More Ice Drops and Some Zen

I finally branched out to another variation of the ice drop - I don't remember if this pattern has a name or not, but I like it!  I'm not sure what I'll try next - but I feel like I need to do several of a pattern before I move on.  OCD?  Ha ha.  

And it's been really nice outside here the past few days, so anything to get outside for a minute.  Even to get a photo - the yard isn't very nice looking yet, but it will do for a background - just to breathe in some fresh air :)

It's fun planning our summer tatting retreat - it's not until July, but I know it will come up fast.  We really don't want to plan a detailed retreat, but it helps to have some kind of outline.  I'm SO looking forward to it!

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I've been back to a little tangling this week too - and playing with some colored backgrounds.  It's been a few weeks since I played with Zentangle, so I feel like I've "lost" a little that I had learned about lines and shading. Like anything else, you have to keep practicing to keep growing.

I like the black ink over a colored background - and making the background is almost as much fun as the drawing :)

Found it!

Whew - I didn't throw it away by accident! It's a relief, for sure, as I have about 60 hours into this doily.  I was so worried!  It was in a strange, unexpected place, but safe and sound.  And crumply.  But that's OK!

It's my sign to FINISH it.  I will continue to keep track of the time it takes to make this beauty, but I don't think I will ever do that again. I think that may be why I stopped working on it - the stress of thinking about the time I was investing in it took away the joy of tatting it.  

A new goal!  Finish this doily (finally) by the end of July.  Maybe by county fair time?  It doesn't matter when.  I'm just so relieved to have found it!

Happy International Tatting Day!

We had a BONUS Twin Cities Tatters Day today - just for International Tatting Day!  

We all brought some show & tell, tatted in public at our usual Caribou Coffee, and even enjoyed some chocolate, thanks to Marlene! 

I looked for my Renulek Spring 2015 large doily project (the one I stopped working on way back here and have yet to finish) to bring along to show, but I'm now in a panic because I CAN'T FIND IT! I will be tearing my sewing/tatting room apart trying to find it, but for now I'm afraid after all that sorting and cleaning of additional fabric I've thrown it away by accident.  Yikes!  I hope it's just put away nice and safe, but . . . until I find it I will worry about its possible tragic demise.

I'll tat another Ice Drop, and then I will look some more for that unfinished doily.  Calmly.  Maybe.  Actually, I may tear my cave apart.