FIDDLESTICKS

Before we begin today's blathering, I should explain something to those of you who feel silly about writing comments to a dog.

My sister carries on entire conversations with him.

Imagine a voice somewhat like Elmo's (from Sesame Street). Then, combine that with a very sophisticated vocabulary and a big 'ol dash of precocious, and you've got Stewey. He calls his Aunt Chrissy every night to regale her with the latest happenings of the day, and after a few minutes of this, Aunt Chrissy will say "Stewey? Is your Mommie there? Put her on the phone for me." And Stewey sometimes does this immediately, but once in a while will say "She's sleeping, Aunt Chrissy", or "She went the the store."

And the amazing thing is that Aunt Chrissy usually says (without missing a beat)...."Well, have her call me when she gets home, OK?", and then she promptly hangs up the phone.

This went on for about three months before Aunt Chrissy said to me one day "You know? I think I'm losing my damn mind. Do you realize that I carry on entire conversations with Stewey?" (as if I wasn't aware of what the dog was doing when I wasn't paying attention).

I, personally, think nothing of this, since I am convinced that he is indeed a tiny little man trapped in the body of a nine-pound Jack Russell and that he is a stimulating conversationalist. Just don't get him started on fashion, religion, or politics, and you'll be just fine.

Speaking of Aunt Chrissy...she totally screwed me up this weekend when she innocently asked (repeatedly, I might add)...."Did you ever pick up Strawberry Garden from the framer?". I tried and tried as best I could to evade the question, but she demanded to see it on Saturday afternoon:What she didn't know was that this was going to be a SURPRISE! for her birthday. So, SURPRISE AUNT CHRISSY! The moment I started stitching this I decided that it would make the perfect gift for her, and when she kept saying that it looked like Mom, I knew I had picked the right piece. Besides, I have never given her a piece of stitching, and since she is responsible for getting me into it in the first place, I wanted that first piece to be special. So there. It's not hanging in her house yet...she refuses to take it until her actual birthday, so I get to enjoy it a little longer.

I finished "Beyond My Heart" on Saturday afternoon. I'm really tickled with the results and think this one will stay right here at Chez Spinster:I have a crazy-ass idea of hanging it on a "Blackbird Designs" wall. The idea is to also have a "Laura J. Perin" wall, a "Shepherd's Bush" wall, etc. etc. I suppose it would be a good thing to have more than one piece finished before dedicating an entire wall, but a girl can dream now, can't she? (You'll note that I do more dreaming about what to do with finished needlework pieces than I do actual needlework, but hey, that's just me.)

I am reaaaalllllly trying to stretch the time on "Daisy Collage" since I am just loving working on it. I know that there are several other flowers in this series, but I just LOVE this one and want it to last forever!You'll have to forgive the mess of a daisy in the upper left corner....I was so busy watching "Mistresses" that I just kept adding petals until it looked like this:It's totally NOT what LJP charted, but methinks I will leave it alone for now. Those petals are done in Sparkle Rays, and it was a bit of a bit** pulling it through the canvas and getting it to lay just so. (I'm not allowed to use my laying tool without adult supervision....that sucker is an emergency room visit waiting to happen.)

So that's it for the Spinster Stitcher today. I am hoping that Aunt Chrissy and Bosco come over for some Stitching in the Studio with Sissy time. We haven't done that in quite a while and it feels like it just might be the perfect evening for it!