AParently Speaking

Feeling nostalgic, I scrolled through old "mommy blog" posts the other day. Reading about Sapling's early days reminds me that I need to publish these little moments into a hard copy book so we can read them when he's grown.

The first blog post I ever wrote:  Lettuce be on your heads

Little Sprout circa 2007 wearing his first "silly hat"

Digital scrapbooking was my hobby before Sapling (who was called Little Sprout, and later Sprout) was old enough to allow mommy "me time."  When everyone was asleep I would sit at the computer and create scrapbook pages for a few hours.  I also "scrapped" this blog header.  Still love how it looks.

Here is a sampling of my favorite scrapbook pages:

Toilet Paper Tomfoolery

My Little Prince

Found my Toes

Pumpkin Patch

Horsey Rides with Grandpa

Strawberry Pickin'  (Big Daddy made this one.)

Christmas Cookie Wishes

And one of several I created for those first Father's Days:

A Ribbon for Me? SQUEEEEEEEE!

2013 county fair results

Remember in December 2011 when Jon Yusoff first told us of Tatting Treasures Unearthed and began sharing her diagrams of Norma Benporath's lace patterns? Her announcement was the beginning of a tat-along wherein Lace Mats were made by tatters all over the globe.

It was great fun participating in the tat-along. Choosing the colors, creating the lace, marveling at 35 other magnificent mats and voting in the secret poll; all of it sheer delight.

Thank you, Jon, for hosting an event that resulted in my first county fair blue ribbon.

That's right, a blue ribbon! Squeee!

A closer look at the Lace Mat

Only two entries were submitted in the tatting category this year.  (There were five last year.) The other entry was a lovely oval doily done in needle tatting by my friend Sw4nkyL4c3r.

2013 county fair ribbon winner - tatting

I was stunned and nearly hyperventilated when I saw Sw4nkyL4c3r's doily with a red ribbon.  (I am not making this up.) So sure was I that hers was a shoe-in for the blue, that I froze, looking around for some other entry that wasn't there -- afraid to look at my own.  I was sure that if hers got a red, then mine surely received either white (third) or nothing at all.  It was only after I couldn't find any other entry that I peeked at mine.  Even then I didn't believe my eyes.

OK, enough of all that. I have since calmed down.

I demonstrated tatting at the county fair this past Sunday and here is a photo taken by a kind bystander.

IsDihara at the county fair
(Check out the sneak peek of charity wall hanging!)

The Tat Days charity project was sponsored by the Piedmont Palm Frond and I am so proud of the work we have done. This wall hanging is ADORABLE with its playful penguins frolicking on glacial ice. Lots of cute details to make all Tat Days participants say, "Awwwwwwwww!"

Please consider making a donation to the fund-raising auction, whether or not you are able to attend the tatting conference in Toccoa, GA.