More Motif’s finally!

I was trying to post at least once a week. How many times have I said I would do that? Life just gets in the way. I flat out decided I needed to make time to post today, and I even have photos to show. I still don’t have my latest tatting photographed, I’ll have to take care of that soon. But this is pretty picture heavy anyway.

Motif # 14 Remembrance Ring by Marilee Rocklee. This is being modeled by my almost niece. Since I don’t have kids, some of my friends' kids have let me become a surrogate aunt to them. The ring looks much better on her hands than on mine. It is done in size 20 Lizbeth Falling leaves and the pattern can be found here. The picture doesn’t do the ring any justice it was taken from my cell phone as I didn’t have the camera with me. Our model is now off to school, and we all miss her and are looking forward to seeing her again at Christmas.
Motif # 15 Bookmark (right) by Nancy Tracy This was done in size 20 Lizbeth Mediterranean, and the pattern can be found here.
Motif # 16 Foldover Bookmark (left) by Jon Yosuf done in size 20 Lizbeth Carousel, and the pattern can be found here.
Motif # 17 Ruffled Snow flake by Vida Sunderland. It was done in size 20 Lizbeth Seascape. The first is from the side so you can actually see the ruffles.

Here are some of my motifs waiting to get blocked and turned into Christmas ornaments.
And here is another batch of tatted motifs waiting their turn on the blocking board.
Also, since I made a post earlier about my UFOs & WISPs, I’ve decided to show that I can finish off some projects. This was finished in about 1990. It is from a magazine whose name I no longer remember, but the pattern is circled wagons. It is hand pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted.
I did get a touch more done on the powder room bow I mentioned and had pictures of in an earlier post. I haven’t worked much on it since, but here is part of the next section to be stitched.
I did however dig out an even older project. I wasn’t slated to finish this up till next year in my list of crafts. I started this angel by Rebecca Waldrop on 9-11-2001. The other cross stitch I had going at the time is a dragon attacking a castle. I just couldn’t bring myself to work on it and started Tapestry Angel instead. She is now with about 3 other angels by Rebecca Waldrop waiting to be gently washed and then turned into pillows. I almost always have at least one of the Waldrop angels in progress, but I do finish my projects VERY slowly. I’ll have to get the current 2 out and get pictures of where I’m at and also photo’s of the patterns so you can see where I‘m going with them.And here is a shot of my tatting/crafting space. That collection of creamy fabric on top of the couch's corner is a slipcover that I need to put back on the couch.
Here is a box of some of my threads,
and here is my cat Banichi checking out the threads. Actually he is checking out the plastic bags that they came in. He and I have a long running argument over whether or not cats need plastic in their diet. I say no, he says yes. Maybe if some of you weigh in on the subject and let us know what you think we will be able to settle this. I won’t hold my breath though. I don’t think either of us will change our minds.

Crafting happened, but where are the pictures?

Hi all,
I was so excited, Mom switched from dial-up internet to broadband, so I could just go to her house, visit and do my blog entries there. I am in the dark ages and don't even have dial up at my house. I've been doing my blogging from work, but off work hours. Well, I may be back to that. Mom's computer seems to be lacking in USB ports, so uploading pictures is a problem. I'm going to mess with my USB sticks, and her USB ports and maybe get both of us an external USB docking thingie so we can use all the peripherals easier. You can tell I am really up to date with all the computer lingo and such. Oh well, as long as my tolerant salesperson at the computer place can understand what I am asking for.

So anyway I haven't done much in the way of stitching or tatting, and I have pictures that I cannot upload of what little I have accomplished. The reason being, I got the rest of the DVDs for my favorite anime series. I had been putting off purchasing them as DVDs are expensive and I didn't want to spend the money. BUT, therightstuff.com had a great sale on all 8 that I didn't have yet, so I ordered them. Well once they came in I had to watch them. Plus I watch TV, and Movies almost exclusively in the language they are created in, and I am pretty mono-lingual so no hand work just reading subtitles. Anyway it was an after work and weekend marathon for the last 2 weeks. The anime in question is Saiyuki -- all three series plus the one movie that I can find commercially available in the United States. That is 101 episodes at about 23 minutes each, plus the movie, don't remember running time on it. The first 50 episodes I have seen often enough that I can stitch through them, and I even remember enough Japanese that I sometimes argue with the translations. The last 51 episodes I still have to just watch. Now if I can just get a hold of the other movie and the 2 OVAs I can loose more stitching time.

I did get another ornament tatted, and some cross stitching done on a couple of pieces. I have pictures taken, but alas will not be uploading on this post. I hope to get the pictures up soon.

Good Bye Que, and some x-stitching

Sorry I missed out on posting last week. It has been hectic for people around me. An old room-mate got a septic infection in her arm. She is now home from the hospital and recovering nicely. There were car problems, and there were emergency runs to the grocery store for those without a car. Then most unfortunately there was a sudden hospitalization and then death, complete with visitation and funeral. A beautiful gracious lady, and mother/mother-in-law to some of my longest time friends died. She was a truly wonderful lady who made everyone she met feel welcome. Her last words to her son were "God is love" as she was wheeled into surgery. I did get to the hospital in time to say goodbye, but she was unconscious. I have to believe that she heard all our I love you's and we'll miss you's. She never met a stranger and had that rare and wonderful gift of making everyone feel special. I love you Que, and I'll miss you.

Now, enough of my reasons for not posting and on to stitching:
Not much has been happening in the way of
tatting lately. I have been crafting though. I only have pictures of cross stitch. To the right are some Christmas ornaments that I finally put in their little frames and finished off. I believe they had been waiting around for finishing for 2 years. Sorry they are so washed out. I think the camera flash must be reflecting off of the little plastic protectors. I have 2 more ornaments that are waiting to get finished off, I think they will be too big for these ornaments so I will have to think of something else, and lost in my land of UFOs and WISPs are 9 ladies dancing and a partridge in a pear tree.

Next up is the fingertip towel that I listed in my goals as wanting to finish. I cannot find the colors of thread that I was using to finish all the back stitching. I will be using this myself, it isn't a gift or to sell, so I declared it done and crossed it off my list. So here are 2 items that can be crossed off that long list of goals for this year.

While I was looking for items that were on my 2010 goal list I came across a 'door bow'. It is a long piece of aida cloth with edges all finished. You just cross stitch 4 designs on different parts of it, then make that long swatch into a bow. The cross stitches are all done on the first motif/decoration. You are supposed to save all the back stitching for last, after all 4 designs are cross stitched. I may not wait that long as I can easily get bogged down and not finish a project that has just back stitching to do. Witness the fingertip towel above!



Here is where I started up again. It is the second
motif/design on the bow. I have (since this pic was taken) finished all the cross stitching on to this section and started on the 3rd design area. I do need to get more photos to show the progress.

Then in addition to my huge list of projects, I almost have another MarBek Angel kitted out to start, and I started a x-stitch that is a sampler style. I must admit that since I do regular embroidery in addition to cross stitch, I find it a bit hard to call the cross stitch pieces actual samplers. Some of them do have a variety of stitches though, so those do count.

Now as it is tatting tea Tuesday, I am off. I will tat tonight. I have had tea here at work and will not have anymore today as the caffeine would keep me awake. But there has been tea, there will be tatting, and I will try to get more pictures to show soon. And all my friends and relatives have been put on notice that they have to stay happy and healthy! And remember Que's words "God is love"