And so, we begin...

OK so I've finally gotten my nerve up to dip my toes into the blogging waters.

Here's a picture of my version of Brightneedle Design's Key West Sampler. 

Anyone who's ever spent time in Key West knows the lighthouse is it crowning jewel.  I couldn't stitch a sampler for my favorite spot without paying its due respect.  Accuracy is everything, so even while keeping the whimsical feel of the piece (and Key West!) I tried to be true to the architectural details.  These include gingerbread on the cottages, tropical colors and the arched dome of the lighthouse with a single window near the top. 

I also took some liberties with the thread colors, turning what seemed to be a drab brown buzzard at the top left into a more typical Key West parrot.  Now if I really wanted to capture the locale, I should have done some roosters somewhere..

This piece was a joy to stitch and every time I look at it, I'm back in Margaritaville!