It's so hard to be good!

...especially when luscious new threads arrive in the mail! Do you recognize these? They're from Tatskool... Chocolate Sauce, Raspberry Sorbet, Raspberry Ripple with Real Vanilla... Oh, how I want to tat! However, schoolwork calls. I've just started the third of my summer classes, and there is a ton of reading to do. I'm not complaining... I'm just finding it hard to focus with so many fun things waiting for me!


My nephew Erich is getting married on September 5, Mom and Dad's anniversary. It will be a special day! I'm making his lovely fiance Yvette a beaded bag from Encyclopedia of Crochet by Donna Kooler. I use the term making very loosely. I've only strung 30 beads, and I need 250 for the first side alone!


I'm going to try very hard to complete my class by the end of next week so that I have plenty of time to play!

I missed my blogaversary!

...with good reason! I was overwhelmed with the gift of family for my birthday! My sister Janet drove down Monday night, and we sat up 'til midnight talking. Janet took me out to breakfast yesterday morning, and then helped me set up my new refrigerator, and clean up the old one. Thank you, Janet! (Thank goodness there's one person in the family who gets pleasure out of cleaning! By the way, that's not me!)


Andrea, Jake, Lily, and Ella are visiting from Minnesota. Alison, Eva, and Aidan came down for the day (poor Dan had to work). Carol fixed a fabulous Italian feast for dinner. Dave surprised me with a luscious strawberry filled birthday cake, decorated with blue roses... blue is my favorite color, and roses are my favorite flower. Joanne couldn't be here, but she did call and sing me the birthday dirge, which my sister Janet taught us years ago... you probably don't want to know that one! ; )


So, that's why I missed my blogaversary. I can't believe I've been blogging for two years! I've met some wonderful people through this blog, and the urge to post has kept me tatting. I guess I'll just have to see if I can keep it going for another two years!

L.A.C.E. Day fun!

I took a break from studying yesterday and attended the L.A.C.E. Day event in Downers Grove, IL. I almost forgot to go! Luckily, Dave and I were talking Friday night, and he asked me what time I had to leave for my "thing." He's never quite sure what I'm up to! : ) If he hadn't brought it up, I might have forgotten and stayed home to work on my class!

What a lovely group of ladies! They were very welcoming and encouraging! As I was checking in I heard, "Hello, Diane." It was Gina, the Tatting Goddess! I had attended the lace event hosted by Gina's guild in April. What fun! Two lace events in two months! As Gina was introducing me to her sister Linda, I saw Marilee Rockley, Yarnplayer, sitting at a table! I met Marilee almost two years ago at Harvest Days. While we girls were chatting, Barbara Gordon came over! My day was made, and I'd been there less than 10 minutes! The picture is a bit fuzzy. I forgot to take my camera, so this was taken with my phone. Left to right: me, Marilee, Barbara, Gina, Linda.

Gina, Linda, and Barbara were off to a bobbin lace class, so Marilee and I went to the vendor room. Oh, my goodness! Talk about sensory overload! Several of my favorite vendors were there! If Dave had any idea of how much money I COULD spend on lacemaking supplies, he'd probably suffer from heart palpitations! All of the vendors were very knowledgeable, and very friendly. It was hard to not buy something from everyone... oh, wait! I think I did! Well, all but one. I really wanted a pillow stand for my bobbin lace pillow, but I didn't have any more money to spend!


In the afternoon, I participated in a Kumihimo class and made this pretty little Princess Charming Scissors Fob. It's supposed to have beads at the end of the tassel, but mine just looked messy, so I cut of the beads and decided to just have fringe. We were told that the idea behind using beads is that if you drop your scissors, the beads will hit the ground first and save the tips of your scissors.

I wish I had taken my camera. There was a display of the most beautiful lace you can imagine, and there was a lady demonstrating bobbin lace. The day provided the mental break I really needed!

Mixed Bouquet

While working on a Top Secret project, I became inspired to tat this beautiful little motif in Altin Basak #3003 and Lizbeth #684 Leaf Green Med. The pattern is Mixed Bouquet from A Pattern Book of Tatting by Mary Konior. The original is shown in white, and is very pretty, but I think the design really pops when done in color.

Taking a break from classes

I'm taking three leadership classes this summer, and possibly a fourth, which will keep me pretty busy! Since I need all my brain power for writing papers, I'll be sticking to easy-to-remember patterns until I'm finished. I completed my first class yesterday morning. It took me three weeks, so I'm figuring that with school out I should be able to finish all four courses over the summer.

Isn't the purple background pretty? It's my mom's latest weaving venture. I asked for scraps to make pin cushions, and she sent me this gorgeous piece. It's way too pretty to cut up for pin cushions, but if I want to share her weaving with everyone, that's what I'll have to do.

Out of my leftover ChocoRaspberry by Pamela Myers, I was able to make two Stumpy bookmarks by Kersti Anear and three little doodles. I'm not sure what I'll do with my doodles, but I have quite a few saved up for a rainy day!

Danger! Danger!

This thread may be hazardous to your waistline!


Honestly, the whole time I worked on this Spinning Wheel Glass Mat from Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior, I craved chocolate and raspberries! I could smell and taste them as I tatted. The thread is size 20 Choco Raspberry from Pamela Myers. The cravings will last for a while... I have four more skeins of this luscious thread!