ATS: Changes

I love ATS but don't like some of the "clutter" beneath the never-ending cloud and above the Tree of Life.

I have decided on a few changes and, luckily, found some small charted designs with which to make my substitutions.

I found a small Lion Rampant (Royal Flag of Scotland) and the Saltire for our Scottish roots and a Claddagh to represent the Irish... Hope to find something suitable for Mike's Welsh ancestry, too.

Of course, I will be adding a Thistle!

The butterflies have got to go... and that squirrel, too. I'm thinking of removing the crescent moon and star ands replacing it with a Celtic Knot. One star, I'll replace with a Star of David. At the base of the tree, I'm adding a turtle (for Mike) and will place a small ladybug somewhere, too. I have a sweet little ladybug charm I may use.

Hopefully, most of my substitutions will be confined to page one.

One of the most appealing things about this design, in my opinion, is that it's perfectly suited to personalization. I like that in any design.

I intend to pass this on to my daughter. I want her to be able to show it to her children and grand-children and say... "See this ladybug? That's me! The turtle represents Daddy... the Thistle is a tribute to our Scottish heritage."

I want this piece to be part of the family's history -- not just another piece of needlework hanging on the wall.

I have a long way yet to go. Sometimes, I get frustrated and sometimes I wonder why I even started it, but I always get drawn back to it and I always see something new.

Yes, in the end, I'm glad that I chose this project.