Merry Christmas!

Yesterday, I stopped wrapping presents so that I could open my Tatting Forums Christmas exchange package. I was so excited to see that my package was from Patti Duff! My favorite is the tatted lanyard. I think I'm going to be working with my copy of Mini-Tats by Patti Duff in the new year! Thank you, Patti!

I still have packages to wrap, beds to make, kitchen to clean, an afghan to finish, and grocery shopping on my list for today. Joanne and Jan arrive today. Andrea, Jake, Lily, and Ella arrive either late tonight or tomorrow. Alison, Dan, Evan, Aidan, and Carol will all come on Saturday. We will have a houseful!

I don't see any tatting in my future until after the New Year... then I'll be going great guns! I'll be reading blogs when I can, but I probably won't be posting for the next week or ten days, so I'll take this opportunity to wish all my blogging buddies a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

O shuttle tree, o shuttle tree!

I needed a place to display some of my shuttles, and I didn't feel like washing my tatted snowflakes (they're quite dusty and dull looking, probably from being left on display since I bought the tree a few years ago). So, I now have a shuttle tree!

If I have time before family arrives for Christmas, I'll get those snowflakes washed and back in place. It should be a pretty sight!

Jackie's hanky

I finished Jackie's hanky about an hour ago, and I love the way it turned out!

The hanky is linen. It was one from a lot of hankies I won on eBay about a year ago. The white is much softer than the color that shows up on my monitor. The thread is size 30 Fincrochet that I purchased at the Lafayette Lacers Lace Day last spring. I think the thread is really soft, so it was perfect for this older linen hanky.

So, Jackie will have something old and blue for her wedding. I love making wedding gifts!

Reconnected!

Talk about withdrawal! Keeping in touch with my blog buddies has become such a big part of my life, that I think I was suffering far more than I imagined possible with no Internet access from home for nine whole days!

Yes, I have been doing my best to keep up by using my smart phone, but it just isn't the same. I NEED my computer!

One advantage to being disconnected was that I did a lot of reading. I read the entire Hunger Games trilogy in eight days. What a great series! I didn't realize until we went Christmas shopping this past weekend that the series is being made into a movie. I'm usually disappointed with movies after reading books, but I'm sure looking forward to this one!

I received a lovely surprise from madtatter80 this past week. Isn't this a beautiful little case? And inside...

a hand carved Sea Turtle Shuttle! The detail is amazing!

I also finished a beaded bag for a teacher at school, who's getting married New Year's Eve. This isn't Jackie's bag. I forgot to take a picture of hers. This is the one I made for daughter Joanne's wedding in August 2010. Somehow, they each turn out a little differently!

I'm almost finished with Jackie's wedding hanky. I'll take a picture as soon as I've finished.

Today I was really excited to receive my Christmas shuttle from Chris and Erin Hinton at The Shuttle Shop!

Isn't it angelic? Sorry... I just couldn't resist! : )

Feeling out of touch

I've only had about one hour of Internet access for the past week. I'm doing my best to keep up using my phone, but I'm losing patience! I hope my Internet provider fixes this problem quickly.

In the meantime, I'm reading and tatting as much as I can. I hope to be back online soon!

Christmas Giveaway Winner

Please forgive my late post. Our Internet service has been out since early Sunday morning, so I'm trying to post from my husband's iPad. I hope this works!

I really wanted to post the winner this morning so that it would be just like Christmas, but better late than never!

Oh, did you want to know the winner's name?

Drum roll, please...

Sharren - Tatting in Greenwood, SC

Congratulations, Sharren! I think I have your address somewhere, but would you mind sending it to me again? Thanks!

A big thank you to all who entered the drawing! I wish I could send a gift to each and every one of you!

Christmas is coming!

...and that always means presents under the tree!

What is that I see? Tatting goodies? I have to get a closer look...

Wow! An origami pouch, Lizbeth thread, and blinged Starlit shuttles! I guess it must be time for a Christmas giveaway!

Yes, dear friends, this is a Christmas giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win this entire Christmas set. That's right... only one lucky person will receive the whole shebang!

When will the drawing be? I'm thinking about December 6, Saint Nicholas Day. Good luck to all!