Latch Hook Pillow

 

As you can see, it's not quite a pillow yet. I still have to turn the edges back and baste them down. Then find a pillow the right size to fasten it to. I just wanted to go ahead and show you how pretty it is - I think.

I am tatting some. I seem to do better if I am alternating rings and chains. To finish the mystery doily, I have to make long, tight chains - one after the other....... That means a very tight tension on my left hand and it hurts. I'll get it one day. I started a snowflake about an hour ago. I just couldn't wait any longer.

Hope you have all had a nice weekend.

Blogger problems and new website

I have been "locked" out of my blog all week. Ugh! I only got in this time by going to the Leprechaun blog and then to my blog. Don't know what's wrong. Thought I better post while I can. I have actually finished something. Not tatting, but a latch hook pillow top that I work on when my hands won't let me tat. I will try to get a picture tomorrow and get it posted.

My husband has been working very hard on a new venture. He enjoys participating in several forums. Some for solving problems with things like vehicles or lawn mowers and some about the beaches we love so much. Now he has his own! Even though none of you live in the area, there are things there you might enjoy seeing. I think there are three beach cameras that you can look at and even control 1 or 2 or them. It has only been live for a couple of days so there aren't many posts yet. It will take a while. A couple of people have started putting pictures of the area with their posts. Please have a look. It would please Bill so much if some of you would register and comment. NO CHARGE. Gulf Shores Forum is the main link. I don't guess anyone will mind this advertisement since he isn't making any money! He hopes to have much more content soon. The forum for Navarre Beach took 6 months to make it to the top of the Google list so we have to be patient.

Thanks in advance if you have a look.

email problems

To those of you who have emailed me in the last few days, we are having email problems and I haven't been able to respond or create new emails. Hope to rectify the problem soon.

Happy Memorial Day!

Gina's Monica Hahn Angel

As I am sure you have seen on Gina's blog, her angel arrived safely so I can now post it. This was a fun exchange and I love the angel Gina made for me. I hope she will enjoy hers. I tatted her in size 20 Lizbeth. My first Lizbeth thread experience and I was very pleased. Enjoy Gina!

 

Monica Hahn angel for Gina

Well, I finally finished Gina's angel last night. Sorry. No pictures until she receives it in the mail. I am getting better slowly. It is still very difficult to sit long enough to do anything much. I'm going to try and catch up on blogs. I have missed all of you very much!

Scallop Shell Heart from Tatting Chic

Last, but certainly not least, I received this lovely heart from Tatting Chic. It is Scallop Shell Heart from Martha Ess. The thread is Pizzazz from Yarnplayer. And, she used one of my thread winders while tatting it!

 

This is the card that came with the heart.

It is one of those cute pop-out cards. Even the little Get Well Soon card at the top opens to reveal a sweet message from Tatting Chic. You are a very sweet, special friend Tatting Chic. Thank you for the lovely gift and for all of your prayers.

A lovely heart from J.B.

My dear friend J.B. sent this lovely heart from "Tatting Hearts" by Teri Dusenbury. She and I were in a heart exchange last year and my package, (and Carol's) got lost. J.B. felt so bad that she tatted this for me TWICE! I really appreciate her thoughtfulness and the beautiful heart. The colors will be perfect in my bedroom.

Her sending it happily coincided with my return from the hospital. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes, J.B.

 

Monica Hahn angel from Gina

This is the next beauty I found in my mail box when I got home from the hospital. Gina and I decided to do a Monica Hahn angel exchange. Monica's book can be purchased at Handy Hands. I've still not finished the one I am tatting for her. I love this one she made for me. It is Omega thread in size 20 with beads. I appreciate so much the work that went into it. Looks like my Rainbow Christmas Tree will now have a Rainbow of Angels as well!

I really enjoy these personal exchanges. It is so rewarding to make the other person happy and then to anticipate receiving your own surprise. Thanks again, Gina!

 

Get well card from Pamela

I am finally better enough to sit at the computer for short periods of time. I hope all of you will forgive my tardiness in thanking you for your prayers and thoughts during my surgeries. There were NO CANCER CELLS this time and I am eternally grateful! Hopefully, I will be back to normal in the next 5 to 6 weeks. No - better than normal! In the meantime, I just have to rest and can't sit for very long.

Pamela a.k.a. Tatskool sent me this lovely card that she made. I wish you could see it in person. It is several layers thick so I had to make the picture with my camera instead of the scanner. The little bears are so precious and the tatting one is holding looks like tatted balloons!

 

She included this beautiful bookmark tatted in her Rainbow Bright. I love how the colors ended up the same on each edge. Wonder how she worked that out?

 

Thank you so much Pamela. I will be posting more as I can. It's good to be back!

Mandevilla X amoena "Alice du Pont"

 

I have been wanting to paint for a long while now. I decided this was a good time. Mandevilla is one of my very favorite plants. I always have them blooming on my back deck in the summer and fall. I hope the bright colors bring a smile to your face! By the way, the blooms smell like Easter Peeps candy!

These other pictures are of my bedroom and the Rhubarb Pie tatting I have in there.

 

 

 

Tatting Chic

If you have read Tatting Chic's blog today, you know that we had our first phone conversation yesterday evening. It was so nice to hear her voice and be able to share without waiting for return emails. She is just as sweet as I knew she would be and it seemed like we had always been friends. It is so great to have good friends with whom we can share our thoughts, loves, and even our troubles. It won't be our last conversation!

Tatting Chic is a very talented lady in a lot of ways. Not the least of which, is her ability to write both funny and inspiration blog posts. Please go visit her at the above link if you are not already a fan.

Easter goodies

 

My Easter goodies were a little late, but that's okay. I ordered them late! Everyone kept raving so about the Lizbeth thread, that I had to order some. The colors are beautiful. I haven't tatted anything with it yet, but I will soon. I also wanted the Christmas Ornament Collection by JoAnn Stearns that Tatskool mentioned. It, and Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns by Monica Hahn, are both full of beautiful patterns. I don't purchase many books, but lately I have three new ones, including Tea is for Tatting by Martha Ess. I have lots to do!

Oh, I really didn't WANT anymore shuttles, but I had to get to the free shipping cut off. Yeah, right! You believe that don't you? I love Lacis shuttles and pink seems to be my color of choice lately.
Thanks Handy Hands for the quick shipment!

Celtic Teapot by Martha Ess

 

Martha's book, "Tea is for Tatting", is wonderful! I had so much fun tatting this Celtic Teapot. I learned new things and hope I got them right. I think there are a couple of places that could have been smoother, but I'm pleased with it. I'm not altogether pleased with my color choices, but I think it will work in my bedroom with all of the Rhubarb Pie. The light pink and green are Flora size 20. The darker rose, almost red, is a hand dyed solid from Marilee's Rhubarb Pie.

If you haven't ordered the book, I hope that you will have the opportunity to.

The Renee Award

Thank you for this lovely award, Tatting Chic. I love it!


Here's what Bella has to say about why she created this award:

"This one is meaningful to me in three profound ways. Firstly, it was created in honor of Renee, one human being who has made such a difference in the lives of many just by being. Her honestly, wit, intelligence, and grit are a tremendous source of inspiration. She can elicit raucous laughter and guffaws in her banter, and then turn right around and offer the most heartfelt, gentle words of wisdom and emotional support. She is a spreader of love, simple and true. And her love is infectious.

Secondly, this award was created in collaboration with one of my best friends, Ces. She is, in Renee's own words, truly original. She is an incredible artist, both in pen and ink and paint. She is fiery passion with a gentle hand. She is laughter, fun, joy, intellectual stimulation, a sister. The concept and design of the award belong to Ces.

Thirdly, this is a brand new award, and I have the pleasure and honor of spreading the seed, watching it grow. I hope it finds its way to those who are like Renee: the acorn, a small package becoming a tall and sturdy oak giving more acorns, becoming tall and sturdy oaks, giving acorns..."

What a Beautiful World

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD

 

Oh, what a beautiful world today.
The sky is blue with clouds puffy gray.
The grass is greener with each passing morn.
Nature is busy being reborn.

The cherry trees all pink and white seem to
shine with God’s heavenly light.
Azaleas in every color are lacey and bright and
make me ache to paint them just right.

The Dogwoods are blooming as if to say,
“We know that Easter is on its way.
We usually bloom too early but waited this year.
We wanted to be sure the message was clear.
He came to die to save you from sin.
To wash away your transgressions and leave
you cleansed.”

 

Their blooms bear the mark of our Savior’s pain
to remind us all that for us He came.

 

He knew He had but a short time to stay
as His mission was planned to take Him away.
He tried to teach us as much as He could, how
to be Christ like, honest and good.

All we can do is strive each day to follow His
example and never forget to pray.
We make mistakes, each and every one, but
God’s work with us is never done.

He’ll not forsake us and always speaks true.
We just have to trust Him to bring us through.
May you each find peace in this blessed spring
and all the joy that your faith can bring.

Laura Blanton
© April 7, 2009


To all of my Christian friends, a very Happy Easter and
the peace of Christ.
To the rest of my friends, may you find joy and laughter
during this glorious Spring season.

Martha's teapot surprise!

Look what I received in the mail from our lovely Martha Ess. One of her teapots. The one I named! English Country Garden! It was in the sweetest note wishing me well with my operations that are approaching. A prayer in each stitch! For what more could I ask?

Martha's work is as near perfect as I have ever seen. I am really overwhelmed with this lovely gift. I will have to get it framed and take it to the hospital with me. I'm sure it will be the only teapot I'll see while I'm there!

I hope you have all noticed that the book is ready to be ordered. I ordered mine this morning.

Thank you again, Martha. You are truly a dear.

 

Mystery Doily half way through stage one!

Half way through stage one of the mystery doily! I really, really like it but the fingers of my left hand sure are stiff and sore. I think it will look really nice after it is finished and blocked.

 

This is how much thread I had left from a 50 yard skein of size 20 in Rhubarb Crisp hand dyed thread by Yarnplayer. One tiny piece, one a little longer and one about 1 1/4 yards. I have four more motifs to tat so I'm hoping to finish this stage of the doily with only 2 skeins used. The second part of the doily is still a mystery to everyone except Steph, unless some of you just aren't saying!

 

This is where we are!

 

 

 

 

Maybe all this beautiful, white sand and the salt air will make me well! That's what Bill always tells me. The salt air will fix that!

Nothing to say really. Just wanted to show you a few pictures. We have had lovely weather but that is supposed to change before the day is over and be rainy and stormy the rest of the week. Oh well. Guess I'll be forced to tat!

Motif 2 of Mystery Doily Plus Clovers

 

Okay, still not blocked and this is the camera instead of the scanner. I hope you can still see how pretty this is going to be. It's a bit slower going than I thought. Some of the directions are a bit sketchy, for me anyway. And, it is difficult to keep up with the direction of the tatting.

Hopefully more tomorrow or later today.

Rest and Rejuvenate

I've not disappeared - well not entirely! We are on vacation, and boy did we both need it. I've been so sick for so long that all I want to do is sleep right now. I get up early, make coffee and toast. Enjoy said coffee and toast and then take a nap! How bad is that? Still can't talk even a little. My voice has completely left me. I'm hoping if I can be quiet long enough, it will decide to come back home. I really need it! Most people don't speak sign language.

We are going to take things easy and just do what we want to and rest. I've got to get ready for two simultaneous surgeries and need to build up my strength. Nothing life threatening, (I hope), just things that have to be done. I do feel all of your prayers. I have calmed down and am enjoying things more than I thought I would be able to. We spent a little time at a "Blues and Barbeque" festival yesterday. It was a mild, sunny day. Not too many people and very good food. We enjoyed the music, but it was loud so we didn't stay very long. Today, we are having lunch with three friends, and dinner with two other friends. (Better skip that toast this morning.)

I have one more motif finished on the doily and one other part finished. I'm really enjoying tatting this doily. I'll make a picture today and post it. It is going to be so pretty!

I hope you are all well and enjoying the start of Spring.

Victorian Heart in hand dyed thread

 

I have been asked to donate one of my hearts to The American Cancer Society by Donna at Stitching For A Cure. They are making ornaments for different types of cancer. They will be on a tree that I think will be auctioned off at Christmas.

I tatted this one in Yarnplayer's hand dyed pink from her Peace colorway. I love the suttle color differences that come with hand dyed thread, even if it is a solid color. I don't know if they show up here or not. I hope so. Now I just have to decide which one to send them.

1st motif of mystery doily

 

This is my new project. I needed something to keep my mind occupied and I found it! It's not my design and some of you may recognize it. Thought we might make a little guessing game out of it.

It tatted up real fast but hasn't been blocked yet. I'd like to wait until they are joined to do that, so no judgement on how even or uneven it is.

This is my favorite thread from Yarnplayer, as most of you know. Rhubarb Pie in size 20.

St. Patrick's Day 2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Isaac, Oisin and Laura! There are more pictures on the Leprechaun page if you want to see them.

 

 

Surgeon's visit this afternoon

Thankfully, the surgeon doesn't seem to be near as worried about this problem as the radiologist. He doesn't want to do anything radical at this time. He's going to remove it and biopsy it and then we will go from there. I didn't want to go through this again, but he insisted. He says we can get with the other surgeon and try to get both surgeries done at the same time. That would be great.

I will keep you posted. Thank you so much for all of the good thoughts and prayers. Maybe that is why it's not so bad!

Sharon's Suncatcher

 

I printed this pattern months ago and just now made time to tat it. It was designed by Sharon Briggs and she has shared the pattern on her blog.

The thread is size 20 Flora in lavendar and the beads are royal blue. Don't ask! Next time I tat it, I will use nice, glass beads as the design deserves it. I loaded 7 yards of thread on each shuttle and almost emptied both of them.

This is a fun, easy design that you can easily remember and not have to refer to the diagram.

Thank you Sharon!