Creative Summer Update/Pinterest Challenge

I have been interested in learning how to do embroidery by hand.  I have been inspired by several images on Pinterest.  Some as simple as embroidering of a road trip on a map to as ornate as beautiful flowers:

Sources:

1.  Map

2. Heart tree carving

3. Yellow flower

4. Orange poppies

Then I found this Seahorse pattern from Kim's Etsy shop, bigBgsd:

                                                  Source: bigbgsd.blogspot.com via Monica @ Creative Gator on Pinterest

Since I have a love for all things of the sea, I decided to try to use this PDF pattern as my first attempt at embroidery.  I used Kim's blog to figure out the scroll stitch as the border.  My stitching is not anywhere near perfect but it was fun to try.  As for the rest of the pattern, I just winged it.

I'm still trying to decide if I will rip out the scroll stitch along the top left and try it again.  Overall, it was a lot of fun and I look forward to learning new stitches. I plan to eventually frame it and hang it in my daughter's room on her gallery wall. I'm linking up with the Summer Pinterest Challenge hosted by Katie, Sherry, Kate, and Michelle.