Sappy embroidery

As it turns out, when you only work part-time and don't attend school or watch television you have a heck of a lot of time for delightful activities that you never had time for before.  This is what I created yesterday from a pattern I had prepared about 6 months ago:

I made the pattern by printing out the text in a font I liked on plain white paper.  Then I printed out some graph paper with the tiny boxes and traced the words on that by drawing an x in each applicable box.  The graph paper was a guide to the spacing and stitching pattern on cloth.  I learned during this process that you need to print out the text of the original bigger than you want it all stitched out, because the tiny box graph paper is still bigger than the little stitch boxies on cloth.  All I need is one of those pretty oval frames to put it in.  It inadvertently became a companion piece to this one I embroidered before we were married, as I somehow chose the same color for the text of both:

That one was freehand.  I got inspired by Jenny Hart one day and cranked it out using some embroidery techniques I googled.

Although I am impressed with how these turned out, embroidery/cross-stitch is not my poison of choice.  Knitting, you're still my number one, babe.  At least until I rustle me up some chickens and honeybees, or if I stick with banjo playing long enough get y'know...skilled.