Brooch finished

So after the day before yesterday's failure I tried another attempt at covering the pin and this time I was satisfied. 

If you look closely at the first picture you'll see that I covered the pin with some tatting at both ends so the only part that shows is the head of the safety pin. Now some people may find that annoying but I think the baubles will attract the attention away from that. Anyway I can live with it as it is!  I'm easily pleased!

I put the pin on some denim to show up how it'll look on the coat and then took it to Tat Days to show off!!!! 

 Before I put it in it's travelling box I sprayed the brooch with Scotch Guard so it won't pick up dirt.  This is a trick I sometimes use with earrings too so they don't get the oil off off my scrawny old neck!!

Meet a purple possum!!!

Now this is my sort of tatting - whacky!!!! 

Two new members of the exclusive tatting club arrived yesterday and you can now see them here. Ah, you can also find out who they belong to too!!!

A bauble brooch

I have a black winter coat. It's a lovely coat and very warm too - an advantage some winters!!!!

Some six weeks or more ago I decided I 'needed' a new bright brooch to wear on this coat so set off making baubles. Well, that's a bit of a fib as I think I'd already done one or two before deciding what to use them for!!! Remember the 'gecko phase'? Well baubles are currently sort of like that for me as I love making them but never quite know for what purpose.

I got them all done and then needed to add them to a pin (or something). I tried to cover the coilless pin with a length of the leg pattern from the flower fairy which you can find here but that was an unmitigated disaster as so many of my unplanned tatting 'episodes' are!!!!

Unpacking.

Yesterday was spent unpacking. Not the clothes which were easy to get out and put in the appropriate places but the tatting 'goodies'.

I thought of taking photos of all the wonderful things I was given but some of those got eaten (like the honey) and there were so many gifts that it got a bit overwhelming. Actually I was so spoiled that it was embarrassing - but I'll cope!

There was the purse of 'bribes' (including shuttle earwigs and other shuttles) from a group who want me to teach there, a huge bag full of HDT (along with ezybobs to wind them on), the new Marilee Rockley book, beads and many, many other things.  I was given a shuttle that had belonged to Gina which was a lovely thought.  Then there were more beads, an angel given to me later on during the trip, the beautiful bright dangle (now residing on my handbag), a leather shuttle holder that you wear round your neck, a lanyard which I didn't get to wear at Tat Days but which has now become a super necklace by changing the latch hooks and putting another finding on.  Pens which are really bright and hopefully won't get lost in the household clutter.  Actually they're now by my keyboard so should be 'safe'!!!  Did I mention beads?  More beads than I'll use in a lifetime so Sally will get some of those.  Buttons too.  Sally, are you listening?   and many, many more goodies. THANK YOU to everybody I really, really appreciate everything.

I'd also like to thank my hosts.  Crazy Mom in Atlanta, the Palmetto Tatters in Toccoa, the 'gang' at Lake Junaleska (lovely to spend time with y'all), Gloria and Bob in South Carolina (Lake Murray) and finally dear Joanie who has put up with me so many times.  Love y'all and can never thank you enough.  What a fantastic three weeks.

Yesterday we reached the magic 100 in the Tat It And See.  WHOOPPPEEEEE.

Also another new associate member has joined the Exclusive Tatting Club - welcome, Phyllis.  Please visit her bauble here.

More catching up news!

I just need to let y'all know that I've added Sandy to the list of exclusive members of the Exclusive Tatting Club. Thanks, Sandy. Here's the link.

Also there's a new addition to the January 2014 Tat It And See which now puts numbers up to 99!!! Almost at the elusive (not exclusive!!) number 100. Wonder if there'll be another one to take us there?!?!? Again, here's a link for you to see.

Now I'm home

Back in the old routine, I guess, but first I have to catch up on sleep. 

I promised to show you pictures of the first part of the trip which was to Atlanta for a few days with Crazy Mom who I STILL insist isn't crazy at ALL but probably a tad silly for putting up with me. 

While I was with her she arranged a tatting get-together at her new temporary home. What a fun evening that was. Lots of gossip and a new tatter was 'born' too.

The first day we visited the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta which was sooooo interesting and which I can recommend to anybody passing that way. 

On Wednesday we visited CNN studios and did the full tour. Again that was interesting and Crazy Mom even got to read using a teleprompter. She did a great job too. The escalator which you can see in the one picture is the longest unsupported escalator (elevator to Americans!) in the world and we went up it. There's a link about it here.  Such a lot to do and see in Atlanta.