Gina's work at Tat Days

One of the most poignant moments of the Palmetto Tat Days was meeting Gina's daughter and sister.  Gina and I had talked about us meeting up at this event when we met last July.  I'd told her I was going to apply to become a teacher.  As you know last winter was dreadful living through her illness and to lose her was such a shock after her being told she was in remission.

Laurie and Linda very kindly came to Tat Days and brought a wonderful selection of her work.  The pictures below show some of the display although the items had to be seen to be appreciated fully.

The elephant in the third picture is amazing and no picture could ever do it justice.  It's Gina's version of Pam Palmer's elephant and the thought and skill that she brought to this piece raises it to a new height.

A huge thank you must go to them and the Palmetto tatters for putting on this wonderful display.

A selection of Gina's threads was brought by Linda and Laurie (both talented crafters too) and I'll tell you more about those next week.

Guild meeting and last American post - almost

On the Saturday after Tat Days it was the regular Palmetto Tatters guild meeting and I had the privilege of teaching there.  I taught the motif which you can find here.  

The most interesting part of this day (for me) was the location of the meeting - at the Lexington County museum.  Now I always think of a museum as being a place that you see exhibits IN but this place was also where you could go INTO the exhibits too.  Here's a link and below some pictures of the buildings and the members of the guild.

I had to show you the picture of Marie and her grandson tatting a spider which he gave to me afterwards and which I've also added below.  What a dear young lad he is.  Do you know, I've never seen Marie without a smile on her face.  

The week after Tat Days

During the week after Tat Days Sally and I were taken by Joanie to visit Pam and Bonnie at their homes.

Riet stays with Pam who has home full of ladybirds (or ladybugs) and Katharine joined us too for a while.  We met several members of her family as they popped in and out to visit all day.  Another day of delightful tatting and chatting.  I've added a picture of Hope at the top of this post as she was at Pam's but sadly we had to take her to the airport the next morning so she could go home.  The picture of her was taken at Joanie's as I didn't get many taken at Pam's - too busy tatting and talking!!!  Ah, we also talked iPads too - Hope is holding hers!!  Sally and I both took ours on our travels and they proved very, very useful.

Bonnie makes the most WICKED ice cream (double yummy) and again a lot of tatting and chatting was done with visits from Pam, Riet, Karen, Gloria (+ her daughter) too.  Hope I haven't missed anybody out!!!  The second picture shows some of us admiring Bonnie's wonderful garden and the third picture shows just some of the amazing baskets she makes.  A VERY talented lass is Bonnie.

Sunday and the end of Tat Days

Time to say goodbye to old friends and new and leave Toccoa and return to 'normality'.  You can see Hanna and Sara waving in this picture with other friends too.  

No, wait, it's Sunday and that MUST mean meeting up at the Mall!!!  Some of the Palmetto tatters meet up each Sunday (as and when they can) at a Mall.  They are regulars there and they move the furniture so they can tat and chat.  In the second picture you can see some of us.  Well, not me as I'm behind the camera, of course!!!

After that it was back to Joanie's for a well earned rest and more tatting talk!!!

Joanie spoils me rotten each time I go there as she feeds the hummingbirds which I LOVE to watch.  I've added a movie of one of the little chaps down below.  Least I think I have as this is my first attempt at adding a movie to blogger!!!

There are SO many things I haven't mentioned in my reports and that I keep remembering at odd moments.  Like the singing and the rhyming.  The giggles with friends.  The total commitment to tatting and all things related.

Saturday at Tat Days

Before I start - I had time to re-open the Etsy shop yesterday with some new things and some new (lower) prices.  If you want to take a look then it's here.

Lessons went fine again, I think.  The top two pictures are of Martha Ess who was taking a picture of me whilst I was taking one of her and the other guy who I was privileged to meet is Randy Houtz of the Shuttle Brothers.  What a lovely man - I wanted to make him my 'toy boy' but I'm not sure his wife would approve!!!!

During a break in lessons I wandered down to the lake which I told you about.  So pretty and SO peaceful too.  The final lesson (the Squared Away pendant) went far too quickly too.  Was I really there?

In the evening we had an ice cream party.  For some reason the Palmetto Tatters seem to think I like ice cream!!!  Wonder why?  Oh, that was my second bowl of the yummy ice cream!!!  Can you see the M & M's?  I LOVE that candy.

Tat Days - continued

My other class (you've seen the first one) for Stinky the skunk seemed to go well too although it's always hard to tell.  I forgot to take photos of the students during the class - bummer!!

On Friday evening there was the banquet.  A fantastic time was had by the OG!!! Georgia did her usual auctioning of the wonderful quilts that she and Erin had assembled.  Boy did I SOOOO want to win the cherry blossom one.  Sadly I didn't.  

Hanna played the violin beautifully during the banquet too.

The lovely wheelbarrow below is one of the table decorations at the banquet.  Isn't it pretty?  We were given a small packet of 'seeds' which turned out to be more gifts.   Ooops, sorry but I forgot to tell you about the goodie bags that were given to all participants AND a second one to the teachers. They were both full of wonderful items.  There was an Aerlit shuttle, a Starlit shuttle and a ball of thread in a holder which were kindly donated by Handy Hands.  Vicki Clarke had also donated a pendant kit too.  What a lovely idea.  The bags were put together by the Southern Belles who then kindly donated the money which was assigned to them by the Palmetto tatters back to the scholarship fund.  Sadly I didn't get round to talking to them all. Here's their Facebook link.  I believe they did some of the table decorations too but I may have 'lost the plot' there.