Some Miscellany

I'm trying to get my head around being back after the fun of Tat Days. I'm in post-Tat Days letdown.

It was great. Really great. But now I've had to jump head first into work, and we are REALLY busy there, including testing on the weekend and fixing problems prior to going to a huge new release of the software package I deal with. Oh well, it makes the time go fast!
 
On the way back from Tat Days, I had the pleasure of Nina Libin's company. Nina is so sweet, and she is a phenomenal tatter, plus a smart, inventive lady. It was a great treat.

One of the things I found out is that Nina's work has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Periodically the museum will have an exhibit of the work of staff and volunteers, many of whom are fine artists in their own right. Nina does some work there in the book conservation department.

This is the work Nina exhibited. It is a tatted book cover she made for a friend who published a book, created to be photographed as the book jacket. It's made of the fine silver thread plus tiny purple beads that Nina is so fond of. The writer declared this a piece of art on its own - and I agree.

In the mean time, I've made another set of earrings. This has no doodad in the middle like the prior pair, but does use the same HDT by Karey, plus a super cute charm. I'm wearing them to church tomorrow.

I have been the recipient of a large gift of Workbasket magazines from the 70's, 80's and 90's. A lovely lady in Texas found these magazines in her late mother's things, and wanted to pass them on to someone who would enjoy them. I'm so lucky!

In home news, Lily is acclimating herself well into our household. The other cats don't hiss at her quite as much. And she is making her own fun.

Do you have this sort of toy in your house for your cat? DH created something equally fun - and cheaper - for Lily to play with.

Behold - instead of ball in a ring, it's ball in a basket! All you need is a round laundry basket and a light weight ball, like a ping pong ball. Lily is all over this.

Hope your weekend is good!

People you see at Tat Days

You meet a lot of fun people at Tat Days.

Like Jane and Georgia. They are the best tatters - and so much fun to be around.

And Marilee and Sue Anna. They brought some of Marilee's lovely HDT to share.

Here's cute Livi and her mama Jess. Jess had yummy thread to sell!

Isdihara (AKA the best roommate EVER) and Anita. They're in the same VA lace guild.

Nancy and GR-8 brother Randy. Da Udder Brudder was recovering from an accident - we missed you Gary!

Krystal Dawne's mama Karrieann, working on an angel in my class.

Arlene, showing off the bracelet she made in my class. Isn't it cute? Arlene is the nicest person.

Spouses David and Sharren were there. Sharron is a hoot, and David is a dear. He's her tatting sherpa!

President Donna at the podium, with new president Teresa on the right. This was at our banquet. These are NOT stuffy people. There was MUCH laughter at the banquet.

Here are folks going to the banquet - Isdihara, the lovely HJ Hess, some unknown lame tatter, and Susan Fuller (who wrote Heart's Desire!)

More folks at the banquet - Hannah Lindhom (of Sweden), Linda Adair (Gina Brummett's sister), Sally and Riet. Hannah's sister Sara Bergman's dark head is in the foreground, next to Laurie Simmons, Gina's daughter.

Hannah provided entertainment for us at the banquet! She was quite good.

Folks gathered to have fun afterwards. Front - Isdihara, Jane and Sally. Back - Karey, some old fool, HJ Hess, and Sue Anna. Don't worry - we were toasting with grape juice. Ms. Hess's TBH took the picture.

After all the fun, I had to buy a few things. The loose HDT is from Jess, the bagged HDT is from Karey. Yes, that's a GR-8 double shuttle, in ebony! Plus books, beads and more shuttles - woo-hoo!

It was TONS of fun. For those who haven't ever been to Palmetto Tat Days, you should at least try and go some day. It's worth it!

Lily (who Larry calls 'weapons-class adorable') didn't care about tatting. She was home sacked out.

Visitors plus quick Tat Days update

I've had company. Some of you may know who it was - but now you all know that I had sisters Jane Eborall and Sally Kerson visiting from England.

Sally and Jane, in my kitchen!

 They are loads of fun. And really really nice, delightful house guests.

Jane is a card. They had fun with me for a few days, then we went up to Tat Days. Before we left, I did have to do a counting of my cats to make sure all three were there - the sisters threatened to kidnap Lily!

Isdihara and Anita mug for me

Palmetto Tat Days is the most fun! There were lots of folks there. One hundred and one tatters, plus spouses and vendors. It was phenomenal.

One of my student's work in progress

There was lots of tatting done. I taught 3 classes, all my own patterns.

just a few of the items...

We had a silent auction and a big live auction. The auctions all are for scholarships so that folks can attend Tat Days who might otherwise not be able to afford to, a terrific cause. For many of us, Tat Days is respite from our regular stressful lives.

Arlene, Carol, and Marsha working away in my class

There was more tatting....

Hand dyed thread from Jess! Good enough to eat.

And lots of things to buy. My bank account now has a hole in it.

This ain't all, folks

It was over all too soon. I came home with tons of purchases, plus - swag galore!

I'll update you later with all the details. Can't wait 'til Tat Days 2013!
 

Winner, dinner, new family member

First - business. I promised a winner of my 400th blog post contest.

And the winner is...

Sheree

Sharee, I don't have your email addy. Please contact me with your snail mail addy, and you'll be enjoying some old Workbaskets soon!

This is a quick post as I am not just prepping for Tat Days, I'm leaving in a few hours to pick up some guests at the airport. AND it's Larry's birthday, so we will have birthday doin's tonight. My guests will stay with me until Tat Days starts.

I just picked up a red velvet cake for Larry. He has requested the following meal: pan fried pork chops with homemade gravy (known as "the good pork chops"), homemade mashed potatoes, broccoli and sauce, and cantelope. He is 24 today. Happy Birthday Larry!

We have a new family member - a tiny kitten named Lily. Curly brought her home, and I was prepared to send back this scrawny 10 week old beastie. But she has charmed me.

She's very friendly and loves people. I think she's a cross between a lilac point Siamese and a tabby. Larry says she's weapons-class adorable.

Vader hates her with a white hot hate. He hisses and puffs up when she's near (she doesn't get within 10 feet of him).  He'll get over it. Cisco isn't wild about her, but he isn't really upset. The funny part about Vader's anger is when he was a kitten, he was hell on the other cats, made them miserable. Kitty Karma, y'know.

Before I head off to Tat Days, I thought I'd share this little lovely - a fairy ring in a neighbor's yard.

Hope to see you at Tat Days!

Prepping for Tat Days

I'm getting ready for Tat Days. I'll be going there a week from Thursday - can't wait!

I've made up my kits. These are for my Summer Breeze bracelet pattern.

I'm cleaning up and making stacks and piles of stuff to take with me. And lists, making lots of lists. Will DH and the Stooges survive a few days without me?

I've been cooking too. This was my Cornbread Tamale Pie after the Stooges plus a girlfriend took a first pass. Five minutes later, the pan was completely empty.

Honestly, the cats are not helpful when I need assistance in cleaning. This is how Vader spends most of his time. Really, he's about worthless.

Cisco has become a serious attention hog, wanting constant petting from me. And he has some strange ways. Here he knows he's been caught with his entire head in Moe's size 13 (!!) sneakers, snuffling up the stench. Why does he like that awful smell? He's no help either.

(Don't you love Rhymes With Orange?)

DH has been getting tons and tons of places cut off of him at the dermatologist, basal cell carcinoma. Today's fun was on his ear, taking much of the inside and some of the back skin off. He had to get a skin graft from the back of his ear to replace all the cancerous skin - and that hurts a lot. Needless to say, he's been no help to me.

Heeeerrrrreee's Walt!

Larry caught a wild hair and shaved his head and part of his beard. Now he looks like a young version of Walt, from Breaking Bad. (Or the Unabomber.)

BTW - here is Larry's latest creation - a jazz bar for the toys. I think one of the toys needs to be passed out on a table. See the couple dancing on the left? Sweet.

As you may be able to tell, Larry is not helping me get ready for Tat Days. None of the Stooges are. Why did I have them? I forget.

But - I'm putting those lads to work cleaning, as we have company coming this Monday. I'll tell you about my company after Tat Days - you'll be too jealous if I tell you now.

I better get back to packing. BTW - don't forget to enter my 400th post giveaway!

Hope I see you at Tat Days!

Sorry I've been away

I've had a lot to do at home, and not much time for anything else lately.

Some updates:

Moe has started back to school, his sophomore year in high school. I'm very pleased with his schedule (which he chose!) of Honors Math, World History, 10th grade Lit, French II, Chorus, AP Biology, Modern Military History, and Computer Apps. Excellent schedule. He's also now leading all the Scout troop meetings as SPL, and has to run the annual planning workshop this weekend. (He's nervous about this, but the troop's adult leadership will make sure he'll be successful.)

Sunday night, I gleefully mowed Moe's hair with the clippers. It looked attrocious before! Now it's a nice, tidy 3-guard length.

Larry is finally back at work, doing light duty. He started back last Tuesday. He's not getting many hours, but at least this is wedging him OUT of my basement. He's going back to class later this month, hurrah!

Larry does have a pretty funny sense of humor. This is a tableau he set up, with Power Rangers and Godzilla, sipping tea. Please note the tea cups.

Curly is back IN our house, after having massive roommate issues and finance problems, most of which were not his fault. He's car has been giving him fits - he spent all weekend working on it and is pretty happy with it now. He's only supposed to be in the house until September 1, but I suspect it will be longer, as he's had to spend a LOT of money on car parts. He's a better boy than the one that left though, much more considerate and willing to help. I'm so glad.

I have to take DH to have outpatient surgery on Monday, getting yet another basal cell carcinoma removed. The one on Monday is on his lower leg and is the size of a quarter. He has 4 more to come off on the 27th, none are as big. DH is paying the price for growing up outside in Florida sans sunscreen.

I've been enjoying the bears, but many times I need the calm of watching the fish. OMMMMMMM.

I did make it to my knitting/crochet/tatting group. They always have things to show off. I'm trying to get them to come to Tat Days!

Did you this month would be Julia Child's 100th birthday? She was the best.

Cisco doesn't care about Julia Child. He just wants more petting.

A bit of recent tatting

Here's a little bit of recent tatting. Yes, I still tat. Really, I do.

This is a snowflake I made for a Tat Days fundraiser. The pattern is by Teri Dusenbery, done in DMC Cebelia size 30. The beads are size 11, a purplish iridescent kind. I don't have a link for Teri, sorry.

And this is a lovely pattern by Fox, her Abigail. It's in Lizbeth size 20. I was going to use this for my fundraiser project, but it's not quite the right shape. It was a sweet tat though!

Vader doesn't give a damn about my tatting.