Summer fun has begun!

It's been very hot here the last three days... 98 Sunday, 97 Monday, 90 today.

Luckily, a friend of Joanne's gave her a pool, and the kids have spent a lot of time cooling off in it.

When it got too hot outside, we played hide and seek inside. When the kids had their sunglasses on, I couldn't find them anywhere!

They would surprise me by taking off their sunglasses. They loved "hiding" from Grandma!

Sophia chose a pink heart and pink ribbon to complete this Orange Crush Ice Drop.

Then she wound my shuttle for the next Ice Drop. No, I haven't worked on it yet.

I worked some more on my freeform crochet class while Joanne and the kids were napping. I'm not sure how long this fascination will last, but I'm having fun with it!

Fun and games

 

Joanne and her kids arrived around 1 p.m. yesterday. After putting all their things away and eating lunch, we spent the afternoon outside. The kids pulled out all their toys and played on the porch, ran through the sprinkler, and fed the chickens. It was a loud, hot, glorious afternoon!

As for tatting, I did almost finish an Ice Drop before everyone arrived. However, I made a big mistake.  I forgot five double stitches before doing a lock join. Usually, I'm pretty good about picking out a lock join... not this time. After about 20 minutes of trying, I had such a mess, I just snipped it off and threw it out. Maybe I'll have time to try again today... maybe!

Fabulous!

We had a gorgeous day here today! I spent a lot of time outside cleaning the porch, walking, swinging, enjoying the weather. I'll have to spend time working on the inside tomorrow, as daughter Joanne and her three kids are arriving for a three week visit.

I did take a little time to tat today, another Ice Drop of course!

A little more orange

Today was one of those days that just flew by. I know I did a lot of little things around the house, but I didn't make any significant progress with anything. I'm okay with that. I just wish I had done something that was noticeable!

I did take time to tat an Ice Drop. I do love Orange Crush!

Orange Crush

I've probably said this before, but orange has never been a color that I cared for. However, I find that I really like Lizbeth Orange Crush. I think it makes a great Ice Drop!

I did not get called in to sub today, so I was free to attend our monthly retiree's lunch. I also had time to work on a Craftsy class on freeform crochet that I recently purchased. I'm hoping to pick up some skills that will allow me to crochet without a pattern. So far, so good!

Another weekend flies by!

Did you watch Royal Wedding on Saturday? I did! Yup... I was up at 4 a.m. and watched all the coverage. The wedding was much less formal than William and Kate's, but it still had enough glamour to keep me glued to the t.v.!

While watching, I tatted an Ice Drop. What else would I do? :-)

I remember watching all of William and Kate's wedding, but it didn't correspond to anything significant in my life, so it's hard for me to remember when it was. However, I clearly remember Charles and Diana's wedding. They were married on daughter Carol's due date. She was a smart girl and waited to be born the next day! My sister and I were glued to the t.v. in our respective homes, and we whispered excitedly about every detail of the wedding. We whispered so that we wouldn't wake our husbands!

I didn't tat anything on Sunday. Grandson Aidan had his 8th grade graduation, so Dave and I drove up for the celebration in the afternoon. Look at that... Aidan is almost as tall as me!

Today was another sub day. I'll bet you're getting tired of reading that statement! The seniors have graduated, so I didn't have full classes most of the day. Lucky me... time to tat!

I was thrilled to receive a special parcel today from England. Several months ago, I was contacted for permission to publish my basic Ice Drop pattern in the Ring of Tatters newsletter. Naturally, I agreed!

I am flattered more than you can imagine! I never would have thought that anything I designed would ever be published anywhere. Thank you, members of Ring of Tatters! You have made me feel very special!

Last minute call

I was called in to sub again today. This time I subbed for a sub! It doesn't happen often, but even subs get sick. Luckily, I had tatting in my bag!

These are both my Minty Fudge pattern. I finished the Victorian Red one at school (I had started it at home last night). I tatted the Springtime Ice Drop when I got home.

I do love being able to complete projects in a short amount of time!

What happened to Wednesday?

I really don't know! I thought I blogged yesterday, but I can't find any evidence to prove that I did. I guess I've been busier than I thought!

Yesterday I was a floating sub, covering classes while teachers attended end of the year meetings. I really got around... second grade, middle school lunch, high school math middle school p.e., shredding papers in the office, and high school resource.

Despite all the bouncing around, I managed to tat an Ice Drop. This was an experiment and I like it, but I felt like the outer rings were too small.

So, today I tatted the same design with slightly larger rings. I like this one much better! I also found time to tat my Minty Fudge pattern.

Although I've thoroughly enjoyed subbing this year, I'm ready for the school year to be over. There's so much I want to do at home, and I just haven't gotten around to accomplishing much of anything. Daughter Joanne will be arriving next weekend, and I'm hoping she will be able to motivate me to get started with reaching my goals!

More doodles

The past few days have just flown by. Mother's Day was beautiful, but we didn't do anything special other than enjoy the day. I've been busy subbing, which has left little time for tatting or any other needlecrafts that I enjoy.

Luckily, I always have a tatting bag in my purse so that I can tat when I have a few free minutes.

I didn't have a pattern in front of me, but the designs are very similar to patterns I've tatted before.

As long as no one asks me for patterns, I'm okay!

To frill or not to frill, that is the question!

Yesterday I subbed for middle school language arts. With the school year winding down, the students were busy finishing up reading and writing projects, which meant mainly supervision on my part.

Is this a pattern I've tatted before? I don't know, and I'm too lazy to compare it to my patterns to see! These are both the same pattern. I tatted the one on the right first. The only difference is that the second one is loaded with picots! So, which is your choice... frilled or unfrilled?

I've been asked how many Ice Drops I've tatted by several people.

The answer is, I honestly don't know!

Since the weather's getting warmer, my house will be dustier. I love leaving the windows open in the summer, but we do get a lot of dust... just one of the joys of farm life!

So, I decided to pack away my Ice Drops for the summer.

There are 139 Ice Drops in this little box.

I know I've given away at least 300, so that gives you an idea of how addicted I am to these little bits of tatting joy!

Busy week

Between subbing in the daytime and helping Dave with paperwork at night, my week has been incredibly busy. Luckily, I managed to find some time for Ice Drops!

Dawdling

Yesterday I was doodling, and today I was dawdling. I accomplished several little around the house tasks this morning, then I subbed in the preschool this afternoon. I do like the 4 and 5 year olds, but I don't think I could have ever taught preschool full time. I don't have that much energy!

When I got home, I managed to tat one Ice Drop.

I tried something a little different this time. I tatted the short chain as part of the first round, and the long chain as part of the second round. It does look a little different, and I think I like it!

Doodling

I spent today doodling with thread. I was trying to come up with a tatted spool pin doily. I did not succeed... yet!

I do like all of the doodles I created today, and I've learned a lot about trying to tat a design without a pattern. Although I like these doodles, I'm not happy with them. I had to steam press each one in to submission, not ideal in my opinion.

I will keep on doodling. I hope to come up with a design that I really like!

Disconnected

I've pretty much been out of the loop for the past couple of days. I've been too busy for almost anything!

Thursday was a sub day in second grade. Those kids are so much fun!

Thursday night the Soup Club got together to celebrate our friend Peggy's birthday.

We must all be getting old... we all went home around 8 o'clock. We all seem to fizzle out early these days.

Friday I subbed at the high school, and then after school Bella and I went shopping. We went to JoAnn Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. Yes, we bought lots of goodies! Bella got a spool knitting kit, and I think I have her hooked! Yes, the pun was intended. :-)

I found Christmas Red thread at Hobby Lobby, so I bought a ball rather than look for the one I know I have stashed away somewhere in the house. This one is for the teacher I subbed for on Friday. I'm not sure I'll have a tree full of Ice Drops to show at the end of May. So far, I've given away every one I've tatted!

I'm trying to use things up, and I was nearly at the end of my ball of crochet cotton. It looked like I had enough for two or three spool pin doilies.

I think they look so cute!

Imagine my surprise when I was able to crochet seven spool pin doilies out of the remaining thread!

Variety is the spice of life!

Before heading off to school this morning, I worked on my granny square afghan. Yes, I was at school again today, and I will be tomorrow and Friday. This week I've been subbing for teachers who are visiting other school districts to gather new ideas to use in their classrooms, something that was encouraged when I first started teaching, but somehow got lost over the years. I'm glad to see the idea of visiting other schools coming back!

One of the high school teachers requested a Christmas Red Ice Drop. Wouldn't you know, all I could find this morning was Victorian Red. I'm sure I'll find my Christmas Red soon, but for now this will have to do.

I worked on my sock after school. I think I'm ready to turn the heel!

Windy day

Today was another sub day. I have to enjoy my sub time while I can, because school will be out June 1. Where has this year gone?

When I got home from school, I checked on the chickens. It was so windy, the chicks decided to stay in their house. However, when Dave got home from work, they braved the wind and had fun pecking around their little yard.

I had a little time to tat while subbing, so I was able to make two Ice Drops. The art teacher really liked them, so I added ribbons when I got home, and I will give them to her when I sub at the high school again on Friday. She was interested in my tatting shuttles, and she said she would try to create a flat shuttle for me. I would be thrilled to have one made just for me by Amanda!

This is Dave's busy time of year, so I had a few hours of time to myself after school. I finally started my socks after taking a class on German short row heels with Denise on Saturday. These are worsted weight socks that I will wear around the house. I'm using k3 p1 ribbing, which I haven't tried before. I do like the look! I'm using I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby and size 6 needles. The color is Agean Stripe. It's been quite a few years since I've knit socks, and I figured it was better to start with worsted weight before tackling fingering weight. So far, so good!