Holidaze and Christmas Stitching

Where has December gone? It’s flying by in a holidaze! My intention had been to post at least once or twice a week throughout the month, but you know what they say about good intentions. It has been a busy, fun month so far: two guild holiday parties, a lovely luncheon hosted by my friend Kathy, a wonderful Christmas concert where my cousin’s school choral group performed, and last Saturday her sister was in a play. So, all of that may explain my dearth of posting, but I do promise to try to do better going forward. 

Let me show you a bit of what I have been stitching. I’ve added these two little pillows to my small red tiered tray.

To fully finish them I started by first applying a piece of FS101 to the back of the stitched piece. Next I took the  stitched piece and a piece of backing fabric and sewed them right sides together around all four sides. I make a slit in the backing, turn the piece right side out, stuff, and cover the slit with a piece of wool to which I add a button and a year charm. (The patterns for the tiny pillows are from the  “Festive Countdown” in the Xmas 2020 issue of Christmas Cross Stitch Favourites, a British publication. )

Each year the Just Cross Stitching magazine publishes a Christmas ornament issue. This ornament had caught my eye back in 2020, and I finally stitched it this year. It’s Holly Jolly Buffalo by designer Melody Gilmore of Open Road Abode Needleworks.

A buffalo??? Why??? Well, it reminds me of past trips to the Tetons and Yellowstone, and besides that I just liked it. :-) One more thing, do you know what baby bison are called? I do and in case you are ever asked during a trivia contest, the answer is “red dogs.” Now I know you are wondering, how the heck does  she know that??? Well, I think that I have mentioned that I have rather eclectic tastes when it comes to Youtube. I really enjoy watching cross stitch flosstubes, gardening programs like “Garden Answers,” lots of all types of music, etc. Then I also watch “Inside the NBA” with Ernie Johnson, Shaq, Charles Barkley, and Kenny, the ‘Jet’ Smith. They are one funny, funny crew of basketball analysts. I discovered “Follow the Herd” about Fresian horses during the pandemic and still watch each new episode. That brings me back to how I know about “red dogs.” Well, I also follow Dusty and Marissa at Cross Timbers Bison, a young couple who explore the challenges of raising bison. ;-) That’s how I know the babies are a cinnamon color for their first few months. Indeed, youtube can be super educational ;-)

I’ll have a few more ornaments to show in my next post. But . . . just in case I don’t post before Christmas, wherever you travel on the big day, have fun and be safe. :-) [This mural is at the Derby Street stores in Hingham.]