The bookmark bug!!!

Darn this bug - it bites and bites HARD.

This is the next batch ready to go in my Etsy shop.  I just needed to finish off the elephant and he's done now - see below.  If the critters look a bit wonky it's because they kept being attracted to each other - little stinkers!!!

I promised I'd do the chicken wing doily and I have started but I keep thinking of new critters to make into bookmarks.  I really want to do a sheep, a small cat and a dog but then I need a 'colour fix' so have to make the flowers or butterflies.  It's a sad OG that I am.

Oh, did you notice I'd put Mark's picture taken in Moo Street on my page?  As one comment suggested quite rightly - it's too good to 'lose' in an old post.

The tatbead family are BACK!!!

Before I start - Day 3 is now here.

Now I did give Sandy a warning when she first wrote and said she was going to do the Tatbead family but she didn't listen.  Sadly the addiction has struck!!!! 

The first picture is her family.  The second is her Dr Who themed session!!!!  The Tardis is a pattern made by AnneB and can be found here.  Don't you just LOVE the cyberman?  Inspired.  Now I haven't heard about any new members in Sandy's family for a few days but when I do I'll keep you posted. 

At LAST!!!

At last I've got a tiny owl's face that I'm happy with.

Two whole afternoons have been 'wasted' on this wretched little critter's face!!  I think it was worth it in the end, though.

I used my original pattern taken from here but that was done in two parts - just for the face!!!  This time I've finally managed to get it down to one round with the 3 beads included in the tatting.  I NEVER EVER sew or stick beads onto tatting - I feel that's cheating and certainly isn't safe as beads can so easily fall off. I needed to resolve the problem in case I wanted to make more of these owls as too many cuts and 'sewings ins' take too much time - they're a 'lost leader' anyway!!!

Sorry about the wonky looking picture but the magnets kept trying to get together again.

Tomorrow I NEED to go back to colour and beads.  OR another sort of critter - wonder what it'll be?

Look what Mark did!!!!

First of all just to remind you - day 2 is ready to go!!!!  Here's the link.

Isn't Mark a STINKER?

Look what he did to my picture!!!  Now who is he calling an old git, do you think?  
This is one very, very funny tatting man with a talent for tatting and manipulating pictures!!!!  DOO visit his web site for loads of tatting tips and truly wonderful patterns.  Well, I guess that's what he does for a living!!!!  Taking the mooo out of old gits!!!!!

More news on Royal Fail and USA snail!!!  Apparently it's more like 190,000 pieces of post behind at the local sorting office (according to the postie).   I have outstanding packages that I mailed (shuttles etc) on and around the 14th December to the USA which still haven't arrived - three or four of them.  Now, is this my end or their end - the mystery continues.  SOOOO cross about it all but what can an old git do?

I have a habit!

Not a disgusting one or naughty (well, not really) but it's a habit!!!

I tend to call people a 'daft old moo'.  Well I also call myself that too (when I'm not being an OG!!).  This is a friendly sort of thing and it's something I've always done.  Probably stemming from my days of temping round and about and not being able to remember people's names!!!  I used to call people 'old moo's' back then!! 

Anyway, the following is a picture I took when I was in town early the other day - before the tourists were around!!!  I thought it was amusing (well, it amused me!!!).


More news on Royal Fail.  

Before Christmas the local sorting office were behind by 45,000 pieces of mail.  We're still getting Christmas cards - a neighbour had one from somebody 'down the road' two days ago which was posted at the beginning of December.  

Well yesterday the local newspaper stated that Royal Fail were now - wait for it - 90,000 pieces behind.  Now I'm beginning to suspect that this is affecting outgoing mail too.  The story continues.  Time for another walk to the sorting office to demand to 'speak to a manager', I think!!!

Big booo bbbboooooo

OK,  Do you like this little owl?

This is one that didn't make it into the shop!!!  He's currently sitting on my side table in tat corner waiting for a grandchild to come round and 'choose' him.  

I made him for a magnetic bookmark but he got into trouble and got cut off in his prime!!!

Why?  Well let me turn him over for you.

Now you can see why he'll NEVER become a bookmark!!!!  I mangled his eye with the 'new' iron.  Silly, silly, SILLY woman!!!

So then I went back to the onion ring owl instead!!!

I'm now making more critters for the shop - two more pigs.  I LIKE pigs!!!!  As I seem to have sold loads of these bookmarks over the past three days I'm now making more!!!!  Well, as Nick says, they do keep me quiet.  I'm going to make more button flowers and butterflies as that means I can play with my wonderful stash of HDT and Lizbeth threads.  Oh, and beads!!!!  Then I'll go back to critters again!!!! 

The end of an era!!!

Well, actually, only a temporary end!!!

The 'era' I'm talking about is a bookmark one - I've come to a temporary standstill having spent days and days making these!!!!  I finally got most of them finished and put in the shop yesterday afternoon and then had the final 'straggler' to do in the evening - before the TIAS takes over my life!!!!

Must tell you about the second picture here.  This is some of the thread that Sue Anna sent me which is from Yarnplayer's shop.  The flower is Garden Afternoon and the other green is called Celery.  They are drop dead yummy together.

Royal Fail!!

Don't forget - tomorrow is the 'kick off' for the TIAS!!!!

I know you're fed up with hearing about Royal Fail but do read on today.

On Monday this dear little teapot arrived in a Christmas card (yes, I did say Christmas card) from - well, no need to give you three guesses.  Yes, Martha Ess.

If you haven't got her teapot book then I very, very much recommend it although sister Sally says she thinks this pattern is in Karey Solomon's Tatting Times.  

Thank you SO much, Martha - this little teapot is destined to be framed and hung in 'Tat Corner'.