Saturday, June 13, 2009

Week Twenty-Four: Prairie Schooler Santa with Cardinal




By now I'm sure you've gathered that Prairie Schooler designs are among my favorites! This is the second Santa I have stitched from the booklet: "Kris Kringle." This blue-robed Santa carrying his red and white mittens was stitched on 32-count sage jobelan with DMC threads. I love the tiny details on his outfit; the two snowmen holding brooms and wearing hats, with charcoal buttons, carrot noses, and red scarves wrapped warmly around their necks. So cute...If you look closely you'll notice that the Santa is carrying a small red cardinal with a holly branch in its mouth.

Speaking of cardinals...several weeks ago I noticed a lot of rustling and squawking in the lilac bush outside of our familyroom window. Upon further inspection, I spied a brand new cardinal's nest holding one lone egg. I had never seen a cardinal's egg before and after a week or so the brown-speckled egg hatched into this alien-looking little cardinal chick! Just yesterday I checked and what do you know, the little cardinal had grown feathers (not yet red) and was ready to fly away...

A lone cardinal egg...

The newly hatched cardinal... Poor little thing--he looks so frail with his translucent skin and huge bug-like eyes. Hard to believe that someday he'll be one of the bright red birds we enjoy watching in our yard all year long.

And here is the baby cardinal finally leaving the nest...I suppose his feathers will begin to turn red as he gets older. Good luck little one...

6 comments:

Leah said...

Love the PS Santa! Your cardinal photos are wonderful!!

Myra said...

Carol, the PS Santa is delightful. I love the colors.

I especially enjoyed your pictures of the baby cardinal. Like you, I enjoy seeing the adults all the time but I have never seen a nest, egg, or one as young as yours. Thank you for sharing those wonderful photos.

Viooltje (Violet) said...

1) I'm so "jealous" of you: having cardinals in your garden!
(drool)
(what a cuty it is (with the feathers)!)
;o)

2) I live in the land where we (use to) believe in Sinterklaas.
I don't like Santa's at all, they are trying to take Things over here.
*Ü*
(sorry, it's a cultural Thing)
*Ü*
There is a "kind of war" going on here between the two old folks (or their fans) every year.
The new Santa being very commercial and for grown ups, and Sinterklaas a family friend for centuries for children.

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38

3) That said...
I love PS charts (I have a huge stash of them, even with a Santa on a Christmas chart *Ü*) (ssst) and I love snowman (what a cute coat!) and cardinals ♥ and your stitching.

So this Santa is my "friend".
;o))))))))))))

I hope you didn't mind my (blunt?) Santa-opinion?
If you knew/grew up with Sinterklaas, you would love him too, I'm sure/I hope.
*Ü*

Barb said...

Great pics of the cardinal baby! We always have a pair that live in our hedge but I've never ventured to look for a nest.

Just found your blog and what a great idea you had for stitching one ornament a week. I was trying to stitch one a month, but am already 3 months behind!

Viooltje (Violet) said...

pssst Carol,
I've just mailed you (too).
If you can't find it, please look in your spamfolder?
*Ü*
It was a bit of a heavy linked mail.
;o)
Bye. ~~~~~~~~ *Ü* ~~~~~~~>
I've some mice (and an owl?) to feed.
Peter takes care of himself.
;o))))))))

Viooltje (Violet) said...

The calender-clock shows... my time?
Cute!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
:o)))))))))