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

An Impending Death...

Dear friends,

Sorry about the morbid title, but I've got some very sad news to share with you! A very dear friend of mine is dying. This friend is like family I spend so much time with this dear friend! I fear the end is near for this poor, dear friend. When the end finally comes for this friend I'm afraid I won't be online as much... at least for a little while.
I know I promised I wouldn't be gone for long, but I'm afraid I have no choice.
You see it's my computer....it's dying. When it's gone I won't be able to get online until I can afford to get a new one.

...sniff...

....sniff...

It is a very dear friend....or at least all my friends live in it! You folks do! My blog buddies! I'm willing to take donations! HA HA H!!!

Well, here's a picture of some tatting to cheer us all up!

It's a Celtic Style bookmark.
It's called "Celtic Bookmark".
The design is by LaRae Mikulecky

I showed a different version on
this blog post here.
I tatted this particular bookmark
a few years ago.


I added the padded cord and motif. Here's a close up below:

There, now don't you feel better after seeing some tatting? I know I do...sorta... I wish my computer wasn't dying...I do enjoy spending time with all of you!

XOXO

Tatting from Canada, AYE?

Now, that I've shown you all Danish tatting, Irish tatting, Scottish tatting, and even German tatting it's time to show you some Canadian Tatting! ;)
Actually Jeff from Bridge City Tatting and I had planned a bookmark swap clear back in early October 2009 (just 3 months ago, LOL!) and the actual swappage occurred sometime in November.
Jeff's request was that I not make his bookmark look too "girly" since he is probably well aware from my blog how much I like pink! LOL! I assured him I would do my utmost to make his bookmark as masculine as I possibly could!
My request to Jeff??? PLEASE make it a girly-girl looking bookmark! That is what I LOVE about tatting! I think both of use were quite curious how our gifts to each other would look!
That was the fun of it all, I think!

~*~

Well, look at this beautiful, delicate, lacy tatted bookmark I got from Jeff!

It's definitely feminine, don't you think?

I thought I'd share the
Canadian postmark
for 2 reasons:
1) I don't get mail from Canada everyday!
2) I wanted to participate in this week's
Postcard Friendship Friday!!!
(She says even stamp images count!)

The theme is
"God Save the Queen"
Well, Canada is part of the British empire, right?
Aaaaand this bookmark looks like
it's fit for a queen, right?

Well, just look at it!

Oh! Oh! and Jeff says that the designer of
this pattern is Mary Konior!
She's a tatter from ENGLAND!!!


Here's a closeup of it!
The design is called "Patchwork"
from the book Tatting With Visual Patterns

Isn't it pretty?
I definitely think it looks girly!
You can read more about it on
his post by clicking here!
I love the colors.
Jeff used Lizbeth size 40 thread
in color #120 called Denim Whisper

Jeff is a man of multi talents!
He also does chainmaille and sells
it on his Etsy shop called Redeye!

He sent me this WAY cool scissor fob in silver and PINK!

Cool, aye?

~*~

Now, for my bookmark to Jeff!

Much to my relief he said in an email:

"I officially declare it a manly bookmark"!

WHEW!

Here it is:

This is the front of it.
You can see a close up of it below.

It's a celtic style design called
"Celtic Bookmark"
by LaRae Mikulecky.
Thanks for finding the lost link again, Jeff!
You can read Jeff's post about this
bookmark on his blog by clicking here.

This is the back of it above.
There is the close up below.

I used 3 colors. A lighter blue (denim) and a
darker blue (medium blue) and a green.
They are all Lizbeth threads size 20.

Thanks for the swap, Jeff!

~*~

Thank to you for stopping by! The thing that makes this blog so enjoyable are all the fabulous visitors and comments! Thanks for all your fun comments and joviality! It makes my day! Well, it makes my whole week! My bloggy friends are awesome and new bloggy visitors are always welcome.

♥

XOXO

A Lovely Gift From Dantatter!

In this day and age of instant messaging, emails, tweets, and all forms of electronic communication from all around the planet it is so refreshing to get good old fashioned snail mail! Another sweet friend from the Land of Blog who wanted to wish me well has sent me a fabulous handmade gift!

~*~

Here's a preview of what arrived from

Susanne of Dantatter's Nook! Look! It's pink and white!

Woo Hoo!

***

It came all the way from Denmark! It's a Danish postmark and stamp. I think it's cool!

***

Here's what arrived in the envelope.A very nice card and hand-tatted lace bookmark!
***
The card has photos of "The Old Town"

located in Aarhus, Denmark!

They have houses dating as far back as 1550 A.D.!

If you would like to know more about it,

then here is a link to The Old Town website.
***
Here's another view of the beautiful tatted bookmark

Susanne told me she tatted it in size 20 Flora brand thread.
I think it's so pretty!

Tusind Tak, Susanne!

(Thank you, Susanne!)

~*~

Some of you may recall that I posted about a Christmas tatting exchange that Susanne and I did last Christmas. She is a very talented tatter and if you'd like to see more of her work feel free to visit her blog. Be sure to stop and say hello before you run off to the Danish part of blog~town, though! I always enjoy your visits and each and every one of your comments means so much!

Tah~tah for now!

XOXO

Edited on Friday 7/3/09:

Thank you Marie Reed for including this post on:

Welcome PFF-ers!

Treasures in Blogland

Blogland is like an unexpected world just waiting to be discovered. Behind every nook and cranny, under every rock there are little treasures to be found! I've found a few such treasures lately! I'd like to share them with you, if I may.

~*~

In May I won a Birthday Giveaway

hosted by Carolyn of Draffin Bears!

I was one of 4 lucky winners!

***

Carolyn sent this pretty card and

sweet handmade dough ornament! She wrote the sweetest note inside!Isn't her hand writing beautiful!?
Thank you, Carolyn from Draffin Bears!

I am grateful for your friendship!

She makes the most adorable Teddy Bears

and has a shop also called Draffin Bears.

~*~

Next, from the talented Ruth Perry

I received this beautiful pink celtic style tatted bookmark.

Ruth tatted this herself.

Ruth also goes by her pen name Rozella Linden

and has written a many books on Celtic Tatting.

Celtic Tatting is a style of tatting where the tatting intertwines

as you make the lace. It's quite intriguing.

This type of tatting shuttle was made special for Ruth

when she published her "Celtic Tatting" book

through Handy Hands Publishing. Barbara Foster,

owner of Handy Hands Tatting, asked her if a thinner

shuttle would work better for this type of tatting and

so the Celtic Tatting Shuttle was "born"!

The Celtic Shuttle is thinner than a typical tatting shuttle so

that it will slide in between smaller spaces that

celtic tatting creates. Ruth tells me that the

following shuttle was the result of this design request. Can you see how it's long and skinny?

This shuttle, Ruth told me, was one of the first Celtic shuttles

ever made. She said she no longer has a need for it

and so she passed it on to me!

I am honored! I haven't learned celtic tatting yet,

so, no pressure there, LOL! I certainly will now!

I have many of Ruth's books!

You may be wondering how I happened to acquire such

tatting treasures from Ruth, a woman I have never met, but have admired her talent for many years.

It just so happens that she had a "yard sale" earlier this year which I participated in. It was like a grab bag where you made a bid and got some her stash of threads, beads, shuttles, and tatted bits. This is only some of what she sent me. I'll post more about this later.

~*~

Thank you for coming to see some of my treasures I've acquired in blogland! It's been a pleasure to share them with you. What sort of treasures have you come across in blogland lately? Feel free to share your thoughts with me. Comments are always welcome here! Don't forget, the friendships I've made with many of you are the greatest treasures of all!

Sincerely,

XOXO

Cry Me A River

By now most of you have seen this video of Susan Boyle on "Britain's Got Talent". It's simply awe-inspiring. It's not just that she has the singing voice of an Angel, but also that she came out on top when everyone was being so cynical! Many are saying that she already has a singing career ahead of her from the sounds of that one performance! This is the stuff that dreams are made of! I have watched that video more than once and each and everytime the tears start to roll down my face; I'm so touched by the beauty of her voice! I about cry myself a river each time I see it.

~*~

Did you know that she made a recording in 1999?

It was for a CD for charity recorded in her hometown.

If you'd like to hear it just click on the video below:

Thanks, Leonreaction!

Wow!

It just warms my heart.

~*~

Speaking of heart-warming things

here's a tatted blue heart. This is the same blue heart

that I won in Umintsuru's giveaway when

her kitty Tsuru picked my name as the winner!

I mentioned it a few blog posts ago.

It just arrived from Singapore.

See?

***

Wendy also slipped in a couple of surprises!

Lucky me!

The first surprise was this little tatted

dragonfly charm is from her other kitty Umi! Thanks, Umi! Can't forget Umi!

***

Secondly, this is a lovely bookmark

(this type is called a book-thong)

designed and tatted by Wendy. Isn't it pretty?

***

She included a little note on the back of the card.

Sweet!

I thought it was very nice how she attached the tatting

to the paper! It makes for a lovely presentation!

~*~

Thanks for visiting today! What heart-warming things have you encountered lately? I'd love to hear about it in the comments! If you just want to say hello, that's okay, too! Hope you are all having a fabulous day! It's Hump-day! Whoo Hoo! Hope the rest of your week goes well.

Toodles!

~TattingChic

xoxo

My Tatting Library Is Now Complete!

Yes, my tatting library is complete now that I have acquired some tatting books that I have searched high and low for that are out of print! I was fortunate enough to find them on a used book seller's site. I was appalled at some of the prices some people were asking for these babies! Did you know that some people actually had the gall to ask $109.00 for one of these books below?

HELLO!!!

Anyway, I just want to warn you that there are some unreasonable prices out there and if you are shopping for these books please don't pay more than $45.00 for them. I found each of them for that amount or less, so if you see a seller asking for an unreasonable price just pass on by until you find something better. That is too much to ask!
So, now that I'm done with my soap box I'd like to commence with the show and tell!

I ordered these books back in February and the last of them finally arrived yesterday!

~*~

Here is a fun classic

called, "Tatting"

by Cathy Bryant

Okay, the next 3 books are ones I have

waited so long to find and I finally did!
I am SOOOOOO excited to show you!
They are all by the beloved tatting designer

Mary Konior!

This is "Tatting Patterns"

Next is "A Pattern Book of Tatting"


Last is "Tatting in Lace"

To my knowledge Mary Konior

wrote 4 books. The 3 pictured above

are now out of print and that is why they

are so hard to find which would explain why

I am sooooooo excited about acquiring them!

The 4th book she wrote I already own and it is called

"Tatting With Visual Patterns"

It is my favorite tatting book!

If you click on the title it will take you to

Handy Hands which still has it for sale for

a very reasonable $19.95 USD.

The reason I mention this is that

some of these used book sellers are trying

to sell the same soft copy (used, and yes,

I said soft copy) for $60+ USD.

Handy Hands Tatting will sell it for a lot

less and it's brand new!

No, I do not get paid for mentioning

Handy Hands Tatting, I just know they

are a dependable tatting goods source.

Ironically, I cannot find my copy of

"Tatting With Visual Patterns" right now,

but I do have a photo of a bookmark that

I tatted a few years ago from my favorite pattern

from this book. The pattern is called

"Black Magic". I like it because

I find the pattern visually appealing.

Here's a photo of a bookmark I tatted

from that pattern.

Click on photo to enlarge



The motif on the end I added by improvising on

the pattern a little and adding a Josephine chain.

I use this bookmark in my scriptures.

It is tatted in DMC size 80 tatting thread.

Did I say that my tatting library is now complete!

LOL... and you believed me???

I think it will NEVER be complete!
There is always another tatting book I want,

but this is about as complete as it will get for a while

as I am so excited to finally have these books!
I have been looking for them for years!

~*~

Thanks for stopping by! I always appreciate visits from my bloggy friends! I've had severe back pain over the last week and had no relief until yesterday when I got a new muscle relaxant. This is the first day that I've been able to sit for a period of time! Thank you Doctor and muscle relaxants! What a relief! I will finally be able to go back to work tomorrow! I am so excited! TV can get sooo boring! I've been in too much pain to even tat! Hence, the photos of projects from years ago that I've been sharing with you! For those of you following the TIAS I hope to finish that this next weekend so stay tuned!!!

As far as the blogoversary/100 post countdown goes this make blog post # 97!!! We're getting closer! Woo Hoooooo!

Toodles!

~TattingChic

xoxo

I Want A New Drug...

"...one that won't make me sick...

...one that won't make me crash my car...

...or make me feel three feet thick...

One that won't make me nervous

Wondering what to do."

~*~

Remember the blessed 80's? Ah, yes, the wild, gluttonous 80's. This song by Huey Lewis and the News was a big hit in 1984. I would innocently sing along to the lyrics (above) never knowing that one day I would succomb to my drug habit; tatting.

Here's the thing, even hardcore HDT addicts need a "new drug" once in a while. Hence, the new Valdani threads I purchased this week from DS9Designs. Valdani threads are made in Romania. What makes them so special, you ask? Nothing in particular, they're just perle cotton. Perle cotton isn't the BEST for tatting because of it's loose twist, but it sure has a lovely sheen to it once it's all tatted up. I tend to be a tight tatter so the loose twist of the thread isn't an issue for me. Let me show you my latest "drugs" I purchased for my habit, LOL!

I purchased the following Valdani threads

for their beautiful colors.
I also got some matching

Japanese Miyuki Seed Beads

to go with the threads. I was impressed by

how well they matched the threads.

***

Algae and Delicate Rose

Valdani Perle Cotton size 12

Green Grass

Violette di Parma
....sigh....

Aren't they pretty?


You know I couldn't go through a
tatting spending spree without getting
my staple;
HDT!

These lovely Hand Dyed Threads
are from Yarnplayer's Etsy Shop.

I was pleasantly surprised
when I opened my package from her.
There was this beautiful hand tatted bookmark
from her with a thank you tag attached!
I believe this is done in her HDT called "Purple Punch".

Thank YOU, Marilee!


Next to arrive was this lovely
handcarved Buffalo Bone Lady Hoare Style Shuttle.
This was hand carved by Dave from
Grizzly Mountain Arts.
No animals were harmed to make
his beautiful hand carved
fiber art tools.



Doesn't Dave's Hand Carved Buffalo Bone Tatting Shuttle
look lovely paired with Marilee's Thank You Bookmark?



Let's take a closer look
at those finely detailed
carved roses framed by
some expertly tatted lace.


WOW!
How many people get to use works of art
to create a work of art?

***

That's what I'm going to be doing when I tat
up some lace with this Hand Carved Shuttle and Hand Dyed Thread.

What a treat~!

~*~

Thank you for letting me share my newest tatting treasures with you. I've been tatting up some fun things for fall this week, I will show you that later! Thanks for stopping by and I'd love to hear from you! Comments are always welcome.

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last "tat-o-holism" post. You guys are just too witty and fun! I got so many chuckles from reading all those great comments and I'm looking forward to what else you have to share with me.

Chat with you all soon,

~TattingChic

((hugs))

(edited 1/17/09) P.S. Here's a little video for those of you that would like to indulge yourselves in Huey's music...