So I Had an Idea

I was browsing around in JoAnn Fabrics the other day, and found this lantern.

And then I had ideas.

I'm not finished yet - but the stitched piece is Shepherd's Bush "Mermaid" sampler, stitched with kit supplies.  The shells were given to me by a friend, and the gorgeous handmade glass mermaid was a souvenir I picked up on our trip to Cape Cod 4 years ago.  I also have some blue and green glass baubles to add to the bottom of the lantern.  Here's the stitching alone:

(The blue flannel is closer to the color of the first picture.)  I laced the stitching on padded mat board, then glued the blue flannel to both sides of a slightly larger piece of board.  The twisted cording is a combo of pale blue and pale mint green flosses, some old unmarked colors my dad picked up in a craft lot at an auction.  I can hardly wait to get this all put together!