I have a thing for buttons - absolutely adore them. This is only one of many unique buttons at Susan Clark Originals.









CQMagOnline is out - which is where I saw the button that led me to Susan Clark Originals. And see what Pat Winter did with a wooden cigar box! That reminds me that I bought one several entries ago. I don't think I want to cover up the wood though. Pat has a website to drool over, by the way. And she lives close enough I could make a road trip sometime and see her studio!








I had a delightful surprise in the mail the other night! Kaye's book is done! This is a book of techniques with small star motifs that will help a beginner or intermediate tatter bridge their skills to more advanced techniques without taking on a huge project. I really like this concept of praticing on small stuff. Amongst the techniques in the book are front side tatting, up and down joins, twisted joins, tatting in 2 colors, shuttle or lock joins, tatting with beads, rick-rack tatting, josephine rings, floating rings, overlapping tatting, Self-closing mock rings, double picots, measured picots, split rings and split chains, dimpled rings, block tatting, shoe lace trick, pearl tatting, roll tatting, clunies, and a few others. You've seen the samples in past entries. We had fun doing these and I think this would be a great book for a class or self-instruction. I had hoped to hear back from Kaye before I posted this because I don't see it listed yet at Zig-Zag Corner, and I don't know the cost, but I'll let you know as soon as I find out.



I started a tax course after it was already in progress this week so I've been busy catching up there and will spend the rest of the day studying for 2 make up quizes tomorrow night along with the regular homework. I'm also staying with my grandkids Monday through Friday while their parents are out of town so it's not likely I'll be posting much here - which is pretty much how it's been going lately. Time is at a premium. Anyway, I finally got to work some more on this Irish Crochet Bag, finishing the rose this morning. I still have 6 leaves to crochet and then sew them on the bag and finish the edges of the bag. As I'm moving along on this, I can see how to adapt it to tatting and I've challenged myself (when time allows) to make a tatted version.





And in spite of the busy busy week, I've been picking up a few for my secret elfin. I can't make up my mind what I'm going to tat though.....I made a decision late last night...apparently too late, because I'm not certain now what I decided. I see I have a collection of beads and thread sitting on a footstool so I guess it has something to do with that.