A Cross Stitch Flashback

My paternal grandparents were massive Christmas decorators. Two or three trees, a massive Christmas village, Santa's galore - you name it, they had it. I attribute my love of Christmas decorations to them as they started ornament collections for all of us and have added to them every year, plus I received a Fontanini nativity set as a gift after my Confirmation. My first cross-stitch piece I ever completed was one I finished for my maternal grandmother (will take a picture next time I'm at her house), but this piece is the second piece I ever finished:

A Christmas Nativity

I couldn't tell you the name of the piece now or who made it. I know it was in a kit, and the frame came with it. It was a huge source of pride for me as a 13 or 14 year old to finish this and give it to my grandparents, who always had it up during Christmas. We're talking nearly 20 years ago now that I finished this piece. My grandfather passed away several years ago, and my father and aunts recently moved my grandmother to an Alzheimer's facility. They are cleaning out her cottage to put things in storage and came across this piece among the Christmas decorations and wanted to make sure I got it back. The frame needs to be fixed and the piece needs to be more securely adhered to it, but this is definitely a special piece to me and will be a treasured Christmas decoration for the rest of my life!

I worked more on the back stitching for May Lily of the Valley Teacup today! I finished the flowers, one of the two green colors for the leaves and stems and started on the second green for the leaves. I think this is going to easily be finished either tomorrow or Saturday!

As of 11/8/12

Oh, one more personal note, my interview session today went very well and I have one more tomorrow afternoon - it will be round seven of interviews and will hopefully be the last!

Until next time!
~Katy