Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

Almost Christmas...

I found a creche online from Bronner's in Michigan that I thought would be great for the Kelly Clark/Amy Bunger nativity set.  I think it will hold a couple additional figures, and then we'll start spreading out on either side.  I put it all in the living room.  The tree in there is slightly reconfigured this year, given some of the color changes we made in the room.  

We haven't finished decorating the room yet - I'm talking the ones that stay up year round - window treatments - and reupholstering a couple of chairs, etc.  The big toile chair and ottoman are already gone to be redone - and there's more to do later.  I got tired of making decisions - so we will crank that up again after the first of the year.

This is the Joan Thomasson nativity set that I did at least 15 years ago.  My dad built the creche for me.  I still like this set very much.  Oh, actually the holy family is not Joan Thomasson.  I don't know who did those canvases - I bought them in a shop on the east coast while on vacation YEARS ago.   Then I decided I liked Joan's pieces better, so I combined the two.  

I put this under the tree in the family room.

Remember my tale of woe that the mantle wasn't going to get here in time for Christmas?  I thought maybe they could pull it off, but it didn't happen.  So I put all the Santas on the baker's rack in the kitchen.  And threw a little fir garland on it.  It will have to work.

Maddie and I took them all down the other day and she had a fun time setting them up in trains and other arrangements.  Last year we bowled with them.   She's progressed.  I can see someone else has been having fun with them - two of them are facing sideways in the picture!!

So, we're ready, I think.   Family started arriving from out of town on Monday - we have more coming today and another 2 on Saturday. 

Hope you are able to gather with people you love, as well.

Merry Christmas.
Love, Jane

Surprise in the mail today

I had forgotten that I hadn't gotten these Santas back yet - the August and September Kelly Clark Santas.
Love them.   Really love the background stitch on the August one.  Remember how I said it reminded me of heat off the pavement?   Still looks that way.

Now my problem is that I'm wanting to finish the other 3, and I had actually decided I'd hold off on them and work on some other things. 

Also, Vicky from Needle Nook of La Jolla sent me a Kelly Clark canvas of the letter "M".   Who knows why I would want that letter to do in needlepoint?   In pink and green, no less?  Go figure.

Oh, well, there you have it.   Conflicted as usual.

Love, Mimi  (for which the M is NOT)

Done with September

Yesterday I spent most of the day just hanging out in my jammies.   I told Mark I wasn't going to start taking down the Christmas decorations until Monday.  Makes sense to ME, since we didn't put them up until late (by my standards, anyway).

So I stitched a LOT!   I got out the September Santa first and worked with the idea of some blackwork on the cape.  Finally gave it up, as you can see.   Part of the problem was that I wanted the design to be on the diagonal, sort of around the neck.  I just decided not to spend the time working it all out - I kept losing the stitches between the stitches already in place.  Oh, well.   It's not like it's a boring piece.   There's a TON going on with this already!

I made the mistake of looking ahead at the #9 Liz stocking and really liked the way The French Knot (Diana Bosworth) did the skirt and the wall.   Had to try it.  I'll show you that later.

Happy Stitching.
Jane

 

Almost done with the background

I'm moving in on the finish.  This background is done in Mandarin Floss, which I'm not sure I'd do again, since I chose a somewhat long stitch.   I love Mandarin Floss, but I think I described it as "twiggy" earlier, and I'll stick to that description.   It just doesn't lay down very smoothly.  Now.    Let's keep in mind that I don't use a very elaborate laying method.  I took a class with a well known teacher who had a gymnastic approach to laying threads.   I love needlepoint, and I love doing it, but I'm not into 4 or 5 gyrations to lay down one thread. 

So, once I get this done, I'll be starting a second canvas that came along with me on the trip.   In the meantime, I've got about 70 pages left to read in the Edgar Sawtelle book.  While we were around the pool today, two different ladies came up to talk to me about it.   One of them wants to have a mini-book club discussion when I'm finished with it.   I'm hoping she wears the same bathing suit tomorrow...

In the meantime, here's a picture of the sunrise from our balcony.

Happy stitching.
Jane

Starting on the background

I've gotten most of the small bits done on this guy.   I don't have a couple of the threads I need, so I"ll finish them when I get home, but in the meantime, I've started on the background.   I found a diagram of the buttonhole gobelin stitch on the ANG website, so I'm using it.  I think it will work.

I ended up doing the cape part of the coat in basketweave, and I may look for a small blackwork stitch to put on top of it.   I think that would jazz it up a little bit.  Of course, jazzing isn't exactly what this needs, but I'm going to try it anyway.

Today was another quiet day.  We're just hanging out and reading and enjoying the sunshine.  Today we saw 2 whales breaching not too far from the shore.   Sorry -- no pictures.  I guess they've been around for a few weeks -- they're usually not here until January or so.   Amazing creatures.

Happy stitching.
Love, Mimi