Stockings, cards, gifts and cross stitch - Getting ready for Christmas

Janet and I had a chat about our Christmas range this year. I was ready to get advertising now and make everyone aware that Christmas is coming but Jan's a bit more cautious. I think that if you are going to make an advent calender or cross stitch kit you need to start now if you follow this link crossstitch Advent calenders you will see what I mean ! There are lots of Christmas gifts on the SmallsCrafts website  and not just in the Christmas section, there is a huge range to choose from.You will find  Christmas stockings on the website and a host of stocking fillers.



At the moment there's about 97 days and 1 hour until Christmas 2011  check out this link - Christmas  Countdown 9I think I'll try to put this on a window on the website !!!!).

So I say If you want to make some cross stitch cards now is the time to start, Don't wait until December the 1st.

David.

Cross stitch kits come in such a diverse range of styles.

 Do you ever look at a shop either on the high street or on the internet and just feel overawed with the number and range of cross stitch kits on offer ?  I do !
My better half owns and runs Smalls Crafts a knitting and cross stitching shop, currently internet based (www.smallscrafts.co.uk), and she keeps a massive stock of kits and designs. When we go to the trade shows we always look at the entire ranges of kits and designs on offer but we never agree on the same ones to buy and I usually end up buying a different range to Janet.
Anyway not that I am a cross stitching expert, my best example was a kit depicting a horses head through a stable door and it took me months - it felt good when it was finished. Currently I am working on a kit with a Hawker Harrier but I am already looking for the next project. I like looking at the kits and I enjoy seeing the projects coming along. When you see the finished article it's almost always a pleasure and I have been left in awe with some of the work I have seen.
When you look at the range of diverse kits do you search for something you want or do you meander, getting caught by the look of a different design and then get drawn down a different path. Last week I was looking for a kit with a picture of a dragon, I wanted a classic serious design ( I did not find one so if you can send me suggestions I'd be happy to follow them up) but I ended up looking at a cross stitch kit of New York from Thea Gouverner. I was intrigued by the outline of the Twin Towers in the picture, I suppose you have the choice of including them or not. Janet has the range of cities kits from Thea Gouverner and they are truly superb and challenging. There are kits depicting London, Amsterdam, Sydney, St Petersburg, New York and Paris available on Black or White Aida or linen backgrounds.
The John Clayton kits from Heritage crafts are excellent and my personal favourites are the 'Power and Grace' collection. I have been planning to have a go at one of these but then my attention gets caught by something different. Jan brought some new stock into the workshop and I was looking at the Derwentwater designs 'Storm Point kit'. It is a complete kit and visually wonderful, a range of cross stitch kits from Derwentwater Designs are available from Smalls Crafts and well worth a look.
With so many designs available and so many different makers and artists it leaves my head in a spin. I think you should shop with a kit in mind and go and find it.

Right, now where can I find that dragon kit...............