Jo's January Finish - Winged Creatures

This month's theme is Winged Creatures.  That could be Owls, Ravens, Crows or in this case - Bats.

I have stitched this month's design already!  Only 18 hours into the New Year and I had a piece to show.  This is actually the header from a Just Nan design called Counting Bats.  The whole piece is a rhyme a little like the magpies' One for Sorrow.  You will have to wait for each month to see what each  number means.  By a strange co-incidence each section of the design ties in perfectly with our monthly themes*

Because I seem to have altogether too much time on my hands today I have made a little collage using extracts from the main design and rotating them in Paintbox.

The design is stitched on 28 count lilac line, it's a much nicer colour than in the photos.  I'm using AVAS silks for the main design but switched to DMC for the over 1 words.  The AVAS seemed too "bouncy" and wasn't lying nicely.

So, I've set the example - what have you got lined up for this month?  Do you like the themes this year?  I've made them a little more open to interpretation this year.  eg Winged Creatures can cover a lot more than simply saying "Bats".

* of course it's a co-incidence, anyone would think I set the themes deliberately to fit in with this piece!