I think in the world of blogs you are meant to present only the airbrushed, photoshopped, pretty side of life. This is no place for failures. Still, failures do sometimes happen, even here, and are bloody annoying when they do. I think I already described the 3 failed attempts at Benson, that preceded the Chewbaccan glory that he now is. Well, Audrey Versace, followed a similar course. But, and this is where I go all PollyAnna on us, this time I had learned from my mistake, and what I had learned, was to use a new photograph, before trying to make the same picture two more times.

This was the photo, from Audrey’s own Instagram account (how come all these pets know how to set up these things? It’s taking the IT guy hours here at RocketFullofPie HQ, and he’s a rocket scientist – literally):

Audrey Versace, from Instagram

Isn’t she gorgeous?

I still have literally no idea what went wrong from this point. I think perhaps the cushion in the background distracted me, and knocked me off my game, because as I looked at this photo, I took a series of logical steps, to come to completely the wrong conclusion.It’s a white dog, I thought. With an outline that shouts of dog full of character. What she really needs is a good contrasting background. I wish I had taken more pictures at this stage, because at this stage, all was looking good.

Here she is at the end.And yes, her white body is in beautiful contrast with the heavily patterned dark background. Unfortunately, her heavily embroidered dark head benefits from no contrast whatsoever, and is, as a result, pretty much invisible to the naked eye.

So, why a I blogging about the failure?

I don’t know really. She is rather cute though. And as I stare at her again, I wonder whether I couldn’t cut her out, and sew her on to something else. It’s all appliqué after all…. Watch this space.

Meantime, into a locket she goes:

Audrey Versace in locket, a new Elizabethan

“… there is something about everything that you can be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.”
― Eleanor H. Porter, Pollyanna

If you would like a bespoke portrait of your own pet have a look at the commissions page.