What’s in a name?

I finished the test tat of my diagram of the heart bookmark. I found out that I had forgotten several chains in the diagram, but added them in where they should have been. I made several other changes, too, like joining several picots together where the diagram indicated to join to only one. I just thought it looked much better that way. There are a couple of not-so-pretty spots where I made a mistake and you can tell it’s a correction, but as this is a trial anyway I went on anyway. There are also a few things about the heart at the end I want to change to make it look more like the rest. Over-all I am very happy with this bookmark, and found that, barring my missing chains, it tatted up pretty much like I expected. For this attempt I used Lizbeth Ocean Turquoise Dark, #657, in size 20.

Design © 2011 Wanda Salmans

The main problem I have now is I’d like to have a name for it, to put on the pattern when it’s done. I’ve never been great at naming my patterns, they’ve always been things like “Fall bookmark” and “December 20xx snowflake”. So I thought I’d have a little naming contest. As I just thought of this I have no idea what the prize will be, but if you would like to make a name suggestion on this post I’ll choose the one I like best and send a little something as a thank you. As the next week is going to be pretty busy I’ll announce the winner in two weeks, so you have that long to make a suggestion.

The tea for today’s Tatting Tea Tuesday is a cup of Tazo Refresh tea with a little bit of honey. I haven’t had mint tea with honey in it since I was a little girl visiting my grandmother. Somehow sugar has become the sweetener of choice, leaving honey on the shelf. It makes for a nice change.

For all that I got some tatting done this last week was busy as well. Last week one of my daughters had a daughter herself, so I’m a grandma again! The tatting for today will be in pink.

“No one likes change except babies in diapers.”

One pair done!

I have one pair of baby booties done! Tomorrow I’ll see how this pair fits the youngest – he’s three weeks old now.

I have another bootie done that is a little bit bigger for the older of the boys. But I don’t know how close it is. I’ve got a couple of ideas to see if it’s close. Then I’ll know if I have only one more to make or another set. Let’s hope just one!

I haven’t had time to take pictures of them yet, but when I get the chance I will get them posted.

I actually kept track of how long it took me to get one bootie done this time and it was a lot longer than I thought! Mostly I just pick up whatever I’m working on whenever I get the chance and it’s done when it’s done. I think I like it better that way, but when you have a deadline you have to keep your eye on the clock. And this deadline is coming up fast!

I’d better get back to work!

And now that everything is back to normal I can finally post a picture of the goodies I got from Lorena, Rose Chic Friends, for the drawing on her blog. She sent lots of beautiful things – mostly in pink! There was a painted ball ornament and a paper one, a cozy, a journal, a lovely clay rose bouquet, a clay flower lapel pin and beaded earings, two spatulas (with pink hearts!), a post-it pad, and two Thanksgiving decorations that I put on the table for supper – I made it home in time to use them! My daughters oohed and awed over my winnings. They both like pink. Thank you, Lorena, for drawing my name! You do beautiful work. I was unable to wear the pin or earings this weekend because I held the baby (a lot) and didn’t want to hurt him or me. But I know just what they’ll go with on Sunday to church!

Tatting and still visiting the grandbaby

I’m still in Omaha with the grandson, enjoying seeing him discover his new world. It’s so great! He’s spending more time awake so more time for us to watch him learn to move and react to sound and light. He’s so much more fun to watch than TV!

I have been getting some tatting done. This little doily is made with size 30 DMC Cebelia in Ecru. It measures about 4 1/2 inches across at the points. I spent just over a day doing the seven inside motifs and three days trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the outside. I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like but just couldn’t get it to come out right. I started five different times and and cut it off four times. I’m not sure it’s really what I wanted it to be but I was just ready for it to be done! I can live with it, and it will make someone a nice gift for Christmas.

I’ve started another something, I’m not sure yet if it will be a snowflake or a doily. It’s in pink and blue – remember, I don’t have a lot of choice of colors. You’d think that in a city as big as Omaha there would be someplace that sells more thread choices than a few colors in DMC size 8 and size 80 and white and ecru in size 10 or 20. So far, I haven’t found that place. Of course, I’m looking on line so I could have missed a place some where but I don’t want to take that much time to do it in person. Kinda of disappointed though, I’ve been having some pretty neat ideas, but in colors and sizes I don’t have with me! I’ll just have to write them down and try them when I get home.

A few days ago the package from Lorena Rosechicfriends arrived at my house -what she sent me for winning her 100 post giveaway. As I’m in Omaha and not at home I haven’t see it yet. I will share a picture of the goodies with everyone as soon as I get home and see them myself. I’m excited to see what she sent!
This week is Thanksgiving here in the States. I’m not sure yet what exactly we’re going to be doing. We are trying to figure out if my daughter and her husband are going to try making a traditional Thanksgiving dinner – turkey, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, etc, – or do something a bit different. But whatever it is it probably won’t be with the entire family – my other daughter and her husband, our parents and siblings – because they are all in Kansas. But whatever we do they will be in our thoughts as people we are thankful for. And I wish all of you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving as well.