Cross stitch- a medieval garden bookmark

After a full week working (with a cold that gave me laryngitis to boot) all I wanted to do was sit down somewhere nice and warm and do something that didn't require much thought.  So I dug out a unfinished cross stitch project.  I find counted cross stitch lovely and easy because you don't need to do anything other than follow the diagram.  It's like 'paint by numbers' with thread.

The pattern I am doing is 'Medieval Garden' and was a little kit that I bought on holiday in England last year.  I loved the colours in the border, which look like an elaborate calligraphy border and the flowers that are reminiscent of hand painted watercolour flowers.

I also thought I'd point out the great difference that back-stitching can make.  Here is a picture of the bookmark but without any of the back-stitching:
The trouble with most counted cross stitch patterns is that you get to the end of the cross stitches and go 'Yay! I'm done... except for the back-stitch'.  And then you have to spend half as much time again (or so it seems) to get the back-stitching done.  But what a difference it can make-

A bit of backstitch will highlight and enhance an image.  It also allows far more detail than crosses alone.  So if you find yourself sighing when starting what seems like a never ending load of backstitching then just take a big breath and remind yourself it will be worth it in the long run!

One other little tip- don't be tempted to try and do back-stitching as you go unless it is in an area that the crosses are all done in.  When you do back-stitching first and the cross stitches next to the back-stitches, the back-stitching tends to get buried and you loose all that hard work.  It's always best to do the back-stitching after.