For miss Antsy Pants.......

Yes, Bev. I mean you. Dr. Vonthreadmore saw your comments, and insists that I not keep "her public" waiting any longer! So, a quick snapshot of what is done so far is posted here just for you! From the bottom, we have Of Berries and Fairies, above that is Vineyard at Dusk, and finally, the as of yet unnamed batch.... deep bluey green blending into wisteria and creamy yellow. It's quite floral. If anyone has a suggestion on a name, let me know :-) Feel free to shoot me an email - krystledawne@gmail.com if you desperately must have some of this thread. I won't be listing any until I return on the 18th, but I can set any aside for you until that time. I have sizes 10, 20, 40, available in all the colors you see above, and I have size 80 in Vineyard and the new one.

Oh the thread of it all

Dr. Vonthreadmore is pleased, and I am in pain lol.

(Probably 70+ done skeins so far, another 40 or so coming tomorrow)

Winding. Mixing. Painting. Rinsing.......and the cleanup! Wshew! Let me tell you from EXPERIENCE that Hand Dyed Thread sellers earn every penny. And I'm not saying that to toot my own horn. I'm saying it because I love every skein of hand dyed thread that I have myself bought from the other gals.....love it even more now after a year or so doing it myself! I know the painstaking dedication it takes. (emphasis on pain lol, anybody have some extra Ibuprofen???) Some of you may remember the days of the 'oops' thread.... those days are thankfully over after much practice, and much patience.

This week so far I've finished a bach of Vineyard at Dusk, Of Berries and Fairies, and a new batch as well. Aren't you 'Dyeing' to see it Mwahahahahaha!!!!!! (I keep telling Dr. Vonthreadmore to stay out of my blog posts, but she keeps sneaking in :-)

I thought I would show you this pair of custom earrings that I made for one of our tatting blog friends, I've been so busy that it took me quite awhile to get them finished, but I'm quite pleased. She is too, and that makes me even happier. :-)

Sweet dreams to you all, I'm off to finish my final handout for my bracelet class next week... Once I am back in town I should will be tatting like a madwoman to get ready for the Farmers Market. May 1st is my debut!

If you want some thread......and a tester found!

For any of you that are hoping to get some HDT, I will make sure you have the opportunity!!! I won't have time to get it listed on ETSY before I leave, but I'll put up my email address and a list of what is available, and I can set some aside for you to purchase when I return. Does that sound like a good plan?

Also, I am putting together some handouts, and could use a set of eyes to try them out for me. Specifically, I need a tatter who does NOT know how to cover a cabone ring with stitches. I am making a picture tutorial, and I want to test it out on someone to see if the instructions are clear. if you meet this criteria, and are able to finish testing no later than Thursday Night this week, send me an email at krystledawne (at) gmail.com. Your help would be so appreciated! The first draft will be sent out to my tester this evening. (edited to add- my tester has been found! Thank you all for your willingness to help out, I couldn't do it without you!!! If I have anything else that needs a look over, I'll be sure to let you know.)

I must be crazy!!!!

Good old Dr vonthreadmore found out that I didn't intended on bringing any of her thread with me to ShuttleBirds.

She's been having a fit for days now.....

If you don't hear from me before shuttlebirds.....you'll know why.  I will be up to my elbows in dye an thread for the next week at least.

If I do have a spare moment I will update you all with a post about the wonderful surprises I have gotten from some dear tatting friends.

International Tatting Day

I have officially raided the potty treats jar to get my required dose of chocolate for "tatting day"! And to celebrate the auspicious occasion, use the code aprilfools at checkout in my etsy shop to save 10% Happy tatting day to all!

The line that blurs.

The latest pieces I've added to the shop! I have to say that the line has definitely gotten blurry between tatting and jewelry design.... I made jewelry for myself as a teen, so it's kind of nice to make use of those skills and techniques. It's remarkable really, how so many of my interests have all come together at this point in my life.....

My interest in photography has definitely been useful, all sorts of craft supplies are once again being used.....(I've got beads and tools from many years ago), even my Cricut machine gets used. I haven't done any scrapbooking with it lately, but I do make hang cards for my earrings with it! All this is to say how wonderful it is that I can see how God is able to use my scatterbrained interests over the years to support my family at this point.

Parade of New.

Celebration!

Drumroll please....

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I finished my quickbooks accounting mess, and filed my state business taxes !!!!!

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YAY! Many of you know what a weight this has been....and how frustrated I've been...and I can confidently tell you that I would not have been able to dig through it without the help of some special tatters. Elizabeth is one of the smartest and most generous people I know...she let me pester her via ETSY convo incessantly these past few weeks. This of course just goes to show that tatters are some of the coolest folks on the planet. So many of you have given me encouragement... in blog comments, on facebook, and really you guys have put up with my whining like troopers.

Now that I am feeling a bit more freedom, and my posting will return to chipper, non tax-related accounts of my tatting exploits. Shuttlebirds is right around the corner, and I need to get some handouts readied for my classes. Dr. V has started a one woman/alter-ego campaign to get some thread dyed.... but I've also been accepted as a vendor at the Puyallup Farmers Market, so I need to stock up on jewelry for that, as well as purchase a tent and tables etc, and set up credit card processing. Blah blah blah..... so much for things easing up after my tax/accounting project :-) I'm also settling in at our new church, playing with their band once a month or so. I had hoped to keep the I lead worship at my last church cat in the bag, but one of Jim's coworkers spilled the beans so I've been asked to lead a few songs here and there. Don't get me wrong, I love leading worship.... I guess I've lost my "need" to do it. I'm just really happy supporting this leader and his team in any way I can. I'm also working with a friend to get some songs together to do a few coffee shop gigs, and I am practicing guitar an hour a day to get myself back in shape on my instrument. My oldest child is learning her numerals, the baby (almost two now, can you believe it?) is talking in full sentences. My husband supports me in everything I do..... he even volunteered to take the kids to their play group last week! Sales have picked up a little this month, nobody in the house is sick right now....all this to say that my life is TRULY wonderful.

Retail therapy, business style.

Are those EZ-bobs? Why yes, they are. They are in fact wound full of chain in all sorts of colors and styles. And they now reside in my drawer.

After a small sort of maybe I should quit trying and go flip burgers sort of cry on the phone with my hubby last night, after which I was thououghly re-encouraged, we decided that I needed to be out of the house for a break. I have had some wonderful ideas dancing in my head for months, so this morning I set sail for Shipwreck beads. This bead megastore is about 45 minutes from my house, so I usually wait until I have a good list of things I need before I go all that way.

My husband really is the best, and a few minutes on the phone usually sets me right in my times of emotional crumble. I'm blessed in the fact that he has a job where I can generally call him whenever I want/need. He's good at letting me vent a little steam and then helping me set my feet right under myself again. His emotional rescue, and today's retail therapy (all in the name of business of course) and I am fully inspired and ready to tackle the world, as well as my still looming, but in progress accounting project.

I came home from the big bead store, amazingly enough, without a single bead. Hubby was almost beside himself when I called on my way home and told him such a thing. Tee hee! No beads, but lots of other things lol. I bought yards and yards of different colors of chains. Silver, Copper, Gunmetal, and antiqued brass and silver. Woo! Of course, I needed matching earwires, jumprings, and assorted findings in each color.

I won't tell you how much I spent.

Anyway, I have these plans for some chain-y deconstructed designs, with tatted linking motifs....it's all still in my head, but I will be pulling out my dear friend the mannequin body for some layout assistance...

The Winner.....

Congratulations and many thanks to Brigitte Tats for your commenting and following this little blog here. Your name has been drawn for my bloggerversary prize! I still haven't decided what that will be, but I will collect your address via email today and soon send a surprise your way!

Thank you everyone, I'll be back soon with another post. I'm still elbow deep in paperwork, but I soon will see the light and rejoin society.....if it doesn't kill me lol!