Easter - April 8, 2012

I’m doing this quick post today to wish a HAPPY EASTER to those of you who celebrate the holiday.    Hope you’re having a nice day!

We had a prettier day yesterday with full sunshine and blue sky, but at least the temperature is comfortable today, with the sun breaking through now and then.    I’m enjoying seeing a lot of flowers blooming this early and delighted that we don’t have snow!

In the copper pitcher are silk flowers - an arrangement which we will take to the nursing home today for my MIL

I wanted to use it as a backdrop for some of my tatted items, as follows:

You’ve seen the collar (by Gloria Crowther) before, and the beaded eggs. I added my Pysanky egg, which I decorated way back around 1975. It is one of my prize possessions, and it rarely leaves the China cabinet where it stays safe and secure! I learned early on that doing the wax-resist eggs was way too labor intensive for me! This one took about 12 hours to do! I did a few others that were not as detailed, and still have those also!

I decorated the felt bag last year just for display on my demo table at the Maple Festival, and as a display at home. I believe I got the bag at Jo-Ann’s and found the pink felt self-stick letters in the scrapbook section, which were a lucky find. Then I added a ’string’ of Eliz Davis’ butterflies. (They’re connected by jump rings here). Above the word “spring’ is a bookmark by Julie Patterson, done in Caron Wildflower thread, which I also did last year.  I'll show it in more detail on another post. 

Have to sign off now, as we’re on our way to visit my MIL!

I’ve been trying all week to get a post in about the Maple Festival, which was held last weekend and coincided with International Tatting Day, but I kept getting distracted with so many things that had to be done around the house, inside and out.  I'll try to do that post next week!  We were happy we had nice weather for it!






 

A Fancy Green Fan for St Patrick's Day 2012

Sure an’ it’s St. Patrick’s Day again!

For this St. Patrick’s Day photo I’ve gathered together some of my favorite things, mostly older items I’ve collected over the years (explained below) , plus a tatted pendant from 2009 which I’ve updated.

However, the focal point of the photo is this fabulous NEW GREEN FAN that I found last week at - of all places - our local dollar store, among the St. Pat’s decorations.

This amazing fan is embellished with shiny green sequins on the fabric, and has a black base with a fancy gold design.

In the store it was hanging in its folded position, so I was astounded at how attractive it was when I opened it up, and I was especially amazed that it unfolded into a complete half-circle. Of course, I HAD to purchase it - for the grandiose sum of one dollar !! It really sparkles in the light! This is a very well-made fan, and I feel so ‘lucky’ that I came across it!

Fans aren’t usually associated with St. Patrick’s Day, but this one certainly is the right color!    And it will be a great accessory for one of my Victorian costumes for our tatting events - and also would make a great display item! 

Of course, I will be adding tatting to it, but I couldn’t possibly have completed it before Saturday - although I know that many of you COULD have done so!

I have to decide which edging I want to make, but I know it will be with gold metallic thread. Even a simple ‘hens and chicks’ would be spectacular. So many ‘possibilities’ !  No doubt I’ll add tatting to the inner circle as well. I prefer the DMC gold thread on a spool, which is equivalent to size 30.

OTHER ITEMS IN PHOTO

The teacup and saucer were purchased a few years ago at a quaint, old-fashioned pharmacy/gift store in a small town about 40 miles north of here. We just were out driving one day and came across the town and store. I couldn’t resist purchasing the cup and saucer there.

The ‘pillow’ has a large crocheted doily draped over it. It is the most unusual and attractive piece of crochet I have EVER seen. I purchased it at an ‘antique lace’ booth at a local fair many years ago. I want to write a post about it, because it is SO different from any crochet I’ve ever seen.

The candle is just a place for me to hang a pretty ‘cross’ ornament with green beads. I purchased it in an Irish shop in Alexandria, VA, one of my favorite towns to visit in the DC area. I’ve always thought the cross could be ‘copied’ in tatting.

Of course, the tatted doily is one I’ve shown quite often in my blog - something I purchased several years ago at a local shop.

The pendant (a Rosemarie Peel design) is a motif that I made several years ago and wore as a ‘pin’ on my Aran sweater.    I have since put it on one of my black velvet ’discs’ and attached it to a beaded necklace.  (Oops!  I see a 'frayed' area.  I'll have to  fix that!)


WARM WEATHER THIS YEAR IN MARCH!

I’m definitely enjoying the weather for March this year, which has been quite warm - and seems to be breaking records here in the Northeast. This year the parade in Pittsburgh will be actually ON St. Patrick’s Day, and there probably will be a record-breaking crowd there as well!  


We have other plans for the day, but I will be thinking about my Irish ancestors!

Sunshine for Gina

According to today's weather report for Lafayette, Indiana, the sun is shining , which is very appropriate on this otherwise very sad day as we say goodbye to our dear friend, Gina Brummett, who filled our lives with a great deal of sunshine and warmth.



I am still grappling with words to express how much Gina meant to me, and how much I admired her. I feel compelled at this time to write about how I first 'met' Gina - through her blog, which was just as amazing as her tatting and needlework skills.


Gina's Blog - "The Tatting Goddess"


One of the reasons I'm writing about Gina's blog, is that Feb. 13 was her 9th Blogaversary.   It absolutely took my breath away when I realized that she died on that very day.


When I first came across Gina's blog about three years ago, it didn't take long for me to discover that she was a very talented lady, and that her tatting skills were far above mine, even though she had been tatting only since 1997.    

In addition to being impressed with her tatting skills, I was also astounded to see that she had been 'blogging' since 2003 - one of the pioneers - so I was equally impressed that her computer skills were also far above mine.


Her blog has the most amazing amount of information about tatting in it, including her own tutorials and videos (so poignant, now, to watch), plus she somehow found and included in her Blog Roll just about every tatter out there in Tat Land.   And in the left-hand column, she included the blogs of many, many other crafters, whose blogs I otherwise would never have found on my own!    

And she also generously shared with us several of her own tatting designs, among which is her adorable Gingerbread Boy!

I then discovered that her blog rolls were 'time' sensitive, so that the most recent blog posts appeared just about the minute they were posted, usually with a thumbnail photo of the tatter's/crafter's latest project. Therefore, it became a daily routine for me for the past 3 years to check Gina's blog, to see what was happening 'up to the minute' in Tat Land.


It was always a bonus, of course, when Gina, herself, published a new post, which was just about every other day!   It was very difficult to keep up with her, and I was equally astounded to discover she had a full-time job.  Her blog posts were always cheerful and filled with wonderful examples of her tatting or other needlework, and artwork, too. She was one very talented lady.    And she was a frequent commenter on others' blogs, always offering words of praise and encouragement.


One of her most memorable blog posts, however, had nothing to do with tatting. She showed a photo of a giant tree that had smashed into the roof of a house!   It took me a few minutes to comprehend that it was HER house, and that somehow, no one was hurt!    She handled even that exceptionally  frightening experience with humor and an upbeat attitude.

Her 8th blogaversary last year was a very special one for ME, because I was one of 8 lucky recipients of a red cloth gift bag she made personally, as a special giveaway.    I intend to write about that special gift package, but it's more important that I mention something even more significant:


Last year, on her 8th Blogaversary post of Feb. 13, 2011, she wrote in detail about her own tatting history!    It is a wonderful story, which I know you will want to read.

http://threadsofatattinggoddess.blogspot.com/2011/02/blogaversary-celebration-how-i-learned.html

I now must go outside on this cold but sunny day here in Pittsburgh, and take a long walk, to remember Gina, a very, very special person and dear 'friend', even though we never met in person.  It was a privilege, however, to get to know Gina, the amazing Tatting Goddess, through her incredible blog. 

Valentine's Day 2012

Frivole’s ‘Happy Heart’ Pattern

Frivole’s excellent pattern (see link below) came just in time to be tatted for Valentine’s Day!   It is so generous of her to offer it to us!   This is a quick tat, has a perfect shape, and I think it represents a ‘classic tatting’ look, in a small motif. (Tatted in size 20, Lizbeth Christmas red, the tatting is about an inch and a half across.)

I am delighted that the tatted heart fits perfectly into a metal heart pendant I’ve had for quite awhile (from one of the craft stores). The pendant is solid metal, with a center indentation.    

I cut a heart shape out of black velvet, sticky-backed paper and inserted it in the indented area, then added the tatted heart with glue stick. It really ‘pops’ against the black background.


I also added one of my adhesive scrapbook embellishments for 'bling'.
It covers the 'open space' of the heart, and hides only the center chain.

The feature of this clever pattern is the use of Catherine Wheel joins on the outside chains; however, I did not quite master those joins!    In Marilee’s excellent video (see link below), she uses different thread colors for the shuttle and ball, and very clearly shows how to do the CW join correctly!

Because I was using only red thread, I wasn’t quite sure which thread (shuttle or ball) I was pulling up into the loop.    (In my defense, I was also working on it late at night when I should have been asleep!)

I certainly plan to tat this heart again, in many colors.   Even without the metal ‘frame’,  it’s a perfect size for a pendant, just by itself.

Here is the beaded necklace to which I attached the pendant.   It is one of my ‘converted’ beaded eyeglass leashes (I added the two large red beads).   I am pleased with the way it turned out!

I put together a silk flower arrangement for Valentine’s Day, and under the vase is a lovely tatted doily, which I‘ve shown before in photos in my blog.

The doily was a lucky find at a local shop, and the shop owner was delighted that it was going home with a tatter.   She had found it at an antique store and has no idea of its history. The tatting is a wide lace attached to a linen circle and is perfectly executed. I believe the thread is size 70 or 80.

Here are the links: 

Frivole's Happy Heart pattern:
http://leblogdefrivole.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-heart-gift-for-you.html 

Marilee’s 'Catherine Wheel Join' Video
http://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/2011/03/catherine-wheel-join-my-video-demo.html 

*   *   *

After a snowy, blowy weekend, with temps in the single digits, I am glad that Valentine’s Day tomorrow will be ‘warmer’ , in the high 30s, although we may again have some snow showers.   It is, after all, still winter.

'Tis the Season

We have officially arrived at the "Holidays" (by my definition, beginning about a week before Christmas and extending a few days into the New Year), and I'm hoping you are having pleasant gatherings with family and friends and are enjoying the festive decorations and lights, possibly in a more relaxed mood, now that the 'rush' is over!   Of course, I realize that the shopping centers are still hectic places, with all the returns and gift cards, and with the kids out of school!  I remember how much I enjoyed our Christmas breaks 'back when'.

I wanted to capture a photo of this lovely 'live roses' floral arrangement before we gave it to my MIL yesterday for her room at the assisted living facility.

The table runner (just the one end showing here) is one that I made several years ago (can't actually remember the date - I should make a label for it after I figure it out!).

It includes three lovely pre-printed panels (in my favorite colors!), which I embellished with some beads and hand quilting.  (My real 'challenge' was in mitering the 'points' on the border strips!)

I bought the kit at a local quilt store, which, sadly, is now gone, although it was around for many years.  The owner, now retired, unfortunately couldn't find a buyer for the store. It was always a 'bright and colorful' presence in the town.

I've always wanted to put some tatting in the empty 'circle' space on the printed design, and for this photo I remembered a motif from my stash (Lynn Morton's 'Hearts and Flowers' pattern - similar to a motif by Lene Bjorn) which does look pretty good just placed there, although the heart shapes kind of disappear unless you look closely.   Of course, I would have to tat a second one for the other end of the runner! 

* * *

We will continue visiting family members this week, and look forward to seeing our niece's boys (ages 4 and 1) opening the gifts we're giving them.  The magic of Christmas is always brought back when being around the little ones!

DH and I enjoy going for drives during the evening to other neighborhoods to see all the residential lights and outdoor decorations; and we also appreciate the effort that goes into the lighting displays in the different towns.


I'm also happy it will be getting lighter in the evenings, although it's imperceptible right now.   I just like knowing that we passed over the 'line' on Dec. 21!   However, there are three months of official Winter ahead! 

Christmas Events, New Product, and Posting Again

New Shaped Ornament to encase Tatting
Last December I posted about my placing Sharon’s ‘ Merry Christmas’ snowflake inside a spherical, clear plastic ornament that I got at Michaels, which worked out very well.

However, I want to bring your attention to a ‘different’ plastic ornament so that you can obtain one for your snowflakes or other motifs. I have seen them only at Michaels, but unfortunately I can’t seem to find them on the internet.

This ornament is round from the ‘front’ view. 

However . . . .

it is not a ‘sphere’, but an ‘ellipsoid’, as shown on the brass stand on the left, side view.  It's about 1.5" wide.

These ornaments come in two different diameters:

The ornament in the back is 4.5”; the one in the stand is 3.5”

They are even better than the round ‘sphere’ for displaying a  snowflake or other tatted motif, because the motif can more easily keep its shape in a more ‘confined’ (flattened) space.    The tatted motif can easily be ‘shaken’ back and forth after being ‘rolled up’ and placed in the ornament through the  

nice, large opening.

 

I quickly put this display together using one of the motifs in my stash, which I believe was to be a snowman. The motif is the perfect size for the 3.5” ornament.

Here is the full view of fancy brass hanger I’m using to display it. I have two of these hangers, which I found ‘somewhere’! They’re very nice for showcasing ornaments or bells or whatever.







I added a velvet bow and silk leaves/flower to the ornament with the use of sticky tape (not a glue gun). I used a small piece of the tape (near the bottom of the stand) to keep the ribbon in place around the side of the hangar.

The cost is about $1.29 for the 3.5” and $1.99 for the 4.5” . I was happy to find them when they were 50% off!   I sure hope they continue to sell these! I have so many plans for them!


Old Economy Village (This weekend – 2-day event)
Our group will be at Old Economy this weekend. I have many photos of the Village, and when I improve’ my blog to include ‘tabs’, I’m hoping to put galleries of my photos there.

Vicary Mansion (Last Saturday)
We were at the Vicary Mansion (Freedom, PA) last Saturday (Dec. 3), and had a great time. Unfortunately, Evelyn was not able to join us, due to a cold; but our newer member, Pam, was able to be there. So Peg, Pam and I enjoyed meeting all the visitors. Three visitors were gals who were in Pittsburgh for a job-related convention, and they saw an ad in the paper and chose to drop by. They were from (are you ready?) – Texas, Utah and Colorado!! They loved our tatting and were delighted with the beautiful Christmas decorations in the mansion. It put them in a ‘Christmas’ mood! The volunteers there always do a great job, and we are provided with wonderful homemade food – also prepared by the volunteers. There were a gazillion cookies, too, all free for the visitors!

The Mansion has never been more beautifully decorated (9 big rooms!) , and the music that evening was OUTSTANDING, performed by a trio of youngsters (a brother and 2 sisters – ages 16, 14, and 11) playing violins and cello. The 11-year-old sister played the cello, and it is as big as she is! If I had my eyes closed, I would have thought I was at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, listening to professional musicians! The sound they produced was incredible! I was overwhelmed with their performance and talked to their proud parents. It was SO uplifting! I got a great photo of them visiting our “Tatting” room. The girls loved the dollhouse and my ‘Cinderella’ slipper!

I also taught a visitor how to do the tatted knot! She is a crocheter, and by showing her the chain first (two colors of thread) , and explaining that she can use the ‘crochet hold’ with her left hand, she got the ‘flip’ in no time!

*  *  *

My absence from posting is due mostly to computer and software issues, which are difficult to explain, so I will spare you that story. As you know, I love to follow the blogs and see all the incredible creativity out there! I HAVE been doing some tatting (not as much as I would like, however), and I hope to get back on track with the 25-Motif Challenge soon! Thanks, again, Sharon for your patience!
 

Motif #25 Second Round - Mary Konior's 'Patchwork' as a Pendant !

Also:  Nostalgic Hometown Fourth of July

With little fanfare, I’m finally finishing my Second Round of the 25 Motif Challenge!  I’m quite embarrassed that it has taken me almost two years to complete it, especially since I was up to #18 in June of 2010, and well within sight of the ‘finish line’ date of Sept. 2010.   I never dreamed it would take me a whole other year to post the last seven motifs! (Thank you, Sharon, for understanding!)     Computer problems and several other distractions are to blame. I do hope to start a third round soon, as my computer issues are finally in the process of being cleared up. I had hoped when DH retired three years ago already (!) that Time would seem to slow down, but instead it has speeded up!

Motif #25 - Mary Konior's 'Patchwork' Motif - as a Pendant

Way back in November 2008, a few months after starting my blog, I showed another of this same motif in white thread, encased in a paperweight, but the beauty of the pattern is more defined here. (I decided to wear it on ’point’, so it might look a little ‘different’ to you. )


I have no idea when I tatted this motif - possibly in the late 1990s.

The true ‘gold’ color is more evident in the next photo.

 
Even in size 12 DMC perle cotton (equivalent to size 30 Cebelia), it is a 'larger' pendant, at 3" across.


I like the way the pendant looks with this particular jacket. The lace looks right at home, even though the jacket is modern and sporty (and happens to be Pittsburgh’s sports teams’ colors!)

This motif sat in my stash for many years. I never dreamed I’d eventually wear it as a piece of jewelry!   I'm sure Mary would be pleased! 

New ideas for my pendants

In my usual fashion, I attached the motif to a black 'velvet' paper circle, but I didn‘t want to use glue on this very special piece of tatting! (The large rhinestone is glued onto the paper - not the tatting, but does add to the design.)

For attaching this motif to the velvet disc, I discovered the wonderful little brads that you can find with scrapbook supplies. The tatting stays secure on the paper, and the brads also add a little 'bling'. (I did dot the outer edges with a bit of glue stick, which easily washes out if necessary)

However, my biggest ‘change’ was in adding a metal ‘backing’ to the pendant, after I discovered some new (to me) very sticky, wide, double-sided tape. As I’m sure you’re aware, all kinds of metallic embellishments are available at craft stores these days. I had to hunt for just the right one. I wanted to use a filigree rather than a solid metal backing, because I needed two 'holes' to stabilize the large motif, in the position shown in the first photo. I used large black jump rings that are also ‘new’ to craft stores.

Since discovering how strong this tacky tape is, I’ve decided that all my smaller pendants on the paper discs need to be attached to a metal backing, which adds a finishing touch, but importantly, adds 'weight', and keeps the pendant from twisting over. I now look for these metal pendants when they are on sale. 
HOMETOWN 4^TH OF JULY - 2011

In this post I also want to acknowledge the 235th Birthday of the USA. I made my usual nostalgic ‘trip down memory lane’ by attending my hometown’s annual 4th of July celebration.

These wonderful horses are

beautifully trained!

They are so majestic, and gentle!
Kids loved riding in the ‘cart’

These houses are along the parade route, on a nice tree-lined street.

I should mention that the town is only 2 miles long and has only 2 streets running through it.  But it has a wonderful park, where I spent a lot of my chlidhood - and doing a lot of crafts!!    Everything was within walking distance, including the schools. 

Although I live only 5 miles away (across the river) from my hometown, and can visit anytime, it's on the Fourth of July that it comes alive with nostalgia and memories from the 1950s and early 1960s, during my childhood and my graduation from high school.  My parents had moved there in 1945 (into the then brand new rental duplexes, near the high school) from New England when my dad was transferred to the Pittsburgh area.  So I spent my entire childhood there, through my graduation in 1961.  They then decided to move because the duplexes were going to be sold as townhouses, and they didn't want a mortgage at their age.  They moved to a very nice apartment in the next town, and my mother finally got a bigger kitchen!  And I started my secretarial 'career' in 1962 and got married in 1964.  But we always returned to the old hometown for the Fourth of July.  

What I kind of 'glossed over' above was the date of my high school graduation.  And doing the math - yes, it's been 50 years!  I just can't believe it!   So I spent some time walking around the old Alma Mater.  It's now quite updated and and modern, with renovated classrooms that have access to today's technology, and a recently built stadium with lights, plus new tennis courts.   In 1961 our yearbook shows many photos of the first big construction project that doubled the size of the original 1926 school and added the modern gymnasium.  I still refer to it as the 'new addiition' (LOL!)

Of course, I had to talk to the new band director, who was quite interested in my tales from the past!  As I've mentioned before, there are no majorettes in 'my' band these days, but the musicians sound great, and they have the flags, which are very colorful.     I couldn't help but think about  my marvelous last Fourth of July parade, when I led the band as head majorette! 
Memories, memories ...... ! 

I think I did mention somewhere in my blog that my husband and I were in the parade with the GTO a few times, and as recently as 2000, which was fun!  But the car will oveheat in the hot weather and slow-moving parade, so we haven't done that for awhile!  

Hope you are all having a good summer!