{Christmas in April, project 4}

This project has been sitting on my dresser to be completed since before Christmas!! And it is finally done!

I wanted to create a nativity that would be friendly for little hands to touch without looking necessarily childish. The 2011 Christmas issue of Life:Beautiful magazine {I just love this magazine!} had a pattern in it for a cookie nativity. A cookie nativity is decidedly not a little hand friendly type of thing, so I modified it to be my own.

I copied the cookie pattern onto cross-stitch linen, and embroidered it with DMC floss and DMC metallic thread for some extra sparkle. 

I did end up lining it with fusible interfacing, just so that the stitching would be a little bit more secure, and also so the stabilizing plastic canvas would not show through.

My wonderful Dad made me a beautiful walnut stand for it. I am so excited with the way it all turned out and I think it will make a lovely nativity for my little guys.

It was a bit hard to photograph, it is so 3D in person. Total out of pocket costs: $3 for more interfacing. Hours spent working on it (this week!): around 10, but so worth it. 

The Bethlehem buildings are my absolute favorite.