HIH is one of my favorite designers. That sampler is just the cutest thing. I love your customization idea; I am too anal, I guess, to stray too far from the pattern.
oh i am equally anal, believe me. my husband actually asked me once what did it matter what colors you used etc. and i looked at him with my mouth agape in horror. i never alter the patterns, but bc i did this for my 11 yo daughter, and our dog doesn't look anything LIKE the original one in the pattern, AND it wasn't too terribly hard to freelance it to look like our's, i decided to go ahead. i am back to the straight and narrow now!