Gifts for Gardeners and Some Gifts for Everyone

Someone commented that they liked the tree designs in my Christmas stash. 

With that input, I decided "Silent Night" by Amy Bruecken Designs would be my next stitch. 

Yesterday I went to Down to Earth to buy some peanuts and suet for the woodpeckers.  I came away with alot of gift ideas for gardeners and non-gardeners alike.

Owls are one of my favorite stitching motifs.

'Who Who' could resist this cute little guy? 

I can't think of anyone who would turn their nose up at a pot of Paper-whites.

Okay flamingos are out of place here in the Pacific NW, but I loved the funky factor of this group of five.

Paper-white bulbs for forcing - the color and scent of Spring in the deepest of Winter. 

This picture does not do the glass beaded tree justice.

I want it, I want it, I want it! 

And I want this guy too!  The grasshopper is large - about 16" long,

and dare I say it?  Cute as a Bug!

I've been taking alot of photos of mushrooms lately, but I've not come across any examples as colorful as these glass ones.  

You know you're a gardener when...

You drool over a display of gardening tools!

Don't you know someone in your life who'd crow to have this rooster?

Great gift ideas and puns at no charge!

Cranberry Deer and Creches

Design - "Cranberry Deer Pinkeep"

Designer - Beehive Needlework

Fabric - 32 count Flax Belfast linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 2 December 2011

Completed - 4 December 2011

This turned out to be the perfect weekend stitch.  I found it very soothing to work with just one color of thread - the border and the Quaker Star in the center made the design interesting to stitch too.

Sunday afternoon my Mother and I went to see a display of several hundred creches at a local church.  It was interesting to see the many different sizes, styles, materials, and configurations.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Some of the creches had small cards explaining the history of the creche.  This one was hand carved in Switzerland in the mid-1970's.  The carver used faces of people in his village; he used his own face for the Shepherd on the right.

This creche was made of heavy card stock.

I thought this creche sweet - great for a young child.

This is a close-up of one of the figures of an Asian creche - all made out of circles of cut paper - very unique.

Sometimes less is more - I liked the simplicity of this creche display.

This one had the most interesting use of light.  

Again less is more - simple corn husk figures from Kenya.

I have a small collection of about a dozen nativity scenes.  Each is so very different, yet all share the same imagery and theme.  

What To Do? What To Do?

I pawed through my stash, and came up with quite an assortment of Christmas charts and kits.  Honestly, far too many to work on in one month's time.  So now it's just a matter of prioritizing.  I'm in a reindeer mood, so I'll stitch both of the reindeer charts I think.  Beyond that though it gets a bit murky.  I haven't stitched a Heart in Hand or Lizzie Kate Santa for a number of years, so I think I'll steer in that direction.  And I didn't take a picture of it, but I do have the fabric for 6-8 ornaments from past 'Just Cross Stitch' ornament issues.  So those could come into play as well.  I guess we will all have to 'stay tuned' and see what's is next!  

First Stitch of December

I'm in the mood for reindeer!

For my first December Christmas stitch I've chosen "Cranberry Deer Pinkeep" by Beehive Needleworks.

The Christmas lights are up on the house now.

And we've put up a couple of 'gel' scenes on the front and back door.

There's lots more to decorate inside yet.  I need to find my motivation.  Has anyone seen it? 

Our ten day forecast is for cold foggy mornings, clear sunny afternoons, and lovely sunsets! 

It's supposed to be quite cold tonight.  I need to bring some my my 'tender' plants into the garage for some extra protection.

Wrapping Up the Week

Design - "Jenny Bean: Harvest"

Designer - Shakespeare's Peddler

Fabric - 36 count Buttercream Lakeside linen

Fibers - Crescent Colors - Belle Soie - 1 strand over 2 threads 

Started - 29 November 2011

Completed - 1 December 2011

I'm glad you (Followers) talked me into stitching both of the Jenny Bean: Harvest designs.  I particularly like this one.  I did go out on a limb (for me anyway) and I redesigned the bottom story of the house to make it more symmetrical, and to my taste.

Thanks so much for all the positive comments on my December Blog Header.  I've really enjoyed putting together a thematic collage each month of 2011. 

I do have to apologise - I got trigger happy on Wednesday as I was drafting the Nature portion of this post, and it ended up on my blog for an hour or so before I caught my error.  So if when you look at these photos you think Deja Vu - It's all my fault.    

I caught this female Hairy Woodpecker as she grabbed a bit of peanut.  She pounded on the peanuts to break them into small chunks which she then could finesse out of the wire cage.

The mullein made a nice perch for this Oregon Junco.

I was able to zoom in and get the texture of the soft downy belly feathers. 

Everyday that I'm outside, I either hear and/or see a couple of Anna's Hummingbirds.  In fact I need to boil up another batch of sugar water and refill the feeders..

A New Month...A New Header

Wow - it's December already.  The frantic holiday season is now upon us.

I am still trying to figure out my stitching plans for this month.  In the mean time, here's a list of the charts/kits stitched in the December header.  The rows listed below are vertical (up and down). 

Row #1. 'Better Homes & Gardens Cross Stitch and Country Crafts' July/Aug 1995, "Merry Christmas Reindeer", Lizzie Kate, "Joy", Mosey 'n Me, "Just Before the Trip", Lizzie Kate, "Merry Ho Ho".

Row #2. Lizzie Kate, "Do Not Open 'Til Christmas" (kit), Mary Garry, "Christmas Cookies" (colors changed per a conversion by the gals at Shepherd's Bush), Heart in Hand, "Wee Santa 2000".

Row #3. 'Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue 2005', Sisters & Best Friends, "On the First Day of Christmas", Ewe & Eye & Friends, "Christmas Cracker"  (Blacksheep kit).

Row #4. Bent Creek, "Ho Ho Ho" (kit), Ewe & Eye & Friends, "Ho-Ho-Ho" (2006 cross stitch calendar), Heart in Hand, "Wee Santa 1999". 

Row #5. Heart in Hand, "Reindeer Sampler" (kit), Theron Traditions, "Woodland Christmas", Heart in Hand, "Monthly Mania: December", Heart in Hand, "Wee Santa 1997".  

I hope this allows you to figure out which pieces you want to add to your "Must Have" list.  If you have questions please leave a comment or email me and I'll try my best to answer promptly. 

HAPPY DECEMBER!