Branching Out Into Free-Style Embroidery?

I realise I have said in my profile that I want to branch out into free-style embroidery, having been a needlepointer and cross-stitcher since for ever, but looking through some of my craft stuff a little while ago I realised that perhaps I aught to say 'getting back to' free-style embroidery.

In my 'stash' here's one of the first free-style embroideries I ever did; a little Hummel boy. I think he's called 'The Hiker'.

Now ........ I can't remember if someone bought him for me or whether I bought him myself, but I think I did this kit when I was about 12 or 13 years old ....... certainly early teens in any case.

The kit came with a really horrible plastic oval frame but, although I decided at some point that this was really tacky and threw it away, thankfully I kept him! He has been hiding away ever since.

A search on the Internet found one example of him and the description of 'vintage embroidery kit' ....... feel quite odd to think I'm old enough to have done a 'vintage kit' when it was new!!