Demonstrating Tatting at The Handcart Days in Bountiful, Utah

Hello my bloggy friends! I guess it's been awhile, hasn't it? A lot has happened in my life since we last "spoke"... I guess I've got a lot of explain' to do, but before we get into all that let me share with you about what I did today! I went with someone from my local tatting group, "The Bonneville Tatters" to "The Handcart Days" in Bountiful, Utah and demonstrated tatting! It was really a nice day and we shared the lovely art of tatting with quite a few interested parties!

I even captured part of the day in some pics! Here, let me share them with you!

First, here is my partner in crime, Nannette.

She is tatting away diligently at something.
She even gave me permission to share her
pic on my blog! Wasn't that nice of her?

You can kind of get an idea of our table layout from this picture!
We had all kinds of tatted goodies we were displaying.

Of course as luck would have it the project I
was working on had a ring that wouldn't close
so I wasn't a very good "demonstrator"... LOL!


Here are some close ups of some of the tatted
goodies we were displaying...

...we had tatted lanyards and necklaces.

tatted brooches, snowflakes, earrings, doilies, bookmarks,
hearts, and of course, tatting shuttles!

This pictures shows a piece with some cluny work
that I haven't shown on my blog before and a pink
bookmark that Rozella Linden sent me once.
Yes, "THE" Rozella Linden...She has written books
on Celtic Tatting. Some of my tatting friends that are
involved in the online community may know her by her
real name "Ruth Perry". She also sent me a tatting shuttle...
...but that's a whole 'nother blog post! ;)

We were in an Art Center in Bountiful so there was a
bounty of beautiful artsy pieces to look at!
I snapped a few pics of things that caught my eye!

For instance this intriguing and beautiful necklace
was on display right behind us!
Isn't it gorgeous?
It looks like it was made out of all natural pieces.

Then in the center of the room and in front
of our table was this beautiful children's dress.
It was gorgeous!

Well, that was my Saturday! How was yours? Feel free to share what you think about our day at "The Handcart Days" in the comments! I've missed my bloggy friends but it's been hard to blog without a camera handy! I will share more in the near future now that I have a camera!... or well, actually...camera software!
(((huggles)))

♥

XOXO

All Is "Right SIDE UP" With The World Again!

or what I really meant to say was: "FONTS and FLAKES"

Hi there! I am happy to announce that TattingChic is back in business! Woo Hoo! Thank you everyone who commented on my Technical Difficulties post! I really appreciate your warmth and support. Apparently, yesterday morning when I sat down on my couch to eat my breakfast (see what I get for not eating at the table?), I accidentally sat on my laptop. Mortified, I jumped up immediately as I realized what I had done. I looked at my desktop screen and it was

¡¡¡uʍop ǝpısdn

YIKES!

Hey, that reminds me of a little song:
(Feel free to click "play" if you're in the mood for Diana Ross)

Thank you, bpmandersloot!

I went on with my day and while on a break at work I ran into the IT guy. I mentioned my predicament and he immediately started to laugh. He did say that it was a challenge and he had never heard of it before. He told me he would research about it that evening.

Today I got an email from him. It said:

"Try this.

Some systems will invert the display when you press CTRL-ALT-Up Arrow or CTRL-ALT-Down Arrow. This feature is installed to allow you to fix the monitor upside down on the ceiling or other high surface - useful for public displays. To put things back the right way press CTRL-ALT-Up Arrow or CTRL-ALT-Down Arrow again."

So, upon arriving home I immediately tried it after turning on my laptop! Lo and behold! It worked! YIPPEE!!! Easy and free fix! THANK YOU IT Guy (and you know who you are, although, I'm pretty positive you don't read this blog, LOL!)!!!

WHEW!!!

Apparently I had sat on the exact combination of CTRL-ALT-Down Arrow which turns it upside down. CTRL-ALT-Up Arrow turned it right side up again.

All is right (side up) with the world again!

It is so good to be back in the saddle again! Sewmuchfun4, it looks like you were right on the money with your suggestion as it was right what the I.T. guy said, thanks to you, too!

Now...back to what I was gonna say earlier before all this crazy turning-my-world-upside-down stuff.
What I really meant to post about today was that you may have noticed some changes on my blog lately. I had changed the font style of blog titles. I wanted to share with you some info about that.

~*~

This cool blog called Kevin & Amanda

had this very cool post here:

How To Use A Cute Font For Your Blogger Post Titles

Feel free to visit this blog if you're interested
in spicing up your blog a bit with some CUTE fonts!
It's way cool!

Amanda even writes back when you ask her questions in the comments!

Thanks, Amanda!

~*~

I also wanted to show you that I received
the July snowflake from Fairiebees

Here's a link with all the snowflakes together.

Thanks Fairiebees!

I look forward to getting my
tatted snowflake in the mail
from you every month!
I'll be sad when the year is through.

~*~

Sorry, about all the distractions! I was feeling very discombobulated and I think it shows in this post! Isn't that a great word? I love that word... "discombobulated"! It just sounds like things are all jumbled up and a mess, LOL!

Okay, okay, I know, I need to "get a life" if I'm all worried about my computer being unavailable for a 36 hour period, LOL!

See how much you guys mean to me!?!

It's nice to have a visit from you! Feel free to say hello and stuff! I missed you guys while my computer desktop was upside down! LOL!

(((HUGS)))!!!

XOXO

Hi guys and gals! I'd like to introduce you to the "new kid on the block" here in Bloggerlandia! She's a very talented gal who wants to share her story of caring for the elderly and all the wonderful things she's learned from her experiences with her elders.

She makes hand tatted lace along with other crafts and goodies!

She also happens to be my niece!

~*~

May I have a drum roll please?

...................................

Please welcome

Enlightened by Angels

This is the first thing she's tatted in a few years

and she's sharing it with us on her blog!

Be sure to stop by and say hello

and welcome the new blogger on the block!

~*~

Thanks for stopping by so I could introduce you to "Enlightened by Angels" and her new blog! She's a sweet gal with a lot to offer and I'm proud to call her my niecey-pooh! I'd love to hear from you, too! I'd love it if you said hello! Comments are always welcome here on TattingChic!

((Hugs)),

XOXO

May and June Snowflakes From Fairiebees!

As promised I have a blog post for you! This is about the arrival of some tatted lace snowflakes from Fairiebees. I had previously won a giveaway from her that lasts all the year through. Each month I have the good fortune of looking forward to a snowflake from her! This month the Snowflakes for both May and June have arrived.

~*~

May's snowflake arrived on June 1st.

Here's a close up:
Isn't it pretty?

***

Here's is the June snowflake that arrived within the last week.


Here's another closeup:

Thank you, Crystal from Fairiebees!

I love the way each snowflake is packaged with the

pattern information on each snowflake.

Very cool!

Cool, like a snowflake...get it???

~*~

Thank you so much for stopping by to see some beautiful hand-tatted snowflakes! I'm glad to share them with you. It's always nice to share with friends a little bit of something that brings joy into your day, wouldn't you say? I think so. I think that's one of the wonderful things about this magical place we call blog~land! We kind of get to flit around like butterflies visiting lovely flowers in a beautiful and magical meadow and get to visit so many different places and see so many different things that we wouldn't be able to in our "real" lives. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me today. Comments are always welcome, so I'd LOVE to hear what you have to share with me!

Toodles,

~TattingChic

xoxo

Tatting From Scotland!

I had the pleasure of getting a fun package from Scotland this past week! It was from Trayna of Scotland! Recently, Trayna had a giveaway on her blog and I was one of the lucky winners! Well, okay, she actually gave something to each person who entered! Isn't that generous? I certainly think so! If you have never had the opportunity to see Scottish tatting now is your chance, ladies and gents!

"What's the difference between Scottish Tatting and regular tatting?", you ask?

Why, in Scottish tatting the person tatting up the tatted bits is actually IN Scotland! It is actually even more authentic if the person is actually Scottish. Ha Ha! Gotcha! You thought there was some new special brand of tatting that I was going to tell you about, didn't you? Actually, I have a special place in my heart for Scotland. I had a very good friend who hailed from there. She is someone that I have lost touch with, but she came into my life (much like a long lost big sister) when I really needed a very good friend and she certainly fit the bill! Thank you, Scottish friend who is no longer in my life...wherever you are!

Well, back to tatting. Trayna certainly was kind to tat up a bunch of goodies for everyone who entered her giveaway, wouldn't you say? Would you like to see what Trayna sent?

Well would ya?

~*~

Okay, here ya go:

She sent this postcard from Scotland

and these lovely tatted motifs.

Here's the pretty snowflake closeup.


Look at this lovely round motif in green!

What a sweet butterfly!

Look at these very skillfully made picots!

(Picots are the pretty loops you see sticking out of the tatted rings.)

Thank you, Trayna!

I love my tatted bits you sent!

They made my day.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by to see the tatting from Scotland! I hope you liked it. I did! LOL! I am wondering where to put it. I am contemplating getting a new journal to put in tatted motifs from my tatting friends!

Be sure to say hello before you run off to visit Trayna's blog. I'd love to hear from you!

Toodles!

~TattingChic

xoxo

Some Treats In The Mail Today

The mail just got here about an hour ago! I got some tatting treats that I'd love to share with you!

~*~

First, it's the April Snowflake

from Fairiebee!

What a nice surprise!

Here's a close-up.

Isn't it pretty!?

Thanks, Fairiebee!

~*~

Next, was a larger package that I have

been waiting for all week!

I ordered Martha's lovely new tatting book called

"Tea is for Tatting"

Yes, I jumped on the Tea-is-for-tatting-bandwagon

and ordered one just like everyone else

in tatting blogland. It was autographed by

Martha herself. Thanks, Martha!

It has some beautiful teapot patterns in it.

No, I haven't had time to tat up a pattern for you,

BUT

I do have some links to blog posts of tatters

who have already been at it!

Here ya go!

***

Here's a bunch of them on

Celtic's Lacing and Whimsical Thoughts.

*

Gina has done 2 posts on the teapot book:

Tea For Everybody and

an untitled post with a very pretty tatted teapot.

*

Laura posted the Celtic Teapot by Martha Ess.

*

Steph also had to show her

excitement about receiving the book!

*

Tatskool tatted up a few in different

colors and had herself a Teapot Time!

*

On The Space Between (her "old" site)

there is another lovely teapot!

*

Wally has also shared about the book here.

~*~

Have fun blog-hopping! Before you go on your whirlwind tour of tatted teapots be sure and say a quick hello! I'd love to hear from you! Hope you are having a wonderful week! I am feeling better and looking forward to going to work tomorrow...if they'll have me back...hee hee! Okay, not hee hee. I dread calling off work and wish I didn't have health issues, but I do so that's what happens. Enough of that! Did I mention I'd love to hear from you!? I would...let's talk about you, now!
Tah-tah for now,

~TattingChic

xoxo

Welcome Friends!!

I love our fine feathered friends! I think that birds are beautiful creatures and enjoyable to watch. Does that make me a "bird-watcher"? I don't know, but what I do know is that I think that a little visit outside my window from a little birdie is so sweet, especially when it's a visit from the hummingbirds. What better way to welcome them over to my place than with some food! Why not do it with style!?! Flair!! Finesse!
Oh, I've really gone overboard this time, but that's okay. That's what some of us creative folks do best, right?

Right!

Well, I did some "creative" shopping this last month.

~*~

I got this:

(Click on photo for source of photo and ad)

***

subtracted this:

***

Added this: (Click on photo for source of photo and ad)

***

I ended up with this:

Voila'! See how the scrolls in the hummingbird feeder

reflect the scrollwork in the stand?

Yummmmm!!!

Wadda ya think?

(for my international friends that have a 1st language

other than English, that's slang for "What do you think?) See? It even has little dangles just like a real chandelier, LOL!

***

Here's a hummingbird's view of one of the feeder heads: It's blown glass.



If you were wondering how the regular birds were
going to get their fair share now that I've "done away"
with the original bird feeder that went with the stand,
never fear,
I got them this little angel.

No, really, I got them an angel.

See? Isn't she pretty?

*****

She's sweet, too!

*****

See how she's holding out birdseed in one hand
and holding a birdie in the other hand.
Awwww!

Thanks for allowing me to indulge this blog
with my birdie love!

*****

You know, I really should've entitled
this blog post "The Big Splurge"!

;)


~*~


Now, for all my fabulous
blog friends who flew in just to see some tatting
don't you go away just yet!

I've got something for you, too!

It's the March Snowflake
that just flew in this week
from Fairiebee!

Here's a close up for you.
Isn't it pretty?


~*~

Welcome friends and thanks for flying in to say hello! Hopefully, you know by now that comments are always welcome! New friends are welcome, too! Stop by anytime and be sure to say hello before you fly off!

Sincerely,

TattingChic

xoxo

My Precious...

Remember Gollum? He was a character from J.R.R. Tolkien's Ring Trilogy. He was a "little" obsessed about a certain object; a piece of jewelry, let's say. He could often be found stroking and staring at his beloved object saying over and over, "my precious...". For those of you who may need a refresher on what that sounded like...

~*~

...here's a little clip from the movie

"The Lord of The Rings".

WARNING: It's not pretty!

Thank you, 420glass!!

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!!

Creepy-scary, HUH!?!
Okay, maybe I'm not quite as badly obsessed as that guy,
but I did find something I can't stop staring at!
It is beautiful and perhaps, if I show you, then
you won't be able to stop staring at it, either!
It's this beautiful Three Muses Cameo
Tatting Shuttle made of rare pink ivory wood.

Isn't it pretty? It's "my precious", LOL!

Here's another angle...just in case you want more.

;)

It came as part of a set.

Here it is with the matching magnetic needle minder.
I special ordered it from Dave at

Grizzly Mountain Arts!

Dave is a gifted artist who hand carves

unique and beautiful needlework tools.

You should check out his work; you

won't be disappointed! It's magnificent!

Thank you, Dave! I LOVE IT!!!!

~*~

Speaking of things I love...

I recently received the

February Snowflake

from Fairiebee!

Above, you will see the snowflake in it's package with

the title of the snowflake's pattern and size thread

that she used.

Below, is this pretty snowflake

outside of it's wrappings!

Isn't it pretty?

Thank you, Fairiebee!

~*~

Well, that's all the show and tell for today! I still need to get caught up on my TIAS that I started to show you in my previous post!

Oh, and before you run off, I'd love to hear what you have to say. Do you have a "precious" that you love, too? LOL! I'd love to hear about it.

Toodles,

TattingChic

xoxo

The Beauty of Blogging

The beauty of blogging happens in the wake of friendships formed. Kindred spirits connect in this mysterious place we affectionately call "bloggerland". One such friendship has resulted in an exchange of art between my friend, Bella Sinclair, and myself!

Since Bella doesn't tat, but does fabulously whimsical illustrations (that I adore), we calculated our exchange in time. The amount of time it takes each of us to do a piece. We decided that one illustration + the time it takes her to make a photo case = the time it takes me to tat one snowflake. Once that was settled then away we went making our projects for our "art exchange"!

Her goodies came in the mail on Saturday and I was waiting until she got my gift to post the photos so I didn't spoil the surprise for her. I can't WAIT to show you what she sent! It literally brought tears to my eyes when I saw these illustrations!

~*~

Just take a look at this!

It's called "Snow Maker"

Look at the little tatted snowflakes falling from

the shuttle! Look at the cute little kitty cat

playing with the ball of thread.

I ADORE kitty cats.

Bella has never seen someone tatting in real life.

She asked for some photos of someone tatting.

I didn't have any and my friend, Gina, obliged.

She emailed photos of her tatting so

Bella could work on what the hands look like.

Thank you, Gina!

Look at this close up.

Not bad, aye?

She totally surprised me with this BONUS

illustration called "Puddy Tat!"

OMGosh!!!

Isn't it the cutest thing ever?

Look at that tatted kitty cat!!!

Bella Sinclair, I see tatting designs in your future!

Well, that wasn't all!

Here is the photo case she included in the exchange.

What's inside, you ask?
Well, here, I'll show you!

The photo holder folds out like this.

She made this!

Now, what to put in it?

Why, tatting, of course!

See?

The butterfly is from Umintsuru in Singapore.

I won it in a giveaway from her.

~*~

Oh, so lest we forget, this was an exchange, after all!

Would you like to see what I sent her in exchange?

It was my previous WIP that I had

been teasing you with in previous posts.

I finished it and off it went to

Bella in Japan!

I'm counting it as a motif for

the 25 Motif Challenge.

Motif # 24 Quantiesque Snowflake

You can see Bella Sinclair's post about the exchange here.

She has drawn the cutest illustration to show off the snowflake!
I'd like to invite you to go visit her blog!

I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Her illustrations are darling!



~*~

Thank you so much for stopping by to see the adorable illustrations I received in a wonderful exchange! Bloggerland truly is a beautiful place when we consider all the friendships we make through our visits to one another's blogs and sharing our creativity and admiration. It's a very special experience and I treasure all my bloggy friends! I hope you stop over and see Bella's wonderful art, but before you do, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment if you feel so inclined. If you would like to enter my tatting giveaway for One World One Heart be sure to enter by leaving a comment on the giveaway post by February 11, 2009.

Thank you!

~TattingChic

The WINNING~EST January Ever!

January can be such a boring, dismal month. Does anyone else agree? It seems like it's kind of a let down after the holiday hiatus of decor and fabulous festivities. It's back to the grinding wheel, back to the dreary everyday stuff...

...except for this January!

THIS January I won some cool stuff! I'm about to show you!

~*~

This is the January snowflake

from Fairiebee!!!

Her blog makes for a nice visit.

It came packaged with the

"manufacturer's label" and everything!
You can read here the pattern,

thread size and everything!

Shall we have a closer look at this little confection?
Awww...isn't it cute!?

~*~

Next, on the Winning Ticket
is this lovely
Blue Coat Girl
that I won from Pat Winter!!!

Let's look at her, shall we?
Isn't she adorable?

Rumor has it she is on her way to me right now!
Thank you, Pat!
I am so honored to win something that you made.

I am a great admirer of Pat's work.

If you haven't seen her work it's worth the time

to visit her blog.

She is a gifted needle artist!

~*~

Last, but not least,

I won an avalanche of awards from

Bella Sinclair!

Since I always right click on awards and

click on "Save Picture as..."

(on the giving blog's award post)

This is what I got, LOL!
Ummmmm...Thanks Bella!
This is certainly worth a mention because if you haven't

taken the time to see Bella's Blog with her

wonderfully whimsical artwork,

then I'd like to suggest you consider

going to visit her blog!

You just might fall in love with her drawings.
She's also a great bloggy friend.

~*~

Thank you for coming by to visit and letting me share my winning January with you! I'd love it if you let said "Hi" by leaving a comment! It's getting late and January is almost over! February is just around the corner. For some of you it has already arrived! By the time most of you have read this it will be here for sure! Here's to a winning February for all of us!
Love,

TattingChic

:)

P.S. Don't forget, there's still time to sign up for the One World One Heart giveaway! You have until February 11, 2009 to sign up by posting a comment on the giveaway post!