Trekking to the Forest for a Christmas Tree

Hello Friends and Loyal Readers! Thanks for dropping by today. I received a few emails asking if our Peacock Splendor Christmas Tree is real or artificial. It is most positively real, shaped by nature, and wonderfully fragrant. It is a great part of our holiday tradition to make the annual trek to the National Forest designated tree cutting area and select a most perfect specimen. Tall, but not too tall. Bushy, but not too full. Symmetrical but not too symmetrical. We are in search of the perfect tree and hope to find one that's a bit quirky with personality. Oh really, there aren't so many rules, perhaps better called guidelines than rules. Keeping all this in mind we set about the hunt and when we've found the winner? What a thrill! Think about it: thousands and thousands of trees from which to choose. There can only be one winner. 

The Forest Service encourages this tradition and has established guidelines to protect the forest and provide a positive tree gathering experience to be enjoyed by all who are fortunate to experience this nostalgic custom rapt with memory making moments. Jim and I found our perfect tree last week. This 20-year family tradition truly marks the start of our holiday season.

According to the Forest Service "Many families have a tradition of getting a permit then heading to their local national forest to pick out their perfect Christmas tree. Most national forests allow users to harvest trees for personal use firewood and Christmas trees, but you must first have a Forest Service-issued permit and you must follow specific guidelines, which can vary from forest to forest." US Forest Service

Under crystal clear skies Jim pulls the tree through the snow to bring home in the truck. There is less snow than normal in our forest this year which makes tree spotting and harvesting much easier than years when the snow is deep and passage is slow.

 

 Once we arrive home Jim sets the tree in a stand while KeepHerKitty and I prepare the lights, garland, and ornaments for decorating. Here KeepHer inspects the lights for defective bulbs.

 

From the moment the tree is placed in the living room until we bid farewell to O'tannenbaum KeepHer considers it her personal shelter and hiding place. Or perhaps she is just waiting for presents? Whatever her reason, doesn't she strike a picture-perfect pose?

To see our tree in full holiday glory: Peacock Splendor Christmas Tree

Thanks for visiting today! Do you have a holiday tree cutting traditon?

 

Give Peace a Chance

Peace on Earth

A common sentiment this time of year.

A wishful unreachable dream when listening to news from around the world. But if we give up the dream what is left? For me and my family the wish for Peace on Earth begins at home. Early in the Christmas planning season I came across a few bloggers who captured the sentiment of Peace on Earth using a globe and those words. Some painted the globe entirely in chalkboard paint and hand scribed the words on the surface. Others crafted banners and bunting displaying them on unpainted globes in homage to the season.

We are fortunate to have a stunning world globe hand crafted by a lapidarist using semi-precious stones indigenous to the area to define nations and countries. Obviously it would not do to paint this likeness of Mother Earth, a precious artwork in it's own right. So I imitated the buntings and banners to make my own statement of Peace on Earth.

Normally the globe sits atop the poker table except when card games are in progress. So it seemed fitting to craft my peace bunting from used playing cards using the Silhouette electronic cutting machine. The letter tabs are cut from the face of red heart and red diamond cards and backed with black card stock. The tag for each letter is cut from the back of red Bicycle brand playing cards.

A small tag placed behind and between each letter tag is cut from the face cards from the same Bicycle deck. I used white yarn to string the tags on and then tied each tag in place with baker's twine. I like how the rich patterns from the face card tags contrasts with the opal oceans on the globe.

To secure the banner to the globe I used Scotch(R) Reusable Adhesive Tabs which will not leave a residue on the globe. After great discussion Jim and I agreed the simple word "PEACE" was statement enough without adding the preposition "on Earth."

Peace on Earth. Perhaps an unreachable dream, but what if we all were to give peace a chance, starting at home. Where might the dream take us?

Holiday Stitch: Oh What Fun it Is!

Who would think a grid woven fabric, colored floss, a needle, chart, and rhythmic counting stitch in-stitch out could be so much fun and produce a plethora of objects d'art to suit every skill level and personal taste? I'm talking about counted cross stitch, a crafty pastime that brings me great joy. Perhaps my greatest stitching joy comes in the creation of a holiday piece to be displayed just once a year when the season is right. Remember KeepHerKitty's Halloween Treat Bucket, check it out here: Halloween 2014

Holiday and Seasonal designs are very popular for being on trend while holding the promise of an heirloom in the making. If you've perused a stitch catalog, magazine, or online needlework store you know holiday designs are tops among designers and crafters . I'm not sure which I enjoy more: the act of crafting the holiday stitch or the feelings of joy and freshness in seasonal displays that stay for but a wink  when the season is at hand. Pulling a carefully stored piece from the tissue wrap for holiday display triggers recollections of the creation process, the joy of completion, and the pride of practicing a skill for the sake of adding a home spun touch to our holiday vignettes.

KeepHerKitty for Christmas

 KeepHerKitty for Christmas
This is one of my most favorite crafts projects ever. This pattern is designed by Beverly Johnston for Applejack Art Partners and sold as Kit #03358 by "Weekenders". In Ms. Johnston's original design the kitty is a sweet gray and silver stripped tabby with lime green eyes. As cute as that kitty is I simply could not resist changing out the colors to resemble my little buddy, nothing short of adorable if I do say so! What do you think? Do you see the resemblance? It was absolutely thrilling to watch my little companion come to life in floss, right before my eyes. This stitch worked up quickly in November and December of 2012.
 
Now, this next project was spur of the moment, started the day Issue 33 (December 2012) of Cross Stitch Gold from the United Kingdom arrived in my mail in late November.. I instantly fell in love with Durene Jones' "Christmas is Coming" on pages 46-51.

  

Countdown to Christmas!

Quickly I assemble the materials: 14-count white Aida cloth, DMC threads, and a needle and went to task counting and stitching. I was missing a few of the colors Ms. Jones recommended so I made substitutions with what I had without changing the palette. The deep hues were the first thing to catch my eye when I beheld this design and I didn't want to compromise that.  I managed to get the main design done with a few days to spare before St. Nick's arrival. As a shortcut instead of stitching the countdown tags I used die-cut stars and adhesive numbers for the count. To secure them to the stitch I used adhesive Velcro dots and without delay the countdown was underway. We've enjoyed this piece every year since, and I never did return to the project to make the tags as I was happily pleased with the glittery stars. Don't you love the whimsical colors and vivid graphics? Another family favorite in our home that is certain.

Now, as Christmas draws near (21 days don't ya know?) I am scrambling to finish a sweet stitch of two kittens each nestled in their own Christmas Stocking hanging from a bough. As you might expect I've altered the design so one little kitten is the likeness of KeepHer and the other the likeness of our outside cat, Crazie Kitty - a petite tortoiseshell calico with a shy demeanor and a big heart full of love. I hope to show it to you soon! Gotta run - the holiday stitch is calling my name!  Have a great evening, everyone.