New Cards

I got some new rubber stamps last month from a company called Faerie Song Art Stamps that appealed to my love of rodents - Fairy Mice and Mer-Mice. These cards use one of each images. The snow mer-mouse also uses a blue poinsettia from Fred, She Said Designs.

Long Time Gone

I know its been a while since I've posted anything. Sorry, but I am in the middle of two big projects with no known finish time. So, to make sure you don't forget me I am posting two watercolor paintings I did recently. Both are experiments in monochromatic effects. I think they turned out quite good. I am thinking of entering one of them in the fair this year, but I'm not sure which one. Why don't you help me decide with your comments. I am 50/50 on them, so any help would be appreciated.

CITADEL

INNERSPACE

25 Motif Challenge -#25

Well, I've done it! Another 25 motifs under my belt. Not all of them were small either. There was several large doilies in the mix. This is my last time doing this as I've got some other projects I need to do or finish this year now that I am feeling better. I have enjoyed the challenge and thank all of you that put together this project/challenge.

Maple Leaf Motif

by Tammy M. Rodgers

HH Lizbeth size 20 color 138

25 Motif Challenge #24

I had to clear out a couple of shuttles and found that the colors coordinated, so I did this little quickie for my number 24.....

Simplicity

by Lyn Morton in TATTING PATTERNS

HH Lizbeth size 20 colors 670 & 156

2 1/4" diameter

25 Motif Challenge - #23

I love this design. It is a frilly feminine heart done in one round. You do have to be careful, though, when tatting this one to keep all your counts accurate and the motif untwisted.

Heart's Desire

by Susan Fuller

HH Lizbeth size 20 color 156

31/4" across

25 Motif Challenge - #22

This is a wonderful small motif useful for many projects. It was extremely easy. I'm enjoying the smaller motifs as a break from doilies.

Tatted Rose Medallion

by Nancy Tracy

HH Lizbeth size 20 color 153

2" diameter

25 Motif Challenge - #21

I'm getting closer to the finale again. :) I've been having fun playing with all my new threads I got myself for Christmas. No more being bored by the same old thread every time.

Tatted Star Bright

by Nancy Tracy

HH Lizbeth size 20 color 104

5" across

25 Motif Challenge - #20

A simple fun motif using two colors of thread for a Celtic look.

Celtic Style Christmas Wreath

by Birgit Phelps

HH Lizbeth size 20 colors 117 & 104

2 1/2" across

25 Motif Challenge - #19

I finally finished the second Petal Doily! I am VERY tired of pink right now and don't plan on using any time soon. The actual tatting is very simple, but you have to be very careful when you join the petals. They are easy to twist and miss connections. I think I'm going to do small things for a while. ;)

Tatted Petal Doily

unknown pink thread

12" across

25 Motif Challenge - #19

I was going to make a post of a motif, but apparently the image in on my desktop (with the dead monitor). So............I am almost finished with the petal doily soI'll post that instead.

25 Motif Challenge - #18

I'm still plodding away on the Petal Doily, but I found a motif I had done to use up thread on my shuttle. It's a teeny thing but excellent for tatting off leftover thread.

Motif #28

from Motifs for Marie

by Kaye B. Judt

unknown pink variegated thread

3/4"across

Missing in Action / Christmas Cards

Sorry for being gone so long. My old computer's monitor died and everything for the blog I have been doing is stuck on the tower. I have to get some cases to salvage my hard drives and make them portable drives. So I had to establish my laptop as the main computer and load files I needed, hook up to the internet, let Windows update itself several times a day (I never connected the laptop to the internet). I am also working on another tatted Petal Doily which takes time. So I thought I would share my Christmas cards I am sending out this year.

I started with Canson Watercolor Greeting Cards for the base since they would be good and sturdy. I found a poinsettia pattern in one of my painting book and used a lightboard to trace onto the cards. I then colored the base colors with BIC and Sharpie markers. Highlights and shadows were added with Prismacolor pencils. The inside message was printed, torn to fit, and then edged with Real Red Ancient Page by Stampin' Up.

CARD FRONT

INSIDE

25 Motif Challenge # 17

This motif finished off the first end of unknown threads. One down - a gazillion to go...........

Motif #17

from Motifs for Marie

by Kaye B. Judt

unknown ivory thread

1 1/4" across

25 Motif Challenge #16

Motif #2

from Motifs for marie

by Kaye B. Judt

unknown ivory thread

1 1/4" across

25 Motif Challenge #15

A few years ago I was given a huge amount of old tatting thread. It was all rolled into balls with no identification as to brand or size. A good portion of it was very fine and slick and it has taken me some time to feel up to using it. It is actually easy to use and not that hard to see if I use my 'super-cheater' glasses. :) Unfortunately, I don't have enough of any one ball to do anything big, so there may be a lot of little stuff being done for a while.

I bought a new book from my tatting dealer this month called Motifs for Marie by Kaye B Judt. It is nothing but small motifs that should help me clean out my stash so I'll have room for the new threads coming out!

St. Pat's Day Doily

by Heather

unknown ivory thread

2 3/4" diameter

25 Motif Challenge - #14

This is a fun little motif that works up quickly and works well on fabric Artist Trading Cards (ATC).

Tatters Round Robin for Beginners

by Georgia Seitz

Flora HH size 20 color 100

2 1/4" across

25 Motif Challenge - FINISHED!!! (number 13)

Sorry I've been missing for so long. Several things added up to make a simple project become a huge undertaking. We had a heat wave, my arthritis slowed my tatting to a crawl, and I developed a breathing problem which has also slowed me to a crawl. But enough of the whining ....

I actually enjoyed working on this doily. It is designed very simply. If they pay VERY close attention to he joining I think a beginner could tat this and not go nuts doing so.

Tatted Petal Doily

from Star Book 66

Flora HH size 20 colors 100 & 670

13" diameter

25 Motif Challenge - In Progress

I'm currently working on a large project, and you might think me MIA if I didn't check in. This is the Tatted Petal Doily from Star Book 66. The end result looks like a flower - a circular center with eight petals.

I had recently bought some new threads and the screamed to be used for this project. My scanner wasn't perfect in the color - the 'brown' in both threads is actually a beautiful deep cranberry and the yellow is a brighter yellow. The scan shows the center, the center ring of the petals, a cloverleaf used in shaping the petal, and round 1 of a petal. Since this is so modular, I am doing all of a segment at a time. It seems to be going faster since I can quickly memorize the current piece's pattern.

Zentangling Fun

If you still don't know what Zentangle is, check out zentangle.com for information. I enjoy the relaxation it encourages. This first piece was from a pattern coloring book. The first image is the untouched page.

This is the completed Zentangle done by using the pre-drawn pattern as the string. All of this is done with a .01 disposable technical pen.

This is a bit different. I had a tank top that had gotten dingy and lightly stained. I took a very fine Sharpie pen and did a Zentangle on the shirt for a unique piece of art.

25 Motif Challenge - #12

Foldover Bookmark

desighed by Jon Yusoff 2010

Flora HH color 53 size 20

5 3/4" long