Honorable Mention, Professional Non-Original Without Instruction

When outdoor colors are drab during Minnesota winters, I like to stitch using bright color threads. This handpainted piece by Melissa Shirley was a joy to work on.

An overdyed watercolor thread was selected for the top border leaves. Later this Rainforest 168 was used for two longer leaves (Helen’s Original Lace) in the bottom area. I created many of the patterns for the leaves to continue to see the spots painted on the original canvas. A variety of green threads helped to make the leaves different. Finally, an open stitch pattern was used for the background to help it recede from the main focal points—the animals.