Not Just Bling

You think I said that just so you'd read this, don't you? Not so. I have been getting all sticky and covering shuttles (and I found a whole jar of glitter ModPodge), but I've been tatting, too. Actually, what I've been doing is test tatting for other people, so I don't have pictures to show of all those pieces (ha-ha -- gotcha). But here's the latest batch of fractal covered Aeros:
I did a bunch of Clover shuttles like these, but didn't get a picture taken before I packed 'em up for Shuttlebirds in April. Now...I won't be there, but the shuttles will. A very generous soul from Bonneville Tatters is taking them to see if anyone might want to buy one. Personally, I'm hoping she gets rid of the whole lot. Then I can buy a bunch more shuttles to cover. Like I said before -- it's soothing and such a great reason to stay up until 2:00 in the morning.

Just so nobody gets disgusted with my no-tatting tatting blog -- here's a bit of something I started. I'm going to start over and change the stitch counts on the second set of split rings because to get it to stay flat I had to really stress the clover joins. Doesn't look good enough to bother completing the rest of the piece onto this center, but it's still a nice little coaster. This is a doily by Jan Stawasz, but with alterations. Having absolutely NO patience with dozens of little separate motifs to make up the doily, I fussed and figured and counted (and need to recount) so I could make this thing in rounds instead of pieces. Oh, all the decorative picots have disappeared, too. I like the frilly look of picots, but have the worst time blocking the fussy little things, so I'm trying this without.

Heart and Shuttles

One last heart. I forgot about this one, it turned up when I turned out my tatting bag (I do clean and organize now and then, just don't want to go overboard about it). It's really little, about the size of a U.S. dime, even though it's made with size 30 Cebeliá thread. It's one of the things we learned at tatting guild -- last year. Since I learned last year, and never did it again, I don't think I can do it again!

Now -- on to the shuttles. Diane (Lace-lovin' Librarian) had the prettiest shuttle that I really needed. It's blue with a pattern of lines making what almost looks like tatted shamrocks. I offered to trade her for one I did with a blue and green paisley pattern. She got right on the job; and I got the loveliest surprise package today. I've got the pretty blue papered shuttle, two balls of size 70 thread, and a beautiful glittery bag. See?

Once I get to the post office I'll get my part of the exchange sent off. Only now I really need to find something pretty to package it in, don't I? :)

I've been covering shuttles like a mad fool. I don't know why, but it's a soothing thing to do. I think it's a bit like making mudpies or playing with papier mâche. You get to get grubby, ignore everyone (works ever better if you put in earphones connected to an MP3 player with a really good book), and stay up way too late. I do this stuff a bit differently than Diane. I use a regular paint brush, not as many coats of decoupage and I don't use fingernail top coat (but I've got to look into that and the sponge brushes!). Instead of a craft knife, I use a curved nail scissors. Knives and I don't play well together. (It's not me -- they bite.) Anyway, here's a photo of the last lot. None of these have had the final coat of acrylic spray applied (I've been too lazy to lace them into the spray box). The ones outlined by the squiggly red line are all the same pattern, but different colors -- like a six shuttle set (so alliterative!) -- I don't even mind the tan one! The bunch outlined in turquoise are all Clover shuttles (yeah, like you couldn't tell, huh?). The ladybug shuttles are all made with stickers on tissue paper, as is the firecracker (the blue next to the blue with a ladybug). There's a lavender one in the bottom row and the one black shuttle that are made with nail stickers on tissue paper. I've decided to not buy any more of the nail stickers once I've used those I have. I'm not creative enough with them and they end up just ...well... stuck there.

Heart Wannabes

They wanted to be hearts. I wanted them to be hearts, but they've got goofies in 'em. Look quick! That's not so bad -- but don't study them in detail. They fall down in the details.

Vicki Clark's Ruffled Heart is such a pretty heart when looking at the original on her blog. It didn't work so well for me in this size 80 thread. I tried it again in a size 20, but -- hmpf -- that didn't work very well either. I think I need more practice. I'm just not certain I want to haul out the rope (size 10) and see if I can figure out where I'm going astray. I've set it aside for a while.

The Rainbow heart is my own snowy heart pattern, but I make some kind of alteration every time I tat it. This time I didn't make the same alteration on both sides. I would have done that, but didn't see it until I was finished. Now, I've unpicked ... er ... retrotatted a long way back in a pattern, but that was just a bit too much. It's all done and the ends are tucked in and it's sitting in my drawer. I'm waiting for someone to have an "oops" exchange...'cause I'm ready!

Well, I'm gratified the mistake in this heart isn't obvious. I know it's there because I made the oops. There are a pair of mirror joins that aren't mirror! Just for people who really want to know but don't want to study each ring, chain and join, I circled the spot in red and put arrows. Here ya go (click to enlarge):

Hearts, Hearts and More Hearts

Valentine's Day got away from me -- it happened while I was busy being ill. Who has time to post anything when they're stumbling around looking for tissues and anti-cold pills? I suppose that's why Blogger has that convenient schedule a pre-prepared post option. But, really, pre-prepare -- who does that? Never mind, don't tell me. I'm certain it would be just too, too depressing. I've been making hearts for Valentine's Day, though -- quite a few of 'em.
This nice blue heart I've been calling "Snowy Heart" (because it's based on my own snowflake pattern) I made to send off to my exchange partner for the Tattinggoddess Valentine Exchange. It's made of size 20 Lizbeth thread in a pale blue and is about 5 inches wide and 6 inches tall.
Once that one was done and shipped off, I made another one with a few changes. This one is made with Lizbeth size 20 pink and variegated pink. This resulted in parts of it just looking washed out, but I rather liked the effect. Instead of the chains with the little ring pairs I used split rings around the outside of the bottom part of the heart -- those make it look a bit more substantial. Then I made the other ring pairs "Dimpled Yorkies" -- sort of hearts on my heart. I'm thinking about what to do with this one. Maybe it will just sit in my tatting drawer until next Valentine's Day.
Then I did a couple of little hearts. This one is Jane Eborall's Flurry Heartache. Sort of -- I didn't have the big beads ready to hand and was too lazy to get up, so I just used a pile of little beads. It's made from Lizbeth size 20 in Dark Seagreen and Wildflower colorway. It's a great pattern all made in one round -- one pair of threads to hide at the end. I'm going to get some bigger beads and make more!
This next one I saw somewhere on the 'net and made a scribbled drawing. That scribble was stuck into the back of my purse. I was probably at work *sigh* so I didn't write down the website or anything. Duh. If anyone recognizes it, please let me know! Its made with the same Dark Seagreen and Wildflower, also in one pass, but it starts with a chain on a paperclip. It's such a clever idea. Yes, I have to make more of these as well.
Finally, I made more of Anne Bruvold's Christmas Hearts. I was going to join them together in one of the many variations Anne made available. I didn't have the pattern at hand, though -- it was inside the computer way over in the other room and I was so comfortable. So...I just joined three of them together clear down one side. I could see that the remaining space would be too large for a single heart and too small for two additional hearts. It sat around looking at me reproachfully for a day or two. Then I decided what it needed was a head and a bit of crocheting. Voila! Butterfly.

Miranda's Angels in the Snow pattern is a lovely snowflake. Done in the right colors, it could also double as a wreath. Not only that, Miranda is donating all the proceeds from sales of her pattern to the Brain Injury Association of New Mexico.

This one is made of Lizbeth's size 20 red, green, and white colorway. I think I could have made a better color choice, because the pretty pattern looses it's definition this way. I'll be making another (and another, and another) but picking either more subtle colorways, or solid colors.

Amazing Giveaway...

Oh, no...not me.

LadyShutleMaker is having another Random Monday Mondo Giveaway event. This time the lucky person will get one of her handmade ceramic shuttles.

{Waiting for the sounds of thud, from everyone passing out, to stop}

It's true. If you'd like a chance to win one of these absolutely unique, and uniquely beautiful shuttles, click on the link:

Heart of Anne's

This little heart is from the talented Anne Bruvold. It's not a difficult pattern, and can be used many different ways (doily, table runner, earring, pendant) with or without beads. This one is made with Bermuda Red thread hand-dyed by my sister on a Cebeliá size 30.

Slowly, slowly -- I am tatting. It hasn't been easy. Staying up until one or two in the morning means I too often really do tangle up string. Work has been a lot of work lately. I was there day and night for a while so I only got to tat when I got so creeped-out at work that I had to leave. I work in an old mansion that's been converted to an office. It's creepy to be there at night when nobody else is around -- just in case there is somebody else around. My office is on the second floor in the back. I have a lovely view of an alley.
People seemed interested, so I've put in a larger picture of the mansion (which can be clicked to become even larger). My niece calls it "The Haunted House Where You Work." My office is to the right of the chimney, around the corner, and about midway across the back of the house. The reason it's creepy is that it's not in an area where there is a lot of after-hours activity. I have to go out to my car on the opposite side from the chimney where someone could hide in the alley and the security lights don't come on until you're already all the way down the back steps! Across the road (from the chimney side) is a Junior High School and an empty office building (it was the Obama HQ a few years back). Across the road in the front is some kind of apartment building, I think. I've never studied it much, but don't see people there very often. Besides that, sometimes people forget to lock the door when they go. I usually go down and check, but it's creepy because we've got all those big windows and people can see me walking around in there by myself. Fortunately, I don't have to do late nights very often, and sometimes I can take my work home instead.

Thank You!

I just got the best thank you card ever. The card was hand-made, the thank-you sincere and the photo included was totally adorable. The best part was the other treasure included. Hand-dyed silk thread. Isn't that great?! The scan doesn't do it justice but the colors are blue tones -- my favorites.

Thanks for the thank-you!

Bling-a-ding-bling

Some people are obsessive. Not me, of course. Somehow all these shuttles in my possession have been gussied up with bits of tissue paper, cloth, stickers, and whatnot. Weird how that happens, huh?

Exchange

No, no, not the kind you do after you get something and wonder what in the world the gift giver was thinking. Really, who wears garters with bells on them? Wait ... I got distracted.

This exchange was a trade of generosity. The Christmas Exchange over at the Tatting Forums was a lot of fun, and I was lucky enough to have LaceRN as my "Secret Santa". Wow, does she know how to pack a sleigh -- well, okay, a nice tin. Isn't this a great tin? I love snowmen -- they all look so happy. I got a really magnificent hand-made card, too.

That's not all though -- the inside was packed! It contained a whole skein of Christmas HDT, an entire ball of Lizbeth size 20 Christmas green mix, and a ball of Coats & Clarks blue size 70 thread. Nice variety and colors, right? Then, to go with the thread she tucked in two shuttles. Ah, but not just ordinary shuttles -- look closer. I've got decorated, blinged, fancy-dancy shuttles. One little pink clover with sparkles and gems and one substantial, holiday-appropriate Tatsy. For garnish on the thread she packed in a whole tube of red Czech glass beads. Now these aren't wimpy little seed beads -- these are "notice me!" accent beads.
The two little glass charms certainly charmed me -- they're frogs! Frogs! Have you got that? FROGS! I collect frogs! I've got a whole shelf in my room full of frog figurines; I have frog ornaments for the tree, I've got stuffed frogs; I have a variety of frog earrings. Frogs -- I love 'em!
(I've saved the best for the last -- but it's rather like not noticing the elephant in the room, eh?)
Tatting from another tatter is especially valued -- we all know how much work goes into it. See my butterfly? It's bright, cheery and very SCMR. :) Okay, the other two elephants are obvious. Two (yeah, TWO) beautiful ornaments. These are made in size 10 thread and fastened to the ornaments with large pearl-headed pins. Only the size 10 thread would do for those pins and only those pins would work with the size 10 thread. Now, that's something I've got to try. I don't know why size 10 never occurred to me before. These ornaments are really miniature showcases for tatting. The knots are visible and the construction stands out proud. These ornaments are ones you can show a non-tatter and say, "See? THIS is tatting." Thanks, LaceRN!