Sampler Sunday/Monday: Christmas Edition

Here's another shot of the underskirt of the renaissance-style wedding dress displayed in the window of my LNS in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I called the LNS to get the scoop. Such a nice story for Christmas. This dress was painstakingly stitched by a woman for her friend's wedding. The wedding had a renaissance theme, and the dress was researched carefully for authenticity and hand-sewn, then embroidered. Such a wonderful thing to do for a friend.

Yesterday was a blur of busy-ness, including more househunting and then some last-minute Christmas shopping. We have toured many houses in the last few weeks, looking in cupboards and in closets, noting beadboard and chair rail and crown molding and assessing people's Christmas trees. We have seen so many Christmas trees in so many different styles, all of them beautiful.

Today was a gift: After a quick stop at the grocery store, we stayed home to enjoy our tree and relax. We're on our own this year; we didn't have the time to go to Cape Cod. I took a much-needed nap this afternoon, cuddling with three of our cats, and then roasted a duck for Christmas eve dinner (tomorrow we'll make my family's traditional dinner: standing rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding). After dinner tonight, we drove around for an hour or so, looking at people's Christmas lights. It was wonderful.

Here are some Christmas decorations from Washington. The large building is the Treasury Dept. The two wreaths hang on one of the gates at the White House. They're real and very fresh, by the way; I pinched them between my fingers and sniffed them under the watchful eye of the Secret Service.


Last but not least is the Sunday Sampler: "Blessed Are the Needleworkers," by the Kreinik Manufacturing Co. The kit comes in a little CD-sized case and includes the directions and 9 skeins of Kreinik Silk Mori Milkpaint colors. The fabric, purchased separately, is 32 ct. flax color linen.

A very merry Christmas to you all!