Sunday, May 25, 2014

Flag City, Air Guitar and Mermaid Keychain

With Memorial Day upon us in the U.S., it was a fitting time to do a little patriotic piece.  Although this is not really a style I would normally be attracted to, I was drawn to it since it is a SAL piece in the "All About Smalls" Facebook group.  The design is an older freebie from La-D-Dah called "Flag City".  Group members are modifying it to suit their needs and some of the creative ideas for it among the stitchers are just amazing.  The original design has the words "Flag City" at the top, but stitchers are often substituting their own city or state.  I wanted something more generic so I changed the title to "Old Glory".  I omitted the date as well and charted a funky bird under the flag.  It's stitched on Dove Gray Monaco over-one, with my own selection of DMC floss colors.  I got a little bored with the border so I simplified that as well.  Finished it up as a cute little pinkeep with the last of my red and blue beads.  And I love the result.


Next I moved  out of the prim area and into something a bit more modern day.  One of my good friends just turned 60 and his wife is giving him a birthday party next weekend.  She only does this at each decade change.  I used one of the motifs from Lynn Nicoletti's "Air Guitar" design to create a birthday card for the occasion.   No matter how old you get, you can still play a mean air guitar!   The card is also over-one on Monaco.  The original design was meant to use glow-in-the-dark floss for all the green outlines that you see on my work.  So it would look really cool with the guitar only showing in the dark.  But I think I it's a pretty nice card without doing that,  although I don't know if my friend will appreciate embroidery!  I did the electric blue foot rest in x-stitch over-2 to avoid solid color fill-in boredom.  Then I jazzed it up with few sequins.  The wording is my addition also.



 In my last post, I showed an Altoid tin decorated with a mermaid theme, but I had not selected any contents.  I thought about it and decided to make a keyring fob from the  "Guardians of the Sea" freebie by the Little Sittcher (click here for the chart).  And yes, another over-one design on Monaco.  Sensing a pattern here.  I love the look of these tiny mermaids.

And now I leave you with this quarter's dental office reminder art,  the very famous Van Gogh, "Toothy Night".

For those in the U.S., have  good holiday!




24 comments:

Margaret said...

So much over one! I'm impressed! I love the way over one looks. I really really like the La D Da and the Air Guitar. So so cool! Nice touch on the mermaids too! Your dental office reminders are so much fun!

Karen said...

I think your changes to the Flag City design worked out very well. It's very pretty and as usual your finishing work is beautiful! The Air Guitar is cute and perfect for a 60th birthday and I really love the little mermaid fob!

Mary Ann said...

Wonderful finishes!! I especially like the Air Guitar birthday card and the mermaid keyring fob.

Jackie's Stitches said...

I much prefer Old Glory to Flag City - very cute finish too!

The Air Guitar birthday card is wonderful and I'll sure it will bring a smile to his face.

ricketyjo said...

Fab stitching, I love that air guitar! :)

Mii Stitch said...

Great finishes! Precious work, I really like the Americana piece :)

Jane said...

What a fun card and I love the mermaid key ring, it's wonderful

Vickie said...

Old Glory is perfect! haha! I laughed with your Air Guitar card. :)

KimM said...

This is so sweet - love all of it.
xx

Kissy said...

Oh these mermaids, I'm in love!!!
The rockin' guy is so cool! I often think I'd better change to air guitar too *lol*
Do you collect all the dentists cards? Sure I would!
I have an app. tomorrow and always a good talk with his wife first. Will tell her about these and ask for funny artsy reminders too ;-)

Penny said...

You did a lovely job on the pinkeep and I love the card you created! It's always nice to receive a card someone has taken the time to make themselves. Your little mermaids are sweet. :)

Carol said...

Ah, a post filled with such teeny-tiny loveliness!! Annie, your changes to Flag City are PERFECT!! I really never paid much attention to that design until I saw your substitution of the words "Old Glory." I will definitely be borrowing this idea, if I may?

I'll bet that is the best card the birthday boy will receive...How is he taking turning 60--I've only 8 months until that milestone myself and I'm honestly dreading it.

Love the teeny mermaids--that is a great thing to include in your Altoid tin gift. Useful, too!

The dentist again?! Those appointments sure do roll around quickly.

Hope you're having a relaxing Memorial Day...

Annette said...

You have been busy again!!
Your patriot piece is cute.. love how you finsihed it off!! the beards are so beautifull.. really beaty's..

A cool card, he must been so happy to recevie it!!

You mermaid.. so cute!!
Have a wonderfull week..
who know's more 4th of teh July pieces!!

ArchangelDecker said...

Love doing some one over one. It really does simplify things, doesn't it? Yours turned out wonderful. I adore the mermaids! :)


I wish 'Toothy Night' were available as a cross stitch chart. I'd love to stitch that! :)

ArchangelDecker said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dani - tkdchick said...

You do the most creative finishing!

Anne said...

Love the prim patriotic finish Annie! Pinkeeps are great but I always find them so fiddly. The bday card for your friend is awesome! I bet she loved it and plays a mean air guitar! Cute little mermaid tag too!!

Faith... said...

Flag City looks wonderful! I really love the card you made for your friend!

Christine said...

Great finishes, I love the rock and roll card

Mylene said...

Lovely pinkeep finish, i really admired your patience for the one over one stitching.
Great job on the card, i am sure it will be treasured!
and that's a very cute keyring too!

Melanie said...

Ha! Air Guitar is too funny! The sequins really make it too. Just love it. All the pieces are awesome. God bless you and all this over one work. I don't know how some of you do so much of it, I really don't. I only have the patience/eyes for it in very small doses!

Sheryl said...

Very pretty pinkeep, a lot of work over one.

Brigitte said...

Oh my, Annie, these finishes are just wonderful. So great how you changed the LA D DA piece until it suited you. And the card you stitched for a 60th birthday is fantastic. The recipient must have been thrilled. When I retired about a year ago my best friend gave me a mug with a similar saying and I said, yes, that's the way it will be, lol.

♥ Nia said...

It's always fun to see the designs you pick to stitch :D good work!!