I know it has been awhile since I have posted to this blog...been busy ...I just finished making the Thistle Bookmark designed by Jean Leader of the UK. As you can see...I did it in black with some metallic threads also thrown in for good measure. This bookmark was definately a learning experience for me and I did make some mistakes...but hey...itsn't making mistakes part of life lessons so you can learn by them and then move on... I used Tanne size 30 and a thin factory black/gold thread for the inner lace along Gutermann  heavier silk thread for the gimp around flower heads and Tanne size 30 with Goldrush for the outside framing. In the one picture here you can see the finished bookmark before I took all the pins out of it. This picture was taken last night. The two piles of bobbins you see are 66 pairs....that is how many I personally used by having to take them in and out of the Bedfordshire Style piece of lace. The picture where the bookmark looks like it is in front of the blinds I took so you could kinda see the metallic threads that I used throughout the  design. I am thinking of doing maybe the Shamrock or the Rose one that is also in the same booklet...I haven't decided it I want to do it in white...or try to play with color ( which I know would be hard doing Bedfordshire Lace ) or if I want to do it in the same black with the metallic threads....decisions...decisions here....so let me know what you think of my work...you can respond here or on Arachne List since I will be sharing my finished piece with them also... I am hoping to see some feedback good or bad..

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I have been wanting to make this sweater for along time. Bought half of the yarn about 5 years ago. I bought more last year…and I have enough of all the colors to start this sweater which I have done. I can’t wait to see it finished and to smile with accomplishment of getting it done. I have other Alice Starmore sweaters I have done over the many years like when her books were still available to buy from my local knitting store. I also want to make “Rheingold” someday but I don’t have the money to buy a kit from Vitual Yarns. I so wish they would be willing to sell their patterns separately but I do understand that it is about selling the yarn which is where the real money is. Some day….

I would like to wish all my Facebook friends and family a Merry Christmas. I was proofing a new tatted block tree pattern and I decided to make them into decorated Christmas trees. The original tree made by the designer Donata Jones was in fall colorway. The picture on my made up card doesn't do these trees justice I have to say for all the beads do sparkle which makes the trees pretty. The garland was made using tinsle that I crocheted believe it or not including the stars on the top of each tree. I am sure that Donata will be selling or sharing this pattern with you soon. I did leave off the tree trunk which was also part of the original pattern. Anyhoooo again I hope everybody has a wonderful and safe Christmas celebration. Please remember why Christmas really came about...the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth.

Bracelets I made to help me do Christmas shopping for my Grandchildren.

I made these bracelets to help me raise money to go Christmas Shopping for my Grand Children. There are two Christmas themed ones. If you happened to liked the Manuela colorway 203 then you will really like the purple one.  All of these bracelets have real glass beads not cheap acrylic. They all sparkle alot more than these pictures show. It will be first come and first contact me and pay me using Pay Pal that will get to own these bracelets.  The bracelets are $25.00 which will include postage. Thank you in advance for helping with my Christmas shopping for my Chicklets. You can leave me a comment so I know you want the bracelet.

Why I am not voting for Mitt Romney and AM voting for President Obama.

There has been alot of talk about the Great Ronald Reagan...well here is what I think of the Great Ronald Reagan who almost destroyed my parents. I am showing you the newspaper article that was printed years ago...where my parents were used as an example to what Reaganomics was doing to innocent people in the Republican's way of cutting government spending. My parents always worked. My mother worked up until the day she got a massive strep infection that ate her heartvalve away. My Dad work every chance he got ...but this also included taking care of my mother. My father went back to work after a heart attack . The last two years of my father's life he suffered from injuries he recieved after having a  motorcyle accident. He was 56 when he died after suffering another heart attack.  My mother never recovered after having her stroke which I feel lead to her death of congested heart failure secondary from her Ball and Cage Heart Valve replacement and the strokes she suffered from her body trying to isolate the valve from the rest of the body by forming clots around it.
  At a time when my parents needed help and were going through a awful time in their life ...this unjust was heaped upon them. All the government cared about was getting my mother off Social Security Disablity.and they didn't care how they did it.
  You can also see the letter my father wrote to the congressman that was in office at the time this happened. YOu can read the letter from Social Security Disablity...notice how cold the letter was.  Also a letter from Ontario County on my mother's condition and also note how the letter never said she got completely better.
   Also the letter my Mother's doctor wrote to Social Security Disablity department.

   This is why....I do not like what the Republicans are doing right now...I am still a registered Republican and as soon as I can change it to either Independant or Demacrate I will . The fool that I was actually actually voted for McCain only because I was a Republican....but I will be voting for Obama this time around. I really do feel he is for us everyday Little Working Middle Class.  We work in my household...we pay taxes and get nothing from the government...but when my husband lost his job under Bush's watch Obama's policys helped us. Yes, he is making less money than he did of his job of 33 years before his company decided to go to a "right to work state"so they can have their temps and not have to pay them any benifits. This is Corp. greed at work. Never mind my husband was there for 33 years. So being my husband does factory work he is making less money than before since he has to start at the bottom of the barrel.He is in his 60s and has worked since he was 16 years old. Definately not lazy or a slacker with his hand out.  So we are not part of the 47% that Mitt Romney was talking about...This is why I feel the way I do about my voting for President Obama and NOT voting for Mittwit Mitt Romney. I actually smiled to myself yesterday when I saw a car in front of me with a Obama Biden sticker on their back window. I need to get my stickers on my that I didn't have to pay a cent to get.

Nina Liben sent to me some tatted medallions she has tatted with beads. I added to her medallions and also added beads and made a purse. This purse is completely lined and has a zipper in it so you don't loose anything. In one picture my daughter Michelle is modeling it for you. There are tons of beads on this purse. I tatted it in size 10 so it will hold up to any punishment that comes its way.I just finished this purse up tonight and I am so glad it is done...and in time. I am donating this purse to help raise money for Palmetto's Tat days schoolarship fund. You may end up owning this purse...Anybody here reading this want it .Tomorrow lucky me will start my vacation ...I will be flying to Tenn. to visit my friend Erin Holloway.We will be bead treasure shopping, tatting, girl talk, eating and just being two sharing friends. It will be nice to see Raymond too. I wonder what funny Utubes he has for me to watch this year in computer land. Anyhow...I am excited...Tomorrow the fun starts.

New sale at Handy hands. It is just for the next few days so hurry.

July 4th Sale
NEW Lizbeth Holder in Red

July 4th SALE 5 % off your order.
Coupon Code 705 - expires July 5th at midnight EST
RULES for use of the Coupon
1.
Coupon has to be in the Promo/coupon field for discount to apply.
NOTE: the Promo/coupon is now in the shopping cart area on the left.
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.
We have a NEW area - Coming Soon
The following is in this area.
NEW Aerlit Shuttle - Fall 2012
There will be 9 shuttle colors & 7 bobbin colors
There is a "Notify Me" on our website and once they come in you will get an e-mail.

NEW Lizbeth Size 3 thread - Fall 2012
It will be the same as the other Lizbeth just now in a size 3

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 newsletter subscriber click here for more information.
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 to mention the coupon number above for the discount to apply.

© Handy Hands578 N. 1800 EPaxton, IL 60957Handy Hands does not have a store front
Phone: 217-379-3802M-F 9am - 5pm Central Time

I am also showing you my Milanese Seahorse I made after taking a Milanese class with Louise Colgan. She is a great teacher. but look this seahorse was not made in my usual colors. But is it bring to look at just the same.

Below is a mesage that I recieved from Barbara Foster of Handy Hands. It is time for you to come up with color names and send them to Barb to win thread...Now who doesn't want thread???? And you can really do some name calling and it won't be cruel or hurt anybody's feelings.....Just click on the highlighter url below and send your name to Barb. You could be a winner of 25 balls of thread....

Also Barb has been working on another Aero English wannabe shuttle. We even burn a true English made Aero shuttle to find out what kind of plastic it was made out of. I have been testing the shuttle and giving my tatting years input..Ha... These shuttle might be available later on this year. The shuttles will also be made in colors. So...that is the news in Tattingland from me...

Now the news from Bobbinlacingland. I took a Milanese Bobbinlace class with Louise Colgan about a month ago...hmmm seems longer ago than that...but here is my finished Seahorse that I made from my class. I am naming the seahorse Secretariat .

That is all for now....Celtic, signing off....

Sherry,

If you could pass this around I would appreciate it as we are looking for color names. They can e-mail in the subject put Color Names. This is part of the contest so the winner will get 25 balls of thread if we use their name, applies to oldest e-mails if the same name is duplicated.

Thank-you,

Handy Hands, Inc.
Barbara Foster
http://www.hhtatting.com/

I was very lucky to be able to take a Milanese Bobbinlace class taught by Louise Colgan. My children pitched in a made it possible to go to Amherst which is a suburb of Buffalo, New York. Amherst, New YOrk is a little more that two hours from me. It is mostly thruway driving. I was nervous about driving up there since I have done it in years. The last time I was there was for a guild meeting and Pat Pike did a mini class on making Romanian Point lace. The project was an Easter Egg. I am always fearful of driving somewhere that I am not familar with I also had my daughter's car. Since the drive one way is so far away I spent the night in a hotel.

Saturday evening we went to Sean Patrick's Restaurant I think it was called. I had salmon on a bed of greens. When my plate came my eyes got very wide for there was enough food for a few people on my plate...and here I was not able to get a doggie bag of food for lunch the next day as I would have if I was here in my hometown. I also had some Potatoe Soup which was very good. I mean really good. The other surprise was I could have sworn I was waited on by Sandra Bullock ...of coarse it wasn't her and I should have gotten her picture...I told her she looked like Sandra Bullock and she told me I was the third person that day that told her that.Kinda funny huh??

The only damper to the weekend was the fact ...I thought I left my glasses at the restaurant. When I got to the hotel to register...I couldn't find my glasses anywhere. I called Joan Sulkei for help and I called the restaurant...though they couldn't find my glasses they did find some cards under the table that belonged to some of the other diners at our table. ....but here now is the funny part of this story...while going by Chrystal's car to look in the car again for the 10th time to find my glasses I just happened to look at the spoiler on the back of the car...and would you believe there was my glasses. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them. I think my hotel was about 10 miles from the restaurant and this was going on expressways...with swerving and blowing on my car and the glasses didn't dislodge and fall off the car. Anyhow...I was so glad to have my glasses.

Now back to the class. I had chose to make the Milanese Seahorse...one of Lousie's designs. This evening I am on the tip of the tail. Tomorrow I will lay bobbins in to start the belly of the seahorse. I saw many of Louise's finished designs with my own eyes including the Milanese Poppy that is shown in this month's "Piecework Magazine" ( which I have already ordered. It is the only one I get now..the May Lace issue)...

I found Louise to be a really good teacher. She really knows her stuff...is very relaxed, charming and knows each part of her designs I think by heart. I found I learned alot from her. She does have an easy way of talking to her and she does have a sense of humor.

I also had two very good lunches that was part of the registration money. I really felt this event was a good deal price wise.

There were many vendors too...Holly and Gerry, Kirschners, Karey, and someone with period lace were selling lots of tempting stuff.

The speaker we had also gave a lecture on the history of lace in woman's clothes. She also had some with her that she showed. I am going to put those pictures up here on my blog for you all to see at a later date...for now I am going to show you the pictures from the restaurant, and a couple pictures of Louise Colgan.

There was also a very nice collection of lace shoes or shoes with lace. I bet Ms. Erin Holloway would love to see some funky and cool looking shoes. There was also a box where you could pick out your favorite lace shoes. It was a contest. I will also show pictures of those in another post.

Lastly I would like to thank the Ladies of Amherst Lace Guild for the event. I was so happy to be able to take Louise's class. The one person you see in all of these pictures is Louise Colgan.

How sad is it that CNN didn't mention the death of Johnathan Frid who died April 14th of natural causes. He was 87 years old. I know that Johnathan is suppose to be cameoed in the new Depp Dark Shadows movie and it is to be released in May I believe. How sad Johnathan didn't live long enough to see the movie hit the theatres. I will say that from looking at the trailers of the upcoming movie I am ...not impressed. I might by pass seeing this movie with Tim Burton touch or not. My parents were poor and worked in a restaurant but my Dad new how much I loved "Dark Shadows" and would surprise me every once in awhile with a Dark Shadows paperback book. Here is a picture of my books my Dad got for me which as you can see since they were so special to me I still have them. I also purchased the "Dark Shadows Compaion" book you see in the middle. It has Kathryn Leigh Scott's autograph in that one. I am really saddened by his lost to our world. Rest in Peace Johnathan.

Here is a bit of a tease. Today I borrowed my son's car and drove to Lodi, New YOrk to attend Tat Days there....here is one picture. I will try to add more to this blog tomorrow...in the meanwhile here is a picture of me and my good friend Martha Ess.

A Wee bit of a post here. In the two pictures I used Martha Ess's Broomstick Lace Snowflake pattern from her book "PLaying with Picots" and made the bookmark and the little doily. Both of these will have new homes soon. Just thought I would share my wee bit of tatting with you all. I really do love the snowflake pattern. I should see Martha tomorrow sometime. I am planning on crashing the Tatting event in Lodi, New York tomorrow.

I have to make another post...yeah...I know it is soon after the previous post...but Fergus Og and me got a surprise in the mail from Fergus's Mom. I love the Claddagh symbol and I have lots of jewelry that has that symbol. Anyhow...I just had a birthday on the 10 and it is St. Patrick's Day today...so I am looking at this as a combine surprise gift...and it really was a surprise for both Fergus and I. I opened the package up...and Fergus as you can see in the picture had to get right down to everything to check it all out. There is the really cool St. Patrick's card that is hand made...and take a look at the tatted bookmark too in greens. Of coarse Pam doesn't know this I think...but I am also a stamp collector so thank you also for the cool Irish Stamps. I have to say...I was completely surprised. This really made my day. Don't you just love surprises??? Thank you so much Pam Myers of Ireland for the really nice gift.

One more thing here...when I got this gift I thought again of our friend Gina. Gina I know was so lucky to meet Pam in person. I do hope that maybe someday if Pam is ever in New York State...we can meet. Now wouldn't that be just the luck of the Irish if that happened...? I would have to wear green for the rest of my life...but I do know that my Mom always said...You wouldn't have wanted Great Grandpa see you wearing the green on St. Patrick's day. We are suppose to be wearing the orange don't you know....LOL. That is what my Mother always said to me. Take a guess what is for dinner tonight...I dare you to guess....

Happy St. Patrick's Day from a girl that has mostly Irish blood running through her veins.

Also I just finished knitting this shawl. Back a few years ago when I was mentally sick my daughter Michelle bought this yarn for me for my birthday. The intent was to use it to make a shawl named Mystic Light designed by Anna Dalvi. With my sickness I lost interest in just about everything including my knitting. So the project got shelved for some years. Last month I got the pattern out and the yarn and got the shawl knitted up finally. Here are some pictures of it.

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.

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.

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.