Use your imagination.............

even when it comes to the most simple of designs...............

You can make this flower simple and sweet 

by working the outline stitch on both the center and the petals............

and it can look like this.................

but, by using the same color and working the satin stitch in the center,

and still using the outline stitch on the petals, but with the same petal color,

adding just a few straight stitches around the center.............

the same flower can look like this.........blooming with a little more...........

life.

but I want it to "breathe with life".................

I used  3 shades of pink for the petals........one dark, one medium, and one light.

Stitch around the center with the same yellow color............

get brave and cut out the center...........making sure to not cut the stitches..............

and now you have a hole...............

which, by using the same color and working the closed buttonhole stitch around the center edges,

and adding a few threads  criss crossing through the opening,

you have an interesting center.

Now on this flower, you will need to start with the dark pink and work the long and short stitch around the center all the way around. In the middle of the petals, work with the medium pink and work the long and short stitch on each petal all the way around, leaving the tips of each petal to be worked in light pink, working the long and short stitch all the way around.

And now the same design has bloomed into this life like flower!

Each type of embroidery can make the design pretty............

but with just a few more stitches, a little bit more color, and

your imagination................

just think of the possibilities!