Finding Treasures

If you read my last post you know that my 99 year old aunt passed away two weeks ago.  If you read to the end of the post you know that I found some plastic doilies that resemble tatting. Well, the found treasure list is growing!

First I would like to share what we are face every morning.

Every room starts like this,

One of the rooms had three boxes of moth balls in it and had been closed up for as long as I can remember.  The pictured room (let's call it the Bedding Room) has not officially been tackled, but I had to peak at the sewing and craft supplies that could be found without tripping over things.  Of course I am hoping to find some tatting shuttles - still hoping!!  I did find a few balls of size 100 tatting thread, so there is still hope!!   Here is the "Moth Ball" room about 3/4 done.  The bed was COVERED about two feet deep with clothes and the foot board could not be seen.  The pile on the left is mostly towels and wash cloths which we saved for another day.  The plastic shelving in the back was piled with clothes and shoes.  They now are holding some nick knacks, a few tote bags and some perfume gift sets.    Here is a picture of the bed as it is now.  The space between the bed and the wall was FULL of boxes.

Five years ago this house would have been a night mare for me to enter.  I have asthma that is highly reactive to anything that has a odor (good or bad) except skunk, but that is another story!!  I do believe I will be remembering to take my reusable shopping bags into stores in the future.  I think the "Moth Ball Room" had at least 1,000 plastic bags in it.

First up for found treasure was actually found yesterday on pantry and dining room day.  People, please clean out your pantries!!  You will not want your relatives throwing away canned goods that expired ten years or more before your passing!!  First, an update on the doily I needed to get the magnifying glass to examine more closely - It is not tatting.  The buffet contained a bag with eleven Workbasket Home and Needlecraft for Pleasure and Profit circa 1957 to 1958.  I will be making the tatting patterns.  We will see what happens from there.

I am having a hard time deciding which of the sewing treasures is my favorite.  Although this is definitely a find, I am NOT a seamstress so it does not impress me that much...  The table seems to be in remarkable shape.

My favorites from the "bedding room"

To the left is a Pelouze Hem gauge.  The back is marked with "Patent Pending".  The inventor filed for a patent of the gauge in early 1927 the patent was granted in 1929.  The hem gauge is at least 87 years old.

I anyone has ideas on the maker and date of this thimble I would be very grateful.  The design seems to be humming birds.  It is silver although I cannot find any marks on it, the thimble started out black before it was cleaned with silver polish and elbow grease.  Here are some more thimble I  found is the sewing/craft supplies -

The one in the middle appears to have a design consisting of black berries with leaves.  That leaves on sewing/craft related treasure however I have not taken pictures of it yet "sew" you will just have to wait!!  I will say that it is about eighteen inches tall.  Would someone care to guess what ir is.

Happy Tatting every one.

What You May Find in a 99 Year Old's House

My 99 year old aunt jumped out of bed and into the arms of Jesus on Sunday.  My mom was with her.  At one point my aunt's O2 level dropped very low so the nurses increased her mixture.  My aunt said, "I guess He was not ready for me."  My mom replied, "The paint must not be dry."  I don't know how much time had passed, but some time later my aunt ripped off the oxygen mask, kicked off her blankets and took her last breath.  My mom said, "The paint must be dry."

I have heard many stories of Christians who have commented about seeing Jesus just before leaving their mortal body behind.  I have heard many stories of purely joyful expressions appearing on Christian's faces before they enter eternity.  Conversely when I hear of non-believers passing away I frequently hear about an expression of fear.  I imagine that my aunt was jumping out of bed to run and jump into the arms of Jesus!!  What a way to pass from this life.  There was NO fear.  She anticipated the new life that would begin on the other side of death!!  

What will greet you on the other side of death's door?  Do you expect Jesus to be waiting for you to take you to your forever home in heaven - that mansion He has built especially for you?  Or do you fear death not knowing what it holds for you?  Not knowing where you will spend eternity?  Or even if there is life after death?  Knowing that you can die with great joy instead of fear is easy.  

Romans 3:10 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.

Romas 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for the all have sinned.

These verses tell us that not one man has ever lived a life without sin.  "Sin" is a term used in archery it means "to miss the mark".   You might ask, "Who set the mark?"  God, our creator, established "the mark".  He is holy and righteous and cannot allow unholiness and unrighteous in His presence.  Since every man in not righteous and has sinned, man is eternally separated from God.  However, God loves man and wants every human to spend eternity with Him.  How can an unholy and unrighteous man be allowed into God's holy presence?  

Since only God can define what is holy and righteous and what is not holy or righteous, only God has the right and authority to say how man can be "reconciled" to Him.  That is an accounting term which means "to bring accounts in agreement" or "to bring accounts into balance".   Does that mean that at the end of our life all our good deeds are put on one side of the balance scales and all our sins are put on the other and if the scales are balanced we get to heaven?  NO WAY!!!  For several reasons.  First, we would still have those unholy and unrighteous deeds and we would be bringing them into heaven with us.  Those are what separated us from God in the first place.  That is not logical.  We need some way to get rid of them, and we cannot do that on our own.  Second, that is not the plan God gave us.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This verse tells us that while sin separates us from God by eternal death, God has provided a "gift" through Jesus Christ that will give us eternal life.  Have you ever been given a gift?  Did you have to do anything to earn that gift?  Did you have to buy it?  Of course not!  If you did then it would not have been a gift!!  There is only one thing you have to do to receive the benefits of a gift that has been offered to you - take it as your own! Open it and enjoy it!  How marvelous is that?!  God is saying that the only thing you have to do to enjoy eternal life with Him is to accept His gift, His plan for being reconciled back to Him.

Romans 5:8-9 - But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Romans 10:11-12 - That if thou shalt confess with they mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in this heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

God loves us so much that even though we have sin and are therefore separated from Him, Jesus Christ came, lived a perfectly sinless life, and chose to shed His life's blood on a cruel cross just so that we could be "justified" and saved from the wrath sin brought upon us (separation for God).  "Justified" means to declare innocent or guiltless.  It means that once a person has accepted God's plan for reconciliation He declares them innocent and guiltless.  The simple act of believing that God in the form of Jesus Christ came to Earth, died, and rose again I am "justified - just as if I had never sinned".   My sin is gone.  The only entry to my account is the righteousness obtained through the blood of Jesus Christ.  My account now balances with God's standard of righteousness therefore I am 'reconciled' to Him!   

You can have your account reconciled to God's standard of righteous too.  All you have to do is tell Him you accept His gift!  If you do please send me a message or comment.  I would love to know about your decision.  Life will change for you.  You will have new desires.  I would love to help you find a place that will help you learn more about God, Jesus and the Bible.

That took a different turn than I expected when I wrote my title!  So now...

What You May Find in a 99 Year Old's House - 

My mom and I were looking for the original copy of her Will, valuables which we did not want left in an unoccupied house, and pictures for her funeral service.  While sifting through her buffet drawers I found a number of pictures we will be using and quite a few table linens - embroidered, crocheted and this

I was a bit surprised to say the least.  I guess I should say that it is a 100% plastic doily that is about 4 inches across. Just about the right size for a coaster.  I grabbed all I could find.  There were two that were loose and then there was this 

An un-opened package of them.  I wonder if anyone knows more about them.

I will be going back through the drawers with more care to make sure there are no tatted lace.  There was one piece that had me about ready to get the magnifying glass out to make sure it was crocheted.  I believe it is, but I think I will get the magnifying glass out to make sure there are no knots!!  Happy tatting everyone.

What to tat.... Part two

As I stated in my last post I am tatting my way through tatting books.  I started on one book, but the patterns required too much cutting, tying and hiding of ends.  Blehch!!!  Who likes to do that all the time?  I did one pattern that required me to hide ends 6 times for just 6 inches of edging.  It would take a long time to make a useful length of edging hiding ends that frequently.  Additionally, I do not like how chopped up that type of pattern looks.  They lack continuity - start, stop, start, stop...  So I switched to Ann Orr's Classic Tatting Patterns. 

I find some of her patterns hard to follow as they are written in paragraph form so I rewrite them in symbol form first.  I will mount my samples on something and then post pictures.  I probably will not do the large doilies as I am not much of a doily person, but I will do all the edgings and the medalians.

TIAS 2016 Day 9

I am participating in Jane Eboral's Tat it and See.  She has totally throw me for a loop.  I was convinced it was a frog, but it most definitely is not a frog after today's piece of the puzzle!!  Now I am totally baffled.  My frog had developed a strange appendage.  However, living in Oklahoma we have creatures called horny toads.  They actually have horns.  Maybe I was not off by so much after all.  Yeah, right!! Jane has a really good trick up her sleeve.

My husband suggested a jester's hat or a scorpion.  Oh, how I hope it is not a scorpion!!  I am terrified of arachnids, and scorpions are arachnids. I do like the jester hat idea though.  Maybe it is a girl with a pony tails? Jane has out done herself this time, but she thinks we should all get it with today's bit of pattern.  Hmmm... Maybe I was too stuck on the frog idea to see anything else right a way.  It is kind of funny how at least my brain works that way.  I have to let go of one idea before I can see another take shape.  

I have continued knitting my way through the pattern book I started last time as well, but I did get a tad bit distracted.  My daughter went away to school and she needs a bright scarf to wear with her black coat.  Here is what I am working on for her.  I will also make me one in red.

Sarah's Scarf

What to Tat?

I have been struggling to tat for the last few weeks.  I guess I have been feeling a bit uninspired.  I have some Christmas projects in the works, but they are long term projects.  Maybe I am feeling worn out after tatting over three yards of lace for my daughter's dress and not feeling up to taking on another big project!  The Christmas projects also require designing and I am struggling with a couple of my ideas.

So the tatting shuttles had lost their allure for a few days.  Since I am NOT one to sit idle and I found a gorgeous (and luscious and toasty) pair of purple leather gloves on Amazon for $20.00 plus shipping that I just had to have them!  Honestly, I already owned a brown pair from this manufacturer and love them.  They are so very soft and snuggly.  I also got my mother a pair and she has already ordered two more in brown and red.

In my way of thinking, gloves need a matching scarf.  Right?  Of course I am right!!  Well, I do not crochet!  And I WAS limited to the knit stitch in knitting.  I knew how to purl, but it drove me crazy to move the working yarn from side to side when switching from knit to purl or visa versa.  ARG!!! There had to be a better way to knit.  There just had to be a better way to knit...

The scarf is a little more "plummy" than the gloves.  I had not received the gloves yet, so I was not sure of the exact color.  The scarf is a simple knit-purl stitch.  I used Lion Brand Homespun Grape.  The texture within the yarn makes it a very forgiving yarn for new kniters.

Hello YouTube!!  Have I told you that I learned to tat off of YouTube?  That is a story for another time if I have not told you about that yet.  I guess I will check previous blogs before I repeat myself.

Anyway, YouTube revealed the most wonderful thing to me.  I knew American knitting.  There is another form of knitting called Continental knitting!  It is amazingly simple.  Just switch the working thread from the right hand to the left (left hand to right hand if you are left handed).  A truly amazing thing happens -- the working thread falls to the side you want it on for your next stitch.  If it does not fall to the correct side,it is very easy to move with a flick of the needles.  Continental knitting also eliminates the  need to wrap the working thread around the needle to pull it through the stitch. Another flick of the needles and like magic... the thread wrapped itself around the needle!!
After learning that knitting is not nearly as bad as I thought, I decided to work through a knitting stitch book to practice the new techniques and maybe learn a few new things.

Here is the link to Knitting Help by Amy Finley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tff3ng-djtk

Moss Stitch

Divided Boxes View 1

Divided Boxes View 2 reverse side

Six Stitch Cable

This reminded me of another project I have wanted to start for a long time.  I have been planning on working through all my tatting pattern books (even the Kindle versions) and tatting everything in them.  That project is now under way!  I chose Traditional Tatting Patterns edited by Rita Weiss as my first book.  I only plan on tatting up the edgings and maybe medallions creating a sampler.  I probably not do the doilies and other larger projects in them.

The Dress is Finished

It has taken a few months, but I finally finished the lace for my daughter's skirt.  At first it was supposed to be two yards, but it turned out to be closer to three yards.

I am always surprised to see how well these projects turn out.

My Daughter's Skirt is TOO Short

My daughter is 5' 10" and suffers from having a mother that taught her to value modesty.  While most moms, and certainly most teens, would not care that a skirt hits the leg 3/4 the way down her thigh, we do.  When the leg is long that is still a lot leg.

 

Since almost everything is covered in lace these days and I make lace, I decided to make an edging to go around the hem of the full skirt.  She picked out Ann Orr's Wide Pointed Edging from her book Classic Tatting Patterns page 24 which when tatted in size 20 is 1 3/4 inches wide.  Her skirt needs to look 3 inches longer.  So I had to modify the pattern.  I added a 6 double stitch "bridge" so I could add a repeat of the square motif or two or more.  (I practiced by making a bookmark.)   One side of the square motif is made followed by the bridge, then start the next motif.  When the desired number of motifs have been started, complete the last motif.  The last chain will lock join to the base of the first ring.  Then bridge back to the previous motif, lock join to the base of the last ring of the motif and finish the motif. 

 

I have to say this is probably one of the trickiest designs I have tried.  The transition from the point to the second row of square motifs has tripped me up several times.  I have reached the end of the repetition only to find that I do not have a place to join to because I messed the transition up.  I have had to pick out the entire second half at least twice.  That is really not fun.  It takes about 15 minutes to tat, but 5 hours to pick out.

 

 

 

I need to sew the ends of the bookmark in still, but you get the idea.

So Surprised!

When I got home tonight I found a bubble wrap envelope on the counter.  This is not unusual since Amazon is my favorite ace to shop, but I was not expecting any orders.  (Why can't stores carry exactly what I want?

 

Then I saw the return address.  It was from a sweet tatting friend.  I could not wait to see what she had sent me.  This is what I found inside.

 

 

My first decorated shuttles!!  My Favs - Moonlit shuttles!!  and they are purple!  and who does not need another tatting tin?! 

 

Thanks P. C.  You are the best.  I am so grateful God brought you into my life.

Oils - Essential or NOT

Publishing a draft

I have found a new version of 'toxic clouds'.  The "essential oil" toxic cloud.  I cannot wait for the latest reincarnation of the multi-level marketing scheme to lose its ap-"peal".

I guess I should start by defining "toxic cloud".  A toxic cloud is any person who leaves a cloud of fragrance behind them wherever they go or can be smelled from outside their personal space - two maybe three feet away.

Why do I consider them toxic?  There are many people in this world that suffer from various forms of parosmia - diseases and/or reactions which are triggered by odors or a distortion in the perception of odors.  I know several people who experience instant, debilitating migraines if someone cuts a lemon or orange near them.  Another person I know cannot walk through a rose garden without getting a migraine.  Various other natural odors trigger migraines.  Then there are the artificial fragrances, which literally are toxic - air fresheners, laundry product (both detergent and fabric softeners), perfumes and colognes, lotions, cleaning products, deodorants, shampoos and conditioners.  The list goes on and on.  Doctors have noted that adolescence is starting at younger and younger ages.  Studies have proven that this is a direct result of the hormone stimulating chemicals in artificial fragrances.  Some components in air fresheners combine with natural, indoor "pollutants" to form formaldehyde.  So, yes, artificial fragrances literally are toxic.

Migraines are not the only disease triggered by odors.  Seizures and asthma can also be triggered by odors.  I have heard of someone (a friend of a friend and medical professional) who actually passes out when they smell certain odors.  I suffer from both migraine and asthma triggered by odors.   The only odors I can rely on not triggering something are peppermint and lemon.  Then there are those with the distortions of scents.  What you consider to smell nice and fresh literally smells extremely foul to them.  Coffee may be perceived as excrement or skunk for example.

I have been feeling progressively worse all week.  I would walk past a co-worker's office and smell this sort of dry, musky odor.  They would come into my office and I would smell the same odor.  I made the mistake of going into their office to file something and the odor was so strong it took my breath away - literally!!!  I had smelled it several times while sitting at my desk which is at least ten feet from my office door, and their desk is at least another eight feet from there.  I could smell their oil from up to 18 feet away.  That qualifies them for the distinction of Toxic Cloud Royale.

I found out today that they have started using an "essential" oil.  They have applied this oil no less than five times in a nine hour work day (we get an hour for lunch).  At least with perfumes and colognes the bottle is left at home!  I have had a head ache since walking into my co-worker's office and I coughed for at least an hour taking numerous hits of my inhaler while coughing up copious amounts of mucous. 

I really don't understand this fad.  "Essential" oils are supposedly healing and good for you.  What do they actually heal?  From what I have seen from a faithful user, they have to be used very frequently just to mask a symptom. Is that what you would consider healing?  Then, well, they are certainly not good for some people triggering a disease/reaction.  Also, please remember that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."  What the wearer/user thinks smells good may be offensive to those around them. 

On another line of logic, I find the use of "essential" oils offensive for religious reasons.  In researching the particular oil my co-worker is using its purpose is not physical healing, but spiritual healing.  It is to "ward off" negative energy, promote confidence (not that they need it, they are the "what ever I need to do to climb that corporate ladder type, even if it I insult and walk all over my co-workers to do it" type) and other such things.  Anyway, the practice of using "essential" oils is steeped in New Age philosophies, especially this particular oil.  As a Christian, God heals our spirit through reading His Word and His Holy Spirit, not an "essential" oil.  I personally have found that the best relief for "negativity" is praise and worship.  Instead of focusing on the problem I am better off focusing on God's power over the problem.  God is above what ever problem comes my way. 

Further more, every instance of oil in the New Testament uses the Greek work which means "olive oil".  So in James 5:14 where oil is used for anointing the sick it is olive oil, not an "essential" oil. 

I will say that God has a sense of humor.  I am looking forward to my "new and whole" body once I get to heaven.  I certainly would not enjoy God's idea of "heavenly" odors.  In this body, I would be running as fast I could away from that tabernacle incense containing frankincense and cinnamon, especially the cinnamon.

Well, that went off on a tangent.

I guess I should say that I am not categorically against "essential" oils.  I do find my allergist's mixture useful for masking triggering odors on occasion, when it does not trigger itself.  It contains peppermint oil which I do find helpful on its own. 

I am against people going out in public forcing their choices on others.  We have laws against people smoking in public, keeping them from forcing their life choice on others, unfortunately many smokers still reek when you are forced to stand behind them in line at the post office.  I don't force people to take my 'drugs' yet I am being forced to "use" my co-worker's "drug of choice" and I have to live with its "side effects".

If you have not guessed by now, I do not feel that "essential oils" are essential.  I feel their lack of reliable effectiveness qualifies them to be called "snake oil".  The proverbial con-man's miracle tonic.  Additionally, the fact that these oils have strong odors carrying your choices into the personal space of others.  They pose health threats to others the user may encounter.  I will be very glad when this fad and multi-level marketing scheme follows its predecessors and loses its ap-"peal". 

I am going to post this now, but I will come back and edit it as well.

Bell Hanger

Materials:

Two shuttles wound CTM. 

Identify shuttles as Shuttle 1 and Shuttle 2.  Shuttle 2 will always be RODS (reverse order double stitch, second half frist)

 

May add beads to use as earings.

Clover leaf:

SR 5-3/(p)5-3  CL R – make a picot between the first and second halves of the split ring.

Shuttle 1:  3+6-3 CL R

Shuttle 2 (RODS):  3+6-3

SR 3+3/3+3 CL R 

Center Motiff:

Shuttle 1:

R 3+6-3 CL R

R 3+10-3 CL R

R 3+6-3 CL R 

Shuttle 2:  (RODS)

3+6-3 CL R

3+10-3 CL R

3+6-3

 SR 3+3/3+3

 Shuttle 1:  3+6-3 CL R

Shuttle 2:  3+6-3 CL R

SR 3+5/3+5

Cut, tie and hide ends.

Tiny Angel

Hyperbolic Tatting key chains

I have a problem...  my keys fall to the bottom of my purse and get lost (despite trying to always put them in a pocket).  Does anyone else have that problem? And who wants to add something large and heavy to their purse. 

Solution - a hyperbolic tatted key chain made if bright durable thread. 

After several prototypes I settled on the two versions pictured below.  The orange and white starts with a chain attched to a ring.  The other is tatted on the ring.

The pattern for the chain version is almost complete and will be posted after it has been proof read by a friend.

I finaly did it

I finally made the lace to add to a pair of capris.  In my opinion it turned out better than I thought it would.

What is rare these days?

Let's be honest... we know most people these days are self absorbed and will do little to help other people (unless it is a major catastrophe).  Good service seems to be a thing of the past (unless you are at Chic-fil-a), and greed tends to be the rule.  Almost everyone thinks of ME, ME, ME.  Well, the key words there are "most", "seems", and "almost".

Today I was privileged to meet some body whose motto for life seemed to be "How can I help you?  I am here to serve you."

I don't think I have mentioned this before, and I don't want to dwell on it, but I am a severe asthmatic.  Someone at work was kind enough to come to work with a 103* fever and walking pneumonia.  Of course they shared with me.  Well, this morning my nebulizer stopped working, and with walking pneumonia I really need it.  I called my allergist who had sold me the unit 5 years ago.  They said to call their supplier.  The doctor's sales rep called me within the hour and was at MY OFFICE with a replacement unit by 12:15 PM today.  Now, my office is in a ranch house that has been converted into the corporate offices for the company.  The owner of the company still raises Red Angus on the ranch.  Get the picture?  When I am at work, I am at least 7 miles from civilization!!  At least 20 miles from the sales rep's offices (I have been there to pick up parts before).

I just have to say that there still are people out there who care about others and will go OUT OF THEIR WAY to help.  Who ever raised that young man should be very proud of him.  He is a RARE breed.

I hope you can see the good in someone today and give thanks for them.

Not about tatting, but "My Life."

Projects finally finished

I have been working on a few designs of my own which has been quite challenging.  There has been a lot of picking out, cutting out, UGHs, and total rethinking of what I had done.  One of the designs has not been completed yet, so it will have to wait for another time.  

These went through many versions and mistakes until I finally settled on this version.  I think I will be making quite a few of these as I have a number of friends you are very patriotic.  This pair, the original, belongs to my mother.

I think I posted another version of this with a black bag and a red lower.  The flower is my design using principals from ANKARS tatting.  The leaves are Scheif leaves using the pattern for Gerdes Butterfly posted on Georgia Seitz web pages.  This bag will be going to a dear friend named Cyndi.

Finally, Jane Eboral's Flamingo.  I could not find a verrigated pink and white tatting or crochet thread at the time I tatted the little guy, so I used three strands of DMC floss.  I think it worked out pretty well.  Since then I did find some pink and whit thread at Michael's craft store.  This little guy belongs to another Jane who is also very dear friend.

Well, that is all for now.  

Happy Tatting everyone!!

Life Happens

Life can be very interesting.  About a year ago we were having severe storms coming in from the west.  I heard what sounded like thunder rolling in from the east.  "Sounded like" are key words, it was an earthquake.

Today a tornado touches down very near our house with power outage.  There is an earthquake.  I didn't get much tatting done tonight.

Thrift store find

I found a bag of thread at the local Goodwill.  Several new spools of thread and nearly new crochet thread and a tangled mess of DMC floss (not puctured).  Great for teaching my daughter how to tat. 

WHOOT!  WHOOT!!!  I am very excited tonight. 

This is a "My Tatting Life" post. 

For the first time in five years I have found a scented lotion that I can use.  In 2008 I developed severe asthma.  I have serious  asthma attacks when exposed to odors (even food), so maybe you can imagine my EXCITEMENT!!

Hempz Fresh Guava and Lemograss Aroma Therapy Lotion.  Hempz is test marketing a line of aroma therapy products.  Other fragrances being tested include Bergamot Lavender and Mandarin Orange & Sandlewood which I have not tried yet.  Check to see if a salon near you is included in the test market.  I know OK, USA is!  Woo Hoo!!!  I guess you should know that my husband is a salon product sales representative so we get LOTS of samples. 

Along those same lines, I have not polished my finger nails in several years either.  It takes about three days for me to stop smelling them.  YUCK!!  Then they start chipping.  Why bother with polish.  By the time I can enjoy them they start getting chipped.  He just brought home a starter set for gel nail polish.  My daughter used it today, and I can't smell them at all.  I can't wait to give myself a manicure!! 

It has been awhile.  I still LOVE the Hemps Guava and Lemongrass.  The other fragrances did not  stay in the house.  DH was so thoughtful and got several bottles while he could. 

The nail polish is a "no go" however.  Oh, it does not smell, and it wears beautifully.  However, it requires an adhesive, and I am allergic to adhesives.  Have your nails ever hurt?  Mine did! 

"My Tatting Life"

ANKARS Lesson 1 - Finally

Well, I finally finished the tatting for ANKARS Lesson 1.  I found working with the metallic thread and size 20 cotton to be very challenging, at least until I decided to use two shuttles! I is that cheating.  A double bobbin shuttle would work better, but I taped Clover shuttles together with a loop of packing tape.  Two metal shuttles held together with a strong flat magnet would work well also.  Now for pictures
I still have to finish the piece obviously.  I am thinking sapphire blue or emerald green beads, but I am not sure I have sizes that would work.  I do have several shades of turquoise with the right sizes of beads. 
I really like the affect of the very tight tatting, and the metallic thread is effective in this piece.   While I will use the tight tatting a lot, the metakic thread will be saved for special pieces. In this piece, the very large rings combined with the the very tight tatting were qutie bothersome.
You cannot really see the magnet holding the metal shuttles together, so I set another one besides them.  I cut the magnets out of a worn out purse I was throwing away several months ago.  They are much stronger that you might think.
I will add finished pictures when I can get to that.
I would really appreciate prayers right now.  I am not normally up at 2:00 AM tatting and posting blogs.  I am a severe asthmatic with a bad cedar pollen allergy.  Cedar pollen (alone) has had the tree pollen count up in the allergy alert category here in the last few weeks. I work in a ranch house that has been converted into offices (working cattle ranch) in the country with literally millions of cedar trees in the area, so the pollen count is much higher there than the count reports which are taken downtown about 20 miles away.  Consequently, my asthma is really acting up.  I also have a serious sinus infection which is affecting my vision.  Thanks

First design

This is my first real attempt at designing.  It took several days with a lot of picking out of stitches and throwing out of big mistakes.  It is to embelish a gift for a friend. She collects teapots and has teas for her church ladies regularly.  She is very "crafty".  The backs of her cross stitch work is as pretty as the fronts.  So it has to be just right.

TIAS

Days 1 and 2