Snow Angel Poetry WINNER!

HO HO HO! Here's the prize!

Thank you for all the inspired entries for this contest! You all did SO GREAT at filling in the last line of poetry. Talk about tapping into creative energies and taking charge of a challenge! You rocked it in ways I never considered.

I wish I could award prizes to each and every one of you, but as they say in Hollywood, "There can be only one" so. . . *drumroll*

The winner of the Snow Angel Poetry Challenge is....Crazy Mom.

She followed up Fox's playful entry (which was spot on for expressing frustration) with a sly rhyme. Both were terribly clever and made me laugh out loud.

Does anyone else see the humor in the photo? I stuffed the prizes into Santa's pants! (But seriously, what a cute gift bag, eh?)

Thank you for helping me celebrate my 300th post! And a hearty HO HO HO with mistletoe and lots of tatting joy for the remainder of 2011 and into 2012.

Snow Angel Poetry Challenge

Snow Angel © 2011 Sharren Sarver Morgan
Tatted by IsDihara

Snow Angel Poetry Challenge
As angel lace reeled off the shuttles and visions of snow angels danced in my head, a poem was born, or at least most of one.

My 300th blog post is coming up fast (this post is number 298) and I thought, 'What better time for a quick bit o' knot-tea fun?' So I'm having a giveaway!

The challenge is to find a suitable last line to the following bit of verse:

Snow Angel by IsDihara (and...you?)

It's fun to walk in the sparkling snow,
And hear my boots go crunch.

Frolicking in a frosty 'spance
thrills my heart a bunch.

Swooshy imprints in the snow,
Give my cheeks a rosy glow,
And leave behind a cool halo,

Snow angels are big funch!

ADD YOUR LAST LINE IN THE COMMENTS FOR THIS POST.
PLEASE LEAVE ME A VALID WAY TO CONTACT YOU.
IF I PICK YOUR ENTRY, YOU WIN A PRIZE!


DEADLINE to enter is THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011, at midnight, Eastern Standard Time.

Contest is open to all domestic and international followers of Ambitatterous. You must be a "regular reader" to qualify. That means a reader who has spent a minimum of three months following this blog.

I will pay shipping for the winning entry.

I will announce the Poetry Contest Challenge WINNER on Friday, December 9, 2011.

Thank you for reading regularly from your corner of Tat Land, wherever it may be! Good Luck!

Giveaway - Tuscan Lace Prize Pack

What Do I Win?
This Tuscan Lace prize package will bring a little ray of sunshine to warm up a wintry day.

A gorgeous, 50-yard skein of sun-drenched Tuscany HDT by LadyShuttleMaker in size 20, a box of Lipton "Tuscan Lemon" Black Tea and an 8-ounce jar of luxurious, Tuscan Lace hand and body lotion made by New Hands Soaps and Lotions.

REMEMBER TO ADD YOUR LAST LINE IN THE COMMENTS FOR THIS POST.
PLEASE LEAVE ME A VALID WAY TO CONTACT YOU.
IF I PICK YOUR ENTRY, YOU WIN A PRIZE!
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Waiting Room Giveaway Winners!

(Exclaimed in a southern belle voice, accompanied with appropriate mannerisms...) Why, I do declare Tat Land has nimble-fingered, quick-thinking HDT lovers.

Congratulations to the first winner, deft detective Karrieann!

Her comment arrived 62 minutes into the giveaway. Silly me, I thought it would take you all days to figure it out. Can you believe that Karrieann beat out the second runner-up by less than a minute?  Hoo-wee, that's playin' it shrewd and fast!

As I watched the entries come in, though, I wondered...

Did the hint that Shannon_in_Love unknowingly divulged 19 minutes into the giveaway help point any of you in the right direction? Her entry was RED HOT, but missing one key detail. She returned soon after with the correct answer, but not in time to beat Karrieann.

So I'm giving Shannon_in_Love a consolation prize. The second runner-up, Crazy Mom, agreed that she should receive it.

So congratulations to Shannon_in_Love, the second winner!

Shannon, please email me with your mailing address. I will also send you a 50-yard skein of HDT from my stash. 

And THANK YOU to EVERYONE who commented. Your entries made this my most exciting giveaway yet!

Waiting Room Giveaway

This photo of me tatting in the waiting room at the doctor's office (while DH's foot was being examined - notice I did not say 'head,' ha ha!) - was created with Paper Camera. The effect applied to the photo was called Comic (somethingorother), perhaps Comic Grunge?

Can anyone tell what it is I am tatting? (The lace draped over my right hand.)

The person who posts the first correct answer in the comments will win a 50-yard skein of hand-dyed thread from my stash.

I haven't yet chosen the winning thread, so tell me your favorite color and I will try to match the winner with HDT in his or her favorite color or at least a colorway that includes his or her favorite color.

I will not reveal the correct answer until Saturday, October 22nd at 12:00 noon EST. So hurry, that is less than three days away!

P.S. If nobody guesses the correct answer I will ask DH to take another photo with PaperCamera using another bit of tatting and you will have a second chance to win!

Everybody ready? Let the guessing begin!

Tatting Tea Tuesday - Edging toward Spring

Happy Tatting Tea Tuesday on this first day of March. Were you able tat at IHOP this morning?

Long lines stretched out the door of my local IHOP.
Folks in my area must really like free pancakes.

I wanted to tat at IHOP, but sadly came home to paint. I haven't finished painting 180 craft sticks that must be done by March 5th for the lace guild.

Painting hasn't kept me from my shuttles entirely. This week I have been test tatting two new patterns for CrazyMom, plus breaking in four new Pony shuttles.

CrazyMom's patterns must be kept top secret for now, but here is what has been reeling off the (new to me) Aero-style shuttles.

Nelson Edging © 2011
Design by Orsi (part of her Napoleon series)

Both samples are 3-inches (7.6 cm) long. The first is tatted in size 30 Bali HDT by Backwoods Tatter. The second sample is tatted in size 40 Lizbeth^® #663.

Don't they look grand? The Lizbeth^® is a trifle more crisp than the Bali HDT; the difference only showing up when closing the Josephine Rings.

Thank you, Orsi, for sharing this superb edging on your blog. The whole Napoleon series is stately and elegant. Your patterns are exquisite!

Meandering Vine
More inspiration comes from Lace-lovin Librarian ~ Diane, who has been test-tatting an edging for her sister. Her process fanned the edging spark in me.

Edging #8861 from Tatting No. 207, 1944

Meandering vine #8861 was her sister's chosen edging. (Hey, I have that book too! Tatting. Published by The Spool Cotton Company No. 207, 1944.)

The clustered rings that make up this flowery pattern have always looked like butterflies to me. So pretty.

Watch for a color edging using #8861 to come soon. In the meantime, head on over to Diane's blog to monitor her progress or enter her Spring Bling Giveaway!

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful. See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

ArtBin® Giveaway Winners!

Today is the big day! And a little surprise is in store for one lucky giveaway entrant...

Congratulations to all the winners!

The random number generator chose:

#6 – Val
#27 – Tatterme

And Surprise! Because I neglected to double check that all entries had been published to the blog before running the random number generator, one more name was drawn.  *drumroll*

#23 – JB

Ladies, I have sent individual emails to each of you. If you have not already received an email from me, please send me a note at the email address listed above (in the About Me section) with your mailing address so I can send your prizes out promptly.

Thanks again to everyone who entered!

ArtBin® May Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win one of two ArtBin® Hook and Needle Nook storage cases. Color: Periwinkle.

Do I have your attention?

Your wonderful and helpful comments did wonders to lift my spirits last week. I also indulged in a bit of HDT shopping therapy. Unrepentant thread junkies always feel better after buying new threads!

But tatting snafu-ery continues. So for a few moments I'm sipping tea and having a rant.

The good news is that there will be a prize at the end for two lucky winners!

First, the Rant
It pains me to place an online order only to see it go through twice. What makes it worse is not finding a contact telephone number on the web site – only customer service email – and then being told via email – several days later – that "there is nothing we can do, the order has already shipped."

*Blarg and bother!* But my pain can be your gain.

ArtBin® May Giveaway

ArtBin® (tatting supplies not included)
I've put an assortment of tatting supplies in one of these storage cases to give you an idea of what it will hold (besides knitting needles and crochet hooks).

PLEASE NOTE: Twenty(20) to 25-gram spools of tatting cottons, such as Lizbeth and Altin Basik, will NOT fit in the divided compartments.

Smaller spools will fit, plus shuttles, picot gauges, crochet hooks and of course, hand-dyed thread.

Here's how to enter:

1. Comment on THIS POST to be entered for the drawing. Only one entry per person.
2. Leave me a way to contact you: email or blog link. (Entries that do not include valid contact information will be disqualified.)

Giveaway ends at midnight (EST) on Monday, May 31st. Good luck!

A Giveaway — No Foolin'

For many, April 1st is a day for tomfoolery, pranks and hoaxes. But for tatters it is a day devoted to furthering a lace-making art.

Did you know that April Fools Day is also International Tatting Day?

Many tatters still don't know about our special day. So in the interest of getting the word out far and wide, I am having another giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win this pampering set from New Hands Soaps and Lotions.

Amber Romance Gift Set
NHSL is my twin sister's Etsy shop. In February Igoya prepared a Posh Petals custom set for me to use as a prize. In it was an indulgent combination of chocolate lip balm, champagne and strawberries linen spray and posh petals soap.

As good as that was, this gift set is even better! Amber romance is a warm and mildly aphrodisiac scent with black cherry, creme Anglaise, sandalwood, sensual amber and Egyptian musk.

Included in the prize package is a 6-ounce lotion and two 7.5 ounce bars of long-lasting, handmade soap.

And since we're "partyin' like its our birthday," I'm throwing in a skein of Tatskool's Vanilla Sky hand-dyed thread. Just in time for Easter or Spring tatting projects.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You must leave a valid e-mail address to be eligible for the prize. Comments without valid contact information will not be entered in the drawing.

2. Cut-off date for entries is Wednesday, March 31.

3. Winner will be announced on Thursday, April 1st.

For more chances to win you can

1. post about this giveaway on your blog to qualify for an additional entry.

2. post about this giveaway on Twitter to qualify for an additional entry.

Be sure to add a (2) or (3) to your comment, just like in LadyShuttleMaker's Mondo Monday Giveaways. Kindly include a clickable link or the name of your blog so I may verify your entry. Once verified, you will be added to my giveaway spreadsheet a second or even a third time.

Winner will be chosen via random number generator.

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Wanna see my past posts for International Tatting Day?

2009 - International Tatting Day – No Foolin'

2008 - No Foolin' – International Tatting Day

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Each year in honor of International Tatting Day I sit down to tat with my fish-shaped shuttle. Over the past two years I have searched in vain for a Celtic fish pattern. If anyone finds one please do forward details or a link.

That said, it would be remiss of me not to point out that Jane Eborall offers many wonderful animal patterns for free, including an impressive goldfish in three sizes, small fishy earrings and even a starfish.

Special thanks to Georgia Seitz for making my beloved fish shuttle and Lady Jane for sharing her limitless creative artistry.

If you're still reading, click on this link to read a lovely poem called The Name of a Fish by Faith Shearin.

Now, let's all spread the word about International Tatting Day!

Pamper Yourself GIVEAWAY

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. That Hallmark holiday so many love to hate.

Not me. I scoff at Anti-Valentine's. I commend cupid. I'm in love with the heart holiday. And that means it's GIVEAWAY time!

So let the great Love/Hate debate rage on.

Love the skin you're in and enter for a chance to win this pampering set from New Hands Soaps and Lotions.

NHSL is my twin sister's Etsy shop. Not long ago Igoya and I were talking when she asked what could she do to get more exposure for her shop?

Being ever mindful of giveaway opportunities, I said she should prepare a custom set for me to use as a prize!

The gift pack she put together is simply superb for Valentine's Day. Who doesn't love to feel pampered?

Posh Petals Gift Set
This prize is simply superb. A "rip open the package and fall in love" kind of superb!

Take a moment to reflect on the thrill you feel when a HDT order arrives. Yes, it is on par with that!

The prize package comes with a 7.5 ounce bar of Posh Petals soap, a 4 ounce Champagne and Strawberries linen spray and a tin of Dark Chocolate lip balm.

For the fragrance minded, Posh Petals is delicately fresh, feminine and red-carpet glamorous. It blends essences of rose water, tangerine, lemon, pomegranate and aloe into a classy and elegant bouquet.

I love this gift set so much TWO lucky winners will be chosen!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

2. Cut-off date for entries is Monday, February 8th.

3. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 9th.

Want another chance to win?
If you post about this giveaway on your blog you qualify for a second entry.

Be sure to add a (2) to your comment, just like in LadyShuttleMaker's Mondo Monday Giveaways. Kindly include a clickable link or the name of your blog so I may verify your entry. Once verified, you will be added to my giveaway spreadsheet a second time.

Winner will be chosen via random number generator.

If chocolate, lingerie and a romantic movie make up the typical Valentine trifecta, this gift pack is a sweet indulgence light years beyond the Whitmans Sampler.

Even if you are feeling cynical about love this year, there's no better revenge than being good to yourself. Good Luck!

Holy Schemoley! Shuttles

Purpleheart Sunflower Shuttle, no tip
from The Shuttle Shop
The first Tatting Tea Tuesday of 2010 dawns clear, but with high, stinging, cold winds. Another day to hide inside, dreaming of sunflowers. But clever lady Jane starts her first  T.I.A.S. of the year today. Hurray!

T.I.A.S. Day 1

Having lurked and guessed through a few past T.I.A.S. games, I am quite excited to tat along with this one. So today I sip my new favorite tea – Lord Nelson^® Rooibos Vanilla – and enjoy Day 1.

Holey Schemoley, this tea is yummy and isn't the sunflower shuttle a beauty?

On a lark I emailed the Shuttle Shop, asking if they might consider crafting one of these inlaid marvels in purpleheart instead of rosewood. Don't get me wrong, I adore rosewood. My all-time favorite shuttle is made from rosewood. See it here, next to the purpleheart?

Gorgeous woods, both. But a moisture-sucking vortex of doom settles over my house every winter, causing all manner of issues. My eight-foot,-mahogany hall tree has two cracks. I have also lost two rosewood shuttles.

You see, I can't have another one made if this one cracks. I have forgotten the name and address of the manufacturer.

What I do know is that I purchased it in the late 1990s from a vendor at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. His table was located in the main barn and he mainly sold drop spindles. And when I went begging for this replacement, he told me he didn't make shuttles anymore because he didn't sell enough of them. But he agreed to make a replacement one for me. (It was probably the welling tears in my eyes or the pleading tone in my voice, LOL!)

I think he was from Colorado or Wyoming or Montana...or maybe even farther points west.

So, if you have ever seen a rosewood shuttle like this, please let me know. And yes, each year at Sheep and Wool I go trolling spindle vendors with my rosewood shuttle in hand, asking if anyone makes it. So far no luck.

One last Holey Schemoley moment — can you believe I won one of Lace-Lovin' Librarian Diane's handmade shuttles in her new year giveaway? What a delightful surprise! Thank you, Diane! I'm over the moon with excitement. Can't wait to show it off, once it arrives.

Oh and before I forget, Holey Schemoley! A whopping 94% of respondents voted to continue Tatting Tea Tuesday posts in 2010. I'm so glad you (at least 36 of you) are enjoying it as much as I am.

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.
See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

And The Winner Is . . .

Carol from Carol's Little Treasures! Congratulations, Carol!

A special honorable mention goes out to Rayanna, who is a friend of Carol's and entered after reading about   the giveaway on Carol's blog. Rayanna, I will be sending you a special goodie in the package with your participation prize.

Carol and Rayanna, please send me your mailing address (you can use the email addy in the upper right corner) so I can mail out your prizes.

Thanks to you both. And to anyone who tried but didn't get your entries in on time, I will be doing it all again in early Spring to help dispel the winter blues. Same rules!

So start thinking about what types of tatting bits you'd like to see on a Teapot Tuesday card. Or a Think Spring card. Or a Ground Hog's Day card (hee, hee!). Or an Easter card. The possibilities are endless, really.