Incoherent Scribblings

O Tannenbaum
Originally uploaded by blondelibrarian.

The Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets) of Germany are a unique, centuries-old tradition, that according to German Info, began as little more than winter markets that only lasted for a couple of days. However, today they last throughout Advent and while they serve as a market for traditional Christmas ornaments such as nutcrackers, wooden figurines, straw stars, glass balls, and tin tree ornaments, they are also a festive meeting place for tourists and locals alike.

Munich has numerous Christmas Markets in different areas of the city and today I visited the Christmas Market in Marienplatz. Though many things can be found at the Weihnachtsmärkte nowadays, the one in Marienplatz with its numerous stalls offering handmade Christmas ornaments is, in my opinion, very traditional.

I really enjoyed browsing around and though I normally take pleasure in being a humbug, today I even bought an ornament or two. After all, if I someday want to start celebrating Christmas again it will only work to my advantage if I already have a handful of ornaments to hang on my tree!

The German version of the UPS man (the DPD – Deutsche Paket Dienst - man) rang my doorbell this morning and handed me a lovely package from my ONS containing my Christmas present to myself. The contents of my package were as follows:

The January 2006 issue of The World of Cross Stitching

I finally took the plunge and set up a standing order through my ONS for this magazine for 2006. I have wanted to subscribe to a stitching magazine for a while now and after faithfully reading San’s reviews for a few months and then reading that Laura of Passione Ricamo will be re-releasing her “Seasonal Postcards” in this magazine in 2006 I decided that it was the magazine for me.

Two designs from my wish list and another that caught my fancy while browsing:

Brittercup Designs’ “Britty Kitties II”

Little House Needleworks’ “Kitty Cottage”

Donna Vermillon Gimpa’s “Spring in the Garden”

And finally, the one I have been anxiously awaiting… Lavender and Lace’s “Celtic Spring!”

I can’t wait to start “Celtic Spring!” In fact, last week when I ordered her I was so excited that I went right out and joined the “Celtic Lady” SAL.

Originally I had planned on stitching “Celtic Spring” on the recommended fabric (28 count Willow Green Cashel linen from Zweigart) but sadly, my local LNS only carries a limited color selection of fabrics and when I dropped by there last week I confirmed what I suspected all along: They didn’t have any Willow Green.

Therefore this morning when “Celtic Spring” arrived I went back to my ONS to put together my order for the beads and metallics that it will need, but also to see if they had any Willow Green linen. They did, but after I saw the fabric swatch I am no longer convinced I want to stitch that lady in her lovely purple gown on that particular fabric. I know that swatches on the computer are not 100% accurate, but I think that Willow Green fabric looks like a vile color of yellowish green.

This particular ONS carries Wichelt-Permin fabrics in addition to Zweigart and while I was looking at her fabric choices, I came across some 28 count linen from Wichelt-Permin in a color called Water Lily. According to Wichelt’s website, Water Lily is a bit paler than DMC 524 and I think that I will order it for “Celtic Spring” instead. Once I get it if I do floss toss and don’t like it for “Celtic Spring” I am sure I will find some other use for it eventually.

And on a note completely unrelated to my Christmas present to myself, I finished my square on Vash’s “Cats in Floral Hats” last evening.

My “Cat in the Big Pink Hat” turned out quite well I think. The only glitch I had was that the backstitch lines on the chart weren’t very clear for his face, so I had to do some improvising. He ended up with sort of a pouty look I think, but when I think about all of the times that I attempted to dress my cats up in doll clothes when I was a kid, I am pretty sure the look on this kitty’s face is pretty accurate!