In the Red: Christmas Sampler and New Stash

I've been doing lots of stitching in the last few days, not concentrating on any one project though. The Plum Pudding Needleart Christmas sampler is progressing; I should be able to finish it this week. A celebrity stopped by to view it and to graciously overlook my re-naming of her design: Barbara, the designer of this very sampler! I'm so tickled that she got to see it in progress! She's starting a blog herself--visit her at Plum Pudding Needleart and Crafts.

I stopped by my LNS, Everything Cross Stitch, because the wonderful Celeste had ordered some Needlepoint Silks for another project I'm working on, Aesop's Fables-- one which, sadly, I have a major frogging to complete. Having the silks has reawakened my interest in it, so I'll have to finish frogging and restart it. So discouraging when you mess up the very first square you work on! While I was at the LNS, this project caught my eye. Hopefully I can get it done by Christmas--although I probably will, since it knocked down all my other Christmas projects a notch the moment I saw it. It's "Birth of Jesus" by The Stitching Parlor, and it involves the most fun stuff: Needlepoint Silks, my favorite fiber, Wisper, the mohairy-type thread that fuzzes up (for the sheep), a scattering of 30 By Jupiter brass stars in the trees, and finally, a Mill Hill gold star button. It's an appealing design but not too large to reasonably finish, I think.

I had also brought this chart along from my stash and purchased the Gentle Art Sampler Threads to complete Uncle Willy. He looks like a really quick stitch, although, oh-my-gosh, I pulled the instructions out of the bag to take them to the shop, and now I can't find the bag with Willy's orange "carrot" button nose in it! Yikes--off I go to find it--hopefully one of the cats hasn't eaten Uncle Willy's nose!