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!
 

Tat Days 2011 - The Loot!

One of the niftier things about going to Palmetto Tat Days is The Loot. By Loot, I mean extra Stuff you come home with, separate from projects you were working on. You get lotsa loot at Tat Days.

This is what everybody attending Tat Days got this year when they got through with registration. A nifty bag to carry all your stuff, some Omega thread from Mexico (I think this was courtesy of Maria) and a clear bag CRAMMED with stuff. Tatting patterns, bead, paper clips galore, things to put your projects in, pens and pencils, notepaper, tissue in a cute (handmade) container, bookmarks, note paper, pin cushion, etc, etc, etc. The Tat Days folks are some classy ladies - they think of everything.

But my Tat Days freebies were not at an end. This was my Teacher Loot. (Ignore the shoes of the Stooges behind this.) There was this cool tatting bag with a lovely snowflake on it (tatted by Joanie), thread, beads, finger wipes, candy (for sustenance), pens, a terrific Miser's Purse made by Sharon Goldin, and two WorkBasket magazines, with tatting patterns marked. I also got a Tat Days CD with all the patterns from this year's conference on it.

The Stooges want the Miser's Purse - it's really cool.

And Isdihara brought me this little kit as a thank you for driving her to and from the airport. As you may know, Isdihara is a big advocate of Tatting Tea Tuesdays. The little beads on the tin are made like teeny-tiny chocolates! (Once again, the Stooges are claiming something. This time it's the giant eraser.)

And Nina gave me these gorgeous earrings, tatted by her. Sparkly and loaded with beads too. Aren't they lovely?

Here endeth my list of freebies. (Woo-hoo! Lots of freebies! I was very, very fortunate.)

Now begins the part where I Spent Money. And was kinda BAD.

I visited Vending. Always dangerous.

In vending I got a few (HA! Many!) items. Lizbeth thread, HDT, shuttles, books. Plus I got two more Tat Days CDs for folks back home. I got Nina to sign her book for me. Isn't the thread yummy? And I love the shuttles.

Then I went to the Silent Auction. And bid. And won. Above you see some of what I won. I got a bunch of Omega thread in size 20, some of the tiny crochet hooks (center), and the tiny stocking earring (on the Tat Days program). The itty bitty stocking are knitted, can you believe it? I bought the book by Ineke Kuiperiji from Riet. It has 3-D Christmas tatting.

But that's not all I won.

I got Nina's gorgeous, phenomenal silver beaded necklace. Yes, me! I kept thinking "Surely someone will out bid me." But no one stepped up, and I got mighty lucky.

See? And it is so lovely in real life. It looks like jewels. I love the feel of it.

Now - where am I going to wear this gorgeous jewelry?