Are you jealous?

Well as usual Royal Fail let me down before Christmas but has finally delivered the giveaway I won from Diane's blog.

The gift arrived (along with a flurry of Christmas cards some of which were posted locally on the 14th December) yesterday morning.  This is what I was expecting - the little pouch.  Just right for popping in a handbag or even inside a roly poly tat bag!!!

But this little pouch had a 'bulge' to it - rather like my body which bulges in places I'd rather not mention!!!

Inside was the following.  Some Sulky thread which is SO pretty, a ball of number 80 thread, a clippy thing (I use loads of those), an ezybob AND a shuttle.  I'm going to add pictures of 'just the shuttle' to show you how very, very pretty it is.  Thanks SO much, Diane, for running the giveaway and thank you to whoever the random generator or picker out of my name was too.  I'm a VERY happy OG.

Worms!

Now, today I want to talk about worms!

One of my secret passions is talking to worms but lately my worms haven't been very talkative.  In fact I've not seen a lot of them due to the extremely cold weather!!

It's true before anybody starts thinking I'm even more bonkers than you already thought.  I DO have worms and they live at the bottom of my garden.  See - you guys have fairies and I have WORMS.

They live in my compost maker and are very hard working little critters.

So now you're wondering why I'm telling you this.  Well, one lady who bought a bookmark off me wanted a 'hanging worm' rather than one that sits on top of the book.  So I re-did the stitch count on the original worm, added another split ring - oh, and some glittery thread and here is her worm. A glamorous, glittery worm and the total opposite of MY common or garden (actually compost) worms!!!!

Black and White

Now while I'd got the black and white thread out for penguins I decided to 'have a go' at making a panda!!!

Quite a challenge as you can see!!!  

Sadly there are a few cuts and ties in this pattern for which I apologise - I don't DO those unless forced to.  I like my work to be in one 'hit' from start to finish!!!  I'll add the pattern to my pattern page as soon as I get the abbreviations sorted which is my 'unfavouritist' thing to do!!!!

Anyway, here he is both solo and also as a bookmark which was is an order from somebody I shared with as I was working on him.

Total relaxation

This is what I do to relax!!!!  Make something I like making in colours I like too!!!!

I have slightly stiffened these so they keep their shape as the tails may straighten without.  Actually that's not true - I doubt very much that they would as I tat tightly and I've got several which have stayed 'as put' for years.  Anyway they are now listed so if you want a closer look you'll have to toddle off over here!!!! 

Update on Monday morning.  The green one has got the same built in secret wings that the penguins have!!! It's already flown out of the shop!!!!! 

An expensive penguin!!!

Why am I showing you yet another penguin?   Well this is probably THE most expensive penguin in our neck of the woods and beyond!!!

Why?  Well to make him look presentable I had to go out in the snow and buy a new iron!!!! 

I got totally fed up with having to scramble down the passageway between our two houses (us and next door) with a stepladder to re-set the trip switch on the socket circuit.  Every time I did any ironing it would 'trip'.  OK now I'll be honest  I don't 'do' a lot of ironing - well, not of clothes, but I do like to lightly press my tatting sometimes and as I usually do that on the way to bed (ready to blog) you can imagine the cussing that went on when I had to go and sort the trip out in the cold and dark (and snow!!!).

So yesterday I reserved a new iron online at Argos and then trudged up there in the snow.  Oh, that was after slithering down the town, visiting an 'oldie' at the other side of town and then going home.  Argos is is situated in yet another direction so off I went again.  Well I guess it keeps an OG fit!!!!  Boy, the backs of my legs ache today!!

Over the weekend I'll be adding some more to the shop - I've got it in my head to make a seahorse or two and a dolphin.  You never know what else may appear too!!!!

Oh, this little guy is now here.

 

5"

Despite the ongoing 5" of snow and little traffic making it down our road, the threads that Sally and I ordered from Zig-Zag Corner arrived yesterday with 'Mr Misery' driving the Parcel Force van.  What can I say about them?  Well they are the Lizbeth threads and the new variagated colours too.  They are stupendous.  

I was given some thread called Autumn Spice and I found I kept on going back to the Ezbob which it was on to use it.  I was convinced it was one of the HDT range that I'd been sent so was totally gobsmacked when I looked it up to buy more and found it was Lizbeth.  The new colours seem to be much better to me as they  sort of 'bleed' into each other without any sudden changes.  At my age sudden changes aren't good for you or your health and temper!!!!

Also via a regular 'on the hoof' postie came my magnets and the beads I won on Ebay (see below).  The beads are Impex embroidery beads and are drop dead gorgeous.  Thank you, Sally, for pointing out this seller on Ebay.  

So here in a snowy UK there sits an OG with a BIG smile on her face.  There'll be no more talk of Royal Fail (I actually gave the postman a BIG hug - poor man looked terrified) until they let me down again!!!  Probably next week as the system doesn't appear to be working yet.

One final question though - how and why DO they manage to deliver bills like the huge one from the Inland Revenue and the house insurance company?  Is there a wicked plot going on?   If so then can somebody out there put a stop to it, please?

Hmmmm

Blogger problems sorted themselves out yesterday eventually and I put the 'tease' picture for the TIAS on there.  No need or reason to complain about a very, very good free service and one that keeps me out of mischief (that's blogger I'm talking about although it could also be said about the TIAS)!!!

Having now been blogging for a while (since May 2006, for crying out loud!!) I wonder what I'd do if I didn't blog?   It's become a part of my life like my morning bowl of porridge!!!  Through blogging I am stimulated by others blogs and by comments that are made on this one.  So much so that a chance remark about penguins set me off on another daft idea.  I'll show you once I'm totally happy with it - which I'm not yet!!!

So to my other daily grumble - Royal Fail!!!  Letters turned up yesterday finally.  A customs 'demand' for threads I've bought from America.  This is interesting as the invoice was raised on the 15th of December.  Even that's taken five days to get to me.  Other post is slowly drifting in but my three small packets (beads and more magnets) are still not here.  Do hope that Father Christmas isn't an employee of Royal Fail!!  I feel I'm due for my weekly trip to the local sorting office for a grumble although the five inches of snow may save them this week.  I don't 'do' grumbling or arguing very well as I can always see the other person's point of view even better than my own. 

Some really, really nice folks work at the sorting office and I can't speak to them because they are so good - I always 'demand' to speak to a manager.  Doesn't get me very far but at least I feel better for trying!!!!

HOTP - or Hot Off The Phone!!!

http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/This post is a little late this morning because I've been on the phone.  Bad news - I'll not be able to meet Jon Yusoff this morning because (very sensibly) they're skipping and missing our small town to go straight down towards Gatwick!!

Bummer as I was really looking forward to meeting her for a grand 'tatting natter'.  The snow here is still 4" deep and the roads are a bit scary from what I've seen from a careful 'stagger and slip' down the town yesterday.  Jon says the M1 is fine from the weather reports.  Next time you come to the UK, Jon, PLEASE don't come in the winter when it may snow!!  Please bring some of your local sunshine and a postman too - if you can find one!!!!
 
I'm going to share another diddly bit of the TIAS.  It's all done and dusted and floating about up on url's.  Not telling you anymore than that, though!!!!  Keep an eye on the TIAS blog for more news.

I'll be tormenting you more with this over the next few days/week!!!

So, ya, boo sucks to those who were guessing it was something to do with 'blue'!!!!  I changed colours on you!!!

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'!!!!