Belated Christmas Greetings to All & update

Belated Christmas Greetings to All.

Thought I'd give you a quick update on what's been happening here. Firstly, we are starting to be able to see the ground again after 2 weeks with about 3ft of snow & seriously subzero temps (-15 C etc) so that is great. We even had an official white Christmas - like we need any more LOL!

I want to show you what my wee boy got me for Christmas (with a wee bit of helpful pointing in the right direction from Mummy, that is).

Isn't it just stunning - the photos show either side of it. It is the Maacki Chinensis wood that Sally spoke about some time ago here & I sent her down a 0.6mm crochet hook rather than the one that comes as standard - I can't describe just how lovely it is, the photos really don't do it justice. 'Im-in-the-garage has really surpassed himself this time - Thank you so much.

The other stuff I have been doing is Miranda's Ice Crystal in 2 colours but you are not going to see it as the DYK sections are truly appalling and it shames what is a stunning pattern. I have also done Miranda's Angels in the Snow that I won from the very kind giveaway of the anonymous donor but I can't find the image at present so will update you later - again a gorgeous pattern.

Our GP is retiring unfortunately as he has gone over and above the call of duty on a number of occasions over many years so I thought he warranted a couple of gifts - a bottle of whisky &.....


This is Jane's Double Self Closing Mock Ring Bookmark but my choice of thread was not the best - it is a variegated blue and a mint green but unfortunately the mint green & the pale blue are hard to distinguish apart but apart from that I really like it.

Can't think of much else at present except hope you all have a safe & prosperous New Year. We are going to my Aunt's for Hogmanay which will be bittersweet as it will be the first without my uncle but hopefully she'll cope okay.

TTFN

WOW

I 'm sorry but I truly think this is appalling - I truly believe that it just pure greed on behalf of the seller. I know the book is out of print but I purchased this book on amazon in October for £3.50 (approx $5.45) at that rate it gives the seller a 2200% profit!!!!!!!!!!!!



TTFN

Miranda's Ice Crystal & various updates

This is going to be fairly graphic rather than wordy I think - I have a bit to show you all.

Firstly, I had the cheek sometime ago to ask Miranda if she had a pattern for Ice Crystal that stunning snowflake she first showed here. She very kindly gave it to me & asked if I would test tat it for her. I thought orginally (& still do) that this was one of the most realistic true-to-life tatted snowflakes I had ever seen and as such thought that I really had to tat it in white just to show the stunning simplicity & complexity mixed together (like a real snowflake is) if that makes sense.
I really loved tatting it but as Miranda says herself on the instructions it is not for the faint-hearted.





I thought I'd show you the conditions we have at the moment - the back garden

the back of the house

the side of the house

these each are about 6-8ft long and as thick as your arm!

The updates I need to do are AnneB's dragonwing doily done in a HDT that I got from etsy but it is supposed to be #30 rayon but tats more like #60 - #80 and is a bit fuzzy but I adore the colours and it just shows what 2 different backgrounds can do.



Then I adapted AnneB & Debbie's seahorse dragon to make a bookmark (in Lizbeth Jelly Bean) for one of DS's classmates Mum as she was so kind to take him to school when I couldn't drive.



DS then wanted one but I must say I am not impressed in this Lizbeth (March Breeze)- knobbly & not enamoured in the colours either



The bookmark recipient was then going to frame him so I said I'd do a proper one for her so we got this one in Lizbeth Caribbean.



I just thought I'd pop in one more of mousie without his jacket - Congratulations to Sharon on winning as well



Think that's all

TTFN

Great Creatures with a stunning giveaway

I have a special affection for these stunning creations as they are from Tassie like me. Have a look round Linda's blog & her website & you'll understand what I mean about stunning. She is also having a giveaway if anyone is interested

TTFN

"Christmas comes but once a year......!!!!" Choccie box entry

Finally..............

managed to get out of the house to get the camera fixed - been very difficult as we have over 1m of snow (for those across the pond 3+ ft)and the schools have been closed. Combine this with an expected low of -14C tonight (or 6.8 F apparently) and -25C (-13 F) forecast 20 miles up the road it has been an akward few days as you can imagine.

Anyway enough of that - on to my choccie box entry for Ambitatterous' contest here ..............................................................................



VIOLA!!!!!!!! I present to you

"Christmas comes but once a year!"



He's got such a fat tummy (partly hidden by the last After Eight chocolate) because he has just gorged himself on the entire box LOL.


He is made entirely of chains and whilst making him I happened upon an interesting discovery - if you tat a single double stitch then do a shuttle join to chain below & over and over again it ends up looking nothing like tatting but is very dense, holds it shape and almost looks a wee bit like crochet but not quite. I called it "brick stitch" as each shuttle join is in the slight gap made by the shuttle join on row below so you end up with a slightly staggered effect a bit like a wall. His paws are made of Sculpey but the rest of him really is tatting!!

This is his first head which I lost.........much to my annoyance


his tummy............

and his paws............




The 2nd head



& then various other shots











Hope you like him

PS He's got a furry tail cos he's a dormouse lol.

THANK YOU ALL & Swap anyone?

THANK YOU ALL who commented on my previous post - it is VERY greatly appreciated - I am not going to publish your comments but have taken the responses to heart - THANKS.

Anyone want to do a very quick Christmas swap? What with everything going on with my eye I never signed up for any of the Secret Santa's & christmas swaps with the various groups and I'm really missing it.
It would need to be done quickly as we are rapidly approaching the cut-off dates for overseas mail.
I had an idea for a shuttle, thread, few beads, maybe a pattern & a small tatted item but anything goes would be fine too.
Please let me know ASAP

PS My choccie box entry should be up and running tomorrow once I get hold of a camera that works LOL.

UPDATE: Thank you for responding to my request - I have 3 swap partners so that probably will be enough unless someone is really desperate





My signature doesn't appear to be working :(

Rant

WELL - some people!


I had planned on showing you AnneB's dragonwing doily & my adaptation of AnneB & Debi's seahorse dragon but instead I find myself fuming!

A couple of things- I had put out some facebook friend requests to our tatting community & a number of people replied positively but one woman had the sheer nerve to actually send a message saying that not only was she was going to ignore my request but even though we had 13 tatting friends in common (including Georgia, Mark, Debbie, Dianna to name a few) that basically I wasn't good enough to be one of her friends but she hoped I wasn't offended!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not offended - WHAT?! Surely if a friend request is made that you don't want to accept you just ignore it not tell the person why "their face doesn't fit"?

This is not the first time I have come across this kind of elitism in our community & it saddens me so much (& gets me wound up too lol) because I thought the whole point of a community like ours was to help & share a skill we all have in common? But maybe I was wrong? Maybe you are only allowed to be properly part of that community if you are the RIGHT kind of person? Am I deluding myself into thinking I was actually part of a wider global family?

That leads me into my second point - only the stalwarts of my blog (you know who you are & I love you for it as I will delete the comments from the previous post) have left any feedback. My concept of feedback is both positive & negative - if you aren't interested please say so too - I don't have to publish the comment if you don't want or even send me an email. So unless only 5 people read my blog it would appear I obviously was barking up the wrong tree!


Rant over

Normal transmission will resume soon :)

What a coup!

Anybody else with eagle eyes spot the item below on eBayUK earlier on in the week?







Well I am very proud to announce that it now resides with ME!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


According to Virginia Mescher in "Flitting Fingers" (2002) & I quote.......

".........[A copy of this book was unavailable as a primary reference, but was mentioned in several secondary sources (an aside: just wish she had said which secondary sources!). The only known copy that was located had been housed in the British Library, but was destroyed in World War II during the London Blitz.]......."

That would by definition, if she is right, mean that I now own the ONLY known copy!!!!!! Sorry but I can't stop crowing - I am just SO EXCITED!

I have a question for all out there in tatland - if I reissued it, would there be any interest in buying it? I am planning on it being an actual hardcopy not in pdf form and it wouldn't be an exact reproduction (too easy to rip off) but a true facsmilie. As I have not been at work for 7 weeks with the problems with my eye (& won't be back for at least another week) I am not being paid so need to try & earn some money somehow to tide us over, particularly with Xmas fast approaching (& a 9yr old that has a hard time understanding cost-cutting LOL) so there would need to be a charge & to cover printing costs etc as well.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? Or would there be some interest? Please give me your feedback!

It's going to take a bit longer yet.....:(

Hi all
Another quick update on "the situation"..........in 2 words........NOT GOOD in fact you could even say BAD!

Original hole is still sealed but the remaining fluid has not been resorbed - it also hasn't got any bigger so may still not be another hole. Either way the consultant is not happy to leave it any longer so I'm off to theatre again tomorrow. This will apparently involve a larger band being placed in my eye - not a major problem in itself but it will be located under the muscle at the outer corner of the eye so will affect the ability of the eye to move side to side at least until it gets used to the band being there. Apparently this can take up to 3 months! So as you can imagine I am NOT in a happy state.
I think what is making it worse is that the vision in that eye has been getting better with each passing day and the thought of going back to square one again (and for longer this time too) is just so annoying & depressing.

I suppose I must look at the long term & if this is what is needed to regain my sight properly I just have to live with it in the short term - It's just SO flaming hard to look at it in a positive manner.

Anyway, I'm just down in the dumps so will stop boring you all with my woes..hopefully the next update will be a good one LOL!

Eye update

THANK YOU all SO much for your kind wishes - it's like a great BIG hug LOL.
Thought I'd do a short update for you - good news & bad news still...........
Good news - original hole is sealed & all good but
Bad news - is still a small amount of fluid present which may still relate to original hole but may also be another so minute hole that it can't be visualised even with their super-magnification lenses. Consultant is prepared to wait till next Tues to see if the remaining fluid is resorbed or not - if not I'll be back in theatre on Friday of next week for another operation :(
At least the "stay at a 45-degree angle with head tilted to right" position at ALL times except bathroom breaks & food has been relaxed but eyesight is still crap so excuse the mistakes lol.

Now I have a real reason for not being in tatting mode....

........really annoying too as I had just started AnneB's dragon wing doily as well. Anyway am breaking doctors orders doing this as it is so this'll be very short.

Emergency admission to hospital on Sun with detached retina - operated on on Tues - seen consultant today - original hole sealed but still fluid present so not entirely happy - just got to wait & see now but will be long time till tatting :(

What it most annoying is can't even read the other blogs either now. Not a happy chappy.

Patti Duff's Minitats

Well, long time no see LOL - no excuses just haven't been in tatting mode :(

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know I made an interesting discovery at the weekend entirely by accident but serendipidous anyway............Deb at DS9Designs has a few copies of Patti Duff's Mintats available - see here . She says 10 copies available on her website but make that 9 at least as I have been hunting for it for ages - spent way too much when you include postage to the UK but hey ho that's the way the cookie crumbles when you want something enough!

Hope to get back into tatting mode ASAP

One World One Heart Update & Winner

I had a great time wandering around the world through the OWOH giveaway blogs - it is so much fun seeing what other people are doing - and being overawed by the creativity & talent of some people too!

I SO lucky too - I WON one of the giveaways (happy dance)- a wonderful set of charms from Diana. I can't wait for them to come - I can see awesome possibilities with tatting, maybe a necklace or earrings or both!

After putting all my entries (151) into the random number generator, the result was.........................................................................................................................................
Stanza Rae is my winner - Congratulations to her and I hope she enjoys her gift.

Happy tatting

LOOK - Pop-A-Bobbin Alert!!!!!!!!!

Well I'm feeling very pleased with myself and a little smug - I think I'm the first to post about the Pop-A-Bobbins from Sally's "Him in the Garage".

I got mine on Friday and have been playing with it a little since then. As you are all aware I'm sure I LOVE Aero Englands and it will take a lot to beat them in my eyes but this just may do it! It is a really great shuttle - light with a good "feel". I have a Silent Tatter too which I like the feel of but find just too heavy as I keep dropping it - the Pop-A-Bobbin does not have this dropsy effect as it is much lighter. My only tiny criticism (which I have relayed to Sally & Jane already) is that the hook is not a proper crochet hook and I'm finding that a bit awkward but I'm sure that I'll get used to it. Here are a few piccies of the wonderful new addition!




Now all I need is another one to keep it company!

Another non-tatting giveaway

Diane gave us the heads up on another great giveaway -

@kellymooreclark is giving away a bag! Go enter to win! http://kellymoorebagblog.com/

see here