Category: contest

What’s in a name?

I finished the test tat of my diagram of the heart bookmark. I found out that I had forgotten several chains in the diagram, but added them in where they should have been. I made several other changes, too, like joining several picots together where the diagram indicated to join to only one. I just thought it looked much better that way. There are a couple of not-so-pretty spots where I made a mistake and you can tell it’s a correction, but as this is a trial anyway I went on anyway. There are also a few things about the heart at the end I want to change to make it look more like the rest. Over-all I am very happy with this bookmark, and found that, barring my missing chains, it tatted up pretty much like I expected. For this attempt I used Lizbeth Ocean Turquoise Dark, #657, in size 20.

Design © 2011 Wanda Salmans

The main problem I have now is I’d like to have a name for it, to put on the pattern when it’s done. I’ve never been great at naming my patterns, they’ve always been things like “Fall bookmark” and “December 20xx snowflake”. So I thought I’d have a little naming contest. As I just thought of this I have no idea what the prize will be, but if you would like to make a name suggestion on this post I’ll choose the one I like best and send a little something as a thank you. As the next week is going to be pretty busy I’ll announce the winner in two weeks, so you have that long to make a suggestion.

The tea for today’s Tatting Tea Tuesday is a cup of Tazo Refresh tea with a little bit of honey. I haven’t had mint tea with honey in it since I was a little girl visiting my grandmother. Somehow sugar has become the sweetener of choice, leaving honey on the shelf. It makes for a nice change.

For all that I got some tatting done this last week was busy as well. Last week one of my daughters had a daughter herself, so I’m a grandma again! The tatting for today will be in pink.

“No one likes change except babies in diapers.”

A busy busy elf

That’s how I’ve been lately, very busy! I’ve been working a lot on Christmas things, both for swap partners and for family. But I can share a few of the things I’ve been working on now as some were for an advent swap and have been opened.

Something to brighten the evenings

This is a candle jar that I decoupaged with red tissue paper then added small tatted snowflakes. There was also a candle tucked inside. I had never done decoupage before I started adding a little bling to my shuttles and now I can think of so many things I could do with it. In fact, I have all kinds of things in mind for Christmas gifts now that include a little decoupage. Now if I only have the time!

A little sparkle for my partner to hang on the tree.

Napkin rings to add a little Christmas cheer to the her table.

A stocking for the mantle with a little chocolate inside!

I had such fun thinking up all kinds of things to send. It couldn’t just be snowflakes, I needed a variety! I’m hoping she’s having as much fun opening them as I had putting them together.

I have also received some wonderful gifts in return. These are just a few of the great gifts I’ve opened so far.

Kooly the Koala

This is a Kritter Craft Case from Clover. Isn’t it cute?! It’s a semi-hard case that will be just perfect for a tatting project.

A little something to dress up my dish soap!

A dishcloth, a notepad and a size 12 crochet hook

And today the cutest hot pads!

This advent swap has been so fun! There is talk of doing this again next year and I am seriously thinking about it already! I will certainly start making things much earlier, though: )

In the midst of all this crafting I’ve also been trying to find time to put up my Christmas decorations. The tree is up but not decorated (it’s one that already has lights so it doesn’t look too bare) and that’s about it so far. Maybe this weekend…

Speaking of decorating, did you hear? Sharon has won Isdihara’s decorated chocolate box contest? If you haven’t seen Sharon’s box you definitely should check it out. Check out all the others, too, the links are on Ambitatterous, Isidhara’s blog. There are some very cute decorated chocolate boxes! This was a fun competition. Congratulations, Sharon! You had an awesome entry.

I’m enjoying English Teatime tea this morning that was in the box of gifts from my swap partner. I’m fortifying myself for another busy day of playing elf. I have a long list of things that I would like to get done before Christmas though I keep telling myself if I don’t get them done it won’t be the end of the world – no sense in stressing over doing things that should be fun!

Wishing all of you a blessed Christmas season. Take a little time for tea and tatting, and maybe a little time to reflect on the reason for the season.

Tatting Tea Tuesday with Chocolates


Have you heard? Isdihara, from Ambitatterous is having a contest, to decorate an empty box of chocolates with tatting. The one she likes the best will win 25 balls of Lizbeth thread of your choice! 25 balls of Lizbeth! For that I have to at least try!

Okay, how do you decorate a box of chocolates? I was having a terrible time coming up with a theme or idea, so I went with what I was working on. Snowflakes. I don’t know how good an idea it is, but I came up with something! The box didn’t show off the snowflakes very well so I covered it in brown paper, which shows off the white thread very well. Then I tried laying out snowflakes on the top in different arrangements. That looked way too busy no matter what arrangement I tried them in, so I reduced it to just one larger one. I’m not sure about this, but it’s what I came up with. I hope you like it at least a little bit, Isdihara!

I have been very busy, both with tatting and with other crafty things, but they’re all for gifts so I can’t show them yet. I’m in a Secret Santa exchange on Intatters and an Advent swap on Ravelry, besides having projects to make for family and friends. As the Internet things have to be sent out first they’ve been first on my list to do. I’m getting close to being done with those – I think! I have done a few things I’ve thought about for awhile but never got around to trying and I’ve been pretty happy with ’em. They’ll be shown in future posts, after I’m sure they’ve all been opened.

I’m still working on snowflakes today as I enjoy a cup of peppermint tea. I keep humming Christmas songs which helps keep me in the gifting mood. “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”

May you all have a wonderful week with a little tea and tatting if you can!