One of This Year's Crafty Christmas Gifts

I don't always get to make gifts for Christmas, but when the time for me to do them is there, I take advantage of it.  Like last night...  I was wide awake at 11:30, and I really had a hankering to cross-stitch (thanks to my friend, Margaret).  The only problem...I have SOOO many projects that I have started and not finished.  Did I even want to go there?  Um, yes...just not toward one that's unfinished.

I decided I would yank out a quicky kit that would be also be a great gift.  I've known forever that I would make up this cute little keychain and give it to my mother-in-law someday because she loves lighthouses.  I'm so excited to put this in her stocking on Christmas Day.  :o)

(Oh, and um, mom....on the off-chance you're reading this, just click that tiny red "x" if you would...thanks!)

 I'm at about the mid-way point here...working on the backstitch for the clouds.

 Bella couldn't make it to the half-way point!  By this time, it was about 12:30 in the morning, and she was ready for her beauty sleep!

 And at 1:30 in the morning, I'm done!  (Pardon my pink plaid pj pants.)

 So, at a normal time of the day, I ironed this sucker, and tried to get out the frame imprint.  Not much luck, but it won't matter anyway.

 Next, I yanked out some interfacing to stabilize the picture, and ironed it to the back.

 After ironing the interfacing on, I used the clear insert of the keychain to figure out where to cut, and got to tracing with my pencil.  

 And voila!  We have a cutesy lighthouse keychain!!  The instructions advised that the fabric should be glued inside the keychain, but I didn't like that idea in case MIL wants to pull out the lighthouse and put a picture of something else in there.

This was a Bucilla kit that was fast and easy, but I absolutely cannot recommend the thread that's included in their kits.  I cannot count how many times my thread knotted up on me, as well as frayed.  Very frustrating, but I'm still happy with the finished result.  ;o)