Blogging

When I first started this blog back in 2006 I only did it to keep myself amused and so that I had 'something to do'!!!!!

Looking back it's proved a real treasure as it's kept me organised and inspired.  Organised because it makes me finish off things I start!!!  Inspired - that's happening through comments and followers.

I've never worked out how people stumble over my blog posts or how they then access them.  Maybe they 'follow' me or just bookmark the url and go from there.  There may be other ways too.

I use the google reader to look at the posts that I follow when I'm on the iPad but when on the main computer I go through the dashboard.  Sometimes I pick up new people to follow through google search.  Anyway, what I really want to say is 'hi' to my 400 followers and thank you for being there and keeping me on track.  

I know it says 401 but I know that one of them is dear Gina who is no longer able to read my ramblings.  Gosh, I SOOO miss her and hardly a day goes by without I don't think of her.  In fact yesterday I went to look round her blog once more - just because I thankfully still can.

Lanyard

It's always fun at Tat Days seeing people's lanyards.  Martha's were totally amazing last time I was there.  Take a look at these and this.  So I decided I'd have a go at a new lanyard for this year.  This is what I've come up with.  

It's surprisingly sturdy too.  Any guesses how I did it?  It's really simple - I promise.  What I like is that it's 'pretty' but doesn't have any beads - which is somewhat unusual for me!!!  I tend to think that something is prettier with beads than without.

Don't worry, though - the lack of beads in yesterday's butterfly and today's lanyard doesn't mean that I'm running out of beads or trying to conserve what I've got - far from it!!!!  This is just the way brain cell 3 is running at the moment - I'm sure he'll be ready to go back to beads soon!!!

Antennae

So what came out of the butterfly?  Well another 'DUH, why didn't I think of that before' moment.  Before I forget - the pattern is here.

Feelers - no, not men with wandering hands but the things you see on critter's heads.  That's what came about.  I know they're properly called antennae but that wouldn't make a joke, would it?

I suddenly thought of a better way to do that butterfly's antennae.  It's SOOOO simple I'm wondering where brain cell 3 has been hiding all these fifty and more years of tatting!!!  Here's what I did.  This (you brainy people 'out there' will realise) is a simple crochet chain!!!

The last SR on the butterfly finishes with a vsp and a double stitch on each side.  So, working with each shuttle separately - this is what you do.

Pull a loop up through the vsp closest to the thread.

Take another loop up through the new loop and pull the first tight. Make ten of these crochet chains and on the final loop take the shuttle right through to stop it coming undone again. Tie and cut. So ridiculously simple and it gives a stonking great feeler.

Plans change - as usual!!!

Well that design I showed  you yesterday was fine for my project - more on that soon.  

I then decided that although it worked well for me there that as a 'stand alone' it needed more work so I then did the one below.

Of course every change of mind leads to the text and drawings needing a re-vamp but something really useful did come out of this (a sort of technique) - more tomorrow.

Don't you just LOVE this HDT?  Wish I could remember which very, very kind soul sent it to me. They really cheer an OG up on a cold winter's evening.  Oooops, sorry, somebody told me it was summer here.

One funny remark I heard today about the weather.  Apparently the 'soda stream' (should've been jet stream) is now moving north so we should get better weather next week.  Love that - the 'soda stream'.  Made me chuckle.

Sort of newish butterfly

You'll recognise this butterfly - well, sort of.  The original is here.

I wanted something very pretty and this exact size for a new project BUT I didn't want to use beads for reasons which will eventually become obvious.

I'll show you what I'm doing soon but I want to get this amendment done first. I think it needs to be on a new page too.

Ah, I may well change it slightly for the final 'new' pattern as I want to make the top wings bigger.  So, hang in there, people - I'll get it done by the end of the week.

Second bangle

I hope you remember this bangle!!!  Well I finally got a second one done!!!  Having done that too I now realise that they're just 'not meeee'.  What on EARTH am I going to do with them?

If anybody wants them they're very welcome to them at just the cost of the original bangle and the postage.  I could bring them to Palmetto if anybody wants to save the postage.

There's a third 'frame' too which I'm willing to part with 'naked'.  I love, love the idea of them but know and will admit that I'll never go to the sort of places where I'd ever wear them.