Thursday 30 January 2014

It Tried....

... to snow this morning!!  I saw a WHOLE flake!!! VBG  All I can say is... it needn't to bother until AFTER tomorrow evening!  The last thing I want is snow when I'm off to my Lace class tonight.  Missed last week because of the dratted 'flu thing!  I am NOT missing tonight as well!  Note to self... Do Not Forget Your Thread!!!  One bobbin has run out and needs more thread and I've left it at home twice!!

Himself has gone to take a family friend out for lunch.  Said friend had an argument with a pavement the other day (Monday I think) and has ended up fracturing his arm.... last time he did this it was his hip!  Now you'd think that he would remember that pavements bite back wouldn't you??  Bit like our cat... she had a go at me earlier... all because I had the laptop on my knee instead of her!!  Little Madam!

Jane put her Day 9 of the Tat it and see up this morning.  Here's my contribution:


McVroom still thinks it's definitely the entrance to his 'new home'.... a duck house!!  I've already told Jane that it's a Thingummybob with a Jigamatwist on the side and a Hurududu underneath.... LOL  Guess we'll just have to wait and see!!

I've also been working a bit more on this 'ere hankie edging... I will get it finished eventually, but it won't be tonight or tomorrow.... lace tonight (hopefully), and tomorrow I'm at the optician during the day and have to lock flood gates tomorrow evening... 4 days running - high tides and I'm not risking a flood!!  Mind you, it will be early on Saturday because our local drama group is doing a version of Calendar Girls and I've got tickets!!!  Himself is coming with me!

Anyway, think I'll go make me a bit of lunch!

Chat later

Monday 27 January 2014

Don't Know What....

Evening All

Well, it is nearly!! Tea is cooking - chicken that we were going to have last night until something else happened!!

Jane E put up her Day 8 destructions this morning....  if you haven't already joined in on this and want to start, it's never too late!!!  Here's the beginning of it....  Just go to the Introduction at the top of the page to read all you need to know!!!

Anyway, my Day 8 started this morning with the horrible feeling it was doing 'something revolting' outside.... Rain Again!!!  After my early morning coffee I checked on McVroom.... and sure enough... he was out on a flight!!  Had to wear ALL my wet weather gear for school!!  Means the car seat gets soaked as well!! YUK!!!!

After my return and making bacon sarnies for 'the boys' I checked to see if Day 8 was really in operation.... it was!  Straight after lunch, over yet another coffee I got on with the job in hand... OK, ok, ok.... shuttles in hand!! VBG  This is what I did:


Now, I don't know about you, but it still looks like 2 daisies in a plant pot with a vine leaf coming out of the side to me....  so maybe McVroom is right and it will be a plant pot for his dragon/duck house.... LOL

I have got something else on the go as well as a hankie edging that I can't remember what I did with the destructions for.... must find them!!  but I can't show you the something else.... suffice to say that it's a slight adaptation of a pattern.... not enough of an adaptation for me to claim it.... but I'll show you and explain what I did when I've done it! I might even give you the original pattern link if you're very lucky!!

Oh well, I suppose you want to know what the 'don't know what...' is all about don't you??  Nosey!!  Simples.... Don't know what to make when I've finished this adaptation that I'm not sharing at the moment!!

Right, off to check on a chicken and move the cat off the back of me chair again!!  Got some thread in the bag next to me and it's calling to be tried out on.... earrings!!!! ROTFL

Chat soon

Saturday 25 January 2014

Now There Be A Dragon!!

Hi All

Thunderstorm outside!!  Not sure where my cats are either!  Well I know where Luna is.... she's asleep on the cushion where Himself sits.... black & white cat curled up asleep not wanting to know about anything nasty outside!!

Didn't post Jane's TIAS yesterday.... I've been down with the 'flu!! however, before we get onto the subject of Dragons, here is the Plant Pot complete with flower for this Duck House that we're tatting!!  Well.... I think it is anyway!!  We'll just have to wait and see!!



Not sure how long the internet will stay on for before Sir switches it off... it's a dish on the chimney and I can't remember if it's earthed or not!!  Amateur Radio equipment is already unplugged.... 100 metres of wire along the length of the garden can be nasty if they're hit!!  I'll know if the power goes off because Young Sir's fishtank lights and pump will go off and the South African Cichlids won't like that so keep fingers crossed!!

Now about this Scottish/Norwegian Loch Dragon called McVroom.... he realised it was about to rain and Loch Dragons LOVE water!!  However, they are different to the Water Dragon because they also love Mountains and high hills!!  You can also see them occasionally in the Lake District in the UK....That's why they are the colour that they are!!  Here's what Anne herself has to say about them:

Make as many dragons you like and keep them or give them away. These dragons don't like being sold. If you sell the dragons you make, they'll return and make many short parts of your tatting stash.
If somebody wants you to tat a dragon for them, make them give you the thread you need.

On Minor Norwegian Dragons
There are several different kinds of Minor Norwegian Dragons and they are not completely described yet. Some are single coloured and some are spotted. The spotted kinds might be symmetric or asymmetric. Some keep their colour all the time, some change colour through the year.

I'm not sure what colour McVroom will go in the Summer or if there's snow on the ground.... we'll just have to watch and find out!!  Anyway, as we have a thunderstorm he went and sat on the windowsill watching it start so he could go for a good long wet flight!!  So I got a picture of him!!!



The reason that McVroom likes flying when it's raining and blowing and generally 'orrible outside is that they aren't noticed by people!!  People scurry along with their heads down and umbrellas up in the rain.... they aren't looking out for dragons!!  This is good for Dragons as they are very shy and don't like to admit that they are around!!  It's possibly why not an awful lot is known about Minor Norwegian Dragons of which McVroom is a Scottish Descendant!!  Also they are VERY rare so you're lucky if you have one!! LOL  Now you know about them.... you'll have to keep a watch out.... see if you can see one!!  I forgot to mention.... he's a devil for lying on his back with his tummy exposed!!!!  Thinks it makes him more camouflaged!!!  As I mentioned before he does have a claim to fame in that he features in the books by Terry Pratchett about the Nac Mac Feegles where they think the's a big bird.... also he appeared in 'disguise' as Norbert in the Harry Potter films!!  So there you go!!  By the way, he intends living in this Duck House that he's heard people are making in the aforementioned TIAS!!!  Let's hope its big enough for him!!! ROTFL

Anyway, I suppose I'd better go get some shopping done before everything is gone and we have nothing for tea!!

Chat later

Tuesday 21 January 2014

There Be Dragons.... well nearly!!

Morning All

Back with Day 6 of Janes' TIAS.... mine doesn't look totally like hers in the diagram, but I'm sure it'll work eventually!!



Now for those of you who want to know about the dragons.... I'm making a Loch Dragon from Anne Bruvolds design....  This Loch Dragon lives on the edge of a loch and helps the Nac Mac Feegles with their antics in Good Terry Pratchett Style!! LOL  He has been described as a Big Bird.... even by the Big Wee Hag.... but they're all wrong!!!  Mind you, he's rather shy so he doesn't mind that people think he's a bird....

Here's his tail.... you'll see the rest of him when he sits still long enough for me to photograph....!!  He was hiding under the shuttles here..... Incidentally he's called MacVroom because he flies so fast you don't notice him!!!  VBG


I was at the funeral of a good friend yesterday.... sad for her family, but she passed away very quickly so at least she didn't suffer.... she will be missed tho.  RIP Deborah!

Chat later

Sunday 19 January 2014

A Star for a Day

Morning All

Well, the weather here today is 'orrible!!  Damp, miserable, rainy, dull, dark.... murky!!!  Bit like river mud out there at the moment!!



Well, Jane's TIAS reached Day 5 yesterday, however we went out with my MIL for lunch and my phone went flat so I couldn't put up a pic of what I'd done!!!  This is Day 5 and I still say it's the 'second half' of the 'duckhouse roof'!! LOL



The reference to Star came from the fact that it's we 'ere today.... and the thread is Lizbeths Seascape and I got the book the other day and the Starry Snowflake is finished!!  Had to share it!!  Now I'm wondering what it would look like in a deep blue with silver beads.....  Stars in the Night Sky!!!!  Maybe that'll be next.... VBG

Chat soon


Friday 17 January 2014

And the last one is....

Morning All

I gotta 'nother' book in the post today!!  Now it's this book that caused me to spend those voucher pennies on amazon.... you see, I'd seen it last Saturday and 'needed' to get it!!  However I'd have to pay postage on it.... sooooo I bought the others as well!!! Well, it makes sense doesn't it??  I mean, why pay the post office when you can spend it on useful things??

Anyway, here it is:



You see the effalump and the monkey etc just 'need' to be done for that granddaughter of mine!!!  Will frame them for her first birthday!!  Gives me around 9 months to do them!!  Ooh... that means she's almost 3 months old!! Eek.... doesn't time fly when you're having fun??

Anyway, I'm off back to me shuttles first (first?? before what?? making coffee first! LOL).... finish that 'seaflake' (well, it can't be a snowflake in those colours can it??

Chat later!

Thursday 16 January 2014

I Promised!! (Well.... nearly...)

Hi All

Well I did say I'd maybe share this with you.... as I said yesterday, it's from the book 24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Bjorn and is shown on the top left of the cover!



I started last night:


The thread is Lizbeth Seascape and it's just got to be tatted to see what it looks like!!!  The painted shuttle is a commemorative from Roseground that I ordered after my gorgeous granddaughter was born.  Isn't it just lovely?  The back has her name and date of birth!!

Anyway, given that JE threatened to get her bikini out this morning.... wonder if she'll show us a pic?? VBG... we've got the painter round doing the guttering etc.... so I'd better go make some coffee!!

Chat later

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Look What the Postman brought!!

Evening all

Well, after I'd been on and posted this morning about Jane's TIAS I started looking for those elusive scissors!!       They still haven't turned up.... but I did find a pair of snips that did the job!! LOL

Anyway, as I was saying.... after the web post this morning I realised that 'Himself' had 2 parcels in his hand.... he'd just been near the letter box and the only post was for liccle ol' meeee!!  2 parcels!!!  Just like Christmas all over again!! VBG

Here is what was in the flat one:



And there's another on its way!!   I had some pennies sitting in my Amazon account from my MIL's christmas present from 2012 and I decided to spend it!!  Guess who's now got Lizbeth Seascape wound onto shuttles and is doing day 18 of the snowflakes???  Yup.... you're right - Meeee!!!  I'll maybe show you a pic of how far I've got tomorrow.... you never know your bad luck!! VBG

Did I hear you ask what's in the other one??  Now you know those nice people who have Etsy shops.... well they sometimes list tatting shuttles don't they??  Now you know what was in it!!  What do you mean? You really want to see it??  Oh.... go on then.... you twisted my arm!!


Oh I do so love wooden tatting shuttles!  They're sooo.... friendly!!! You just have to hold them in your hands!!!!  Thinking of treating myself again later in the year.... see how many different woods I can collect them in!! LOL  Maybe only a couple of times a year tho.... birthdays and Christmas sound good!!

Oh, nearly forgot to mention.... I've decided to enter that there 25 motif challenge!!  Jane's TIAS will be the first to be started, and the second is on the go now!!! LOL

Anyway, back to the shuttles!!

Chat soon

TIAS Day 4

Morning all.

Well I think it's morning... it's still VERY dark outside although it's not raining just at the moment!  Even my son's South African Ciclids think it's still dark and they keep hiding!!  Mind you, the'll have square eyes at the rate they're going.... they love watching TV or watching us when we're eating tea!! LOL  There are some babies in there as well, so he can't do a full water change just at the moment.

Anyway, back to the matter of tatting....

My effort for day 4 is here:



I know Jane says 'No Way!!' but I still think it has something to do with ducks....  It's half the roof of a Duckhouse!!! LOL

I'm also considering joining the 25 motif challenge.... I'm sure I do enough things to qualify for it!! VBG  Think I'll have to 'ask' about it!  Mind you, I don't think the fandango set of squares that I'm tatting at the moment would count as 4... VBG.  Or the earrings as 2....

Oh well, I'll have to go and find me scissors because the last destruction on Jane's pattern says: C & T and I've filed me scissors somewhere safe!

Chat soon!!

Sunday 12 January 2014

Jane's Day 3 is up Folks!!

Evening All

Well.... here's my 'offering' for Day 3:


I am still sure it's got something to do with ducks and water!! LOL

As I said yesterday,  I was on a Tatty Day, with Elaine Scott!!  She did a brilliant talk about tatting and how she got started.... and then proceeded to show peeps who had never tatted how to tat!!  First off using string, and then using a shuttle!  All in all it was a brilliant day!  I got some threads and a tatting book that I didn't have in my collection and I've been watching it on amazon for a while.... well, now it's mine!!  Didn't do any tatty bits last night tho... I was busy watching tv instead!  Can't remember what tho!! VBG  If this sounds about right to you then you're just like me!

Anyway, I'm cooking tea so I'd better go!

Chat later

Saturday 11 January 2014

Tatty Day!

Well folks I'm on a tatty day, Wolds Lacemakers are hosting a tatting talk and workshop today and yours truly has volunteered to show another 'leftie' how to tat!! So... it's me, threads that I got for Christmas from my mother in law, and shuttles to the fore today!  There'll be steam driven shuttles!!

I'll tell you all about it later!!

Thursday 9 January 2014

TIAS Day 2

Hi All

Jane's put day 2 up on her blog.... here's my contribution!!  I think it looks like the leg and foot of a duck!! LOL  Well, ducks do have webbed feet don't they??  Mind you... so does the Newfoundland that lives next door!  Its either that or it's a ducks bill chewing a daisy..... VBG


Anyone any other ideas?

Told Jane what I thought it was.... she now thinks I'm mad because I posted this reply to her....


Well you see miss it's like this.... your town nearly flooded, our village nearly flooded,... there's been a lot of rain....I'm a little less than a duck.... now that's 3 'water related' things!! Why shouldn't I think of fluffy ducks...?  Anyway, I had another look this morning after I'd written and I've decided it's a ducks bill chewing a daisy!  Or it could be an eider.... down.... So there!!!  (Sticks tongue out and runs away giggling madly....)  

She's now looking for the telephone number of those nice men in white coats.... ROTFLMAO

Chat soon

Monday 6 January 2014

Jane's TIAS for 2014

Day 1 is up there folks!!!  As I said, I had my shuttles ready, and while my beloved Granddaughter was asleep this morning I tatted todays contribution! The link to TIAS I shared yesterday, start by reading the introduction!!!


For the eagle eyed among you.... yes you can see an 'end'!  I had Rainbow Taffy on a couple of shuttles, can't remember why, but I thought I'd use it up!!!  Well, I had the right amount on each!!

Now the next question is.... what will it be?  It looks remarkably like the start of a flower garden to me... LOL  Can't wait for Day 2!  Only I'm back at school tomorrow as well.... keeps fingers crossed I can do it straight after a late brekkie when I get back from the morning run....

It's just dawned on me.... I must have come back to tatting just around a year ago now!!!  Crikey!! Doesn't time fly??  I first started this blog just under a year ago.... I started it to show off my tatty bits and Jane's TIAS for 2013.... now I finished the pram just before I found out I was to be a 'Granny'.... lets hope there are no more 'oddball' surprises this year!! VBG

Chat soon!!

Sunday 5 January 2014

Happy New Year!!!

Hello All

Well its now 2014 and yes I did put up a tree!  Its still up until 12th night!

Now I have all sorts of things to share with you.... Jane starts her new Tat It And See tomorrow and yours truly is sitting waiting with shuttles at the ready!!  Its never too late to join in so go and look!!

Right, I made a few 'bits' for Christmas....  These were a bookmark and a pair of earrings for some 'lacy' friends of mine:




The earrings are in Cebelia 20 in red and yellow and the pattern, once again, is my fave!! Jane's diamond pattern!!  The beads are from my stash.

The bookmark is also the Cebelia 20 in red and is the Fandango pattern, but taken from here! Just the first round and a Josephine Tail.!

I've also been up to no good.... LOL  I've been knitting for my granddaughter (again)... more bootees!! They don't come off when she's being carried so Mum thinks they're Brilliant!!

Here they are:



And of course, the bottom pic is Madame in modelling mode with her pink sparkly boots!!!

Anyway, I'll chat again soon.  The Dakar Rally will start on TV soon, and I'll get told off if I'm blogging when that's on!!  

Pigmini