Handmade Christmas : Jolly Old Saint Nick

This year I am trying really, really hard to buy very little and give handmade gifts as much as possible. My must-buy list is pretty short since most people these days seem pretty happy not to exchange at all if they can get out of it, so for the handful of people on my list I’m trying to see what I can pull together without hitting the shops.
The first, and without a doubt the most annoying gift to make on the list was for my Mom-in-law who I’m going to assume doesn’t read this blog. I’ve actually been working on this cross stitch for a few years, and decided this year I’d finish it. Man, did I ever regret that decision. This wasn’t a fun project AT ALL. There are a lot of quarter stitches and you’d basically have to cross-stitch to understand that statement so let me translate – stitches that are ANNOYING AS ALL HELL.

At any rate, I think final result turned out just fine, even if I was cursing and swearing through the whole thing. Of course, it’s a cross stitch, a stitch-by-numbers craft so you really can’t go wrong, they all turn out just fine.
All of the material for the project I had on-hand, having bought the pattern before Callum was born and being a bit of a thrifted embroidery thread crazy (I have A LOT of embroidery thread).

The frame was under my stairs. I can’t decide if that’s rude or not, but I’m going to go with not. I mean, the frame wasn’t doing anything and it works with Santa (it looks like crap in the pictures because I suck at taking pictures but I swear it, it looks just fine).
So, one present down. Many, many, many more to go.