I didn’t plan on it being a last-minute anything, but I just didn’t get on it fast enough – again. I had the ideas and I still didn’t get to it in time. But I did get it done on time.
Once a month, other than a couple of months in the summer, there is a Bingo game put on by the American Legion Auxiliary which my sister is a member of. The entry is a white elephant gift, usually a bit nicer than I think of as a white elephant gift. I decided to take a bottle decorated with tatting. I had a month to do it and I did it on the day of.
I used my Button Kitty pattern for this, with a few modifications; beads for the eyes and nose, and a couple of extra rings. I used Lizbeth #HH10696 Autumn Orange Med with a 3/4″ (7/8th”?) 4-hole button, the beads are 8/0. The kitty looked a little lonely there by itself, but a few flowers made it look less lonely.
On one side I added this flower, made in Lizbeth HH20695 Bright Orange on a 1/2″ 4-hole button. It’s a simple ring and chain pattern. A doodled leaf in Lizbeth HH20684 Leaf Green Med helped sell it as a flower.
The flower on the other side of the kitty is made of HH20695 and HH20696 on a 1/2″ 4-hole button, also with a simple ring and chain pattern. I added two leaves on this side, the same pattern as the other.
I liked how this came out on the burlap wrapped around a Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce bottle. Looking at the picture – after it was given away – I should have put several rounds of jute around the top of the burlap. I think it would have given it a more finished look.
I finished the gift with a bunch of fake sunflowers to make it a vase. When the gift was won and opened there was quite a conversation about tatting among the attendees. That is always a win.
I haven’t finished the Luther’s Rose pattern yet. We took a little vacation, which put me behind on the pattern. My plan at the moment is to work hard on it this week. Maybe I can finish it by the weekend? I’ll try!
“Each day provides its own gifts.” Marcus Aurelius
