2nd Place, Non-Professional Non-Original Without Instruction

My wife spotted this painted canvas by Joy Juarez in Needlepoint for You in Troy, Michigan. After trying what to use, I decided to try the entire piece with light stitches using silks and Kreinik braid. This decision really tested my skills in selecting threads, more so in determining what stitches to use without the piece getting too busy. I used several repeated patterns in the leaves rather than a different stitch for each leaf, and tried six or seven different stitches before settling on the stitch in the peony. I tried to be creative in the border stitches and used several that I have never used before. Overall I am pleased to have been able to enhance a beautifully painted piece and have encouraged several chapter members to experiment.