Somebody....

... took a bite!!! LOL

Look:

There's one motif to go and the crown of the Hat is finished!!  Next up will be the band for the ribbon!

Didn't get much done over the weekend.... something to do with being at a Family History Fair on Saturday - took an elderly pensioner friend who doesn't like to drive as far as York 80 mile round trip for me... not that I mind, she's on her own and it does her good to have company once in a while!! - and watching concerts on the TV from Glastonbury!!  One thing we did see was a performance called Dust from the English National Ballet!  Stunning is the only word I can use to describe it!!!  If you didn't see it, it's worth looking on iplayer to see if you can find it!

Anyway, suns out for a change here!!  Got fed up of the sight of rain and dark clouds over the weekend, but the suns determined to break through today!  Also it's one of the kids birthday today.... he's now officially 11!!!  His mum didn't get chance to wish him happy birthday before she went to work, but I did when I woke him up.... TWICE!!!  A 'tween'ager and he stays asleep!!!  Obviously getting in training for 2 years time!! VBG

Before I go I must share this pic as well:

Li'l Miss and her Bestest friend!!!  His name is Biscuit and they adore each other!!  He doesn't mind her pulling his fur, ears or legs and doesn't get his claws out!!!

Chat later

Now Why Don't I....

... ever learn to READ patterns??

This 'ere 'at....  There I was, sitting in the garden yesterday.  Tatting away, as you do, when it dawned on me I'd made a mistake because I had NOT read the pattern!!  Untatted, and returned to further than I'd already got.... only to realise I'd done the same thing AGAIN!!!  Grrrr!!

I produced the scissors and did this to it!!

Left it alone last night.... 'cos I was sulking!!!! LOL  This morning, at my friends house child 'squishing'.... I started the offending bit again....  you can see it 'stuck out' at the bottom of here:

That is the total sum of a weeks worth of tatting.... No not the whole lot.... the little sticky out bit!!! VBG

Anyway, to cheer me up, here's a pic of Spam.... Mummy put on FB 'sorry about the baby spam'.... so I think that's what her nickname must be!! ROTFL

Neo, our 3 legged cat is feeling a lot better today.... he's out causing mischief with his brother and Luna!!

Chat later, suns out so I will be too!!

It's the Wrong....

Yesterday we were out for lunch with Mummy, Daddy, Madame and Mother in Law.... went to one of our favourite pubs for lunch.... steak pie with all the trimmings!!  Always too much food on the plate, so I managed the veg and the meat out of the pie!!

Madame enjoyed hers too.... bits of carrot, shredded meat, potato with gravy.... she doesn't seem fond of peas tho!!  Then we retired to the garden outside because there was a singer in and his jokes were, to say the least, awful!!!  Anyway, there we were sitting outside.... and Madame just did NOT see why she should wear a sunhat!!

This is where it ended up:

THAT'S THE WRONG HEAD GROMMIT!!!! LOL

I've managed to do another 2 motifs on the hat, but there's no pic today.... will see if I can finish the last 2 of the round tonight and then I'll have something to show you!!!  I'd have finished them last night, but I ended up cat sitting.... my 3 legged cat curled up on my knee and demanded scratches!!!  He'd been missing for 24 hours and there was a fox/cat fight on the field the night before!!!  He's bruised either his leg or his back and doesn't want to move too far or too fast at the moment!!  Mind you he's sleeping in the sun just now!

Anyway, while he's dozing I may JUST do a little shuttling.... VBG

Chat later

This Just Has to Be....

Browsing my emails this morning.... I was sent this.... and I just HAD to share it!!  Enjoy!!!!

Old Testament computing....


In ancient Israel, it came to pass that a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto 
himself a young wife by the name of Dorothy.


And Dot Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg.  Indeed, she was often called Amazon Dot Com.

And she said unto Abraham, her husband, "Why dost thou travel so far from town to town with thy goods when thou canst trade without ever leaving thy tent?"

And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said, "How, dear?"

And Dot replied, "I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages saying what you have for sale, and they will reply telling you who hath the best price. 

The sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah's Pony Stable (UPS)."

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with the drums. And the drums rang out and were an immediate success. 

Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever having to move from his tent.

To prevent neighbouring countries from overhearing what the drums were saying, Dot devised a system that only she and the drummers knew. 

It was known as Must Send Drum Over Sound (MSDOS), and she also developed a language to transmit ideas and pictures - Hebrew To The People (HTTP).

And the young men did take to Dot Com's trading as doth the greedy horsefly take to camel dung. They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Sybarites, or NERDS.

And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the deafening sound of drums that no one noticed that the real riches were going to that enterprising drum dealer, Brother William of Gates, who bought off every drum maker in the land. 

Indeed he did insist on drums to be made that would work only with Brother Gates' drumheads and drumsticks.

And Dot did say, "Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others."  And Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel , or eBay as it came to be known.  

He said, "We need a name that reflects what we are."  And Dot replied, "Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators."  "YAHOO," said Abraham.  

And because it was Dot's idea, they named it YAHOO Dot Com.

Abraham's cousin, Joshua, being the young Gregarious Energetic Educated Kid (GEEK) that he was, soon started using Dot's drums to locate things around the countryside.

It soon became known as God's Own Official Guide to Locating Everything  (GOOGLE).

That is how it all began. And that's the truth.

Men!!

A few weeks ago Sir's computer went into major sulk mode!!  It refused to play ball and do anything!!! This really upset him, as you can imagine!!  He hit the internet and ordered new hard drives etc.... it took until Wednesday for the 'bits' to arrive and in the meantime the machine was in bits all over his bench!

Now the major challenge of all this was that it's a Mac!!  One of the newer flat screen ones where the gubbins are inside the flat screen monitor bit!  We had to lock the cats out of his 'shack' for the whole time!

Thursday evening arrived, and.... while I was at Lace class, Sir decided to 'reassemble' the computer!  This was done quickly.... or at least relatively so.... but.... he'd replaced the cd drive with some other type of drive (a solid one I think)!

No problem.... in order to put the boot software back... use a USB stick!  First challenge.... the computer won't read the usb!  No sign of the backup disks (and anyway, he'd removed the cd drive!!)... So, yesterday morning he 'pinched' MY laptop!!  spent ALL day using the poor little thing as an external drive (and she goes into sulk mode if she's not allowed to play with Mum!!)  After around 11 hours, he's got his working again!!  Did have me 'hunting' for the backup disks all day tho!!  Grrrr!!!

AND, I decided at one point that I'd start another motif on the hat.... joined it in, worked a bit more round the motif.... and thought.... that doesn't look right!!!  Why??  Because the hat was 'outside in' and I'd attached to the wrong bit!!!!  How annoying is that??  Cut off the offending motif and I'm about to start again....

Upside of all this is he's now got all of MY files on his computer INSTEAD of his own!!! ROTFL!!  Today he's spent most of his time backing up all My files on a new external drive!!!  For me!!

So, what have I been doing??  Taking pics of flowers that's what!!  I'll show you a few....

Ranunculus and a lily!!  Had the lily for years, we thought it hadn't recovered after the really bad winter in 2010 when it snowed.... and snowed.... and snowed!!!  This year is the first year it's flowered properly since!!  It's still only tiny, but it's survived!!!

Fish and chips called for methinks!  Sir can pay!!!

Chat soon

That hat...

Came out again last night at class! I haven't touched it since before we went on holiday!! Naughty tatter that I am! Lol. 

 

Got another motif done on the edge so... Only 4 to go then I'm on the band for the ribbon!

Think I may block tat the ribbon in something variegated! Just because I can!! Vbg it might just mean spending pennies on thread tho.... Rotfl!!

Then of course I'll have to embellish it with a flower or something!!! Dress it up a bit!

Aren't those cupcake earwigs over on Jane's blog just yummy??? I can't wait for the pattern to be available so I can make some to go with the pendant I'll have to make... To tone with the hat of course! Vbg

Anyway... Coffee awaits! Chat soon

That's BIG!!

Well I think so!!

Remember I said I'd got a big shuttle??  Just look at the size of it in comparison to a 'normal' one....

Think I'll be able to tat rope with that!!! ROTFL  You'll have to wait and see what I intend doing with it tho!!!!

A good friend of mine left her job yesterday.  She starts a new one next week.  Nothing unusual in this, people do it all the time.... however, usually there's a collection arranged for them and there's usually a small presentation and people wishing them all the best in their new job isn't there??

Not in this case!!  They did absolutely nothing!!  and nobody said anything to her!!!  She's feeling rather 'upset' as you can imagine!  Even the boss.... who knew exactly what was happening and when.... didn't say 'Good Luck'!  How rotten is that??  Think we'll have a coffee n 'b...h' session later!! See if I can cheer her up!!

Took Madame for a walk yesterday... she'd been in the pram for less than 5 minutes when she fell asleep for the hour it took to 'walk the circuit'!!  I left Sir pushing the pram and went to school... they joined me at the crossing point later... and she'd just woken up!!  We were given a little swimming costume for her from one of the Mums.... for next summer!!  Madame and Mummy love swimming so I'm sure it will get lots of use!!  Looking forward to the 'significant' birthday in July, as we're all going away for the weekend to Sherwood Forest!  Going to see if I can find Robin in the Hood.... might just join his 'band of merry men' for the weekend!! LOL  If not, then I can always go swimming with Madame!!! VBG

Nothing on the tat front to share.... been doing 'elements' for that bracelet, and re-designing something that I'll show you when its finished!!  Last Friday we went to see a production of 'The Mikado', and went to the pub afterwards, ended up in the same pub on Saturday, and the shuttles were in my hand.... I got asked a few times what it was!!  Spent most of the evening chatting about 'tying holes together with thread' (Sir's version of what it is!!)!!  If it encourages people to have a go then I don't mind at all!!

Chat later, coffee awaits!!

As promised....

Yesterday my parcel arrived from Roseground!!  I'd ordered their newest commemorative tatting shuttle... in memory of those who gave so much in WW1!!

This is it:

I got a few other 'bits' as well.... a large shuttle for an 'idea'... but I'm not telling about it yet!!! LOL, a thread cutter that's 'plane friendly', and I'm going to make a lanyard for things like that, my hooks, and the picot gauge!!!  Sometime!! VBG

I also ordered a pair of left handed stork scissors!!!!  Yes folks, in case you didn't already know.... I'm a Left Handed Tatter!!!  LHT's Rock!!! ROTFL!!!

Not a long post today as next doors dogs keep trying to steal our cats food, and their 'visitor' is HUGE!!!  A Very Large black Newfoundland!!

Right, chat later!!

Tatting Forever!! It's my 100th Post!!!

You don't like the title of the post??  And why not???? LOL

Last night was class.  I took my lace pillow like a good girl .... and left my reading glasses at home!!!  So that was bobbin lace outta the window!!!

So.... I dug the shuttles out of my pocket!  Had thread (as you do) and carried on with the celtic bracelet!!  This is the 18th of the 25 challenge (I think!!)

This is how far I've got so far:

I've shown both sides of it!!  Next motif on shuttles now!!  It should look interesting when it's finished!!

As promised, the pattern is by LaRae Mikulecky and it's here!  I've lengthened it by only a couple of rings to make into a bracelet!

The Dutch Irises are coming out in the pots now....

I do love the colours!!  Maybe it would be a good idea to make jewellery in those colours (but then... do I add in the colours of all the other flowers in the garden??)

Onnyhow, it's sunny outside and the forecast is for rain later.... so, hayfever notwithstanding... I'm off out in the sun!!

Chat soon!!

Summer has to be orange!

Morning all!

As I'd finished Leif and the pendant & earrings, I went hunting on the web yesterday! I found a bookmark pattern of Celtic knots! As I use a kindle a bookmark ain't much use!! Lol

So.... It's going to be a bracelet! This is the start of it:

Can't remember who it's by or where I found it, but its stored in my computer so I'll let you know tomorrow! Long as me rememberall doesn't fail!! Vbg

Incidentally, I've just learned that Roseground here in the UK have produced a commemorative shuttle for WW1 - blue shuttle with a poppy , clouds and what looks like three little birds! in flight.  ---- £2.75 +pp

I've ordered one!!!  I'll let you all know when it arrives!! LOL

Sue in East Yorkshire where it's sunny.... at the moment!!

Back at friends house this morning, tween and teenager squishing!! She changes her job soon so all will be different! For a start, the first 2 weeks will be every day! No so early tho... So I will get a lie in till 6.30 instead of 5.30!!

Right off to wake teen again!  Chat soon!

Another one....or two....or three...

.... slither off the shuttles!!

Meet Leif....

Leif is a Book Dragon altered very minutely from Anne Bruvolds Minor Norwegian Dragon!  You can tell he's a Book Dragon from his colour, his name and the very long tail and absence of very many spikes!!

What do you mean you don't understand???  Leif (Leaf), Red (read) and the tail and missing spikes make it very easy for him to look after your page!!! Get it now???  Never mind groaning!!! LOL  As I've just explained, Leif is a book dragon.... designed to mark your page, but don't leave him there too long.... otherwise he may just reduce your book to tatters!!!  (What ?? Another groan did I hear??) VBG   As Anne says in the pattern, he may not be sold, only given away!  If anyone asks for one you must make them give you the thread!  Right, the thread is Red Burst by Lizbeth!!! and it came from Roseground here in the UK!! So now you know!!

Leif is going to his new owner now.... it's her 21st present (Happy 21st Miss!!!) along with this:

This pendant set was almost a full kit from the Ring of Tatters here in the UK.  The pattern, beads and all the findings are supplied, just leaving you to supply your favourite shuttle and thread!!  Her favourite colours are blues, red and silver!!  The blue was an old ball from my stash!!  The Lucky Lady is Young Sir's girlfriend and it's her birthday TODAY!!!

Last Saturday we were down in Bristol!!! For the day!  I was at a meeting whilst Sir had a wander round Bristol Zoo!!  He saw some VERY lazy Ring Tailed Lemurs!!  The keeper said they were lazy because the female is the dominant sex in the group, and they don't have any at the moment to keep the males on their toes!!  Sounds familiar doesn't it?? LOL  We drove over 400 miles on the round trip!! mind you, we did call in to our favourite pub for a meal.... (The Swan at Fradley Junction - it's where the Coventry and Trent & Mersey Canals meet) and saw this while we were sitting outside....

I do love rainbows!! LOL

Right, what else to tell you.... Well, Madame is getting bigger!!  We took her to feed the ducks yesterday (NO We did NOT feed her to the ducks!! VBG)  Couldn't persuade her to throw the bread... and had to take it off her!!!  The duckpond is at Welton, about half hour walk from their house.... and right on the side of the road which is perfect for a Madame who is EXTREMELY nosey and HATES to miss anything!!  Want to see her now she's 7 months old??

Here you go:

Mummy calls her Squish!!! and isn't she just???!! ROTFL

Anyway, I've been away from the shuttles for too long!!! Back to the hat methinks!!

Chat soon

Miss me?? and a possible solution....

Ok.... I know I've been back from Tenerife for a few days.... catching up on washing, cutting grass, rescuing drowned seedlings with all the rain.... and not really any time for tatting!!!  In fact, I haven't touched a shuttle since Tuesday! (Horrors!!!)  We got home at 3.30 on Wednesday morning, and were up again at 7.... been catching up on snoozes ever since!!  And going to see MIL etc...., shopping, markets, painting the bench outside.... Nothing much!!! LOL

Back 'teenager and child squishing' this morning.... and also back at school.... you can tell.... Pigmini (my mini) has decided to 'go on strike' again!!!! Grrrr!!!!

Right over on Jane's blog on Saturday, she was saying about people STEALING patterns!  I can quite understand her sentiments.... however, discussing it with Himself, he came up with a suggestion which may just stop peeps in other countries STEALING!!  He suggested something which is given in detail over on Wikipedia...  Resell rights give people in other countries the right to resell a book, photos or whatever.... and the author can ask whatever price they feel is reasonable for the rights....

Now if this were offered to the people who insist on 'displaying' patterns, books or whatever to all and sundry.... then it may just stop them from giving it away.... greed being a major factor.... they could then sell the right to an ebook or somesuch....  They would also not be keen on others in their country 'sharing (stealing)' and would be inclined to contact relevant authorities!!

Whilst the original author does not make as much as they would from 'real' sales, it does make them some money, and may just stop the wholesale stealing that goes on!!!  This is what Wikipedia says:

Most ebooks and pieces of software are sold without any right to pass on the product to other people, but, especially in the field of online or Internetmarketing, some are sold with resell rights or resale rights included. It is necessary to distinguish between normal resell rights and master resell rights.

Not every country has resell rights products in their language; for example, Taiwan did not have resell rights to ebook or products until 2011.

Most resale rights packages do not allow alteration any of content or any change in the information. The conditions and disclaimers should make this clear. To change the content, it is necessary to contact the author and request a partnership or buy the editing rights to the product.

Normal resell rights

Normal resell rights mean that purchase of the item permits onward selling it to other customers. There may be limitations, such as the requirement to the product at a specific price. When a product comes with resell rights it usually permits unrestricted sale of the product with permission to keep 100% of the profit. The product sold under normal resell rights should only include the PUO (Personal Use Only) right, in other words, the resell rights cannot be transferred when this type of product is sold on.^[1]

In other words, people (original authors) could 'sell' the rights to THEIR work and it would not be allowed to be copied, wholesale shared, etc....  I think 'Big Al' does this with some of his books on network marketing etc....

Food for thought!!

Anyway, to these 'ere tatty bits....

Whilst we were away, I made a birthday pressie, but I can't share it at the moment.... 1. waiting for a 'bit', and 2, the present isn't going to its new owner just yet.... so you'll just HAVE to wait!!!  The other thing I did was a test tat.... and I ain't allowed to share that either.... not till I have the go ahead to do so anyway!!!  So, you's just going to have to wait and see!!! VBG   So I got nuffin to share with you in the way of tatty pics.... I will say, however, that the bit's I've done do make my 25 challenge up to number 18!!!!  However.... as I can't show them yet.... I won't count them.... yet!!

What did you think to the foot??? Couldn't resist the photo when I saw it in real life!!! LOL  Oh, and I must show you this:

 This is a statue on the way to Los Cristianos, not far from our favourite restaurant, and it was lit up, and I couldn't resist sharing it!!

Also, here are daughter, granddaughter and SIL in their 'wedding finery'!!  They were at a wedding in Devon on the bank holiday weekend!!

And this is one of a number of 'sandcastles' found on the beaches out in Tenerife....

Wonderful isn't it??  It was on the main beach in Los Cristianos!!  You can see part of the town in the background, and the guy still working on it!!  I may share others when I remember who took them and where they're likely to be!!!

Oh well, nuff for now....

Chat soon