Pop goes the . . . Rio !

Haven’t given any news of Rio of late, so got my camera out earlier to take a few photos when he was clowning around on top of his cage. I’ve been trying to teach him a few new songs but he doesn’t want to know. He pretends to listen, and does his “I’m interested” display and then while I’m singing away at “Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques” or “Row, row, row your boat” or even “London’s burning” . . . he simply pipes up with a very loud “POP goes the Rio!”  (to the tune of Pop goes the Weasel, obviously) and then into a long accolade of “Bravo Rio”, “Viens-là Blackjack!” and of course “Qu’il est beau, Rio !!!!’

Difficult to keep a straight face, so I gave up with the new songs and we did a couple of renditions of “Pop goes the Weasel” just so that Rio could pop loudly again a couple of times.  (sorry about fuzzy photos but he didn’t seem to want to keep still)

new SAL start – “Turkish Sampler 2″ by Pelin Tezer

One of the projects on my starting blocks list for 2011 – a very colourful geometric design by Pelin Tezer, available on Cyberstitchers website It hasn’t inspired many French stitchers to join me (they seem to be saving themselves for the “Barbara Ana-maniac” SALs which I will be organising from 31st Jan) so I only have 3 followers at the start of this one. I suspect more will be tempted to join as we progress because I am convinced this is going to look stunning when stitched and is an ideal opportunity to be creative with colours. 

Saying that – I’m sticking pretty much to the colours suggested, although not always the exact shade.  There are 15 different motifs, so we’ll be stitching for 15 weeks . . . and today motif gives this I’m stitching on 27 count Linda evenweave in antique white – stitching with 1 thread over 1 to keep this a very small project.

La pie kikou is also stitching in mini size (on a pale grey fabric)

and mymye13 is also up to date with her first line