Camera isn't cooperating....

I was *going* to do a post today about tatting tools. It always interests me to see the tools other people use in their crafts, especially tatting tools. I think I have a relatively small stash & number of tools, but I find that asking, alot of times, shows me something I either need or don't need. But. Since I can't get a picture of my tool bag to take in a way that you can tell it isn't just a yellow blob of stuff I won't. But feel free to show & tell what you keep in your bag. I have a few things in mine all the time, & a few I put in for special occasions. How bout you?
I *do* have a picture or two from my last couple of days' worth of tatting.

 This is a snowflake from my Vida Sunderman (hope I spelt that right!) book. It's always interesting to me to see what a simple change of color can do to an item. This is called "Trefoil Snowflake" but with black thread & pink beads it doesn't look very "snowy" does it? I made a few pairs of earrings from the leftover black thread, but haven't go pictures of them & the light isn't very good here right now. Maybe later :)

I've never added beads at my joins before, but looking at all Fox's pretty beads made me want to try it. Unfortunately, this is what happened. It's not a very clear picture, but you can see the bend can't you? That's the only #14 crochet hook I happen to have in my possession at the moment. Grr.. But I did get it straightened out a little. Enough to make do until I need enough new supplies to justify the shipping it would cost to get a new one sent to me. My hobby lobby doesn't carry them that small that don't come in a kit & I certainly won't spend $14 for one crochet hook that I only use when I'm using beads or small thread (not that often)!! So I guess I'll just have to be super careful, right?
There are a few other small things in my bag right now, but I don't have pictures of them & likely won't until they're finished. Also in my purse I've got a small star pattern that I'm working on. It's pretty much a memorized thing, & I'm making it until I empty 2 full shuttles & I'll probably move on to something else. They're a gold color I'm no particularly fond of, but I think they'd make good Christmas decorations or crazy quilt add ons. They'll definitely hit my Etsy listings when I get a suitable number. At least they're good enough to keep me busy in the truck back & forth between shows.... Ahh the horse shows....
 I think when I get bored with snowflakes & angels again I might just pick up one of my "resting" WIP's.... Maybe the blue one or the rose garden thing... Well it would have to be one of them because they're the only ones I have that aren't finished.
Back to horse shows.... I'm pretty sure I've never done as poorly as I did at the last one. I actually almost fell off & stopped in the middle of my pattern. Two things I've NEVER done in my life. Back to the drawing board before another show. Seems I've neglected to teach Horse that he can't just sling around a barrel at full speed like a lunatic - he actually runs faster around a barrel than he does between; this causes him to drop his shoulder & slam both of us into them. Yep, that hurts the shins considerably. To look at me you'd think someone beats me with a broom handle from lower knees to upper ankle. I'd forgotten how bad a metal drum feels agains the leg. Fortunately, there aren't any shows until mid Novermber so I have time to work on it. Checking up at the barrels is a must for this little pony apparently... For the sake of my mobility!! I'm also working on picking up some speed. It's not him, it's purely my nerves that make us go so slow. Does anybody have any suggestions to help with anxiety? It's never been this bad & it keeps getting worse. It isn't the horse, it's the people standing around the fence. Though I'd never tell him, it's alot to do with the fact that my Daddy is standing there watching.... He's not critical or hateful.... I guess it's just an exageration of when I was a kid & I always did a little better when he was standing there at the fence... Made me push harder I guess lol Am I a weanie? Why yes, Yes I am! But if ya'll know of any (non-medicinal) helpers with the crazy nerves, I'd appreciate it greatly!
Enjoy your day!

For once....

All my dishes are done, all the bills are paid for the week. My floors are mopped, & my bathroom is clean. All my laundry is even washed, folded, AND put away....Untatter is watching "Word World", so she doesn't have any interest in Mommy - unless I choose to bring out my tatting bag.

So I can't do that, despite having nothing else to keep my hands busy. So. I'm talking to you about the things I've been doing.

This is the beginnings of my new carry around tatting bag. It's not sewn together yet, just laid up there. It's scraps from a pair of jeans that finally gave up the ghost when I put my foot in the stirrup to get on my horse the other day... Yeah, my drawers were showing. Fortunately, I was at home & no one saw! The light part is where I made my pocket. I wanted the outside of the denim showing inside the pocket.

 This is the crochet "outside" of my bag. I'm not a good sewer, or a great crocheter, but I can muddle my way through a few basic stitches, one being the double crochet. That's what this is done in. I had this yarn laying around the house. Found it under the bed a month or so ago when I was looking for something else & have been pondering what to do with it. I honestly thought I'd either used up or given away all my yarn, but I have a bag of this stuff - it amounts to about 4 skeins! Eek! I like it though... It's a nice, soft, denimy color of blue & white, & it seems pretty strong. Survived the Untatter tug of war last night.... When I get the last piece made to cover up the inside pocket, I have a swatch made that I'm going to sew to the back outside to put maybe a pattern in. I'm thinking it needs a pretty button or something on the outside, aren't you?? :)

 This is my tatting project in the works.  Yep, it's blue too. I'm alot like Lace Lovin Librarian in that I love blue. I always have. Can't control myself, sometimes it just shows up. I'm not sure if this will be a table cloths, a runner, or just a big square doily.

 It works up in individual motifs, & since I don't know split rings or chains, I have to cut & tie them each. But I don't mind. I actually kind of enjoy finishing each one & checking it out before I move on to the next. It was meant to be worked as four of the motifs, & be around 5"x5".... But I did the four & decided I wanted to do more. The plan originally was to work until I got tired of it or until I finished that ball of thread, then decide what I wanted to do with it. It's Lizbeth, so I figure I'll be able to get more. It was a break from the Rose Garden doily, & from the snowflakes & angels. I get bored easily nowdays. I think it's this time of year - I'd rather be outside, but sometimes it's just too hot to have Untatter outside for long periods of time.

This is the pattern. It's by Cherie Wheeler, if your screen won't show that up. I've had it for ages & never even tried it. I'm glad I finally looked at it & thought "oh this will be easy enough for me" :) If anybody wants it, I can send you a link. The web address shows up on my printout. It was a free pattern. Thank goodness for those generous people who design & post!!
I've also been riding every chance I get. I'm hoping by January (when the new NBHA season starts) I'll be ready enough to join again & start racing. I've missed it so much! It's been almost 5 years since I turned a can in competition & I never really realized how much a part of me it was until I got on another good horse. I've had horses in that time - one mare I'll have until she goes to heaven; I just can't really ride her anymore, & a less than great one I'm glad is gone... Even if I did lose money when I sold her, it was worth it - but none that truly touched my heart like Chico has done. No, I didn't name him. It's a part of the registered name he had when Daddy decided we matched. My father has this way of doing things so you don't realize it until it's already done... He asked me to ride this horse as a favor to him.  A month later, the papers were transfered & he was mine - or I was his, depending on who you ask! I'd have never taken a horse from him for nothing. Haven't done that since Melody (I've had her 15 years), the mare I'll always keep.  Much less one of the quality... Well now I'm bragging. Let's just leave it at I don't deserve it, but I have a wonderful father that still looks after me even though I'm almost 26 & have a small family of my own. He is truly a blessing that I thank God for every single day. Enough mushy stuff.
I've also been searching thread online. They've discontinued my favorite (Flora), and so I've been kind of searching here & there for something else nice. I use Lizbeth, but it's kind of hit or miss in the quality I've been able to find. Even when I order from Handy Hands, some of it is just.... not right. It could very well be just my taste in thread, but I just don't care for it. I love the colors, but I just don't care for the thread. So now, I'm asking if any of you have any suggestions. What kind of thread do you favor??? :)
Enjoy your day!

After Mother's Day

Mother's day is over...finally. I've never been a huge fan of card company holidays. Especially the ones that remind me of the deficiancies in my life. I am a mother, but for various reasons, I don't have one. Well I do have one - & a person that used to be my step mother & who raised me actually - I just don't for very different reasons associate with those people. It's the best thing for both my & Untatter.
On to happier subjects. My mother's day was wonderful - spend it with my amazing daughter & husband. Brother & Daddy were both given much deserved off days. They both work for power companies here in North Alabama so after the storms here you can imagine how they've been working! I got to ride with Sister, & I got a new tatting project to start.
I didn't get to tat any, but I did make a plan with Brit (Brother's girlfriend) to start a pair of barefoot sandals. Of course I looked to TotusMel's Queen's Feet Barefoot Sandals. I've never done a pair & had to print it out for Brit to see, & she wants a slight modification - she doesn't want the long chains to wrap around her leg. She wants them to fasten behind her heel.... Hmmm... Good thing I have plenty of time to work on this with her! Started them last night & should have one of  them done tonight sometime. They're suprisingly easy to make once I read the pattern. Not that I'd have been able to design it, just that it's easy to make up when you read it. TotusMel is awesome.
I also have my MPD in the works. Still on the third round.... I just have to get to it. And the cabone rings are in my bag with some sample thread that there isn't enough of to make anything of size with it. I just have to get to that too. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some pictures of at least the sandal & MPD to show you tomorrow.  Maybe a cabone ring too. I promise to try to start posting more pictures.
Enjoy your day

Today

No tatting for this post - I've been busy! I live in Northeast Alabama as some of you may know & we've had some terrible weather here the last few days. Thankfully, my family, friends, animals, & home are all okay. I'm so thankful & my heart goes out to all those around me that are less fortunate. As it stands, my sister & I are responsible for my father's 20 acres & all the horses, dogs, & etc that go with it. He works for a power company, as does my brother, & they're both working "can till can't" at the moment.
If you know someone who works for an electric company, do me a favor tell them Thanks. They're not like the military, but they're very important people! My brother was electrocuted & actually died & was brought back once a couple of years ago. He still has skin graft scars & a messed up tattoo. I thank God every day I still have him! I can't tell you how many times I've talked to my Daddy when he'd just come down off the top of a power pole in the middle of a driving storm. The go out & keep the lights on so you don't have to sit in the dark when it comes a tornado. Thank them.
ON a happy note, I have a FOLLOWER!!! Thanks Michelle!!
I also want to shoot out a Thank You to all the online tatters (mostly at Intatters that I know of) who are kind enough to be concerned about us Southerners right now. We greatly need your prayers, & I'm always overwhelmed at the outpouring of kindness from the Tatting Community!! Thanks my friends!!
Enjoy your day!