Hello Everyone! I surely do hope you are keeping warm on this very cold evening. We live in the Deep South here in North Florida and we are forecast to have 22 degree temperatures tonight. It is even almost too cold to walk out on the back porch to grab another log for the fireplace.
In the last Sweet Southern Days post I shared with you about a charming Needlework Shop we visited while in the town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. If you like needlework projects you might enjoy walking through that shop shown in the last post. You can click on this link if you would like to take a look: https://sweetsoutherndays.blogspot.com
I had been working on a Halloween theme counted cross-stitch pattern for one of our daughters who loves Halloween. While walking through that delightful shop I noticed the very creative matting and framing of many of their finished pieces. The ladies in the shop were good enough to share with me the person who does the matting and framing for their shop.
In the below photo we see the just finished "Halloween" cross-stitch pattern I had been working on. I love the happy little pumpkins, the haunted house, the smiling witch and cute little ghost and even a spider and black cat.
I just now looked online at Hobby Lobby to see if they still have this kit. Yes, sure enough, they still do.
Here is the Hobby Lobby information in case you are interested:
In the below photo we see the finished matted and framed project.
The below photo shows the matting a little better.
I loved the little spider and the Jack-o'-lantern cut into the finished mat.
I began to wonder just how long ladies (and I guess some men) have been interested in and working on needlework. According to Mr. Google it has been before 3000 BC. Apparently, needles with eyes were found in caves dating back to the prehistoric people.
Over the years needlework has always been a fun and relaxing pastime. In the below photo we see another finished "Halloween" theme counted cross-stitch which is used for a decoration in our house each year.
And, as I looked around there are other projects that were
finished many years ago as seen in the below photos.
I always place this Christmas "Welcome" frame on an entrance table in the foyer during Christmas time. After finishing this cross-stitch pattern I covered a mat with this red calico print and I added the red eyelet-lace around the pattern.
Our brother-in-law framed this project for me many years ago. As you can see he used old barn wood for the frame which fits in perfectly with the old farmhouse look of our home.
The "Merry Christmas" wreath seen in the below photo was another cross-stitch
Christmas decoration completed many years ago.
When the Halloween and Christmas decorations are put away from the entrance table
then these year-round cross-stitch pieces are put back in place.
I thought it would be fun to find some Christmas tree counted cross-stitch ornaments to work on for next year so I went looking to see if any were still available online. Several sites came up, but the ones I liked most were at Amazon.
And, this Christmas Tree Ornament caught my eye also.
These two cross-stitch ornaments are kits with everything you need to complete these projects. They come with a 14-count plastic canvas too, but I am going to make them on a gold flecked 14-count fabric instead, which I just happened to find at Hobby Lobby. And, yes, the gold-flecked fabric is still available also:
Instead of using the plastic canvas I will make a stuffed pillow-like ornament outlined in a Christmasy trim of some sort. It should be a fun project to work on in spare time while it is warm and cozy inside by the fireplace.
I hope you keep warm, safe and cozy wherever you may be as we all enjoy this beautiful and very cold weather this Winter.