satisfies all requirements

Leah, the Christmas elf, wanted to make a pair of mittens for somebody. Requirements included: 1) not girly design, 2) not boring to knit, 3) fingerless/flip-top for dexterity, 4) very warm. She bopped around on Ravelry until she formulated a plan that would satisfy all requirements, picked up some yarn at an entirely awesome knit night at our favorite lys a few days ago (following bbq wings and beer/lemonade at a nearby restaurant with a fun group of knitters), and left this on my desk yesterday afternoon:

It's a mash-up of the peekaboo mittens and deathflake chart, but she'll be modifying the peekboo opening so it overlaps.

There's a problem in the top section as a result of looser gauge with 1-color knitting and also maybe because of the peekaboo ribbing, so she'll rip that back and try something different soon. Suggestions welcome for this challenge. Smaller needles? Decrease stitches? Continue 2-color knitting (palm is checkerboard, but might look odd to have stranded knitting above deathflake motif but not below)?

Other than that glitch, she is psyched about mittens as a perfect project -- not too big, not too small, opportunity to keep it interesting but not take forever, eminently practical here in Connecticut, infinite options.