Up for a Tea Shop Mystery?

Have you read any of the Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs?

I only just discovered them a week or so ago when a copy of Scones & Bones was on display in the "Fortunate Find" section of my local library.

I grabbed it, thinking it would be a casual bit of fluff reading. Probably not something that would hold my interest. Was I wrong!

It is a lighthearted read, yet held my attention even though I usually guess the murderer early on in typical murder mysteries.

The story is set in Charleston, SC, and revolves around resident Indigo Tea Shop owner, Theodosia Browning. I won't say much more, except that this is the 12th installment of the series. Here are two reviews if you want to know more:

• "Scones and Bones" by Laura Childs
by Christina Durner, Baltimore Books Examiner
• Like it a Latte: Laura Childs & The Tea Shop Mysteries
by Tiffany

The scene of the 5th Tea Shop Mystery, Jasmine Moon Murder is set under an autumn moon, making it a fun read for this time of year.

Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is catering a Charleston benefit, a "Ghost Crawl" through Jasmine Cemetery, when the organizer drops dead—and it looks like foul play. Theodosia stirs things up with her own investigation, and gets into hot water up to her neck.

Renee over at Renee's Reads has a fun rating system for her book reviews and I love that she sets aside time on Thursday for Tea, much like I do for Tatting Tea Tuesday.

As I am on on chapter 5 I will have to give you my rating in a few days. In the meantime, why not try a Tea Shop Mystery and let us know what you think?

Where Have You Gone, October?

I seriously cannot believe that this is the last Thursday in October. Where did this month go?!? Weren't we all just mourning the loss of August? Speeding through September to get to Tat Days weekend? Then BOOM! Hello, November.

With a new month comes a new resolve -- to befriend beads!

OctoStarFlake © 2011 Jane Eborall

The pattern is on the Palmetto Tat Days 2011 Pattern CD. The thread used for this motif is Lizbeth^® #135 Lollipop in size 20. The beads are size 11 Dyna-mites™ seed beads in blue/lilac. A few galvanized gold seed beads in size 11 found their way into the mix too, just for fun.

How many of you remember how OctoStarFlake started out?

As a magnetic brooch cum fridge magnet!

Donna Thompson, if you are reading, please accept my heartfelt thanks for all the patient attention you gave to me during this class at Tat Days. I will return your shuttles to you loaded in either the Lizbeth^® or hand-dyed thread of your choice as a thank you!

Imagine how hopeless a student has to be for the teacher to hand her two pre-wound shuttles (from her personal stash) to start over? Folks, I don't make this stuff up.

(That's Julie Beagle, who thought it was a great time to beg for a treat while I was taking the picture.) Lord knows, I wanted to go to Tat Days in 2003 but I didn't make it there until 2009.

And Lord knows I wanted to sail through this class brilliantly. But arriving late, not starting with shuttles wound CTM. . . To make a long story short, I just couldn't get my brain in gear. The words I used at the time were "I can't get out of the driveway."

But some class learnin' must have sunk in, because I made it through the pattern at home with no trouble.

No doubt this was due to the many gracious tips and warm-hearted help from the ladies seated next to me. This is ON TOP OF the patient direction received from Donna Thompson. Thank you, Donna! Thank you, ladies! I couldn't have completed this motif without you.

Is anyone else as amazed as I am to see a motif with so many beads reel off my shuttles?

Tatting Tea Tuesday - Scissors Fob

Slowly but surely I am whittling away at my Tat Days class projects. What do I have to show today? A darling scissor fob created with tatting and beads.

Motif 7 - Scissors Fob © 2011 Sharren Sarver Morgan

Tatted in Lizbeth 40 #638 Christmas Green with size 11 Dyna-mites™ seed beads in blue/lilac. The large bead reminded me of a Turkish "evil eye" bead (though it is not one) and 2 clear beads help keep the seed beads from slipping through the holes of the larger dangle bead.

Sharren Morgan taught this class and did a marvelous job working with students who got stuck. (Or like me, kept getting stuck again and again.)

I encourage you to take a class from Sharren Morgan. Full of Southern charm, laughter and patience, her inviting personality makes lessons approachable. Her command of the lessons and ability to problem-solve on the fly keep you going, righting stumbling blocks with ease. It wouldn't surprise me if she had a superhero alter ego. Sharren Super Tatter!

This class contained three new (to me) techniques:

• how to use a bead spinner and a curved beading needle to string beads
• Marie Smith's easy method of encapsulating a split ring (the metal ring used in jewelry making, not the tatted split ring)
• pearl tatted chain with two shuttles

What a gratifying learning experience this was, and what a fun tat!

This in-progress photo actually shows the beads all lined up properly. The finished fob (first photo) is slightly askew after The Sprout had completed his expert examination and declared it "good."

Hindsight being what it is, a red-wrapped split ring would have been a nice touch to accentuate the spot on the large bead. No worries, just something to keep in mind for next time.

Tatting Tea Tuesday
As for tea, I have sadly put away my Sun Tea jar, switching over to stove-brewed tea. A delicious decaf Pumpkin Spice warms body and soul while I tat and listen to Pandora Internet radio.

Watching The Sprout dance and sing along with the Radio for Kids music feed makes Tatting Tea Tuesday even more special. Wish you could see it.

Want a sneak peek of the class project I am working on today?

Can you believe I added all those beads? Me?!?

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

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!

Motif 6 - Rosone

I have completed the rosone (Italian for rosette) from Il Lavoro Chiacchierino 14, page 8. The thread is YarnPlayer's Celery in size 20. It will count as Motif 6 in my second 25 Motif Challenge.

This is a very sturdy six-sided medallion. I really like it in Celery and think it would be even lovelier tatted in Yarnplayer's Roses HDT. That said, it also begs to be tatted as a proper snowflake.

As I tatted away, the stitch counts seemed odd. And I kept wondering two things: why are the inner rings double joined? (Aside from adding strength, I mean.) Is it an attempt to form hexagons?

A honeycomb center would certainly be pretty. Then the motif could be called "Honey and Clover." What could be done to make the inner rings look more hexagonal?

It is an interesting avenue for exploration, once I have completed my Tat Days class projects. But as is, this motif is quite inviting.

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!

Tat Days 2011 Loot

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.”
~ Walt Disney

And there is more treasure at Tat Days than a Disney dreamer can imagine. It comes in many forms and guises.

Crazy Mom shared photos of her uber swag haul from Tat Days 2011, including the large tote bag, size 20 Omega thread and a clear bag jam-packed with nifty trinkets of every size and description.

I took the liberty of spreading mine out for a more detailed view. It is just one of the many ways Palmetto staff attend to every little detail for their guests. They excel at this.

Snack Room Treasure
Feeling peckish between classes? Need a late night snack? No problem. The snack room is filled to overflowing with every imaginable treat and refreshment. Another example of how Palmetto staffers attend to every little detail for their guests.

Finding Chocolate Strawberry tea in the snack room was a delightful surprise. I was so busy squealing with glee I forgot to snap a photo for the blog. Crazy Mom came to my rescue with this link - Chocolate Tea. Thanks, Crazy Mom!

Tat Days 2011 Spoils

Vending Room Treasure
Having experienced wicked, hedonistic shopping impulses in 2010, I came prepared with a shopping list. For the most part I stuck to it, only splurging on the Rosemarie Peel pattern book.

Two copies of Martha Ess' Playing with Picots and Tat Days 2011 Pattern CD were purchased. One copy of each item now lives in the Piedmont Lace Guild of Virginia's library.

Aren't you all impressed with my willpower?

Shuttle Lab Trends was a new vendor (for me) whose wares I am eager to try.

In 2009 I had seen photos of gorgeous, drool-worthy HDTs from this vendor, and lace made from them, show up on other blogs, but none were available in 2010.

Imagine me hovering vulture-like over the display of threads, beautifully blinged shuttles, etc., deciding what to take home. I bought four fabulous HDTs.

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Beanile Treasure
The loot I am most thrilled about are Nina Libin's beanile lace kits.

Winter Solstice © 2011 Nina Libin

Did you see my first completed earring in the above photo? No? Here is a close up.

Dazzling, eh? When the second earring is finished I will block them together. Then on to the exquisite necklace and pendant. This could be the beginning of a beautiful beanile relationship.

The second kit is an icy, crystalline enchantment called "The Snow Queen - I." It will be a snow day tat later this winter. Nina gifted Crazy Mom with the Snow Queen - I earrings she tatted. You can see them here.

Can you believe I'm not finished? (Almost.) Crazy Mom was so generous, she let me pick out this custom mix of gemstone beads. They're so pretty!

And last but not least, Georgia Seitz handed me this creative button sample on the final day. Her online tatting class page gives lots of inspiration for embellishing them. I'm looking forward to playing around with these to see what I can come up with. Thanks, Georgia!

Here is what they look like when you find them in their commercial packaging.

Whew! My fingers are tired! I hope you enjoyed this loot post. Back to tatting for me!