New Year Event Winner!

A BIG Congratulations to:

Margarets designer cards!

You are the lucky winner of the Piney Woods New Year Event.

To claim your loot, kindly contact me with your info & I'll get your new pendant & journal in the post promptly.

Sorry for the delay today, dear readers.  After taking care of a sick teenager and grumpy husband, I have succumbed to "the crud".  My get-up & go has got up & gone.  Not to worry, though- Jim & Jocelin are taking excellent care of me.  And, Margaret, the envelope with your goodies is already packed and waiting for it's label.

My New Year's wish is for all of you to have a fantastic year ahead full of tatting joy and all that makes your soul sing.  May you have a safe and festive New Year celebration.  Until next week~

Happy Tatting!

Bracelet Motif

We accomplished most of what we wanted to this morning, but I still have a couple more things to do before settling down to some theraputic tatting for the New Year.  Hopefully, I will be able to nestle into my comfy recliner and pick up the needles again this evening.

Here is one of the projects I'm working on:

As you can see, I am on a designing kick with this size 12 Valdani pearl cotton in M47 "Robin's Nest".  This little motif will be linked with several others to form a bracelet.  I am not sure if I have enough pearls for the centers of the motifs, but that is easily remedied with a trip to the bead shop.  Three down so far and 3 or 4 more to go.  They will all be tatted separately then joined together with additional tatting and beads.

Another project I'm working on is a pair of earrings in this same thread.  I did not like the playing I did last night and cut it up into little tiny jiblets.  Maybe I'll have better luck this evening.

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE CHRISTMAS DAY POST AND/OR MONDAY'S POST!!!

This is your last chance to get into the running for the prototype pendant and journal giveaway as the winner will be selected tomorrow morning.  Good luck!!!

It's time for me to get off my duff and tackle the laundry and chores that have got to be done before I have any tatting fun.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Lists Galore

Today Jim & I are busy making our lists of everything we need to get & do before the New Year weekend.  He has several woodworking projects he needs hardware for and I need some new small plastic Plano boxes for my tatting accents (beads, buttons & the like).  Any excuse to go to Academy Sports or Lowe's!  Plus, I have not hit Hobby Lobby or Michael's for their post-holiday sales.  I believe I'll hold off on those two until after the New Year- it seems that you get the best deals around the 2nd week in January.

Last night I did get some tatting done for myself!

Whilst watching "The Definitive Guide to Bigfoot" on the History Channel, I tatted myself another pendant.  Who knew that tatting & Bigfoot could be so productive?  This pendant is tatted with size 12 Valdani pearl cotton in M47 "Robin's Nest" and is accented with "Olive Matte" Czech seed beads, 3mm "Copper Rose" Swarovski bicones and a chocolate freshwater pearl.  This evening I will try to get a pair of earrings tatted, too.  This color goes very well with my APG camo shirts.

Be sure to comment on the Christmas Day post and/or Monday's post for your chance to win the prototype pendant & journal up for grabs in the New Year Event!  The winner will be chosen & notified on Friday!

Well, I guess I need to go through the pantry and fridge and get the grocery list made out.  Then I'll get back to cleaning and organizing my tatting accoutrements.  We hope to get all of our running around done tomorrow well before the last minute New Year rush.  Have a wonderful day doing something that makes you smile!

Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Portable Atelier

I have been a busy little bee today!  Jim helped me dig out my favorite old Plano tackle box that I repurposed several years ago to be a portable atelier. I have cleaned it and have begun to stock it for an upcoming excursion.

 As we love to camp, I needed something that could hold enough thread and supplies for our longer adventures.

This is what it looks like all closed up:

There are oodles of organized sections to hold everything I use for my artwork.  It has 3 drawers- the top two are perfect for balls of pearl cotton and the 3rd works great for larger balls.

The top lid opens up and has spaces that work great for silk and quilting cotton spools.  To the right is a neat compartment originally intended to hold spinner baits, but I use it for storing thread cones, hand cream and various hand tools (pliers, nippers, hemostats).

Pop the 2nd part of the top and you have skein storage and better access to the side section.

Here is another view of the drawers and a neat side "bin" that can hold additional Plano plastic storage boxes.  You can fit four in this space.  I will be shopping for new smaller boxes for my beads, pearls & buttons the next time we get to Academy Sports.  The old ones I have do not close as tightly as I prefer. 

As you can see, this set-up suits my needs and is the way to haul your tatting when traveling/camping.  I have several tatting friends who RV and think this may be a neat solution for their tatting storage quandries.  If not a large tackle box this size, then a smaller one.  The fishing department at Academy is one of my favorite places for many reasons!  Tatting & fishing... now that sounds like fun to me!!!

REMEMBER:  the New Year Event is still going on!

Comment on the Christmas Day post and/or Monday's post for your chance to win the prototype pendant and journal.

The winner will be selected & notified on Friday, December 30th.

Guess I had better go see what Jim is hammering on in his workshop.  It's time for our tea & biscuits break.

Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

New Year Event

I hope you all have had a very merry Christmas!  We did, even though Jocie was under the weather.

If you noticed on the Christmas day post, I am giving away a prototype pendant.  Well, I decided to add to it a little bit to make it a "New Year Event".  Whilst shopping for a few stocking stuffers I found a lovely little lined journal that would be perfect for someone to record her/his tatting endeavors.  Luckily, the journal color co-ordinates with the pendant.

For your chance to win, simply comment on today's post AND/OR yesterday's post.  This way, you get multiple chances!  The winner will be selected and notified on Friday, December 30th.  Good luck!

Here is the purple pendant I'm working on:

It was tatted with size 8 Valdani Pearl Cotton in color O562 and is accented with 6mm "Smoke" Swarovski bicones.  I'm sifting through my antique buttons and cultured pearls to see if I can find a suitable center focal point.

And this is the other little motif I've played with:

Size 8 Valdani Pearl Cotton in M24 "Water Reflections" is the thread used and Swarovski crystal bicones are the accents.  I'm considering what to do on the next round.  Shall I add more beads, start layered chains or add a round of rings and chains?  Decisions, decisions.

Tomorrow is to be a cleaning day.  I really need to clean out and organize my tatting materials!  Things are rather scattered and messy.  I believe I'll restock and organize my portable atelier and post some images of it at some point this week.  Would you care to see how I take my tatting with me when I am away for a few days?

Well, I had better run.  Jocelin feels like eating a little something & I need to fix her some soup or broth.  Don't forget to comment on yeaterday's post and/or today's post for your chance to win the pendant & journal in the New Year Event!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Merry Christmas from the Piney Woods!

There is a lonely little tatted pendant on the Christmas tree and it needs a new home! 

The pendant was tatted using Valdani Pearl Cottons and is accented with Swarovski crystal beads and Czech seed beads.  It is just a prototype for an upcoming design but did not turn out exactly as I'd hoped.  Still, it needs a good home.  If you'd like to adopt this pendant simply leave a comment on this post.  The winner will be selected and notified on December 30th- just in time for New Years! 

Many thanks to all who have followed the blog and encouraged me in my tatting endeavors.  I'm looking forward to an eventful 2012 filled with lots of tatting adventures.

Merry Christmas from the Piney Woods and may your holiday be filled with all that makes your soul sing!

Happy Tatting!



Piney Woods Christmas Doily, Part Five

Jocelin is doing a little better today, but I still have been busy taking care of her.  I hope she will feel better tomorrow so we can go to Granny & Pappy's for our Christmas Eve activities.

Well, here it is- round five.  It is very simple, and yes, I did add more to it after this round, but I am going to wait to show you the full effect as I have decided to alter this doily somewhat to suit my purposes with the "Romance" colors of the upcoming collection.

To tat these last two chain passes, run the needle through the top bar of the 3rd ds to the left of the previously tatted picot set of the prior round.  CH 5 followed by 15 even picots 5 CL + to corresponding spot on next CH, continue around motif, tie & cut.  Hide ends.  Now run the needle through the top bar of the 3rd ds to the right of the previously tatted picot set.  You will tat the same counts, but will need to cut a long length of thread to weave and join as before to the corresponding spot on the next CH.  Continue around the motif, weaving the CHs as you go, finish as usual.

Stay tuned for a Christmas day surprise! 

Check the blog first thing Christmas morning to see what "Santa" has left for a special New Year event!!!

To all of my dear readers:  whether you celebrate Christmas or not, may you have a blessed Holy season and a happy New Year filled with peace, happiness and tatting joy.

Until Christmas morning~

Happy Tatting!!!



Ho Ho...Oh No!

This morning I awoke ready to get busy cooking, baking, cleaning, decorating, & tatting, but was seriously waylaid...  our daughter was sick & feeling really rotten.  So, I have spent the day taking care of a sick teenager.  Not the first bit of tatting has been done, nor has much of anything else. 

The good news is she now feels a bit better this evening.  Jim will be home all day tomorrow, thankfully.  Maybe I can get some tatting and other things done.  I hope to get everything up on the blog tomorrow before I take a little break over the Christmas weekend.

So, until then~

Happy Tatting!

Almost Done

Jocelin and I had a VERY busy day!  We took care of shopping for Big Daddy this morning then paid a visit to her best friend (who recently underwent surgery).  This was followed by more shopping for groceries and miscellaneous stocking stuffers.  We then spent the afternoon wrapping gifts and getting ready for our Christmas baking/cooking day.  I am so pooped!

While we were wrapping gifts I found a couple of the mini ornaments that were missing from the stash I had tatted.  Thought I'd share them with you, so here's a little eye candy:

This was tatted with Sulky 12 wt. Blendables quilting cotton and is accented in the center with "fancy lime" 15/0 rocaille seed beads.  I believe the color is "Truly Teal".

Same design, same type of thread, different colorway.  This one is done in "Forest Floor" and has "olive green" 15/0 rocaille seed beads.  I am partial to the Sulky 12 wt. quilting cotton when I want to tat something small.  It forms neat, crisp stitches and is a great size for the small tatting needles I use.

I hope to get the counts for the Christmas doily up tomorrow or Friday- I really haven't forgotten!

On tomorrow's schedule is:  cooking, baking, cleaning and final decorating.  If I get the chance, I'll finish the "Romance" pendant and take some new images for posting.  If I'm really lucky, I'll have time to get those final doily counts up.

Jim is waiting for me to get off the computer and cook supper, so I'd better get busy as I have a "honey-do" list I'd like for him to take care of.  Can't expect him to do that on an empty stomach, now can I???

Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Pendant Progress

While we have been busy with the holiday preparations, I have snuck in a few minutes of tatting time.  The "Romance" New Year pendant is coming along:

Still have a couple more outer chain rounds to go.

And I have been putting the finishing touches to some crocheted Christmas gifts, so my hands have been working overtime!

Speaking of hands- I found something at my local Walgreen's last week and LOVE it!

I have been using this on my hands and it has helped so much!  As you can imagine, my hands take a lot of abuse.  Working with thread, fabric, yarn, pine needles and such dries out and roughens the hands.  Many lotions and hand creams are way too greasy for my taste, but the Carmex is creamy and quickly absorbed with very little residue.  Walgreen's carries the  "Healing Cream" & "Healing Lotion" and I'm sure other pharmacies carry it, too.  Another plus is the scent- it is light and fresh, just like the Carmex lip balm.

 I have not forgotten about the Christmas doily counts.  They will be up before Christmas!  Jim will be home shortly and I've not even started supper.  I'd better get to cookin'!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Busy, Busy

As you can imagine, this is a very busy time of year.  Jocelin and I have been taking care of last minute details today and I've not had the time to get the counts for the final two rounds of the Christmas doily up.  They will be posted later this week- as soon as I have the chance to sit down for a while and figure out how to explain the final round.

The overwhelming result for what my dear readers would like for the New Year Giveaway is a "Romance" pendant.  I have started work on it already.  Shall I give you a sneak peek?

It is being tatted with Valdani pearl cotton and is accented with Swarovski crystals and Czech seed beads.  The finished piece will be up later in the week.

Here is another piece of eye candy.

This is Bev's (my mother-in-law) pendant.  I tatted it with Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk and accented it with Swarovski crystal bicones and center disc, and threw in a few antique Czech seed beads that were painstakingly picked off of a Victorian beaded bag for good measure.  I hope she enjoys wearing it as these colors are so pretty on her.

Well, Jocie and I have some Christmas cooking and baking to do so I had better get to it.  My posts this week may be erratic as we are in the midst of Christmas activities and celebrations.  Until later~

Happy Tatting!



Piney Woods Christmas Doily, Part Four

Round four is easy.  I do not have a good, clear image of the complete round as it was getting dark when I tried to take pictures of it.  I will try to tweak and brighten the images later this weekend.  Maybe I can get one of them to look decent enough to post.  At least I did take a few of the round in progress.

The counts for this round are:

R 13 + 13 CL RW

CH 7 - 7 followed by 5 graduated picots 7 - 7 CL RW

Continue around motif, join last CH to base of first R.  Tie & cut, hide ends.

Round five will be featured Monday.

Okay, I need your input, dear readers. 

 I am planning a special New Year Giveaway.  What would you prefer:  thread or a tatted pendant from my upcoming "Romance of the Piney Woods" collection?  I will put up a poll to the right of the blog.  Please vote on this no later than Monday morning as I will be announcing the event with the daily blogpost.  Thanks!

Well, I have simply got to go & get busy wrapping up Jocelin's little stocking stuffers and such as she is out for the Christmas break this afternoon.  It's my last chance to wrap things without the chance of being "caught"!  May you have a wonderful weekend doing whatever makes your soul sing!

Until next week~

Happy Tatting!



Piney Woods Christmas Doily, Part Three

The third round is worked with a size 7 tatting needle and Valdani size 8 pearl cotton in M26.

This is a simple round to tat as it is all chain work.  Thread needle and run it through the top bar of the 3rd ds to the left of any previously tatted floating ring and CH 11 followed by 5 graduated picots (sm, med, lg, med, sm) 11 CL + to top bar of 3rd ds to the right of the floating ring.  Next you will CH 7 - 7 CL + to the top bar of the 3rd ds to the left of the next floating ring.  Continue with these counts around the doily.  After tatting the last CH, run needle through the base of the first CH tatted and pull threads to back of work.  Tie & cut, hide ends. 

I have good news- I found the image of the complete second round.  It was just labeled differently and I did not look in the right place yesterday.  Here it is:

Stay tuned tomorrow for round four!

I am busy baking a huge ham today and tatting a few little last minute motifs for gift toppers.  Guess I had better get back to it.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Piney Woods Christmas Doily, Part Two

Well, I could have sworn I had taken an image of the complete second round, but guess I must have accidentally deleted it or somehow hidden it from myself.  At least I have an image of the second round in progress!

To tat this round I used 2 size 7 tatting needles and Valdani size 8 pearl cotton in M41.  Thread one tating needle and work off the ball for the first R.

  R 7 + ( to smallest - of previously tatted CH of foundation) 3 very sm. - 3 + (to the smallest - of next previously tatted CH of foundation) 7 CL RW

Now, here is the tricky part- guestimating how much thread to pull off of the ball before you thread the second needle on the other end.  This is what I did:  I pulled 12 armlengths of thread off the ball and ended up having just enough to complete the second round.

Thread the second needle before tatting the CH.

CH 11 , with 2nd needle you will now tat a floating ring with the counts R 7 s- m- s- 7 CL. Continue tatting using 1st needle, CH 11 CL RW.

(HELPFUL HINT:  to tat the floating ring, place the stitches on the 2nd needle using the working thread as close to the stitches on the 1st needle as possible.  I am sure there are video & pictoral tutorials on the web if you need help with this technique.  Check Intatters and Georgia Seitz's Online Tatting Class.)

You will tat a series of 12 Rs and CHs for this round.  After tatting the last CH + to base of first R tatted, tie & cut, hide ends.

Stay tuned for part three tomorrow!

And also, be on the look out later in the week for a special "New Year Event".  I've got something special planned to ring in the New Year for my fellow tatting afficianados

Guess I had better check on the cookies in the oven.  They smell about ready.  Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are my favorite!

Have a wonderful day.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Piney Woods Christmas Doily, Part One

I tatted a Christmas doily this weekend while camping in the Piney Woods.  Over the next few days, I will post images and counts for your Christmas tatting pleasure.

You will need a size 7 tatting needle and 1 ball each of Valdani size 8 pearl cotton in colors M43 & M41 for the foundation motif.

Using M43 and working off the ball, tat a motif of 12 Rs & CHs with the following counts:

R 5-5 (3 graduated picots, sm, med, sm) 5-5 CL RW

CH 7 (5 graduated picots, sm, med, lg, med, sm) 7 CL RW

R 5+5 (3 graduated picots) 5-5 CL RW

Continue tatting for a total of 12 Rs & CHs. Join last CH to base of 1st R, tie & cut, hide ends.

Now, onto the "accent tatting" round:

Using M41 and working off the ball, thread needle and run needle through joining - of any previously tatted R.  Tat as follows around motif:

CH 12 CL + to next joining picot.  At last CH, tie & cut, hide ends.

Round two will be featured on tomorrow's post. 

Have you done all of your Christmas shopping?  I am mostly through, although I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a few items.  A store owner friend of mine had to special order a little something or two for my husband.  I hope it all arrives in time!

Well, I am off to the kitchen to bake more edible Christmas goodies.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Camping

How do you take your tatting with you when you travel or go camping?  Pictured below is how I pack my tatting for a weekend in the Piney Woods:

This is a small Plano brand tackle box purchased at Academy Sports a few years back.  It was very inexpensive, yet it is just perfect for hauling tatting necessities for a short camping trip.  As you can see, it holds everything I need and then some.

Here is a view of the tray with thread, scissors, chatelaine, beads, emery cushion, beads, pearls, buttons and findings.

This box is small and just right when space is at a premium.

I will share my portable atelier with you another time.  It is rather large, but suits my needs for extended trips or for when I'm working on many projects at once.

We had a wonderful weekend camping in the Piney Woods!

After 18+ years, our trusty family tent officially died a few weeks back.  We have since replaced it with a new cabin tent and had to take it for a "test camp" on the back acreage.

The new tent has much more headroom (which my tall husband is thrilled with) and is easier and faster to put up than our old 2 room dome tent.  We are VERY pleased with our purchase.

The remaining blog posts this week will feature what I tatted in the woods this weekend along with the free pattern.  Hope you had as wonderful a weekend as we did!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Stocking Stuffer Winner

Congratulations to Sheila Miller More, the winner of the Piney Woods Stocking Stuffer Giveaway!

Sheila left a comment on one of the Facebook postings and was selected via random number generator.  Thanks for commenting, Sheila!  Please message me on Facebook or contact me using the button to the right of the blog.  I'll be happy to ship your goodies as soon as I have your info.

Thank you to everyone who follows the blog and encourages me in my creative endeavors.  The kind words you bestow upon me truly make my days!  I dearly love tatting and hope to instill in others the wonders & joys of needle & thread (or shuttle/hook & thread).  It has been an interesting experience, this blogging thing.  I quite enjoy it! 

Special thank yous go to Barbara Gordon, Nancy Dugas Gilmore, Jean Krieger, and others who have encouraged me to blog and share more of my work.  I always knew there were lots of wonderful folks in our tatting community, but I never imagined the amount of kindness and encouragement that has been lavished upon me as I embarked upon this latest journey. 

As you may know, I am in the process of slowly cleaning out my in-house atelier.  That is one of the reasons I have hosted so many giveaways.  Jim (my husband) says I must get rid of some "stuff" so there is room for the new additions to my working spaces.  After I get the in-house atelier renovated, Jim & I are going to build a "tatting shanty" in the Piney Woods.  The building process will be chronicled on the blog and I am sure I will be asking for ideas and suggestions for many things concerning the shanty.  Please feel free to comment and contact me with your input.

Not much tatting has gone on in the Piney Woods today as I have been washing our sleeping bags and other stuff that is needed for an upcoming family adventure.  Next week will bring more tatting goodies and perhaps a little "something" for the New Year.  Have a marvelous weekend doing whatever it is that makes your soul sing!  Until next week~

Happy Tatting!



Frosty!

It was so nice and frosty in the Piney Woods this morning!  I awoke to a cool temperature of 26F and a beautiful frost covered everything- even the chicken coops.  For the first time this Fall, I had to scrape the windshield of the Jeep and warm it up before taking off.  I LOVE this time of year- Christmas music on the radio, cool temps, hot cocoa and busy tatting needles!  Yes, dear readers, I am in a great mood today.

I played with the Violet Meadows thread this morning and tatted this:

Here is the completed foundation with a simple chain round tatted after the ICRs.  When you tat more than 8 interlocking chain-rings, it really wants to twist on you.  There are 12 in this foundation, but I managed.  A little helpful hint is to block the ICRs and spritz with Mary Ellen's Best Press before proceeding to the additional tatting.

Believe me, this is really helps!

I was digging in the atelier and came across my box of Czech art glass buttons.  This green one looks nice on the Violet Meadows foundation.  I know it covers up the ICRs, but what do you think?  Should I include the button in the design of this piece?

The ICRs provide a good base for the button as it is quite heavy.  I had originally planned to make this a larger doily-like piece, but am now considering making it an accent for my grey wool cloche and doing another larger piece with the other balls I have of the Violet Meadows.  Comments???

By the way, I am still looking for those tiny mother-of-pearl buttons and can't find them for anything.  I wonder if the kid has been plundering in my atelier again...hmmm.

Don't forget to leave a comment on Tuesday's post or the Facebook post for your chance to win the Piney Woods Stocking Stuffer Event!

It's time for me to take Lily Fey for her run in the woods, so until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Puppy Dog Tails

I had planned to tat peacefully all day, but ended up untangling LOTS of thread and saying very unladylike things about my puppy dog's tail.  Lily Fey usually lays at the side of my tatting chair and only moves to give a warning bark to intruders or have her large head petted.  Well, I made the mistake of talking sweet to my daughter's dog, Harry. Lily Fey had to jump up, wiggle and vigorously wag her whiplike tail to show me how cute she is, when disaster struck...  her tail hit and knocked off my tray of bobbins (which are wound with Valdani 35 wt. and Sulky Blendables 12 wt. quilting cottons).  They crashed to the floor and bobbins came out of their little slots and unwound themselves all over the place.  I have spent the morning untangling said bobbins and wishing I had a couple more of the Clover bobbin towers (which are the most nifty-neato way to store your bobbins- I have 2 already).

As you can imgaine, my tatting mojo is almost non-existant today!  Lily Fey is sulking on her pillow, giving me her most pitiful "I'm sorry, Mama" look.  She is forgiven, of course, but she sure did put a huge kink in my plans.  Oh, well... at least my dog loves me.

I leave you today with an image of a work-in-progress:

Not much progress, but I did start the foundation of interlocking chain-rings before our "mishap".  This piece will be made using Valdani size 12 pearl cotton in M40 "Violet Meadows" and the planned accent pieces include 4mm Swarovski bicones in "Purple Velvet", Czech seed beads in "Matte Olive" and a selection of olive green dyed freshwater pearls.  Updates will soon follow.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post or on the facebook post about the Stocking Stuffer Giveaway for your chance to win some nice tatting goodies!

Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Stocking Stuffer Giveaway

Merry Christmas from the Piney Woods!!!

How would you like to win the "Stocking Stuffer Giveaway"?

This is what is up for grabs this time around:

A lovely little hinged-lid tin box filled with:

1 ball of size 20 Lizbeth

1 ball size 8 DMC perle cotton

1 ball size 16 Finca perle cotton

1 ball size 12 Finca perle cotton

6 balls of Majestic tatting cotton

3 vintage spools of Lily sewing thread

1 spool of Kreinik metallic braid

1 box (40g) of Dynamite green seed beads

and who knows what else I may find to include in this one!

This giveaway will be different from the others.  To enter you must leave a comment on this post OR on my Facebook posting of this specific event.  This Friday, December 9th, a winner will be selected by a random number generator and notified via email or facebook.

There will be one more giveaway event BEFORE the end of the year, but this is the last Christmas one.  Good luck and please let me know how you like the blog & what you'd do with the loot!

Well, I have a bunch of Christmas tatting to get done, so I'd better hop to it- as soon as I get the Facebook post up.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Xmas Thread Giveaway Winner

We have a winner!

Congratulations, Barbara Gordon, you are the winner of the Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway!!!

To claim your goodies, give me an email & I'll get them out asap.

I had a weekend full of wedding anniversary celebrations with my wonderful husband.  As you can imagine, I got precious little tatting done.  Hopefully, this week will bring more in the way of tatting projects and Christmas goodies- HINT!  HINT!  I may have another giveaway up my sleeve.  You'll have to check out the blog posts later in the week for details.

Congrats, again to Barbara Gordon!  Hope you'll enjoy the thread.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Little Ideas, Part Two

Dollar Store Finds & Ideas

Given the worldwide economic climate, I thought I would share with you some of my dollar store finds.  All of the items featured were found at a local dollar store and cost no more than $1.00.

These two ornaments on a card can be jazzed up with a simple tatted ring festooned with picots.  This is a great way to use up your thread remnants and it makes a nice gift.

This box is one of a set of two and makes a great place to add my gift topper that was featured in an earlier post.  Both boxes were only a dollar.

A couple of other goodies I found were the plastic tray in the background and the plastic Christmas tree decorated container.  These trays are great for holding your work-in-progress and accoutrements.  The container is just right for holding a ball of thread.  I punched a small hole in the top and sanded the hole's edges with a bead reamer to remove the roughness.  It makes a perfect ball holder and was very inexpensive- one dollar for 3 of them! 

 Have you checked out your local dollar store lately?

  I'd love to see what you find.

The Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway deadline is December 4th!  Click the google "Join this Site" button to follow the blog & be entered for your chance to win some fantastic thread.  Good luck!

Well, tatting friends, I must be off.  This weekend is my wedding anniversary and I still have to come up with something for my husband!  Have a wonderful weekend doing whatever it is that makes your soul sing.  Until next week~

Happy Tatting!



Cause & Effect

Thanks to a fabulous shipment of fiber goodies courtesy of Valdani yesterday, there was only one thing for me to do today...

 go shopping!

I purchased some beautiful, sparkly Swarovskis, cute little seed beads, and a few strands of elegant fresh water pearls.

The local bead shop, which is actually a few towns over, had a great holiday theme going!  Who can resist Christmas music, hot cocoa and a shop full of all kinds of beads???  I certainly spent a relaxing, yet stimulating morning browsing their selection.

The day was made even better thanks to a lunch date with my husband.  We seldom have the luxury of lunch together as he works out-of-town, but since I had shopping to do, I took advantage of the opportunity.

After my lunch with Jim, I headed to the quilt shop and had to buy just a few lengths of fabric.

The Fig Tree & Co. fabric designed by Joanna Figueroa is among my favorite fabric because she uses many of the same colors I prefer to use in my own work.  The little 5" squares in the charm pack pictured above are soon to be added to one of my inspiration boards!  I also found a couple of other lengths of fabric that have some pretty peaches and roses- they just couldn't be left behind.

Before I knew it, it was time to head back towards home & pick the kid up from school.  Jocie has been sticking her nose in all my bags- oohing & aahing over the beads & fabric.  I wonder what she'll try to sneak into her stash first...

Don't forget that this Sunday, December 4th, is the deadline for clicking the google "Join this Site" button to follow the blog & be entered to win the Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway!!!

Sorry for the lack of tatting, but this is all a part of my world.  I love tatting, but I also love shopping for accents and other fiber art goodies.  The artistic stimulation I get from the drive over, the atmosphere of the shops, and their displays fuels my tatting obsessed mind to create new works.  Guess it's time for me to get busy putting my loot away and organizing it before I have to get even busier cooking supper. 

Dear readers, I hope you all have had as wonderful a day as I have!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Distracted

Boy, did I get distracted today!  My thread shipment from Valdani came in this morning and I have been digging through my bead & button stash to find accents for the new fibers.

As always, Valdani has the most fabulous color selection.  The above group of fibers will be used in my upcoming "Romance of the Piney Woods" collection.

And I had to order more of another favorite variegated combo:

 Valdani's M40 "Violet Meadows"!

I just love this colorway.  The purples and greens are so beautiful- wait until you see what I'm doing with it...

As the new fibers totally distracted me, I accomplished very little tatting today.  I also had absolutely no luck in finding those tiny shell buttons.  Don't you just hate it when you hide things from yourself?  Those buttons were on my working table in the atelier, but have somehow vanished.  They will turn up eventually.  Hopefully, it will be in time to do the little project I have in mind to post on the blog.

 Tomorrow's post probably won't have much in the way of tatting, either.  Since the new fibers have arrived, I feel the need to make a trip to the local bead shop for various accents and findings.  Thought I'd give you fair warning!  I will share images of any new goodies I find, though.

Remember:  the Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway is going on!  Deadline for clicking the google "Join this Site" button to follow the blog & be entered is December 4th.  Good luck!

Well, I 'm off to the atelier to move the work table and hunt for those dern buttons.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Little Ideas, Part One

Some of my most cherished Christmas memories are of the small, tiny things that perhaps, others did not notice.  I have always delighted in giving gifts that have been lovingly wrapped with special care, thought & attention.  Oftentimes, I will top a gift with a tatted motif instead of or with a handmade bow.  Pictured below is a gift topper I recently made.

It was tatted with Valdani size 8 pearl cotton in colors O560 and M43 and is accented with golden jingle bells. 

Here is a closer image:

Keep a small box or tin by your favorite tatting area and place a random motif or two in it as you tat through out the year.  Use these to slip into a card or in place of/in addition to a pretty bow.  The recipient will be sure to feel special by your extra effort.  And nothing is more beautiful than a litte piece of lace gracing a special goody!

Speaking of goodies:  be sure to click the google "Join this Site" and follow my blog for your chance to win the Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway!  Deadline for entry is December 4th.  Those who are already listed as followers are automatically entered.  Good luck!

Well, I am off to hunt for some tiny, antique, mother-of-pearl buttons that I have hidden from myself.  I need them for tomorrow's blog post.  Let's hope I can find them.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

   

Recovering from Thanksgiving

The husband is back at work & the kid is back in school- now I can begin recovering from the Thanksgiving holiday!  I loved having them home and spending quality time with them, but my tatting routine was drastically altered.  Maybe after I get the house cleaned up and a few chores done, I can get back into a good tatting groove this week.

I did pick up the needle for a bit this morning.  This is a small motif I've started using Valdani pearl cotton in M30 "Deep Waters":

If the motif works out as planned, it will be a gift for a tatting friend.

Don't forget to follow the blog by clicking on the google "Join this Site" button for your chance to win the Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway!  Current followers are automatically entered.  Deadline for following is December 4th.

Well, I had better get off my duff and get busy with the chores.  I'd like to get some tatting done this week, but cannot ignore the dishes, laundry and general cleaning that needs doing.  Have a great day.  I hope to have more to show you Tuesday.  Until then~

Happy Tatting!



Piney Woods Xmas Thread Giveaway

'Tis the season to clean out the thread cabinets!

I am in dire need of more thread storage in the atelier, so this lot of Christmas colored thread needs a new home.  For the first of my Christmas themed giveaways, I am offering~

 This cute hinged-lid poinsettia tin filled with the following balls of thread:

1 ball of size 20 Lizbeth in color #144

1 ball of size 50 Altin Basak in color #369

1 vintage ball of  size 70 Coats & Clark in color #21

3 balls of size 80 Majestic in colors #800, 829, & 854

1 spool of size 12 wt. Sulky Blendables in color #4104

 2 bobbins of size 12 Sulky Blendables in Antique Xmas & a red I cannot find the # or name for

& a mystery tatted goody (which may or may not be the one pictured).

As always, to enter this giveaway you must be a follower of the blog.  Simply click on the google "Join this Site" button located on the right of the blog just below the poll.  Deadline for entry is: Sunday, December 4th.  The winner will be selected by a random number generator and notified via email on Monday, December 5th.  Good luck!

Please note:  I tried the Lizbeth thread as everyone has been going on about how great it tats up.  Well... I was sadly disappointed.  It was NOT a good thread for my work.  It felt a little too stretchy and I just did not like the texture or the way it tatted up.  It has been my experience that different tatters prefer different types of threads.  I have very strong opinions as to what works for me and what doesn't.  The Lizbeth does not work for me at all- I wish it did.  Hopefully, it will find a home where it will be used and enjoyed. 

The Sulky Blendables 12 wt. quilting cotton thread tats like a dream!!!  As do the others in this giveaway. 

 Jim is busy hanging the lights on the exterior of the house and could probably use a hand.  I had better run and see if I can help.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, I am absolutely stuffed!  The food was delicious and my day is just super-fantastic!

We are relaxing by doing our favorite things and spending time together.

A few minutes ago, I picked up a ball of Valdani and a tatting needle and began work on a little goody that will be part of the next giveaway event.  Here is a little peek:

You'll have to check out tomorrow's post to see what I've come up with for the first (yes, I said "first") Christmas giveaway event!

Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, I hope you have had a marvelous day doing whatever makes your soul sing.   Thank you to all who read my ramblings.  I do enjoy this blogging thing and hope to have lots more tatting & fiber art adventures to share with you.  Guess I had better run- Jim & Jocie are about to start the movie without me!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Preparing for Thanksgiving

I have been busy getting ready for Thanksgiving.  The kitchen is a mess- pots, pans and such are scattered everywhere as I've been preparing our goodies for tomorrow.

I did sit down for a few minutes this morning and tatted this:

It is a pendant tatted with Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk in color # S541 "Mauve Orchid" and is accented with a dyed fushia freshwater pearl, size 11/0 Czech seed beads in "purple/aqua" and 4mm lavender Swarovski bicones.  The center is an interlocking chain-ring foundation of 6.  This piece is a gift for an exchange partner.  I hope the recipient will be pleased!

The only other tatting I've done today has been to refurbish and repair some ornaments that have been in the family for many years.  I hope to get back to my Christmas designwork this evening.  Perhaps I shall have some new motifs to share with you soon and you just might want to be on the lookout for the first of my Christmas giveaways!

Well, I had better check on the pies in the oven- they smell like they are close to being done.  May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with all that makes your heart sing!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



ICR, Part Two

For your enjoyment today, I have slightly elaborated upon the basic interlocking chain-ring motif featured in yesterday's post.  I used a size 7 tatting needle and Valdani size 8 pearl cotton in color M26 "Green Grass" (it was one of the colors in their fabulous "Two at Christmas" collection).  For accent beads I used 10 lime green size 11 Czech seed beads and 5 green AB finish Czech fire polish beads.  A medium sized gold jingle bell was used as a center focal accent.  The counts for the ICR foundation are the exactly the same as yesterday's motif:

R11- add beads 11 CL 5x for the foundation of piece.

To tat the accent round, run needle through top cap of ds to the left of the beads, CH 7 sm- med- sm- 7 CL + to the corresponding top cap on the other side of the beads.  CH 4, CL + to the top cap of the ds to the left of the next set of beads, continue around the motif.  After tatting the last CH, run needle from the front of the motif to the back.  Tie, cut & hide ends.  Add the jingle bell of other focal accent of your choice, or simply pull the ends through to the back, tie, cut & hide ends.

As you can tell, ICR foundations are easy to tat and offer a plethora of design options.  I enjoy using ICR foundations for pendants, brooches, doilies, and ornaments.  I hope you have fun playing with ICRs and would love to see your efforts.

Well, I must run- there is a break in the rain and I have many errands to see to.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!