"Be Merry" Ornament

I just finished this tiny hanging ornament for my dear niece. For gift-giving I popped it into a small premade paper-covered box from the crafts store, which I enhanced with an added scrapbook sticker that says "forever joyful" – which is how I think of her. :)

Val's Stuff "Be Merry"
from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2007 magazine
25-ct. Dublin Linen Light Blue, DMC floss (substituted for Weeks Dye Works)
Stitch count: 40W x 35H
Start 12/18/09 - finish 12/21/09

Ornaments 2008

For Christmas 2008 I stitched a variety of small Prairie Schooler patterns on pieces of 14-, 18-, and 22-count scrap Aida cloth and finished them as tree ornaments. All of pillow backs were cut from medium-weight dark green cotton cloth, and I used silky green cording for the hanging loops. I secured the reverse of the stitching and attached cotton batting cut to fit to stabilize the backs. After stitching the little pillows together on the sewing machine I turned and stuffed them with polyfill, ladder-stitching closed the small gap I used for stuffing.

Top, left to right:

Prairie Schooler Book No. 24 "Prairie Birds" Wren
Prairie Schooler Book No. 134 "Christmas Day" Snowman
Prairie Schooler Book No. 124 "Folk Art Christmas" Angel

Center, left to right:
Prairie Schooler Book No. 134 "Christmas Day" Farm Snowman
Prairie Schooler Promotional Minicard "A friend is a gift you give yourself"
Prairie Schooler Book No. 134 "Christmas Day" Santa & Tree

Bottom:
Prairie Schooler Book No. 24 "Prairie Birds" Junco