this should be awesome. I am way more confident now about my finishing skills; I am not professional, but any stretch, but I can do it!

And then we have SS exchange on one of the other message boards I go to. I am really looking forward to buying for my SS. She asked for colored fabrics and she loves primitive things. Awesome! I can do that. She even said she liked aida--there are some gorgeous colored aidas out there.

It seems like a lot, but I think it's all manageable. There are staggered deadlines. That helps a lot. And when I quit my part-time job, I'll have time to do it all. I have to tell my boss tomorrow. I am not looking forward to it, but it makes no sense to keep doing this. Even when I am not at SO's, it's a 15 mile drive from my full-time job to the part time job. That's a half gallon of gas, and, even with the prices falling, it's still $1.90 to go one way, plus that to go home. So, $3.80 in gas to work two hours. I make $8.00 an hour so on the weeknights, I've earned $16, but paid out almost 25% to get there. Then when you factor in taxes and social security, I lose another $2 an hour. So, of the $16, I lose about $8 a day just to be there. And then I get stressed because some of the patrons act out, and I am way to old for that nonsense. I think, figured over the long-term, it makes more sense to just work full time, and then use the part time job time to work out or stitch.

But I am almost done with my biscornu. I just have the backstitch line to do. YAY!