Such Talent...

My mom's youngest brother, Chad, married one of his high school classmates, Melissia, many years ago. When they would come visit us in Canton, Katharine and I would practically sit in her lap. We loved her!! I even wrote in my diary that I wanted to be just like Melissia...and Alyssa Milano (you know, the girl from Who's the Boss?)

Anyway, Melissia is an interior designer and is awesome at what she does. She is also an artist and can do anything!! Recently she has been hand painting Religious Icons. They truly are amazing.

She has now moved on to hand stitching. She thought one day, she would stitch her boys a Christmas Stocking and so she began. They were beautiful!! Then she made one for Chad and it was beautiful too. Then she presented me with 2 stockings for my boys and they are truly breathtaking!!!! Melissia draws each design on a piece of graph paper. Then cuts felt to each pattern piece. She then hand stitches every stitch on each stocking. The names are even stitched!! So far, each stocking has been different, yet she keeps a couple of things similar. She always adds a cross and a Christmas tree.

The photos don't do them justice, but I had to show them off...and Melissia's great talents!!

(Melissia stitching stockings!!)

(My mantle)

I think I need new ones for me and Michael~hint, hint!!
(Notice that Santa's beard is made of thousands of french knots!!)