Decisions ,,,

I've decided on my 2011 Christmas project - after many hours of deliberation. I wanted something I could hang in my stairwell, to replace a treasured bread-dough 'Merry Christmas' banner that my youngest sister made for me 25 years ago. It's been part of my Christmas each year since then, and for the past 22 Christmases it has hung in my stairwell at this house. It's the red 'Merry Christmas' banner you can see in the midle of the pic above. It was the first thing you would see as you open my front door. I was very distressed in November when I got it out of its wrapping, and the bread dough letters had all crumbled away. There's no chance my sister is going to replace it for me - she's well and truly moved on from there! - so I decided to make something special to hang there next Christmas and in future years. I needed a design that was a lot wider than it was long, and at first I thought I would make a "Merry Christmas" design, but after a lot of thought and chart searching, I've decided on a lovely Santa in his sleigh in the night sky (Midnight Journey from LA's Santa's Great Book). The chart I selected has just 6 reindeer pulling the sleigh, so I've adjusted it by adding another two reindeer, so that it's more 'realistic' and also longer, which suits my need. I'll add a "Merry Christmas" message to the bottom of the stitched design.

I've made a trip to my lns and returned with the floss, and a gorgeous piece of hand-dyed darkish blue Sugar & Spice 28 count Jobelan, so I'm almost set to go! I'll get pics of the chart and fabric and put them up soon. I think this will be one for the floorframe, as the fabric will be wider than my lap-frame. As soon as I've made a couple of urgent phone calls and done as little housework as I can get away with today, I'll be getting out that floor-frame and assembling it so I should be ready to start Midnight Journey tonight. Yay!