I added a blog to the links at the side. It may be awhile before it is updated, but I'm sure it will be great!

Someone asked me what I did for the ear..............I used a motif from DMC's Book of Charted Tatting Designs, on page 37 to be precise. It was a 5 sided motif in a collar and I liked the intertwining middle chains plus the clovers that would tie in with the other clovers in the elephant. Trouble was, I started out with an erroneous number of ds for the rings, so I just continued with it to be consistent. As I finished the 5th clover, I could see it wasn't going to join with the 1st one without the inside puckering up..........so I left it flat, which made a sort of ear shape (after all!) and improvised a chain edging on the curved side. It's hard to read some of those numbers in the diagrams.

The basket I'm doing for the exchange is also from this book. I've got the base done and am working on the sides - I just haven't had time to do much on it so far.

I found another beautiful shuttle on ebay that I really really liked.........only to be outbid again. I don't much mind anymore. It's not like I'm shuttle-less. I'm kind of partial to the ones that are made by people anyway.

Celticdreamweaver Sherry sent me a scan of a shuttle and bobbin she painted.


Isn't it gorgeous? Some lucky person won the bid on it some time back. She and I were talking about painting shuttles. I bought 5 blanks from Stuart Johnson a few years ago with the intention of painting them. Just gotta get my paints out. I haven't decided what I want on them but they won't go anywhere except in my own stash. I love painting as much as tatting, but it takes up room that I don't have handy at the moment. I like the feel of Stuart's shuttles. They are thinner than many I've seen, lightweight, and I think they'll be easy to work with. Postage overseas just about kills you though.

I'm debating on flowers for my basket. Maybe some of those tulips I learned from Kaye? I still haven't finished the one I was working on.

I finally got Maybelliene to my daughter last night and she liked the background. Now, I'll have to get it back from her to frame. They are having a presentation on archival framing at the Mooresville Lace Day so I may take it with me and get their input.

Winter made a last gasp this morning with snow all morning. It's not accumulating as predicted, but there was a serious accident that involved the son of a friend of our secretary.

I'm off to Cincy tomorrow. Plan to meet up with Gail Owens.
I'm so looking forward to it! We'll have fun catching up.

So, while I'm in Cincy, I probably won't have consistent access to a computer. That means we'll catch up at the weekend!