I Need a New Project

After working on it for 7 months, I've finally finished the counted cross-stitched wall hanging I made as a wedding gift for my sister. Except for the personalization changes, this is what it looks like: http://craftyneedle.com/products/full/5275.jpg

To make a counted cross-stitch piece, you literally count the number of stitches you need to make in each row or column based on your pattern. This means that in addition to taking for-fucking-ever to complete, accidents are fairly easy, and I had to unstitch and even cut out a few sections when I miscounted.

I chose to do this for my sister not because she would appreciate the time and effort I put into it (hardly), but because I am incredibly detail oriented, crafty, and have a weird, mild form of anxiety-based OCD--it's best if I keep my hands busy.

I was joking with a friend that I've been working my project almost as long as a pregnancy, although this baby didn't require me to gain weight, stop drinking, or, well, care for the damn thing afterward.

I've worked on it nearly every day since I started--cross-stitching on the subway, on planes, in cars, and every night or during the weekend when I watched tv. I've been working on it for so long that I kind of don't know what to do with myself now that I'm done. I accomplished my goal--now what? A friend told me that he felt the same way after he ran the marathon--after months and months of training, he felt hollow after finishing the actual marathon, like there was nothing left to push him forward. I guess that's how it is after you work for an extended period of time on anything--whether it's the book that took me 5 years to write and is languishing on my computer, an extensive craft project, or planning for a one-day event like a marathon or, even a wedding. What will my sister do after planning for her wedding for 9 months? I guess she'll work on being married.

I'm not ready for the wedding stuff yet. I need a new project.