I'm on fire today!! OH has taken the kids out for a bit (sledding, we still have snow

) so I've been playing with my stash and charts.
I've decided to start two new projects. The first is this one,
It's called The Mice Will Play by Claire Comerford and was in Cross Stitcher in Sept 2008. I saw it featured in a readers' section many months later and I thought it was charming and so pretty. Meerkat kindly sent me the chart

and I have the beads (beautiful iridescent colours), so I thought I'd stitch it up. I'm using 32ct Summer Khaki Belfast linen, 2 over 2 with Anchor thread.
The second is a bigger and more personal project. My son is 6 and has been asking me gently for a while when I am going to stitch him something. He has his 'Po' (which is already outdated) and it's so difficult because you want to give them something they'll like but at the same time something they'll not grow out of in 2 mins to justify the time spent making the thing in the first place.
So, his family nickname is Jimbo Jetset which he's very fond of. I did ask him if he preferred 'James', but no, JJ it is!. I have found this wonderful alphabet,
(from
Leisure Arts) from which I have charted his name, plus the UFO motif. On the one hand it's quite a simple stitch, with no metallics, beading etc, but on the other there's a lot of backstitching and accurate counting will be key (but then, isn't it always?

). I'm doing it on white 28ct evenweave with DMC thread 2 over 2. I'm hoping it'll appeal to him now but also have some longevity too. Who knows?
Anyway, I plan to make a start on both over the festive period, so watch this space!