So I didn't like those rings flopping all about. I fixed that. I also finished, too. Well, I think it's finished. Except for working in the ends, then a little blocking is in order....I'm going to let it rest a day or two before I decide if it's done. In the meantime I have a little celtic type cross to design and make to complete the framed trio of motifs (the cross will accompany a butterfly and a heart - I'm putting them in a simple black frame that accomodates three 3 by 5 inch objects). Woohoo. Big weight off the old brain.

Then I must, must, must finish up the TAT apprentice phase. I feel dismally behind on that. Then there's the 15 Christmas ornaments to tat and some other surprises up my sleeve.

Oh, and that wedding stuff. Geesh. I better get busy.

Oh, and I have to make a poodle puppet for my sister. By Friday. Whoops.

Poink.

So I did that last part over....
And I think I like it much better with the addition of the gold beads with the black on the chains.

Not much happening of late. It's hot, hot, hot, but mercifully not as humid as it could be. Figure painting class was supposed to start tonight, but the teacher had a death in his family and the class won't start until next Thursday. That gives me a little more time to gather another supply or two I don't have yet. I'm looking forward to the class - something I've never done.

And now for an update...

I haven't written about the necklace in a while - well, to be honest, I haven't tatted in a while. Too hot, too depressing, too something. I hurt so terribly much for those whose lives have been shattered by Katrina. It's simply heartbreaking to see. My prayers are for all those folk.

Nevertheless, I have this commission to do. And I'm really wanting to get it done. Here's the big update. Row 1 of the front. Don't ask about row 2. It's still rolling about in my head. You may rest assured it will be attached somehow to row 1. And will have citrines. And crystals. And more of those little gold seed beads. It will tie in with the top part more.

I made so many booboos on the symphony doily I decided to call it an "ornament" after row 3 and stopped there. I'm going to try again. Tatting is very portable, but some patterns just aren't as portable as the tatting is. Did that make sense?

I've got to start mulling wedding tatting a bit, too. Got a niece and a nephew getting married next summer. Oh, and I have to do this:

IT'S LESS THAN 4 MONTHS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR HOLIDAY TATTINGS ARE?

Go figure.

I have no tatting ready to display as of yet - I have started the citrine row on the necklace, but it's just not ready to show yet (still don't know if I'm quite happy with it). I did run across a couple of funny pics to share. These are from Erin's Archive of the Weird.

Raymond and I have some friends who live in a nearby little town named New Market. Don and Marsha are retired (Marsha is a needle tatter - yay, Marsha!). Marsha likes doing all manner of crafty things and one of her hobbies is ceramics. Don has built the most wonderful studio complete with huge shelves to accomodate her many molds and a great area for an enormous kiln. While we were over there one evening, we spied this little fellow and Marsha generously gave him to us.

I guess you're wondering why we had to have this little fellow. Well, let me introduce you to our neighbor, Calvin. Calvin lives across the street and does odd jobs for a living...sort of the neighborhood Boo Radley.
(Please scroll down.)







Frightening, isn't it?