I've been tatting rosettes again. I have plans for them when I take Karen's Embroider, Embellish, Create class! I'm also taking part in TAST, Take a Stitch Tuesday, and between the two, I'll find even more new ways to use tatting as an embellishment.

May you all carry over the good of 2011 into 2012 and make it even better!

I decided to do something a little different today and bought some decaf Earl Grey which has a nice smell to it. I've brewed a pot for iced tea and it's in the fridge cooling now.

I've read 8 of the 12 Laura Childs' teashop mysteries and the constant talk about different tea flavors got me motivated. I also got some iced tea from McAllister's today which is sooooooo good.

No tatting yet today but I have a big UFO I've been wanting to get back to. I just have to do a test piece to make sure I remember how I started it. It's based on a crocheted bag done on curtain rings. I had one row done and got sidetracked (very common for me if you haven't noticed) but I really want to finish this project in time for the county fair in the summer. I also want to finish the master phase of the T.A.T. program. Really...why do we procrastinate?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Many years ago, when Maus hosted various tatting round robins, one that I participated in was a Christmas Round Robin. I tatted this rocking horse for one of the participants and always thought I'd make one for myself. Well, yesterday was that day!

The pattern is from Pam Palmer's Tatting Treats Two. I see Deb Arnold is selling it for $15.00 and I'm sure many of the tatting vendors also still carry it. Don't be swayed by the Amazon used copies for $38.88. I'm finding any book out of print that deals with lace is being sold for atrocious prices so make sure you shop around. I'm pretty sure Zig-Zag Corner's Tatting Corner also carries it for the normal price.

One thing I didn't catch when I tatted this horse the first time is that Pam has you add a 2nd ball thread for the rockers. I'm sure I didn't the first time and so I didn't this time. It would make it more stable, nice if you are using it for an ornament, but I'll probably stitch it to something instead. I also tatted the reins this time which I'm sure I didn't do the last time. I used the handle of a steel crochet hook as a picot gauge to make the mane picots equal size.

This book also has a Christmas Cracker, a Christmas Tree, a Candy Cane, and a Christmas Teapot. There is also a teddy bear, a frog on a lily pad, and a crinoline girl. I've continued to use the book all these years so I think it's well worth the original price.

We had our family Christmas today at a local clubhouse. It was great seeing all my family together. We had a White Elephant exchange that was laughingly well-received. One son asked if we were going to do it again next year - he is determined to bring his gift back - a huge stuffed Santa.

I haven't been tatting much or else the tatting was something I can't show yet. I tatted this bookmark recently but just added this tail this evening. Originally, I tatted a purl tatted tail and experimented with adding split rings along the way. It didn't turn out very well so I clipped the experiment off and added the new one this evening. The pattern is from Martha Ess's book.

I have to admit I've gotten hooked on the teashop mysteries by Laura Childs. Ambitatterous introduced them one Tatting Tea Tuesday and I've been checking them out of the library on a regular basis. I've read 4 so far. Light and fluffy, but that's about as deep of reading as I can do right now and I'm racing right through them. I can't wait to drop off the 2 I got last week and get 2 more tomorrow!

I may not have been tatting but I've been working on my RPL bells. Here are the latest five I just finished this weekend. I'm done with them for the season. These may go in some cards.

I've seen two movies lately too; Puss n Boots and Sherlock Holmes. I enjoyed both thoroughly!

Blogger says my post published but it's not even in my published posts. It may show up tomorrow and I'll have to delete one!

Jane Eborall kindly sent me a sample of the Pink Cocoa in Lizbeth and it just happened to match some of my clothing perfectly so I tatted it up in my Beginner's Beaded Blossom Brooch. Do you know how hard it is to find brown beads? I ended up using a glass 11/0 in brown iris.

I bought a new container for a thread collection that has been growing over the years. Lately I've been using it for bobbin lace and embroidery. I've only used it as a blending thread with tatting in the past. It's so sleek and shiny!

Unfortunately, I've either not been tatting or when I did, it ended up in the wastebasket. I've been without the Net for quite awhile today. I finally unplugged everything and let it reset which worked but I was beginning to wonder. My TV signal is still not coming in right. I guess it's just being one of those weeks!

My tree last year broke and I've been deliberating on what to do this year. I ended up finding this white one at Walmart fairly cheap. A woman whispered in my ear before I checked out that it would turn yellow over time but it's so cheap I'm really not concerned. I'll get my money's worth out of it. Besides, I think it looks PURTY! I haven't put ornaments on yet or the tree skirt. I have to wait for my son to bring some of the stuff up from the basement but I think this tree will do just fine for this year. The spirit is here and that's all that matters!