Sunday 28 November 2010

Holiday Train


Last night I was returning from a very successful Christmas shopping trip in Ottawa when I came upon a very unusual sight just outside of my village. The first thing I spotted was several cars parked on either side of the railway tracks just outside of town with their 4 way flashers going. What's going on?! It's not unusual to hear trains pass through the village since we're on a freight train route. However, as I approached home, the train that was coming towards me was definitely not the usual freight train! What I saw instead was the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train. I believe the train was headed to its next stop in Smith Falls, ON. What a beautiful sight! The train is decorated in hundreds of lights for the holiday and spells out Canadian Pacific Holiday Train on the cars followed by numerous boxcars decorated in festive holiday garland. On top of the engine car sits a lit Christmas tree. Now I knew very little about the train but after I arrived home I looked it up on the web. I found out that this is the 12th year that the train travels throughout Canada and the US, making various stops along the way collecting monies and food for the foodbanks. All the monies and food collected at the various locations stays in those particular communities. What an awesome way to bring awareness to local Food Banks!

Follow the link to this video to get a quick look at what I saw.



I hope all of my US blogging friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My sister lives in the US and was hosting a dinner for several friends and family including my Mom. Normally I'm at work since we've already celebrated the holiday in October here in Canada. But a tangle with a gastro bug saw me at home, watching Macy's parade between numerous trips to the bathroom. Good thing I wasn't celebrating!

This week I decided to tackle some finishing on a few of the ornaments I've stitched over the past couple of years. They've been languishing in the bottom of my drawer of finishes and I figured it was about time I did something about that! Here is the fruit of my labours. Since I'm not much for finishing and sewing, I'm rather pleased with the results. Thanks to Vonna, Dani and JC magazine for their tutorials on finishing ornaments. I've also posted a pic to show you the fabrics I've used for the backings with the exception of the kitten ornament hanging on the right, which is done on felt.



I've decided to hang the partridge ornament from the knob on the door of my grandfather clock. What do you think?

Here's a pic of the progress I've made on Jardin Prive Christmas. I'm thoroughly enjoying my time spent on this one. This is the first of this designer's works that I stitch and I'll definitely be doing more of hers.


I also managed to finish my final pumpkin stitch for the Pumpkin Challenge. I got it submitted just in the nick of time since the deadline for submissions was Nov. 25th. Becky will draw a winner from all the submissions after the holidays. This final pumpkin stitch was a real challenge indeed! The frogs dropped by and camped out for most of this stitch so I'm glad it's finally done.


Now I'm off to try and find my Advent wreath, this being the first Sunday in Advent. Then we'll see if I still have any candles left for it. I suspect I'll be making a run out to pick some up. I look forward to dropping by your blogs over the course of the day. I've been seeing some lovely finishes out there!

13 comments:

  1. Your ornaments turned out beautifully, Lynn! Thank goodness for online tutorials--don't know what I would do without them. I really like your partridge on your grandfather clock--gives me an idea to hang an ornament from my own clock in the front hallway.

    Oh, darn, I completely forgot about submitting my pumpkin finishes for the Pumpkin Challenge--just too busy with Thanksgiving prep! Hope your name is pulled :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wow, i love that train. Its like the one in the CocaCola adverts. Ive just been showing your pics to DH and Caleb.
    Lovely stitching pics too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. As usual, your stitching is lovely. Love the finishes. Judie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awesome train
    Your ornaments look great - wonderful finishing indeed !!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lynn,

    I'd love to see that train. I wonder if it goes through Brighton.
    Yes we had good weather for the drive to and from Munster on the weekend. It was lovely to get together with the family.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My kiddies would be doing backflips if they could see that Holiday Train!!! At an old Depot close to our city they had the Christmas Express where you got to have hot chocolate and go for an actual ride...sadly they are sold out...sold out the same day they opened the sales, and I couldn't get through to them :(

    LOVE all your ornaments Lynn...they all are gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love your ornaments. Very nice finishing too!

    Your Christmas WIP is beautiful with great colors:)

    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think the cat ornament is my favourite, but they are all lovely. Great work on finishing the pumpkin stitch, I didn't get enough time to do as many as I would have liked for the challenge. Jardin is looking wonderful, I'm getting into my Christmas stitching now too. All the best.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for sharing the pic of the holiday train Lynn. It is beautiful. Love all your ornaments they look beautiful .

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow that train is so fantastic! Love your ornament finishes. The 'Jardin' looks wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a neat thing to have seen, Lynn! The train is so cool, I'd never heard of it before. It reminded me of when the local fire company would come through the neighborhoods/housing estates with Santa riding on the top of one of the trucks, back in Delaware. The kids always LOVED it.

    Your ornaments are gorgeous--I can't believe you say that you're a beginner! You did a great job on them. I love your Jardin design WIP, too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow, you were on a real finishing frenzy. And I love the results. Very beautiful ornaments. I even can see a Prairie Schooler among them.
    Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What gorgeous ornaments, your've done a fantastic job on the finishing!

    Your Christmas WIP is great and the pumpkins are wonderful!

    I have never heard of the Christmas Train.

    ReplyDelete

Labels