Monday, July 21, 2014

Birth and Tat Days 2014

Hellooooo!  Good golly, it has been a long time since I posted. What have I been up to?

Movies at the drive in!



Big Daddy, Sapling and I have taken in a few drive-in movies this summer.  How nice to know these iconic spots still exist.

At Sapling's swimming lesson


At-home, freelance work kept me busy for nearly four months. Isn't it funny how you start a project thinking it will be a one-off contract and it turns into more? (The same thing happened with my 2-month AOL editing contract. That one worked into a four year, full time job -- the most creative and satisfying one of my professional career.)

First Stargazer Lily of the summer
Other activities such as summer school lessons have kept me quite busy.  The early reader chapter books, the summer bridge workbook, the BrainQuest and the building/science projects are truly taking up the bulk of each week day.  These lessons take their toll on my patience but Sapling is doing well and will be hitting the school year running. It will be worth it.

But now I'm back and blogging again. Thank you to all the visitors from within Tat Land and outside of it who are still visiting my blog even though I have not updated it for a long time.  I missed you all!

Today is my 29th (for the 20th time) BIRTHDAY. A lovely gift arrived in the mail.

Hand knit socks!

Flat hand knit socks

These socks arrived from a childhood pal and knitting/tatting buddy whose screen name will be Marlo. Marlo is a lovely person and I was completely and utterly surprised by her package.  (Had no idea what it could be when she texted me to expect a package from postie.)

Marlo is a blogger and I encourage you to pop on over and send her some tatting love and encouragement -- she writes about her recent tatting "A-ha!" moment here:  A New Craft. Seriously.  It might have been triggered by a gift I bestowed upon her...

And what did I find upon scrolling down Marlo's blog posts?  A photo of my birthday socks!  Oh, how sluggish, un-savvy and negligent I have become.  The evidence was there for me to find the whole time.

Battling pernicious weeds, walking hounds and baking biscotti are other things that have occupied my off-blog hours.  The dreaded H-word...as needs must be done now and again.

I kicked off my tatting again with this snippet of a lanyard for Tat Days 2014:

Humble beginnings of a new lanyard for Tat Days
I AM GOING TO TAT DAYS 2014!!!  I couldn't be more excited.  Squeeeeeeee!  Will I see you there?