Large buttons 1

I suddenly found some buttons I'd been given ages ago by Crazy Mom in this wonderful gift.

Well I knew they were there but like most things they had to wait for that moment when I knew what they were going to be used for!!!  Suddenly I had a 'yen' to play with buttons again.  These are large two hole buttons and as I hadn't got a pattern for that size I had to 'invent' one!!  

This is the result of a few days of playing around.  It's only rings and chains with a 'few' (ha, ha, cough, cough, splutter, splutter) beads added!!  Do I feel Christmas coming on too?!?!?!  There are more of these to come plus a variation next week.

Obviously these can be made in other colours but for me this will be the colour that I'll wear for now.  Here's the pattern!!“

Doodad heaven!

In the post a few days ago there came this!!!  Actually it was the day after Miranda's surprise too!!!  Am I spoilt or am I spoilt?

More wonderful doodads from our blue Queen of the Doodads - Diane.  Thank you Diane.

Now at the moment I'm working on something else which I hope to share next week.  I'm hoping that at least one of these doodads and/or some of Miranda's might also be able to be used with the latest idea.

It's going to be a sad, sad week as my dear iMac is on a recall from Apple because the Seagate hard discs are liable to fail.  I've known about this for a month or so and contingency plans are in place.  I can continue with most things from the laptop but NOT drawings so you'll not get much of a break from my inane blog posts - poor things.

A new book

I just couldn't resist this little book by Rosemarie Peel.  I think I've now got all of her books (except her Christmas one) and they're worth every penny and MORE.  This one came up on Ebay and it's in perfect condition.  The motifs are all relatively simple but with Rosemarie's flair they are just so pretty.  I was intrigued with the way the flower called Primrose was started and made so will have to give that a whirl as it might lead to something else from the poor old brain cell 3.  You never know!!!!

It was Rosemarie that first came up with what I always think of as 'real' celtic tatting.  She took two elements, intertwined them and then 'anchored' them with a third element.  This has always intrigued me.  

The other style of what I personally think of as celtic KNOT tatting (making long chains and interweaving them) has it's place too but the two things shouldn't be confused.  I love Rosemarie's ideas and find that each time I buy one of her books I there are several things that I HAVE to try out!!!  Primrose is 'targeted' for a trial soon!!!

Oh, interestingly the book came from the same town where Rosemarie lives which I think is a  huge coincidence as they travel the world.  I asked the seller if he knew that and he didn't.  Small world, eh?

Back on pattern page!!!

I've thought about this and have decided that it's OK to put this Christmas tree pattern back on my site.

Why?  Well for those of you who follow my ramblings you'll remember that I added it to the blog back in January.  Then I decided to apply for a teaching post at Palmetto Tat Days so this was a good pattern to teach and I took it down again!!! 

Normally I won't put Tat Days patterns up on my site until roughly February so that they've got a chance to sell as many of the CD's as they can.  BUT mine are only a small and therefore insignificant part of what is on the CD so this time brain cell 3 nudged me and said I could re-load it on there.  

This is the pattern I'm talking about.  Here's a picture!!!!

Mystery solved!

The packet arrived yesterday!!  It was a miserable wet day so it was the only cheerful part of the day.  It was Miranda who'd sent the packet.  She'd asked me to make her a bag out of some fabric and we'd arranged for her to send it to me.  Now I was expecting a fat quarter for a bag!!!  

Wrong again, OG!!!  I should've known that the Americans live in a big country and have big hearts too.  It was a box FULL to the brim with goodies.  Lots of fabric and a million doodads plus some of Jess's wonderful HDT.

Thanks, Miranda - that'll keep me quiet for the next fifty years!!!

Oh, just to let anybody know who's interested.  Any package whether a gift or a purchase that is marked with a value of over £50.000 (or $80.00) incurs a customs charge when entering the UK.  Sender beware!!!!  I'm not telling people to lie over the value of any contents but it may be worth being parsimonious with the true value!!!  No, I didn't just say that - honest, me lud!!

Face of a reindeer!

Today is going to be 'interesting'!!  On Friday I had a letter from Parcel Force telling me that they had a package to deliver to me BUT that I'd got to pay £18.00 (nearly $29.00) customs and excise duty (plus handling charge) before I could have it.  I was held to ransom over this as I think it might be the new Aerlit shuttles from Barb.  Having 'spoken' to Barb I'm now not sure as the value of the shuttles certainly wouldn't merit a charge like THAT!!!!  Of course I paid it - curiosity got the better of me!!  I'll tell you more tomorrow but for now I have a new pattern for you.  

This could be a useful little doodle, I think!!!  I suppose you could add it to Christmas cards etc.

It came about during a conversation when Sally and I were at Joanie's.  She asked if I could possibly do a reindeer face and showed me a picture of a tatted reindeer head.  I've no idea how it was made or who by so when I got home I had to start completely from scratch.  Well I normally start from scratch anyway so that I don't meet any copyright issues.  

Scratch?  No I haven't got fleas!!!!!

Anyway, here is a link to it.  Joanie test tatted it for me but the nose has undergone a small change since then (sorry, Joanie).  She also suggested (and tried) doing it using the double double stitch too and it works well made like that.  The first picture is the head worked normally and the second using the double double.  Have fun with it - I'd love to see if it really does work on cards etc!!!!