Happy Birthday, Sweetie

I turned this week's Mojo sketch 90 degrees to make a first birthday card for my son. Of course it had to be ultra special and since I've been wanting to make another cross stitch card for, oh, about a year I felt this was the perfect opportunity. I also dreamt up this ribbon wreath a couple of weeks ago and thought it would pair up nicely. The sketch worked so well for me!

I used earthy colours that I love to dress my son in. Think Carter's animals! They are boyish yet bright and happy. The textured colours on the dinosaur called for loop stitches. As much cross stitching as I've done in the past, I'd never used the loop stitch before and it was harder than I thought it would be. The finished result reminds me of those pom-poms I used to make with yarn in elementary school! After I finished the dinosaur, I roughed in a circle on the fabric with pencil and secured the ribbon along it loop by loop. Then I added the corner accents. At the bottom, I bundled all five colours of embroidery thread that were used to create the dinosaur and tied a simple knot. Then I stamped the sweet little sentiment to finish off.

I love this card and it's significance but I'm so tempted to hand it to my son on his birthday. I know he'll chew on it and crumple it up but that would make it so much more sentimental wouldn't it? :)

Sources: The Paper Company (cottonwood) and SBD (kraft) cardstock; Charles Craft 16 count cross stitch fabric in antique white; Leisure Arts 120 Alphabets dinosaur pattern; Carnival and DMC embroidery thread; SU Tangerine Tango ribbon; Stampendous Hey There Cupcake sentiment; SU Garden Green & Vivid Butterscotch inks