Christmas gifts

Merry Christmas! (a little late) and Happy New Year! (a little early)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  We did, and still are.  We had lots of family get-togethers over the last week and still have one more to go this weekend.  For all that I thought I was ready for all of them, there still seemed to be a few things I didn't get to until the last minute.  How normal.

Every year I try to have one snowflake that is "the" snowflake of the year.  I posted about 2012's snowflake here. I didn't get as many of these done as I would have liked to, but that is how I feel every year.  I did get a few others done as well - mainly due to the fact that it's hard for me to do the same thing over and over.

The red and two blue are motifs/'flakes that I came up with this year.  The green one is 'Betsy Snowflake' by Betsy Evans.  I saw it on A Happy Bluebird a week or so ago and just had to give it try.  I added silver seed beads to it and left out a couple of non-joining picots.  I really like how it came out.  All of them are made in Lizbeth size 20 thread.  These were also given away as gifts. 

I gave away a few tatted gifts that I had made previous to this year.  I found these while looking through a few things and they made excellent additions to what I was already giving without me having to hurry up and make anything else. 

My Sunday school class consists of three girls. One girl is very fond of purple (the butterfly), one girl loves shades of orange (the flower), and one girl loves horses, no matter the color.  The crosses went to the pastor and his wife.  All are made in Lizbeth size 20 threads, though I can't name off the colors right now. The butterfly and flower are my patterns, the horse is a variation of Debbie Arnold's Sea Horse and the two cross patterns can be found on my pattern page. 

I still have in mind a lot of things I wanted to make for Christmas that didn't happen.  Maybe I'll stay motivated and start them now so they'll be ready for next Christmas.  It could happen. Maybe. 

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank.  People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'"

Dave Barry

Are you ready

For Christmas? 

A farmer in his trusty tractor bringing home the Christmas tree

Nutcrackers guarding the door

 I am, mostly.  I still have a few things I want to tat (of course!) but I'm not going to stress if they don't get done.  I've got some of the cards sent and hopefully I'll finish them tomorrow.   That's what I was doing today instead of posting here.  In fact, I forgot to take pictures of what I have been working on so I'm sharing a couple of pictures of some of the Christmas lights we saw a couple of weeks ago.

As I don't have any tatting to share today I'll share the poem I wrote instead.

A Christmas Poem

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house

I decked the halls for the season (with help from my spouse.)

Ornaments were hung on the tree with great care

Even out on the lawn decorations were there

With gift-giving in mind and a list in my hand

We headed to town the crowds to withstand

To buy just the right present, for each person we knew

Just the right gift - I hadn't a clue!

As we walked down the street, as we shopped in the mall

There were toys of all sizes, for kids large and small.

Through every speaker there was many a shout

"Be the first to have this!" "You can't live without!"

For every age, and for every type

Were gadgets and widgets and a whole lot of hype

To convince you to spend every bit your dough

In this place and that place and hard to say "No!'

After suffering the crowds as we traversed the aisles

(Of which there many, each one seeming like miles!)

We turned to each other with strain on our faces

And agreed with a glance to get out of these places!

We returned home from the stores with sighs of relief.

But relief was short-lived, reprieve very brief.

No gifts did we have and time was now short.

What gifts could be given as a last resort?

We glanced at our tree, at the star there on top,

That symbol of the season made us just stop.

It glittered there brightly, shining down from above

Reminding us of the gift that had been given with love.

One night long ago, in a faraway place

A boy-child was born, one filled with God's grace.

He was born to save us, a gift to us all

A gift we should share, and it's not found in a mall.

We realized that it wasn't how much that was spent

Or how new or how snazzy or what the content.

To celebrate this birth we give gifts to each other

A small token of the gift once given by Another.

So, in this season of gift-giving and fun

Remember that God gave us His Son

To save us from sin and make all things right.

Blessed Christmas to all and to all a good night.

                                                          Wanda Salmans 2012

Finally, Snowflakes!

Happy Tatting Tea Tuesday! Have you taken time out for tea and tatting today?

My tatting today was finishing off several snowflakes. Yes, I finally made a few! This pink one is my pattern for this years Christmas card snowflake.  It looks suspiciously like ones I've done before, though I'm not finding a picture of any exactly like it. The beads do give it a different look than it would have without them.  It measures just shy of two inches across when made with size 20 thread and a 1/2 inch center, so it's not very big.  This pink snowflake is for one of my daughters, who happens to like pink.  I'm not sure of the Lizbeth color number though it looks pretty close to the actual color, at least on my screen.

I've made several of these snowflakes so far, none in white.   I'm trying to be daring this year.  The first two I made I did a little differently than I made this one.  This one is done strictly with one shuttle and ball and no fancy techniques.  The 'rings' on the outside are chains that are joined in the same place they started.  On the first two I did I made them as self closing mock rings.  I had to work a little harder to have the SCMRs close prettily, and I didn't like the look of the back of the 'flake.  I had pictures I was going to post of the backs done both ways but I forgot to upload it and it's too late now (I don't have access to them at the moment.)

I have done a couple of other snowflakes, too.  This pattern is from several years ago (as seen here and here - it's hard to believe it's been that long!) but this time I added beads. It's a little hard to tell from the picture but the beads are a clear crystal. They really sparkle pretty on the Christmas tree.  I tried (and tried!) to get pictures of them on the tree, but none of those came out.  I had a hard time finding a good background that didn't make the red look washed out or orange.  

We're keeping Christmas simple this year, so other than getting several tatted things done I'm pretty much ready.  Okay, I haven't gotten out the Christmas cards yet.   There's still time, really!

"For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work."

Doug Larson

brainyquotes.com

A funny thing happened

On the way to the yarn shop.
Three things, actually.  They say that things happen in threes, and they did!

The owner of  Odd Balls Yarn Shop, a local store, asked if I would be interested in selling some of my tatting at the store on consignment.  I thought this could be fun.  For the last week or so, between doing a few other things, I've been getting ready earrings, stitch markers and wine glass charms to take over, as well as some way to display them.  Tracie Anderson, the owner, suggested the small Christmas tree I used at the craft show and she would have it on the counter by the register.  Great!

Yesterday I made a list of what I had, put it in a box with my tatting and left for work early so I could stop at the shop on the way.  A few miles down the road I realized I didn't have the tree and had to turn around and go back home to get it. (Funny #1)

I ran in the house for the tree, then on the way out I pulled the house door shut - and the door knob came off in my hand.  After some work I got it back on, kinda sorta, and left again. I called my husband to let him know that he had a little project when he got home from work. (Funny #2)

I live out in the country and take the Interstate to Wichita to work, passing through Newton on the way.  Odd Balls is in a mall just south of Newton. I drive this every day.  But yesterday, before I get to Newton, I hear and feel this "THUMP!" while I'm driving. No, it wasn't a deer.  It was a tumble weed, a big one, that tumbled out in front of me as I was driving 75 miles an hour.  I slow down but the thing just hangs on.  I have to pull over, put my flashers on and get out to pull it our of the front grill of the car.  A highway patrolman just happened to see the attack and stopped over to make sure I was okay, which I was.  (Funny #3)

I was just glad that was the last "funny" for the day.  I had been a bit worried that my entire day at work would follow suit, but it didn't. The evening passed quite uneventfully.

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I had a cup of - Hot apple cider.  It's not that the weather is cold here, it just sounded good.  I found these cute mugs at Dillon's and have decided that I'm going to use them for everyday instead of just special occasions. I'm bad about saving nice or pretty things for "special occasions" and they sit in the cabinet and never get used.  Not this year!

I'm trying out some new thread that Odd Balls carries.  It's a rayon thread, which is very different than cotton, about a size 12.  It's a very pretty purple shade that feels very nice to work with.  The biggest problem is that it's soft and rayon.  If the stitches are tight rings do not close completely.  I've been working with it, practicing rings and I'm getting the hang of it.  I'm hoping it works out because I've seen some very pretty things made with this brand of thread.  Any body else tried it?

I haven't gotten any snowflakes done yet, I keep getting side-tracked!  Okay, okay, Wanda,  stop procrastinating and get on with it!!!

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand - and melting like a snowflake."
Francis Bacon, Sr.