Handprints poem - 9th time

I’m very excited because my next cross stitch project has a due date, but that can be earlier or later depending on the baby. One of my sons’ close friends is expecting his first child August 14. I have known him since he was in high school, so I wanted to stitch something for him and his wife.  

I always stitch the handprints poem, but I also personalize it each time with the baby theme.  I think this is the 9th time I’m stitching this baby pattern. I originally bought and stitched it in 1998 for my oldest son’s kindergarten teacher. 

This time the baby theme is Woodland Animals. This is my design concept using animals found in my cross stitch books.

I hand dyed a piece of white 28ct evenweave using coffee, but that was too light, so I re-dyed it again with tea.  This is how it turned out.

I will be stitching the poem in DMC 988 because it is the closest colour to a peridot (August birthstone).