Just a reminder of what I'm aiming for.  I'm all done with the body and now am working on the eyes.  I want my giraffe's eyes to not be so googley, so I'm taking some different turns.  First, remembering what I did for the T-Rex, I created eye sockets.

Next, I changed how I created the eyes themselves.  In the original giraffe pattern, the eyes are supposed to be a white ball with a black circle sewn on.  I opted for starting my eye ball with 2 rows of black and switching to white.  I had problems with that black, too.  I could not see where the stitches started and ended.  My solution, use the flash light on my phone.  I hung it over the ledge of my laptop and that really bright LED flash let me finally see what the heck I was doing.  

This is what the eyes looked like at first.  I know I pointed this out with the T-Rex, but I'm gonna say it again, these eyes are void of any emotion or feeling at all.  The black needs smoothing out.

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about these eyes.  I'm not sure they will fit into the sockets I've created.  I'm afraid I'll have to change the eyelids from the Giraffe pattern.  Since the original giraffe eyes were more cartoony, they were placed right next to each other.  The eyelids are supposed to be a thin strip.  My original plan was to make the strip purple, a little wider, and finish off with a line of black popcorn stitches.  I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't think about purchasing the Ostrich pattern just so I have a better idea of how to make those eyes.  Mmmm.  Maybe I can figure it out.. . .

Gasp!  I think I know how she did these eyes!!! I don't think I need the eye sockets after all. . . .  I want to say more about all of this, but I don't want to give away her secrets.  Buy her patterns, people!!  If for no other reason, you learn so much from them!!

This is a visual wish list of the patterns I want to eventually get from her.

That's a start. I'm sure there are tons more.  She really is a genius.

Update:
After many tries and re-tries, I finished an eye last night.  I had to go with a double row of chain stitches around the pupil, and I'm not sure I'm sold completely on the dark brown color, but it's a completed eye! I'm thinking I'll make the other eye a light brown color and see how I like that, but for now, here it is:

Those are pins around the eye.  I haven't sewn it on just yet since I'm still not sure if I like it.  I might want to lower the eyes and move them in a little more, too.  One thing I learned from my cartoon drawing days:  Eye placement is everything.  She also won't look so scared once I put an eyelid on her.