Minnesota SHUTDOWN

Well, here we are.  Governor Walz of Minnesota issued a 'Stay at Home' order effective Friday 3/27/20 at 11:59 pm until April 10th.  This is undeniably an historic time for the world.

I am fortunate to be able to work at home within the Transportation/Road Construction field. It’s a bit odd to wish for road construction here in Minnesota, but it will keep myself and my coworkers employed for now.

Working from home is going well - I hope this will transition many more people into the electronic world so we can quit printing so much stuff and using all that paper!  I’ve been leaning more and more this way over the past few years, mostly because of work with auditors and documenting absolutely everything I do.  Fortunately, it’s helping me now.

So, how do you store your patterns for tatting or sewing?  I use Google docs, and most often have my phone in my lap with my pattern available as I tat.  I use my iPad for sewing patterns most of the time.  There are times I still like my hard copy pattern out, but I’m getting used to viewing them all electronically.

Currently, I’ve been working on Tat-a-Renda's 14-Day Challenge in the evenings.  I’m a little behind, but that’s OK!  It’s a nice, easy, stress-free pattern to work on when time permits. I’ve chosen a springy colorway, so hope abounds! Phone in lap as we watch TV is the method I’m using for this.

I'm currently adding a couple of rounds in white, so I’ll just keep it at that for the time being. I’m due for a non-stressful, enjoyable tat. I'm hoping to keep my mind on task so I have something to show for surviving this global pandemic someday.  

Stay healthy and safe!  

What A Month This Week Has Been! 😉

This blogging thing is so getting away from me!  We are so used to instant information via social media, that I forget to take any time to blog (because yes, it does take some time) and also read blogs that interest me.

Now that we are experiencing the critical shut downs and stay-at-home days, I’m home with a case of a cold and bronchitis.  Normally, this wouldn’t require staying home more than a day or so, but to be safe and not spread the tiniest cold germs, I’m home.  Fortunately, I can accomplish some work at home, and have the process started to be able to work remotely more often.

I’m finding a little time to get some sewing and tatting done, but I’m not starting any large projects for now.  I’ll save those for the possibility of being home for an extended period of time.

Over the weekend I was making burp cloths.  Yep.  From cloth diapers.  Mom has made many for her great grandies, and my daughters love them.  So now, I’m making some for gifts and a couple more to have on hand myself.

They are so easy, and if they are useful, I’m all for it!

I think I’ll start working on some bags for the Etsy shop now.  I will be digging in supplies today to see what I can find.  That should take the better part of my day, LOL.

Hard to believe we were off in a mini-vacation just 2 weeks ago before this Coronavirus pandemic began. 😳   

Good thing we love our Minnesota backyard, because it sounds like we won’t be going anywhere else for awhile. Stay safe and healthy, wherever you are.

2019 Was a Good Year

I’m sending 2019 off with a grateful, joyous heart.  What a year it’s been! 

We’ve been so busy all year, (as in past years) but this year was different.  The “busy” was all for milestone celebrations. And two new babies to top the year off - becoming grandparents twice within less than 4 weeks is quite astounding on top of all that waiting!

And here we are, wonderful celebrations, two healthy babies, Christmas is over, and we’re ready to ring in a New Year once again.  I’m ready!

Can you imagine all the “firsts” that will occur in 2020?  We are so very lucky to be close to our daughters' homes, and able to see and help out with our grandbabies. I see why we have children when we’re young - it’s exhausting!  But, oh, so wonderful that they are not far away.

In non-baby news, I have a beautiful new Janome Memory Craft 6600P sewing machine and table.  My mom had this for awhile, but she prefers her Bernina machine. I love my older Janome, which I will keep handy as this new machine is specifically for quilting and doesn’t have an open arm for all of those bags I like to make. I have only practiced some new stitches and played with the settings so far, but I’m anxious to get on with some new sewing projects. Of which I have many, as always!  Can one buy time somewhere? My sewing/craft room is full of inspiration.

My cave never, ever looks this clean and neat!
This is just after moving my new table and machine in, and rearranging the mess.
It didn’t stay like this for long, LOL!

I also opened an Etsy shop after much thought about it. (ahappybluebirdsnest) It won’t be huge, but I will add things here and there. I only have my tatted pennies there so far, but I will be adding some bags and other things as I get back into my habit of mass production. (Does anyone else do that? I find a great pattern and I just can’t help it!) I’m not sure how to run an Etsy shop, but I’ll wing it until I figure it out. I do know I need to research copyrights prior to placing anything for sale, otherwise I just need to get busy. 

I did find time to squeeze some tatting in. I’m loving the onion ring patterns by Robin Perfetti at Tatting by the Bay. I’m still hoping to work on more of those patterns, too. (Now that I have that Catherine Wheel join mastered! Well, mostly mastered.)

Another new thing I did was join a local book club this past fall - it helps me to choose books outside of my usual preferences. And it’s super nice, because the group is large enough to choose 2 books each month - so I have 2 to ponder!  I’m still enjoying audiobooks, so I can sew or tat (or even do dishes or laundry, God forbid) or listen while driving. I’m also planning to put up a Little Free Library this year since we live near a park and walking path.  Do you have one in your neighborhood? Hubby has agreed to build it for me. 

I’m looking forward to another joyful year.  Without as much craziness, perhaps, but full of life nonetheless.  With sewing, reading, tatting, babies and family gatherings, it should be another year of things to be grateful for.

On with 2020!  

Peace and Joy to All

2019 - PART THREE OF THREE!

Are you sick of me yet?

I just wanted to break down my thoughts today and feel like I’m sorta caught up. So I can look back in a year or two and remember what a great year 2019 was.

I forgot to post this penny memento I made for my folks' anniversary.  There are actually two pennies - the front one is 1959, and there’s a 2019 one on the back side.  I dug through our large jar of pennies to see if there was a 1959 one by any chance.  And yes!  Success.  Which led to an afternoon of sorting out significant years, lol.

The lace piece is from my mom's wedding dress, and was pretty hard to tie since the lace is quite brittle.  A little glue should hold it there, though.  I really love making the memento pennies for graduations, weddings and babies!  

The other project I had some fun with is more button tatting. Diane (Lace Lovin' Librarian) showed us her button tatting and shared many colorful buttons at our retreat in July.  She is such an inspiration, and ever so generous with supplies. I got on a roll and matched up all of the buttons with different threads. I figured I’d use them to sew onto things, and just have on hand for various projects.  Then ...

I found this Facebook page/group called Art Abandonment. It is FULL of various kinds of art that artists purposely abandon for someone to find with a note listing the Group/page, and a group moderator email address for finders to share their story.

This originally started on this blog: 

https://michaeldemeng.typepad.com/art_abandonment/

I was pretty on board with seeing all of the different types of art, and started using my small tatted pieces to try this.  The buttons and ice drops are perfect.  (And a great way to promote tatting!)   I need to update my note with my own contact info on it, as I’ve not seen any of my items on the page as “found” yet.  I’d love to know their fate! 

Just another fun thing to do with some of the tatting I do just for enjoyment. 

OK, I think I’m caught up in a nutshell now.  

On with November, grandbabies, and holidays!  

***END PART 3 OF 3***

!!!

2019 - PART TWO!

Our 3rd Twin Cities Tatters Retreat is also in the 2019 books!  Another fun retreat with great tatting friends - and we added a day this year, much to everyone's liking.  Our first two retreats were each 2 nights, and we decided one more night would be better because by the time we settled in it was time to pack it up.  The one extra night made a wonderful difference, and we felt like we really had a better chance to visit. I can’t believe I didn’t post this earlier - our retreat is at the end of July!  I guess I had a few other things going on 😬

We had time for tatting, time for walks, time to go out to eat, and best of all, that extra time to visit.

We each added a motif or two to this floating glass frame to leave at the retreat center.  I’m pretty sure we're the only tatting group that uses this beautiful place - it appears to have more quilting, scrapbooking and embroidery groups.
They definitely need tatting representation on the craft room walls!

There was time for other beautiful work, too. Beautiful new yarns,
some bobbin lace, and I heard a lot of knitting talk, too.

Michelle, Katie, Cindy (me), Diane, Kathy, Kathryn, and Heidi

What a great group of tatters! 

We are showing off our commemorative shuttles specially made for us by 

LaCossette (Etsy shop on LeBlog de Frivole)

Showcasing our Minnesota State Bird, the Common Loon

I was specifically working on the second phase of my T.A.T. program, which I’ve had for years and never quite seem to make the time to finish. Still in progress.  

There are just so many new and wonderful things to tat!
(... and sew, and read, and attend ...)

***END PART TWO ***