Friday, November 28, 2014

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...


Hi, all!

Sorry for the late start - I didn't have a chance to put my "whoop whoop" together on Thanksgiving, so it had to wait for this morning!  But it's Friday, so you know what that means - it's time for



Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday!!!

This week, I finally managed to finish Nathanael's stocking, so I wanted to share all of the family stockings I have made over the years.



These two were the first ones I made - for my wonderful hubby and myself.  The patterns came from Cross-Stitch and Country Crafts magazine, and they took forever!  It was some of the first cross-stitch I ever did on linen.  But I love the detail on these two.  


Next is my daughter Nancy's stocking.  She originally had a much simpler stocking with a teddy bear on the top, but when she got older, she wanted a more "sophisticated" stocking.  This beautiful angel is what she chose.  My first experience working with gold metallic thread and beadwork - still not a favorite thing to do, but I love the way it looks.  This stocking was a kit.


When my son-in-law Chris joined the family, I made this text-filled stocking.  He loves music and I liked the idea of all the song phrases in this pattern.  This design came from a book, but I don't remember which one and can't locate it anywhere!


And then came Lilli!  The whole time that my daughter was pregnant, my husband called the baby "Princess Lovey" even though we didn't know the sex yet - so that's stitched on the top of her stocking above her name.  I like the little star embellishments on this stocking!  This one was a kit, too.


Emmalyn's stocking has a funny story.  I started a stocking for her, then put it away "someplace safe" and couldn't find it again!  So I had to order another kit, a different one because I couldn't find the same one, and start all over.  I'll be interested to see her reaction to her stocking this year, now that she is aware of all the festivities!  It has some of her favorite animals on it, and bells - or "shake shakes", as she calls them!


And here's Nathanael's stocking - which happens to be the stocking that I started for Emmy so long ago, and found when I was cleaning up my studio one day this year!  Notice anything odd about this stocking?  Yep - for some reason, it points in the opposite direction from all the other stockings!  Oh well - for this year, it will do to hang up.  For next year, I'll scan the pattern into my computer and reverse the image to remake it so it goes the right direction!


I love hanging the stockings on our stairwell bannisters - our fireplace gets way too hot when we fire it up, so this is a much safer place.  It also makes the entryway to our house so festive!  


This year, I've added a special touch.  Those of you who are familiar with adoption may have heard of the invisible red thread.  Here's the saying…

"An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstances.  The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break." - Ancient Chinese Proverb

So this year, as we wait for Nathanael, I've added a felt heart to each stocking, and a red thread connecting those hearts to represent our connection to him!  We are hoping to get the approval from China any day - believe me, that will be something to whoop about!!

So as we begin the Christmas season, this is what I'm whooping about - a great representation of family, celebration, and joy!!


*&*&*&*&*&*&*

And now it's your turn! 

What have you been whooping about this week? 




What's got you dancing the happy dance?

Share - we want to dance right along with you!

Remember - it doesn't have to be a finish -
just something you're happy to have accomplished!

The party will stay open until Sunday night -

Hope to see you there!!

Hugs!

Sarah



17 comments:

  1. I didn't manage to get done with much the last couple days but my granddaughter did come all the way from Wisconsin to collect the pillow that I made for her

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  2. Love the stockings on the rail - what wonderful heirloom stitch work.

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  3. LOVE all the stockings! Let me get this straight...next year you will re-make Nathaneal's stocking just so it hangs the same way? Oh boy, you are good! Also love that deep coral red wall. We had one wall in the hallway of our house growing up that was a similar color. I always thought my mom was pretty brilliant for doing that at a time when it was not a "thing" to have one wall a completely different color. Then when they redid the carpeting, she made sure that was red too. Anyhoo, also? Did Nancy's original stocking have a teddy bear head that was stuffed and a ruffle around the top of the stocking? And did you make that from a pattern? Because that's what my daughter's was! In fact, I think we still have it downstairs in all the Christmas stuff, although we haven't put it out for many years.

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  4. So pleased that Nathaneal might be with your family soon. I love the stockings displayed on the stairs too

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  5. They all are so pretty and unique and Yes I do know and embrace the tradition of Red Threads. I love that you have added this to your stockings. I too hope that the very best Christmas present of all will arrive.

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  6. Those stockings are all beautiful! I have the patterns for the first two in a book along with about 8 others in a similar style. My husband stitched one for me, I stitched one for him and we worked on the ones for our three boys together. They're my favourite Christmas decoration.

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  7. All of the stockings are wonderful and so special, I like the red thread idea :) I wonder how they got those reindeer to dance like that.

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  8. Beautiful work! Wow, you are going to redo Nat's stocking . You can save your other one and his can be reversible.

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  9. Oh if only my house had handmade holiday things to decorate with like yours. I'm one of those people who always means to make them and then another year rolls around. Fun batch of stockings!

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  10. Kudos, cross stitching all the stocking is a huge task and you succeeded.

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  11. I really love all your stockings - So fantastic that you've made them all. :D

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  12. Thank you for sharing all those lovely stockings! I may have to do the same! Beautiful work!

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  13. Those stockings look wonderful on the stairwell! I hope you hear about little Nathan soon. Looks like everyone is ready for him.

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  14. What beautiful stockings, I love the red thread idea!

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