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!!!