Sure enough, it contained some Christmas ornaments, mostly origami that were gifts from my father's talented co-workers many years ago. But it also contained the hanging that my sister made in embroidery on felt of some cute mice caroling, sledding, etc. Fortunately she dated it on the back, so i know she made it in 1982. Each year at Christmas my mother would bring out the banner and hang it from the fireplace screen.
A year or so later i found a kit in the Herrschners catalog for these cute felt mice in stockings. They were so much fun to make! Most of them have embroidery floss whiskers, but a couple of them have real whiskers...they're shed kitty whiskers that i knew i'd find a use for one of these days! (I had just started to save kitty whiskers then...now i have a whole little sweetgrass basket full.) The mice used to get hung up on the fireplace screen too. I don't have a fireplace but i'm glad to have them back. Maybe next year i'll hang them up along the top of a bookcase.
A year or so later i found a kit in the Herrschners catalog for these cute felt mice in stockings. They were so much fun to make! Most of them have embroidery floss whiskers, but a couple of them have real whiskers...they're shed kitty whiskers that i knew i'd find a use for one of these days! (I had just started to save kitty whiskers then...now i have a whole little sweetgrass basket full.) The mice used to get hung up on the fireplace screen too. I don't have a fireplace but i'm glad to have them back. Maybe next year i'll hang them up along the top of a bookcase.
A lovely walk down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice little surprise!
ReplyDeleteLovely memories and adorable mice!
ReplyDeleteWhen you look at them each year you will smile ;-)
ReplyDeleteThere is something very nostalgic in coming across a handwritten scrap from someone whom we have loved. I'm so glad I saved the last Christmas cards which my Dad laboriously addressed when my Mother could no longer see. I have many examples of her beautiful penmanship.
ReplyDeleteSometime in the '80's I made mice in stockings similar to yours---one of the few motley Christmas items to survive our many moves.
The cats who lived with us at the time spent the holiday season removing the little felt mice from the stockings and carrying them about the house,
Re shed whiskers: I always hate to throw them away but never thought of saving them to incorporate in needlework---sort of like "quill work?"
Oh, what a sweet sweet memory piece! Mom is amazed at your amount of cat whiskers. She found one so far.
ReplyDeleteWhat sweet memories! It is great to get a little piece of tradition back.
ReplyDeletevery sweet.
ReplyDeleteThe mice are adorable - and with real whiskers :-)
ReplyDeleteA package arrived for us today - in the middle of a bad snow storm - and it was from you. It made the sun shine in the the blizzard :-) Thank you so much!
We wanted to send you an email, but couldn't find your address. We'd love it if you'd send us your mail address, so we may send you a proper thank you :-)
Cliff, Olivia and Humans
Oh what a lovely thing to have.
ReplyDeleteLove
Lyn
xxx
A memory box is a very special thing to have. And those felt mice are adorable.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice surprise for you, Paula. I love the needlepoint ornaments my mom made, and take them out every year with fond remembrance.
ReplyDeletequiltcat, thanks for stopping by and enjoying the moon photos. Your header photo is priceless! and memories remain with your wonderful gifts of love.
ReplyDeleteBoth the wall hanging and the stockings are beautiful! We don't decorate for the holidays (my mother-in-law is aghast at that!), but I might be tempted if we had things like that.
ReplyDeleteP.S. We have a 2002 Subaru Forester - it is great! We bought the Forester instead of a station wagon because it had more headroom.
quiltcat, I wanted you to know the mystery bird at our place has been solved: a juvenile Golden-crowned Sparrow. Thanks for your help! Diana
ReplyDelete