With the help of my cyber-friend

I tend to work right up to a deadline ... which is a kind way of saying I am a world class procrastinator. So, last week I decided to pull out a snowman chart I was planning to use to make a bell pull for my neice's bridal shower. I am giving her a "Your First Christmas Together" package which will include a set of snowman themed holiday dishes, a dozen cross-stitched Christmas ornaments, a promisory note for a Christmas wreath [one of my Rel. Ed. fundraisers] and the bell-pull. Typically, I'll be running out to buy the dishes Saturday afternoon [the shower is Sunday]. I do have the ornaments stitched ... but when I went to get the chart for the bell pull, it was nowhere to be found ... I suspect I threw it away since I am not really into snowmen. I went to the 123stitch message board and described the design ... a snowman with uptilted head, satin-stitched carrot nose on which he balanced a JABCo candy cane button ... I couldn't remember either the designer or the chart name. Well, xsgail from the board recognized the chart from my description and sent me her copy of Balancing Act as well as a second companion chart called Snowbody's Perfect. As luck would have it, I had all the Kreinik #4 braids and the candy cane button I needed [thank the Lord for a deep stash] and I substituted GAST Oatmeal for the suggested Anchor White. I am stitching this on a 25ct linen band in a tweed-like weave of white warp/undyed natural linen weft. The oatmeal just looks better than stark white on such a background, giving a tone on tone on tone on tone look. There's no point in posting a photo yet ... I have only finished the snowy ground and one of the red stars and a bit of the snowman ... so most of the stitching is either GAST Oatmeal or oo32 Kreinik braid [an opalescent white] and tends to fade into the fabric when photographed. Things will be different when all the red and gold #4 braid have added the needed contrast. I have a day off tomorrow and what with today and tomorrow's stitching I hope to have it all done for the shower ... probably at the very last minute ... but done, nonetheless.

Thank you, xsgail.