Monthly Flowers Calendar in Cross Stitch

I know I'm working on the Great Wave Off Kanagawa, but after looking at the same piece for 65 hours, I wanted to take a break and do something a bit smaller, more fun, just a little more of an instant reward type piece! 

I was looking around for something that fits, and I couldn't manage to find a single piece, until I came across a set of pieces! Whoo!!.... Oh, wait....

There's not just 1 or 2 pieces, oh no, that would be too simple for me, wouldn't it?

I found a set of 12 designs, flowers, that are supposed to represent each month of the year:

Aren't these pretty flower designs?! And so quick, easy, and simple. Each finished piece will be about 4.5" square, so when I frame them, I can use a 5" opening frame.

Alright, I can do this, sure!

And then what would I do with them.....? I mean, frame them, sure, but.....Hmm.......

I got it! I'll do a sort of calendar! I can get a bi-fold frame, with about a 5" opening in both frames, and you can change out the flower pieces to whatever month it is, and on the other side? I can create a design, using the same type of border as the flowers, and create a blank calendar piece!

Only, would I do one for each month? With all the days stitched out? Hmmm..... well, then it wouldn't be able to be used for more than just that one year! Plus, that's a whole lot more work, having to stitch another 12 pieces instead of just 1! Yuck!!

I'm not sure if it'll work, and/or how well, but what I will try to do is create a blank grid of 7 days (columns) and 5 weeks (rows) and  a box at the very top to allow for the month. Here's an idea of what I'm thinking:

I would allow for a spot above each column with a stitched letter to represent the days of the week, but as you can see above, for the blank calendar to be the same size as the other pieces and match, I don't have room. Oh well, it's not needed, right? 

Or maybe I can/should add a few more rows and columns to the whole pattern, and it'll be a little bigger than the flowers pieces, but allow room for the day first letters...

Either way, instead of stitching the day numbers in, since it'll be in a picture frame (hopefully if I can get a frame where the stitched piece on foamcore AND the glass front can fit), then all you'd have to do would be use a dry erase or permanent marker (permanent can be removed by drawing over it with dry erase ;) ) and write in the month and the number days!

Below, I've got a little smaller image of the bottom in which I want to have a little flower decor at the middle (up close doesn't look as good lol),  but I'm not sure about style and colors just yet. In the close-up below, I've roughed up an idea, but I'm not sure I like the colors/flower designs. Who knows, it might change once I get closer to working on that one, and we'll just see! :)

Anywho, for the flower pieces, I was going to start on November since it's finally that time of year, but I only have 2 of the colors I'd need to work on this piece! :( I do have most of the colors of January though, and enough cream colored fabric to do 2 months, so I've started on the January carnations, and will just have to plan a trip to Jo-Ann to get the rest of the colors I'm missing, not to mention the fabric to finish the rest.

The next part will be to find a bi-fold frame that'll work, and once I get maybe one month's flowers and perhaps the calendar done, I can fit them in and see how it looks! Whee!

This is going to be such an awesome project, isn't it?! Aren't you excited to see how it turns out? I sure am! :D

At least...I think it'll work...

It might work?...

Either way, I'll let you see my progress as it goes! 

And as always, for now.... Craft ya laters!