Cross-stitch (was: Hedwig problems ...), also Harry Potter Christmas trees

[marshacrc]

On the cross-stitch issue: have seen none, but having been an avid 
cross stitcher, I expect that we will see some, but they will be in 
kit form, always inferior products.  My adult daughter and myself 
design a bit for cross stitch, and I've been thinking of developing 
HP cross stitch for our own purposes; concentrating on the quotable 
quotes from the books,i.e.; "It is our choices, etc..." and the 
like.  If, in fact, there is any interest in this, I would be happy 
to share with the group, if and when.

Have to share my HP christmas tree with everyone.  I have an 
artificial tree with purple/fuschia lights.  I purchased every HP 
ornament I could find commercially, all the Hallmark ornaments, ones 
from Target, etc...(dragons, all the major characters, houses, 
brooms, wands, owls, hats, you name it)  In addition, I added stars 
and moons and other celestial objects which I already owned.  My 
daughter and I had a grand time selecting other appropriate pieces: 
ornaments shaped like a black dog, a ginger cat, a Fang like dog, a 
Mrs. Norris cat, and a frosted transparent leaping stag with silver 
antlers.  My incredibly creative child came up with this idea: we 
bought gold glass ornaments about 2 inches in diameter, puffy white 
small wings from the local craft store, gold glitter hot glue-and I 
cut the wings in half and hot glued them to the ornaments, then used 
the glitter glue to make a decorative pattern on the ornaments.  I 
tied a nice gold ribbon to the top, and TA-DA!  We have Snitches! I 
hung these and the commercially made Harry Potter eyeglasses from the 
tree, set up the Bachman Hogwarts Express around the base, and added 
an antique green painted concrete Toad doorstop at the base.  Sitting 
in attendance are the soft dolls of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. In the 
corner of the room, I have my Harry Potter mobile hanging, in 
perpetual capture of the snitch, while dodging the bludgers and 
quaffles.  We had so much fun with this (did I mention that somewhere 
during this fun project I officially became guilty of "having spent 
too-much-money on my Harry Potter obsession"?)that we threw a Harry 
Potter party, with a Harry cake (only took 4 hours to decorate, but 
what-the-hey?), English tea items, home made chocolate frogs from a 
HP candy making kit, actual Mint Humbugs, and Bertie Bott's EFB's.