Sneak Peek Time!

Earlier this year I suggested a color to Barbara Foster, owner of Handy Hands.com. She liked it so much that she had it made into a new Lizbeth colorway!

Introducing...

Peacock Blues

Lizbeth 149 - Peacock Blues
This new colorway is made up of Electric Blue dark, Electric Blue Med, Lizbeth 658 (Ocean Turquoise Lt) and Deep Royal Blue.

It is brighter than Lizbeth 141 Turquoise Twist. I imagine it may pair well with #143 Royal Wave and maybe even #122 Caribbean or #125 Seascape. Fun times ahead!

I can't wait to tat one of Anne Bruvold's Minor Norwegian Dragons when the thread shipment arrives in December.

Ooh, and what a handsome Seahorse Dragon this will make...

(Anne Bruvold created the Seahorse Dragon based on Debbie Arnold's Seahorse. Both are lovely patterns.)

And that's just the beginning. There's more!
On Tuesday I will share another sneak peek...

Motif #16 - Magic Moment Snowflake

Jon Yusoff's Magic Moment Snowflake
Heather the Tarnished Tatter asked me this past week what tatting was I working on? So let me show you my completed Magic Moment snowflake.

This snowflake will be #16 in my 25 Motif Challenge. It is tatted with size 40 Lizbeth #154 Wildflower Garden and used roughly 14 yards.

I just love how the natural floral colors play out and can't wait to pair it with matching or coordinating solids.

This colorway really does remind me of a wildflower garden. The only things missing are wee fairies flitting among the colorful petals.

Magic Moment Snowflake
wrapped around a satin egg.
Hee, hee, doesn't this look like a baby eggplant?
Here is a cute knit baby eggplant too.

Can't wait to get my hands on some of this Wildflower Garden in size 20 when it arrives in late December. It will be great for Easter projects.

Contest Reminder: Box of Chocolates

Image Source: Lost at E Minor - La Molina Chocolates
Just a reminder that there is still time to enter my crafty tatting contest. Deadline is November 30, 2010 with a winner to be announced on December 7th.

The first entry is in: Carol

Remember, 25 free balls of thread are waiting for 1 lucky winner!

But you've got to be in to win.

Good luck!

Image Source: Casa de DogPoop's Flikr PhotoStream (permission pending)

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Tatted Chocolate Box Contest

 To compete, you will need 1 empty chocolate box.

How you choose to empty it is entirely up to you. ツ

Or, if you're feeling super crafty, make your own box. Here is a link to a commercial site showing several different styles for inspiration. It can be big or small, any shape, whatever suits your fancy.

Please note, however, that hand-made boxes will not get preferential treatment over up-cycled chocolate boxes.

Tasteful entries that make me laugh will get preferential treatment. Please no nudity, zombie apocalypse or chocolate Jesus art.

(Alright, for all you Gleeks, the most tastefully decorated "grilled cheese-us" that includes 50% tatting will get an honorable mention. Apologies to tatters who have never seen the TV show GLEE.)

The RULES

1. Decorate your chocolate box with tatting. You may also use decorative trims, ribbons, papers, fabrics, flowers, beads, beer labels, etc. But 50% of the decoration must be tatting.

Any theme. (honey, holidays, Elvis, spa day, knots, pets, wine, Jane Austin, shoes, chain mail, passion for tatting...) Let your imagination run wild.

2. Photograph your tatted chocolate box and leave a clickable link to the image, along with your name (screen name) and contact information in the comments of THIS POST. Comments left on other posts will not be considered.

3. Entries that do not include name and contact information will be disqualified.

4. International entries accepted!

5. Deadline to submit your entry is November 30, 2010. Winner to be announced December 7, 2010.

A Honey of a Prize!

Here's what you could win: 25 free balls of Lizbeth thread, in the colors and sizes of your choice.

Yes, I will ship internationally! (CONFIRMED: Barbara Foster at Handy Hands will ship direct to you at my expense.)

Anna Meloni's Tatted Crystal Drops

Saw this on Facebook and didn't want anyone to miss it.

This Italian artist has included tatting (small ornaments at the bottom of the image) as well as macrame in her Crystal Drop creations. Bellissima!

Here is a link to the Facebook image:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/photo.php?fbid=111704958846441&set=a.101575693192701.3824.100000208111892

If you are a Facebook user, I encourage you to click on the link and share your comments.

A Big Thank YOU!

Thank you ALL for your outpouring of warm, supportive wishes this past week. Every single one is appreciated so much more than words can express.

First repeat of Jon Yusof's
Magic Moment Snowflake © 2009

Tatting Tea Tuesday

Since today is Tatting Tea Tuesday, and since my order of size 40 Lizbeth #154 Wildflower Garden arrived yesterday, I poured my sadness into testing out this vintage-inspired colorway.

Tatting is great therapy! But you already knew that. I needed a bit of reminding. Jon Yusof's Magic Moment Snowflake pattern makes for very soul-satisfying tat therapy.

Sorry to have scanned it with the wrong side showing. My next scan will be right-side up.

Can you believe this is the first time I have tatted this pattern? But I knew this snowflake was worth the wait.

Ruth Scharf leaves in a snowflake?

First Try at a Snowflake Design
Some design inspiration flowed from my fingers this past week. While I was perusing one of Ruth Scharf's leaf books I noticed that all of her patterns used those gorgeous leaves inside the motifs. Never around the edge.

Naturally I had to find out if there was a good reason for this or if Mrs. Scharf merely preferred her leaves as a more central element in her designs.

This first try is far from perfect. In fact it has a long way to go. But I like how the leaves look around the edge.

A cluster of Scharf leaves in the center would add drama. See? Mrs. Scarf had the right idea all along!

I was also thinking that something like this might look good on a satin ornament (either a ball or an egg) and I think I will play around with this idea also.

Valiere Square Success

Last but not least is my Valiere Square do-over. I did not abandon the first one, but I had just enough thread left on the shuttles so I said, "Why not?"

Since ice cream cones aren't as popular when the mercury drops below sunbathing range, I am looking for something else to do with this. (Other than a bookmark.) Has anyone ever tried a Valiere Square Snowflake? Hmmm...

Sad News - Miscarriage

I found out this morning that Little Roo did not survive past week 8. So of course I have the heavy-hearted duty of spreading the word to friends and family.

I rolled the dice when I chose to announce I was pregnant before week 12, and I lost. But I know that these things happen for a reason. If it is meant for us to have another baby then we will.

Hugs to you all and thank you for your understanding during this sad time.

Little Roo (#2) on the Way!

I was testing a new widget to add to the blog in a few weeks, but more than one eagle-eyed tatter spotted it (for the few seconds it was live). So yes, indeed, I am pregnant with my second child. Squeeeeee!

I am so incredibly excited over this news! Having to sit on my hands so I didn't blurt it out was so hard to do! That is why my blog has been a bit quiet these past few weeks. Looking back, remember my posts about feeling all scatter-brained and my tatting not working out right?

Heh, heh, it turns out those were early signs. I was aware as early as three weeks after conception, but wrote off the "pregnesia" even as I described it to friends as "a lot like pregnancy brain, but not."

So far I have been lucky and have not had any morning sickness, but last time around I did feel nauseous for a short period at the end of trimester one. So the jury is still out on whether or not I will feel ill later on.

Since it is still too early to tell if we're having a boy or a girl, we've decided to use Lil Roo as an in vitro name.

Lil Roo's due date is estimated to be on or around June 2nd.

Cross your fingers and say your prayers that everything progresses well until we're "out of the woods" (week 12)

Big Daddy is rooting for a girl this time. I am happy either way, so long as the baby is healthy. And of course The Sprout is quite pleased at the idea of being a Big Brother.