Santa's Teddy Bear

Sometime in 2006, I came across Heart to Heart Folk Art, the website of artist, Jackie Neitzke, offering quilting patterns that included her original art printed on fabric panels. I fell in love with one titled, "Watch the Lamb," which depicted a little girl looking adoringly at the nativity scene beneath the Christmas tree. It brought back childhood memories of setting up our nativity, and the many photos my mom took of similar scenes through the years. I just had to buy that art panel for my mom, and this little 12" mini was her Christmas gift that year:

At the same time, I bought this panel for myself, titled "Santa's Teddy Bear."

Mine, of course, languished in a box in my sewing room until I was finally challenged to finish it for the "Get 'er Done" Challenge this year. It should have been my August project, and I nearly let it slip by me again, but this weekend I pulled it out to work on "just for fun." Like so many other projects, once I started on it, I wondered why I had put off doing it for so long. The whole project was finished in an afternoon. Here is the 20" top, completed:

The pattern was designed for use as a wall hanging or pillow, and since I have quite a few wall hangings already (and NO Christmas pillows!), I opted for the pillow:

Finally finishing this project made me want to go back and visit Jackie at Heart to Heart Folk Art, but unfortunately, the website could not be found and a Google search of her name brought up very little information. I remember chatting with her by email back in '06, telling her how her painting had brought up those childhood memories. She wrote me the sweetest note, and even shared with me her original childhood photo that inspired "Watch the Lamb." Such a kind and talented lady! I wonder what she is doing with her artwork today...