Friday, December 28, 2007




















Here is a Christmas card that I got from my son Ryan that I mentioned on the list. It was funny him giving me this card and of coarse the card got passed around for my whole family knows how much I LOVE HANDMADE things over store bought anyday or time. Inside of the card though he was so thoughtful. He gave me a gift card for Starbucks Coffee...which I have to say that since I think it is so expensive I have yet to buy a Starbucks coffee...but I have told him he has to go with me to get some coffee sometime...also he gave me a iTune card. Everybody knows I love music too ...and lately that is how I have been getting it is with itunes. I can't get to the stores too well these days without a car.

Anyhow...enjoy the humor of the card.
Now to show you what else I got in exchanges. From Carol Amich you can see in the picture that she got me a really cool Scooby Hard Plastic Lunch pail minus the thermos. This is so very cool!! I love it and it already is on my table with my lamp next to my Grandmother's orange rocking chair with tatting stuff in it.



































In the next picture you can see what else Carol sent to me. A pair of neato Chocolate themed Dish towels. These I think are too good for drying dishes besides that...I put my dishes in a strainer and let the air dry them natuarally. Also in the picture is a pair of Scooby stick ups. I haven't decided where I will put these yet.
Also there was a Burger King Scooby Toy still in the pastic bag and then if you look in next picture you will see my Hershey Kiss Candle and Godiva Biscotti Dip in Chocolate and ....you have to have a Pirate of the Carribean Pad if you are a true fan of the three movies....and also a pair of Christmas socks that went directly on my feet. And lastly but so very cool in the next picture is one of Carol's really creative Whitman Candy Box filled with tatted chocolates that will never go stale. What a great idea she came up with to make this. It is on my tree right now.

I also got a neat Christmas package from my friend Mark Myers. More so Kool things ...I am so lucky this year.















This is what I received from Mark....a really cool tatted ornament or a really Kool sample of his half rings tatting that he loves to do in his quest to mimic Bobbinlace into tatting. Take a look at the outside of the tatting...do you see the interweaved lengths of tatting so very "CELTIC" huh?? He also sent to me a ball of one of my favorite types of thread to tat with and that is Pearl size 12 Valdani thread in blue, white and pink. The thread is not in the picture. I forgot to pick it up from the table when I was taking pictures.

In the package was also this cute tiny metal clasped vinal purse. A minature purse. Inside of the purse was a tatting shuttle that was made by a local man in Mark's area. His name is Andy Anderson. The wood of this shuttle is so light it reminds me of balsmic wood. It has a very pretty grain to it. I love turning the shuttle this way and then that way. In the purse was also some pieces of hard candy in different coffee caffe flavors. I wonder where he finds this candy?

And the last thing in the picture is the beautiful handmade card. Since Mark and I have been exchanging for some years now...I am starting to get a nice collections of the handmade Christmas cards. They make them every year...and Mark if you are reading this....I have everyone of them still since they are truly a work of art.

For today....I am still working on making a Christmas ornament for my daughter Michelle. I think I will get a head start for next year's Christmas exchanges for I already have an idea brewing in my head. I will be going out to the store later on today to see if I can find the supplies that I will need for this idea.

Enjoy all the pictures
And Tat and tat with a smile on your face...I had a continous Happy Face while I was opening all my exchanges. The exchanges I got are so very,very,very, very, very, muchly WONDERFUL and SPECIAL to me and I THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART for making me so very,very, very, very, happy.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007


























Ah the day after Christmas and I am leaving the red and green type colors behind for now. I have lots to show so....I am going to make you all suffer and show a bit at a time. Today I will start off with the DAY TWENTY-FIVE of the ADVENT SECRET SANTA EXCHANGE. I got this really cool tatted amulet bag.

My Secret SAnta had mentioned on an earlier note that came with the Christmas Ornament that she really like Mark Myers half ring tatting from his one book that he printed and sold and that I would see this technique later on. I think she used it in the tatting of the amulet bag..but I haven't figured out how yet. She only signed her card as SS so I still don't know who my Secret Santa is...I hope she writes to me and lets me know for I would love to know how she went about making my amulet bag. She also included this very pretty white pearl beaded with a red tatted flower center either an ornament or a place to put my needles. I think I can use it for both since they has folded up green felt inside of the tatting. What do you all think?

I am also going to show you my Christmas Ornaments that I tatted and gave away. I do not have one to call my own...all of them grew wings and went elsewhere. Right now I am making an ornament for my Daughter Michelle and then using Dallas Cowboys Football team colors I am making one for my son Ryan. Enjoy looking at all of my pictures and reading the journey of me opening my Secret SAnta Package every day. I thank my secret Santa a whole lot and how she will write to me pretty please with chocolate sauce and a cherry nestled in chocolate whip cream on top of a fudgie brownie.

























































































There was another ornament but for some reason I either didn't take a picture it or I put it in the wrong folder...I can't find it and now it is too late for me to get the picture for hopefully it is hanging on someone else's Christmas tree looking pretty.
More tomorrow so stay tune for more Christmas stuff...can you all stand it???!!!!!!
















Monday, December 24, 2007































My Christmas Eve that I thought I would share with you by bringing you into my home. HA!!! A well lived in home. You can see my craft stuff, pillows for bobbinlace on the shelves, my craft books, the kids books, old records...and shelves with old VCR tapes...an extra bed...( I think Erin from Tenn. and tried out that bed btw) and the kids toys. I know there is alot of stuff here in this one room...but it is the room I am in most of the time with the kids. I VERY WELL LIVED IN HOME NOTHING FANCY AT ALL.
Now for pictures...... In the first picture is a picture of some of my family chilling out in front of the TV. This picture was taken after we all had Christmas Eve Dinner which consisted of....A American Cusine....HEHE...Grilled hotdogs and cheeseburgers with tater tots. How is that for a fancy Holiday dinner???? But for desert ...was some of my warm just out of the oven and now frosted cinnamon rolls...( am I making your mouth water now) and then we have chip, and veggies and dip...homemade fudge Chrystal my daughter made and brought over...and so much food we were just about bursting. Another view of the Christmas tree...now these are not just our presents but presents for brother and sisters. The whole family will exchange presents tomorrow and some of the kids decided to bring their gifts tonight instead of bringing them with them tomorrow. In another picture is my little grandson Peyton Lee...he is such a ham.

Again I hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and I will be back here on my blog with you all tomorrow.




I am from the roots of my hair to the tips of my toes covered in flour. I am baking three batches of homemade cinnamon rolls. I have sprayed the floor in flour...my counter in trying to figure out how to use the new mixer...without reading the instructions, I have dough under my nailbeds, and my dish sponge will never be the same after cleaning bowls and pots with the sponge. I have already requested an item for my wish list for next year. I want the biggest metal bowl that can me found. I am right now using my huge soup pot to place my dough in for the final rising before being rolled out....will do that soon. If you want any...AT ALL... I am afraid my family will make them all disappear. This was their request...Mom's homemade cinnamon rolls.
It is day TWENTY-FOUR....this is what I got today in my package. 4 cloth napkins. This is what is so funny....they are purple...have you ever seen purple cloth napkins. I haven't...but what do you all think of me tatting an edge around all of these napkins...

Now there is one more day to do...and that is tomorrow. DAY NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE and then all of you can open your packages. I can't wait to hear about what everybody else got. Reading the "What I got Messages" are "FUN" to read and I am looking forward to them all.

I hope everybody has a safe and happy Christmas tomorrow. ....in the meanwhile...look tomorrow to see what I got for day TWENTY-FIVE...which I can tell you rattles a bit....hmmm I wonder what it is...don't you??

Sunday, December 23, 2007




















Today I have been busy...busy and busy...alot of stuff to do. I have the Christmas shopping done but I have alot or work to do here to get ready for Christmas when my kids will be here. Tomorrow is Cinnamon Rolls Day made homemade. There is lots of work to that... and I am not sure but I think maybe more Christmas Cookies need to be baked. There are some already baked that my daughter Michelle did last night.


Since I have been so busy I have been laxed on showing what was in my Secret Santa Package. Yesterday ( DAY 22) was a cute dragon fob to put on my scissors she also included the pattern for the dragon hand written. I think since the pattern was given to me along with my scissor fob it should be alright for me to share the pattern. What do all of you think?


Today DAY 23 was the last installment of the Sherry's Secret Santa Story. This story is so very cute I think. I know that I have made the story on my blog where if you click on the pages they should enlarge so you can read the story but you should also be able to save the pages to your computer and print them off. I think it makes a cute story to read to a little one.


The only thing it needs is a cute illustration to go with the story. I loved the story.


For now....I will let you get back to doing whatever you were doing and I am going to get back to preparing my house for the holiday.


Sunday, December 16, 2007






















DAY 21 is a continuation of the Sherry's Secret Santa Story. I can't wait to get the rest of the story. So far it is a cute story. My Secret Santa also knows I bobbinlace. Of coarse that isn't any big surprise...for all you have to do is look at my back posts to see some of my bobbinlace I have done and to look at my website to know that.


This story does have some funny moments...like my brows disappeared along with my bangs. And you gotta know there is a dragon involved here...and I am now wondering if my Secret Santa knows something about bobbinlace for she states" "twisted and crossed threads". I think only someone that is familar with bobbinlace would know those terms which is the basic stitch in bobbinlace. Any"HO HO" enjoy some more of the story....
I thought I would share the words to one of my favorite Christmas songs that I use to play alot for my children when they were all growing up. I actually played my album today and was surprised not to hear all the static that I usually hear when I play my old records...I am talking about the old 33 albums. I also happen to have this one song from the album on my ipod. This song makes me think of when my children were younger....and I was also younger. For those that don't know...I love music...and I listen to it just about every chance I get.

Here is the words to "Ding-A-Ling The Christmas Bell" by Conway Twitty.





The Christmas Bell Called Ding-A-Ling

Sung by Conway Twitty on his album “Merry
Twismas” Release date 1983


Gather around
And I will tell a story of a Christmas Bell
Who use to shine, chime and ring
And why they called him Ding-A-Ling.


One of the famou8 jingle bells is
What he was until he fell,
And broke his pretty harmony.
He then began to ring off key.

Chorus:
Now they call him Ding-A-Ling
Because he has a funny ring,
And doesn’t hit his note too well.
Ding-A-Ling the Christmas Bell.


The other bells met secretly,
And he heard one say in a real low key,
He is sure to ruin our Christmas sound,
And we don’t what him hanging around.
He overheard their secret vote,
And walked away with a lump in his note.
The saddest bell I ever seen.
The Christmas bell called Ding-A-Ling.


Chorus:
They all called him Ding-A-Ling.
Because he has a funny ring,
And he doesn’t hit his note too well.
Ding-A-Ling the Christmas Bell.

The snow was falling in the square,
When the children found him there,
And placed him on the Christmas Tree
For everyone in the town to see.

As Christmas Eve came to the town
A blinding snow ws coming down.
Ding-A-Ling heard someone say..
Old Santa was sure to lose his way.
The thought occurred to Ding-A-Ling
To ring as loud as he could ring.
When old Santa heard the sound it
Guilded him in to town.


Now the children shout and sing
And everyone loves Ding-A-Ling
And everything has turned out well
For Ding-A-Ling the Christmas Bell.




Also a picture of DaY TWENTY of the SECRET SANTA CHRISTMAS EXCHANGE. It is an beaded amulet bag. I was so surprised when I opened up the package. I have some tatted and one knitted amulet bags but I don't owe a completely beaded amulet bag. This was such a huge big surprise ...really big...The days are now winding down...and Christmas is getting closer and closer...some of you the wait will finally be over. I wish I could see all the magic that will be in your eyes as you open your Secret Christmas Exchanges....I know I can't wait reading about them on the list....that is so much fun I think.

Here is day NINTEEN of the SECRET SANTA ADVENT EXCHANGE. I got a little spiral bound book that has this wonderful artwork on the first page of a flying dragon. One thing I have noticed on all of the notes is the fancy pretty writing. The little note went around the book and held in place with an orange pipe cleaner.

I have tomorrows out to gaze at every time I walk past my diningroom table...which if you have ever been to my house...my dining area is right off my kitchen. There is no kitchen table...just one in what I call the diningroom. I have a small house. Sometimes I think it is too small. But I have been here for 20 years next year, so what can I say. A heck of a long time...might as well stay here.

Oh the package for tomorrow...well...the hints of what is in there is this...it has a number "20" on it...LOL...it is in a small package of 4 inches by 31/2 inches... and it rattles...I haven't got a clue what is in there...and I guess you won't either until tomorrow....LOL....LOL......LOL.....LOL....and yeah everybody...I am having "FUN" teasing you all....LOL.....LOL.....LOL.....LOL....LOL....Falalala...La...la...la....

This is day EIGHTEEN of the SECRET SANTA EDVENT PACKAGE!!!! and look what I got today. This very pretty tree ornament. I love how my Secret Santa used the beads for one side of the rings...and I LOVE the thread she used. It is so Christmasy. I hope when I find out who the Secret Santa is she can tell me what thread she used...or if someone recognizes it they can tell me. But isn't it pretty!!! and look ....she or he drew out more artwork...look at the tree on the envelope flap.

When day 25 gets here I will have to do a whole lot of thanking .....I will have to be creative in the way I do it...this will take some thought.

Now that I have all my exchanges done I am making things for my children...more later on what I am doing for them.
















I have already posted once today...and here I am posting again. I wanted to show you something that my husband brought home from work. You can kinda tell he must have had too much time on his hands one day. About a month ago he brought home a shuttle that he made out of brass. There is no way you could wind any thread on it. I had mentioned to him that if there was an opening in the center of the shuttle I could then wind thread and actually use the shuttle made for me. So last week he came home with these three. The he told me the shuttles were not meant to be used...but...I told him...I thought I could use the brass one.


The other reason for this post is...I was wondering how many tatters are following the revealing of the Secret Santa Edvent Exchange Package. I thought if you could either leave me a comment here on my blog or email me it would be fun. I bet my Secret Santa is wondering how many followers I have at the moment peeking in to see what I got today....and the next day...and the next day until Christmas...it sure has been FUN...so let me know if you are reading this please.
DAy number SEVENTEEN of the Secret Santa Exchange Advent Package. It is pay three of the "Sherry's Secret Santa Story". I have to admit that I am so tempted to find the rest of the story now. It is like a book you don't want to put down. I am sure all of you have read a book that was like that. But I will be a good little ( that is questionable) girl and not go looking for the rest of the story. I will be held in suspense just like the rest of you I am sure are. LOL
Today I am going to show you day FIFTEEN and day SIXTEEN SECRET SANTA EXCHANGE GIFTS. On day sixteen it was the crocheted dishcloth. I really like the colors in the dishcloth. My Secret Santa said I could use it as a dishcloth or to wash my face with. I don't think this tatter is going to do either. I have placed it on my table that is on the pole of my standing lamp in front of the big picture window in my livingroom next to my grandmother's orange rocking chair. I still wonder how my Secret Santa knew about that chair. This one of my favorite places in the house that I tat in. Speaking of my Grandmother's orange rocking chair...I have a feeling that DAY SEVENTEEN 'S gift is a continuation of the story that was started on day EIGHT I think it was. So stay tuned on the same blogger url, same internet...but might not be posted the same time as this one was.
My Secret Santa on day SIXTEEN also gifted me with this beautiful colorway skein of Wildflower thread made by Caron. The colorway is called Havana. Look at the purples,blues and greens...all my favorite colors... My, Oh MY, Very pretty! I wonder what I will tat using this thread. My Secret Santa says this thread is a very Dragonique looking thread.
Right now there is a Winterstorm brewing outside my windows. Storm three for this Winter already.

Friday, December 14, 2007



It looked a bit like Winter outside yesterday. We got hit with a bad snow storm. Classes were cancelled and my husband came home early. Here is a picture of what it looked like out my window in the afternoon. This storm kept going until the evening...but by this morning alot of the snow was still around but there were some patchy areas where the snow was starting to melt. Now we have another Winterstorm Warning and it is suppose to start to hit Saturday night and the worse is suppose to be Sunday. I always worry about my loved ones being on the roads in such awful weather.

Now on to DAY NUMBER FOURTEEN of THE ADVENY SECRET SANTA EXCHANGE. No there wasn't a pair of pink "Barbie "EArrings or "Bratz "ones instead there was some pieces of candy...and couple plastic toy crickets. In sitting and playing with them and trying to figure out how to make them make the clicking noise I took ten years off my life for when it finally clicked...it startled me...LOL They are truly a fun thing...will have to play with my grand kids with them. There was a note with them that said...

"On D-day the Allies used crickets to know friendly soldiers from the Germans while it was dark- we give them to children at the clinic as a toy. Strange to think of where a toy originated in this season of peace- One for you & your loved ones so you find each other in times of turmoil."

I just realized in this message here there might be a clue as to wh0 my Secret Santa is...it stated " we give them to children at the clinic as a toy" This might be someone in the medical field...but still I am clueless since I don't know the occupation of all the tatters on the list...hmmm

Here is a picture of today's "FU" and there is that word again..."FUN"...and how many more days do the rest of you have to wait....lets see now....you have eleven almost ten days to go before you all can open yours...and lookie there is package number 15....just waiting till tomorrow gets here...

Thursday, December 13, 2007


Here it is day THIRTEEN already in the Secret Santa Advent Exchange. Today I got stuff to pamper my poor feet with. Bath salts for soaking the feet and some lotion to keep them soft. I have to tell you that here in New York it gets very cold and snowy..which right now we are in the mist of another SNOW STORM...the SECOND one for this year already and it is not even Christmas yet. The college classes are cancelled for this afternoon, am I am looking for Timmy Guy's school bus in case he comes home early...and my husband called from work and he may be traveling home early too. But....with the cold comes the dry heat and my skin does not like it one bit. My nails break...one by one....ping here and ping there goes my nails...and my skin cracks and cracks to open bleeding sores like open paper cuts that burn. So My feet is going to love the babying...maybe after the kids go home tonight. Ahhh, it will be so very nice. And oh look there is a sneak preview of tomorrow's package which says right on the package..."Party Girl". I wonder if it is a pair of Barbie or Bratz earrings....Bling...Bling...LOL
Here is a picture of my goodies for today...maybe I will share a picture of New York Wonderland with you all later on today.


I thought I would also share with you a picture of my old Santa Claus that I have. He is very old and belonged to my Grandmother. I have looked on ebay and haven't as yet found one exactly like mine..but close which dates him to me 1930s sometime...and I bet my mother remembered seeing him around when she was a little girl. When my mother gave the Santa Claus to me she told me to take good care of him. The closest I have seen on ebay was selling for $160.00 some dollars. I think he was made in Germany and he is a gnome looking Santa...His outfit is made with felt material. His face is corrugated ( Not sure if I spelled that word right or not)

Wednesday, December 12, 2007


Here is a picture of our Christmas tree. The picture really doesn't do this tree justice. You for one can't see the lights blinking or the bubble lights bubbling or the ornaments sparkling. It is a beautiful tree! I have ornaments that the kids made over the years on it and ornaments that have been in the family. I don't have any lacing ornaments on the tree except for a couple crocheted covered balls.
Today was day Twelve for the Secret Santa Exchange. I got some really pretty blue Gutermann Cotton Quilting thread. I played with it earlier today.




Saturday, December 08, 2007

This is day ELEVEN. And here is today's package revealed to you. A ball of black thread. You can read the note my Secret Santa wrote next to the thread I hope. You can also see package day TWELVE. I thought I would let you all play along with me in the guessing game. I don't know anymore than you do right now except I can tell you...when you shake it there is a noise...so something if loose in there...

so what do you think it is????

This is day TEN of my Advent Secret Santa Exchange from Gina's Tatting list. Somebody knows that I love the rock group U2. My secret Santa sent me the words to "Its a Beautiful Day" by U2. This song was out last year. Note how my Secret Santa typed this in different color lettering.
It has been a busy day here so far...and the end is nowhere in sight as of yet. It started off this morning with moving my livingroom furniture to make room for our Christmas tree which I have up in front of our sliding glass doors that go off to my front deck. In the past lots of years we have been putting up an artificial tree. NOT this year. My son Ryan who still lives at home wanted a real one for this year...I told him if he wants to buy it that it was fine with me...so Ryan and my husband went out to get the tree. It is now up and tied to my slider wood frame to make sure it doesn't go where we don't want it to go...and that is down. I went up to our loft and got the Christmas stuff down. Haven't actually started to decorate it yet for my daughter Michelle wants to get new lights. I really don't think we need new lights...but that is what she wants to do...so I guess Michelle and her father will be going out later on to get them after I get dropped off to my daughter, Chrystal's house for I have to baby sit the boys tonight while they go out and bowl. Right now I am just doing some housework before I leave. The decorating of the tree and house will be later on. I want to do some tatting but I guess I will have to wait till I go and babysit. Too much to do around here today.

But I did take the time to open the Advent Secret Santa Exchange Gift. And ....I was right. A whole bunch of pretty colored pipecleaners. You can read the note that is in the picture. On the back side of the note it says...make something "fun". I will have to think about "fun"....oh my there is that word again "FUN" three times...but who is counting really. I am just having FUN!!
We are getting more yecky weather. I am glad it held off until today so I could go to Hector yesterday, so now I will be worried again about everybody in my family who is driving on the roads. Bad road conditions is deffinately the really ONE thing I do not like about living in New York.
Okay....back to work now until tomorrow.