For Sophie

So our best friends are moving all the way across this big old country. And, to add insult to injury, they're taking their daughter with them. Mostly, I've been dealing with my sadness with copious amounts of sarcasm and general belligerence whenever we hang out, but the departure date is nearing and I need to focus more energy on something to send off with them to their new home. Sophie isn't so keen on moving and although I know she'll get over it as soon as she's in a cool new town and meeting new people, I thought a wall hanging for her new room would be nice to remind her that I love her. So I traced some of the summer stitchettes from Wee Wonderfuls (happy new baby over there, btw!) but made them holding hands. On top of the girls will be the words "you + me = friends" and I've added some rocks and flowers to ground the figures. I also added her cockapoo, Lucy, and had a grand time making her all curly with french knots galore.

I traced the figures onto tracing paper and added my own changes (I also changed the hair on the girls to match what Sophie and I look like) and then traced the opposite side of the paper with an iron-on transfer pen. It was my first time working with the pen and it worked like a charm. Ironing it on took a second and it's nice and clear. I think some of the lines have faded a bit as I've been working the piece, but that could be my imagination. I'm using the fabric that I tea-stained earlier and the floss is all natural-dyed linen and it looks really lovely all together. It's nice having a relatively limited palette to work with because it makes decision-making easy when I'm choosing colors. So this will probably work itself up relatively quickly, then I'll pop it in a frame and turn it over to Sophie:)

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Nikki commented that she thought I'd be missing the birds when they go. Um, am I talking about these birds too much? Who cares! I can't get enough of them:) Well, here they are in all their peeping glory.

Did anyone ever see The Dark Crystal? This guy down below reminds me of the creepy bad guy who always wandered around saying "mmm.....gelfling...." he's got that long, spindly neck goin' on.

It took me a while, but I learned that the birds don't get psyched out if I just jostle the branches anymore. But if I give the main branch a thunk, they think it's a parent that's landed with a mouthful of worms and they'll peep for me. So here are lots of blurry photos because I didn't have the heart to keep faking them out, so the perfect shot was not had.

I've also found a good hiding spot in my house where I can see the nest with my binoculars. I've been able to see feeding time close up from this vantage point because mom and dad don't know that I'm looking.

And I've taken to saying "hey birdies" when I walk by their nest since I can see their little heads poking out now. Am I going to miss them when they're gone? Nah. But I'm starting an embroidery project for them as soon as I'm done with Sophie's...