Top done ...

The "Reminisce" top is done! It was a big challenge, the seam ripper got a good work out--glad I invested in a nice one of turned-wood last year; a tool that gets that much use should be good quality, nice and pleasing to the eye as well.

My idea to introduce color was a gamble but I think it succeeded pretty well. There may be 1 or 2 changes I would make if starting over, but to my eyes it still has coherence, and a traditional look with an updated palette. I do think it's somewhat striking.

In the third round--that of the "flying geese" motif--I introduced my colors as light pastels. There's a light blue, pale lavender, light tan, and light green. In each successive round I added an increase in the saturation of color, adding a medium version of each of the four light colors for the 4th round. It is made up of 4 colors, now 8 tones. The largest round--the sampler blocks--contains the most saturated colors of all, mixed in with colors from the previous rounds which I continued to carry outward. There is now a light, medium, and bright version of the four basic colors. Plus there are a few accent colors added in a few places. My signature--a bird--appears in the sampler round.

The greys and florals which began the central panel are also brought to the outer rounds. My biggest fear was that the central panel would look too unrelated to the outer rounds, but I don't think it's the case. I think the "flying geese" round ties them together.

I'll add a simple, solid black binding to the outer edge and that will be that! I'm happy.