Things to do when it’s cold outside

Like a lot of the mid-west it’s been mighty cold here this last weekend.  I didn’t even leave the house Saturday or Sunday.  I wouldn’t have Monday, either, except I had to go to work.  So what does one do for two and a half days of staying inside?
Well, getting some tatting done, for one thing.  Not as much as I could have, but some anyway.
I’m revisiting a motif I made back in October, deciding if I want to write down the pattern or not. I made a bit of a change in the outside round, not sure if it made it better or worse.  It’s made with Lizbeth #670 Victorian Red in size 20.
On Monday I started on Jane’s new TIAS.
I’ve started mine in Lizbeth #130 Island Breeze in size 20.  It’s only day one so there is little hope of guessing what it will be yet.  It’s fun seeing all the people who have joined.  If you haven’t yet but would like to try it, it’s never to late to start.
Then of course there is the usual things that can’t be ignored – you know, the everyday things that have to be done: cooking, a bit of cleaning, laundry (you’ve heard that “no laundry today, naked tomorrow? It can be true).
I was actually slow getting to my tatting. I had a big distraction: a new book.  While grocery shopping Friday I found one I just had to buy.  I admit I haven’t bought or read many books lately for several reasons:
1.  When I start reading I have a hard time putting the book down until I’m done with it. And maybe re-read a few favorite spots…
2. I have decided I should try to only pick up books by favorite authors due to reason #1.
3. I have a lot of tatting and craft projects I want to do and can’t if I’m in the middle of a book (refer to reason #1).
4.  We have some remodeling that has to be done, which I can’t do while in the middle of a book (refer to reason #1).
5.  Like it or not cooking, cleaning, washing, etc, and going to work are necessary evils, which I can’t do while in the middle of a book (refer to reason #1). 
6.  The room we have to remodel has most of my books in it and we have to move them all to work on the room.  There seems to be a lot of books…
So, at the store Friday I found a anthology edited by one of my favorite authors, Mercedes Lackey 🙂 
And yes, I ignored ‘most everything else until I had finished it! **unrepentant grin**
There are several stories in here that can stand alone but are continuations of other stories from “Elemental Magic”, another book of short stories,which was probably the last book I purchased.  I haven’t really gotten into Mercedes’ ‘Elemental’ series (refer to reason #1) but I enjoyed these a lot.  And it looks like her story in this book is the introduction of her next full length novel (“Red as Blood” coming 2014).   
Even though I love having an actual book in my hand I need to see how many of her books are in audio books, then maybe I can get other things done while ‘reading’!!
“The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp.  The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.”
Ursula K. Le Guin
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New shuttle

My sweet husband surprised me with a new shuttle. It looks better in person than in the picture.
It feels wonderful and is a very nice size, but the tips are very tight.  I even tried size 70 thread, which I very rarely tat with, and it was too tight for that as well.  I’ll have to fix that before I can tat with it, but isn’t it pretty?
My husband is so thoughtful!

A busy time of year

Busy with lots of things but very, very little tatting.  There have been family dinners, cleaning in preparation for those dinners, a Christmas play, unexpected events…. It’s just been very, very busy!
I didn’t get as many snowflakes done as I would have liked, but the important people each got one.  A couple of gifts I had wanted to make will have to wait for another occasion as I ran out of time this year.  A few projects I wanted to do will have to wait as I didn’t have as much time off from work as they said we would have.
But it was a wonderful Christmas!  We baked and decorated cookies with the grandchildren.  We played games that included everyone, from the great-grandparents to the youngest child.  We had a variety of foods that weren’t ‘traditional’ Christmas dinner fare but were easy to prepare so time could be spent doing other things.  We sat and talked, reconnecting with family we seem too busy to see much of the rest of the year. For all that there was a lot of time planning and preparing we didn’t let ourselves be too stressed about all that, for stress takes out a lot of the fun, doesn’t it?
We even had a white Christmas this year.  Here in Kansas there is only about an 11% chance of that happening, so it isn’t something you expect.  Of course, because we don’t expect it this early and it wasn’t just snow but ice as well,  not everyone could get out and about like we planned, either.  But it all came together anyway.
One of the few things beside snowflakes I did get done was this headband.
This was tatted on a white button then a sparkly jewel was added in the middle. I stitched it on the headband then added a bit of glue to give a little more hold. It was actually a birthday gift not a Christmas gift to a little girl who just loves purple.  It was a nice break from the snowflakes.
Now it’s on to other things.  Though maybe I should start on the snowflakes a little earlier this year – like, now?
I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas!
“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.”
Peg Bracken

Flurry in a hurry

Yes, time is running out for Christmas snowflakes so I had to hurry to get some done if I wanted them to arrive before the big day. Which meant a smaller, easy snowflake that didn’t take much time.
There are two here that have ‘mistakes’ or at least unintentional differences.  The top one, that’s not really a snowflake, was the first.  I miscounted the chains, making it too tight to go around the doodad without cupping.  No problem, I just modified part of it and made it more like a bell than a snowflake.  The other one has picots on the short chains instead of Josephine knots – I started it without the 2nd shuttle.  Instead of doing the shoe-lace trick I just made picots instead.  It changed the look a bit, but still okay.
All are made with size 20 Lizbeth white.  The finished size is less than the length of a clover shuttle (a little less than two inches point-to-point.)  I really had planned on sending the modified Christmas Snowflake 2010 that I posted about last week, but these were faster.

For some reason I’ve had a hard time getting into the spirit of Christmas this year.  I haven’t decorated at all, neither inside nor outside or even at work.  Except for the snowflakes I haven’t put out anything Christmas related (and they’re just layin’ around because I’m working on them).  I have been listening to Christmas music and enjoying it a lot, so it’s not that I’m feeling like a Scrooge or a Grinch, I just haven’t found the energy to decorate.  None of the family gatherings will be at our house this season so I’m guessing the decorations will stay in their boxes for another year.  

Decorations out or not I am very ready for Christmas to be here.

A little difference

Christmas Snowflake 2010 © Wanda Salmans
I made a little change from the pattern on this snowflake, making the ends with three rings instead of a thrown ring, shortened the arm chains and left out most of the decorative picots.  I like the way it came out.  This is made in Lizbeth size 20, White #601.  The original pattern can be found on my Pattern tab.
December Star 2011 © Wanda Salmans
I made a little change in this pattern, too (can you tell? It’s not a star!).  I only made two changes in this one – added beads and another arm to make it a snowflake.  I like the beads but it sure slows down the tatting!  The beads are a bright, shiny, reflective silver – and they made taking a good picture of this a real bear!  Let’s just say I’m very frustrated with my camera right now 🙁  This ‘star’ is made in Lizbeth size 20 Christmas Red #671.  The original pattern can be found on my Pattern tab.
I think the changes in both patterns were successful.   The reason for the changes?  I’m running short on time for coming up with a totally new pattern for my 2013 Christmas snowflakes.  If I’m going to give anybody snowflakes I’ve got to get them done ASAP and starting with something I already have then making a few changes might be what I end up with.  Hmmm., will I stick with one of these – or find something else?
Time will tell.
“Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk.”
William Arthur Ward
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Snowflakes and Pictures

I made my ‘Crowned Wheel’ (found on my Patterns tab) in white for the first time.  It’s actually the first time I’ve made it in a solid color instead of a variegated thread.  It looks pretty good as a snowflake.

The small snowflakes are just my doodling around to make small ‘flakes for the bags I’ve been decorating, but I’m pretty sure that some version of these (and more!) are in Patti Duff’s ‘Minitats’ (which is currently sold out) and probably other places as well.  
I haven’t gotten much tatting done in the last week due to having family doings for Thanksgiving.  We had three different dinners in three days.  I didn’t have to cook for all three – one was catered and not at our house; one was at our house but made by my Son-In-Law; the other at our house where I did almost everything but the turkey which was smoked outside.  We’re dining on leftovers still, and will be for several more days.  This is not a bad thing at all – little cooking but a variety of good food 🙂
Have you ever had family get-togethers where you want to take pictures but not everyone is all that enthused about it?  As I take a lot of pictures my family knows it’s coming and they will just have to suffer through it.  This year I tried to make it fun.  The weather was very mild so we took the set pictures outside.  I had purchased some holiday accessories – Christmas tree head bands, gnome/elf hats, funny glasses – and had everyone wear them for pictures.  I didn’t hear nearly as much complaining as I usually do – everyone was laughing too hard. The kids thought it was great and even the guys had fun with it.
Our daughters framing us for the holidays.
It was great to have such a mild holiday weekend where we could spend a lot of time outside and didn’t have to bundle up.  I heard that the weather on the east coast was pretty nasty with a lot of travel delays.  Our turn could be coming.  The temp here today was about 65º F, tomorrow the high is supposed to be about 23º.  
And “breezy” – meaning winds 10 to 25 mph.
And maybe snow.
Lovely.
“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”
Desmond Tutu
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Another bag!

My sign at the craft show
The show was fun but disappointing in sales.  There also didn’t seem to be as many people as I was expecting.  We saw people making purchases but few walking around with many packages so I would say I wasn’t the only one that didn’t do well.  I do like how my sign turned out 🙂  One of the other venders came over at the end of the show just to check us out because she liked the sign.
I decorated another bag (are you tired of them yet?), this time with a snowman.  I like how the scarf came out. I realized after I had cut out the material for the snowman it was too busy to add face and buttons but it still came out rather cute.
I guess I’m farther along on Christmas gifts now than I thought I would be – as long as I give bags anyway. 
☺
“It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.”
Erma Bombeck

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Getting ready

One day when I felt I should be tatting but couldn’t get myself organized to tat something on my list, I tatted this motif.  Nothing fancy or hard, just tatting and hoping something worth keeping would come out of it.

Lizbeth #651 size 20
The center is pretty much the center from last years (?) snowflake with a little something more on the outside.  Not sure what I’m going to do with it, but I like it. 

Mostly I’ve been very busy tatting planned items, getting ready for the craft show this weekend.  I’ve decorated a few more bags, made a few ornaments and put together a few odds and ends.  I always think I have more time before a show than I really do so I don’t really get busy until the last few weeks – way later than I should.
Then I stress about what I don’t have done, and how I’m going to get it done.
This week I have taken a couple of days vacation just to get ready.  I have a plan, a list of things that still need to be accomplished.  If I don’t have a plan I wonder around in circles (it seems) and get very little done, but with a plan the most important things usually end up getting finished. Sometimes late the night before but finished.  With a few days off this week to get ready could this be the show that I’m ready for early?
Hahahahaha! Probably not.
But I still enjoy doing craft shows whether I get everything done or not, or even if I sell much or not.  Tatting is put out there for people to see, and sometimes I get to talk to a few about it, too. Who knows, maybe someone will be intrigued enough about it to want to learn how.  And I stretch my imagination coming up with new things to make and get to see what other people have come up with.  
A win all around.
“The trouble with the future is that it usually arrives before we’re ready for it.”
Arnold H. Glasow
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Travel tatting

We went to visit one of our daughters this weekend to celebrate one of the grandson’s birthday.  Our other daughter and her son were also able to come up, which made for a great weekend!  All the grandkids together equals not much time for tatting, at least while we were there (I don’t plan on it, either!).  We left on Friday evening, which meant in the dark as the sun now sets so early.  Almost five hours of driving time – in the dark.
I have a booklight, one of those that clip onto a book so you can read in bed or wherever in low light.
And the battery was dead.
But I did have a small, regular flashlight that worked just fine.  I just tucked it behind the seat belt across my chest. I had to re-aim it every little bit, but it put light where I needed it.
I didn’t want to try following a pattern in those conditions so my best bet was something that I could do without a pattern.  What better than a bookmark?  A very basic cross bookmark is the result of our drive. 
I also emptied a few shuttles by making birds, butterflies and flowers.
We left earlier in the day Sunday to come home so I had light to tat by for a while and I still did simple things.  I got several snowflakes done, which I’ll be putting on some items for the craft show that’s coming up in a couple of weeks.  I might have pictures of those next week.
We had such fun this weekend. As our daughters live so far apart the cousins don’t get to see each other often, but they got along great.  We’ll have another chance to get all together in a few weeks for Thanksgiving.  I’m really looking forward to it!
#grandma #grandpa #grandparents #grandkids #grandchildren #quotes

More bags

I have so enjoyed decorating bags that I have embellished a few more.

I think this one is finished.  Stepping back to look at it I find it pleasing just as it is.

This bird is out of different material than the first one I did.  I’m trying to add some white to the tree branches to make it look like touches of snow, but it hasn’t quite worked out yet. We’ll see.
I thought this one was done, but looking at the picture I think it needs just a little more work. 
This one needs a little more something.  I haven’t quite decided what yet.
All of these bags are about 6 inches square not counting the handles (which I will iron to have them look nice). I’m planning on taking these to a local craft show later this month where my sister and I have a booth. It would be great if they sell but I can think of several people I could gift these to this Christmas.  And they have just been a lot of fun working on!
Seeing the trees in their fall colors this year has been enjoyable, too. The tree colors have been pretty spectacular around here.  The trees had water when they needed it and cool temperatures without severe weather which makes for pretty leaves. 

Some of the trees on First Street in Newton, Kansas October 30, 2013.
This is looking toward the library from the courthouse in Newton, Kansas, October 30.  Quite the range of colors isn’t it?.  I had my camera with me that day and couldn’t resist taking a few pictures.  The drive to work this week has given me time to enjoy the gorgeous colors of the trees. 
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” 
George Eliot
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