Sep 17, 2009

THE NOODGE IS BACK

As you might know from reading this here blog, my little beloved puppy tot has what I call a "special feature". OK, it's an overbite that prevents him from being breedable or showable, and I got him for fifty bucks because of it, but we don't usually talk about it too much. (God knows we don't need to do anything to damage his self esteem).

This overbite comes in handy for him whenever he a) wants to look adorable by throwing his little head back and laughing like Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor (see side bar for photographic evidence of this), or b) when he wants to noodge you into doing something.

(Like wake from a dead sleep so that he can twirl himself into a ball on the warm soft spot that WAS the three inches of bed that you were previously sleeping on.)

At 2am I was rudely awakened by those buck teeth and the noodge-noodging of my nine pound bundle of joy that decided he was cold and that he needed to tuck his nose into my cleavage for safekeeping. I thought I was having a heart attack, but no, it turns out that he was noodging me with those damn teeth right in the solar plexis. Damn dog.
"Sorry, Mommie Dearest. My little nose was cold."


I worked on Floating Hearts while watching the Opening Gala of the New York Philharmonic. I didn't really mean to watch the whole thing, but I just sat there and stitched away, and before I knew it, the credits were rolling and I had just heard the entire "Symphonie Fantistique" (*). I'm all cultured now. I decided to do a skip tent in Silk and Ivory for the background of the piece, and a simple tent stitch in DMC #5 perle cotton for the border. Those hearts really need to be "outlined" in some way, though, so before the day is done I want to try to come up with a solution for that. At first I thought I would stem stitch around each one with DMC#5 perle, but I tried one and didn't like it at all. So now I'm thinking about couching Very Velvet? Damn, that would mean a trip to my LNS, and God knows how much trouble I'll get into.

Ms. Monica asked about the stitch that I used for the small green heart. It's a diagonal stem stitch, with the vertical and horizontal legs done in Watercolors and the diagonal tie-down stitch in Splendor.

That's the report for today, kids. Thanks so much for stopping by and for leaving such nice comments. Right back at 'cha!

(*) I know, I know. You're cringing at the way I butcher the Engligh language and just spell stuff any 'ol way I want to. You should also be aware that I make stuff up too. Like words and phrases and gramatical constructions.

20 comments:

  1. He may be a damned dog, but he looks like such a sweetheart. You know if have to go to the shop to pick up that Very Velvet, you won't walk out with just that - but hey, you only live once, right? But it sounds like it would be a great solution. Defintely do love this piece.

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  2. Are you REALLY sure you have to outline the hearts? Just had to ask.

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  3. Isn't it amazing how much room our "fur children" can take up on the bed when you're trying to sleep???!! We have 2 cats, both long haired so I can't understand why they would be cold! One cat is a little fly-weight at 7 lbs. but when she lays down at my feet she's like a 100 lb. anchor! The other cat weighs over 20 lbs. and he likes to lay along side me by the edge of the bed. I'm pinned down and can't move...LOL Damn cats!!

    I love this piece! I've never done this kind of stitching before but I might give it a try with this pattern. It's gorgeous :)

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  4. Oh, that little noodger! He knows just how cute he is, the stinker.

    Those hearts look so fabulous. And who knows why we let gorgeous projects to laze around without being finished? I wish I could stop that.

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  5. That border is just amazing. I am in awe of how fast you stitch, too. And Stewey...adorable.

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  6. LOL, since I sleep with two little furry puppies who like my side of the bed and a DH that thinks his half is in the middle, I can so sympathize :-).

    Love your piece, I've never tried needlepoint so no suggestions on the hearts.

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  7. Little Stewey is cute cute cute. He is worth every penny !!! I think the hearts will still stick out when you are finished with border. Just give us that finished shot TOMORROW.. I know you will be finished..LOL Such a fast stitcher.

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  8. The hearts are looking good! Stewey is so cute it would be hard to hold a grudge at his noodging. My Mr. Boots does much the same, he ooches his way under the covers and if he can't do that, he will stand on my head until I hold the covers up for him. His other favorite thing is to curl up on my head and groom me. Cat tongues are a very rough way to wake up!

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  9. Stewey could noodge me anytime and I would just love on him! He is a sweetie! Dogs are gifts from Heaven.

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  10. Madame Monica here. just have to ask, like Margaret, do you really htink you have to outline? my concern woudl be that it will "encase" thema nd make them heavier and detract from the "floating" feel they have now. i so agree with the choice of border stitch and this goes to your theory there of letting the eye rest on soemthing and not detracting from the letting the hearts stand out and the randomeness and floating nature.
    My little Miss Delight, the persian princess in my house, snuggles ups andhas to be touching me to the point where the queen size bed becomes hers and i get that same 3 inches of space you have right on the edge of the bed... of course, having been married (and divorced) twice, I still think she is a much better bargain than the 3 inches i used to get from snoring, farting ex-husbands who took up the whole bed...

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  11. Madame Monica again - do you think i could have found the spell check button for that last posting....? how embarassing that post is... i really am educated.... just can't prove it, obviously!

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  12. I think you are extremely lucky that Stewey lets you share 'his' bed!

    I think the hearts looks wonderful as they are but if you really need an excuse for a trip to the LNS ... this could be it!

    I like the skip tent stitch background.

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  13. IMHO, the Hearts float just as they are.

    I love the piece and the way you've stitched it

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  14. The cute little noodger has his look just like the beautiful Lauren Hutton, whose gap toothed grin made millions.

    His picture always makes me smile.

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  15. Beautiful heart stitching!

    You know my daughter had a female that had the same overbite. What a cutey she was too!

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  16. Your stitching is so beautiful. I'm with Madame Monica - I think it it would detract from the floating effect if they are outlined. Looking forward to seeing the finish next post!

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  17. I think the hearts look spectacular as they are, but as we all know, if the stitcher isn't happy with it, then no one else can convince the stitcher otherwise.

    As for a trip to the LNS, I believe I'm headed there myself this weekend. And no, I don't need a thing, but that never seems to stop me from coming home with some new treat.

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  18. I'm laughing at the thought of losing Stewey entirely if he tried to warm his nose up in my cleavage. LOL.

    But seriously, your needlework looks amazing - wow. Gorgeous!!

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  19. I think your hearts are lovely and just right. The colors and stitches are wonderful. I believe the hearts look just right without outlining them. But I did want to tell you what I do when I want to "outline" something. I use Wrapped Backstitch instead of stem stitch. It gives a really nice rounded curve.
    I can't tell you how much I enjoy you and Stewie. I have been reading your blog since you posted about sitting on the floor in Target having a conversation with a toddler--needless to say that hooked me!

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  20. Love how your hearts are coming along. Pretty!

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