Week Forty-Three: Bringing Home the Christmas Tree

Good morning everyone! Can you believe how quickly this month has flown by...here we are in the last week of October! Since I couldn't decide whether to stitch the boy or the girl(and because they were both such quick stitches)I ended up finishing two ornaments this week! Although they look similar, it's only because I made changes to the colors and the design of the boy's ornament. The chart of the little boy carrying his Christmas tree (designed by June Grigg) can be found in the November-December 1987 issue of "Just Cross Stitch" and the little girl's chart (designed by Schoolroom Samplings) appeared in the November-December 1988 issue. I used 16-ct. khaki aida and DMC threads for each, backed them with the green fabric shown, added the plaid ribbon, and embellished the ribbon with some tiny green buttons. For the boy, I changed his tree to resemble the one in the girl's chart more closely and added a little black cat similar to the one that appears by her side. I completely changed the colors of their outfits to coordinate with the green and red plaid ribbon.

This has been a crazy week, weather-wise... We had our first frost on Tuesday morning and then on Thursday it was a sunny, seventy degree day. Today we're back to the cool, grey fifties that is so typical for this time of year. Oh, the joys of living in western PA in October! The leaves are lovely, though, and I realize how much I would miss the four seasons if I lived in a warmer climate.



I've discovered, though, that October must be a lucky month for me because I won, not one, but two giveaways! Myra had a drawing for her blogaversary which I was fortunate to win. The prize, as you can see, was a grinning pumpkin scissor fob (stitched on her hand-dyed purple fabric) complete with a new pair of scissors! When the prize arrived I discovered she had also included a little orange candle and an array of fabrics which I will definitely be using to stitch some of my many ornaments that need to be finished. Thank you so much, Myra--you were one of the first people to comment on my blog and I always look forward to hearing from you and visiting your inspiring blog!

My second giveaway win is from Missy Ann's Thirteen Days of Halloween giveaway. Check out her blog for your own chance of winning...she is picking a new winner each day through Halloween! My prize (which you can see by clicking on the right side of her blog under my name for the Day 2 prize winner) is making its way here all the way from Texas. And what a small world it is--Missy Ann told me she graduated from high school not more than thirty minutes from my home! Can't wait to open the package and check out the fun and funky Halloween goodies she put together... Thanks so much for your generosity, Missy Ann! I'm so glad to have found a fun, new stitching blog to follow...

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on my mouse stitching and story last week. Some of you have asked where my husband was during the whole mouse in the house incident. Well, he was away on a four day bike trip...when the cat's away, the mice will play! But, I'm happy to report we've had no more mice. Hope you all have a wonderful week...