Carin inspired me to think about cross-stitching again a few months ago, and then at the beginning of the year I heard about Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery‘s Woodland Sampler. Every month they send you the pattern for a cute little woodland scene to add to your sampler. At the end of the year, you can frame the cuteness!

January was a deer couple… the eventually got more snowflakes, I wasn’t done with them when I took this photo. I actually joined in after January had been released, and these deer sold me on it.

February was a solid raccoon block. He’s so cute, and the stars are done with sparkly thread. I’ve never used sparkle thread before!

March was a toadstool in a terrarium. It did have ‘kawaii’ little eyes and a smiling mouth, but I decided to omit those, to keep it a bit more traditionally woodland-y.

I haven’t cross stitched regularly since I was about 12, but it was pretty easy to pick back up. This is my first time using linen, I’m loving the finished look it has! My only problem so far has been with the plastic bobbins I bought a Michaels. No pen I own will write on them and not rub off. Even Sharpie fades every time you touch it. Cut-down address labels don’t stick to them either! I’ve got a system down now that involves tape, labels, and wrapping the thread on over the tape/label combo to keep it on, but this can’t be how they’re meant to be used. Is there a magic proprietary cross stitch pen? Are the bobbins mad because I bought DMC bobbins but I’m winding Cosmo thread?