Five Ornaments Finished Today

I had a "finishing frenzy" this morning - I decided to finish these ornaments before the number got overwhelming. Four of the five ornaments are from Just Cross Stitching, which I have been reading since its beginning way back 20+ years ago. I was just leafing through some of the oldest issues, and am amazed at the changes. I really like the magazine these days, and re-subscribed just this month. I don't sew, so I've finished these using various "easy" finishes that require minimal hand-sewing and/or gluing.

I made two of these for my children, to add to their collections that are part of a tradition started 28 years ago. When I graduated from college and went into the Air Force, my mother went through her ornament collection and gave me about a dozen "special" ornaments - each with its own story and memories of a Floyd family Christmas. My favorite of all time is the "whirlygig" one - we don't know what to call it-but it has to be hung above a light so that the rising heat of the light makes the whirlygig in it spin around. I started collecting ornaments, too, and made a point of buying at least 3 of a kind each Christmas. Now that my children are grown, I've gone through my collection and pulled out one for each year of their lives and set them aside. This year they're going to get stitched ones - and that's what I'll probably do each year from now on (unless I come across some really different ones to add).

As Bethlehem Slept
Shepherd's Bush

This one is from the 2005 issue of JCS. I stitched it on 28-count Lugana, and will be giving it to my mother along with the Told in a Garden piece I made this summer.

Winter Whitetail

Something in Common

From the 2003 JCS Ornaments issue. Something in Common is one of my favorite designers, since I really like rustic designs that have mountains, deer, moose, pine trees, and bears in them. I'll be giving this one to my son to go in his yearly collection.

Peace

Elizabeth's Designs

I'll probably give this to my friend and colleague, Dan. It's from a freebie pattern.

O Christmas Tree
Follow the Leader Designs

This one is from the 2007 JCS Ornament Issue. While I don't decorate a tree any more (we're always camping), I think I'll keep this one and hang it in my trailer. We might put up a mini tree, if we have room. This is supposed to be a scissors fob, but I like it fine as an ornament.

Merry Yule
Erica Michaels Designs

My daughter picked this one out from the 2005 JCS Ornament issue. It'll go in her collection of yearly ornaments.

Now I've got to "switch gears," and work on a few charity squares. I enjoy the variety of switching genres.