Christmas in July!

 

Merry Christmas in July!    

It's been a year since I've done any finishing and framing. What with losing Tiger Lily, taking on two very fragile kittens only a couple of weeks later, and moving again, I just didn't have the time or mental energy for it. As I explained to Mr. Wonderful, for me, finishing and framing is totally absorbing in a very therapeutic way, but it's also somewhat exacting work. So while it's good for what ails you, you can't be too ailing to actually do it. At least that's how it is for me. Finally being able to get into my sewing room and just disappear into my work has been so nice. Wanna see what I've been doing?

First up, a couple of Rudolph finishes: Rudolph & Friends by With Thy Needle & Thread (left) and Rudy Reindeer by Just Nan.

Rudolph is stitched on 32 ct. Flax linen with just a couple of thread changes. I brightened up the red and greens by using GAST Buckeye Scarlet (best red ever) and swapping Weeks Oscar for Weeks Garrison, and Weeks Kudzu for Weeks Oscar. I finished it with green chenille trim from Hobby Lobby and added a wee cardinal carrying a candy cane.

I stitched Rudy with the recommended DMC on 32 ct. raw opalescent Belfast linen. I made a small change to his eyes to slightly alter his expression. 

Second, snacks! (Actually, snacks should always be first.) Both designs are by Little House Needleworks, Hot Cocoa and Peppermint Twist.

Hot Cocoa is stitched on 28 ct. Coffee jobelan with the recommended DMC, except I used--you guessed it--Buckeye Scarlet instead of the rosey shade in the model. Trimmed with a little shell heart and a sprig of pine.

*****Recipe Break*****

Speaking of cozy drinks, here's a nice, simple recipe for a hot drink that's perfect for bedtime, or any time you want something soothing and not quite as rich as cocoa.

Vanilla Milk Mix

1 c. non-dairy creamer (dry)

1 c. French Vanilla creamer (dry)

1 c. dry milk powder

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. corn starch

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. For vanilla milk, place a generous 1/4 c. mix in a mug and fill with boiling water. Stir well. ***Mr. Wonderful adds instant espresso to his mug, which is very nice, but defeats the purpose of a sleepy bedtime drink. To each his own.

*****Back to Stitching*****

Peppermint Twist is stitched on 28 ct. Lamb's Wool linen with the recommended threads, except (all together now!) I swapped the Weeks Aztec Red for GAST Buckeye Scarlet. Y'all, there's just no other red for me, especially for Christmas designs! I made the embellishment using purchased wired trim that I wound into a peppermint.

Finally, a very sweet pair of designs by Cosford Rise Stitchery on Etsy that I showed in this post, where I also included a link to the shop and all the information on how I stitched these. I finally got them framed in matching 6" green frames from Mill Hill.

So there you have it, a little taste of Christmas in July. I really, really needed some sewing room therapy and I'm happy I can still remember how to finish and frame! I'm also working hard on this year's Christmas Open House. It's my tenth, and I'm trying to pull together a whopper! I'm a bit behind where I want to be at this point, but given the circumstances, I'm not as far off as I could be. 

I know most of the country is absolutely sweltering, and Christmas and a hot, cozy drink are probably the farthest things from your mind, but here on the ol' blog it's cool and Christmas-y and we're ignoring summer.