Catching up

When I took that little blogging break between Easter and October it wasn't because I didn't have anything to blog about! Oh, no! It also wasn't because I don't like you guys! I LOVE my blogger buddies! You guys are the best! I really missed you guys! The truth was I just wasn't feeling well and I didn't want to get on here and complain and be a drag. So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! I've had lot's of periods of not feeling well! During one of those dark periods a very sweet friend sent me some tatted lace to cheer me up! Let me share it with you!

~*~

Isn't this just gorgeous?

It's an edging called "Bridesmaid"
designed by Mary Konior
She tatted it because it looks so similar
to "Black Magic" and my dear friend
knows how much I like the "Black Magic" design!

~*~

Here it is on a contrasting background
so you can have another look at it.

I just love it and it certainly
did cheer me up!
I've had it on my side table in my living
room where I can look at it from time to time.

~*~

Now, you are probably wondering
"Who is this dear friend?"
Why it's my friend from the blog
Umintsuru!

It came all the way from Singapore
and here's the postmark to prove it!
Isn't the stamp pretty?

Thank you, my friend!

~*~

You may want to go on over to her blog because she's having a giveaway right now! She's giving away these beautiful tatted earrings! WAIT! Before you go, though, I'd love to hear what you have to say! I'm a sucker for comments...tee hee!

♥

XOXO

Swap de Jessica

In the last blog post a sneak peek of a swap was shown.

I promised to do the "Big Reveal" when my swap partner, Jessica of "Kids Napping? I'm Scrapping!" received my swap gift. I'm happy to announce that Jessica did indeed get her package from me and now I can share our swap with you!

You see, in bloggerlandia I have had the good fortune to make blog friends, win a giveaway or two, and do some fun swaps! From all of these packages and cards I have a pile of addresses building up in a shopping bag that is out of control!!! I need somewhere to put all these very special addresses. For some of you, the solution might be to just put them in your computer, but for me I need something more aesthetic than a computer! I need a pretty address book...and not just any address book...a pretty one made with heart! I got just what I wanted in my swap with Jessica!

Jessica wanted some tatting for her fabulous scrapbook projects. I wanted a special address book. Boy, I had no idea that I was in for a real treat!

~*~

Just look at this darling
address book that
Jessica sent me!!!

Look at it! Isn't it cute!?!
It even has T-A-T-T-I-N-G on the cover!

***
Squeeeeeeeal!!!

***

OH my GOODness!
Look at the cute stamped alphabet tabs!

I can't believe she found some tatting to put
on the cover! It's PERFECT!!!

Each page has a different piece of scrapbook paper
adhered to some vintage ledger paper! It's awesome!

The spaces on the right of the address labels are just
the right size for me to put interesting postmarks
from my international friends!

YIPPEE!!!

~*~

Oh, did I say something about a
"Big Reveal" earlier?

I guess I better 'fess up, right?

~*~

Jessica wanted a tatted edging
and some tatted hearts and flowers
for her portion of the swap from me.

Here are some of the round motifs I sent her.

Going clockwise from the top left:
1) "Fleur de Jessica" design by TattingChic
2) Josephine Wreath design by Mary Konior
3) A flower (title unkown-help me out here) design by Mary Maynord Maynard

I am going to count some motifs
tatted for this swap for
my 2nd round of the
25 Motif Challenge!

Motif # 9 Josephine Wreath

The "Josephine Wreath" (Motif No. 9) is from
Mary Konior's book called
A Pattern Book of Tatting.
It is out of print now and hard to find,

but it has some real gems in it.

Motif # 10 Fleur de Jessica

This motif is one I made up or modified
from another pattern.
I called it "Fleur de Jessica" because
Jessica wanted tatted flowers for her scrapbook
project and I couldn't find one I really liked
so I made it up especially for her.

Motif # 11 (title unkown-help me out here)

Here is Mary Maynord's Maynard's design on the
left (motif #11) next to my modified
version, 'Fleur de Jessica" (motif #10). Mary Maynord
Maynard has a book called
"Tatting Rings of Flowers".
It is a book I do not own. I was lucky enough
to happen on this one pattern from the book
so that I could tat the flower on the left.
My modified version is on the right.
If my version is just like one in the book then
that is a coincidence since I have never
actually seen inside Mary's book.

If one of my fellow tatting friends has the book
and knows the name of the flower on the left
please let me know and I'll edit my blog post!

Here's a bunch'a flowers sent to Jessica all together!

***

Motif # 12 Peacock Heart

Here's a motif I haven't shown on this blog before.
It's called Peacock Heart designed by Birgit Phelps.
Jessica requested some tatted hearts as well as
tatted flowers for her part of the swap.

Here's 2 of the "Peacock Heart" motifs shown together
with some "Ruffled Heart" (design by Vicki Clarke)
motifs that were sent. I've shown the
"Ruffled Heart" before.

***

Motif #13 Cloverleaf Edging

Lastly, Jessica also requested a tatted edging.
I picked a cloverleaf edging. I love cloverleaf edgings.
They are so simple that a beginner can do them and
they are so elegant! Who says simple can't be elegant?

An edging similar to this one is found at
The Antique Pattern Library
in the Priscilla Tatting Book pg 5
(which is pg 7 of the scanned pages)

All motifs were done in DMC brand "Cebelia" thread
size 10, color 818 (a very pretty pink). I thought
the "chunky" size 10 would look cute for
Jessica's fabulous scrapbook projects.

~*~

Thanks for stopping by and letting me show you my super fabulous swap with Jessica! It was fun. She is one of the nicest bloggers out there! Stop by her blog post on our swap! She loves buttons and scrapping and swaps! Be sure to say hello here before you run off to Jessica's! I'd love to hear from you!

♥

XOXO

Oh, (Tatted) Goody!

You may have noticed by now that I have a little (just a little) obsession with a little hobby called Tatting. Not only do I like crafting the art of tatting, but I also find myself going ga-ga over little bits of it that I find here and there. I stare at anything tatted like a raccoon stares at a shiny objects. It's an illness.

Here's an example of one of the symptoms of tat-o-holism that I suffer from:

I got a google alert with a link to this blog post. When I saw this darling tiny notebook with a snippet (just a snippet mind you) of tatting on the cover I then bought it as soon as it became available.

~*~

Here it is; a goody (with some tatting)!

I think it's a darling way to embellish a simple notebook.

*

Here's a closeup of the embellishment:

Cute, aye?

Well, I think so.

Sally L. Smith,

You did a nice job!

*

See that edging on the top of the linen?
That's called "Hen's and Chicks".
"Hens and Chicks" was a very popular tatted edging
pattern during the 1940's (and earlier by some reports).

The big ring with the two small rings right by it

represents a hen with her wings. The medium sized

rings underneath the "hen" are her "chicks".

~*~

Thank you for stopping by for this short, but sweet post. I have been dealing with the sad news I mentioned in the last post so I have not been returning comments this past week. I hope to get around to everyone sometime this weekend or the coming week. Thank you so much for your sweet and supportive comments this past week! It means a lot to know I have super great blogging friends. I probably sound like a broken record saying that by now, but I do mean it.

Here's hoping you're all having a great weekend!

~TattingChic

xoxo

Lucky Mail....and not One but Two Awards!!!

Remember the first blog giveaway I won from Cider Antiques? It was about the same time of the famous fortune cookie. Well the package has arrived in the mail! YAY! Don't ya just love fun mail? It's so nice to get something besides bills or junk mail.... cuz this is LUCK mail!

Let me show you up close what I got.

Let's just start right off with the good stuff...

THE TATTING!

Oh, I just LOVE hand-made lace, especially tatting!

Here is a vintage linen collar with a tatted blue and white edging

Here is a closeup of the tatted edging on the collar.

Also in tow was an antique style crocheted doily.

I put it in this tray for a splash of style.

The tray normally sits on my end table,

but I put it on the window-seat

so you can see it better.


A lovely crocheted doily with pink rosettes was also in hand. Perhaps I can make a

lovely sachet with the help of some

tulle, ribbon, pot-pourri, and a needle and thread.

Vintage style machine lace with lovely ribbon roses and button roses

to embellish something wonderful with.

The lovely tea cup tea towel came also.

It was accompanied by two lovely hankies.

I think the white hankie might look nice with a tatted edging applied,

what do you think?


Here's a closeup of the tea cup pocket.

Isn't it cute?

Thank you Karin from Cider Antiques!

She has a lovely blog it's worth taking a quick visit to.

If you happen to stay longer, I'm sure she'd love it!

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Secondly, Tracy from Pink Purl has a lovely blog and we have had the chance to become better aquainted through our blog comments and emails. She is a real sweetie with a creative heart. You also might enjoy her blog. She has honored me with not just one, but two awards!

The Arte Y Pico award,

an award for bloggers for their creativity, design,

interesting material, and contribution

to the blogging community, regardless of the language.

I pass this onto Yarnplayer, LadyShuttleMaker, Melissa, Verito, and Kathy.

The site that this award originated from is written in Spanish

so ya got me as to what the rules are.

....and she also awarded me with

The Five Blogs That Make My Day Award.

Thank you, Tracy! That also made my day.

If I have to choose FIVE blogs that make my day the choice is tough as there are so many.

The five that come to mind at the moment are

Becky, Barb, Laurie, Karen, and La Balette Rouge.

Winners of the 5 Blogs That Make My Day Award, here's your task:

1) Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think and/or make my day.

2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver.

3) Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news!

DISCLAIMER:

I think awards and tags are fun. If you have been acknowledged by me for a tag or an award and you find it a burden or otherwise makes you uncomfortable it's okay by me if you do not accept it.

Just consider it a compliment from me and consider it OPTIONAL.

HOLY COW, BAT MAN!!! There's a lot going on here lately in this corner of blogger-landia, so whether you look at awards and tags with joy or dread I'm glad you stopped by. Remember that your comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

You Will Be Showered With Good Luck

That's what the fortune cookie I opened up had to say when I opened it up earlier this week.

You don't believe me, you say?

Well, here's the evidence.

~

~

And good luck has begun to drizzle and I'm hoping for a full on down pour.

~

Because I WON! I WON! I WON!

~

What did I win you ask?

~

Why, the Cider Antiques Cottage Charm Giveaway held on May 31, 2008, that's what!

~

But it was held on the 31st of last month...

Why am I crowing about it NOW

on June 6th?

~

Well, the winner was chosen

and

believe it or not

she NEVER claimed her prize.

So, a new WINNER was chosen!

And that winner was me!

Yippeeeee!!!

~

Thank you Karen at

CiderAntiques.

She really has a nice blog about

vintage linens n' things.

I highly recommend you check it out.

Just for fun.

Ya know, kicks.

~

She sent me some pics with her permission to show you all what I won.

Wasn't that sweet of her?

~

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~


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Aren't they the sweetest vintagey things?
There's even a collar with a blue and white tatted edging.

SWEET!!!

Well, this concludes my typed celebration of winning and the beginning of a new phase in my life

"Being Showered With Good Luck" just like the little fortune cookie says. The inner celebrations will continue on all day and well into the evening and at least until I receive my fabulous vintage lineny wonderful prize. I'll be sure to share a pic or two when it arrives.

~

Thank you for visiting my blog today. Hey, watta ya think, if ya leave a comment then maybe some of that good luck will rub off on you, too? I say there's enough good luck to go around.

Ta~ta for now,

TattingChic :)

(giggles)

Added EDIT: Someone just brought to my attention today that my post about bookmarks for the May Bookmark Exchange were mentioned on Bookmark Collector back in may. Whoo Hooo. The good luck continues. Now I am right up there with our beloved Lace-Lovin'-Librarian, Diane! What a great honor!