Whine, and ye shall receive ....

... sorry to sound a bit whiney guys.... but, also, thanks for the commiserations and the hugs....

Blog buddies are the best.  Kind of like family; even better in some ways.  They don't expect anything of us ... which is also good...because some days we don't do anything.  Other days ... if we feel a bit down, and say so out loud...we're buoyed by their kindness and caring... it's just nice.  And, I wanna say "thanks".

My Mom used to say "a burden shared is a burden halved" ...  (she was a very clever lady) ..  but, even  if not quite halved, at least it seems less of a burden sometimes just to say a thing out loud doesn't it?  Get it out there and be done with it.  I'm thinking it's sort of cathartic even though I'm sure some folks think I'm just a complainer.

This morning I woke up, rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up.  Hey!!  No yelping from the rib pain!  Woooohooooo !!  something good happened overnight.  Not that they are perfect yet...but, a huge step in the right direction.

It's a beautiful sunny day...brilliant blue sky... sparkling snow all around..... a lovely wintery day.  I'm starting to feel so much better.  My wrist is great...my foot works again...and now the ribs...

Look out.... In a few days, I'll be dangerous!!

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And....I can even sit still long enough to stitch a bit.

Yes.... these are just test eyes Maggi. ( I might as well admit to it...cuz she will ask. )
I take a photo of my little guys and fail to admit that they are not really finished.  Can you believe I even have some still sitting with backs open and eyes not firmly inserted?  Sigh....yep.  It's true.  I'm such a procrastinator.  She tells me I should have a week of just finishing things...... yeh, sure, okay.... ....I know... ..it would be a good thing.  But...somehow, once I have them assembled and take their photo?..unless they are sold or going to live in "a good home"... they usually get put in a spot in the curio or a cabinet ..with other little guys...and they don't ever get totally finished.  Wonder what a shrink would read into that one?  The 'fear of finishing' springs to mind....seems to me I've read about that somewhere before ....hahhaha... oh, never mind.

Onward.

Let me show you "test eyes" for those who are not familiar with them.

They are little eyes on stick pins.  You can easily test various sizes to see which you like best in your bears and animals.  I even use them for test noses.  They come in various sizes... this is the collection of smallest.

Chocolate brown was my first choice for inner ears and paw and foot pads...but, when I held it beside the fur, it just seemed to disappear.  So, instead, I found a lovely cinnamon coloured soft cashmere in my pile of goodies...

His ears...

Turned...

They seem a bit large.... and when I left them rounded when pinned, he looked like a scratty little mouse.  Poor guy.  I just laughed and re-arranged them.  Now...he looks like Rachel's little dog....

.. but....I think he's pretty cute.  Yes...the ears are just pinned on too, Maggi.  They may change... but, I like to leave him on the table for a day or so to check him out every so often.  I hate to hurry this part. I move the eyes closer and further apart and use larger and perhaps even smaller test eyes... before I begin to finish the head.  The nose is a pin too...so I can change sizes and check which I like best before I begin to embroider his real nose.  I can continue with his other bits and pieces in the meantime...and get more of a feel for how I want him to look overall.  If I find an hour in between baking biscotti and making supper and running a few errands...I'll stitch up at least the body today...