An Opportunity to Excel

I always look at mistakes, problems, supply frustrations or design challenges as "opportunities to excel".  Seems to make me feel better if I've made a blooper or can't figure my way out of a paper bag. It's particularly unnerving when I'm asked to teach a class, go to order the supplies and find something isn't available anymore.....
anywhere....
at any cost.....
never to be made again.
ARRGGGGGG....!

It happens more and more nowadays and forces me to either re-design something, or select different colors and make another sample. Such is the case with my Beaded Strawberry Scissor Case Class. Originally it was made with absolutely gorgeous pink and white 1/8" silk dupioni gingham. Just the right amount of pink to go with the Beaded Strawberry. But, alas, the darned pink gingham cannot be found anymore. It's not being made. And of course, I was asked to teach it as a class. I had a small amount of the pink gingham to make some of the kits but not all of them. No problem... just another opportunity to excel.

So the search commenced for another color of silk gingham. I found a beautiful green gingham from Silk Baron that fit the bill both in gingham size and color. Next I had to match cotton floss colors and found two DMC colors (#471 and #905) worked beautifully for the embroidery, cord and keyhole tassel.

I used a slightly yellow clear rainbow #11 glass bead for the tassel, too. Here's a photo of the result compared to the Original.

Pretty good opportunity to excel if I do say so myself. I think the ladies in the class will be pleased with their kit choices!