Ornaments for Little Dude and his Preschool Teacher

Speaking of Little Dude's yearly ornaments, here's the one for 2013...

Little House Needleworks' Main Street Station
Hometown Holiday Series
Stitched over 1 on 32 ct. Linen with recommended threads
Backed with plaid fabric shown in background

Little Dude is train obsessed.  OBSESSED.  A few months before he was born, a friend of mine was cleaning out her basement and wanted to give us her sons' Thomas the Train table.  I turned it down, not knowing whether or not my child would be interested in trains.  It's a decision that I kick myself for on a regular basis.

All is not lost though - he has a very talented dad who hacked an IKEA coffee table and built him his very own train table.  We were also gifted with piles of wooden train tracks, trains and accessories from my BIL and SIL, who passed them on from my SIL's sister's son.  We added a few more accessories and trains for him, and they are by far his favorite toy.   He's gotten hours of enjoyment out of them.  He started playing with them when he was just over 2 years old, and it's been fun to watch how the way he plays with them has changed and developed.

And it's not just Thomas that holds his interest, although I am certain we've seen every single episode of Thomas, read all the books, and own most of the trains.  He's obsessed with all kinds of trains - real ones, wooden ones, model trains, books about trains, videos about trains, etc.  We've taken him to Day out with Thomas twice, on at least a dozen train rides around the area, museums, model train displays, you name it, we've done it.  Two weeks ago, we took him to the Railroad Museum in Strasburg for the second time.  We spent four hours there, exploring the actual restored trains (engines, cars and cabooses) and playing with the various set ups and displays they had for the kids.  He begged for a ride on the Strasburg Railroad across the street, but we told him another time as he was already getting crabby.  Never in a million years did I think I'd get a kid as crazy about trains as this one, but it's been interesting.  I've certainly learned way more about trains than I ever thought I would.  (And if you find yourself in the Lancaster area, I highly recommend a visit to the Railroad Museum)

The other Little Dude related ornament is the one I stitched up for his preschool teacher.  He started preschool in September, three days a week, and he LOVES it.  I was a little nervous at first, but he is still excited to go and very much enjoys it.   He's (so far) an only child and most of the kids in our neighborhood are middle school or older, so he's been making friends at school.

I wasn't quite sure what to do for his teacher for Christmas.  My husband and I bake a tremendous amount of cookies (usually 12 different kinds, plus several kinds of candy), so we hand out cookie platters to neighbors, family and friends.  I was already planning on giving his teacher some baked goodies, but I wanted to do something extra for her as she's been really wonderful with Little Dude.  My MIL is a former preschool teacher herself, and she said the gifts she treasured the most were handmade ones.  Perfect, right?  So I flipped through some of my JCS Ornament issues and this one popped out at me.

The Decorator by Full Circle Designs
JCS 2007 Ornament Issue
Stitched on 32 ct. grey linen with recommended threads

I lucked out and had two matching pieces of grey linen in my stash, so I stitched his name and the year on the back so she would always remember him.  I had a strand of red, green and pearl seed beads in my trim stash, and that finished it up nicely.  His teacher loved it, and told me that snowmen were one of her favorite winter / Christmas themes.  Score!

Nick's 2010 Ornament

And for the grand finale of this Parade of Ornament, perhaps the most shameful of all.

I finished stitching this piece in 2010, got the buttons for it in early 2011, and still couldn't manage to put the whole thing together until last week. Mind you, I've finished several ornaments for other people, but when it comes to getting it done for my own son? Bad mommy!! (We won't discuss why Nick doesn't have a 2011 ornament yet...)

The Stars are Brightly Shining by SamSarah Design Studio

JCS Ornament issue 2005
2 over 2 32 ct. Crystal Loch Belfast
Swarovski crystals, seed beads and JABC buttons

I fell in love with this cutie the second that I saw him, even though he was another snowman. I told you, it's a vicious cycle. And it doesn't help that I tend to *really* like the SamSarah Designs from the JCS ornament issues (this maybe be the 2nd or 3rd one I've stitched and finished, and at least the 4th I've marked for future stitching). The words also happen to be a line from my favorite "traditional" Christmas song - Oh Holy Night. I'm not religious, but there is something about that song that gets to me.

It's another very large ornament, and I had considered doing it over 1 but that would have thrown the proportion of the buttons off, so I went ahead with over 2. It's not the size of a dinner plate, but still.... Even though it's a larger ornament, it's still one of my very favorites that I've ever stitched. My most favorite is this one, Nick's very first ornament. Oh wait. Maybe this one. Or quite possibly this one. I'll stop now.

I did change out some of the colors - I wanted a deeper, variegated red for the scarf, and I subbed in some beads in the bush for some added texture. I also used beads for the eyes, and Swarovski crystals for buttons. I figured with the buttons, it would tie in nicely. And I changed out the gold stars for silver because we are, after all, a Dallas Cowboys family. (which is why "stars" and blue and silver are recurring themes in my stitching)

It's impossible to see in this photo, but the fabric has shiny iridescent threads running through the weave and adds a beautiful sparkle to the finished piece. And now that I've finished his 2010 ornament, perhaps it's time to get cracking on 2011. Maybe even 2012.

Snowmen, Snow women, and Snowboys!

Every single time I stitch a snowman (or snow-person), I think about how much I dislike stitching with white thread, especially large swaths of white. You know, the kind you'd see when you're stitching a snowman. And every single time I see a cute snowman ornament, I forget how much I dislike it and decide I am going to stitch it. It's a vicious cycle, but I do it for love.

These next two ornaments will be going to good friends of ours, Jenn and Marc, who just had their second son in May. Jenn and I were pregnant at the same time with our firstborn sons and bonded over the experience. Shortly after Jenn told me she was pregnant with her second, the JCS ornament issue came out and lo and behold, a pregnant snow-woman ornament!

Snowflake By SamSarah Design Studio
JCS ornament Issue 2011
WDW Blue Jean 30 ct. 2 over 3
with my own thread selections

This ornament is GIGANTIC. Okay, gigantic for me. It ended up being something like 4"x4". If I stitch it again, it will be over 1, but this is very cute anyway. I will most likely include a small easel with it though, in case they want to put it on a shelf or the mantle instead of hanging it on the tree. I also left the hanging loop long enough to fit over a doorknob if they so choose.

And I can't forget Nick's friend, Mason (Jenn and Marc's son) I stitched a photo ornament the year he was born, and plan to continue the tradition of stitching something for him every year. This one ended up being perfect for him.

Just a Little Flaky - Val's Stuff
JCS Ornament issue 2011
WDW Blue Jean 30 ct 2 over 2
With my own thread selections

I made some modifications to the design, taking out the wording and substituting Mason's name and the year, as well as adding some tiny iridescent white beads for snowflakes.


You can see the detail on the snowflakes here.

I ended up stitching both pieces on the same fabric and tried to coordinate some of the other colors so the pieces "go" together. Now I'll need to figure out what to stitch for Mason and his new little brother for this year, once the new JCS issue comes out.

Finished!

Celtic Wreath by The Sunflower Seed
JCS 2009 Ornament Issue
F&S Exchange from Christine

While I was on a finishing tear around the holidays, I finished up this piece, stitched by Christine for a F&S Exchange. It had been sitting around since the end of 2009 and I had always intended to make it into an ornament. I even had the cardboard cut to size, but just never got around to actually completing the project. It's like one of those WIPs that need just a few more stitches, and when you finally put them in and finish it, you wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

This piece would work as an ornament, although as a slightly larger one, but I decided to hang it from the knob on the china hutch we inherited from my husband's grandmother. It sits in the corner of our dining room, where I do most of my finishing work. I hung it on the door to get it off the table and out of the way, and decided I really liked the way it looked there, so that's where it will hang for the holidays.

And if you click through to the original post, you'll see I have a better photo of the piece before finishing, as well as a photo of the signature square I used for the back.

More ornaments - finished and sent out. Go me!

Are you tired of these yet? Me? I'm just happy to have them finished up and sent on instead of staring at me accusingly from a plastic bag on my dining room table where they waited for months to be assembled. I wish I was kidding. Or exaggerating.

Art Deco Frame by Julia Lucas Designs
JCS 2005 Christmas Ornament Issue
Stitched with DMC Pearle Cotton and DMC Thread
(Images / Name intentionally blurred for privacy)

I've gotten more use out of this edition of the magazine than any other, and out of this particular piece. This marks the fourth and fifth time I've stitched this piece, all in different colors. (You can see the wedding version I stitched for my in-laws, and two additional birth record ornaments here and here). And I have a few more partially stitched waiting to be finished up, including one for my own son. Who is two. Okay then. Moving along....

As I've mentioned before, since it's stitched on plastic canvas, it's super easy for me to stitch on it in the car when we travel, and if I've started one on the sheet of plastic, I don't even need the chart. Putting them together is a little tedious, but I've been fiddling with my methods and it gets a little easier to put them together each time.

I also love these pieces because they're SO easy to customize. I went traditional with the one for my in-laws, but experimented with the variegated pearle cotton for one of the birth record ones. For these, I chose blue for the girl (her mom is NOT a girly girl pink kind of mom) and green for the boy, and went with a nautical theme for the clip art accent to reflect the theme of the nursery. I did stitch a birth record for Alexa, but Blake's is languishing in my stitching box. I really need to get on that. He'll be .... well, let's just say I hope to get it to him before he leaves for college.

I should explain that Alexa and Blake are the children of a very dear friend of mine. We met online while we were planning our weddings (9 years ago!) She lives across the country in Colorado, and though we've never met in person, we've bonded over our similar upbringings and her friendship is one I treasure. She sent me a lovely thank you note on behalf of the kids and she was touched by the gift. It's nice when your hard work is met by such appreciation, and it's definitely motivational to finish up a few more projects that have been sitting around.

Another Fair & Square Exchange... and I FINISHED something!

I have been stitching, and I'm on a bit of a finishing kick. I have several ornaments I wanted to make sure were completely finished and ready to hang. It's a goal I made for myself when I realized that the ornament I stitched for my son *last* Christmas has yet to be completed (I have to add on some JABC buttons) and finished as an ornament. I plan on getting that one done (and up on the blog as well as the tree) by the end of the year. Please do not ask me about his 2011 ornament. I will probably get to that sometime this July.

But I have been keeping up with my Fair & Square Exchanges. They're small, manageable projects that motivate me to stitch and I was determined to get this one done and out the door well before the deadline. At least I accomplished THAT goal.

I was paired up with my friend Marie P again, which was wonderful. I stitched for Marie last year, and was thrilled that we were partnered up again. But this time, instead of heading off to Texas, her squares made their way to her new home in Vermont (now there's a change of scenery for sure!). We chose to do squares of with a Christmas theme, and I wanted to honor Marie's new home. This fit the bill for sure, and is from Little House Needleworks, one of Marie's favorite designers. I also wanted to make sure I stitched something Marie didn't already have, so I picked it from the 2011 JCS Ornament Issue.

Fresh Fallen Snow by Little House Needleworks
2011 JCS Ornament Issue
Stitched over 2 on 32 ct. WDW Cocoa
with WDW Seaweed and Light Khaki


And these are the squares that Marie sent to me:

The design is Christmas Lighthouse by Of Generations Past and I have been admiring this design at my LNS the last few times I've been in, but couldn't bring myself to buy it because I have *so much stuff* to stitch already. I'm absolutely thrilled Marie stitched it for me, and I have another surprise - it's finished into a ornament and hanging on our tree! I was in the middle of finishing up some ornaments to be given as gifts this year (which you'll see in upcoming posts) and these squares went right into the pile. Luckily, the shape lent itself to a very easy finish and it was done in no time (and I genuinely appreciate the signature squares, not only for the personalization, but for the fact I do not have to hunt down backing fabric.)

It's in good company - we probably have two dozen lighthouses (and adding more every year) on our tree. I try to collect an ornament for every lighthouse we visit, as well as ones that are non-specific. Once again, great thanks to Marie!

Good friends

I swear, I know the nicest people. Last week, we got a lovely package from my friend Dianne (Dianne Rambling On). Dianne's a jack of all trades when it comes to crafting and has done some lovely collage pieces, one of which she gifted to us.

Why yes, that IS a lighthouse! (And I do wish I was there!)

Dianne made this pretty little piece which is now on display in our living room. I love how the design is layered and textured - the "sand" in the lower corner is actually teeny tiny little gold beads. Very cool!

Dianne also gifted us with this piece for Nick, appropriately named Nickademus, Raise the Roof Design's contribution to the 2010 JCS Ornament issue. Dianne and I were chatting and she said she had stitched this piece up. When I mentioned it was on my list to stitch for Nick, she asked if she could finish it as an ornament for him.

Now, I am a sucker for anything sentimental, so of course I said yes! I love when something has a meaning or a story or something behind it, and in years to come when we hang our ornaments on the tree, this one will always bring Dianne to mind. I'd like to teach my son about sharing his talents with other people, and also, how things don't always have to be sleek and shiny and mass produced to be special and valuable, how things that are made and given from the heart have great value.

I see kids with their video games and their computers and their cellphones and their toys that light up and blink and do all kinds of things and I wonder how much of an appreciation they have for things that don't need batteries or a power cord. I wonder how many kids would appreciate the time and effort it took someone to make something like this for them, and I want my kid to be the one that says, "Thanks! That was really cool that you would do that for me." And sometimes I worry that I'm going to be that weirdo mom that *isn't* constantly chasing after the newest, shiniest toy or that my kid is going to be that weirdo kid, the one that can entertain himself for hours with a pile of blocks or crayons or other simple toys. And then I think maybe I don't really care if we are those "weirdos".

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get off on a tangent about these things, but sometimes I think we can all use a reminder that happiness doesn't always come from a box on a store shelf.

Christmas Round of the Fair and Square exchange

The final Fair and Square exchange round for 2010 was the Christmas round, and I was paired up with Melissa P from Massachusetts. These are the squares that Melissa stitched for me:

Christmas Round 2010 from Melissa P
Windows of Faith, Hope and Peace by Primrose Needleworks
JCS 2010 Ornament Issue

Isn't her signature square so clever? It took me a minute to figure it out, but I finally got it. 2010 in the four corners, and her initials and state in the middle. Very cool.

I had originally considered stitching these for her as well, though I am sure my signature square wouldn't have been quite as clever. At the last minute, I changed my mind and went with a different design. How funny would it have been if we stitched the same ones for each other? (And yes, I would have gone with the blue as well.)

This is what I DID stitch for Melissa:

All Hearts Come Home for Christmas
by The Cat's Whiskers Design Studio
JCS 2010 Ornament Issue

NOTE: There are two small errors in the chart. I noticed them when I was stitching and they were fairly easy to correct. You can see the correction here.

Melissa's likes were wide open, so I went with this design. I've always liked the "All hearts come home for Christmas" sentiment and I thought this was a pretty rendition of it. I didn't have the called for colors and didn't like the DMC alternatives that were given, so I dove into my stash and came up with my own color selections. I used DMC 815 for the red, 783 for the gold and 904 for the green. I think they look very pretty against the antique white fabric.

I can't wait to see how Melissa finishes it. The finish in the magazine is a pinkeep, but I think this design lends itself nicely to a biscornu as well.

Drew's Christmas Ornament

Art Deco Frame by Julia Lucas Designs
JCS 2005 Christmas Ornament Issue
Stitched with DMC Perle Cotton (Variations 4040) and DMC Thread

Oh yes, you'll be seeing more of these. This is the version I stitched for my friend's son Drew (the recipient of the Jungle Baby Birth Record I posted about earlier). I wanted to incorporate the jungle theme into the ornament, so I used a clip art giraffe to decorate the birth information side. Luckily, the colors of the clip art tied in nicely to the variegated thread.

This is such an easy stitch, and something I can work on in the car. Since we travel to our hometown on a regular basis to see my husband's parents and grandmothers, we spend a fair amount of time in the car. It's a little difficult for me to stitch on fabric, but these are done on plastic canvas and are much easier to work on in a moving vehicle.

As you can see, I like to go with variations on a theme, and for this one, I tried out the variegated perle cotton. I like that it's a little different than the regular perle cottons I've used for other ornaments. I have several other ornaments in the works. I used an opalescent DMC thread for the accent stitching, but to assemble the ornament, I used regular DMC floss. DMC provides a color chart that lists which colors are used to make up the variegated threads so you can match a solid color floss to the variegated ones. I picked one of the colors to whipstitch the edges together. Also, I used a clear plastic canvas and trimmed it very closely so I didn't feel there was a need to whipstitch the edges of the openings.

To protect the photo and the birth information (which is printed on my color inkjet printer to regular paper), I used a regular laminating pocket I picked up at Staples (I've also seen them at Target and Walmart). This is *not* a heat set laminating pocket - just a regular one that presses together by hand. I line up the photo and the birth information in the windows, then use double sided mounting squares to stick them together. (You can find the mounting squares in the scrapbooking section. Once I get everything lined up and stuck together, I set them up in the laminating pouch and go from there. A little bit of hot glue helps me make sure the laminating pouch stays in place while I whipstitch the edges together. (Be careful not to melt the pouch). Once everything is together, I squeeze in a little more glue to hold the edges of the frame down around the picture and birth info.

The One that Started it All

Art Deco Frame by Julia Lucas Designs
JCS 2005 Christmas Ornament Issue
Stitched with DMC Pearle Cotton and DMC Metallic Thread

This is the ornament that started it all. I was flipping through the JCS 2005 Ornament issue after purchasing it on eBay a while back, and fell in love with this design. My father-in-law had been going through old family photos and scanning them onto the computer. One of the photos he scanned was from their wedding and I knew this ornament would be perfect.

As I've mentioned before, I didn't like the way the original instructions for the ornament called for doing the back, which is when I came up with the idea of making a double sided ornament. I had intended to doing their names and wedding date on the computer in a fancy font, print it out and call it a day. But on a subsequent visit to my in-laws, my mother-in-law brought out a box of loose photos and other wedding memorabilia and talked about some day putting it in an album or scrapbook. One of the items in the box was their actual wedding invitation, and I asked my father-in-law if I could make a copy of it. I *told* him that I was helping our cousin Kerri with her wedding invitations and she was interested in seeing what other family members had done, as I didn't want to explain what my real reason was and ruin the surprise.

When I got the copy home, I played around with it and made a miniature version of their wedding invitation for the back of the ornament:


Oddly enough, looking at the invitation sparked another conversation, as my father-in-law's father's name, Gerard, is misspelled on it. Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal, but since my son's middle name is in honor of his great grandfather, and it's spelled with the "e" on everything from his birth certificate to his announcements to his sampler we stitched, I wanted to make sure we had it spelled correctly. So yes, it was indeed misspelled on their wedding invitations.

But wait... there's more. In another "You must be kidding me" episode, I sent the pictures to be printed at WalMart, and asked my husband to pick them up on his way home from work. He called me from the store and told me the clerk at the photo counter refused to give him the prints because it was copyrighted work and we'd need a release from the photo studio to get the print. I was absolutely furious, and went over to the store myself to speak with the manager. I explained that this wasn't actually a professional photo - it was a snapshot taken by a friend, and I could in fact produce the original snapshot if necessary. And even if it was a professional shot, the photo had been taken forty five years ago - who knew if the studio was even still in business? The manager finally relented and gave me the print, but it cost them my printing business. I now either order the prints online, or get them printed elsewhere. I won't be having any prints done at WalMart, that's for sure.

And on a happier note, the ornament was gifted to my in-laws on Christmas Eve. They were absolutely thrilled with it, and very touched that I had put something together like this for them. I'm so glad they liked it, and it's now hanging front and center on their Christmas tree.

Fair and Square Exchange with Lenna

The Huddle by Ink Circles
Stitched by Lenna V

Last week, I received my squares from my exchange partner, Lenna V. Lenna also included a SUPER CUTE tuck pillow with her squares. Lenna's friend makes the pillows, and if you are interested, you can get in touch with her by emailing lrlockley@sbcglobal.net. There is also a phone number on the label that I will be happy to email you.

Lenna also included her signature square.

I love these reindeer, and the pillow will be right at home displayed on our shelves in the living room, next to our Christmas tree. Thank you, Lenna, for a wonderful exchange.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't post a photo of the squares I sent Lenna. I chose a design from the JCS 2008 ornament issue.

Let it Snow by Country Cottage Needleworks
JCS 2008 Ornament Issue
Stitched over 2 on 32 ct. Picture It Plus fabric in Gothic
with my own selection of threads

Once again, the Picture It Plus fabric was an absolute joy to stitch on, though the dark color did make it slightly more difficult. However, the fabric is just lovely and the color is gorgeous. If you have the opportunity to pick up some Picture It Plus fabric, I definitely recommend it.

Love is Little... and so is the amount of my blog posts

I know, I know. It's been AGES since I've posted anything and it may seem as if I have abandoned not only blogging but stitching as well. Surprisingly, I have been able to stitch, though not as much as I used to. After all, there is a teeny tiny little person that demands a whole lot of attention these days.

I am also working on what is probably the most time consuming stitching project I've ever taken on - a Stoney Creek lighthouse for Kathy. It's on the tedious side - which has convinced me to delete every single Stoney Creek pattern from my wish list. The finished result is gorgeous - wait till you see how Kathy's piece is turning out! - but I think this is a once in a lifetime experience for me.

On the more productive side, I did finish stitching and framing a gift for a friend. She got pregnant shortly after I did, so our pregnancies overlapped and we had great fun sharing stories, helpful hints and birthing stories. Her son was born in January, and I had been looking for a piece to stitch for his room. His parents didn't pick a particular theme, but focused instead on earthy shades of brown and green. Now, it may be my personal bias, but I do think this is going to look just perfect hanging in his room...

Love is Little by La D Da

Stitched over 2 on 35 ct. WDW Beige

with recommended GAST threads

I am utterly thrilled with how it came out. As soon as I saw the pattern on someone's blog, I thought it would make a wonderful piece for a baby or child's room, and filed it away. When my friend told me her color scheme for the room, and that they weren't leaning towards a theme, I knew this was the perfect piece for them. I did make my own little modifications here and there - adding in the name and birth date (GAST Dark Chocolate), and changing the little bird from the recommended gold to GAST Blueberry. You know, the Bluebird of Happiness? I did change the fabric from what was called for - I didn't like the more reddish tone with the GAST converstion, so I went with the Weeks. It was absolutely lovely to stitch on.

My husband did the framing for me - he has so much more patience for it than I do. I ordered a custom frame from http://www.pictureframes.com/ and picked up foam core that I cut to size (apparently I also need a lesson on how to cut that correctly. LOL). DH did all the stretching, pinning, adjusting, repinning, readjusting and cursing. But in the end, it was well worth it. I think the frame sets it off beautifully, and Picture Frames does really excellent work. And did I mention you can upload scans or photos of your pieces and play around with different frames and mats? I would, however, recommend ordering a set of free mat samples before ordering custom cut mats - sometimes the color on screen can differ greatly from the actual mat color.

But WAIT!! There's more!

Art Deco Frame by Julia Lucas Designs (JCS 2005 Ornament Issue)

Stitched on plastic canvas with DMC thread and pearle cotton

I also like to give a Christmas ornament as a gift for a new baby and this may well become my standard ornament gift. It whipped up in almost no time, and it's so easy to personalize. The photograph was taken by an amazingly talented photographer - Ashley Gigliotti. I designed the back of the ornament myself, adapting from the design. The original instructions called for pasting the completed frame on cardboard, but I wanted to make it more of a pocket so that both sides could be used for display.

I used Word to design the birth information, then printed it on linen paper. I sized the photo to fit in the frame and had that printed through Snapfish. Then I used a self sealing laminating pouch from Staples to ensure neither side would get damaged. It was a little fiddly to put it together, but well worth it, and a tiny bit of hot glue worked wonders for keeping things in place.

(FYI: The website is not on the actual photograph I used for the ornament - it's in this photo to protect Ashley's copyright)

This is one of several versions of the ornament I've stitched so far. These are the perfect thing to stitch in the car - I have no trouble finding the holes, and if I have one already stitched, I have no need to carry the pattern around with me - I just stitch from the finished one. You can fit three whole ornaments (front and back) on one sheet of canvas, and the personalization possibilities are endless. You'll be seeing several more of these as I complete them.

Christmas 2009 Fair & Square Exchange

Now that things have settled down over the holidays, I'm posting photos of the Christmas 2009 F&S Exchange.

First up are the gorgeous squares I received from Christine, just shortly before Christmas:

Celtic Wreath by The Sunflower Seed
JCS 2009 Ornament Issue

Aren't they stunning? And I love her signature square - I might have to borrow that idea in the future. These lovelies are already in my finishing pile. I stitched a few ornaments over the holidays, including the first one for my son, so I'd like to get them finished up and put in with the rest of the ornaments. And no, I have not taken down our Christmas tree yet. It's still standing in all its Christmas glory in the front window. (Although I have been forbidden to turn the lights on for fear of attracting the attention, and ridicule, of the neighbors.)

And the squares I sent to her (though just a hair late because of the craziness of the holidays)

Christmas 2009 Round to Christine R (no blog)
Merry & Bright by Little by Little Designs
JCS 2007 Ornament Issue
Sitched with DMC Threads on 32 ct. Bayleaf

I'm glad I was paired up with Christine for this round as her "wish list" introduced me to a new designer I had never stitched before. I liked stitching this one so much I might have to stitch it again for myself.

New Home Ornament

Since DH and I bought our first house in June, I wanted to make a special ornament for our tree, and this is what I came up with:

JCS 2007 Ornament Issue - Deck the Halls by Julia Lucas Designs
stitched over 2 on 32 ct. fabric with DMC and specialty threads

I know - it barely looks like the version in the magazine, which is very nice, but I really wanted to personalize this piece. The most obvious change is changing the door from green to red, and yes, I really did take my DMC color card to my front door so I could get an exact color match. Same goes for the bricks. God only knows what the neighbors thought about the crazy lady holding stuff up to various areas of her house. I also added a brass kickplate and house numbers and left off the wreath treasure.

Oh, and the bushes are a little bigger because I screwed up a little and started them higher than they should have been, so I had to make some adjustments. (Not to mention there are no bushes beside our actual front door, but I consider it creative license). And while I was at it, I changed the Welcome to our name (blurred for privacy), and added our new town and the date at the bottom. Then I laced it and a pretty piece of red fabric with gold swirls onto pieces of cardboard, stitched the two halves together, and gussied the whole thing up with some lovely store bought cording.

And as long as I am on the subject, I'd like to address Julia Lucas Design's contribution to this year's Ornament Issue. At first glance, I thought it was a misprint and they put last year's ornament in again, but upon closer inspection, I discovered that this year's ornament was a window, not a door. Which looks an awful lot like the door from the 2007 issue. I'm just sayin....

Ornament Finishing Binge

So I've been on an ornament finishing binge, and yes, my tree is still up, though I am forbidden to light it because it's in the front window and my DH doesn't want the neighbors to think we're weirdos. The reason I am leaving it up because nobody has ever really seen our tree. DH and I travel to the family - nobody comes here over the holidays, and so nobody has been able to enjoy our tree but us. I have a friend coming to visit (it was supposed to be this upcoming weekend, but we moved it to the following weekend), so we agreed to leave the tree up so that at least someone else could admire it.

Back to the ornaments I have been finishing. First up is the ornament I made from the squares that Claire G. sent me for the Christmas Round of the F&S Exchange.


I am not sure who the designer is - you'll have to check with Claire (and it's a good excuse to go over and visit her blog!) I originally bought a finishing form for it, but it ended up being smaller than I wanted, so I did it my own way, whipstitching the edges together with beads, and using a piece of cardboard on the inside to give it a little weight. I think it's just adorable, and while you can't see it in this picture, the sparkle of the beads around the edges really sets it off. (Photo is partially blurred for privacy)

And this little snowman is joined by two buddies on an ornament I stitched up in 2007 and just got around to finishing up this past weekend. (I know, I know)

JCS 2007 Ornament Issue
Winter Love by Sam Sarah Designs
stitched over 2 on 25 ct. linen with DMC threads

I used the same finishing technique as I did on the one above - whipstitching and cardboard. I originally intended to make a little pillow like they did in the magazine, but I thought it looked nicer a little flatter. On the back, I used the same fabric and stitched our name and 2007 in red thread, and used red seed beads for the edges. I also didn't use the recommended buttons - stitching in the hearts instead and skipping the cardinal button altogether. This was my first JCS ornament finish, and pretty much the reason I picked up the magazine in the first place.

And the cute little snowflake? One of many crocheted by DH's grandma. Our tree is covered in them, and it actually looks bare without them.