Nativity cross-stitch

Over the past two months, I made a new cross-stitch project that I've been wanting to make for several years. My mom had made several Nativity scene cross-stitch scenes when I was younger, and I always wanted one for my own home. My mom was going through her craft room this past spring and found the pattern, some fabric, two frames, nails and a hanger for the back. She gave them to me and I intended to begin them over the summer. Well, the time off from school got away from me, and this project did not get pulled out during the summer. After we got into the groove of school this fall, I pulled it out again and began to work on it in October. Cross-stitching makes my back hurt if I work on it too long, so it was a slow process. It seemed like I made Mary, Joseph and Jesus pretty quickly, but the rest came along slowly. 

 I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I am glad that the work is done. There are several mistakes, but I don't mind. That's what makes it my own, right? I found the French knots to be pretty tricky. I don't like to do them, but since I made more than ten on this project I did get better at making them. I'm thankful for videos on YouTube to help when I needed it!

 While I made it, I thought a lot about how Jesus left his kingly home in heaven and came to our lowly, dirty earth, to be welcomed into a cold cow's stable. What a gift His life is to all who truly know Him!

 Here I am showing off the finished product after my hubby helped me frame it!

Here is my mom with her Nativity scene and me with mine... they are slightly different!


Part of the Christmas story from the book of Luke, chapter two...

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (v. 16-20)

So thankful that Christ left His heavenly home for us! Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!