Well, penguins CAN fly!

Bet you all didn't know that!!!  It's a fact and I can prove it!!! 

I never ever list anything in the Etsy shop unless it's made and in my box ready to go but I decided that, as the penguin I showed you on Saturday's blog post got snapped up before it had even got into the shop that I'd make another!!!  

As the eejit that I am I decided to use the photos I'd taken of number one penguin and list those in the store.  Then I toddled off downstairs to make a replacement 'just in case'!!! 

I'd only just got the centre done and whooops and yipppeeeee the little beggar got snapped up before birth - in the womb, in fact.  That kept me busy.  SO that proves that penguins can fly - out of my shop!!!! 

Also gave me another idea so I worked on that yesterday evening.  Hope to show you sometime soon.

As for Royal Fail - you've not heard me grizzle about them for ages.  They are still failing us dismally and we've not had any post since Thursday now.  It's very, very localised from what I can gather having had another 'I want to see the manager' stint at the local sorting office.  Still awaiting magnets and some beads I won in Ebay and those were sent via first class mail well over a week ago!!!  OK, so Royal Fail are putting the cost of a first class stamp up soon but you won't catch this OG buying one - I'll stick to second class, thanks!!!! 

Last two for now!!!

I'm going to have to tear myself away from these magnets - they're magnetising me into making more and more!!!  Today I MUST get back to the TIAS again.  

When working on a big project I have to put it aside from time to time because 

a)  I fall out with it!!!

b)  I need to 'forget' it for a week or so before going back to it fresh.

and

c)  The OG gets distracted by things such as magnets!!!

These two will go into my shop later today.  I'm finding they  disappear pretty quickly and also I've got more ideas brewing too!!! 

Heart and butterfly

Once I get a bee in my bonnet I can't get rid of it!!  Anybody got a shotgun?!?!?  Can't stand that buzzzzzzing!

Seriously I'm delighted with the interest shown in this magnet idea as I know it works so well.  It's the first time I've ever had a bookmark that really does it's job - even when I drop the book!!!

So yesterday I got settled in tat corner really early and managed to finish off an orange butterfly that I started on Wednesday, before making the heart (also below).  The heart pattern is one of my own which I 'doctored'!!!!  This morning I saw a comment on yesterday's blog from Ridgewoman which made me smile as I seem to have got to be one jump ahead of her!!!  Here's her comment!

"You LOVE making these; so why not each holiday, have a theme? Heart for Feb. Leprechaun or clover for St. Patrick's, firecracker or shooting star for July 4 (here across the pond) and so forth…How bout Initials? Then, they'd really be personalized."

Also when I woke up this morning I wondered what a penguin bookmark would look like!!  Anybody think that's a good idea or has brain cell 3 'lost the plot'?

Yet another pheewwww day!!!

A busy day AGAIN yesterday with Silver Surfers in the morning followed by the volunteer's Christmas 'get together'.  

I was asked by our gallant leader to take some of my Winsome Drop earrings and the magnetic bookmarks to show her - which I did!!!  I came home with a few less!!

Why am I telling you?  Well amongst the things she bought were the larger magnetic butterfly bookmarks so I came home with just one to list!! So towards the end of the afternoon I managed to get the 'remains' listed here!!!  Then I woke up this morning to find that 2 had already flown the 'nest'.  No, that's wrong - butterflies don't 'live' in nests but  you know what I mean!!!

I did finish off another of the larger ones last night (see below) and will put it in the shop either later today or tomorrow.  They are slightly more expensive because they do take a lot more time.  I'm also going to do a few along this line but with hearts dangling - more suggestions always welcome!!  If you ever see anything you want in the store but want it in another colour then do drop me a line.  There is a 'conversation' facility there or you could just send a message to the 'mad old bat in the UK'.

A bit of news about the TIAS.  It's still progressing but slowly!!!

Phewwww, what a day!!!

I'm talking about yesterday!!!  Instead of bragging about what I've got listed in the Etsy shop I'm going to tell you about what I haven't got!!!  What do they call that?  Hmmmm, negative thinking?  No, that's not it.   Ah, probably being awkward - as usual!!!!  Actually there is just one poor, lonely, hookless Pop a Bobbin still left needing a new home!

The shuttles just flew out.  I hardly had time for my lunch.  It's quite a task when things happen that quickly - well, it is for an OG.  Needs concentration getting the right things in the right packets etc and then I have to fill in a spreadsheet to keep a track of Etsy and Paypal charges'.  When I've finally got that sorted I send Sally and 'im in the garage the money to go towards more wood etc!!!

Interestingly I sold both of the last magnetic bookmarks which were in the shop too.  I do have several more (5 or 6) but haven't listed those yet as I'm taking them to show the lass who organises us volunteers for Silver Surfers.  We're having our Christmas lunch today after the teaching session at the library.  I'll list any that don't sell in the shop on Thursday.  

Oh, for those who don't know (and I bet you dooooo) there is now an option to list your items in other currencies.  I nearly changed mine to GBP but decided I now work better in USD!!!!  Strange woman that I am!!!!  Another change I noticed was that when you go to Etsy without being signed in you're given the option to view in another currency.  Clever lot those guys and gals who run that online store.

More shuttles

Yesterday I put an extra 'bit' onto my blog post in the early evening.

The reason was because I wanted to let everybody know that I had spent the whole afternoon photographing, sorting and listing shuttles here.

This time 'im in the garage has excelled himself and a variety are going 'live' shortly after I've posted this piece.  

I must apologise for the short warning on these but I wanted to get them listed so that anybody in the UK and who doesn't use Royal Fail will be able to buy and receive them for Christmas.  

They MAY even get to the USA in time too but I'm not going to hold my breath on that!!!  Here are some of the newbies in the shop.

EMERGENCY ADDITION to my 'Oh, my GOSH' post

Not a real emergency but just a post to let people know that I'll be listing more shuttles in the Etsy shop tomorrow morning - hopefully just after my regular blog post!!!  There will be a few pop a bobbins with hooks and lots without.  Post shuttles of various sizes too!!!  Large, medium and ornery!!!


The reason for this last minute warning is because some may just reach their destinations before Christmas!!!

I do wish you all lived close by where I live then you could ALL come round for a cuppa tea and see the new shuttles in 'real life'.  I haven't got a scan or photo of them yet myself (although they are here in a box by my side) so you'll have to have a look at them on Sally's blog here. 

I'm hoping to get them listed by the middle of the week so keep your fingers crossed - I'll give you a 24 hour 'warning' on when and the time!!!  There's a huge variety this time of small, medium and large shuttles with post and regular pop a bobbins too.  Also I noticed there are Pop a bobbins with no hooks as well.  I think 'im in the garage has had fun and excelled himself.   They're gonna take some sorting, but heck - that'll keep me quiet for a few hours!!!

Just going to show you what I get up to when I've fallen out with the TIAS!!!  I'm going to start listing these in Etsy towards the end of the week - if I've got any left.  I'm finding they're selling amongst friends and aquaintances very well.  There are only three here but I scanned them twice so you could the butterflies without having to stand on your head!!!!

Four more little stinkers!!

The fight with the magnets continues!!!!  Why do I do it, I ask myself?!?!

These four had me giggling as I was placing them on the platen of the scanner.  Why?  Well the little stinkers kept trying and trying to 'get together' with each other!!!

The TIAS does continue to please and frustrate me as I keep re-doing it.  I'm not happy with certain 'parts' so have to do the whole thing over and over again.  Still I guess it keeps me from getting into more mischief!!!!

I did start drawing it up as I think the 'worst bits' are towards the end.  

I'm pleased to report!!!

I'm pleased to tell you all (not that you're interested, perhaps!!!!) but our Royal Fail is now returning to becoming Royal Mail!!!!  

On Wednesday we were 'woken up' (well we were sort of up!) by a tremendous noise of somebody trying to break in.  Well it sounded like that!  Did I ever tell you about the 'incident of the man on the roof''?  Anyway it turned out to be a postman delivering a pile of mail.  Now our normal (that was when things were normal) delivery time varies from half past eleven in the morning til four o'clock in the afternoon so this was a real surprise.

So, being a bear of little brain and a fully paid up member of the skeptics society I thought this was just a 'one off' so I didn't get too excited.  

You could've knocked me down with a feather when another postie arrived yesterday around one o'clock ish to deliver another pile of mail.  I managed to speak to him and he said things were getting back to normal - YIPPPEEEEE.  

Why am I so excited?  Well, I won a lot of beads on Ebay two days ago!!!!  I tend to shop a lot on Ebay (and sell too!) and recently have met some really fantastic people.  These I've met both as a seller (buyer collects just lately) and through the post (magnetsmagnetsmagnets) so it's really great to have our postal service in 'recovery mode' and things being delivered quickly.   The guy that I've been buying magnets from has been soooo friendly and helpful - way beyond the normal seller.  So I leave you as one very happy OG today!!!!!!

Nothing to tease you with - BUT

I left the TIAS alone yesterday evening as I was very fed up with it after Monday's attempt!!!  I was going to start drawing it in the afternoon but somehow that escaped from me too - the afternoon, I mean!!!  I need to start drawing as I have to check those against the text but as I'm still changing the text, well ......................

So instead I did this magnetic bookmark!!!  Just for the thrill of it!!!  Well, not only that but because Lace Lovin' Librarian said she loved blue and I thought 'why not'??!?!!!  This one will go into my Etsy shop at some point - when I get myself organised to take 'proper' pictures of it!!!

Making these are a bit of a nightmare as the wretched magnets keep diving for each other.  I think I just like being annoyed so that's why I keep making them!!!

A trip down the road!

Yesterday morning I did a small Christmas Fair.  It was actually at an old people's place quite close to us (not the one where I teach Silver Surfers).  I was asked sometime ago if I'd like to have a table there to sell my work so I thought 'why not'!!!

To be honest I wasn't particularly happy there as the main tables (the residents had their 'stuff' on them) were one side of the room and I had a very small table opposite them and a fair distance away.  I felt as if I were a leper!!!  They (the residents) sat there and nattered to each other all morning but made very little attempt to speak to me and only one came across the room to see what I was selling.  Still I sat and tatted away and other friends came in from other parts of town to take part in an exercise class so that wasn't too bad.  On the residents selling table one lady was selling handmade Christmas cards but the rest of the stuff was bric a brac.  

I did sell a few things and amazingly two pairs of black very shiny and very pretty earrings.  They've been in my Etsy shop on several occasions but didn't sell.  One lady took a look at them and oooohed and aaaahed over them, snatched them up and bought them!!!  I was actually going to keep these for myself as they are so very pretty but I do have rather a lot of earwigs!!! 

The reason they haven't sold in the shop online?  I think it's a lot to do with the sparkle not showing up so well and waaaaay too many earrings to be bought online.  These are the ones I sold!!!!

Frustration, frustration, frustration!!

Why oh why do I start these things?  I decided a few weeks ago to do the Tat It And See (TIAS) and eventually thought of the first necessity - a design.

Since then I've thought, slept, walked (I do most of my 'designing' in my head and on the hoof) and even dreamed about the 'thing'!!!

I think I'm on about version four now.  I cannot design totally on 'paper' or using a drawing package - I HAVE to tat it.  

So, after version 3 I realised that I could start it in a different place and that would enable me to 'keep the secret' even longer (I HOPE).  That's the fun of being the 'only one' who knows what it is.  For me it's all about the fun of keeping everybody guessing that makes these interim frustrations so worthwhile. 

So, instead of talking (or should that be 'typing') about it I'd better get the fingers back onto the shuttles!!!  Here's a 'sneak preview'!!!!

It occurred to me!!

I was gobsmacked that I could be so stupid as to assume that anybody drifting onto this blog would know what a TIAS was!!!!  So I'll explain.

The TAT IT AND SEE is a pattern which is released in 'bite sized' pieces every few days over the space of a few weeks.  The idea is that the tatter works it without knowing what they're making.  Well, you know it's going to be a surprise but that's all!!!

I normally add any techniques which might be new to new tatters.  I tend to assume that everybody will know how to do a ring, chain, self closing mock ring and a split ring.  Anything else is explained with diagrams.  

As the different parts are worked and (it's not compulsory!) pictures of work in progress are sent to me then I add them to the TIAS blog along with the comments - some of which are hilarious.

The secret!!!!

Thanks for joining in the fun yesterday and a big thank you to Sally who didn't let on what the secret is!!!!

Geraldine was the first to guess so well done - you must know how my brain works!!!!

Ann - I've no idea who Justin Bieber is so perhaps you could enlighten me?

Josie?  That's just the biggest joke of the lot!!!!!

Crazy Mom - glad you kept your guess private as I think pigs are more likely to fly than your suggestion!!!

I'm sorry to everybody who thought it was going to be a book.  I doubt that will ever, ever happen as I really don't want to start charging money for what I do.  The Etsy store fills my Paypal up and then I empty it again on threads, beads and other 'stuff'!!!!  What more do I need?  Not fame or fortune as I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge - although at the moment it's almost colder outside than in the fridge!!!

The answer is that I've started work on another TIAS!!!  The idea has percolated (with the help of brain cell 3) and has now started it's life on the shuttles!!!  If I were to show you what it's going to be at the moment you'd never recognise it - it's REALLY naff!!!!!  Hopefully it will improve and turn into what I'm hoping it will be.

IF I don't get sidetracked I'm hoping to start in mid January during the 'dull season'.  Keep your fingers crossed that it works!!!!

I've got a secret!

Can you guess what it is?  

NO, I'm not pregnant - that would be impossible!!!

NO, I'm not about to leave home!!!  Too cold!!!

NO, I'm not giving up tatting!!!

Go on, guess!!!!

Another!!!

Here's another of the new magnetic bookmarks.  I am using the one I made for MEEE and can report that it's really and honestly the best bookmark I've ever had.  

No more scrabbling around in the bed for the 'missing bookmark' when I'm sleepy and need it.  This stays exactly where it's put.  In fact I'm using it almost as a 'timer' when I'm reading in the mornings.  

As it 'reaches' over 20 + pages I tell myself that when the two parts 'meet' then  I must get out of bed!!!!!  I move it to the  right hand edge of the book so that I can turn the pages without taking it out and thus when I get the two magnets to meet without pages between it's time to get up - unless I've reached an exciting part, of course!!!!

Not sure if this will go in the Etsy shop as nothing seems to be happening there very much.  My fault entirely.  Shall I admit why I love that shop?  Well, it's a bit like selling on Ebay.  I like to look every day (sometimes several times a day) to see how many people have looked at the items!!!  One of the bookmarks has now reached 105 views already!!!!  Now, isn't that sad?  I wonder if any other shop owners are like me - come on, fess up!!!  Poor old woman sitting here really only interested in who's looking!!!   

Perhaps I need a psychiatrist or even the 'men in white coats'.  One of the many ways I amuse myself!!!!

Winsome Drops!

These seem to be very popular and the bonus is that I still love making them!!!  

I've got just two of the small heart beads left in green now so will have to get more IF I can find them!!!!

These are all for one person to choose which she wants - just hope she doesn't want the pale blue ones as I'd like those for myself!!!!!

I could make another pair but I'm also pretty sure I've run out of those too!!!!  I have got a couple of lovely beads which were given to me, with dolphins on.  I'm going to use those on a pair.  The main problem is - what do I do with all these?  They don't seem to sell in the shop although amongst friends and acquaintances they do!!!!  Straaaange!!!!!

Comments on blogs.

All comments on my blog are read and this one from Karrieann about this post I appreciated as usual.  She said:-

"Jane.. what if you attach the butterfly at the other end.. the head end? The reason I even brought this up... it would be upside down when in place. Know what I mean? I think the butterfly is beautiful though!"

I knew that Karrieann was right and I did think the same whilst I was attaching the butterfly to the bookmark but I really, really, REALLY wanted to try out new feelers on it!!!!  First of all I'll tell you about the feelers.  

When I finished the butterfly I wanted more 'substantial' feelers which are the last things in the pattern.  So using my fine (for putting beads on picots) crochet hook I made chains with the ends instead of cutting them off straight away.  I'll definitely be using this 'trick' again in future!!!

So I decided to re-cycle the original butterfly and you can see that below with the new crocheted feelers!!!!  I managed to only 'waste' about half a yard of thread (very precious HDT) on the task too as I carefully cut and then used the chain thread for the core of the double double stitch tail instead.

Next to re-cycle the bookmark I made for meeeee!!!  This time it will lie the 'right way up' when outside the book but this one I made usinig a mock ring for the head and adding beads to feelers.  There was again some adjustment to the stitch count too.  If anybody wants more details on this then I'm happy to tell them 'how to'!!!!

I think if I ever get to put this magnetic bookmark in the Etsy shop it will have to be called the Rolls Royce version as it takes a tad longer to make and is just (IMHO) SO pretty. If you want one then do ask - I'll be only too happy to make one.

Snowflakes!

I'm going to show you what I've been doing over the weekend.  

This first little pattern was designed in 1992 by Carolyn Regnier (here's her email addy) and was published in her book 'Tatted Suncatchers and Snowflakes'.  She says she still has a few copies left.  I bought the book around that time too.

This is the pattern I chose to do but (my apologies to Carolyn) I've sort of played with it a bit.  Not a lot, just a bit!!!  I used a SCMR to replace the long chain and also did a split chain at the end so that a couple of split rings would take me out of the centre and end up with a hanging thread.  BUT it's still Carolyn's and the stitch count is the same.  I've also added beads 'as you do'!

The second snowflake is a hybrid which started off from one in Patti Duff's Mini Tats (a great buy for anybody who has just started tatting).  I added a SCMR to this one too with the 'odd' vsp to stabilise it.
 

The reason for these?  I'm doing a small fair at an old folks home on the 7th and suddenly remembered it was Christmas soon so why not a few snowflakes!!!  Oh we also had some early snow on Friday/Saturday too - brrrrrrrr.

Did you guess?

Remember me talking about this design a couple of days ago?

Well I had a few comments about this pattern and it surprised me!!!  Why?  Well it's one of my patterns!!!  

I was dreading that somebody would say that it belonged to them as I have seen similar 'out there'.  It could easily be worked covering the ring first, of course, but back when I did it I wanted/needed something fast to tat.

The original pattern (which is here) was made on a larger cabone ring but as I found out with the transparent one - it can be worked on any size.  Just work the centre until you 'fill up' the ring and then work your way out!!!!  I made loads of these back in 2004/2005 as giveaways.