Wonderful Keepsake Needlearts Offerings

I still enjoy going down to the mailbox and  picking up whatever counts as mail these days.  It is nothing like what I am used to.  I maintained during university and young married life an active pen pal correspondence and also wrote copious letters to friends and family.  Living in isolated communities, the mail was a true life line to our outside world and I loved it.  Nowadays, it has changed and there is little of a personal nature in what lands in the mailbox, besides a few bills that have not been switched to paperless payments.  I lament that change, being the old fogie that I am. 
I still receive a few catalogues which I love.  Keepsake Needlearts is one of them.  I always order a couple things a year from them.  Here is one kit I am eyeing...

It is a cross stitch kit of a painting by J.E. Liotard called Chocolate.  It is one of several projects from Russia offered in this catalogue and is a larger picture at 16 x 22 unframed.  I love how the folds in her skirt have been rendered into stitches.  And imagine  a time when a cup of hot chocolate would have been a rare treat. 

These are two needlepoint kits from England.  Lovely looking cottages and though a bit pricey, I imagine you would have these forever.  What pretty colours to work with, too.

More kits from England... useful ones in the form of  purse, coin purse and eyeglass/cell phone cases in kit form.  All needlepoint and cheery reds that I think would make you feel happy to work with.
There are also lots of  projects with American themes and several current "trendy" items...Elf on the Shelf, for instance, but I like how they have included more with an international flavour.
Needlepoint is a great past time and easier than counted cross stitch.  You just have to learn one basic stitch and follow the colours on your tapestry.  Of course, some projects are trickier with lots of colours to follow, but there are many, many that are straightforward and simple to complete.  I would recommend needlepoint if you want to try a stitching project that you can work on without needing much equipment or materials and that is not too hard on the eyes.
The website for this catalogue is www.KeepsakeNeedleArts.com.