Have the envelope sealed and ready to mail to Fire Mountain for the beading contest and just realized that I have never posted here the final picture of the scene for "And the Stockings were Hung" even though I have b!tched and teased about the work. For those of you following my work, the rug IS from last year's entry but the tree is new. I sold the one from last year, along with the toys, to the husband of a friend for her collection of Christmas decorations. Just Sunday, at the Open House at the clay studio at Gualala Arts Center another person told me about seeing the tree and toys and Sandra's and said that she (Amy) had gotten tears in her eyes when she saw it. So we will hope the judges at FM are also so touched with this expanded version of the Christmas scene.

Jan Edwards stopped by yesterday (and gave me some lovely vintage old rose charlottes) and she was amazed that the poodle was so accurate (she has one) but said she never saw one with spots. I figured if the dog was going to be named Spot, he needed a few. I was relieved to see that I had gotten the ears right. I remember wondering if poodles have perked or droopy ears. Jan also snickered at the big blue eyes but again that was artistic licence. . .

There were so many different kinds of beads in this that I filled two sheets of the materials list and this morning lying in bed realized I had forgotten to list the 8" head pin. It is the center of the tree. . . I am sure there are more beads used than I listed.