Weekend Off Roading

Good morning, dear readers!  I hope you all had as fantastic a weekend as I had!

Early Saturday morning, I packed a picnic lunch and the ice chest with plenty of A&W rootbeer, ice & Gatorade.  After throwing a quilt, paper towels and handwipes in the back of the Jeep, we headed out to the Jackson-Bienville Wildlife Management Area for a bit of off roading.  The new all-terrain tires are wonderful!  I had no problems going anywhere and they performed beautifully.  Yes, I am one happy Jeep freak!

This will give you an idea of some of the trails I played on.  It was fairly thick in a few areas, but "Rubeline" (my little red Jeep Wrangler) wasn't phased at all.  She is ready for more agressive trails!  Or at least some muddy ones.

Jim worked on our home computer network this weekend.  My upload problem is probably not related to the photo apps/editing software, as I had thought, but rather the security settings/encryption programs Jim had put on our system.  He is working on a solution so I can upload more images to the website and still maintain a high security level on our home network.  MANY thanks for your patience, everyone!!!

I have managed to get a couple more Romance of the Piney Woods pieces up on the Atelier.  In case there is some unforeseen snafu, here are the images:

This is the finished eternity pendant I've been trying to upload. 

And here is a better image of the cultured pearl brooch.

Oh! I almost forgot to include the big tease!!!  Stay tuned later this week for a FREE pattern from my Romance of the Piney Woods collection AND a new giveaway event with a piece from said collection!

Well, I've got to get busy on a special tatting project.  I'll be sharing it with you next week.  May you have a beautiful day full of creativity.  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Pearl Brooch

While the ladies are waiting to make their debut tomorrow evening, I have been busy working on a new brooch.

The brooch base is 12K rolled gold filled and features 14 genuine cultured pearls.  I have used Valdani Luxury Pearl SIlk in "Icy Leaves" to add tatted accents along with antique beige Czech seed beads and 4mm olivine Swarovski bicones.  This piece goes very well with the Eternity pendant I finished yesterday.  Hmmm... I may have to present them as a demi-parure.  What do you think?

Please note that the Cameo Cotillion will be posted tomorrow evening, as will the Romance of the Piney Woods on my Atelier site. 

 I do not have as many pieces as I'd planned due to early sales, but I hope you will be pleased with what is available.  Friday is only the first installment of the collection.  Additions will follow on subsequent Fridays, so please be sure to check out the website often.  And remember, these are one-of-a-kind ORIGINAL pieces and are priced accordingly.  Patterns inspired by the collection will be available in August.

Guess I had better get back to the brooch so I can list it tomorrow, too.  May you have a wonderful day & until tomorrow evening~

Happy Tatting!



Still At It

Yep, I'm still working on the ladies.  They need lots of attention and I have the habit of going back and tweaking my work.  I do want the ladies to look "just so" at their cotillion.

Other than dessing the cameos, I've been working on the Eternity pendants.  This one (done in "Icy Leaves" Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk) is turning out nicely.

It still has a couple more rows of tatting to go, but I love the color of the silk.  Olivine Swarovskis go extremely well with this thread!  Hmmm... I may keep this one for myself.  Or at least keep it until I debut the Romance of the Piney Woods collection.  It seems like I can hardly keep enough pieces in stock.  Guess I shouldn't complain about that, though.  Thanks for liking my work to those who could not wait for the big debut! 

Well, I have tons of work to do before Friday.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Preparing for the Launch

I have been busy preparing for the launch of my Romance of the Piney Woods couture tatting collection. 

 The official launch is Friday, July 13th- this Friday! 

Please bear with me this week as my blogposts may be short and erratic.  There is so much I have to get done.

I did work on a couple more Eternity pendants this weekend:

This Eternity base consists of White Lotus 6.5mm pearls, wine 4mm Swarovskis and pink opal 4mm Swarovskis.  The tatting is done with the fabulous Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk in color S78.  The image above is of the very beginning of the pendant.  Be sure to check out the Romance premiere Friday on the Atelier to see the finished piece!

Well, I am off to get more tatting work done.  May you have a marvelous day & until tomorrow~

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!



Working, Working

I have been busy tatting away for the upcoming Romance of the Piney Woods debut.  Between tatting the pieces and making count annotations for the pattern collection inspired by said pieces, my fingers have been most productive.  I did make a point this past weekend to take a break & spend some quality time with my daughter.  As many of you know, dear readers, Jocelin and I adore antiquing/junquing.  We found the lovely cameo bracelet featured in yesterday's post and I thought I'd share the other goody we discovered:

It is a rare Hamilton & Hamilton sterling silver faux pearl brooch.  Of course, tatting accents will be added along with a healthy helping of Swarovskis!  I may even have to add a few genuine pearls.  This is a piece I would typically pass by as the pearls are faux, but the sterling silver mounting is exceptionally fine and is perfect for my kind of additions. 

Keep your eyes peeled for tomorrow's blog post!  Something pretty is going to be previewed!

Well, this isn't getting those Eternity pendants finished or the bracelet more along in its progress, either.  I did receive some wonderful inspiration from our chick-flicks yesterday afternoon!  Guess I'd better hop to it.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

New Valdani Threads!

I received the Valdani order & have been drooling over my new threads!

After pawing them and pairing them with beads and vintage accents, I decided it was time to reload the slim satchel.

Most of the threads are new (for me, anyway) Valdani colors.  Some I've had for a bit.  The "Primitive White" and "Distant Grass" pearl cotton colors are wonderful!  Plus, the silks are gorgeous!!!

If you do not have a "Slim Satchel" by Artbin, I highly recommend you check them out.  Mine has been schlepped all over the place!  It fits perfectly in my Jeep Wrangler and in the canvas bag I use for park outings.  Oftentimes, I load it with all the essentials, but for moment, it will hold and protect my working assortment of threads.

Tomorrow is the estate auction and I hope to find some nice treasures.  Wish me luck!  I'm off to tat some more Eternity Pendants and to finish dressing a cameo.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!



Eternity Pendant Teaser

Okay, after receiving a couple of emails requesting it, here is an image of the very beginning of one of my Eternity Pendants from the Romance of the Piney Woods couture tatting collection:

The pendant starts with a ring of pearls and Swarovskis and builds out from there.  I will have a pattern set of several of these pendants available in early August.  These little buggers have been occupying much of my tatting time the past few days.  They are fun to do and work up quick once you get the hang of manipulating the circlets.

On another note, I am highly anticipating an upcoming estate auction to be held later this week!  My sources have let me know there are a few cameos, brooches and pins that may be of use in my artwork.  Plus, another little birdie whispered in my ear that there may even be some antique fibers as this lady was an avid needleworker!  Perhaps I may even stumble upon some shell buttons.  Oh, yes, I am most definitely looking forward to later this week!!!

The pendants and cameos are beckoning me back to the Atelier.  May you have a fantastic day doing whatever makes your soul sing!  Until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!