Beginning with Baby Bear

I'll never forget the day my son, then in fifth grade, came home with a look on his face reminiscent of a deer in headlights.  He'd been given a long-term history assignment on the Boston Tea Party, which required research, notecards, bibliography, outline and final report.  Totally overwhelmed by the scope of the project, he turned to me for help.

Think of the project in terms of how you eat a hamburger, I suggested.  Take big bites, and chances are good you'll wind up choking.  Take little bites, and it's likely everything will go down just fine.  So I'm approaching the Toyland Rocking Horse canvas as I would a hamburger, one little bite at a time.

I started with the little teddy bear at the bottom, using three different shades of brown Burmilana in basketweave and tent stitches for his body.  Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #005 in Smyrna crosses formed his eyes.  His nose was padded with DMC cotton floss #310 to give it a slightly higher profile.  His festive bow was stitched with Petite Very Velvet V632, with shadows provided by DMC floss #498 in tent and satin stitches.

A good start--I think I'll take a slightly larger bite next!