What's that Crazy Mom been up to?

I'll bet you thought I just gave up the ghost. No, I've been busy.

I've been VERY busy at work. Lots of things to do, but I like it a lot. We are moving to a different floor in the building - below is my view from my office. Note that I said office - I won't be in a cube - hurrah!

I've been dating a bit. On and off. Mostly off. Mostly guys I'm not interested in - and then there was that guy who as soon as he met me, he kissed me stuck his freakin' tongue down my freakin' throat. EWWWWW!!! No second date with that one. Yuck.

I've been dealing with the Stooges.

Larry has had some very serious health issues that required 2 hospitalizations - and he has no health insurance. I flew down to FL to be with him during the first - and scariest - of the hospital visits. And now he has no job, so we moved him back up to Hotlanta to live with his brothers. He's going to be ok, needs to get a job and concentrate on getting better.

Moe has graduated from high school!  DH The Ex and I saw him do it and were very happy to have the youngest done. As to what he will do now - I have no idea. He has not applied to a single college. SOOOO frustrating. Get a job Moe! Go to college!

 

Curly - remember my frustrations with Curly? Cross your fingers, the worst of that seems over! Curly is working selling mobile phones and plans for a big company, does a great job for them, they want him to be store manager soon. He's taking his meds! He's got a girlfriend with personality and ambition! He seems grateful for things I've done for him! He calls me up and tells me he loves me!

All the Stooges are now out of my house. They have moved in with DH The Ex, who lives nearby in a nice brick ranch with a big yard. DH The Ex volunteered to do have them all. We are on good terms - of course, he wants me back big time. That ain't happening.

I've tatted a little tiny bit. Here's something I made for one of the guys I've been going out with.

And I'm teaching again at Tat Days - I'm doing 2 of Nina's gorgeous patterns.

I've had my own share of health issues - no worries, I'm fine! But I had a stay in the hospital too, had cellulitis. I had my laptop with me and worked the entire time, 'cause that's what I do. (And why my company loves me...) And I had this lovely view:

This is not abstract art - it was a lovely view of the hospital roof

I'm better. Really I am. I was annoyed to have to be there.

However - one of the biggest things that I've been doing is finding new housing - for me, not the Stooges, just me and the cats. And I've found a place.

A condo just for ME!!!!

In this complex.Yes, this is the view from the 2nd bedroom.

With this view at night from my balcony.

This is the daytime view from a different angle - you can see the Hotlanta skyscrapers.

The condo is in a part of Hotlanta that's its own little city, considered one of the top 10 most walkable urban areas in the country. More than 40 restaurants within walking distance. Seven miles to my office. A block to the subway. It's safe. It's artsy. It's hip. It's not in the cultural desert that I've been living in. And no real maintenance. I'll close on it very soon - and I'll have it totally paid off by the time I retire. Woo-hoo!!!!

Oh - and I'm heading to London Monday on business - I have to hire a new staff member in that office. Across the pond I go!

And that Saturday - I'll see Jane!!

Palmetto Tat Days 2013 Part deux

Sorry that it's been a while since I posted. I promised you another post on Tat Days, so here you go!

I taught three classes at Tat Days this year, and I think people had a good time.  This is a completed Dainty heart that was needle tatted by Schari of the Southern Belles, the Tennessee group. All of those folks are such fun!

Theresa is showing off her heart. You're a funny lady, Theresa! She's wearing one of the theme shirts.

My Christmas tree set class was almost full. Lots of happy people. Diane, Melissa, and Nancy are working away.

As you can see, our location affords us classroom space. This is great for our classes! Lynda is taking a picture of Linda and her Christmas Tree.

Here's Sharron, my class assistant, answering questions on making the Christmas trees. I think most everybody finished one in class.

I taught Starry Night Earrings too. Joy and Karrieann  enjoyed the class. Hey Karrieann!

One of the fun things about Tat Days in the Silent Auction, which fills a room. People donate great stuff, and folks bid on it. The proceeds go to scholarships for Tat Days. I think there were 12 scholarships given this year - the Palmetto ladies are very generous. Here's a nice selection of items to bid on.

Some lucky person went home ready for the holidays with this tree. Too bad Miss Ambitatterous wasn't there - she would have pounced on this one!

Someone got this great doll with a tatted skirt.

And Nina donated a beaded set. Nina's stuff is gorgeous.

Linda Davies donated several of her beautiful doilies. Here's a couple - aren't they beautiful? I think these are her designs too.

One of the fun things to do at Tat Days is just to tat 'n' chat. And there's plenty of opportunity for that! Here are Martha, Erin, and Lynda in the big Gathering room that Saturday night.

And Marie and Sharren were working away. Don't look so surprised Sharren, it's only a camera!

JB is intent on her work. (She's a real hoot!)

If you want to experience some of the Tat Days fun, there is recorded video here. And best in show winners are now listed on the Tat Days site - take a look! This is a tatted mouse made by Randy.

Also - the 2013 pattern CD is now for sale. If you didn't go to Tat Days, you can at least get all the patterns.

A special surprise in my next post - pictures of a tatted version of a famous painting!

If you weren't at Tat Days this weekend....

Here's a taste of what you missed...

Taking classes - I tatted Jane's cute seahorse! Donna taught the class. It was live-streamed!

Georgia and Marie! They are soooo sweet.

The banquet! Loads of fun. And there was a great auction afterwards...

Randy demonstrating how to hitchhike! (Hint - show your leg!)

Taking classes from me - you could have tatted this cute Christmas set!

International visitors! Maria comes from Mexico City. And she's a hoot!

Night Owl tatting with the inimitable Reit!

And so much more. Like me! You could have met ME!

I'll post again soon...

Woven Rose done

I have completed the Woven Rose motif. This is a pattern by Jaquie Teal, and you can find it in the May 2013 issue of Tatting Times.

This one is tatted in Lizbeth size 20 with 10/0 beads. Fox tatted her version here - it's very pretty.

Because of the way I added the beads (a la Jane), tatting this was a bit cumbersome. But I persevered!

In other news, I went to my tatting/knitting/crochet group recently, and found an interesting and inexpensive way to get custom dyed wool.

One of my group goes to thrift stores and looks for nice quality plain wool sweaters, like Lands End ones. She especially like large men's sweaters. "If it looks like a dress on me, then it's perfect!" Then she takes the seams apart and flattens each piece out - and she hand dyes them!

This is a sleeve of a gray Land's End sweater, bought at a local thrift store. (She buys these sweaters for $5.) She took Wilton cake dye and added a little vinegar to it to make the dye permanent, and then she splashed it on the sweater until she was happy with the color, and set the dye.

Here's the shawl she's knitting, pulling yarn directly off the yarn in the sleeve. Is this not COOL? You have to make sure each piece of the thrifted sweater is knitted continuously, not cut out of a large knit fabric. Otherwise the yarn of that piece will not be all one long continuous thread.

What a great thrifting idea!

BTW - registration at Tat Days is open! I'm teaching, along with a ton of talented folks! Sign up - join those who've registered!

Tatting Heart's Desire

I got to meet Susan Fuller this September while I was teaching at Palmetto Tat Days. She came to our room after hours, so Isdihara and I got to chat with her. She's an interesting person, and I enjoyed our time together. For those who don't know, this Susan Fuller is the very Susan Fuller who designed a favorite Tatland pattern, Heart's Desire. (Yet another reason to attend tatting conferences - meet designers!)

It's been a while since I've tatted Heart's Desire. As I had some lovely HDT, I thought I'd take another run at tatting this classic pattern.

Here's my progress so far, tatted in Yarnplayer's gorgeous Roses in size 20. True confessions here - there are two mistakes that I just continued so it would be consistent.

I'm enjoying tatting this again. It's a wonderful pattern and this thread is simply scrumptious. It's a fun tat! I've needed something to divert my attention - I've been laid low with a cold and I have some medical tests coming up. Heart's Desire fits the bill.

I got another diversion in the mail this week - my own copy of Vicki Clarke's "Tatting the Stone"! I had test tatted some patterns for Vicki, who's a sweet lady and a good designer. So I'm excited to see this and I hope to have some fun with this book. Plus, she added in some of Karey Solomon's HDT and a few fun beads. Thank you, Vicki!

What are you working on?
 

Necklace finished

I finished my necklace made of size 3 Lizbeth.

It has a purchased pendant and lots of 6/0 glass beads. I like it! (That's a pin by Jane you see there hidden in my hair.) The necklace is crocheted with a size D hook.

I'm tatting stuff to teach in 2013 conferences, so I can't show you much! I'm hoping to teach at both Palmetto Tat Days AND at the Finger Lakes Tatting Conference. I'm working on some starry things for Finger Lakes. And I've been schooled on how to pronounce Lodi - it's not LOW-dee, it's low-DYE. Alrighty then!

Lily has been very very interested in our fish (two Oscars) and has worked hard on catching them. Today the top of the tank slipped, and she went swimming. This has not deterred her one little bit.

FYI - Lily likes to sleep ON my head in the bed. I wake up and there she is.
 

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!