More of the same.

I guess the elves that make shoes are looking for work, they keep showing up at night here to make jewelry. That's the only explanation I have for all of this productiveness that seems to have sprung from my tatting corner.

earrings and bracelet.....not sold as a set although they would match.

Peace out yo.

And now for something different...

Hot off the shuttles--

I'm back in Jewelry mode. I hadn't listed much on ETSY lately, and the catch with Etsy is that you tend to get buried in the lists if you are not adding things.....so I went on a mad spree.

I just listed this set this morning. I was totally inspired by Bina's class at shuttlebirds, so this neclkace is made with two shuttles, but each rolled chain is done with one shuttle so they could intertwine as I went along.

I've also used some of my precious supply of vintage swarovski crystal pieces in the set. I love me some sparkly bling!

Here is a closeup of the chain,

And a self-portrait. I'm quite pleased with the pieces. I may have to make another set for myself.

Here is a simple flower on a chain.





This is probably my best selling desing. I've done it in pink and orange before. Thought purple would be nice.



This pattern finally got refined and named, I call the "Festival" earrings.




More lace on rhinestones! A bracelet.



Last, one more pair of earrings. I was trying to make an interesting photo with this little box as a prop, until I noticed that you can see my pink and black striped shirt in the reflection....as well as the camera! I will have to try that again.....

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. Still working on some bigger WIPs, I'll have to show you the doily I'm doing for the fair sometime. It's gonna take awhile, so it might be next year's fair with my track record of finishing things!

May your day be Gotatsic! ( I think it makes an excellent salutation.....read the post below for the whole story )

Gotatsic

I love inventing new phrases, coining new terms, etc. Here is my newest contribution to tatting lingo-

Gotatsic.

What does it mean you ask? Well? I'm not sure yet... And I can't claim full credit for it's invention either. This word came into being from the "captcha" while I was commentingon Jane's blog this morning, and I was so befuzzled and excited to see a word with "tat" in it! So, I think we must claim it as our own. Perhaps I will post a poll so we can determing the meaning of this new term! We could start saying things like, "My, that Doily is quite gotatsic." or "Gotatsicly speaking, I prefer size 20 thread." The possibilities are endless!

Maybe gotatsic could describe something about the picture you see below.

This is the result of my entering into the speed tatting contest at Shuttlebirds. The pattern is for a little turtle that turned out to be a bear to tat at speed. The ring for the body is so large and hard to close, I think we went for ten minutes to see who could do the most. Jessica Spaulding won with 6+ turtles completed. I tied for second with 4+. We all implored them to choose a pattern with smaller rings for next years contest......and I informed Jessica that she had better watch out next year because it's on like donkey kong.....

Anyway, that was a rather gotatsic event. or, maybe the result is gotatsic. Or, maybe gotatsic is the new name for feeling the need to finish a WIP (work in progress) or to design something new.....or maybe we feel gotatsic when we are doing something else and we'd much rather be tatting!

Anyway, I'll have a poll up shortly, so give me your input on this most auspicious occasion of new word invention!

Goodies

These pictures arent' great....you'll probably notice the bad hotel carpet and bedding in the backgrounds, but I knew I needed to take pictures of everything all together because once I got home it would all be dispersed into various containers and tatting hidey-holes.

Top Row : an amber colored tatsy--I didn't have one yet, and I always find myself saying "I wish I had a tatsy right now", two Mr. Cua bone shuttles, The feel of them is extrordinary...and the tips are crazy tight. two fish things compliments of Handy Hands, and two more sew mates.

Bottom Row: an olive ceramic Ladyshuttlemaker, below it is a tiny shell shuttle that wouldn't quit calling my name, and two of the pointless clovers. I must tell you that I used to think that pointless shuttles are just that--pointless. But I may have been reformed. We shall see.

Closeups of my most precious shuttles... I'll have to get you better pictures of these. The ceramic shuttle is just perfect, I was reluctant and really thought I wouldn't like one, but as I mentioned before, Sherry let me borrow one for a class and I was hooked. There is something about the weight of it once it warms in your hand. I would recommend them to anyone. This particular shuttle is wonderful, the tips are just right, and the only decoration is that single flower which leaves a slight indentation just right for my thumb on the underside. I had the greatest time choosing it, Sherry let me spread out her whole box of shuttles on a blanket outside in the sun while we talked about things pertaining to the spectacular news she shared today. If you haven't heard yet, go check her latest post. I'd link you but I'm just too lazy right now. On to more goodies!

Books! Okay, the bottom left is not a book, it's a free goodie but it made it in the picture. Above you'll see Mini tats by Patty Duff, Next, Lyn Morton's Tatting Patterns---now this is one of those books that never jumped out at me on the websites, but I really enjoy once I picked it up. The price was right and I am making a small table mat from it. Beside that is a Ben Fikkert, and below is another one of the sleeper titles. Elegant tatting patterns by Janet Carroll. It's a $6 book but there are some lovely and unique doily patterns, one of which I have intentions on completing for the fair this year. Last is 24 snowflakes, another that everyone should have.


MmmmMMMmmmm thread! On the left is Ladyshuttlemaker's Swamp flower, and beside it are two of Karey Solomon's threads. Kareys colors are different, more random in a way. That tablemat I mentioned is being made from the color on the right.

And who could leave ALL of those poor lonely balls of lizbeth behind? Not I! Several of the new colors are now at home in my collection, as well as some 40. I hadn't used any of the Liz 40, but I started that fair doily with the salmon color and I am really beginning to enjoy.

Anywho, all of this goodie-goodness has created an epidemic of works-in progress, I can see three over there on my table as we speak. So, I'll let you go and get to work on them. Thank you all for your comments, it's made the trip all the more enjoyable to be able to share it with you. You all need to make me finish my zipper pull from Bina's class.........it'll be super duper cool once it's finished.

tootalooooo.

....still more shuttlebirds!

I'll bet you thought I'd be showing all my goodies in this next post......

Nope!

But I do have more fun pictures. These show some of the general splendor of the event.

This is the auditorium where the main portion of the event is held. from this view, you can see the entrance on the left, directly out in front are the round tables where we had meals. To either side and behind are the vendors. I've never seen so much tatting gear in one place before...... If you couldn't find me during a meal I was sure to be found trolling the tables of thread and goodies.


Here you can see a table of books from Snowgoose. Many titles to choose from..... I did take home a few, surprisingly they were not the ones I thought I had wanted! Having a chance to browse a book before purchasing is not an option available to us very often, and I found myself surprised by some titles that I hadn't considered, and equally surprised by some of the ones I'd been longing for that did not turn out to be all that interesting.

OOooooh. The Lizbeth of it all. Again, snowgoose. You should have seen his Impressive display. He (can't remember his name) is carrying on the business since his wife's passing. He said that it made him feel close to his wife being back at the tatting events. And the great thing is, he knows everything about every item he sells...... and doesn't tat a stitch as far as I know.

Edited to add: His name is Pete, and indeed he does know tatting! Thanks Mimi!

Some of the lovelies on display. Barbara, one of my travel companions, was particularly enamored with the little beaded bags done by Patty Duff.

This is one of the doilies I mentioned that from a distance looks like crochet. She had done some beautiful pineapples, and we talked with her about coming out to our guild and doing a class. Our lace guild here is mostly bobbin lacers, and they are bringing in two or three teachers this year, so I'm going to petition for a tatting class.

Again, yes there is More to come! Loot next I promise. Really.

And there will be even more pictures to come, at next months guild I should be able to obtain a disk of the pictures that the "official" photographer took all weekend.

Nighty night!

More shuttlebirds......The classes.

Just realized I missed someone in the last posting.... Karey Solomon! Here she is!

I was happy to take two of her classes, and this is the perfect segue into showing the projects from all my classes!

I need to finish the split rings on the second side, but this is the "Spring Fires" bookmark from my first class with Karey, in which I learned block tatting, as well as a new method to SLT (Shoelace trick) without having to release the shuttle. Very Slick. Karey is one smart Chick.

Here is project two, also unfinished. It's a celtic motif to be sewn on the green box it is sitting upon once it is completed. This was a two part class, so I really thought I'd have this one finished (!) but it was the last class on the last day, and my brain was done before I was. One interesting thing about this motif, is that round one was tatted with one of Ladyshuttlemaker's metal shuttles, and part of round two was tatted with one of her personal ceramic shuttles. She was kind enough to let me borrow them and give them a spin. Spoiled? Me? You bet :-)

This charming lil' thing is the folded ring angel that I made in Sherry's class. She is an excellent instructor, and one person asked if we were really sisters :-)

I think we could pass for sisters....don't you? I think we are the same height, close to the same haircolor...... she looks much better in that shade of tan than I ever would though. I might be jealous if we hadn't had so much time to hang out...so glad to have grown such an awesome friendship with you Sherry! You are wonderful.

I should show one more project, it's the zipper pull from Bina's class, in which I learned to suspend a bead in a ring on any axis, as well as a single shuttle chain, and roll tatting! Whew! I didn't get past the practice piece, so I'll show the real thing to you once it's done.

More shuttlebirds to come....you haven't seen any of my loot...

That may take a few more posts.

G'night!

Shuttlebirds part 1

We made it home safe and sound, and no, Dr. VonThreadmore was not allowed to drive. Contributions to her bail fund are not pouring in as she would hope, so she is scheeming new colorways to earn her way back into good favor around here :-)

On a more pleasant note, I have much to share in the way of pictures and experiences from the weekend at Shuttlebirds.

Let's start with people. I was able to put many "names with faces" on this trip, I'm sure you'll recognize a few.

We can start with my "posse" as they were called. From Left to right, my grammie Maureen, who came directly from radiation treatment to pick me up and drive to shuttlebirds, her friend (mine too :-) Barbara, and me. The doilies behind us may look like crochet, but upon closer inspection you would see that they are indeed tatted.

Next up we have Jessica from Snapdragon Lace....she won the speed tatting contest. sometime I'll have to show you a video I took of her tatting...it's crazy!

Here is Dale Pomeroy. you may also know him as the 'Mad Tatter'

And of cours I kept a lookout for Leprechauns! Here is Brenda, helping Sherry Pence show her wares. she posed here with a beautiful ceramic shuttle. I also managed to capture another person we have seen mention of in the background but I'll let you guess wo he is.


This is Mimi Dillman, you may have seen her cluny work. She was teaching a Nina Libin pattern.

Here is a lovely lady Rozella Linden, aka, Ruth Perry!


Here we have Bina Madden browsing Ladyshuttlemaker's beautiful silk threads.

With tables full of goodies to tempt us, here is Debbie Arnold of DS9 designs.

And I had to be sneaky to get this one, it's Patty Duff of the famed book "minitats". I did obtain a signed copy. I know you are jealous.

And of course, the sweetest gal you'd ever meet....Ladyshuttlemaker, aka Sherry Pence! She is even cuter in person folks!

This is Sandy, one of my friends from the lace guild who also made the trip.

This is Karen who knows me from the blog. Hi Karen!

And this darling lady is Mary. Mary was the oldest tatter at the workshop, so here you have a picture of the oldest and youngest tatters there!

And of course one cannot talk about Mary without mentioning her socks....

More to come folks! I must post about goodies and classes and all sorts of things, so stay tuned for the next installment of Shuttlebirds fun!

She is in the pokey.

The shuttlebirds event hasn't even started and she is already making headlines folks.

I tried to tell her that she should stay home, and that there would be no dye available for her there in Spokane, but the Dr. insisted on tagging along....for inspiration she said. "But Sherry (Ladyshuttlemaker) will be there and I must observe her fine work in person! You cannot deny me the privilege of communing with such an artist! I simply will not remain behind!". To short circuit the forthcoming tantrum I shook my head and allowed her passage.

Accompanying us on the journey were Gram Maureen and Barbara, and since they had already driven a ways to pick us up, I opted to do most of the driving. Everything was fine and dandy, and we stopped for lunch and a rest here and there. Dr Von was growing a little impatient however, and after a stop for gas she volunteered to take the wheel for a time. After initial apprehension, she convinced me to take a break and enjoy the scenery through central Washington for a few miles. What could go wrong right? So I handed over the keys and started taking in the sights. Not long after we headed out though, a road-tripper's bad dream surfaced behind us in the form of a State Patrol officer. What could have gone wrong? Surely Dr. Von was responsibly observing the rules of the road, and there must be some sort of misunderstanding.

After the dust had settled and the officer had left us, Dr. Vonthreadmore quietly climbed out of the drivers seat, and handed me a white piece of paper

......

She apparently had been going a fair bit faster than she should have in her zeal to connect with the Who's Who of Hand Dyed Thread, and was now the proud owner of a $144 speeding ticket.

Or so I thought.

Upon closer inspection, I saw My name on that ticket!!!! Dr. Von Threadmore had given MY drivers license to the officer!!!

Can you believe it?

Well, needless to say, Dr. Von is in deep trouble. She has marred my perfectly clean driving record, and will not be allowed to attend tomorrows festivities. She has also been put on restriction from any sort of dyeing activities until she has worked off the debt now owed to the fine folks of Lincoln County WA. So, if you are sympathetic to the plight of our fair Dr, she has set up a fund to cover her "bail" and donations are being accepted so she may regain her freedom once more.

Last post before Shuttlebirds!

This is it my friends! I'm off to Shuttlebirds this week. Can anyone say Wahooooooooooooo!???!!???


So, if you are going too, please come find me and introduce yourself! I'm short, with short curly brown hair. I'm taking Karey Solomon's Spring Fires bookmark class, and Ladyshuttlemaker's Angel class on friday, then on Sat I'm taking Bina's zipperpull and Karey's celtic blessing box. So come say hi!

I promise to bring my laptop and camera along, so I will be posting pictures of all the fun!

AAAHHHH I'm so excited!

Must finish some UFO's in the next day or so. I will need lots of empty shuttles Mwahahaah!

New laptop and Intatters pendant exchange

Look! It's a picture of tatting!

Lately those have become an endangered species on my blog huh! I still tat here and there but other priorities have come up and I'm doing what I can to keep myself inspired and creating.

This tatting is form Coretta L. on the Intatters Exchange group, it's her own design! a fluttering butterfly pendant, two layers together somehow. absolutely charming! I sent off a pendant awhile back and I hope she enjoys it as much as I enjoy this one.

The other exciting news is that our tax return enabled dear hubby and I to purchase new laptops for each of us, as well as a router so we can be wireless in the house. Both of us work for our church in leadership and we were always competing for computer time so this solves that problem. I've spent a few days configuing everything on the router properly, but all seems well now.

A Special thank you goes out to those that have stepped out to "sponsor" my trip to Shuttlebirds by purchasing things from my etsy shop. The free shipping offer still stands, just mention Shuttlebirds or bust in your order notes before Apr.14 when I put the shop on vacation mode while I'm gone.

Ciao all!

Shuttlebirds or Bust!

WEll, happy international tatting day to all! I have ingested the required amount of chocolate and it't only 9 am.

The Shuttlebirds tatting conference is just a few weeks away, and sadly I find myself lacking in the spending money department. There will be vendors, so to prepare my empty pockets I am offering free shipping on Hand Dyed Thread from my Etsy shop. Just mention "Shuttlebirds or Bust" somewhere in your order notes and I will refund the shipping. This offer goes until I leave on the 15th or I run out of thread.

Well, I'm off to take care of my normal daily routine. Sometime I'll have to come back and tell you all about my waterheater that tried to catch fire, the subsequent seven days we went without hot water while the home warranty people got their head on straight, and my broken toe. As you might imagine it's been eventful around here....I have been tatting though! Not as much as I'd like, but I finally finished Fox's bookmark for our exchange, as well as the intatters pendant exchange.

Back to reality now :-) thank you all for being my escape!