A stroke of luck

I had a huge stroke of luck yesterday afternoon.

Most afternoons I go for a walk. I usually go round the river and back up through the town and yesterday I had some banking to do on my way back through the main streets. Before going out I'd noticed an article on a new shop that had opened in one of the small shopping malls so as it was near the building society I decided to take a look.

On the way there I saw another shop was closing down. It's one I'd never been into before. A balloon and party one. So, I went in and had a look around. I noticed some bolts of fabric on a shelf. I reckon there must be about 4 yards in each. Colours are white, cream, two blues, purple and green. I bought them all and paid only 50p for each one. That's about a dollar. They'll make splendid linings for roly poly bags and some will make the bags themselves (I'm thinking of the purple!!).

I finished the matching earwigs for Etsy in the evening so back to playing again!!!

Whoooopeeeee

The muse struck in the middle of the night! I usually sleep well but occasionally go through bouts of having a 'buzzy brain'. Last night I slept really well but awoke in a sort of half sleep to find an idea (or 2) pop into my head.

I'm afraid I'll not be able to share these as I'm going to 'sit on them' for submission to Palmetto Tat Days in 2009 for a teaching position. I know it's a tad early to start thinking of this but I'm afraid I'm a terrible 'planner ahead' at times. I also want to give the Palmetto 'gals' a choice too if possible. I love to teach new ideas/techniques and something occurred to me in the middle of the night. These ideas/techniques might not always be brand new in tat land but are those that people tend to 'avoid' at all costs - rather like split chains!!!! Not that I'm saying that these will be involved but I hope you 'get my meaning'!!!!

Yesterday evening I made a brooch and hope to finish off a matching pair of earwigs this evening. They have started to sell in my Etsy store which is very pleasing as I'm trying to earn my air fair to the USA next year!!!! Here is the brooch.

I'm FED UP with myself

I get very fed up at this stage of a non starter design. Yesterday I drew out the outline to this project using Serif and tracing over a picture. As it was a horrid, wet and cold day I spent a couple of hours thinking through progress and 'filling in' the outline with a possible way of working it.

In the evening I started to tat it (see below). Total and utter failure!!! IF I get time today I might try to change the diagram filling as I did think out another idea in those last few minutes before I fell asleep last night. At times like these I'd happily give up trying new stuff. Below is the day's 'waste of thread'!!!!

I then have to remind myself of past successes like the pendant and earwigs.

Advice on how to waste thread

Easy. Become a sort of designer like me!!! I've just started out on another idea. Starting is sometimes very hard. I want this to be another TIAS so it has to be 'devious'. Not only that it has to be balanced in skills and looks too. I now have about half a dozen 'false starts' in the first evening. Hopefully this idea will eventually work but at the moment it appears to be the best way on earth to waste thread!!!! By the way, this is SO normal for me. The reluctance to start and the inability to get under way!!!

Before settling down in the evening I did the next part of the TIAS.

Yesterday

Yesterday I felt 'delicate'. The wedding on Saturday was fantastic. The bride was beautiful, her boys were (as ever) extremely well behaved (they even slept for me when I baby sat on Friday evening!) and the champagne flowed freely throughout. The food was amazing and the sun shone and shone (extremely unusual for the UK this year) . The whole occasion took place in our Town Hall which was built in 1643 and which provided an amazing venue.

So, Sunday was spent in a 'coming down to earth' mode! No, not a hangover as such but I was tired.

As I'd sold the only pair of Christmas tree earrings I'd made on Etsy while we were out, I replenished that meagre stock during the afternoon. I also made another pair with red 'lights/beads' which I will list today when I've done my dad's shopping etc.