More and better dragonflies

I went to see a friend the other day and she showed me her dragonfly necklace which was made entirely of beads - no tatting.

BUT this gave me a better idea for mine!!! Here they are in all their 'glory' on a leather thong and with that wonderful knot which allows you to adjust the length.  Job done.

I may make some for my Etsy shop but these are for myself and for the friend who gave me the idea!!!

Royal Fail strikes AGAIN.

Well, they've done it again - Royal Fail.  This is what Sue Anna had to say.

Do you remember the last batch of shuttles I put in the Etsy shop on 22nd August?  Well, poor Sue Anna hasn't got hers yet.  She's SUCH a patient person but even I was getting worried last week.  So on Saturday morning I emailed her to ask if they'd arrived.  If she'd said no then I was going to refund her money and make sure she got replacements out of the next batch.  

Well it couldn't have been an hour later that the door bell rang.  There stood the postman with a very puzzled look on his face.  The packet to Sue Anna was there in his hand and he was so apologetic.  It looked 'travel worn' but hadn't been opened.

So I took it down to the Post Office and showed it to them.  They said it was properly labelled, properly priced etc, etc.  On the front as you'll see below - somebody has written CANADA and then scribbled it out.  There's also the cryptic NSP and RTS.  These stand for 'not small packet' and 'return to sender'.  OK they made a mistake at the sorting office as it IS a small packet.  

I would wonder why it took over a month to get RTS'd to me too.  Anyway a stroppy letter of complaint and a claim for my postage to be refunded and compensation is in the mail to them - provided THAT doesn't get lost.  I won't reveal what I actually said in the letter but - well, let's just say that the room filled with smoke. 


There's another small present that I sent to Sue Anna about a week after the shuttles and that hasn't arrived yet - wonder whether it'll come back to me next Saturday?  The package is on it's way again too.  

Tidying the books

Did you miss me yesterday?  I've decided to cut down a bit on my blogging.  Not because I've got nothing to say - after all I am a woman!!!!  I was beginning to find my posts boring when I went to read them so I've decided to cut down a bit.

For ages now this has been on my 'to do' list.  Tidying up my tatting books.  But, guess what?  I kept putting it off.

Now when I do this (putting things off) it's usually because I'm not sure how to tackle the 'problem'.  The trouble with the books is that they're all different sizes and thicknesses so to find the small slim books amongst the larger ones became a fight!!!  Also I was constantly worried that they'd get damaged.  

Eventually I decided that probably magazine holders might be the answer.  See the big book in the magazine holder on it's own in a plastic folder?  That's my very, very precious Mrs Beeton's book. 

So over the past two weeks I've walked up to Staples twice and popped in and bought some magazine holders to help make my problem go away (some are old ones which I rescued from the loft).  This is the result below.  A nice tidy (but one wonders for how long!) shelf of tatting books.

Some of the books like the Mary Konior ones didn't need holders as they're very well behaved so they're standing in (roughly) alphabetical order on the shelf.  The brackets on the wall had to be considered when positioning them all but I think it'll work.

Oh, for the eagle eyed amongst you (Anitra, probably applies to you as you rescue eagles) you may spot Nick's store of wine below!!!  I often feel 'forced' to help him drink it, cough, cough, splutter, splutter!!!!  Next task will be the shelf below the books which also holds tatting leaflets, printouts, etc.

For whom the bell tolls!

Well actually this one will never toll again for anybody!!!  Remember the Outside In Bell?  Well this is what happened to it the other day!!!  Cut down in his prime, vandalised and thrown in the bin!!!!

Why?  Well I decided that it wasn't a 'good' design.  It was OK but it wasn't good enough for me.  Naturally I had to 'rescue' the beads I'd used in it (well, not the tiny seed beads) so out came the scissors!!

When I make something it HAS to stand on it's own.  It should NOT need blocking or pulling into shape or fiddling with.  Once it's finished it should just 'be' without any further help (well, perhaps a light press with the iron).  That's the high standard I set myself and it doesn't matter if I have to tat the same thing over a dozen times I will do that to meet my own 'quality control' standards.

Well, the bell didn't.  I had to damp it and slightly tug it into shape and that WON'T DO so it hit the dust!!!  Don't worry - I've not given up yet and I WILL get an Outside In Bell that is a good design and not just an 'average' one.  So THERE!!!  I have spoken!!!!  Well, when have I ever been quiet, eh?