Bright and Beautiful

Have a beautiful,

bright,

Merry Christmas!

Thoughts of Poinsettias

OK, so it needs blocking.  Not my best tatting, but I had this idea and I had to try it.  A bug you-know-where.

When I saw Fox's post (HERE) with this motif and beads in the center, it just screamed "poinsettia" to me for some reason.  My tatting technique has not improved as hers has, but I had to try a poinsettia.

So, the beads are too large for this size 30 thread in the center, but I kind of like the way it looks - like a flower center.  A Christmas poinsettia!  Not sure what I will DO with it, but I like it.  Thanks for the inspiration, Fox!  Now I just need a shuttle that gives me those Houdini digits :)

 2nd 25-Motif Challenge Done!

Motif #25

Wheel of Nine Rings

Christmas Angels and Other Tatting Patterns

by Monica Hahn

Size 30 Red Cebelia thread

So now that my 25th motif of my 2nd 25-Motif Challenge is done, I am going to get back to my T.A.T. program for 2012.  Hopefully. I continue to procrastinate on that!

AND . . .

Remember when I brought home that old tin from a junking expedition?  (HERE)  Well, it's finally done.  A few clear coats to preserve that "chippy" chipping paint look and a frame on the back to square it up.  It's a new decoration in my living room, and goes well with the antique-y, vintage look I have going.  I love it.



I don't know why, but I just love old stuff.  Old stuff has character, and is unique.  Like me.  (Well, the unique part anyway!)



Are YOU Enjoying the Season?

I love gathering with girlfriends to share decorating and crafting ideas.  I think I am the biggest crafter - I just want to make everything I see - from tatting to sewing to jewelry to home decor!  It's fun to be able to share with friends, yet appreciate all of our different tastes.  I am always the drip taking pictures - after asking permission of course - but my friends tolerate me :) 

It's a busy time of year, but it's so important to enjoy time with friends and family.  I really have to tell myself to quit worrying about what I "should" be doing, and enjoy the moments I can share with those people that are important in my life.

This week we shared a girl's evening of Christmas snacks and decorating talk  (I do more talking about it than actually decorating!)  and I thought I'd share a few pictures.  I love this look, but I know my home will never be this way.  I have too many projects going to get any specific "look", no matter how much I love it.

And that's just the front step so far . . .

I'm so doing this for our family Christmas gathering. 

 It's in the freezer now and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

I could sit here and read a good book or tat for hours.





Growing up visiting relatives on farms, I should be able

to get my hands on some chick feeders . . .

I love the neutrals in this living room.

And the antiques.

Happy Holidays!

I hope you are taking the time to slow down and cherish

every minute with family and friends.  I am!

Bead Intimidation

I was procrastinating trying to add beads - why, I don't know.  I guess I was just a little intimidated by adding another step.  Remembering how to join, where to join, which join to use, and how many picots confuses me enough sometimes :)

This is why it's so nice to have tatting friends to tat with in person, and try new techniques. Michelle and her daughter and I met yesterday to tat, and we worked on the Mary Konior "Posy" as a wreath.  I asked Michelle for some help on adding beads, and she brought some beads and her bead spinner and got me started.  (That bead spinner is a worthwhile little tool if you use beads - I think I need to get one!) Once I got the hang of where to place the beads for this particular project, it was a piece of cake. I finally finished this cute little wreath tonite:

I'm so over being intimidated by beads! 

Technology Rant

So, I have a blog.  I try to keep up with it and remember that I'm doing it mostly for me.  You know, to look back and see all the things I've done when I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything.  And best of all, to make new friends with similar interests.  And I have many interests, so I can't concentrate on blogging about just one thing.  I'm all over the place :)

As far as the blogging goes, I've tried to put blogs that interest me in my sidebars since this is the way I've found many from other blogs.  Only then I began using Google Reader when I had so many blogs to follow that it was hard to keep up.  So now, I don't keep adding blogs to my sidebar, only to my Reader.  PLUS, there's that following thing.  So, now I publicly follow some, but have many more in my Reader.  How do you keep track of all that stuff?  Which features do you use and keep up with? 

Then there are the forums. InTatters and Tatting Forums. and Ravelry. I love to read them, but I can't keep up with interacting on them.  Oh, and Etsy.  I looove looking on Etsy.

I love Facebook and keeping up with friends and family, and seeing everyone's photos.  And NOW, we have Pinterest.com.  Do you do that too?  There are a million and one things to love on there - from recipes to repurposing ideas.  So, I started that too - it's a handy way to keep track of ideas and links.  There aren't enough hours in a day to soak up all the information and ideas that interest me.  Not to mention time to pursue any of those interesting ideas!

Oh, and I have a smartphone now too.  I believe it's smarter than me, but I'm learning.  Wow!  Calendar sync, apps, GPS, camera & photo tools - you name it.  And my NOOK for digital books and magazines.  I am loving all this technology, and I'm hoping that we may FINALLY be getting to the "paperless" age we've been talking about for 20 years :)

I think my goal for the new year is going to have to be to learn how to keep it all under control.  I still need time to read, sew, tat, garden, shop, bake, decorate and craft.  Laundry, housecleaning, family, friends, dogs . . .  

I never thought I'd be plugging in my laptop AND my phone AND my book.  (Especially funny for me - lover of antiques that I am.)

Follow me on Pinterest if you like - I'm putting that little button on my sidebar too.


That is all :)