More beads beads beads

Tomorrow I am going back up to PA to meet up with some of the Ladies that I tat with up there. One of our stops is going to be the bead store that is going out of business.

I'm not sure if she has marked her beads down any further or if she will have any beads left at all. I'm hoping to pick up some more 24k Delica beads and some more crystals. I will probably be disappointed if she doesn't have anything else left. Last time I was there she had so many Delica's that she had to just dump them on a table in a huge pile. But that WAS more than a week ago.

Either way it will be a fun day hanging out with the tatting ladies.

Chris Hinton shuttles

Well, I have been trying to locate Chris Hinton to let him know that I am going to start engraving designs on my shuttles like he used to do. I just wanted to let him know out of respect for his work.

No one seems to know how to reach him. I tried emailing him and even went to his web site. The site is down and the email bounced back to me.

Shawn wants to try and make a similar shuttle like his but out of a single piece of wood and we want to engrave them. Since I can't reach him, I am going to move forward with my ideas and start making those types of shuttles in the very near future.

The engraving machine will be purchased tomorrow. I will have a brief period where I will have to learn how to use it, but I will be up and running SOON. I can't wait to get my hands on that machine. I already have ideas on shuttle designs and engraving ideas.

If you have something you would like to see on a shuttle, please let me know. I will do my best to get it done.

As Phil Robertson says " HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY "

Engraving machine

Well, Shawn and I have finally decided to get the engraving machine to add to our tools. It will open up a whole new level of abilities for our shuttles and more. I am really excited. I will be ordering it soon.
I am going to be able to do so much more to design my shuttles. I will be able to personalize them and etch pictures on them.
WOO HOO

I surrender

UGH, I give up. I just cannot get the pattern correct for Two Hearts as One by Martha Ess. I'm on row two and can't get the rings to look right intertwined. I think that I have met my match this time.

I'm going to put it down for a while and do other projects. I will visit this pattern later and see if I can figure it out.

I do have to say that I love the interlocking center rings and may just do them and turn them into earrings.

Beads, beads and more beads

Some friends and I went in together and did a bead order from Fire Mountain Gems. I spent a little bit of  money and got some really nice beads. Wendy, Mary Kay and I met on Monday for a great sort of the order. What a blast. We met at a Panera and had bead packages laying all over the place.

Well, apparently that wasn't enough for me. There is a bead store in Carlisle PA that is closing and last week I learned that they had everything marked down 60% off. So of course last Wednesday I took a ride up there and the store was closed. I thought "OK God, You are trying to tell me that I don't need any more beads"
So Shawn and I were talking and I told him about the store. We agreed that I wouldn't be able to rest if I didn't drive back up there and at least take a look.

So yesterday, I drove up there with my neice. Imagine my delight when we pulled up and the sign in the window said everything is 80% off. Woo Hoo. I went a little crazy. I couldn't help myself. She had a ton of Delica beads and I bought a ton of Delica beads. I picked up some crystals, some other beads and findings and I even treated myself to some 24K gold Delica's. 15 grams for $5.00.

Today I'm in bead overload. I now have to sort, seperate and store all of these beads.

So I'm going to call next Tuesday and see if she is going to mark her inventory down to 90% off since she's closing her doors for good at the end of this month. If so, I'm off to Carlisle PA again.

quiet evening

So, Shawn and I decided to have a nice quiet evening. We are in the living room and the TV is on but low. A football game is playing. Calvin and Jessica are down in the family room watching a movie.

We need some quiet time at home. It's been a busy weekend. Shawn and I were out all day yesterday and came home to a wonderful steak dinner that Calvin made. Amazing food. Nicholas came over after work and hung out for a while. I just love my nephew so much. He's an amazing guy. He says the funniest things. If you ever get the chance to watch a football game with him, it's a must. He doesn't like football, but commentates on all the hits. It's hard to describe. He says things like "he forgot to eat his wheaties this morning". His delivery is awesome.

Jessica's sister Rebecca came over for dinner also. It was nice to have her here. She's such a sweetheart. Usually she comes over, eats and leaves. Yesterday she hung out most of the evening. It was nice to spend some time with her. Pray only good things for her life.

So, I'm going to try and get a little tatting done. Tomorrow is Monday and I'm meeting up with some friends to sort out an order we made to Fire Mountain Gems. Good stuff.

Well, TTFN

New Hand Dyed Thread posted in my Etsy store

PHEW, I finally got the thread all photographed and posted in my Etsy store. http://www.etsy.com/shop/NAGStudio

I really love the dyeing process and creating combinations that you normally don't see. I really like the way the hot pink and grey came out. One of my favorites.

I tried to get some Christmas colors and Hanukkah colors but don't know if I was successful. I did get some fall colors done and some really interesting blues and verigated threads.

I'm exhausted. It's after 2am and I'm finally going to bed.

Good night world.

Tatting, Tatting, Tatting

UGH, I have no time to do any tatting. You'd think that because I don't work, I would be able to have a ton of time for tatting but I can never seem to get any. Some is my fault for being on the computer so much, but then I have other things I need and want to do during the day.

I finally did finish the two individual hearts and will start the Two Hearts as One celtic pattern. I am going to make time for it tomorrow because I'm going to attend a tatting meeting in Carlisle PA with Holly M. and need to leave by 4is to get to her house in time. It's about a 90 mile ride up there. I want to have something done on it before the meeting.

I also received my autographed copy of Time for Tea, a book by Martha Ess. It's so lovely and I can't wait to start the celtic tea pot.

Jessica and Calvin are still here with us. They should be going to settlement on their new home on Sept 9th. We are happy for them. A name has also been agreed on for the new baby. Her name is going to be Makayla Marie Robinson. YEAH. I had a part in naming her. So excited to be her GodMother also. Mariyah is going to be a great big sister.

So life in the Braxton house goes on.

Time for tatting

I need to make time for tatting. I haven't been able to tat as much as I've wanted to in the past few weeks. It always seems like something stops me. I either spend too much time on the computer or I find something in the house that needs to be done.

I have every intention to sit in my chair and tat, then I open the computer and before I know it, 3 hours have passed. Or I pick up my shuttles and the phone rings, someone knocks on the door or Shawn comes home.

Sometimes I see people post on FaceBook what they have tatted that day and I think "I really wish I would have tatted that much today".  Where do people find the time?

I often wonder if other people think the same thing. Maybe I need to make a schedule and stick to it.

I also need to find time to crochet, knit, learn new lace techniques, cross stitch, bead, dye thread, make shuttles, and so much more.

I love my life, but I need more of it.

Two hearts as one by Martha Ess

I've been working on the pattern - Two hearts as one my Martha Ess. I have tried it in the past and got totally confused by all of the directions to pass shuttles in and out of rings, don't close ring, etc..

So I decided to do the hearts one at a time and it finally clicked while working on the second heart. I'm so happy. I am going to finish the individual hearts to have them as reference and will work on the combined hearts as soon as I get done.

Here is the picture of Martha's heart.