Been A Long Time Gone -- But I'm OK

Sept. 1 2021

This is likely the most neglected blog in history... I was amazed I remembered my sign in info!

So, things are all discombobulated --- I'm temporarily displaced from my home, due to bad wiring and fear of dying in a fire... Long story. Not very interesting. The NEW PLACE will be fabulous and way more interesting. I'll be sure to post about that when it happens... if it happens... 

On top of that (as you know, unless you've been hibernating in a cave the last year or so) this global pandemic COVID19 thing has everything turned all crazy. Wearing masks is now the norm... and as kids finally made it back to school a new variant has emerged, making lots of parents wonder why their kids went back in the first place. There are spirited debates (some bad spirited, I'm afraid) between the "Yes, I'll take the vaccine." and the "Hell No, don't drink the Kool-Aid - Don't make me take a shot that I don't trust not to have adverse effects.". The FDA has approved the Pfizer vaccine and deemed it safe, but a lot of people are still on the fence. I myself have not had the vaccine. I have seen so many people desperately sick for days after each dose and I am afraid. I do plan to have a serious talk with my oncologist next visit to help make a more informed decision. 

The US has officially pulled out of Afghanistan, with disastrous results so far.  Thirteen US men and women killed by two suicide bombers as evacuations were underway at the airport. On top of that we apparently left millions in military equipment IN AFGHANISTAN that the Alqueda can now use against their citizens -- and us! Who was thinking when all that was decided? We should have brought back every American who wanted to come and every piece of US property. Period. 

Besides all that this past weekend another Category 4 Hurricane hit the finally-getting-life-together-after-Katrina people in Louisiana. Flooding and devastation mixed with glorious stories of people helping each other. I feel for them... We worry here in Florida about hurricanes, with good reason, but my part of Florida has never experienced such as this. Heartbreaking. 

Photography? Nada. Haven't taken pictures in ages. I miss it too. I need to get back out there again... last pics I took were Senior Pictures for my niece Grace. She has gone off to college in Georgia already and I am enjoying seeing her moms posts on Facebook. Beautiful, smart, and capable. She's going to do great in college. 

Tatting, you ask?  Nope. Done none of that either... All tatting books and threads are packed away safely. I'll be able to get back to it soon enough. All my shuttles are here for safekeeping. I have so many beautiful shuttles. Makes me happy just to look at them. Not a lot makes me happy these days, so glad to have them here. 

Drawing though... yes, that I have kept up with. Likely because pens and paper take up very little space and it's easy to pick up and take with me. Hope to post pics when life gets back to normal (whatever the new Normal will be.) With that thought I will get off here and stop writing. I hope to have more positive things to talk about when next I post. 

Haven't posted in forever

Life has gotten in the way. 

I'm not taking as many pictures any more and the Corona Virus has put a halt to a lot of fun things. I need to get myself back on track.

Almost Forgot About This Blog O Mine!

It's been forever since I posted, years... I'm sure nobody missed me... I don't even think I have followers anymore.  That's okay... time to catch up anyway even if it's just for me.

Since I've written on this blog so many things have changed (lost loved ones, too many to count) but so many things remain the same, thank goodness. I'm still in the same house in the same town with the same loving husband. I still love photography and I still collect insulators, although financial constraints have slowed the acquisitions down considerably. I now have four glorious grandchildren and I really enjoy the time I spend with them.

My tatting shuttles are gathering dust these days, along with a zillion balls of tatting thread. Instead I've taken up sewing. I've made three quilts and five purses... I'm in love with the purses, just sayin'. There are so many wonderfully helpful websites out there dedicated to bag making -- with free patterns and friendly, encouraging people! I'm having so much fun making bags to give as gifts and I've got a couple squirreled away for myself. At the rate I'm going I will have one for every day of the week -- and why not?

I've made two with this fabric, one as a Sweet Sixteen birthday gift and this one for me. I think it's spring-y and colorful and I just love it! The free pattern is by Sara Lawson at Sew Sweetness - an easy sew.

Here's another one. I made two of these exactly the same thinking  my daughter would fall in love with it. No. She said, "Why would I want an African looking bag?" African? I never though African when I looked at it. No accounting for taste, I guess. The same pattern as the yellow one, this time with Tula Pink fabric.

and to round out the purse post -- here are a few more that I made as gifts.

So that's what's going on in my life right now... Helping at Toomey Tools every now and then to get out of the house, sewing some, loving Kevin and taking care of him as best I can -- watching the grandchildren grow like weeds. It could be a lot worse. I'm thankful.

Gearing Up for Tat Days!

I am excited to be attending Palmetto Tat Days in Toccoa, GA next week! It's my first time and I'm looking forward to meeting some of my Facebook friends face to face and of course making new tatting friends.

Imagine two full days of nothing but tatting! For me this is super exciting! I've only seen ONE PERSON shuttle tat in real life! That was at a meeting of the North Florida Tatters in Lake City where most were needle-tatting. Tatting classes, tatting vendors -- I will eat, sleep, and breathe tatting!

In the meantime I'm getting my shuttles ready for each class. Some instructors have specific requirements - no tip on the shuttle, specific thread sizes, etc. Choosing the classes was the hardest part. Of course I wanted to take them ALL! The schedule I'm told is grueling --- tatting and more tatting from early morning until late evening.  I feel like a little girl waiting to open gifts on Christmas morning!

You can read more about this years Tat Days here. If you're attending I do hope we get to meet in person!

Besides comfy clothes and my camera I plan to bring a couple of items for the display table...  Choosing which items is difficult... I would like to take my Renulek Spring Doily, but I'm thinking that lots of tatters have made this and that there may be several versions of this beauty there.

I'm sure I want to take the Queen Anne's Lace doily I made for my daughter. The pattern is from an old Workbasket magazine and I love it. It's rings only, no ball thread, no second shuttle. Here's a sneak peek:

The pattern isn't called a Queen Anne's Lace doily in the magazine.  I don't remember what they called it and I've misplaced the pattern now. When I find it again I want to make another one for myself.

When I get back from Tat-Days I will be sure to post an update with all the details!

Here is the review I submitted for Hiya Hiya Puppy Snips ---
I bought a couple of pair to add to tatting exchange boxes. I like them, just because they're cute and tiny and different, but the little spring comes off too easily. If you were the recipient of a pair, please be advised:


Originally submitted at Alpaca Direct

Hiya Hiya Puppy Snips Only 1 7/8" when closed Assorted Colors (colors may vary)

Hiya Hiya Puppy Snips

Cute, but not for Kids!

By Tatting Lottie from Ocala, FL on 3/18/2014

3out of 5

Pros: Cute, Tiny, Different
Cons: Spring Comes Out, Easily Broken
Comfort vs Style: Comfort Driven
Was this a gift?: No

I wanted these tiny snips to use while tatting, thinking I could put a set on my key chain, in my tatting bag, etc. so that they would be handy. However, within two minutes of spotting a pair on my key chain my eight year old grandson opened them like scissors. Mistake! That instantly caused the spring to fly off. Yes, I put it back on, but I have to be very careful that it doesn't happen again. I think it should be secured better, perhaps with glue, or even better a hook that would keep both ends of the spring in place. So, I think they're great for grown ups to use as snips, but you do have to be careful with them.

(legalese)

Slow Here on the Tatting Front

Things have been pretty slow here on the tatting front.... not a lot accomplished to be honest.

I did get my four exchange packages to the post office on March 1st. I'm hoping that the recipients love the items I put inside! It was really a lot of fun putting the box together.

It's driving me nuts not to know that the packages are safely en route. USPS tracking tells me that one has been safely delivered (the only one with a US destination). One package is en route to Hungary, one to Singapore, and one to the UK. all latest whereabouts are unknown. Tracking stops at NY one one and Miami on the other two... I hope that the tatting Gods are watching over them and that the surprises make it safely.

I've started the Renulek's Spring Napkin three times. Each time I've gotten the tension either to tight or too loose my efforts haven't met to make a circle yet. Then I saw Grace Tat's beautiful rendition, (see it here) in yummy Easter-like colors, and I was glad mine didn't work out at first. I don't have those delicious colors, but I plan on trying again with something less boring than the plain yellow I started with.

The Doily is beautiful. Don't let the fact that it's in Polish slow you down any. Google Translate is amazing, and each step has been carefully diagrammed, making this complex and sophisticated piece doable for everyone!

Here is a link to step one -- Renulek's Spring Napkin (Doily) Part ONE

Today I took my granddaughter to the library. She chose six books a whole lot quicker than I thought she would. We even had time to relax outside on a bench so she could read to me.

Autumn loves the Fly Guy books by Tedd Arnold. I laughed out loud as she read two of them. Her favorite is the 12th book in the series, There's a Fly Guy in My Soup.

It was a happy few minutes outdoors with her .I can't ask for much more than that! Hopefully the respite will get the tatting juices flowing and I can get something created for a change!

When I'm Not Tatting...

When I'm not tatting, I'm here on the computer in our little home office, or at the dreaded doctors' office... or at an insulator show... or (best of all) playing with my grandchildren.

Someone pointed out that I hadn't posted a photo of my insulator collection... so here are a few of the hundreds on my computer:

My husband Kevin and I have collected insulators since our marriage, nearly ten years now, from all over the US, from Italy, France, Russia, and Australia. Some are old, some not. Some are pretty, some not so pretty. We love them all.

Here is one last picture of our insulator windows. It's a bit out-of-date. There are more shelves in the middle of the big window now, but you can get the idea what they look like. There's nothing more beautiful in the morning light, like stained glass windows, the colors just say "Good Morning!"

To see more insulator photos check out this link -- InsulatorsRAmazing

Of course, there are other things I do when I'm not tatting... like many, I watch too much TV and I don't spend nearly enough time outside...

So, what do you do when you're not tatting??

We have a lovely back porch and I really should spend more time out there...   I think I'll grab a cold drink and take my tatting outdoors to the porch swing!

Happy Tatting!