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.

Final week but more to come soon.

This last week in Florida has flown by far too quickly.  I've been very lucky to have been staying with my tatting mate - Joanie and her husband who, like Nick, appears to tolerate our tatty addiction!! 

We have tatted a little and talked a LOT!!!!!  They kindly took me out and about like Crazy Mom did when I was in Atlanta.

So, to almost end my reports on the trip I'll show you some pictures of another part of Florida.  I'll be travelling home over the weekend so you'll maybe not hear a lot from me till Monday or Tuesday when I hope to get the pictures of Atlanta off my camera and onto the blog.  Meanwhile here are a few pictures of Lake Placid where many buildings have murals painted on them.  I LOVED the trash cans too.

Tatting with the Palmetto Tatters

On Saturday (well, that would be last Saturday) I had the privilege of teaching at the guild meeting which is held at Lexington Museum.

I've been there before and remember the wonderful surprise on finding out that this wasn't a 'regular' museum but a collection of old American buildings.  

The lesson was teaching the pearl tatted snake which is on my pattern pages but I will be adding to this pattern and will be making modifications when I get home.  The reason?  Well, my dear friend Riet suggested another way that this little guy could be worked!!!!  Aren't tatters the best?  We get together and talk and more ideas emerge.  Thanks a trillion, Riet.  More work for BC3!!!!!

A few more photos

Last week was spent with another friend at her house in South Carolina.  Joanie and I had the privilege of spending a few days with Gloria and Bob who live right on the edge of Lake Murray.  

Of course tatting and Tat Land were part of our many conversations as we exchanged tips and gossip!  Here are a few pictures taken on a walk around the garden and including some beaver damage which fascinated me.  

So, what next?

Well BC3 let me down so action had to be taken when I arrived in Florida to stay with Joanie and Rick!!!!!  I'd meant to do this last week but obviously BC3 was on holiday too.

The slippers that Kerianne 'kindly' returned to me after the white elephant game would not fit in my suitcase so I decided to pass them on to 'someone else' in the hope that they would either use them or, in some way, continue the joke.  

So, who has them, en route, to them right at this very moment?   BEWARE and VERY AFRAID, all Tat Days participants as the mail man could be visiting YOU shortly!!!!!

More random pictures

Just as the title suggests - these are random photos including some of the origami lesson which was great too.

After Tat Days

A trip to Lake Junaleska with some very good friends was the next 'happening' on the trip.  Naturally they were all tatters except one who used to tat but now makes amazing baskets.

I would have shown you some pictures of the beautiful landscape we saw but the pictures are all on my camera so you'll have to wait for those!!  Below are some of the flowers we saw and a picture of the deck.

Lots of tatting talk happened, of course!!!

A few quiet moments

There is a pretty lake at Tat Days which is well worth taking a stroll down to.  Pictures below.  I got down there when thunder was rolling around in the distance so didn't stay long before scooting back up the hill!!!!!

The last picture is a view of the building where it all happens.

Tat Days - part 3

Sorry for missing a day or two but having the bestest time of your life in wonderful company and the most beautiful places tends to distract the aged brain.

So, the second lesson on my agenda was the gingerbread man.  To those who asked - there are no plans for a gingerbread woman!!!  I'll leave that to others to design although I didn't know there was such a person as a gingerbread woman!!!!

The only 'problem' I had was with one student who decided to skip the second part of the class to go and play corn hole.  I won't mention your name, Jerry.

Here are some pictures.

Tat Days - part 2

So this is my first class in which the students fought their way through the Palmetto pig!

As you can probably tell they worked really hard with intervals of fun too!  I'm not quite sure why Sandra is covering her eyes but I can assure you it's NOT because I was naked!!!  I did find room in my suitcase for clothes.  

More tomorrow if I have time.  It's really hard work being on holiday but SOOOOOO much fun.

Tat Days part 1

I'm going to start at almost the end of Tat Days as these are pictures I've been sent already.  I'm hoping for more BUT not of meeeeee as that would make the aged head swell.  I've got a few that I took when I was teaching so will get those out over the next few days.  

To explain these pictures first.  There was a white elephant game going on on the Saturday evening and I won these 'Freudian slippers'.  Well they were soooooo funny but I wondered how I was going to get them home when Marie stole them off me - the STINKER!   Seriously I was actually begging for people to take them off me.  See the bracelets that look like teeth?  

Jane (yes, another one who is even more bonkers than I am) was not helping matters as she was egging me on.

Well later on Karrieann stole MY slippers off Marie and that was the end as they could only be taken three times.  Good result and time for bed.  I ended up with a lovely pair of earrings.  

This is NOT the end of the story, sadly as that other and from now on newly nominated stinker called Karrieann GAVE THE DARN THINGS back to me!   Sheeeeesh, does nobody like me?

On the way!

Now I HOPE to be on my way to America when you read this. 

This is a post to let you see what I'm taking to Tat Days. It's a LOT of smilies. I've enough (I hope) to give to everybody who gives ME a smile at Tat Days - that's the sort you put on your face that I'd like!!!

Please, if you're there then ask me for one - I've got to give them all away as I'll need the room in my suitcase for threads etc after I've visited the vending room!!!

This pattern will, I believe, be on the Tat Days CD.  Well, that's if I remembered to send it to them, of course!!!!

I've 'smallerised' the pictures to stop the copytatters from taking it.  Dreadful that an OG has to resort to these measures in her old age!!!!