Sunday, January 30, 2011

Yes, I got some "color" tatting in! This is Fox's Abigail. The center is some Altin Basak and the outer part is a Lizbeth thread. I got to empty a shuttle in the process! At first it seemed like it was going to take me forever to tat this, but next thing I knew, I was in the gate and ready to close it. Very nice design Fox!

This is how I spent my Saturday afternoon. This class wasn't in the library calendar that was sent out. In fact, I only knew about it because one of the organizers emailed me and asked if I wanted to participate. I love taking Rena Brouwer's classes. In fact, we talked today about how long ago it was that I took the first class. It was decades ago. My two youngest sons were toddlers and the older of the two hit 30 last summer. I remember especially the class with baby robins on a branch. I bet I painted that one 4 or 5 times after I got home because I loved it so much and wanted to perfect it.

I really didn't think I was doing very well even though both Rena and the lady across from me got excited about the colors early on. Then the lady across from me went on and on about how the light looked in the snow. I couldn't see it at all. Now that I'm home and can step away and look at it without a brush in hand which makes me want to-do-something-more, I'm pleased (mostly) with how it turned out. There's a fluffy area behind the tree that I'd like to do something more with but chances are that I won't. At least not now.

I had to make a trip to the post office Saturday morning to drop off a package and to pick one up. I love packages from overseas! You get cool stamps and cryptic little notes on the envelope. This one came from S.Africa and I've been expecting it since I ordered it.
(Ha! Just realized my address showed which led to me learning how to edit a photo in serif and export it as a jpg!)

Inside was a pristinely wrapped package, tied with very thin twine. I love feeling fiber from other places.

And here it is! I ordered this from Jezze who designs and prints her own fabric. She does a lot of other things too. I originally happened upon her blog when she showed some tatting but there's not really a lot of tatting on there, so it went into my "other" bloglist. I recently saw this small notebook cover made from her fabric and it was affordable for me so I ordered it. See that sweet folded paper doily? That was her thank you note to me.

I'm pretty sure it will hold the small moleskin I carry in my purse but it already has a little tablet in it. I might just switch them out. The fabric is heavy duty, like canvas, so I think I'll have it a LONG time. I love how she uses a ribbon and button to simply close it. I'm not sure you can see but there is an additional small pocket on the left which will hold a pen and perhaps some small momentos I tend to gather when I'm out.

Okay, I've been meaning to post this photo for quite awhile and keep forgetting. I found these when I was sorting through a box. They look like darning eggs but are quite small. I have NO CLUE what they are! Does anyone know? I bought them at a thrift store ages ago and I suspect I thought I'd use them for doll heads in soft body dolls.

OWOH starts today. I can join in at any time and may wait until Monday if I can't get my offerings done before the end of the day. I'm going to have three prizes this year and the third isn't ready. Yet. (The event does not begin until after midnight tonight so it will be Monday anyway before I post about it!)

10 comments:

  1. Oh, your painting is AMAZING. The snow looks just like - well, snow. Made me shiver when I saw it cause it looked so real.
    The 'darning eggs' are interesting - hope somebody comes up with an answer.

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  2. MOSTLY pleased? I am floored by your talent - this painting is beautiful!

    Thank you for tatting Abigail! It looks wonderful and I so appreciate your kind comments.

    Still such a thrill to see my pattern tatted by someone out there in Tat-land. Ah, such a newbie designer am I!
    Fox : )

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  3. Your Abigail is really pretty in those colors! I've done Maeve and enjoyed tatting it very much, but haven't tried Abigail yet.

    Your painting is VERY nice - can't believe you made that through a library program! Our library is trying to start some kind of adult crafting night, once a month. I'd like to go, but would leave too many kids home alone on a school night since DH works some evenings. Might be worth the effort though when he is home.

    I like your notebook too. When I first started tatting, I read in one of my tatting books to always keep a notebook with you to jot down ideas. Didn't think I would have that many ideas, but I dutifully added one to my purse. I am happy to say, I jot down quite a few ideas and OCCASIONALLY go back and actually try them!

    :) Ann

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  4. I SO admire your watercolor work; and, was more than a bit relieved to find you had been at it for a time! I took one class and was so frustrated because my oil painting was really above average; but, water color ~ not so much! Mine always look like planned illustrations. I can’t loosen up enough to let the water flow...I admire the effect that you get and my granddaughter’s water colors were so beautiful and it came so easily to her! (I’m jealous ~ LOL) I wanted SO MUCH to be good at watercolor work; and, in my eyes failed miserably. No getting around it, my watercolors that I did in the nineties look like illustrations. I even experimented with “Splash” method, but just could not ‘let go and let the water flow’. A friend who has interesting ‘insights’ (catch the skepticism here) said because my home was flooded, I was trying to ‘control’ the water. I have many volumes of water color instruction books, a tool box of MANY tubes of paint, expensive brushes (I have a thing about using the best tools I can afford). Granddaughter used the brushes and took good care of them, so I still have those, too. I think it is wonderful that you can get such a good result and it makes me feel good just to look at this snowy day painting. Thank you for sharing with a ‘frustrated’ water color wanna be....LOL Bev

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  5. Your tatting is beautiful as always, and your painting is WOW!

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  6. Fox is becoming quite the designer, isn't she?

    I love your watercolor. The shadows on the snow are really wonderful.

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  7. Your motif and painting are so awesome! :)

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  8. You're getting way ahead of me again! Another great post.

    You definitely have a talent for painting!!! Wonderful winter scene. In one afternoon? Amazing!

    And nice job on the the Abigail motif. Very pretty colors.

    Also, I very much appreciate all the crafters that you bring to our attention. I often wonder what it's like for young people today to have all this information at their fingertips - literally! So much talent out there!

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  9. I love the snow painting...and yes the lighting is fantastic. Of all the arts I participate in I think painting is my weakest...but you have inspired me to work on it!!

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  10. The painting is lovely; it's making me want to get my paints out too! Thank you for posting such a lovely post about the notebook cover, too. (The fabric is a cotton-linen blend, and the twine is linen.)

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