Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Just For Fun Tatted Bookmark Exchange and a Blog Giveaway Prize From Charming Designs!!!

Two fun things came in the mail. Yesterday I received the blog giveaway prize that I won from Laurie over at Charming Designs and today I received the bookmark that I spontaneously participated in "just for fun" with Karin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Firstly let me tell you about the tatted bookmark exchange. You remember Karin from Germany, right? We did another bookmark exchange back in May that I told you all about. Karin has the wonderful habit of designing all sorts of fun bookmarks and remaining very modest about it.

This little beauty is her latest gem.
She sent it in this cute little card with
a four leaf clover and a ladybug (so cute)
with this lovely Tatted Maltese Ring Bookmark Peeking out.

Isn't it pretty?
She designed the bookmark herself.
I spied it here over at eTatters and
I jokingly said,
"Hey let's do another exchange!"
and lucky, lucky me!!!
She took me seriously!
So, here it came...the one, the only originally
designed by Karin herself
a Tatted Maltese Ring Bookmark.


Isn't it beautiful?
She is very talented
Here is a closeup of some tatted Maltese rings.
Aren't they something?
I think they are very pretty and I think Karin
is amazing to have designed this bookmark herself and
I consider it a privilege to exchange another set
of bookmarks with such a talented designer and tatter.
If you'd like to know more about how to do Maltese rings
there is a tutorial by Tatman located here.

~*~
So I had to make something nice for Karin.
I've never really designed a bookmark before
So she is getting one of my
original Rosegarden bookmarks designs
in summery, shabby chic, colors
So, we'll call this a Summer Rosegarden bookmark
Just for Fun...because that's what this
exchange was for, right?

Just for FUN!!!
and it was.

Here's a closeup of one of the rosettes.

I did this particular bookmark
in frontside-backside tatting
because rosettes definately have a front and a
back so I just went with it.
You can see the frontside up close here.


I learned to do my rosettes from a vintage Workbasket Magazine,
but Sharon, over at Sharon's Tatted Lace has a nice
pictorial on how to do a tatted rose if you'd like to see
how she teaches it. It's very similar to how I learned.
She calls it a "wild rose" I call it a "rosette"
It's basically the same thing.

Okay, Karin, I love the bookmark, even more in person than I did in the photo!
It's just beautiful!!!
Thank you very much

My Summer Rosegarden Bookmark will soon be on it's way to you!




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Secondly, remember the second blog giveaway that I won?
I received my fabulous prize from Laurie
over at Charming Designs.

And

HERE IT IS!!!


Thank you Laurie!
It's a dry erase message board on a porcelain tile
that she handpainted.
I got a package of multiple colors of dry erase
pens at "Staples" an office supply store nearby.
I got a mini-easel at a local artists' supply store.
It looks so adorable in my kitchen.
I'll use it for a welcome board for parties,
a menu board for dinner parties
and
a daily inspiration board for scriptures
to give me some uplifting message during the day.
What a great gift! I love it.
If you haven't had the chance to blog-hop on over
to Charming Designs I highly suggest you
do. Laurie is an artist through and through.
You'll enjoy all the eye candy, that's for sure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, this concludes my show and tell about just for fun tatting exchanges and winning blog giveaway prizes. I do hope you come again soon and before you leave remember I do love comments, they are always welcomed and appreciated. I'm grateful that you felt my corner of blogger-landia was worth some of your valuable time to come and visit.
Ta-ta for now,
Tattingchic :)


45 absolutely fabulous things were said:

Diane at Crafty Passions said...

I wish I could do tatting like you ,it sso beautiful, I can hardly take my eyes away from the pictures,
I love the bookmarker too ohh so lovely!! Envious here..
Thanks for coming by my blog.
Take care,
Diane at Crafty Passions

LadyShuttleMaker aka MadMadPotter said...

You are having too much fun! That maltese bookmark is absolutely stunning! What a talented lady!

Unknown said...

Hi Diane at Crafty Passions, I'm glad you like the tatting. Come on over anytime and look around or feel free to look at all the tatting links. THat's what they are there for...for anyone who wants an unlimited source of tatting eye-candy...LOL!!!

Hello Lady Shuttle Maker,
Glad you came by. Isn't Karin talented? I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to exchange with her. Thanks for the comment.

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I think I'll have to try those Maltese rings... what a beautiful bookmark! I love what you've done with roses too!

Tattycat said...

This is a beautiful post, as usual. Your bookmark is lovely and I'm sure she will be very happy with it. The one with the Maltese rings is beautiful. She is very talented. I hope she will publish the pattern. I really must learn to do this! The card she sent it in was perfect. Congratulations on winning that prize. You will enjoy that. Your posts are always so pretty and interesting. Thank you for all that you do to interest others in tatting!

Melissa said...

Of course beautiful bookmarks and Way Way cool tile dry erase thingy!!!

Charmingdesigns said...

Thank you sooo much for showing the dry erase board!! It looks SO cute! Don't you love the colors they have come out with...and I love your easel! Looks like it went to the very best home! Laurie

pauline said...

Hi! I'm new to tatting and I have a question.

I'm trying to make a doily, but the final size is too small. If I increase the number of stitches in a ring, how do I proportionately increase the number of stitches in a chain connecting two rings? Like if I increase a ring by 6 stitches, should I increase the chain length by 6? or by 12?

I would love to get advice from a pro like you :)

thankks

Jessica Rodarte said...

Hi Shannon,
Goodness what a lovely blog you have! I have been catching up on your past blog post entries, and I am sorry to hear about your car accident. I hope you are getting this all sorted out, and life returns to normalcy soon.
Many hugs, Jessica

Kathy Raker said...

Your bookmark as well as Karins are just beautiful. Love both designs. I really need to learn how to add a chain on to the ring. I am getting impatient. LOL I know make the edging first with just rings.:) Don't forget to join them. (our secret right) LOL

Susanne said...

Yes you are very fortunate to have another of Karin's lovely bookmarks. I am sure she will say that your bookmark for her is not bad either. ;-D
Lovely prize you got too, you are a very lucky tatter today.

Unknown said...

Hi Diane, I would love to see what you tat with the maltese rings. I'm sure you'll do something lovely. Thank you for the compliment on my roses.

Thank you for all your kind words, TattyCat! I'm glad you like my bookmark. Isn't Karin's bookmark beautiful? I know the pattern (graphic and stitch count) is available at the same discussion link to eTatters that I have linked in the post. (does that make sense?) I love my prize. It's the cutest little message board I've ever seen. I'm glad you like it, too! Thank you for appreciating my blog, it means a lot to me that you would say that.

Thanks Melissa, glad you stopped by during a busy day!

Laurie, no, THANK YOU!!! I love it!
I had fun shopping for the goodies for it yesterday. You should've seen me at the art supply store. I spent 1/2 hour finding the "perfect" easel style...then when I found the perfect mini-easel style I had to find the one that it sat "just right" on...LOL. I took it to the store with me and everything. It looks so perfect on the easel. Even cuter in person!

Hello, Pauline. Welcome to TattingChic! When I am deciding how many stitches to use on a round
I go by how many stitches it needs to cover or stretch across on the previous round. Even then, it's trial and error and I've had to do some.... *gasp* ......"Tatting SURGERY"! HORRORS! I've never designed a doily, only edgings, motifs and a bracelet and a bookmark oh, yeah, and a 3-D egg, and some tatting designs over glass christmas ornaments, oh, yeah, and an angel and a pillow...ya know, Lady Shuttlemaker just designed a killer doily. Why don't you ask her? There's not really a specific formula that I know of.

Dear Jessica,
Thank you for catching up on my blog. Did you know that your blog was one of the first I came across and commented on? It's true. I think you were even one of the first to comment on mine...I'm not sure why I'm feeling nostalgic at the moment...LOL. Thanks for visiting. I am slowly getting my life back to normal...Ssslllooowwwlllyyy.....ugh
((hugs)) back, TattingChic

Hi Kathy, it sounds like you are really coming along with the shuttle tatting. Ya know, I'm not well-versed on where on the internet to go to learn everything as I learned from books. You may have to break down and buy "Fancy Pants" from www.hhtatting.com I hear from the ladies at my lace guild that is a great book for beginner shuttle tatters. I'll bet if you asked Melissa really nice she might know where a good video on making chains with rings is.

Thank you for your kind words, Dantatter. So glad that you stopped by to visit, as always! :)

Linda said...

What beautiful bookmarks! You and Karin are both so talented...tatting is just so pretty. My granma used to tat, but sadly I never learned(I think I might have already told you this).
Your erase board is going to be lots of fun...love the colors. I'm going get a tile and use it as a quick message board. Enjoy...Hugs, Linda

Unknown said...

Thank you for your nice comments on the bookmarks, Linda. Yes, the porcelain tile makes for a great Dry Erase Message Board. Laurie used some special paint on it for the flowers. I'm not sure what, but she explains it in her blog.

Lola Enchanted said...

Very pretty!!!!~

Tracy said...

Wow! Those bookmarkers are amazing. You are so talented! The giveaway you won is so cool too! You picked the perfect easel to display it on.
P.S Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog!

Barb said...

What treasures you have received. Talk about talented ladies...
I love yours as well- it just amazes me that someone can make something like that. Too beautiful!

ta ta to you.
Barb

Unknown said...

Thank you, Lola Enchanted.

Thank you for your nice compliments, Shabby Addict! I really appreciate them. Ya know, it's nice to know the easel is appreciated as I have never put so much thought into a mini-easel purchase...LOL!

Thank so very much, Barb! I'm glad you like the bookmarks. Thanks again for stopping by ~ toodles! :)

Vintage Linen Treasures said...

How fun to get that beautiful book mark from Karin in Germany! And then you send her one just as spectacular (I'm very partial to roses, so I really LOVE it!). Also, the hand painted, dry erase tile is such a GREAT idea. I'm not too great at painting, but that one might be worth a try. I always have such a nice time visiting your blog.
Blessings,
Patricia :o)

Tattycat said...

I am going to see if I can't organize an award just for you. The most comments received on all of your posts!!! You have so many friends and admirers and you are giving tatting great exposure. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Oh, yes, Patricia, I consider myself very fortunate to be able to participate in a tatting exchange with Karin. I'm surprised at how well the tile piece works as a message board, but it does. It has to be the shiny kind, not a matte finish, of course. I'm so glad you found me! Do come again!!

Oh, TattyCat, you are so sweet. Your sweet comment made me cry (in a good way). Thank you for thinking of me.

Attic Clutter said...

Oh the tatting bookmarker is wonderful.. such hard work put into those..
I thank you for your comments (yes that was a sad loss ,boo hoo) glad you came by and I will be back..looks like we have alot of the same loves---in your bio--- except I don't do the tatting(:) hugs Patty

Rebecca Ramsey said...

What a pretty bookmark! I see what you mean! And all the way from Germany.
Lucky you!

Trish said...

those bookmarks are both very beautiful, I would love to be able to do one for myself, I think I may need to learn, thanks for sharing xxx

Unknown said...

Thank you, Patty from Attic Clutter. I appreciate your comment and visit. How wonderful to have so many things in common~lucky you to have cats!

Hi Becky! Yes, thank you, it is a lovely bookmark, isn't it! And lucky me to have your very entertaining book to put it in...I'm already on CH 21!

Hi Trish, thanks for visiting. Oh, I would love it if you learned to tat! Let me know if I could help in any way. I may have mentioned eTatters before. I have a badge on the right sidebar of my blog that takes you right to it and it's free to join. Lot's of support and friendly tatters to ask questions to.

Cathy said...

Wow, how talented you ladies are that can do such fine needlework. This bookmark is 2DIE4. And the colors are stunning, my favorite.


xo Cathy

NeereAnDear said...

Oh my goodness I am just amazed when I get to visit a blog with such beauty and amazing talent... Your tatting is oh so stunning....and I adore the bookmarks... lovely!!

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit and to leave a comment for the Tasha Tudor booklet...

She will truly be missed

I do hope you will come again

JO

Rosemary said...

Those are really pretty!!
How talented to be able to do that.
Rosemary

Unknown said...

Thank you, Cathy, I'm glad you like the bookmarks. Thanks for visiting and I hope to "see" you again!

Yes, Jo from Neereandear, Tasha Tudor will definately be missed. Her illustrations were an inspirations to millions.
I'm so glad you came to visit my blog today and I appreciate the kind comment. I hope you come back, also!

Hi, Rosemary! I always appreciate your visits and kind comments. Thank you so much!

Tracy said...

You're on a roll with the gifts, Tattingchic! Gorgeous bookmarks...the one you receive and the one you made...I love seeing the close-up photos and all the fine details...The beauty of tatting is amazing! Such fun here today. Happy weekend, my friend ((HUGS))

Barb said...

Hi there,

I am very lucky to have a good guy to "lift" me up when I need it.

Don't you just love Becky's book-lol funny!

hugs,
Barb

Unknown said...

Hi Tracy, good to 'see' you again...LOL. Thanks for all the nice comments. I'm glad you like the tatting. Have a great weekend yourself! Take care and ((hugs)) back!!

Hey Barb, You are lucky and yes, Becky's book is great! I'm already on Ch 27 and so sad to see it only has 32 Chapters...LOL! I want it to go on, good thing she has her blog! I can get a 'daily dose' of Becky's humor.

Celestina Marie said...

Wow, the bookmarks are all just wonderful. I love the one you received for the exhange. Just beautiful, and the one you did with the rosette is gorgeous. I wish I could do this as I collect bookmarks. Maybe someday!! Your giveaway gift from Laurie is just awesome. You will really enjoy that for sure. Nice to see you today at my blog too and thank you for the kind comments. See you again soon. Have a great weekend.
Celestina, la rea rose

Karen ~ Cider Antiques said...

Lovely tatting you do! So pretty and delicate.

Your hand painted tile from Laurie is gorgeous!

Karen at Ciderantiques

Karin said...

Both those bookmarks are amazing, I'm so jealous of your talent!

Unknown said...

Thank you Celestina Marie. I appreciate your comments and visits. It's so cool to so many wonderful bloggers such as yourself!

Hello Karen from Cider Antiques! It's always nice to have you here. I'm still enjoying my giveaway linens from you, thank you so much!

Hi Karin. Thank you for your comment. I'm glad you visited and left a comment because it allowed me to visit your blog. Your sewing talent is amazing!

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh! You are so lucky! They are both gorgeous!!!! I love the rosegarden bookmark :) And the tile looks beautiful in your kitchen! I just love Laurie's work!

Hugs,
Amy

Unknown said...

Thanks for your nice comments on the bookmarks, Amy! I always enjoy it when you hop by. Isn't Laurie's work adorable? I love her stuff, too.

rochambeau said...

You have Fairy Fingers!
Your bookmarks are lovely!
Constance

Andrea said...

Pretty stuff! Don't you just love to win!

Naturegirl said...

I think you are so blessed in recieving these special one of a kind gifts made from the heart!
Wonderful book marks!
I am familiar with Karin..simply a wonderful gentle creative spirit!

Unknown said...

Thank you, Constance from Rochambeau. I appreciate your lovely comment.

Yes, Vintage paper bella ~ Andrea, I do love to win! It's fun. Thank you for your visit.

Hi, Naturegirl! Yes, I agree, blessed is a good way to put it. I am indeed blessed. Thanks for visiting.

Bella Sinclair said...

Such beautiful bookmarks! Sadly, I don't have much time to read, but having bookmarks like these would inspire me to do so! :) They are both incredible, but yours looks even more delicate with the thinner thread. It looks so challenging to make, and very, very impressive.

Lucky, lucky you to have received so many nice things lately! But even better than the gifts are the comments from so many people who obviously admire your talent and enthusiasm for tatting and friendship.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving kind comments on my drawings!!!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for you comment, Bella Sinclair. :) Such nice thing you had to say and I appreciate all of them. You are very sweet and your drawings are so cute and amazing!

Carol said...

I'm not sure you'll even get this, this post is pretty old. But I just LOVE that bookmark you made!! I'm new to tatting and I know so many people who would just love a bookmark that was as beautiful as that Rose bookmark you made. Is there a pattern for it? If there is, I would love to buy it. You do such beautiful work and I just came across your blog and can't wait to go through more of the archives.
Have a wonderful day!