Celtic's Lacing and Whimsical Thoughts

2012-01-14T16:23:00.004-05:00

First of all I finally made the ornament from a kit that I won in a raffle at a Hector Tatting Event from a few years ago. Debbie Arnold is the one that donated the ornament to the raffle. As you can see in the picture this ornament has reindeer charms going around the bottom of the ornament. If you go to Debbie website you will see a whole lot of different charms and they are $1.00 for each so if you want to do an ornament like mine you would need just seven charms and of coarse the pattern from Debbie. All sold on her website here.

http://www.ds9designs.com/index.shtml

You can see that we have snow here in New York. It has been a funny Winter so far where we haven't hardly had any snow...but now that I have typed these words here....I probably just jinxed us.

Also I showed you all some of the snowflakes I have made. In the one picture is the pale blue and yellow flake. It was a flake from Martha's new tatting book. It is finished here inside a bangle. Makes a neat ornament. The thread is from Handy Hands here

http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html
The color is called Sea Island Citrus. I did the ornament in size 40 instead of the called for size 20 to make it smaller so it would fit inside the bangle.

2012-01-12T18:45:00.003-05:00

Here are some snowflakes I have made. Two of the snowflake patterns are from Martha's new book called "Playing with Picots" book. I think the two snowflakes patterns in the book have got to me one of my favorite snowflakes. As you can see I have made a few of them. I have also made the snowflake by Miranda too. I love this snowflake.http://tattingfool.blogspot.com/ I think this is her blog. She has alot of beautiful things on here...check it out.

The one snowflake you see in the picture I am attaching it onto a bangle. It should be almost done. I will try to remember to show it here when I have it finished.

I got an email that Handy Hands is having another sale so I thought I would share the info with you. So go and slurg and order yourself some pretty colored threads. Don't forget they now have really cool thread holders too.So here is the info....

TODAY is the first snow of the year here in Central IllinoisDISCOUNT - 10% off coupon code 117****The coupon Expires January 17th at Midnight Eastern Standard Time.***

RULES for Coupon 117:

1. Coupon has to be in the coupon field for discount to apply.

2. Coupon CAN NOT be combined with any other discount, just the shipping and handling if you are a newsletter subscriber.

3. This offer is only good for internet orders.

4. Discount does not apply to previous orders.

5. The discount does NOT apply to the newsletter, back issues of the newsletter or gift Certificates.

Our on going contest to win 25 balls of Lizbeth thread is always opened to suggestions. We keep ALL suggestions so anytime you have a color idea e-mail it us. Refer to the guidelines on our website.

We have just ordered our Spring 2012 colors,there are 11 new ones coming which include 6 multi and 5 solid colors. More information to come in about 45 days. Handy Hands, Inchttp://www.hhtatting.com/217-379-3802Hours Monday - Friday from 9-5 central time.

Until the next time I write keep looking for the golden ticket of labels that say MADE IN THE USA.

Also...Justice for Caylee. Please remember her and not her witch of a mother.

2011-12-23T15:06:00.011-05:00

So how do you like my Christmas card. I thought it turned out kinda cool looking. It is a camera shaking, taken at night, but I love the way the Christmas lights did its own kinda cool thing. It is my Christmas tree all lite up. So here is my Christmas card to you all that come and visit my blog.

Do you all remember the awful tease I did with my Christmas Lace in progress picture...where here is two more pictures. One is the tape lace finished and the other is the tatted filling I did before I took the lace off my pillow.

I got a really nice Christmas Card of a really nice bobbinlaced ornament on it from Daphne Martin of England. She belongs on the lace list Arachne. Here is a picture of the Christmas card I recieved from her.

Here is another picture I took of some of my laces together that I have made in the past.

I usually make my four children a Christmas Ornament so they will have something made by their mother.This year for my children I decided to make them a tatted beaded chandelier covering for a glass ornament. I made four of them. I used a pattern from Deb Arnold from Colorado. Her is her url for 9designs if you would like to get a kit or the pattern for the covering.http://www.ds9designs.com/index.shtmlI used Lisbeth thread in size 20 in the colorway Christmas Delight. I am happy with the way they turned out.

This is it for now on this post unless I think of something else to write about.I am going to end it with another "Golden ticket" of something I found was made in theUSA. IT was our tree stand we bought for our tree...What about you...if you find something made in the USA...a Golden ticket"...post it on your blog and blog about it. We have got to have MADE IN THE USA everywhere again when shopping in a store. So I am ending with a scan of the label from my Golden Ticket.

If this blog is showing alot of gaping spaces...it is blogger's fault and not mine.

2011-11-15T11:46:00.005-05:00

I am making a wee bit of Christmas fairy lace in pink and white. Here are a couple sneek previews. I am not keeping this lace so ....that is why I am just giving peeks of it. Also here are a few of my painted continental bobbins. I painted these years ago for a Russian Lace Class that I took with Holly Van Sciver. I wanted my bobbins to go all together but look different at the same time so I came up with painting cartoons on them. I know the cartoons are copywrited but I painted these bobbins for my own use and are not for sale. I did give away my Bugs and Taz bobbin years ago so sometime I will have to paint another one. I also have more of these bobbins and my intent is to paint even more cartoons on them. The bobbins are fun to look at. I am always thinking of some character I haven't painted yet. So do you all remember these cart0on characters? Are there any you don't recognize? Do they bring back memories? I am showing the front and back of the bobbins. Some of the bobbins have more than one character painted on them...so now it is back to the lace. Oh and the hankies are thank yous to Erin Holloway who always graces me with Halloweenie hankies.

2011-11-06T11:52:00.031-05:00

Okay now....it is better late than never...I am going to share some of my very own Palmetto pictures with y'all...but first is this picture of a pretty variegated purple snowflake that went along with the purple tree that I donated to the silent auction. I believe Pam Freck won the tree along with this very pretty snowflake. Can any of the designers out there recognize this flake as your pattern...if not does anybody know who the pattern belongs to...please let me know...I HAVE GOT TO HAVE THAT pattern. It is so pretty. So here is that picture.

For those that were at Palmetto the year that Erin (mostly Erin) and I made up a family of sock monkeys and gave them to Riet at the banquet dinner. WeeeeLLLL This year in my Halloween "Just Cross Stitch" issue was this sock monkey...and I saw it and Riet automatically popped into my head...I said...Celtic...you have got to do that cross stitch and give it to Riet...well I made the cross stitch pirate sock monkey and gave it to Riet at the banquet. I worked on it right up until I gave it to her almost. Riet also had the cutest Sock monkey earrings on that she showed me when I was giving here the cross stitch. So here is the stitch and here I am giving it to Riet.
Riet, if you are still reading this...I still need to tat you a bird for the "Polly , want a cracker".

Now of coarse when I go to Knoxville,Tenn. I get to visit with my best friend Erin Holloway. We always have such a good time together. We usually go to Macoroni Grill for dinner and we went this year too...Here we are already starting the fun...( this is what vacation is all about...FUN). We also always to go Lily's Beadbox store...you can never have too many beads you know.

And since I got there before Palmetto event I got to see the runner and so on that Erin was working on . She was a stitching mad woman trying to get the gizzillion flakes sewed onto the beautiful silk material. I believe the piece here that Erin is working on Raymond won for her at the auction...Can you imagine that...wow...what a man ...huh?? But doesn't Erin look like a stitching Diva in this picture??

Of coarse going to Georgia or South Carolina is always a most scenic trip. Here is a picture of the Smokey Mountains...Can you see where the name Smokey Mountains came from and I don't think it was from smoking too many Camel cigarettes. LOL

So how about some people pictures now... How many people can you name in these pictures. I see Arleen, Sharon Golden, Martha Ess, Erin of coarse, Kathy Berndt, Lenora F.,Donna, AK ( Georgia)Sharen Morgan, Nancy Clemmons and her husband, Connie Angeline, Leslie Deveaux-Christian

Here is a couple pictures of my roommate Sephanie Wilson wearing her cool tatted hat. Love the hat...she had the same problem I had with my purple hat...the humidity of the Southern States...wilts the hats.

And now for a couple flakes in closing that were on the quilt.

I hate blogging...I won't tell you how long it took me to do this...if it looks stupid...it is not my fault.

2011-10-30T23:56:00.015-04:00

Hi everybody ...so here is one of my favorite days of the year and tomorrow will be my oldest daughter Chrystal's birthday. ...So many years ago this evening ,I was handing out the Halloween treats while I was in labor. Being I gave birth to my daughter just after midnight is one of reason I have always thought this was the best time of the year. I bet Chrystal always thought so when she was young. Halloween candy...candy...candy...the night before her birthday and cake and ice cream and lets not forget the presents on her birthday after a gluntiny of Halloween SUGAR RUSH...LOL

Now the other part of this story is I had to hurry and get out of the hospital for I wanted to be home for my oldest son's first birthday which is on Nov.5th. Yes, Shawn and Chrystal are less than a year apart and over the years when they were young we celebrated their birthdays together though I usually tried to have both of them have their very own Birthday Cakes. More SUGAR....lol

As I have mentioned to you before one of my favorite cross stitch designers died earlier this year in a horrific accident. After Lisa Roswell's death some of us stitcher in her honor and memory started stitching one of her designs. I just finished mine tonight. The design is called "Witches Nine". I love the verse of this design and it goes as follows.

In the town live witches nine:

Three in worsted, three in rags,

And three in velvet fine".

I do wonder where she got this verse or if she made it up. The only thing I have left to do to this stitching is to put my name on it and the year I stitched it.

Lastly I am going to share just a few Halloween pictures of my Chicklets. These were taken at a fun Trick or Treat event at Wegmans here in Canandaigua, New York.

Here is a picture of some pumpkins that the employees of Wegmans carved. There were more than these...but look at the talent here...Hope you all have a happy HALLOWEENIE;)
One last note....I HATE BLOGGER. My text and my pictures never seem to line up right..making me look dumb.

2011-10-27T10:36:00.004-04:00

Halloween is coming...and I just wanted to share. I did an exchange with my friend from Baton Rouge, New Orleans. We have been doing this at Halloween time. It is actually a stitch exchange. This is what I sent to her.

It is from Prairie Schooler "October" I was thinking of Harry Potter and decided to make the Owls for Sale sign and then I tatted an Owl The owl pattern is from Diane Stevens Animal Bookmark books. The first time I have ever done this owl and I actually like it alot. I think I may do another one. I also noticed when hanging on to the owl from the hanger...the face kinda folds forward making it look like a 3D owl. After I sent off my exchange I did another stitch of the Owls For Sale...but I haven't gotten around to tatting the owl yet to go with it...I might have the owl stand on its own merit. We shall see.

I also got a nice exchange from Ann my exchange partner. You can see what so so nicely sent to me on her blog here.

http://www.with-my-needle.blogspot.com/

I love the Quaker Pattern she sent to me. There are alot of Halloween themes stitches in the design...you just have to look for them. She also sent me some hand coffee dyed material. I am planning on using the linen to do the Quaker design on it. Lastly but really cute...( and Ann it is on my {one now} fake Christmas Tree). It is a Bat. Actually after I saw this I thought of Batter...and now thinking I should do one for her. Thank you Ann for the great exchange

Eventually I will get in the swing of things in posting on my blog. IT is just when I do have computer time...I usually am reading my mail and everybody elses blogs.

2011-10-18T22:00:00.003-04:00

Hi everybody.

Been really busy as usual around here. Halloween is coming ...one of my favorite times of the year. Now tell me...who that is reading this blog doesn't know that.

Anywhoo...whoo...said the owl...with Halloween coming it bring to my mind my favorite cross stitch designer who lost her life this past Spring when her car went off the road and ended up in deep water where my favorite designer died. That is Lisa Roswell. Halloween I think was her favorite times of the year. Alot of her designs were for Halloween with the Primitive feel to Lisa's designs. I use to write to Lisa and I am missing the fact that we are not emailing about Halloween this year and being excited to give her new ideas for designs that she also that would make a cool design.

Today I took out my Witches Hallow design of Lisa's that I stitched. It was a big design and I know there is a picture of it finished on this blog somewhere. I never did get it framed so I hung it on a clothes hanger with clothes pins. It is hanging off my arch entryway that goes from my livingroom to my dinningroom. She is hanging in an honor spot in my house where it can be seen by anybody that comes to my house.

I just wanted to say with Halloween coming...I am thinking of Lisa and her family. I know I will never think of Halloween again without thinking of the loss of Lisa Roswell. I just thought I would share my thoughts with you.

Soon I will share something else with you that I have been working on. And NO it isn't the eighth wonder made in size 160 thread...I will leave those to Mark Myers...but something just the same.I will also be putting pictures I took at Palmetto's Tat Days and also picture I took at "Ithaca's Lace Days" that I just went to.

Until I write again...keep those hands happy.

I also have one picture to share...I did find one "Golden Ticket". Here is the picture of my Golden Ticket.Finding "Made In the USA" is like finding the "Golden Ticket" in Willy Wonker and the Chocolate Factory. I have found one ticket though ...how about you...are you finding anything that says "made in the USA"...keep looking...

2011-09-16T22:22:00.013-04:00

Finally a new post. ....Say Yeah....where have you been? Actually, I have been right here...just busy watching my Grandchildren and when I am not doing that I have been swimming, stitching, tatting ,lacing, antiqueing and whenever else I manage to sweeze in my busy day.

I will be at Palmetto tatting event. I am leaving here on the 20th to fly to Tenn. and stay with my friend Erin Holloway. I have got butterflies in my stomach right now just thinking about it. I am excited for my vacation to begin and also...keeping my fingers crossed that things will go smoothly while I am away. So look out Erin and Raymond I will be seeing you soon. Let the fun begin...

This past Tuesday, Gary ( my husband ) and I went out antiqueing. We sometimes do this even if we have no money ( money, you ask ...what is that??) And to change the scenery from my TV and Livingroom walls...to feast our eyes on things of old. We went looking for some new haunts for us to check out. But guess what?? All three of them were closed. What a diappointment!! So we jumped back into the truck and headed back to Canandaigua...and we decided to go to the usual haunt...the Ontario Antique Mall in Canandaigua. We figured we wouldn't find anything really cool but we did. First of all...my husband has been collecting thistle,paneled, pressed glass. This glass was made a hundred years ago. I actually spotted a salt dish in the thistle glass. It wasn't to long after that Gary said to me...Sher come here...so going a couple rows of showcases he shows me this shuttle. The shuttle was metal and I knew I didn't have one like it. We asked someone to open the case for us and I took out the shuttle and turned it over. And there was a spot to push that pushed out a pointed pic. It had on it Patented Jan 1st 1867 on it. I didn't have any shuttle like this shuttle. I said...I have got to have it. Well we bought it. Probably shouldn't have...but I knew I probably wouldn't see another like it. We left the antique place thinking...wow...our day wasn't a total loss afterall.

As soon as I got home I took out my American Shuttle book and looked up the shuttle,page 43 &44. The shuttle maker is Greenwalt. Now, here is the exciting part...and I really loved this...it said it was the First "AMERICAN" metal made shuttle produced. When I saw that I was really super happy with the shuttle. I cleaned the shuttle up for it was tarnished alot and needed tender loving care. It is a beautiful shuttle now. We paid $42.50 for the shuttle which I think was a steal. What do all of you think out there in Tattingland? Does anybody have a shuttle like this one out there in Tattingland? I would really love to hear what you think. Was it a steal or not? Personally I don't think the person knew what they had.

In the Tatting Shuttle book though it said the shuttle was made out of brass. The post and the sleeve for the needle pic was brass, but I don't think the blades are brass. My husband thought maybe they were steel but a magnet doesn't stick to it...I am wondering if it is silver though I do not see any markings for silver. I don't see the maker marking either...not to say if this shuttle was suppose to be marked or not. This shuttle is almost 150 years old according to the book. I am really excited.

Here are some pictures to show the shuttle to you.

"Finding MADE IN USA " is like looking for the "Golden Ticket" in Willy Wonker and the Chocolate Factory. Lets have "MADE IN USA " again and make our country strong again.

2011-07-07T13:01:00.005-04:00

Okay this is something I hate about Blogger. It seems to me you can't copy something from somewhere else and paste it here. I hope you can click on my scans so you can read what I wrote. My feelings about poor little beautiful Caylee Marie Anthony.
Also, the conduct of the defense lawyers was deplorable. Cheny Mason...give the middle finger in front of a big restaurant/bar window to the press and those Support justice for Caylee Marie Anthony or the two finger guns shot by Hosa in front of the camera's after the verdict was read. I can't stand any of them but since they won the injustice trail...I suppose I will be seeing them anywhere and everywhere, The defense lawyers, and the whole Anthony family will be "Real TV" like celebs now.Sick..sick ....sick!!

2011-03-03T00:14:00.005-05:00

Hi all. I am so saddened this evening. Some of you may know that one of the things I enjoy doing besides lacing is cross stitching. My favorite designer I just learned passed away. She was only 51 years old. I went to her blog this evening to see if there was anything new posted and I saw a post written by her daugther Mariah that her mother had died. The cross stitch designer was Lisa Roswell of Ohio. She designed under Primitive Needle. I had this past Winter finished doing her design called "Witches Hallow". Some of you may know that Halloween is one of my favorite time of the year. Lisa designed alot of cross stitching that made you think of Halloween. Lisa and I were in contact about a design that she was going to work on this year and to have it ready around Halloween time. It was to be a Masked Ball design. I don't know if Lisa started working on the design or not. I know I was so looking forward to being her stitcher for the design that I suggested to her called " A Wicked Ball" or something like that. She told me that she wanted it to be a big design something like "Witches Hallow".To know that won't come to fruitation now is so sad but her passing is even sadder ( is there such a word to convene how I feel). She had so much talent. She was also a nurse and that alone tell me that I know what type of person she must have been even though I have never met her except from our writings.

I know I will miss her designs...and I know I still can't believe what I was reading this evening even though I did a goggle search and found the article of her terrible horrifying death. Lisa lived in Ohio and I think some of you might have heard in the news about the flooding that has been going on in Ohio. Lisa was on her way to work early in the morning when her car got swept into a creek into the Huron River. She had called 911 but rescue could not get to her soon enough. I will miss Lisa and her designs. My prayers are with all in her family. Here is a pictures of my "Witches Hallow" and her other design that I made that she was so nice and sent me the chart for as well as a few other of her freebie charts. My picture of "Witches Hallow" really doesn't do the piece justice. The colors were alot more vibrate. The only thing I did differently from her design was I used Weeks variegated black and orange thread for where it says "Witches Hallow." Here is the url for Lisa's blog so you can all see the talent she had.

http://witchstitches0.blogspot.com/

I will so miss her writings on her blog and her designs. So wished this didn't happened and I so wished there would have been a "A Wicked Ball" which I am sure would have been a superb design as only Lisa could have make it.

2010-11-22T22:55:00.006-05:00

Hiya all, I have been busy this past week and a half painting lace bobbins that I will be selling on ebay. My budget like alot of us in the USA doesn't have room for Christmas Shopping after all the economy tanked on us. With my husband now making less money and bringing home a way less pay check than he use to before he lost his job of 33 years...things have been tight and they are getting tighter. I find it amazing with how tough alot of us middle class have it these days...that the prices of things keep going up. What is up with that...??? Anyhow....I wanted to have money to do some Christmas shopping and at least buy my Grandchicklets ( Grandchilden) something for Christmas. So, the only think I could think to do was to paint some bobbins. I am selling them on ebay under fortheloveoflace if anyone is interested in buy any of my bobbins or passing the word around on the lace list or to whomever might be interested. I do not plan on continuing to paint these bobbins though. Once I have some money to Christmas shop with I will stop painting the bobbins. Painting bobbins is time consuming and the only time I have to paint is in the evenings or when I am not watching Movie Star aka Girlie Girl aka Kiara my almost 2 year old granddaughter. My painting and babysitting her do not mix. LOL. So painting is only when she isn't here. I have found that painting alot on these small bobbins kills my neck and shoulders. And the money I get from painting bobbins isn't worth spending time being crunched over a table...but I need money for Christmas so there you have it. Here are a few pictures of the first three bobbins I have listed on ebay. I also put some shuttles I had from my collection...and I may be putting more on ebay. I will have to look around here tomorrow and see what else I feel I can live without. So here is Christmas Star bobbin done in Christmas colors. Then there is "Hear the Peacefulness" which is painted on the bobbin in gold paint with snowflakes in white and silver with some cold swirls. The last bobbin is a Snowman bobbin that says on it "Baby, It is cold outside" The snowman is holding a star and has snowflakes around him too. Now, I will have to think up more different bobbins to sell on ebay. So tomorrow night I will be sitting around with paintbrush in hand again. Well, it looks like none of these will enlarge when you click on the on the pictures so if you just save the picture you can enlarge it on your own computer if you want to see the bobbins closer up.

2010-11-15T13:06:00.003-05:00

Christmas will be here faster than I like to think about. Money is so very tight this year...and I have been thinking of how to raise a bit of money to at least buy my Grandchicklets something for Christmas so ...here I am painting bobbins that will put up on ebay when I get them finished and ready. This takes alot of my time to do.

I use to paint Celtic themed bobbins for a bobbin of the month which I sold through Tracy the Lacemaker. I spent hours at my kitchen table all scrunched up with a tiny bristled brush painting very detail bobbins. My inspiration for my bobbins came from the "Book of Kell" which I actually saw at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Of coarse the book was in an enviroment glass case to protect the 800 years old manuscript. But I so loved the art. When I painted I went under the name of Celtic Dream Weaver. Hence, that is where my website name and where my messengers and email addresses came from . I stopped painting after doing it for some month...it killed my neck and shoulders ...and oh yeah...lets not forget the back...but I want to be able t have some money to Christmas shop with for my family...so I am painting.

I have also taken a look at Sharon's new Tatting Snowflake book. NO, I don't have it, but I went to take a gander at her site where she is selling the book. It looks like a real nice snowflake book. I bought one of Sharon's books a few years ago...and it was really well done. I don't want the ebook I want a hard copy. I don't have any color ink and I haven't had any in over a year now. Printing books are costly...and so sometime would like to get her book. I want to make some of her flakes.

This past weekend we went to Webster, New York which is a suberb off Rochester, New York for an 80 year old birthday party for my husband's Aunt. Here is a picture of her blowing out her candle. I have to say I timed taking this picture just right.

It was great to see family we haven't seen in awhile now. There was lots of food...and it was yummy food too. And did I say cake yet....oh my gosh...I wonder if it was one of those Wegman cakes. Yeah...I am a diabetic...with my sugars controled most of the time...but I just let myself go and had fun and didn't think too much of what I was putting into my mouth. I will say that I skipped supper. I think I just had a cup of hot Swiss Mocha coffee drink. It was a good day. The celebrations were at a lodge and there was a wood burning fire in the fireplace. So homey. The weather was perfect for the day. It was either in the high fifties or low sixties I think. And the sun was shining like there was going to be a huge candle sniffer around. But anyhow....here is a picture of me ( that is the beach whale on the right) and my skinny ( who can eat anything and not have to worry aobut it) in front of the fireplace. Speaking of Mr. I can eat all I want he must have had at least two plates full of food and let not mention all the food he kept picking up as he was going around talking to family.

2010-11-13T18:53:00.015-05:00

I have heard again from Barb Foster and received an email from her of the new colors for Lizbeth thread that will be coming out in December. I believe unfortunately they will be available after Christmas...but hey...instead of dreaming of fatting sugar plums dancing in your head...you can dream of new threads instead. Anyhow...here are pictures of the new colors and what the names will be. JUst look at the picture and then the picture number for thread color. Personally I love the Juicy Watermelon one the best in these pictures. I am still trying to get a variegated dark green colorway.

679 - Lime Green

155 - Ocean Sunset - Has Lizbeth colors 623, 644, 643, 696, 664 (new color),665

(new color)156 - Juicy Watermelon - Melon lt, Geranium lt, Geranium Dk, Lizbeth 628 and679

(new color)150 - Rootbeer Float - Lizbeth 692, 691, Brown Med to Brown Lt, Beige brownlt664 -

Ocean -Teal Med665 -

Ocean Teal Dk672 -

Burgundy673 -

Terra Cotta149 -

Peacock Blues - Electric Blue dk, Electric Blue Med, lizbeth 658, Deeproyal Blue

2010-10-31T13:16:00.004-04:00

As my card says...Happy Halloweenie!! This my favorite time of the year. It is when all the ghosties, Witchies, smiling Jacks, and the bones dance. It is when you can be whatever you want to be...and you can pretend to do whatever you want to do. What better day can there be than Halloween.?? It is when the leaves are damp beneath your feet, the moon is big and if you look real close it almost appears to be smiling right back at you. Gray pillars of smoke is seen making it curly Qs in the air and the smell tingles your nose. It is when the breeze kicks up and the leaves that are still waiting to fall free of the tree are doing their final pirouettes. It is a time when the chicklets get dressed up and the dreams of full candy bags dance in their heads...Candy...Candy...Candy...I want candy! And after the deed is done...they dump the bags and stuff themselves with sugar "high" energy. It is a time when parties are in full swing..bobbing for apples, the parade to show the best costumes, the hayrides through the fields, the crows calling in the distance, it is when dancing commences, and games of fun are played. It is when toilet paper makes lace on trees, and the smell of Fall is in the air. It is time for "Wizard of Oz" and I will get all of your Pretties and it is a cruel world, it is a time for Frankenstein, and all the bloody Dracs, it is time for the walking dead looking to claim a new soul and the late nights trying to watch all the movie great of the past. It is a WONDERFUL time of the year. My Favorite.
NOw to tell you what you are seeing in my Halloween Card to you all. Last Christmas my daughter Chrystal gave to me the "Wizard of Oz" snowglobe. She knows I love the movie. One side is the good witch Glenda and the other side is the Wicked Witch of the West. It plays "Witches Fanfare". The other witch you see in the card is my Rhianna Witch that I designed and made . There is a write up on her on my website here....http://celticdreamweaver.com/Just click on where it says the story of Rhianna. I made her about 5 years ago.

Also in the picture you can see my bat bowl and my witches' bowl. I got both of these from my friend Erin at past Christmas times. I love them and they stay out on my coffee table all year around. They are so cute and both have eyes that jiggle when touched. They are from what is known as Giltterville. They are both signed by the designer and are way cool. They are special and I love them. I just found out that they are stack able. I didn't know that. So the two are stacked now.

Now for the bowl with the candy in the middle is another story. One of my favorite places to eat is Macroni Grill. The closest one to me is in Henrietta which is a suburb of Rochester, New York. It is about 45 minutes from my house. My second favorite place is Cracker Barrel and I love their pecan pancakes. Well...my husband is always saying that he doesn't like to just sit around on his days off so yesterday morning I awoke and said ...hey, since we don't have the chicklets today how about going to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. I was really expecting him to say NO since I know he doesn't like to drive up there....but he said to me...it will be a bit late for breakfast...( it was about 9 when I woke up) I said...it could be brunch. I couldn't believe he said okay...so I hurried and got dress and threw a bit of makeup on and off we went. I did have my pecan pancakes with real maple syrup and some maple smoked ham. It was so good...and I was so stuffed. On the way out I looked around in the store and noticed that the Halloween items were 50% off. I saw this cute either a candy dish or cookie jar and I had to have it.....so it came home with me. The funny thing is it kinda matches my two Glitterville bowls I have gotten from Erin over the years. How cool is that....so I decided to make my card to all of you with these items from my Halloween stash of fun Halloween things. Enjoy and I hope you all have a safe and Happy Halloween.

2010-10-20T14:34:00.008-04:00

Hi all,

This year I did an Halloween cross stitch exchange with my fellow stitching friend Ann Bergeron of Baton Rogue, La. We have been writing back and forth and met on LittleHouser Needlework and Prairie School Lists. Here is a picture of the ornament I made for Ann. The pattern came from CrossStitch and Needlework Sept. 2008. It was shown in the picture going around a cup. Since I wanted to make the design into an ornament I decided to do it one strand of thread going over one. I like this ornament so much that I stitched another one for me. I still have to put the ornament together yet.I also sent Martha Ess's teapot that I tatted.

Today I got Ann's ornament in the mail and I love it. It has that primative look to it which I love. I am hanging it on my purple tree that I got from Maggie last year.So I will have two ornaments on my tree. Here are pictures of the ornament I got from Ann. I am wondering what thread she stitched it in. It looks like a vaiegated gray to black. It is perfect for the ornament. Thank you Ann so much. She also sent to me a LttleHouse Needlework patytern. What fun, huh??!

The picture of my ornament I did for Ann isn't enlarging. You can see a better picture of the ornament on Ann's blog. Here is the url for that.
http://www.with-my-needle.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!!!

2010-10-12T20:34:00.006-04:00

This is going to be super really quick here since I really right now do not have time to play on my computer but I did want to post these pictures so those on the Lace list could see theTm. The pictures are related to a posting on the list I did about wire lacing. Take a look at the beautiful alumuium bobbins my husband turned and made for me to use with wire. They work so very nice with the wire.

2010-10-02T20:40:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post. Here is Martha Ess' Pumpkin Teapot. I just love this pattern. I made it in size 80 Lizbeth thread. I just wanted to show it off. Thank you Martha for sharing your Pumpkin Teapot pattern with all of us. I just love this pattern to pieces. :)

http://www.att.net/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=349841&ck

2010-10-01T13:17:00.016-04:00

I think it is time for another post here. I am going to share more Palmetto Tat Day pictures and then I will show you a picture of my practice pieces of my Romanian Point Lace Cord. And the last picture will show you all just how much fun I was having on my vacation to Erin's house and Palmettos. Don't worry all...I still have lots of pictures to share. And just think...I will be going to Ithaca, New YOrk to attend The Finger Lakes Lace Guild Lace Days and take a class on wire bobbin lace jewelry in just about a week's time...so there will eventually be pictures from that event too to share with you all. So let the pictures begin...I think you can tell we enjoyed clowning around in the stores. It was so much fun. This isn't the only store where people might have looked at us just a bit strangely.After we got back from the store it was again more time clowning around. Now does Sue Hanson have a piece of Rosemary Bread from Macaroni Grill in her hand or is it a piece of Lemon Cake we bought?

And since the beautiful work of art of a quilt was at Erin's house...we got to take a look at it before all the other tatters did. It was gracefully laid on a sheet on Erin's bed and we just ooohhh and ahhhhed over it. Now was this suppose to be a picture that I wasn't suppose to show or not...I can't remember right now.The quilt was stunning is all I can say...and I so wished I would have won it...but alas...I didn't.

On the way to Palmetto's destination we went on a Dragon Highway in the Smokey Mountains of Tenn. and Georgia. This road wound and wound...and wound..we went one way and then we went another way. I guess it is a favorite spot for motorcyclist to go. But shhh...please do not tell my sons Shawn and Ryan. They both have motorcycles and I don't think they know about the place. I have to say...near the end of the highway...we made a stop...and guess what...I was sick to my stomach. I guess I took so long in the bathroom that Sue gave up waiting for me and went into the men's room. She said she could hear me being sick through the walls. I have to say I have never in my life been car sick...but everybody agreed that that is probably what made me sick is the constant change of going one way and another and changing our altitude. But look at the view I got with my camera. Actually this picture doesn't do it justice. I would have like to have hung around a bit longer at this spot. There were big dragonflies flying around and there was a big huge grasshopper that landed on it. I wanted to get a picture of it ...but I couldn't move fast enough and it flew away.

We finally got to Georgia Baptist Conference Center located in Georgia. Here is Hope Bates and Deb Thompson at the registration table.

Erin make this beautiful pin for Ak Georgia Seitz. The story is Richard (her husband) gave to her a beautiful Amethyst ring that Ak couldn't wear anymore and asked Erin if she could make a pin for her and have her ring as part of the pin. There is a picture of AK with her pin on and the maker Erin Holloway next to her.It was a beautiful pin. I know Erin spent alot of time in making the work of art from her heart.

In the next picture is Katherine Buuckner of South Carolina. I know Katherine put in alot of work too. She was an assistant in my class with Nina when I took the class for the "Indian Summer Necklace" which I am still working on, but getting there. So here too is a picture of the necklace that Nina has on display. Isn't it beautiful??

In the next picture is Stephanie Wilson. She was my roommate for the third year. She actually called me later on and asked me if I was going to Palmettos again and if I wanted to be her room mate again. I was touched that she wanted to do that. Stephanie also has diabetes and we talked about that...and we did alot of talking. I think on all of the nights we never stopped talking until it was almost 2 AM. Stephanie also tat like there is no tomorrow...and Mark she out tats you big time. You should see all the tatting she does in one year. I don't think she ever sleeps or she tats in her sleep. In a earlier post I showed a picture of a tatted purple hat. The hat was tatted by Stephanie for me in an exchange. It is a small hat and so beautifully made. I was kidding around and thought it would be cute pin to the top of my head. Stephanie is a very giving person too. Very fun and very upbeat.

In the next picture is Martha Ess holding my pumpkin teapot that she made for me with another exchange that I did. IT is a beautiful teapot and now that Martha has generously put the pattern up on her website I can make one or two myself.

Next comes the Romanian Point lace braid. A you can see I did figure it out. I think sometime I will get some pictures of me making this braid and maybe do a flim clip of me making it too...and up it here on my blog. This would be for people like me that crochet left handed . It took me two days to figure this out. It reminded me of when I first learned how to tat...that took me two days also. Pat Pike from Amherst, New York area has showed me many times...but always when I got home I would forget how to do it again. ...making crochet cording isn't quite the same as making a crochet doily which I have made some over the years. It is 3D...so it has its quirks on how to make the braid. So now that I figured it out I am going to design something for Halloween and make it. But I will have to wait until the weekend to really get into the designing...can't concentrate with the chicklets are here.

And now for one last picture for this post...Yup here is me and Sue Hanson. I am not sure what I am thanking her for now...I do know that while we were out shopping at the grocery store she bought me my very own half a banana keeper. You know diabetics are not suppose to eat a whole banana. A whole banana shoots the glucose up so I can only have a half a banana at a whack. So now I have my very own half a banana keeper. But I have to say...I love this picture. Again it just goes to show how much fun I had on my vacation. Erin was such a wonderful hostess. I wish I was already back in Tenn.

2010-09-21T20:44:00.006-04:00

You have got to see these very yummy and pretty shuttles. Coming our way soon. They are Clover shuttles in new colors.

Will be available I think on Wednesday or soon after from Handy Hands. Here is the url for the colors that Handy Hands will have. http://kkommy.blogspot.com/2010/08/flora-tatting-shuttle.html I do know from Barbara that they are going to be getting awhole lot of these in but there will be some. I think the package of five will be selling for between 13.00 to 14.00 so if you want them...you have better keep checking on their website. Here is the url for Handy Hands.http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html I do know they should be in really soon. I would look for where it says new items. I am just tell you all of this since I know there are many that love the color shuttles...and these shuttle colors are to die for. Take a look at the soft pink one and the beautiful purple one. Signing. It is about time Clover came up with some new colors. Take a look at the colors. I also think there will be more size 80 thread too that will be available to order.

I think right now I will continue on with my story of my vacation...so here are a few more words and pictures for you all to look at.

Oh ,first I think I will share this picture of a Monarch Butterfly that landed on one of my Butterfly Bushes. I have more than one of these bushes and actually this bush is a deeper and dark pink than it looks in this picture...but I so love the picture just the same.

Okay now on to my story ...ON my flight down to Tennesee I didn't have too much time between my connecting flight at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. I remember getting off my flight and looking at the time..and thinking my GOSH....I don't hardly have any time...and I really needed to take care of nature too...But I was running to get to where the bus connected to go from one part of the airport to the other part. I looked at the time that the bus was leaving. and nearly had a heart attack. My connecting flight was to leave I think it was 12:15 in the afternoon or something like that. The time before the bus left to go to the other part of the airport was in seven minutes and something. The time was already 11:50. I was so panicking. But I got on the bus and once I got to the other side of the airport ,the gate I had to be at was right there. So I asked...do I have enough time to using the Ladies' Room. I was told ...the flight was leaving in three minues...so I told her....forget the bathroom and proceeded to go down the gate to board the plane. I was running just about and I vaguely remember someone taking my carry on lugguge from behind me. I was panicking ....I got on the plane and said to the Stewardess...I need to use the bath room now. ...so I went running down to the other end of the plane to take care of things...and I am sitting there...taking care of business ( I so hate using the bathroom on a plane) and I am looking at my purse sitting on the floor in front of me...and I panicked. Where is my carry on??? I thought oh my gosh...did I leave it at the gate when I asked about the bathroom. I couldn't remember taking it with me and bringing it on the plane...So I hurried and finished and ran out from the bathroom...to the stewardess...and said...I think I forgot my carry on and left it at the gate...but then I started thinking...do I remember someone taking my carry on...I wasn't sure...and it was too late for by the time I got out of the bathroom the plane was starting to back out of the gate and I had to take my seat. So there I was...on my way to Knoxville, Tn...to see my friend Erin Holloway and Susie Q. I couldn't do anything about my luggage...

Anyhow...after I landed in Tennessee I was so relieved to see my carryon. Whew...I really cut myself short and almost missed my plane. Next time I will allow myself more time between flights.

Anyhow...After I got my luggage I didn't see Erin anywhere so I called her. Another lesson I have learned over the flying years is to carry phone numbers in my purse and not in my luggage. Anyhow I was told they were just pulling in...and sure enough...there was Erin, Raymond and Susie Q all decked out in her purple attire and her very Brit looking hat.

Off we went to Erin's house for the fun to begin. Our stuff got dumped off and I think we went out to eat. We went to IHOP. It is kinda funny but here at home we see the commercial all the time for IHOP and I drool over all the food they show...but I really think we don't have an IHOP near us. I will have to do a search one of these days and find out. I ordered the Yankee Pot Roast with onions. Susie Q got this big omlet and Erin being the good girl I believe got a salad. I of coarse because of my diabetes problem did not eat all my dinner but had some of it boxed up. It became my dinner on another night ...actually I think I divided it up for two more nights. It was so very good. But for me potatoes are a killer. All that starch that turns into sugar .Waaaa....

The next day I think it was we all went out shopping...did I say shopping...you remember my pictures with the beads don't you...my aquamarine ones...that is when I spent alot of money and bought those. I don't regret that still for I know sometime this year I will make something out of them. I can't buy beads around here...so those will become something special that I will design. Aquarmarine is my birthstone. Susie Q bought some beautiful Amethyst beads.Very pretty!!! I can't wait to see what Sue makes with the beads. Hmm... I thought I had pictures of us in the Bead Store but I guess I don't. I thought I had pictures in IHOP too...but I don't see any...Maybe Sue got some.

After shopping at the bead store we went off to eat at one of my favorite places to eat....Macaroni Grill. I had spaghetti and meatballs. I will be honest and admit that I ate the whole thing in one sitting. IT was so very good. I love that place. I will tell you all here too that my sugar readings were pretty much normal the whole time I was away on my trip. Since being home sometimes it is up ...I think it is because I am not very active at home watching the children. I need to do something about that and find away to get some exercise. I have even been thinking I need a jump rope so I can jump rope. Do they still have the cloth and wooden handle jump ropes I wonder or are they a thing of the past?

Here is a picture of us at Macaroni Grill eating.

After this outing we went back to Erin's house. Here is another picture of Erin and Sue...do we all look relaxed? This was in the evening

The next day we went out shopping. Sue and I found this lusious Lemon cake...oh ...it was so very good...and we also found some Rosemary Bread which I love. Erin also got the fixing for a yummy and very good salad. I love salad...and it is a good thing since I am a rabbit these days.

I have to explain what you are seeing in this next picture which was taken for Raymond's benefit. The night before Raymond showed us this very funny UTube clip of a father and son dancing on British You got Tallent show or something like that. Both were over weight and they both had wigs on and the were both great dancers. They were announced something...Flatley. Since I am a big fan of Micheal Flately with River Dance, Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames and Tiger of the Dance and I think that Mieheal is a very talented dancer and I just don't think anybody can dance like he can...my ears perked right up when I heard the name of Flately. And sure enough that is who they were immitating. It was so funny...but here is the funny part to me. Raymond didn't realize they were immitating Micheal Flately. He just thought it was funny. To me it made the clip all the more funny. We were dying of laughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gHvATmUsSg

Here is the url for the clip if you want to get a laugh too.

It was funny.

So we were in the grocery store ....since seeing this clip Raymond was going all over the house doing this stance....so Erin and Sue did it in the store...Funny huh??

Okay this will be it for this post...but the story will continue on another post. Stay tuned.

2010-09-13T22:49:00.015-04:00

Hiya Everybody

It is blog time. First of all...Erin...here is my "Noel" doily designed by Ben Fikkert and is on pages 20 and 21 in his "Floriade" book. I am doing it in size 80 Lisbeth thread in Summer fun and in solid colors that I am pulling from the variegate. This doily has plans which I will tell about later on.

You will also see some other things in the picture. Showing are some shuttles. One is the commerative shuttle from the Hintons. The other orange with the leaves on it is the commerative shuttle from AK Georgia Seitz. You will also note the flat really nice deer bone shuttle. This shuttle was handmade by Richard Seitz just for me which he gave to me. I have a staged picture of Richard giving me the shuttle. He promised to give it back to me. It is really nice and quite the treasure.

I came home from Palmetto Tat DAys with some treasures. First of all is this neato purple purse from Suzie Q or Purple Sue or Sue Hanson. Inside the purse was some fine bobbinlace thread ( Which NO MARK...I am not going to try and tat with it) and some other thread that I can use as a gimp thread in my bobbinlace or....tat.

I also came home with some other treasures made by some special people. In this picture you can see a beautiful necklace that my friend Erin Holloway made for me. Erin actually made two different necklaces. I let Suzie Q pick first and I got this one which I would have picked myself.

Also you can see in the picture a butterfly that I got from Riet, a bird of paradise I got from Martha , a angel from Marie Smith, and a beautiful Pumpkin TeaPot I got from Martha from our exchange that we did. I also got a cute and pretty tatted hat from Stephanie Wilson which I am letting my stuff Scooby Doo model from me.

Here are two tatted items I made during vacation. One is the butterfly from Riet's class that I took and managed to finish. I love this butterfly pattern! It was a very well thought out pattern. Also in the picture is my "Doodle the Poodle" from Erin Holloway's class. I didn't actually take the class. I did this at Erin's table before we went to Palmettos. I also love this pattern. The poodle is so cute and I did mine in black since years ago I had a poodle and her name was Chippie which was short for Chocolate Chip which was her real name. She was actually a cross between a standard poodle and a minature. She dies of Parvoe Disease. It is kinda funny...I guess I don't have the type of voice that people or dogs command to...She was kept in the house as a house doggie...but every once in awhile she would get loose and I would end up chasing her all over the place including trying to get her to come to me with brides of real meat...but she didn't have any of that...but my husband would call her and she would come...go figure.

I also got this beautiful bag from Erin...which fits in perfectly with next year's theme from Palmetto Tat Day which is..."Tatting in a Winter Wonderland". I think this is a cool theme for next year.I also came home with some beads from out jaunt to Lily's Bead Store in West Knoxville. The dragon on the bag was also given to me from Arlene Medder. I do think that sometime I will make a tatted necklace for it that was taught by Karey Solomon one year at Palmettos. I don't recall the name of the pattern but it was for the early bird class. I didn't attend it...probably too early for me.There is a strand of expensive Aquamarie Faceted Gem stones that I plan on making a necklace out of. Aquamarine is my birthstone and it was such a good buy I couldn't refuse. Since there isn't a bead store near me...I just had to get them. The beads were the most expensive thing I got.

I flew to Knoxville, Tn. and stayed with Erin on Sunday August 22nd and flew back home on August 30th. Sue Hanson (Purple Sue, Suzie Q) was already at Erin's house. She flew in on Friday. Anyhoo...I got to see what Suzie Q bought for the silent auction before it was put in the auction...and I said ...I am going to try and get that. It was this piece of linen (real Linen) with the flowers of the UK stamped on it. Since I have such fond memories of my trip to the UK and Ireland...I just had to have it...and I did get it along with the pretty necklace that was made by Vicki Clarke of Canada and was donated for the silent auction. I happen to also like Amber so that is why I tried to also in the necklace in the silent auction which I did win. I really like the simplicity of the design.

And here is a picture of some of the things I got in my Palmetto Goody Bag. It isn't everything I got. Some of the things I gave to my roommate since I was flying home.

And I will leave you this evening with one more picture. I've got more to share with you all...but blogging is time consuming...for it takes a bit to upload pictures and then you have to mess around because your text and pictures end up getting separated by big gaps of nothiningness. So I will post again really soon and continue on with the sharing. But here is Erin, Suzie Q and me at Erin's table of creativity.Don't the three of us look like we were having a grand time?? What fun!!!

2010-09-03T21:25:00.004-04:00

Hiya in Around the World and to whomever is reading this post.

I had a great time on my vacation going to Tennesee to Erin Holloway's house and spending time with Suzie Q...oh I guess she likes to be called "Purple" these days and Raymond. I had such a good time and I thank Erin my friend so much.
You know, Erin really is a friend of mine even though we live so far away. She is just a phone call away and we so enjoy talking to each other about this and that. I thank the Lord for putting Erin on this planet.

Anyhow, as I said, I had lots of fun last week. I can't believe how time flys....I have lots to share of my trip to Tennesee and also the fun I had at Palmetto's Tatting Event...but first I have just one tale to tell you all. MY VERY HAPPY NEWS!! I found this out while I was at Erin's house...away from home.

Here is the tale. My oldest daughter Chrystal has been saying over the years since having Peyton her last child four years ago that she doesn't want any more children. She kinda had a tough time with Peyton and gained alot of weight. She did go into labor on the day of her schedule C section. Peyton, the medical team knew was going to be a big baby. He weighed almost eleven pounds. Anyhow...

Sunday evening or should I say at 1A.M. on Monday morning I was in the computer room at Erin's checking my email about my flight and paying for my one checked suitcase. While I was there in my email box there was an email from my daughter Chrystal. In the subject line was..."Hello Grandma" and I did notice the attachment. I opened up the email and this is what it said.

"Hi grandma, we are not sure if it is a boy or a girl yet. I am at 13 week. my due date is march 3. It was the march 11 but when i went for my ultra sound said I was 13 weeks not 11 weeks. we think it is going to be another big baby. "

I just about fell off the computer chair I was so surprised. I thought the email was about my two grandsons with a picture of them since I was away for a week and maybe Chrystal thought I was missing the boys ( I babysit the boys while they work everyday).

So...I went running down the stairs...saying....Erin...ERin...you will not believe what I just found out....I said...Chrystal is having another baby. ...that means I am going to be a Grandma again. I am really happy for them. The funny thing is...she is three months already. Some things were going on and Chrystal had test that came back saying she was pregnant and that could explain some of the problems she was having. She wasn't expecting at all to be pregnant...but you know pictures don't lie and now she is beaming with that pregnancy glow. She has to be careful and because of her diabetes which puts her at risk...she had to see the OB doctor every week.

Here is a couple pictures that were in my email box of the next little one to be.Chrystal says she wants another boy but I think the little one is going to be a girl. She was sick with the boys but not with this one...just a bit of nausea is all.

It was pretty cool having Erin share this special moment with me. This news was really the icing on the cake for a great week.

More about the trip in another post. CYA

2010-08-05T13:01:00.004-04:00

This is a necklace that I started last year and took with me when I went on vacaton to see Erin and to also go to Palmetto's Tatting Event. I finally finished the necklace up two days ago. There is a couple pictures of it. Maybe you remember the necklace Erin...anyhow...I used Marilee Rockley's HDT colorway Summer Trail. I used all kinds of beads as you can see in the pictures...I used Microc Macrame' and tatting to make the necklace. This necklace really sparkles and the colors are so much more brighter than the pictures are showing. I find when things sparkle...it is hard to really get good pictures. This was my own design and just playing around to see what I could come up with. I am so glad it is now done...another project finally finished.

Speaking of projects...I have been looking at my poor Thistle Bedfordshire Bobbinlace Bookmark that I started a couple years ago. I am thinking of working on it again and see if I can get that project off my pillow before the year is out. I got to get these unfinished project done...that is all there is to it. Enjoy the pictures.

2010-07-26T21:08:00.004-04:00

I decided on one of the patterns from Iris's book. I am doing the one called " Silvia". I am using size 20 thread ( size is not my usually size I like to tat with but) that needs to be strong enough be washed many times and stand up on its own. I am attaching it to a top and skirt that I am going to make out of some material that was given to me. I am using Lizbeth 20 color number 130 Island breeze and HDT by Sherry Pence called Marina. I am using both of these colors together in this edging for it brings out all the colors that is in the material I am using.
More on the whole project later on. What do you all think?? Hopefully you will be able to click on the picture and make it bigger to see the edging better. I love Iris's book a whole lot!!!

Oops...I just realized that I took a picture of the wrong side of the edge. Dummy me.

2010-07-19T21:49:00.005-04:00

Well...it is time for a new post here. I have been tatting when I can...time is so limited these days for me. But I did make this Butterfly necklace. The pattern I used mostly for the butterfly came from the tatting book entitled "Tatted Butterflies" by Adelheid Dangla. The pattern is on page 11. I did change the pattern some because I wanted to add beads to the butterfly and I wanted to make a necklace.

I used size 20 thread in HDT from Sherry Pence aka LadyShuttlemaker. http://ladyshuttlemaker.blogspot.com/

( I wish I could get one of her silver shuttles...sigh). I also used some Lizbeth thread from Handy Hands.

http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html. On the bottom wings I alternated the HDT and the solid Lizbeth thread to make the bottom wings look different from the top but not too different. In the middle of the body I also used Swarovski to make the body stand out more and have a bit of its own sparkle. The smaller beads are delicas size 11 I think. I really liked the wings in this butterfly. The wings have the leaf technique of Ruth Scharf. I think I read on the tatting list that Ruth Scharf's books might be printed again. There are some great designs in her books.

I also used Nina Libin style of adding beads to my butterfly.

http://www.beanile.com/index.html

I have made some of Nina's jewelry designs and love doing them.

I have to say that I like the necklace more than these pictures are showing you. There is alot of sparkle that is not showing in the pictures.

So what do you think of my necklace. How about my choice of colors....doesn't it just scream right off your computer monitor?

2010-07-10T18:27:00.008-04:00

Here are some pictures with the name and color number of some new thread colorways that will be available soon. Autumn Spice has the following colors.. Mocha brown dk and med, terra cotta dk, harvest orange dk and lt, olive dk and med .

Fruit Frizz has the following colors in the colorway ... Raspberry pink med, autumn orange med, melon lt, purple med

Berry Burst has these colors...violet dark, Bosenberry dark, cornflower blue med, and country turquoise.

And Leafy Greens have these colors of greens...Leaf green med, pine green, olive med, leaf green lt

There are are more colorways but I don't have the pictures to show you all...but I can tell you the colors in the other colorways coming soon to http://www.handyhandstatting.com/

These are...Color 153 – Rainbow Taffy – Pink lt, autumn orange med, yellow lt, avocado green vy lt, electric blue lt, purple med.
Color 154 – Wildflower Garden – Lilac med, Purple lt, autumn orange med, pink coral med, blossom pink med, olive dk

Wildflower Garden is from an old Maneula that Handy Hands got by mistake. What there was of it was loved and sold out quickly. Since it was a mistake that colorway no longer came from Maneula. But it will be available in this line of thread of Lizbeth.

I believe there will eventually be a new different shades of brown vareigate coming too.

Then there are also going to be the new solid colors listed here:

Color 696 – Autumn Orange Med
Color 615 – Yellow Lt
Color 619 – Baby Pink
Color 649 – Baby Blue

I also believe there will be a very pale purple to go along with the baby colors.

I am also sharing a scan that shows a motif that was tatted using the new size 80 thread that will also be available soon. I am showing you the scan so you can see how often the color changes are.

In talking with Barbara Foster of Handy Hands she wants to know what other colors you would like to see in the Lizbeth thread line. She has requested of me to find out and let her know. If you leave me a comment on what those colors/colorways are I will pass them on to her. We want to be sure that any color you need in your tatting...Lizbeth thread will have it.

Also I was very lucky to help Martha Ess proof some tatting patterns. Here are a couple pictures of my proofing. Martha said I could share with you.

http://marthas-tatting-blog.blogspot.com/

http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=301086&ck=

2010-06-27T15:24:00.005-04:00

Time for a post. First of all...my brother came up to New York to film a wedding and be the photographer. So while he was in the state he paid me a visit. I haven't seen my brother in over two years after I was really sick. Here is a picture of me and my brother Chuck aka Charles...hehe

Also I finished my tatted hat from Jan Stawasz's book. The pattern is on pages 56 and 57. I used Marilee Rockley's ( Yarnplayer ) hand dyed thread in colorway Lola. I mixed some solid Lizbeth colors that were in the Lola colorway. The thread was size 10 that the pattern called for. My husband told me he like this hat better than the other hat that I made last year...which is ruined. My other tatted hat had some brown on it and since it was stiffed already I couldn't get the stain off orthe stiffner out. So the hat is ruined. I still have it. Maybe I will cut some of the motifs out of it and use it for a small purse or something or just toss it out.

So now I am thinking of lining this hat with a soft very pale pinkish purple lilacy ( is there such a word) material. Don't know how I will stiff it yet. I am thinking of using somekind of fusiable stiffer. I don't know yet...if you can tell me a way to stiffen my hat without sugar and maintains it stiffness even in the swelting humid heat of the south please let me know. I don't want to ruin this hat too.

With so little time theses days this is all I have managed to get done.Anyhow, what do you think of my new hat?

2010-05-10T10:57:00.014-04:00

MOTHER'S DAY!!

I hope you all had a happy Mother's Day. Here is my Mother's day in a nut shell. A couple weeks ago my husband started working on my Mother's Day Present. It is this new flower bed I have started with some hanging solar lights shooting rays of light on my bed at night. Actually they look like fairy lights flying around at night. My husband bought all of this including the plants. My Shawn was even surprised that his father got me the plants. I am more the person that does the gardening in my yard. In the picture you see my husband Gary and two of my grandchildren, Kiara and Peyton with my flower bed.

Mother's DAy for me yesterday started off with a gift from my daughter Chrystal. And here is what I did with my Grandchildren Timothy ( Timmy Guy) and Peyton his brother the future Colts football player.

At 8:30 in the morning we left my house and went to this fancy resteraunt here and had breakfast. The boys each had three boritos and orange juice and I had a Egg McMuffin...( shhh...I know I am a diabetic and shouldn't have had this scrumtious starchy food, but I decided not to keep track of my glucose on Mother's Day. We all enjoyed my meal out. I don't get to eat at McDonalds very much anyway and that was even before I found out I was a diabetic.

I should tell you that the day before Mother's Day we had a weather alert for high winds...and High they were. We lost power around 7:70 that night and didn't get it back until 5:30 that morning. I sat and played Solitaire on my DS until I went to bed. Anyhow...the winds brought lower temperatures so much so it also brought snow the next morning.

But the weather turned colder so much so...we had snow flurries flying around the next Morning. I got a picture here of Peyton outside McDonalds with the snow flurries flying around but you really can't see them...unless you look for the white specks.

After eating out at the fancy resteraunt...we went to a very "Plush" story called Wally World and did some serious shopping. Legos was on our list ....so you see Star War Legos and Toy Story 3 Legos. These were bought for the boys and all Legos stay at my house. I am the Lego Police woman and I keep all the legos from dissappearing into the land of LEGO VOID. At Chrystal's house ( the boys Mother and my oldest daughter) the legos disappear and at the price of some Legos...you want to keep track of the little pieces.

I happened to love putting Legos together myself. I used to do it with all my kids and now I do it with my grandchildren also. Peyton loved the Toy Story 3 Train. It was costly...but Chrystal for MOther's Day paid for the breakfast out at the fine resteraunt and for the Legos.

So in the afternoon the boys and I sat in the Livingroom with Toy Story 1 and 2 DVDs playing for ambience....we put the legos together. I really enjoyed doing that with the boys.

My Chrystal also got me some new perfume called Eternal Magic from Avon and some Vanilla Shower wash and also some GHIRADELLI chocolate in different flavors. Yeah, I shouldn't have candy but I can actually have candy every once in awhile just not all the time. As I was told by my diabetic teacher...the body doesn't know what kind of carbs I am putting in my body...just that it is carbs. So I can have candy even chocolate every once in awhile...but I have to give up another carb some where else during the day.

My daughter Michelle got me the DVD set of Discovery Oceans ...she knows I really enjoyed the show "Life" that just aired on the Discovery Channel. So after the two "Toy Stories "were over I started to watch my box set.

My oldest son Shawn got me a gift certificate for Lowes so I can buy more plants for my garden or whatever for my yard. I love doing things outside when the weather turns warm.

My youngest son Ryan got me a gift certificate for Starbucks coffee. He promised me that sometime we will go together and have coffee. His company is actually worth more than the coffee. I know how hard it is to be seen in public with Mom.

So I had a really fun Day as you can see by the pictures I am showing you all here.

I hope you all have a fun and perfect loving Mother's DAy!

I am going to leave you with just one more picture....this is something I am working on...it is a tease...do you have any idea what my tease will be at the end....

2010-04-27T20:09:00.003-04:00

Here is Nina's Necklace from Palmetto's Tat Day Class last year. This is the second one. The first one I cut all up after I realized it was made with two different brands of silver metallic threads. This time I decided not to do it in silver. I bought some Pearlescent Effects thread that is made by DMC. I found it with the DMC floss at Micheal Craft Store. The color matches the beads pretty good I find I can tat with this thread okay. I used two strands of thread together while tatting . You do have to becareful not to make the first DS too tight otherwise it can be hard to close the ring. I do like how this necklace turned out in this type of thread. They have some other colors of this thread including variegated threads that I am thinking of trying out using Nina's pattern.

I also decided to use gold DMC metallic thread to make the center butterfly with and then I used a crackle glass bead for the center of the body so the butterfly would stand out from the rest of the necklace. The name of the necklace is Flutters Necklace Palmetto-2009. Thank you Nina for such a beautiful pattern to tat.

So what do you all think of the necklace?

Today I went to see the dietitian and diabetic conselour. She was please with how I was keeping control over my glucose numbers with diet. I also lost a few pounds since I saw her at the end of March. I lost seven pounds. I was hoping for 10 pounds but she was very happy with all that I did this past month.

I, myself was not all that please. As I said...I was hoping for more than seven pounds. I was also told that I will have this disease for the rest of my life especially since there is such a good amount of family history with this disease. I was really hoping that if I took the pounds off that I gained while I was taking the antideppressant drug that the diabeties would go away. She told me it wouldn't go away. So I have been I guess grieving all afternoon about this. I can't even eat a sandwich with two slices of bread without my glucose going up. I ate just an eighth of a sub meatball sub today and my glucose was up. All I can think about is food and the fact I can't eat like a normal person does. I have cried and cried about this today. My eyes are burning and they feel tired and I feel just washed right out. So I am not having a good day today. I know I have to deal with this disease that will not go away as I was hoping it would. Right now I do not need insulin or medication. I am going to control it with diet and exercise alone. My conselour took my blood pressure too today and that was way higher than my normally is. I do not have high blood pressure. She told me she could tell that I am under stress. Which I know will also make my glucose go up.

Anyhow....I hope you enjoy the pictures of my necklace. Now I am going to go and sit and work on my tatted hat from Jan the Polish Tatter's book.

2010-04-16T17:03:00.004-04:00

Martha's Jewels is what I am calling this post.

I few weeks ago I saw this beautiful necklace and earrings listed on Martha Ess' Etsy Shop. I really liked the shells she tatting into the necklace and I liked the thread color too. Well...I wanted the set so I asked Martha is she could reserve it for me until I got our state tax return. Well, she said yes she would do that that so I got my returned and I paid for this set. This is my state JUST FOR ME share of the tax return. The rest of the money will go for bills and truck tires. But I have this beautiful set from Martha and made by Martha who I consider a real friend.

I had also told Martha that it would be great to have a bracelet to match the earrings and necklace so I was so surprised to see there was a bracelet too in the nice draw stringed bag that the whole Martha Jewels came in.

Anyhoo I got a real surprise when I received this in the mail today...which since she just told me I think it was yesterday that it just got mailed I was surprise to get it so soon. But the set also really matched what I had on today. So I let my picture be taken with me as the model. A beauty Queen I know I am not and I am getting so I have having my picture taken...but I was so excited to get this in the mail today that I wanted to welll....show it off...LOL. So I am here modeling my Martha Jewels. I feel so lucky to own this!! I so love things made by other tatters. They are my treasure that I so much enjoy.

Anyways....I just had to share with all of you what came in the mail and put a smile on my face.

I have also restarted Nina's Necklace that I did cut up and started over. I will share that when it is finished. I have also been working on Jan Stawasz's hat from his book "Tatting therory and patterns". I am almost ready to start the brim for that hat.

2010-04-10T22:17:00.003-04:00

I am back from being at Hector Tatting Event today. I am not going tomorrow. I had to borrow my daughter's car to go today. It was great seeing everybody again and being around people with like minds. But all of you tatters weren't there and that deserves a big whaaaa!!!

I did spend some money...but it was money that Chrystal my daughter gave to me to spend. I won one raffle...but not what I wanted the most but hey...I won. I bought more beads...do I need them...Of coarse...LOL. I also bought two shades of pink Olympic thread..do I need those...the answer again is Of coarse...LOL...you get the picture?? I did have a good day!! I also got to meet Sue Fuller, the designer of "Heart's Desire" tatting pattern. I also LOVED her angel pattern that she taught today. I wasn't in her class. She was very nice and I believe she came from Colorado. I bought another Nina kit but I didn't take any classes for I was suppose to help the Tat and Chat group which was suppose to be beginner tatters. The only beginner tatter was the one I taught tatting to here in Canandaigua...now isn't that funny??
Of coarse they had all kinds of food there like they always do...but hey I can't have all that great food..this deserves another whaaaa...there was even a hugh chocolate bunny...but I was a good girl and didn't even break a piece off. I know I can't have chocolate...this deserves another whaaaa...why me??? Chocolate...chocolate....I was going to leave my meter home but didn't...I am now thinking I should have left it behind and ate the WHOLE chocolate bunny. The WHOLE thing.....
The other thing is last year I took Nina's class for a necklace which I worked on off, and on this year. The closer to Hector the more furiuos I was to get it done. I wanted to wear it today. Welllll... guess what happened....??? I decided to make my necklace longer so the design would go more around my neck...and I ran out of the thread that came in the kit. Well....I thought, Nina always used silver DMC thread so I bought a spool of silver so I could continue the necklace. As I was working along humming merrily...I was starting to think...hmmm why is this side so much firmer and crisper than the other side. I was thinking I must have change my tension or something. Imagine my dismay when yesterday I really ...really looked at my necklace and noticed that the silver coloring didn't match....why was that???? I was using two different kinds of silver thread...so I have to take all my necklace apart to get the beads back and start the necklace all over again. I showed the necklace to a couple people today and they said...it was really okay and they said they would take it if I wanted to give it away. To me, the necklace is not okay...to look at it would keep bugging me for I know it doesn't match ...so I will be clipping away at it. Whaaaaa again!!! Loudly. Take a look at my picture...I even called my picture that I just scanned Nina's Goofed Up Necklace. Whaaaa!! As you can tell...the necklace is not blocked.

I saw my friend Connie Angeline and she had her elf friend with her...dummy me left my Fergus Og home. Darn...and now he isn't talking to me. Well Fergus Og likes to hang around on the top of my computer screen and watch me type when I am on the computer like now. Since I had to leave so early this morning I didn't even look at my computer...well ...you know that old saying " Out of sight, Out of mind...so he didn't get to go and play with Connie's little elf friend. Fergus Og is now giving me the cool treatment for leaving him behind.

I do have pictures...but I haven't gotten around to download them yet...and I am tired. So this is all for now.....It was a GREAT day!!!

2010-04-05T21:31:00.004-04:00

What a surprise I got this evening!!! I was surfing on ebay only because I like looking to see what is out there and lo and behold imagine my surprise when I see a picture that I took years ago. I know I have the picture on one of my CDs...why is that...because it is my tatting that is being pictured before I added it to the centerpiece and whats more...it is my exact picture. I don't how she got this picture. I must have posted it somewhere online..but this person stole my picture without permission and has it showing a representation of the beehive pattern that is in Pam Plamers Tatting Treats. I have sent an email to the seller asking her where she got the picture from. I didn't tell her it was my picture. I am curious as to what she will tell me if anything. I didn't give permission for anybody to use my picture. Here, in this picture I scanned the part of the centerpiece of the same tatting, after it was put in my centerpiece from the Online project showing what could be done with the mignonette stitch, as a ground like crochet clones are used in Irish Crochet. The Centerpiece was an experiment. In the picture you can also see Martha Ess's bees. The flowers and twig with leaves I made up. But what a surprised this was.

Here is the url for the ebay listing...does something look familar here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tatting-Treats-Pam-Palmer-Peacock-Mouse-Beehive-ETC_W0QQitemZ300410061591QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45f1d5c317

2010-04-04T19:06:00.002-04:00

Hop...hop...hop...the bunny goes.

Anyhoo....I hope everybody had a nice Easter. I had three of my children here. My youngest ate on the run just about. My one daughter had to work at Wally World. I really do wish that all businesses were closed on ALL holidays. HOw much money do these businesses really make by staying open. I think it would be better if they were closed so people can spend time with their familes for good family values. I at but felt I really couldn't enjoy the food since I had to watch what I was putting on my plate. What a bummer that is!!! I also didn't do my glucose test before and two hours after I ate either. Why bother even though I was careful I am sure it was out of wack so I didn't bother.
The bad thing that happen to me was I really cut my left index finger bad. It bled and bled. I do take aspirin so I hopefully I don't die at a young age since that seems to run in the family on my Dad's side. Anyhow...it is a deep cut that I received from trying to open a can of vegtables that did cut right with the can opener. I was trying to decide if I wanted to go to the emergency room to have stitches in it...but I don't want to spend the money doing that....I am going to just see what happens with my finger in the meanwhile. It is pretty sore and I put big bandaid on it.
Anyhoo...since I am left handed I think that I am not going to be able to tat or stitch for at least a couple of days. Can you all say...."Celtic is going to be soooo bored!!!!" I can assure you she will be.
Now I am going to download a some pictures of my family that I took. And crash...I am so brain dead...."la...la...la...."this is my brain on zero working circuit.

2010-04-02T16:20:00.002-04:00

I hope everybody had a good time tatting on International Tatting Day. I made this bookmark. The boodmark design is by BeTsy Evans. I printed this off the computer years ago. I just tried to type in the url for it but it doesn't work. This bookmark is called Rainbow Heart Bookmark and was made using size 40 Lisbeth thread. Instead of putting a fringe tassel on it like the original in the picture shows I added some lock stitch chain and spiral chain with bits of tatting motifs at the ends. I did this mainly to use up some of the thread I had left on my shuttles.

So....what did you tat on International Tat Day???

2010-03-24T12:02:00.003-04:00

Hiya everybody!

First of all I know some time has gone by since the Earthquake in Haiti occurred. I know they will need money for along time to come. I was thinking the other day that soon it will be hurricaine season and there are still so many without any shelter but a piece of flimcy material for cover. I know there is so much that still needs to be done in that country. I just know if I had another life that I would be there helping them as much as I can.

I know you can still buy the music from the special that was on TV to help raise funds for the victims of the quake. There is some great music from that show like Dave Mathews, and gosh...Neil Young. I still love Neil Young and the song they did for the event reminded me of the songs from Neil Young's album "Gold Rush" and also from the days of Cosby, Still, Nash and Young. I loved all of that music and still do. There is also a song called "Haiti Mon Amore'" which was performed by Bono, The Edge, Rhianna Jay-Z . The song sends chills down my back bone it is so pretty. I love the song. There is also Christine Aguilera,Sting,Beyance, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Modonna, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Taylor Swift, Coldplay,Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys. You can get all of this great music from the TV special from Itunes. It cost just under $8.00 and the great thing is all the money goes to help Haiti. I Hope some of you will go and get this beautiful music and help Haiti. I have listened and listened to this music that I got from ITunes soon after the show aired. I don't have alot of money these days...but at least I know my little bit will help those that are worse off than me. The name of the Album is "Hope for Haiti Now" .

I have also purchased this cross stitch pattern from Etsy designed by Donna from "By the Bay" . Money from this purchase will also be going to Haiti to help others. Here is the URL for it

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42435882&ref=sr_gallery_12&&ga_search_query=Hope+for+Haiti&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Here is the url for "By the Bay"s blog

http://bythebayneedleart.blogspot.com/

Yesterday I went to the doctor's for my...How are you doing Sherry checkup? Well after the visit I wasn't doing so well. I now have diabetes. So I was told. It runs in my family from both sides and all of these years I have dreaded the thought of getting it. Well....it is here. This morning I had to go and see a specialiest to show me how to use the meter and all of the other stuff. She told me she thought my problem was from staving all day and then just eating the one meal at night has thrown my sugars off. I know it is also from weight I have gained from taking the antidepressant medication when I went off my rocker after taking Chantix and ending up in a NUT HOUSE literally for my own protections. So now I have traded one killer...my smoking to another killer...overweight and diabetes...so I am not a happy camper today. I got a bunch of stuff I have to work though. UGH!!!! I told Mark earlier just to give me the shovel so I can start digging my own grave. I was kidding of coarse...but I am not happy. So now I have to tell my brain to eat because I am starving my body and I don't have enough insulin to take care of my evening meal.

Since my husband now works 12 hour sifts it does make things a bit harder. I use to go and walk after supper but that is so late now that it is dark outside after dinner.

I don't know...I just know that things have to change around here.

I guess this is enough typing away for now. More on another day.

2010-03-19T18:47:00.002-04:00

Think Green...yes, Spring is coming soon....Here is a sale that is going on at Handy Hands. I thought I would share this with all who come to my blog incase you want to get in on the sale and you don't receive notices in your email about the sales that Handy Hands does.
So...buy...buy...buy...think of the pretty butterfies you can make or how about flowers...or a birdie or two.
Also note when the size 80 thread will become available in all 111 colors..that is solids and variegated.

HANDY HANDS TATTING SPRING DISCOUNT 15% OFF -SPRING Sale - 15% OFF good ONLY March 19 - March 24, 2010.COUPON Code 324 - use just the numbers in coupon field when you checking out. There is NOW 111 colors in the Lizbeth thread in sizes 10, 20 and 40. The first 11 colors on the website are the newest ones.COMMING SOON!Size 80 Lizbeth will be comming in June in ALL 111 colors.For those that pay $5.00 for the Newsletter for a 12 page printed booklet, do not forget you have coupons in the Winter issue.RULES: 1. Coupon has to be in the coupon field for discount to apply. 2. Coupon CAN NOT be combined with any other discount, just the shipping and handling if you are a newsletter subscriber. 3. This offer is only good for internet orders. 4. Discount does not apply to previous orders. 5. The discount does not apply to the newsletter or back issues of the newsletter. Coupon CAN be used more than once, tell your friends. WEBSITE - www.hhtatting.com NEWSLETTER subscriber(those that pay for it and receive it by US mail three times a year) remember to use your S & H coupon if your order is over $35.00. IF YOU have NEVER been a subscriber be sure and click on the hanky for more information as it is $5.00 a year for 3 issues. The free Shipping applies ONLY to US, PR and APO address. Be sure and include that coupon code in the field. NOTE: The coupon Expires at Midnight Eastern Time (EST)the last day of the sale listed above. NOTE: there is a 3 hours difference from California time (PST). Discount applies to retail orders only.If for some reason you have trouble, or do not wish to use the shopping cart be sure and call us, state this to us and we will accept your order over the phone, only during normal business hours. Be sure use the coupon number above. Handy Hands, Inc. Ph: 217-379-3802 M-F 9-5 Central Time.

2010-02-28T23:18:00.008-05:00

This is what we in New York do after getting snow. I went outside with the boys today to play...lets make a snow fort. It was lots of fun!!

Yesterday was my youngest daughter Michelle's birthday and my youngest son, Ryan's birthday...and yes, that is correct..they have the same birthday but are five years apart. We will have a real celebration for their birthday this week and also for my "Movie Star" granddaughter, Kiara...who turned 1 on the 25th this week also.

2010-02-27T17:59:00.004-05:00

Not a whole lot to tell you or to show you except for this one picture which says alot. Last Saturday and today I taught a group of nice, friendly smiling ...gee I don't get that...show me again, oh wait is this right, ladies how to tat in a store called Liberty Cottage that is located on Main Street here in Canandaigua where I live. All of my students have got the "flip"...and their homework is to continue practicing the "flip". We will be meeting again next Saturday in the afternoon.

The ladies have the information for the "Hector Event" and I am hoping I can have my group of students go with me to Hector. Wouldn't that just be fun??!! I also have another student that isn't in the picture. She called in sick today. One of my students also gave me a gift today. I need to get a picture of it so I can show the gift to you.

Spread the smiles all around.....

2010-02-14T09:22:00.006-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everybody!!
The patterns for these hearts were designed by Martha Ess from her book "Tat's Amore'" and Susan Fuller's Heart's Desire and the red/white one is from an old magazineVictoria Hearts and Flowers published by Better Homes and Gardens I think.
I hope everybody finds a bountiful amount of love today and through the year.

2010-02-05T21:05:00.014-05:00

"The Lady and the Unicorn" Here are some picture of one of my huge cross stitch projects that I started more than ten years ago but has been sitting in a corner of my livingroom in its stretcher frame. I bought this back when as a kit. The kit included the linen, floss thread and graph. Speaking of graphs...there are nine pages to the graph. I I am on page 5 which is almost done. Then there are three more to go. The ones left go cross the top and are not as dense so they should go faster. It is just me..finding the time and forcing myself to take it back out and get to work on it. The piece also calls for going over two threads with one strand of floss. I also took a close up of one part of the picture showing the lady's dress so you could see the beautiful shading it has. I love this picture and really should get it done. In one of the pictures I also show the picture in the stretcher frame...and then I unrolled the pictures and place a yard stitch by both pictures so you can get an idea how big this picture is. In the one picture where I unrolled the picture you can see how much I have gotten done on the picture and how much I still have to go on it. I worked so much on this picture that I got burned out from doing cross stitching but I am back at it again. So who knows maybe I will get it finished so it doesn't see the garbage can because Mom didn't finish it.

I also have another needlepoint kit that is done with floss. Another really huge picture.This kit represents the sense of smell. You can see the lady with the scent bottle.

I am also showing the picture of the finished wool needlepoint that I have that I bought last year at an antique fair. I don't remember how much the man was asking of the picture exactly but I got it for $20.00. I love all three of the Lady and the Unicorn pictures I have. And here is that picture.

I also have a huge sampler that I started too over 10 years ago. This sampler is called "Hannah Sampler". I did a goggle search one day to see if there was a picture of this sampler finshed somewhere on the net. I didn't find a picture of this sampler anywhere...but you will be surprised when doing a goggle search to see how many Hannah Samplers are pictured out there when you click on image. Anyhow...this sampler is from the magazine "The Needleworker" I don't think it is still in publication...but this design is an adaption from A 1849 sampler. There are three installments to the sampler each in consectative issue of "The Needleworker" magazine. Once I finish going across the bottom of the one section as you can see in one of the pictures I will have the first installment finished. In the other picture you can see what the sampler looks like after I hopefully get the third installment finished. The reason I decided to do this sampler was because of the verse. Hopefully if you click on the picture it will enlarge enough so you can read the verse yourselves.

Then I got a surprised the other day from the UPS. A big box...which was for me. I thought...what is this...I wasn't expecting anything. Well....I opened the box and inside was this...

These trees were from Maggie Brown of MO. I was so surprised. She said I they were 90% on sale after Christmas and that they were Halloween Trees. Well...Heck....I can use these trees all year around...just think I can see hand made Christmas ornaments, Halloween ornaments and so on...I can have all kinds of fun with these trees and look they are purple. Thank you so much Maggie. If you are reading my blog...please leave me a comment. I love these trees. What fun!!

That is all for now...I am all pictured out. I Hope you all enjoyed yourselves with my little bit of writing and show and tell.

2010-01-27T20:47:00.006-05:00

Not too much to right about this evening. I just wanted to show you a couple cross stitches I finished. Both of these designs are designed by Donna from "By the Bay Needlearts" Here blog is here if you want to read more about her and see more of her designs. She just finished up "Old Brick House" it is shown on the top of her blog. Her Blog url is

http://bythebayneedleart.blogspot.com/

Both of these design were gifts to me. I love how they both turned out. I did change them a bit. I painted the background on the Halloween one and I did my angel's horn in gold metallic instead of white thread. I also used one strand of white floss and one strand of white DMC metallic together for the snow.

Now I will be making a few Valentine Day Hearts...

2010-01-18T13:35:00.007-05:00

I had my husband assist me in taking these picture of the "Beauty In the Eyes of a Tatter" that I did years ago with the Online Tatting Class. This is one of my favorite things I own. It is so special to me for the motifs in the center piece were tattings that people sent to me and I put together creating this centerpiece. There is more about this center piece on my website. Just go there and click on Centerpiece and you can see more pictures of it and how I went about putting it together. Just click on my website in the column on the left here on my blog.

I also designed a Celtic themed fan using the Mignonette Stitch for the ground to hold all my elements together in my design. I designed this fan for a fan competion but alas...the time to enter my fan had expired without me knowing it. But at least I have this fan that I made and designed myself. Including my fan sticks. Now it sits open on top of some dishes in my china cabinet for display and also a place where I can have my fan open.

The discussion for the "Online Tatting Class" hosted by our very own AK Tatter Georgia Seitz and the subject tonight will be the mignonette stitch. Hopefully I will remember to come to class and be with you all tonight. See you there.

2010-01-14T20:31:00.004-05:00

Long...Long ago there was a much "younger Celtic" who use to watch football with her red haired brother. Back then I didn't even know who he was rooting for..I do now which he has been a Viking fan for many years. If you look in the picture of me and my "Movie Star" Kiara, I think you can tell who my football team is. Kiara and her mommy Ginger came last Saturday so I could see Kiara. What a treat for me! She really makes me smile alot. But in the picture you can see me wearing my team's color and clothing. I have been a Jets fan since Mr. Pantyhose himself use to be the quarterback...Mr. Joe Namath. Anyhow...dressed in my teams attire I was ready for the game that was to be aired Saturday evening. Well...much to my surprise the Jets won their first play off game against Ciccinati...but I don't expect them to beat the Chargers this coming weekend...but you never know ...a flook could happen and they could win. Regardless of my expectation of the game this weekend...I will be watching it and rooting for my team anyways. GGGOOOO JJJEEETTTSSSS!!

2010-01-02T13:47:00.008-05:00

As promised....here is a scan of the new varigated colors that Handy Hands http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html

will soon be carring. I love these colors. I got some samples to see what hte colors looked like and plus so I could share the colorways with you all in Tattingland. I did some tatting so you can see how the colorways tat up. What do you think? These are just winging tattings by the way but they would make for some good bookmarks I think and don't take very long to tat either.

Here is a scan of the new solid colors that will be coming out and a couple flakes I made with the already available Lizbeth thread in size 20.

And here is pictures of the front and back of the new Snowflake book. It also have pattern that you can make to cover Christmas bulbs with.

2009-12-27T15:31:00.024-05:00

If you click on the card to make it bigger I think you will see it says Merry Christmas on it. These are tatted ribbon bows that I made to help my grandson Timothy decorate a pine weath he made in school. Right now I don't have a picture of the actual weath but I did take this scan of them and thought it made a festive looking picture.

Wow Where do I start??? Well first I hope you all had a very nice Christmas.

Santas, secret or those of the friends and family were very good to me this year. I guess that means I must have been a very good girl. Can it BE??!!

Here is a picture of my family. They really hate it when I want them to pose for the family picture...but they do it anyways.

My little movie star Girly Girl is now walking. She turned 10 months on Christmas. Here she is...my little movie Star Kiara. This other picture of Kiara is so cute too...I don't think she likes the flash from my camera.

Everybody here knows I love the "Wizard of Oz" movie and I like to immitate the wicked witch around here. Of coarse if you ask Gary my husband he would tell you there is NO immitating of the witch...I am the witch. But from Chrystal and Gary ( her significant) I got the "Wizard of Oz" musical snowglobe with both the good witch and the bad which ...so I have been heard to be saying "Am I a good Witch or a Bad Witch. I love it.

This year must have been the year of the hats...look at the pictures and you can see why.

Michelle got me this very nice hat,gloves and scarf. The hat reminded me of a hat that I saw Sue Hanson wore when she came to my house years ago. It kinda looks a bit Brit to me. I also posed with my head down like Micheal Jackson did in "Billy Jean" music clip so you could see the top band of my hat better. I love it and my kids actually thought it looked good too. I wonder how it will look with my New Jets Winter Jacket though...LOL

But WAIT....here I am in another hat......WHAT!!!! A witches' hat on Christmas you say....but I got this hat from my friend Carol Amich this year. I had mentioned I didn't have a witches hat....can you believe that....me immitating the Wicked Witch of the West without a witches hat...well that will no longer be the case....Here I am posing again in my very own Witches Hat. And take a look at my shirt. It is a skeletal person walking a skeletal doggie and it says Happy Halloweenie.

Now this leads me to my other Christmas exchanges presents.

From Carol I got this really cool and I mean cool Christmas witch that she named Chriselda. Isn't she cool??? I told Carol she needed to make me the Christmas elf too that she sent to Karey for her exchange so I could play the "Odd Couple."

Here she is!! And I love the fact she used a plastic Christmas bulb instead of a glass one. I don't have to worry about it getting broken. She will be out and about all year and not packaged away. I keep my gifts that are hand made out all year in displays for I so enjoy looking at them.

As I mentioned she also sent me the cool Witches hat. Here is a picture showing whatelse Carol sent to me. Take a look at the hedgehog ring and the heggie squeeky toy.

Thank you so much Carol for my lovely fun Christmas package.

Then from my Secret Santa exchange from the Tattinggoddess list I got this pretty beaded glass ornament. In the other picture you can see what else my Secret Santa sent to me. I also like that she sent me a chocolate box to store the ornament in...but I will be keeping the ornament out year around. I know I will enjoy the Christmas CD since I am a music lover and the earrings will be fun to wear...and oh I forgot to add the White bark Pepperment bar into the picture...but she also sent me that. I haven't eaten it yet...but I will. Have no fear when it comes to chocolate and me. I wish I knew who she was. All I know is her return address is Everett, Wa.

And yesterday I got another surprise in the mail. A box from Tatman. Wow was I surprised. Anyhow...Here is what she sent to me. Isn't the penquin cute? I have to admit when I first saw the little box I was wondering what that was ontop of the box...and then the lightening bolt hit me right in the hear and turned my hair all which and more wiry than usual. It was the little Christmas tree that he tatted out of that tiny itsy bitsy thread he likes tatting with. So Ha Ha...I have the little tree. HEHe. But seeing a Zales box...I was wondering...does Mark actually shop at Zales...I myself stay very far away from Zales. I can't afford anything in that store...but when I opened the box inside was a cute leaf done in bobbinlace wire. Mark mentioned on his card that he should do more bobbinlace wire...and you know I should too. But I so need more time in my life. I really do!! Mark said I could wear it as a pendant. We will see...we will see...If I had another one like it I could have a pair of earrings. I am also showing close ups of the leaf pendant and the tatted half ring Christmas tree. Thank you so much Mark.

I have been doing some Cross Stitching and I made these ornaments up for my kids this year. I was gong to put tatting around the outside but I just couldn't find the time to do it. These are all Pairaie Schooler designs. They are alot of fun to stitch up. I plan on doing more of them.

From Gary and Chrystal I also got the chart called "Paradise Lost" designed by Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers designs. I am going to so much enjoy stitching this design. I love all the cute elements of the design. Like look at the birds in the leaves of the one tree for instance. Paulette also design the "Tis Halloween" design that I changed into "Tis Christmas" that I gave to Carol Amich and since then I have just finished another one. This time I used metallics in my snowflakes and did the lettering in red and green...then I was thinking I could also do the snowflakes in red and green. I have to say this is one of my favorite designs. IT is so much fun. So here are more pictures.

2009-12-18T23:59:00.007-05:00

Can't let myself get too stale huh??? I have got to write once in awhile ...Right? So here I am writing ...but I don't have much to write about....but I do have a picture to share. I have been working on cross stitch and tatting ornaments for my children this year. This design is by Country Cottage Needleworks and ws in 2008 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue. The edging on the cross stitch piece is "Black Magic" design by Mary Konior.This is slow going...for I don't have a ton of time. ....Yeah...I know I am home 24/7...but I watch my grandchildren almost everyday...and that takes time....and lots of interruptions.

Christmas is coming...are you ready?? I am not. Since we are so broke right now because of my husband being out of work since April things have been really tough this year...but we are surviving. My husband has found a new job. Isn't that great news. He has just started so not too sure how things will go...He will not be making what he did at his old job,but at least he doesn't have to drive about an hour one way to get to work like he did with his job of over 30 years. Now it takes him an half of the hour so we will save some money with him not driving and burning so much gas getting to work.

I did get a surprise in the mail today. Some cross stitch charts that the designer was so nice to send to me as a gift. I couldn't believe it when I got them. There were five in the envelope. And I really wanted these patterns too. What a shock!! They certainly brightened up my day. I got the envelope this afternoon but I was really busy today and so I decided I would wait to open it (though I didn't know what the envelope was) after I got my work done and the Grandkids when home so I could have my cup of International coffee and put my feet up and sigh...and then open the envelope. So I am in a pretty good mood still. :)

Earlier this week I also received two packages. One is from my Secret Santa from the Tattinggoddess list. I picked it up...not too heavy, I do hear a bit of rattle when shaken...but I didn't do that too hard...and I have put it by my Hershey Ornament tree that I have sitting up on my husband's old fold down or rolled down desk that his father made when he was very young. I think that desk means more to him than anything else in the house.

I also got a package from Carol Amich. Carol and I always do exchanges on Halloweenie...and Christmas. That Package is also next to the Secret Santa package under the same tree. This is a shoe size box. Nothing rattles...hmmm...it isn't too heavy but I would say heavier than the Secret Santa one...Yup...I compared the two as far as weight goes....LOL...

Christmas is coming and we haven't even started our Christmas shopping though we do have one gift for my youngest son...otherwise...nothing has been bought and I don't know where we will get the money to buy anymore gifts but we will do the best we can.

Christmas will be at my house for the family celebration as usual. I always make Christmas cookies...and HOmemade and I mean yeast and dough rising Cinnamon rolls. Both of these goodies have become a tradition. I did say that maybe I wouldn't make the rolls since it takes me all day and I end up with flour in my hair to got with my already gray hair. I do need to get the dye in my hair again....but it is finding time to do it...Of coarse besides the goodies I will bake...I always do the dinner too. I will do the dinner always though if that means I can get all my children and grandchildren here...I BRING out the food and they come.

Now I will leave you with just a couple pictures. One is one of ornaments I made and in the other picture is a picture of me and my youngest Grandson Peyton at Eastview Mall. Chrystal wanted me to come with her to the Mall but Peyton just wanted to go home. Come to find out he has another cold and pressure behind his ears. I took him to the Doctor's yesterday morning for Chrystal since she had to work.

Enjoy the pictures.

2009-12-11T10:32:00.004-05:00

Hiya everybody in Cyberland. Not too much to report here except to say...I have been really, really busy in getting stuff done for my exchanges. Busy...busy...busy....but I did take some time out to do this cross stitch picture. The design is called "Tis Halloween" and it is done by the "Plum Street Sampler by Pauline. ......OH did you get the name...but it says Christmas in the picture doesn't it. Well...you know me....I always like to do something different. I love this picture design. I love the witch in the sleigh going along and take a look at those snowflakes...now those are what I call different looking snowflakes from the usual ones you see cross stitched. Check out those colors too...Anyhow...this design was originally for Halloween. It was done on orange color linen and it did say "Tis Halloween". Since I am so poor these days...I took a piece of scrap evenweave material. I don't know if it is linen or cotton. Anyhow...I painted it green, red and a sprinkling of gold to get that Christmas look and then I changed Halloween to Christmas. I love this design and I think I will make it again down the road. Check out the other Plum Street Sampler designs. I want to do "Paradise Lost" eventually. It is a sampler and a really cool and colorful one at that.

Right now I am thinking...what should I do with it...any of you got any suggestions out there in Cyberland.

I have also finished my one square knitted shawl from Goddessknits

http://bopeepswoolshop.com/

My shawl was a Kal a group of knitters on Yahoo groups. This shawl might even be one of the shawls she is selling the pattern for now...but I don't know what she has called it. Anyhow...I don't have a picture of that shawl yet. But I will hopefully soon. I am really happy with the way it turned out.

I can't show anything else right now because....sssshhhh....it is all a bunch of twinkling secrets right now.

Until next time...keep dreaming those wishes.

2009-11-14T18:34:00.009-05:00

Hiya again,

Just a few pictures to show you all today. First I will show you my Janey,O Janey ornament. This is her new one. I made mine out of size 40 Lizbeth thread and the color numbers are :silver 605 and Wedgewood Blue dk. 656. This was a nice restful and fun pattern to do. Thank you Janey. If you would like to have this pattern to tat or if you would love to see her other patterns ...go here

http://www.e.n.e.btinternet.co.uk/

Her patterns are great. I have made alot of them over the years.

In past week I have been playing with leaves. I took this picture of Mark Myers Leaf that he designed when I saw him in 2005 at the Palmetto Tatting event. There is no pattern for this leaf but I do like it...so decided this week to play and see if I could copy it. In the first leaf I used some hand dyed thread that I got from Palmettos last year. It was done by Hope Bates I think. The colorway was called Sunflower. I also mixed in some green and oranges from the Lizbeth thread from Handy Hands. The last leaf I made using King Tut quilting threads. It is the one with the pink in the center of the leaf. Some leaves actually have pink on them. Now I know there are many different types of Maple Trees. I have Royal Red Maples in my yard and some I guess they are just regular Maple Trees. I went out side and gathered a bunch of them and sandwich the leaves between two layers of contact paper. I am using them for the Fall look around my house...but I noticed that the lobes of the leaves were not really as deep as the one Mark designed so I made my more compacted with no lobes.

Anyhow...I was just playing and having fun.

Wella.....enjoy the pictures. Now I am going back to work on my Nina necklace that I started when I took her class at the Palmetto's event this past September.

2009-11-01T09:06:00.007-05:00

Today is November 1st and my oldest daughter Chrystal's birthday. She was born 34 years ago just after midnight on Halloween night. She is one of the reasons why I love Halloween so much as a holiday. This leads me to what I received in the mail from Battatter aka Carol Amich who also loves Halloween so much. First of all she made me this really cool crochet hedgehog which Carol told me she only knows how to single crochet. I think he is cute and sweet. It is meant to hold your knitting needles and crochet hooks in.

But Carol had to make the Hedgehog look Halloweenie....so she made Bat wings to put on the hedgehog. I haven't yet named my hedgehog...maybe some of you would like to help me come up with a name....I am thinking of naming him Dracula...what do you think of that?

So here is a couple pictures of my hedgehog...one with Halloween costume on and one with it off. She also make me a stick pin that you see sticking in the hedgehog. She said I could wear it as either a hair pin or a shawl pin since she knows I knit shawls too.

She also sent me some candy which I passed on to my two Grandboys that are here this morning and a Scooby Doo toy. She also sent me some writing things.

In the box was also some small pieces of fabric for my quilting endevenor to help raise money for Palmettos Tatting Event.

Speaking of fabric Linda Mageske of New Mexico sent me a business size envelope with some fabric scraps with a Christmas theme. Actually...that is all you have to do if you want to contribute to the cause of helping me raise money for Palemettos is stick some fabric and maybe some trimmings if you have any in a business size envelope. Just your small amounts can go along way into making something creative. I hope you will help me with that project of making the Halloween and Christmas quilt blocks. These blocks will be crazy blocks in style. Just write to me and I will give you my mailing address.

I also spent the past few days doing something fun with a Halloween theme and that is the cross stitch picture you see here. The chart is a freebie that I got from The Primitive Needle designer Lisa Roswell. I love her designs and I want to get the chart really bad for the design she called "Witches Hallow". I think once that sampler is done...you can still use the chart to make individual items that are in the chart in other projects. Here is her url for her designs incase you are interested in seeing her other designs. Http://www.WitchStitchO.blogspot.com/

The url for her website where you can order her designs is

http://www.theprimitiveneedlehome.com/storeDefault.asp

As far as getting the "Witches Hallow" chart....I will pay a bit at a time for it since I can't spend that much money all at once. ...But "Witches Hallow" is definately calling my name.

And in the last picture here that I will share with you is a tatted tree I made about a month ago. I was trying out some metallic thread that I received to see how good the thread was for tatting. I have to say the thread failed the test...but since I have been tatting so many years...I can tat with just about anything so I made this tree. The picture really doesn't show how the tree sparkles unless you can click and enlarge the picture. The tree is very pretty. The pattern came out of an old "Anna" magazine that I have.

2009-10-30T14:12:00.026-04:00

Well Halloween is just about here. I want to wish everybody a Happy and Safe Halloween. My card pic that I am showing is a light ceramic scene I did years ago. I have others here like this. I even figured out in Illustrator how to Put Happy Halloween in orange on it and save it so I could put the picture here as my card to you all that stop by my blog here

I have some pictures to show you. About two weeks ago I took the Grand boys to the Pumpkin Patch to select a pumpkin suitable or carving and to have some fun. First I will show you some different kinds of pumpkins. I didn't know there were so many kinds and these are just the iceberg. I think I like the Cinderella one the best.

In the next few pictures are the boys having fun. The boy with his thumb in his mouth with the Cinderella pumpkins is Peyton my youngest Grandson.

In the next few pictures Chrystal and I took the boys to Wegmans ( the Western New York State Grocery Store) to trick and treat in the store. Here is a couple of pictures of them doing that.

I carved Peyton's pumpkin and Timmy did his own and I don't have pictures of their finished pumpkins because the pictures are on Chrystal's camera. But I also carved Kiara's Pumpkin. Here is a couple pictures of her with her pumpkin. Isn't she cute?? I now find not only do I call her my "Movie Star" but I also have caught myself calling her " Girlie Girl". I think she thought it was something to eat right NOW!!

And here is the last picture I will share with you. Some of you might remember the Christmas Tatting Exchange on Gina' Tattinggodess list. Last year my exchange person was Vicki Clarke from Canada. I had gotten an advent package which means I had a package to open for 25 days until Christmas. Vicki was so clever and I really loved what she sent to me. Two of the things she sent to me was one a Halloween bracelet. Take a look at the black pumpkins and the Green scaredy cats on it. I wonder if Vicki made the bracelet or found it somewhere. I would love to get more buttons like what is part of the bracelet. The other cool thing she sent to me was this cool orange beaded tatted amulet bag with the bat hanging down. This is the perfect time of the year to be wearing both of these and I am ...so much fun Halloween is. Both of Vicki's present are sitting on top of the box I got from Battatter (Carol Amich). I know she has already opened my exchange to her...but if you came here to see what she sent to me...you will all have to wait until tomorrow...Halloween.....LOLLLLLlllllll

2009-10-19T21:32:00.016-04:00

I actually have lots of pictures that I have been hording here. I guess it is finally time I share...All my bags were packed I am ready to go, a wave to my husband and I was gone, don't worry I didn't look back..well maybe.......leaving on a jet plane, I don't know if I can contain all my happiness...leaving on a jet plane look out Erin here I come...LOL...Lots and lots...but Erin's got the real good pictures...and her blog is showing wedding pictures...I can't top that on my blog but I did have a good time flying south through O'Hara's airport ...also known as Mark aka Tatman's favorite airport...LOL.

Okay...I guess I will start with O' Hara Airport first. I had plenty of time getting to my next flight. As I was looking for my correct gate...and since I love all kinds of artwork my eyes get drawn to it. I saw these really cool benches that were painted. So I took some pictures which of coarse. Here are a few pictures...

I actually found a storefront at the airport that sold Godiva White Chocolate Candy Bars. I did buy one...It was so good. I have been looking around here for Godiva White Chocolate but haven't found it yet...

Erin the best hostess there is in Knoxville, Tenn. loves to show the Southern Hospitality...including trying to teach me to say Y'All like Paula Dean does...I failed miserably...is it because I am a true Yankee from New York I wonder. Anyhoo...Erin my hostess took me to one of my favorite places when I visit Knoxville and that is to go to West Knoxville to Bead Heaven....here is a couple pictures showing what Bead Heaven looks like.

And LOOKIE there is my hostess Mrs. Raymond now, but in this picture she was still Ms. Erin Halloway. In my next post I will show where Erin and I were frolicking in the University Trail Gardens which just so happens to be the same place Erin and Raymond were handcuffed ( spiritually speaking that is) in Holy Matrimony...

If this blogger looks like it was written and put together screwy...It is all blogger's fault...I hate blogger sometimes...

2009-10-14T22:00:00.006-04:00

LOOKIE what I can do and I will be eight months old on October 25th. I can sit, I can stand on my knees and on my own two feet. You can see Grannie in the background there. Maybe you can see why Grannie isn't tatting much...she is always playing with me...the "Little Movie Star" ....that is what my Grannie calls me. My Grannie looooovvvveeessssss me....and I am so happy....

2009-08-27T22:36:00.006-04:00

I had been thinking awhile about trying my hand in micro macrame'. I might even do some designing on my own eventually once I start to feel more comfortable in doing this work and maybe marrying it to tatting. We will see what will happen with that as time goes buy...which time keeps right on moving so fast that is is tomorrow yesterday. Anyhow...here is my my necklace. I got this pattern from Donna. Here is her blog url incase you are interested.
http://www.knotgypsydesign.com/ Donna sells kits and patterns. She also has downloaded free patterns and a downloadable tutorial incase you want to learn. She also has an Etsy shop. You will find all of this information on her blog.

Also I got a huge surprise in the mail today. About two weeks ago someone on Arachne List had given his accounting of what he thought of some of the stuff he saw here in America. There was also a discussion of chocolate. This person was from Belgium I believe. Anyhow....I had written to the list and mentioned how I LOVE white chocolate and it was funny how I had to go all the way to England in order to buy a huge white solid chocolate candy bar without the cereal or cookie crumbs in the chocolate. Well, Margery Allcock from England saw my message.

Yes Folks, I got a big solid white Belgium Chocolate candy Bar in the mail but that wasn't all...she sent me some Foreign Postage Stamps and also....another real big surprise...a pair of painted Bobbins for Bobbinlace making. The pair both have a mouse painted on them. One mouse is eating berries under a mushroom and on the other bobbin the mouse is in a strawberry patch. I love both of the bobbins. I should mention that I wrote to Margery earlier this year and was able to buy a few things from her that she was selling so she knew I collected foreign postage stamps and that I also did bobbinlace.
What a surprise huh? I was so thrilled with the package which was a huge surprise. THANK YOU Margery!!! You sure brightened up my day. Things are hard right now for me since my husband lost his job earlier this year and all of our dreams were flushed away from Corporate Greed.

2009-08-24T15:33:00.003-04:00

Here is a picture of the necklace I made using the Fringe Element Heart Pattern designed by Jane Eborall. Note how I did the catch and how I attached the two side arms to the heart. It is one that is used in macrame' necklaces and bracelets alot. Anyhow...I would model it for you...but to save everybody's eye sight I decided to just post a picture of the necklace without me. Enjoy it! Let me know what you think. I love this heart pattern.

2009-08-21T13:43:00.004-04:00

Take a look at this beautiful colorway. Isn't it just stunning. The colorway name is Purple Splendor and the number is 129. I made this heart today and it will be winging away to a friend. This is another of the new colorways of Lizbeth Thread that will be soon available to buy. You can buy all the Lizbeth thread here

http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html

This pattern is called "The Fringe Element Heart" designed by Jane Eborall. You can find the pattern for this neat heart here

http://www.e.n.e.btinternet.co.uk/

If you really look at this heart I think it would be great tatted up as a focal element for a necklace. The chain for the necklace can be lark headed through the two upper parts of the heart. I bet it would make one pretty necklace.

2009-08-20T23:49:00.002-04:00

Here is another motif from the same book Tatting by Jan Stawasz. This motif is from a beautifully designed centerpiece that is on pages 84 and 85. I think this motif will be the begining of this centerpiece which I am going to tat it using the same colorway you see here. This colorway is called Spring Garden and the color number will be124 if you want to write that number down. I think is has to be one of my favorite of the new threads that will be available soon. Don't worry...I will give you all the heads up on my blog here when the new threads will become available to purchase.

There are still more great colorways...more stuff for me to tat up....LOOK out...

I am still laughing here....Mark....

2009-08-19T21:10:00.002-04:00

A couple more new colors that will be coming out soon. The patterns I used to show these new colors off are both from Jan Stawasz's book entitled "Tatting Therory and Patterns". The motif with the pink,yellow,melon and violet pink colors is from his doily design on pages 80 and 81. Can you all see a doily done in this colorway...it all looks so yummy. I also used a solid violet pink with the varigated thread. The color is called Sherbet Delight color number 108.

The other motif is also from Jan's book. This was a snowflake pattern and it was on pages 83 and 83. The color name for this varigated thread is March Breeze and the color number will be 128.

These new colorways will be getting here soon. I will try to tat something more so you all can see the new colors.

I have just also started a new motif also from Jan's book that is varigated pink and green. I really love that combination. Sooooo stay tuned to see more of the new colors. I can envision...doily after doily after doily after doily made with these new threads.

I should also say...I love some of the older colorways in Lizbeth thread too. OOOhhh which colorway should I tat after the pink and green one.....I wonder.

Here is the url for Jan Stawasz web site where you can see more of his beautiful designs. I really do love his book. There is so much I want to make from that book...give me more years....give me more years....

http://www.frywolitka.slupsk.pl/

2009-08-17T07:17:00.002-04:00

I got some Lizbeth's new size 40 thread and decided to try it out. It does tat like a dream. I decided to do Jane Eborall's motif #3 from her site of many ooglies, ooglilys patterns which you can get this same pattern here.

http://www.e.n.e.btinternet.co.uk/

Jane has so many patterns. This one was a whole lot of fun to tat up. I used in the middle color # 650 and I also used color #643 and#111

2009-08-07T13:51:00.004-04:00

Can you stand it...here is another beautiful snowflake design. The designer of this snowflake is Jon Yousoff. Here blog url is:

http://tatsaway.blogspot.com/

It was made in another of the newer colorways of HH Lizbeth thread that will be coming out soon. This colorway is called Wildflower number 109 when it comes out and I used the solid color Spring Green 680 for the center round of the snowflake. It turned out pretty I think. I love this new thread. But I can't wait for the size 40 in this thread too.

Enjoy!!

2009-08-02T17:48:00.002-04:00

Here is another of Ruth Perry's Celtic Snowflake. This time I did it in one of the new colorways that Handy Hands will be having out soon. It isn't available yet. This one is called Western Sunset. But to me it reminds me more of fireworks. I love this colorway. It is so pretty done up. It is one of my favorite new colorways that will be coming out. I will let you also know that the new size 10 and size 40 threads in Lizabeth thread is on the boat so it should be available soon. I can't wait for the size 40 thread myself. I think size 20 is good for snowflakes though. You don't want them to be too tiny unless you are putting them on a minature Christmas tree. I think size 20 is good for something that will be either worn or put out on a table...in another words...if it is something that will require washing periodically...then you need size 20.

Sometimes I like to do doilies in really fine thread for my notebook or to put in a frame and hung ...not necessarily on my tables. The fine threads make you get the whole design in a much smaller size to just preserve the design.

I have been thinking of getting some size 10 thread ...been looking at Midnight oil I think it is from "Yarnplayer" to design something in macrame'. I have these crystal beads and I have been thinking about using them in a macrame' design. I use to do a ton of macrame' in the old days of lore'.

I have also been thinking of buying some linen thread from Yarnplayer too actually...for bobbinlace. I don't have the funds at this moment but I will sometime maybe.

Okay...I am rambling now...so I will say...until I write again..."lacing is a foot."

2009-07-30T22:01:00.003-04:00

First of all I am showing a tatted snowflake. This is the Celtic Snowflake designed by Ruth Perry. It came about while making a tatted snowflake for an exchange on the Tattinggoddess Tatting List. This is one of the snowflakes I have made. I just can't show everything you know. I am even in the process of making another one in a thread sample of some new colorways that Handy Hands will be coming out with soon. Handy Hands will also be carring size 40 in all the different colors including some newer ones. That should happen sometime before the Summer is over. This snowflake was made with size 20 Lizbeth thread in color number 144 & 147 with gold beads. I think the snowflake turned out "Purdy."

The other bit of news has been unsetting to me. My daughter Chrystal ( who is my oldest daughter) found out last week she is a diabetic. She has been complaining for awhile of not feeling good, being tired and so on. She had some blood work done a couple of months ago that was showing then she had a problem but she didn't want to follow up with the other test that she needed. Last week she did...her blood sugars was over 400. That glucose reading is very very high. She has to have insulin and monitor her blood sugars now to try and get the sugar under control. I don't know what all the results of her blood work were but I have a feeling she had liver blood work done too and they must have also been off. She had to have a Ultrasound on her liver which showed she does have a fatty liver which they feel is the results of having such high uncontroled glucose level in the blood. When there is alot of sugar in the blood insulin comes in and takes the glucose out of the blood and sends it packing to the liver to be stored as glycogen for future use if needed. If it isn't needed and it keeps accommulating in the liver the glycogen eventually becomes fat. Tomorrow Chrystal has to see the dietitian again and she also has to have a Cat Scan of her liver or pancreas. Chrystal wasn't sure for they saw something on the ultrasound and want to have a better look at it to determine what they were looking at.

Like I said this is upsetting to me. I have always been scared of getting diabetes myself since it is on both sides of my family, but so far I haven't gotten it. Usually when the scale starts to move up I start dieting like I am doing right now. ( I got weight gain right now the doctor feels was from the antidepression medication I was on but am not taking now) and it is a really battle for me this time because it is so much weight and it came so fast. My doctor says I should loose it again since I am no longer taking the antidepression medication...well that may be...but it isn't going fast enough to suit me so I am dieting like crazy to get the weight back off. Anyhow...I feel I might have passed the diabetes on to her. Diabetes is hiereditary so I don't know. So I will be thinking of her tomorrow and hope all is okay from the tests.

Sorry to dump this on my blog here...but I hate diabetes for I have seen what it does to people...I didn't want it...and I certainly don't want my children to end up with it.

Now I will show you something that is upbeat and happy ...Some of you may have heard that I won in a give away that Gina Brummet from the Tatting Goddess blog. I won this beautiful lady which I have named Anastaisa. She is really pretty with her purple dress and with the purple tatted trim on that dress. I love the way her hair is ontop of her head and I love the cute paint job that Gina did on her face.

Well I have to tell you my elf friend from Ireland Fergus Og saw her his eyebrows twitch up down as he was eye balling the beauty and the next thing you know...he whisked her right off her dainty knotted hemped feet and started dancing to some of my old records with her. Yes, someday those records will be antiques. Anyhow...you should have seen then twilling and dipping and dancing away...I think I might have even seen some hip gyro going on...LOL.

2009-07-21T10:35:00.006-04:00

Take a look at what my camera caught through the kitchen window this morning. Nope, it was not a dog...but doe a deer a female deer....hmm along now...The blurry things you see in the picture is some of my sun catchers which I have all over my kitchen window. Enjoy the pictures...I sure did...I know the deer are around here for I see them all the time along our road...but don't usally get pictures of them.

2009-07-19T14:35:00.012-04:00

I have uploaded a bunch of pictures of this piece of beaded lace that my husband found today while out and about with his use to be work buddies ( my husband no longer has a job...) at a junk sale. On of the pictures I took with an ruler so you can scale the size of the lace.This Beaded lace is sewen onto net. I am wondering if it might have been on the front of a dress...maybe a wedding dress. The beads I have a feeling were all silver lined glass for I think the inside of the beads are looking a bit tarnished. The design is so pretty and I am wondering how they went about doing this. This Beadwork looks pretty old looking. And the last person who had it sewed it onto velvet looking material. What do you all think about it? Please leave me your response here or on the arachne list. I thank you in advance for coming to my blog to look at this piece of what I am calling "Beaded Art."

2009-07-11T18:44:00.007-04:00

Hi everybody. Just a couple pictures to show you. One is two pictures of the blanket I knitted for my Movie Star Kiara ( my granddaughter) I am showing two pictures so you can see the whole blanket and then another picture which I hope shows you the castle that is in the middle of the blanket. You can also see eyelet lace,stars and the flowers I knitted around the boarder. It took me awhile to get this knitted because the stars are patterned on the front and back of the blanket. I gave it to Kiara a couple weeks ago.

Here is a recent picture of the "Movie Star". It is hard to believe she will be five months old pretty soon. She is such a beauty.

Here is a picture too of my other two grandchildren. Timothy and Peyton. Peyton is now 3 1/2 years old. He is just about all potty trained now. Whew...thank the Lord for that. Timothy is 12 years old. I see Peyton and Timothy just about everyday since I baby sit them while Chrystal and Gary work. The "Movie Star" I usually see at least once or more a week. I really enjoy my grandchildren.

Today I worked a bit on my thistle book mark in Bedfordshire bobbinlace and either later on tonight or tomorrow I will be back to working on my Summer Mystery Shawl. Clue 4 came out today. The shawl is purple using Merino Lace yarn.

2009-07-07T21:19:00.002-04:00

Hi, I am not going to write about lace today. Instead I will write about what I did this afternoon.
I spent the afternoon in front of my computer watching the streamline memorial for Michael Jackson from CNN and Facebook.
I would like to say that the flower I hate the most is Galds. They remind me of unhappy times ...mainly when a love one had passed away. They make me sad. I am also the type of person that cries at funerals. I think I would do that even if I didn't know the person....so....
This afternoon I sat here in front of my computer balling my eyes out and using the hanky tissues that my friend Erin Halloway gave me. The hankies are cute with hat boxes piled one on top of another with this puff balled high heel shoe ontop. The puff ball is pink...so like Erin huh??
Anyhow...I was sadden greatly.
I decided to watch it for when I was a teen ager this is when the Jackson 5 were putting out music and hitting the charts. I can even remember where I was when I heard some of their songs. I have some of the old 45s and albums still. They and especially MIchael have been a part of my life ever since I went from watching TV person to I love music person. That means I am a music lover. I have always admired Michael's dancing and I also love MIchael Flatley's dancing. MIchael Flatley's dancing is noted from the show "Riverdance", "Feet of Flames" and "Lord of the Dance". Both dancers have some pretty fancy footwork.
I will always remember the first time I saw Michael Jackson's MOON WALK dance steps. I was amazed and I remember trying to figure out how he did that. I never could figure that out...but I can do Irish dancing.
Yes, I dance in my house...and yes....I did alot more dancing years ago and I use to do it in my kitchen in the morning and at night after getting home from work at midnight or thereabouts. Dancing was my exercising and yes...I lost weight doing that. As a matter of fact I have gained some weight and my doctor tells me it is from my antidepression medication I was taking . I don't take it anymore and now I have this weight to get off. So my son who remembers me doing this all the time...keeps telling me I should start doing that again. Maybe I will...right now I have been doing alot of walking and playing basket ball in the driveway. And have removed the pleasure of my life and that is enjoying food. Ice cream is my downfall.
Anythow...I did alot of crying this afternoon. I lost it when they were showing pictures of the different MIchaels over the years, I lost it when I was hearing his his voice the different espects of his feelings, and I really lost it when his daughter Paris said how much she loved her Daddy and how good he was.
Anyhow...I just wanted to share my thoughts. I have been a fan of Michaels over the years. I loved his music and I loved his dancing. He was a true gift of artistry. I really feel he did alot to make the different races come closer together. He crossed alot of boundaries.
Maybe tomorrow I will share lace or knitting or something. That will be only IF I find my computer first...LOL

2009-06-14T23:04:00.004-04:00

A short post here. First of all here is a picture of Iris's TIAS doily. This is the second one I made. Same colors and everything. I tell you I so hate it when I finish something and I see mistakes after I have cut the threads and there isn't anything I can do about it. ....I bet you all have been there and done it...anyhow...here is a picture of the second one I made without the mistakes. I love the color play in this. Threads info and link to Iris's blog on the post before this one.

I also got an email from Marion Amber from the tatting list. She is from eastern Ma. Come to find out she was at Herkimer Diamone Mine the same day I was. I emailed her back and told her I remembered an older woman with a wheel chair with a big dog in the quarry and she told me it was her cousin. If she had taken a good look at my shirt she might have guess I was a tatter too and who knows...a conversation could have started on tatting. She had a three year old with her and I understand perfectly that she had her mind on him. Who knows...we might meet up again next year...planned this time. What a small world huh?

2009-06-08T20:47:00.012-04:00

Can you say Bling...bling...I think Fergus Og and Connor Macleod can. They both got to go on a treasure hunt today with Celtic and Gary today.
We visited Herkimer Diamond Mine today. What fun!!! What work!!! boy is Celtic's arms burned...stupid person...she forgot the sunblock and here she has red naturally under her hair dye. And she wore a black tee shirt... even if it had the word tatting with a tatted heart on front of it...it was too hot to be out in the sun wearing black. Celtic almost swooned from the heat. For shame...but we are now home showered,(boy were we filty and Celtic kept saying she couldn't stand to even touch her hair doo). But we did find some treasures there. In these pictures you can see Celtic,Fergus Og and Connor Macleod and Gary having a dirty fun time working.

You can see in some of the pictures the people working on the mine...chiseling way, or sleg hammering away ...any way to get the diamond out that was all that mattered. The guy wearing the black tee shirt is Gary my husband.

In one of the pictures you can see the street named like Diamond Drive for instance. You can also see Fergus and Connor watching Celtic smashing the rocks...and guess what ...any diamonds you find...you get to bring home...and we did and here is a picture of us showing off the bling. In the first picture you see Fergus sitting on a rock...but guess what is inside of that rock> A crystal. We can see it but we haven't figured out how to remove it yet without breaking the crystal. So for now it is a crystal in the rough.

Now Celtic needs to find someway to make some kinds of jewerly out of the stones where they will be nice and secured and won't be easily lost. Celtic is thinking of some kind of cage setting. There are two crystals that are amost perfectly matched for a pair of earrings. Those are the two big crystals you see at the bottom of the picture. We had all our crystal appraised and I believe our treasure is worth $80.00.

Anyhow...have fun enjoying the pictures.

We are thinking of going back again. Herkimer Diamond Mine is a couple hours drive from us in the Adirondack Mountains. Here is a link that you can read about Herkimer Diamond Mine. There is also a place called The Ace of Diamonds. It is located on the same road and is close to Herkimer Diamond Mine. We might go there next.

Http://www.herkimerdiamond.com/

Herkimer Diamonds are not really diamonds but crystal. Their hardness as far as a gem goes is 7 whereas I believe real diamonds are a 10 on the hardness scale. The thing about Herkimer Diamonds is when you find them...they are already faceted. How cool is that.

This was something we wanted to do last year but it didn't happen. Have you all ever seen the show "Digging for Treasure" on the Travel Channel? This place was on the show once. It was also a topic among some serious minners.

Anyhow...I thought I would share with you all the adventure Celtic, Gary, Fergus Og, and Connor had today.

2009-06-07T16:21:00.014-04:00

First I am going to start you off with a tease. Take a look at these two pictures...lol...what are you seeing ....? More later on here...

I am now a real worried Mom. My son Ryan has bought himself a new motorcycle. This really scares me after what happened to my Dad on his motorcycle. Here is a picture of my youngest Ryan on his new bike. Here also is Peyton my Grandson on the bike with Ryan...

I know alot of you saw the message that Iris sent to the tatting lists about some of the economic troubles she is going through. I know she mentioned she was going to give up on the tatting. I hope she doesn't. For me tatting is therapy from my troubles. As long as I am trying to figure something out...I am not thinking about all the stresses of my life. The only stress I find when I am tatting is...I want to see what I am tatting on finally finished....LOL. Hence, I have been tatting Iris's TIAS doily. You can read more about her TIAS doily on her blog here

http://irisniebach.blogspot.com/

and you can see some of hers and other TIAS here

http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/

Here is a picture of mine that I have been working on. It isn't done yet...but I am working on it. I have been tatting it in Sherry Pence Hand Dyed thread called Marina. It is a very pretty colorway the other thread I am using is Handy Hands new Lizbeth thread lt. Turquoise 662. It is taking me some time to make it...but that is okay...I am loving it so far.

Next is a couple pictures of my front flowerbed. It now has some color but wait...everything hasn't popped open yet...but it is a begining. I love playing with my flowers and breathing in the fresh air.Oh and those pictures of the threads I showed you earlier...well...these are just a few of the new threads that are coming out from Handy Hands

http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html

and their new Lizbeth thread. There will be more but...I was the first to see these new colors and you are now the second to see these new colors. Also...size 40 in Lizbeth thread will be coming out soon too. Can y'all say YEAH!!!! new colors...new threads...I betcha you can...

2009-05-21T18:40:00.004-04:00

I don't have much to share right now. But ...today I have been working on proofing a pattern for Martha. And oh look...I have my little audience watching me tat and figure things out. I have Fergus Og my leprechaun belting out "A Song For Ireland" Fergus knows it is one of my favorite Irish songs. The melody is so pretty...but then there are others like "Fields of Anthenry," "Mary From Dungloe." just to name a few. I bought a CD when I was in Ireland years ago called "Favorite Irish Ballads" I bought it unheard by my ears but I am so glad I did for it is one of my favorite CDs and I have transferred this CD to my iPod so I can listen to it anytime. It is kinda funny but I just realized the musician on the CD are non other than the Irish Rovers. I remember some of the songs they did years ago. I might even have their records (remember those), that my parents had. Anyhow...next to Fergus is his trusted friend Connor MacLeod named after his favorite character Connor Macleod from the "Highlander" movies played by Christopher Lambert. Connor's tail was swishing to the ballads Fergus was singing. A couple of times they both got pretty rowdy and my shuttles, beads and all went flying. But they were enjoying the time we were spending together...Fergus...kept saying in between ballads..."is it done yet".

Gotta go now...the "Movie Star" will be here soon. I get to play Grandmother again tonight. :>)

2009-04-24T12:18:00.001-04:00

I thought I would let you all know about the sale that Handy Hands is having. I got this email from Handy Hands this morning. Now is the time to get some threads you may have been wanting at a lower cost. Better hurry before all the thread is gone.
Sherry

***SPRING CLEANING THREAD SALE** at Handy Hands TattingThere are several threads that are no longer made or we cannot get them anymore, so we decided to have a SPRING CLEANING on some of them.

Available while supplies last.Flora Size 50 - No longer made - Retail $4.25 - SALE $1.95.Hakelgarn Size 20 - NO longer made in colors- Retail $5.50 - SALE on certain colors

$3.25.Manuela- No longer get - Retail $5.95 - SALE $3.25. Omega 30 - Certain colors NOT made Retail $3.25 SALE $1.55.Omega 50 - Colors NOT made Reatil $3.80 SALE $1.95.Opera - NO longer Made - Retail $4.50 - SALE $2.15.

Handy Hands, Inc.www.hhtatting.comClick on "SPRING CLEANING THREAD SALE"Questions (217)379-3802 Monday - Friday 9-5 central time.

2009-04-20T15:24:00.015-04:00

A FEW THINGS.....to write about.

First....this past weekend was Hector, New York tatting event. I only went on Saturday. Had to borrow a car and so on...but I had a good time. So I am going to share some pictures with you all.

So what do I have in the pictures. The first picture is a group shot of us tatters that were in Hector on Saturday for the tatting event. The next picture is a people picture. The lighting I thought was bad so some of my people pictures did not turn out too good but I am sharing some of them with you anway. The lady teaching with the gray and white vertical striped pullover is Bina Madden from the state of Washington. She came from the farthest to attend the event. The lady in blue is Ruth Perry being her sunny self. Loved her tee shirt she had on. The redhead with the black top on is Vicki Clarke from Canada. I had her for my Christmas Advent Exchange on Gina's Goddess Tatting list. We got to talk even more. The Christmas ornments were made by Ginny Weathers. She taught a class for making a ornment cover something like a lampshade over a glass ball. See how pretty they are. In the last picture above here is Kathy Brandt that I use to work with many years ago and found each other again when I first started going to the Hector Event. She actually lives on the Eastern side of New York now. In the past I have met up with some fun tatters on that side of the state...but couldn't go last year...the funds wouldn't let us go...but maybe this year...but now that my husband doesn't have a job...I don't know if we can or not.

Now moving on here to another subject and more pictures...haha.

In this picture is Pat Pike. She is from Buffalo/Amherst area of the state. I met Pat a few years ago. She is left handed like me...and she knows how to do the Romanian Point Lace Cording. She has showed me I don't know how many times in the past ...and I guess I just didn't really get it...but TA DA....I have it now...so Gina...if you are reading this blog...take a look at my cording in the picture. What do you think? I did this with size 20 Lizbeth thread. I kept practicing it after I got home and I pick up my crochet hook up every now and then and add a bit more to the length of my cording. Hopefully if you click on the picture of the cording maybe you can see my stitches better and I didn't have to flip my mind over backwards to make it either. It is left handed made. Yippee. I can't crochet right handed. I have tried in the past but my brain will not flip the other way to crochet right handed so I had to have a left handed crocheter. Thank you Pat!!

I have been wanting to know how to do this for a long time. I have some Romanian Point Lace Patterns in some of my old Anna magazines and I have three books by Sylvia Murariu. One of her books even is for Christmas ornaments and there are at least three angels in that book. So now that I know how...I will be trying my hand in some Romanian Point Lace and since I can make the cording now...I can do mine in color which is so me...don't you all think??

In this next picture is two more teapots I have made from Martha Ess's Teapot book. Which if you go here you can get some info on how to get your copy. It is a great book.

http://marthas-tatting-blog.blogspot.com/

Handy Hands I know will also be selling the book. Speaking of Handy Hands, I happen to know that there will be more different varigated and solid colors of Lizbeth coming hopefully by the end of June. So keep your fingers crossed for that.

http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html

It is made using Lizbeth threads and also some Rainbow Brite thread from Tatakool. Here blog is here:

http://tatsakoolchallenge.blogspot.com/

And last but not least ...this is what I won in one of the raffles. This bag with a pink and light purple Hedgehoggie in this bag along with a kit to make one of Ruth Perry's bracelets. Fun HUH???

I guess this post is enough for now...there might be more writing and sharing with you all on another day.

2009-04-15T22:06:00.003-04:00

Some of Martha Ess' Teapots I have made. I will be making more. Funny how I like teapots but not tea huh? Enjoy the picture!!! And for Bubs...it is now your turn....LOL.

2009-04-08T15:40:00.004-04:00

Here is the very first picture of all of my grandchildren. I don't think the "Movie Star" in the middle is all that thrilled with Grandma Poperozi.

This is Martha's Celtic Teapot from her new book. This is a book to GET, I am telling you. I love all of the patterns in this book and I am not a tea drinker and since I was really sick last year...I don't drink coffee anymore either. But take a look at the colors I chose to make my teapot. These are colors I don't usually gravitate to....but I like it. This is from the New thread of Handy Hands "Lizbeth". I love this thread and all of the different colors. It is nice to tat with something different instead of the same O, same O, colors. You can order your thread here.

http://www.handyhandstatting.com/index.html

The other bit of news is tomorrow is my husband's last day at work. The company he worked for over 30 years is moving out of New YOrk State to a state where they don't have to worry about unions and so on. My husband will be 60 in May and he is going to loose some of his pension because of this move and he isn't quite the right age yet though he was close to retire. This will be a big adjustment for me to have my husband around 24/7. I am use to doing my own thing so I have a feeling I am not going to handle it very well. My time will not be my own anymore.

2009-03-16T21:32:00.013-04:00

The precious one has been here since Feburary 25th 2009. Her name is Kiara Anna Townsend. She weighed 8 pounds. She is a really sweet little girl. So here is some pictures of my new Granddaughter which I am very pround of. These pictures were taken right after her birth which I was there to see the miracle happen. It got hairy at the end but everything was okay at the end. Just a tough delievery. She was vacuum suctioned and also the doctor literally got on top of Gingers belly and pushed down hard on it. The baby's heart rate was showing some signs of stress for she was hung up in the birth canal for a while. But...we all had a happy sign of relief....and Shawn gave me the biggest hug I think I have even gotten from him. She is a truly a miracle to us all. In the one picture you can see shawn getting to know his new daughter and getting his first pictures of Kiara. Her name was decided on completely until a couple days after her birth. I think she has a pretty name. Here is another picture of the Mom and Dad and the little one.

Last week I got to baby sit her for the first time. I managed to get a few pictures of Kiara.

Kiara does not like the light. And that is me with her rocking away in my rocking chair that I rocked all of my kids and so far all my grand kids in. I guess I am sentimental right now.

And now to a different topic. Knitting!! I have been doing alot of knitting lately. I have been working on a baby blanket that has a castle in the center of it fit for a princess like our Kiara with flowers going all the way around the outside with stars for the movie star. I also got my very first shawl knitted. Here is a couple pictures of that. It was from an online Kal called Mystic Ice and the designer was Anna

http://knitandknag.blogspot.com/ Here is her blog address so you can learn something about this great designer of knitting.

I am working on another shawl right now by the same designer. This one is called Mystic Star...and I am on the last clue of the shawl right now...but I am planning on making mine bigger so I am changing my shawl a bit buy repeating some of the other clues.

This isn't the actual shawl. This is the part I goofed up on and cut and took a scan of it so I could show the yarn I was using. This yarn has a bit of blue, purple and black. Reminds me of the Valdani Quilting thread I used for the background of my Celtic Fan that I designed a few years ago. Anyhow my shawl is way beyond this picture right now.

Lastly here is a scan of my swatch for the next shawl which will be Mystic Roses. I decided to go with a color of a Peace Rose. I so hate buying things without seeing them with my own eyes. I really love this lace yarn but I would have liked just a touch of a buttery bright yellow...not alot but just a touch. This was knitted using size 4 needles. I haven't decided yet but I might go up to a size 5.

So that is all the news for now. I did do a bit of tatting but since it was proofing ...I can't show it...sorry Guys and Gals...but I just can't.....