Long haired boys….

Raised three of them. And these gals are probably where I get most of my inspiration. My girls were never much for wearing dresses or fancy hair-bows. More along the lines of cowboy boots and bandana bikinis. They can change a flat tire on their pickup truck, back up a trailer into a cow chute and fish and hunt game with the best of them.  They have often lamented that this has made them intimidating to boyfriends, but personally I fail to see that as a  problem. As my husband, the Red Head says “makes ’em easier to sell come weaning time”.

The oldest long haired boy was often the ring leader of their adventurous undertakings. Meggie is the mom of two (and eight/ninths) of my grand children, wife to Dutch and gainfully employed in the crazy world of commercial real estate. She’s busy and successful, recently voted 40 under 40 for the city of Fort Worth, making me very proud. But in her younger days she was the class clown, the one that always that “great idea” that got everyone in trouble, but also the staff of stability in our family.

When she was about 12, Harper was 10 and Sarah was 4 they all decided to go dewberry picking in the back pasture. Well not only do bubbly little blondes love dewberries, so do rattlesnakes. Well needless to say ever the two shall meet. They were picking away when Meggie heard that undeniable rattle.  Luckily, Harper had just learned in school that snakes do not have eyelids, so she “blinded” the snake with sand while Meggie beat it with a stick. They kept Sarah the four year old far enough away during all this, to be safe (yeah right). They proudly brought this snake home and Dad had it made into a belt for Mom. My stomach can still go into knots every time I see this picture 9really, I can’t make this stuff up). This, of course was not the only snake that met its demise from these three, and one is proudly enshrouded as the piping for Meggie’s Christmas stocking.

Of course, none of my girls picked a very “girly” Christmas stocking. Meggie’s Western Santa from Liz Goodrick Dillon, is no exception.

Filled with Texas themes, this cowboy Santa walks thru the night among the prickly pear cactus. I used a lot of overdyed threads in this canvas, both for the sky and the ground. The coat is Very Velvet with lots of couching and beading on the trim. My proverbial nemesis, the armadillo along with his buddy a jack rabbit, anchor the toe.

But the true highlight of the stocking and the element that makes it truly unique is the rattlesnake piping…yes one that met it’s demise by my oldest.

As noted, Meggie is almost 9 months pregnant. She and Dutch elected not to find out what this baby is going to be. Most needle-pointers will agree that this is not a great option when you need to timely finish another Christmas stocking. This will be my 22nd stocking and 19th Liz Goodrick Dillon stocking, so it was important that it fit this little person perfectly. To settle this dilemma, her doctor sent me a letter about 4 or 5 months ago with the sex of the baby. So now just the Redhead and I know what this baby will be. I am working diligently on the next stocking and pictures of both baby and stocking to come…….

Until then please feel free to call us 361.572.0088 or get online www.pasttimesneedlepoint.com or “Click Here” to order the stocking and stitch guide for Western Santa!