Hello everyone! I was a bit tired of stitching with black and orange so I returned to some Christmas stitching this week. "Not a Creature Was Stirring" by Crossed Wing Collection (featured in the 1998 JCS Ornament issue) was stitched on 32-ct. Putty Jobelan with DMC floss and a bit of DMC gold thread on the ornament top. The mouse, the border, and lettering are all stitched over one. This little mouse is definitely stirring as he hungrily makes his way toward the popcorn and cranberry garland. He obviously hasn't read Clement C. Moore's poem The Night Before Christmas!
My two older sons come over for dinner every Sunday and afterward we sit down to watch old home videos and the latest episode of "The Amazing Race." Last Sunday, the guys and my youngest son, who was home from college for Fall Break, settled down in the family room to watch TV while I stitched on this week's ornament. All of a sudden, my youngest son exclaimed--"There's a mouse behind you, mom!" Thinking he was teasing about my little mouse stitching, I reluctantly turned and glimpsed something brown scurrying back into our sunroom. It had been right behind my stitching chair--not more than two feet away from me!! Of course I shrieked and the guys all acted like guys do when mom acts like a little girl--they laughed at me and tried to calm me with such platitudes as "He's a lot more afraid of you than you are of him" and "Mom, you're a lot bigger than he is." I suggested, in between my periods of freaking out, that they try to get him to run out through the kitchen door. So, with perfect teamwork, we came up behind the cowering thing and clapped and stomped to get him to move forward into the kitchen. My middle son had lined up all of their shoes to form a sort of low wall that headed right out the door. The poor mouse thought he was in a maze and just followed his instincts and headed through the doorway and into freedom! I know that as Christmases come and go, every time I look at this ornament I'll remember that tiny brown mouse who came to inspect my stitching...
Anyway, here is the finished ornament, ready for our Christmas tree in December! I used the cranberry-colored fabric on the back of the ornament, surrounded it with a hunter green braid, and added a simple ribbon in the corner. What do you think? As always thanks so much for visiting my blog and for taking the time to comment... See you next weekend!
I think that is so darn cute Carol! How clever for the mouse to be done over one, really makes it look more realistic. The finishing is fantastic too. Another beauty for the tree. :o)
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love those regular but special times with the sons? I love it when mine comes home and spends time with us.
That is very nice. I love the story about the mouse in the house. Excellent finish
ReplyDeleteVery cute! I love the story too. We used to have pet mice when we were little (one at a time not like 50 at once).
ReplyDeletehow adorable! I have that one picked out to do myself!!!! Our stitching 'tastes' are so alike, it is scary!
ReplyDeleteLove your mouse story. Tis the time of year for the little critters to want to come inside, isn't it??
Keep up the great work! Your entire finish looks fantastic!!!
Love your new finish and thank you for the added story of your families mouse adventure, it made me laugh :) I am sure it will be a "remember when" story you will all chuckle over for years to come.
ReplyDeleteThis work is wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute and a lovely finish. Enjoyed the tale of the 'real' mouse.
ReplyDeleteIts a lovely design and your stitching is so neat....I guess the star of the show got such a fright he wont be coming back to your house again
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable ornament, and a cute story!
ReplyDeleteLuckily I can deal with mice, because sometimes my cats bring them into the house. I've become quite the dab hand at catching them!
Hi Carol, you find the greatest designs, and your finishes are always beautiful, love it! Sounds like you and the boys had a wonderful time, thx for sharing:)
ReplyDeletexoxo
Beautiful finishing, Carol...just perfect! Mice don't scare me but I don't want them in the house. They have little germy mouse feet that walk all over the clean kitchen ~ yuck!
ReplyDeleteHi Carol,
ReplyDeleteThe chart for the witch is from Poppy Kreations - It's Fright Night. If you would like the chart I would be more then happy to send it out to you. I just need your snail mail address.
Cindy -NY
Love that little ornament. Maybe the little mouse was coming to bless it?
ReplyDeleteAs all before me said: I love the stitching, I adore the finished finishing and I "saw" your story happening while I read it.
ReplyDelete(clever shoe trick!)
A wonderfull blogpost again!
:o)
...hmmm, I wonder what you are stitching at the moment...?
Till next time ~~~~~~~~ see you! ~~~~~~~>
;o)
LOL! Very cute story, Carol--and a nice tie in to your stitching! :) Now you'll always remember your little visitor every Christmas season. We once had an infestation of mice, first time ever in my life--and I won't soon forget it. Eek!! Your ornament is adorable. I've had that design on my list to stitch for eons, so it was nice to see it stitched up.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cute ornament! Enjoyed reading about the mouse story.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful finish! I stitched the owl that was in the year before or after this one :) I'm half way there. LOL!
ReplyDeleteCute story about your other mouse.
What a wonderful story and such a cute little piece of stitching :) Can you let me know where I can find the pattern?
ReplyDeleteHi, nice to know the beautiful blog of your works! I really love this little mouse!!
ReplyDeleteCute Cute Cute!!! Great job finishing.
ReplyDeleteHi Carol - I enjoy your stitching dreams blog. I would like to stitch the not a creature was stirring pattern. I purchased the 98' just cross stitch magazine and to my disappointment it wasn't in there. Please help me find the stitching pattern. If you have the pattern, I would like purchase from you.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Norma Gonzales
normagonzales9093@yahoo.com