A Wonderful Weekend

Blog theme for October~
"One Of A Kind"

Good morning, dear readers!

 

I had an absolutely wonderful weekend!  The tatting mojo was flowing and I got quite a bit of work done on many OOAK projects.  I guess we have my super-hubby, Jim, to thank for it.  He kept me happy with campfires, walks in the Piney Woods and fantastic grilled foods. 

 

Here are a few things I tatted on Sunday:

 

 

As you can see, two are antique cameos that are in the beginning stages of being "dressed".  Any names you'd care to suggest for the newest ladies, dear readers?  And the other is a design prototype I'm playing with using a Swarovski chaton, champagne pearls, Delica seed beads, and Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk and size 12 Valdani Pearl Cotton.

 

 

This is what it looked like when I placed it aside last night.  There is much more tatting to do on this one!  I will most likely add lots of beads and am contemplating some Swarovski bicone additions.  What do you think?

 

Today I plan to finish the "Haunting Elegance" piece and dress the cameo ladies.  What are your tatting plans?

 

Well, Rosie Fey is ready for our morning run.  Have a fantastic day and be sure to check out the blog on Halloween for a special "treat"!  Until then~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 

 



Cameos and Stash Organization

Pearls & Lace

Good morning, dear readers!

I decided that I had better get today's post done as we are supposed to have some scary, severe weather this afternoon & evening.  That also means I will have intermittent internet access.

 

I have been getting things gathered up and ready for serious tatting work in the Atelier.  The plan is to have all new original pieces available in May.  Here are some of the cameos I've acquired at auctions and estate sales:

 

 

It was hard to get good images due to the glare this morning, but you can get a general idea of what the "before" cameos look like.  The earrings are screw back, but I plan to cut off the backs, file down the rough and use them as pendants.

 

 

These two ladies need a good cleaning, but I expect they will dress-up quite nicely.

 

The intaglios and vintage brooches have been sorted, catches & mountings checked, and are neatly organized on my jeweler's bench in the Atelier.

 

Now, I am awaiting the cultured pearl order that was placed a couple of weeks ago.  Oh, yeah- I also need to order more Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk.  Lots to do to add to the Romance of the Piney Woods & Olde West Collections!  I'm off to inventory the Valdani threads.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 



Vintage & Antique Goodies

Good morning, dear readers!

 

It feels so strange to be writing my daily blogpost so late in the morning.  Jim and I awoke, ate breakfast and went for a long stroll in the Piney Woods.  It was cool and lovely in our woods, with a bit of misty fog.

 

I have some recent acquisitions to share with you.  My dear friend Tommee is getting out of the vintage jewelry business and will be focusing her creative endeavors on jewelry design.  She graciously let me sift through her remaining inventory and this is my modest haul:

 

A lovely antique, handcarved shell cameo in a gold-filled setting.  She will be a stunning addition to my Romance of the Piney Woods collection!

 

Another antique, handcarved shell cameo in a gold-filled mounting.  I really like her hairstyle and think she will be gorgeous with lots of frilly tatting surrounding her.

 

I had a diffucult time getting a good image of this vintage Juliana brooch.  The stones are a neat variegation of white, ecru and light tan mixed with smokey topaz navettes.  I have just the Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk to accent this beauty!

 

And I dug these MOP buttons out of Tommee's huge button jar.  They are large and will make wonderful centers for doilies, brooches, pendants, or whatever they later tell me they should be.  What do you think?  Any suggestions?

 

Well, Jim has just finished his 3rd cup of coffee.  Guess that means he's ready to go into town for our grocery store run.  I plan to work on some tatting this afternoon and hope to have something new to show you tomorrow.  Have a great day & until then~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Another Cameo Brooch

Another day, another cameo...

It is absolutely sweltering here in the deep South!  I am keeping myself cool and occupied by sipping some nice mint sweet tea and enhancing another cameo with tatting.

This is the cameo that gave me fits beading the bezel around it!  It was a booger- but I think she is turning out okay.  This is just the first little bit of tatting that I'm adding to her.  So, dear readers, would any of you care to suggest a name for this difficult lady?  There are a few bouncing around in my head, but none that I'm satisfied with.  I'd appreciate the input.

Well, I do believe I need a sweet tea refill.  May you have a marvelous weekend doing whatever it is that makes your heart sing!  I will be working on cameos and Eternity pendants.  Until next week~

Happy Tatting!



Cameo Bracelet Progress

It has been SO hot here in the Piney Woods!!!  Fortunately, I have been busy inside the Atelier, working on more Romance pieces.  Here is an image of the lovely cameo bracelet I happened up on last weekend:

I am in the process of adding bezels around each cameo using 3mm bronze Swarovski bicones.  Everything is going well with the exception of one thing- I only have one spool of the Valdani silk I need and this bracelet will probably take at least 3 spools.  Guess I'll be making another Valdani order a bit later!

After I complete the bezels, I plan to work on adding tatting to another cameo.  An image of it will be posted tomorrow.

So, what are you doing, dear readers?  What are you doing to beat the heat & keep cool & occupied?

Well, the Atelier is waiting and I want to get some work done before it gets too hot.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Cameo Bracelet

You are not going to believe the fantastic piece I found!

Jocelin and I decided to go antiquing this past weekend and I found this fabulous piece.  It is 12K gold filled and has 7 different tiny cameos.  Each cameo is surrounded by a filigree frame- perfect for attaching tatting and goodies to.  Guess what I'm going to be playing with this week!!!

After a nice morning of tatting (let's hope I can get plenty of work done!), Jocelin and I are planning to have a chick-flick afternoon.  Our movie playlist includes: Sense & Sensibility and Jane Eyre.  There is plenty of ice cream in the fridge and I do believe we may put a serious dent in it!

Well, I'm off to the Atelier.  There is no shortage of work to do.  Have a great day!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Frustration & Cameos

 It has been frustrating in the Piney Woods lately!  I purchased a gorgeous cameo-

She is so lovely, but the rope bezel around her is not as friendly to adding tatting and beads as I had hoped.  She has taught me a very valuable lesson: don't forget to put on my glasses before going to an estate auction!!!

But I did eventually manage to get some 3mm Swarovski bicones and rice pearls around her and securely anchored.

She is not as symetrical as I would like, but I think she will be stunning with swirls of tatting in "Golden Moss" Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk.

I am still working on a few Eternity pendants and hope to have them finished this morning.  After a little break at the local park, I plan to get to work on the cameo.  For some reason, she seems to be a Myrtle or Gertrude.  What do you think?

Well, I'd better get busy.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Meet Adalaide

Good morning, dear readers!  I have had several emails inquiring about what I do to the cameos.  I had planned to wait until I had all of the ladies "dressed" and ready for their debut, but I will give you a peek at one of them.  Keep in mind that she is not fully dressed yet, but at least she is somewhat decent-

This is "Adalaide". 

 She began as a small carved shell cameo in a nice 12K rolled gold filled filigree brooch mounting.  She has been dressed up with a bezel of cultured rice pearls along with picot accents of 3mm Swarovski crystal AB bicones, a few more rice pearls and just a bit of tatting featuring Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk in S49.  More tatting will be added to finish her ensemble.

I have worn embellished antique cameos for years and have been asked to make a few available for clients.  Each piece is carefully selected and lovingly enhanced.  No two pieces are ever the same. 

Vintage and antique jewelry has been a passion ever since I was employed MANY years ago by a local jeweler.  I did not realize at the time how that one job experience would influence my creative career.  Being exposed at such a youg age to gorgeous estate jewelry pieces was such a blessing.  I learned much during the 2+ years I worked there, but have educated myself further over the years.

Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post for your chance to win the Piney Woods Summer Vacation Giveaway Event!!!  The winner will be announced on June 7th, so be sure to let me know how you'd use the goodies.

Well, I had better run.  I'm fixing a special lunch for my husband's office today and need to frost the butter pecan cake.  May you have a fantastic holiday weekend and until next week~

Happy Tatting!

New Ladies

Good afternoon, dear readers!  I had a wonderful package in the mailbox this morning.  It contained my winnings from the latest estate auction.  Here are my lovely new ladies:

The cameos are both set in 12K gold filled mountings.  The upper right one is accented with 10K rose and green gold flower and leaf motifs.  The earrings are set in sterling silver and are glass intaglio cameos.  They will be used as pendant accents.  I can hardly wait to put together a new Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk order! If I weren't anxiously awaiting a cultured pearl order, I'd call them up today.  BUT- I want to get the pearls in so I can decide exactly what I need threadwise.

Well, dear readers, what shall I call these ladies?  Please post your suggestions.  I will announce the names of these ladies and the others from the previous post after they are added to my Atelier website shoppe.

OH!  This is my 200th blog post!!!  I just realized it.  Be on the lookout later in the week for a giveaway event.  I'm cooking up something special!

Guess I had better get busy on the other Parrish inspired work-in-progress.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

Cameos!

As some of you may have noticed, I LOVE cameos and vintage jewelry.  Recently, I was the lucky bidder at a local estate auction of two beautiful vintage carved shell cameos.  Both are set in 12K rolled gold filled mountings- one a fancy filigree, one a simple scroll frame.  Giving these cameos a "tatting makeover" will be my weekend project.

But I do need help from you, dear readers.  I would like to come up with a lovely old-fashioned name for each cameo.

Here is the one mounted in the filigree setting:

What do you think her name should be?  Ophelia, Florance, Eugenia?  I am open to any suggestions you may have.

And here is the cameo in the scroll mounting:

Lydia, Agatha, Cornelia?  Do you know of a wonderful old name for this beauty?

As I am thinking of what to name my little beauties, I'll need to gather up the materials for their makeovers.  Of course, I will be using Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk thread, but I think they may also need a few pearls and Swarovskis, too.  My pearl stash is sure to contain a few options.  And I just picked-up a gross of the 3mm Swarovski crystal AB bicones at the bead store.  I may even have a vintage carnelian bead bracelet that could be raided for accent beads.  The angelskin coral beads I have are too pale for these cameos, so I guess I'll dig through the bead and vintage jewelry stashes in the Atelier.

After I get it all rounded up, I plan to set up my tatting environment and spend the weekend tatting to my heart's delight.  What will you be doing this Mother's Day weekend?  I know Jim & Jocie have something planned for me on Sunday, but as long as I get in some blissful tatting time today and Saturday everything will be wonderful.

May you all have a fantastic Mother's Day weekend (whether you're a mom or not) and don't forget to let me know your ideas on names for my ladies!

Until next week~

Happy Tatting!