Christmas Ornaments on Black

Hello, my stitching friends! I hope this post finds you doing well and enjoying the countdown to Christmas! First of all I want to thank you for your lovely (and always appreciated!) comments on my last post. I usually try to thank those of you who I have emails for, but I haven't been on my computer very much between trying to decorate, bake, and get my Christmas cards out. Why, I haven't even gotten Baby N's first Christmas ornament stitched yet! Hopefully, this weekend... On top of all that, I'm still struggling off and on with cold symptoms after an entire month. I did test for Covid and it was negative. It's the strangest thing--every other day, I seem to feel poorly and then the alternate days I have more energy and the cold symptoms are lessened. I went through this same thing last year in November/December and it's so frustrating! Anyway... I have been squeezing in time to stitch each evening and managed to finish my final two ornaments for the #12in25ornamentstitchalong that I host over on Instagram. 

For November, I stitched "Winter Rose Manor Pincushion" (which is part of the "Winter Rose Manor" chart) by With Thy Needle and Thread. It is stitched "over one" on 25 count black Lugana using all of the suggested threads, but one. I did change the cardinal's face to DMC 844 so it would show up better on the black. I also added (and rearranged) a few of the snowflakes.

"Winter Rose Manor Pincushion" 

I do love a round or oval finish, don't you? I added some handmade cording (using DMC ecru), a satin bow, and some pearl-headed pins around the perimeter. At the top, I simply glued a larger "pearl" that I had snipped from a Christmas floral pick. What do you think?

Don't you love that cardinal and the colors in this piece?

These sweet mice in "Plum Pudding" (also by With They Needle and Thread) had been squeaking at me for years to "Please, please stitch us!" This month, I finally took a deep breath, picked up my needle, and got started. And although it took a while, I love the final result of my December ornament. This one is also stitched "over one" on 25 count black Lugana, but I did change many of the threads. The green dress is done in DMC 3347 and the red in Colour & Cotton "Cherry Cobbler." I also made their wee shoes match the colors of their dresses (I think those mice have more of a fashion sense than I do, that's for sure :). 

"Plum Pudding" mice in the kitchen

 

To finish it into an ornament, I simply made it into a little pillow, surrounded it with green cording (and a very, very short hanger because I ran out of DMC 3347!), and added a polka-dot bow. This is definitely one of my all-time favorites. I love to bake (although I don't do it nearly as much as I did when my three sons were living here) and I plan on incorporating this ornament into a cute baking-themed display that I have planned for my kitchen. Stay tuned... 

My December ornament--hard to believe another year of ornament stitching has come to an end!

I think you can see from my final two 2026 ornaments, that my taste in Christmas decorations is very eclectic. I have to say, though, that the ornaments stitched on black are among my favorites. This year, they've taken over my Pottery Barn cubby for Christmas. Here are 24 others that might provide you with a bit of inspiration... As always, my mom's sweet silhouette graces the center cubby and she is surrounded by angels. I miss her so very much, but never more than at Christmas time...

My ornaments on black have taken over my Pottery Barn cubby for December

 

I took some close-up photos of the ornaments that you might enjoy. Do you have a favorite among these? I think mine is the one right above my mom with the two little angels holding five golden rings. I stitched it way back in 2012! "Five Golden Rings" was designed by Cottage Garden Samplings and is still available for sale.

This is my very favorite of my black ornaments--stitched 13 years ago!

 

 

Which ornament is your favorite?

One of the very first Christmas decorations to be put up each year is this wonderful hand-carved wooden Nativity set. My parents bought it in Italy and gave it to me when I was first married--almost 50 years ago. I still have the handwritten note that mom included when she sent it to me and I get a bit teary-eyed each year when I read it as I carefully unwrap each character and animal and place them in the stable. 

The workmanship in this wooden Nativity is gorgeous!  I bought the pretty red silk lamp shades this year on Amazon which really brighten the display in my kitchen.

Above the Nativity is the largest piece of cross stitch I've ever completed: "Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow." Oh, my--I still remember struggling to hold that giant piece of linen (since I don't use hoops or frames when I stitch). I did a block each month during 2010 on 32 ct. flax Belfast linen using most of the suggested DMC threads. If I was stitching it today, I would use 40 ct. because I just love stitching with one thread. I can hardly bear it if I have to use two threads these days! If you'd like to see a close-up of this huge piece, just click here. 

"Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow" gets a place of honor each year.

 

 

Gift-giving question? My little family of five has grown to ten now (with the addition of grandchildren and significant others) and I've been struggling with how to give gifts. The little grandsons are no problem at all. It's the adults--I just don't know what anyone wants (and it seems like none of us truly need anything). How do you handle gift-giving with adult children? Do you pick names, buy them each presents, give money, skip it altogether? I've come up with a plan for this year that I hope will be easier on me (since I am the prime gift buyer in the family :). I've asked each couple to give me three suggestions: 1) something they need for the home or garden, 2) a favorite restaurant so I can purchase a gift certificate, and 3) a membership or experience that we might give them (a zoo membership, tickets to a concert, etc.).  What do you think? Will this make my gift-giving easier? I'd seriously love to know what all of you with grown/married children do in your family! All suggestions are welcome :) 

First snow of the season... There is something so magical about that first snowfall, isn't there? I still remember waking up as a little girl, raising the shades, and gasping with wonder as a fresh white landscape greeted me outside my bedroom window. And, as an adult, I feel the same way! We got about three or four inches last week and it was that beautiful kind of snow that sticks to every twig and tree branch. Sadly, most of it has melted away now even though we've had extremely cold temperatures in southwestern Pennsylvania. I do hope we have a white Christmas this year--fingers crossed!

Our first snowfall of the season in early December.

 

The male Cardinal and little Tufted Titmouse enjoy a snack on a cold snowy day. 

The female Cardinal shares her perch with the tiny Chickadee

It's funny, I always think I don't have much to write about at the beginning of each blog post, and then they end up running on and on! I hope some of you are still with me at this point... What is on your agenda for the week ahead? I need to finish up some stitched gifts (including my youngest grandson's!), send out my cards (which I'm definitely cutting back on this year), and start my baking. It will be a busy, busy week, but I hope to just rest that final week before Christmas (famous last words!). Hope you each have a wonderful week ahead and will stop in for my annual "Parade of Ornaments" post next time. Take care now and thanks for popping in! Bye for now... 

The beauty and hope of Christmas

Hello, all... It's almost winter! According to official sources, winter begins Friday, December 21st at  5:23 PM Eastern time... Do you have snow in your part of the world? It's not looking like we'll have a white Christmas here in western Pennsylvania (in fact, it's pouring rain as I write this!), but that's okay. I'm just happy because I'll have all of my kids home for the holidays--the very best present a mother could ask for, don't you think? My oldest son and daughter-in-law are up visiting my mom for the weekend after flying in from San Diego this evening. Then they'll drive down to be with us (for a whole week!) on Sunday. Can't wait to see them as it's been 3 months. My youngest arrives tomorrow (I don't envy him that drive from up from Washington, DC in holiday traffic!) and my middle lives nearby so we'll be all set!

Of course, with everyone coming, I've spent a bit more time trying to make the house extra festive. Do you do that, too? I truly enjoy puttering around my home and prettying up spaces with lots of lights and Christmas colors. My tree is up and I love the soft light it casts on our sunroom at night. This is the same tree I've shown on my blog for almost ten years--it just keeps getting more ornaments piled on! To tell you the truth, it was a bit difficult to find room for my newest twelve. You see, this isn't just a stitching tree--I have an eclectic group of ornaments on it. From little things the boys created in school, to some vintage ornaments from my mother-in-law, to the Hallmark ornaments I gave the boys each year as they were growing up--they are all included. It also has ornaments from the various places we've traveled to over the years--I try to pick up an ornament at each destination. So, here are some Christmas tree photos--both from a distance and close-up, day and night...

2018 Christmas Tree

The Prairie Schooler Santas seem to be having a meeting! I wonder what they are planning?

Lots of chubby white snowmen!

Bows, cording, and ribbons really add to the finishes

I put the smaller ornaments at the very top of the tree

Some of my very favorites!

At night it is still lovely, although the ornaments don't show up as well (the ones stitched on black look a bit like "black holes" from a distance, don't they?)...

The tree at night with the "black-hole" ornaments :)

But, up close they are so very pretty!

So many Santas and snowmen with a little sheep in the mix!

One final look at my tree for this year...

A new addition to my Christmas decor is this sweet tartan plaid village that I fell in love with at Hallmark...

I display them on the sideboard in our kitchen eating area.

I've had the best time gathering small accessories like the little red truck, the plaid packages, and a tiny snowman.

Here is the lovely church sitting behind a "pond" my husband cut from an old mirror. I drew the kidney bean shape on it and he cut it out with his special glass cutters!

Here is the charming cottage with its crooked chimney! It wasn't supposed to be like that, but rather than return it, I kept it as it is so whimsical.

The houses light up as do the little white trees that I bought at Target and decorated them with red plaid bows and glass ornaments. My son says I need more "snow" scattered about--he's right! I'm just afraid what might happen if someone sneezes!

I think the church is my favorite... I can almost hear the carols drifting out from the candlelight service!

And just look at these cuties that I found while cleaning out the Christmas bins in the attic! I had forgotten all about the pixie elves and carolers that my mother-in-law gave me in a bag of vintage ornaments when we were first married. At the time we had no display space in our small apartment, so I put them in the bottom of the Christmas storage box where they remained for the next 41 years! I was so excited to find them as I now have the perfect place to display them--right on the middle shelf of my kitchen corner cupboard!  I've included another vintage favorite in my collage--the Rushton Santa from the fifties that was a childhood toy. His clothing has disappeared except for his red longjohns--and in spite of the creepy look on his plastic face, I adore this guy!

The little figurines have such perfect complexions due to being hidden in the attic for 40+ years! I guarantee if they had been on display when my sons were growing up, they would be nursing a broken leg or arm!

My Nativity set was given to me by my dear mother during my early years of marriage. It is a simple wood-carved set handcrafted in the mountains of Italy. I so treasure it and it wouldn't be Christmas without it on display.

My treasured Nativity set from my dear mother

A wish for you... When I was driving home from getting my hair cut last month on a hilly, winding road, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I slowed down and gasped out loud when I realized it was an albino deer standing quietly in the snow at the side of the road. Totally white with small antlers sprouting from his head, he was almost mythical looking. How I wish I could have stopped to take a photo, but, as I mentioned, I was on a steep hill during a snow storm--not ideal conditions for stopping my car. I slowly drove on and watched from my rear view mirror as the buck carefully crossed the road and I said a silent prayer for his safety. Although there is no photo, I know I will forever remember that moment--it was that special... May your Christmas be filled with equally special moments and memories, my friends--the kind you will never forget. Thank you for visiting with me today--I'm so glad you stopped by. Bye for now...

Enjoy the magic that is Christmas!