woo hoo new shuttles

Last night I went to my tatting group meeting in Gettysburg PA. We had a great time, as always.

The ladies there make my life so much richer. We tat and talk and talk and tat. I had to put my tatting away because I couldn't concentrate on it with all the conversations going on.

A new lady showed up via an invitation from one of our members. The new lady is Joyce. She sells new and antique shuttles. She brought a few and left with none. I bought 2 shuttles. One double bobbin Pelc and one silver one. She is going to come back again next month. Yippee... I need to take pix of the shuttles and post them. I think I'm going to add a page to my blog of all of my shuttles. I need to keep a better record of what I have.

So we were discussing finding a name for our group. I didn't think of anything good during the meeting, but on my way home I thought of the GettOver tatters. The name is from the two cities where we meet for tatting. Gettysburg and Hanover. Who knows what we will name the group, but it going to be a fun one.

So while we were there we discussed having some "field trips". One being to my house to dye thread. I can't wait until the ladies come over and we have a fun day doing that. I can't wait to see what they will be able to come up with. Even if they can't come all the way down to my house, I can bring my supplies to PA somewhere and dye it there. My stuff is kind of portable.

We also talked about the tatting conference in April. I am getting so excited to meet Ruth Perry. A few of us are going to take her class. I requested the following classes:

Tatting bug
Celtic Cross with Interlaced Picots
Dollhouse Doily/snowflake (using sewing thread)
Tatted Amigurumi
Bluebird of Happiness or
a Tat and Chat.

I will get 4 of the 6 classes that I selected. I really really want the Dollhouse Doily class (that's the Ruth Perry class), the Bluebird and the Tatting Bug classes. I guess I'll find out soon enough. I'll be happy as long as I get classes from my list of choices.

Shawn is going to come up on Sunday and stay with me in the condo for the week. I am so excited that we get a few days alone in the mountains. Hiking, relaxing, riding on the motorcycle, and no dogs to walk. Thank God for young people who are willing to house sit and dog watch for us.

Today I got all of my exchange packages mailed out, I sent Szilvia some shuttles that she ordered and some that I sent as a gift, a huge package to my friend Donald for his daughters. That package weighed 15 lbs. and I got some thread sent to a young lady who can't afford tatting thread.

I had a very productive morning. This afternoon Nicholas came over to visit. It's always nice when my nephew just stops by to see me. He's such a good young man.

I need to make some skeins of thread so I can dye more thread and get them listed in my Etsy store. I've had a little slump at the store lately. I need to get more product listed. Shawn is working on some shuttles to list also. I have a new shuttle idea that I want to work on and see what comes of it. I also want to get those resin shuttles made. I have tons of ideas for new shuttles and need to put them on paper and then into wood.

Shawn set the lathe up a while ago, but we still need to organize the room so I can get some turning done. It stinks to have all of these ideas going on in my head and not be able to do anything with them right now. UGH. I guess I could have worse problems.

Well, off to work on Makaylee's blanket some more. I'll be happy when this afgan is done.

Tatting group tonight.

I am so happy that I get to go to tatting group tonight. This group is so much fun. It's about an hour and a half drive to get there, but it's so worth the trip every month.

I got all of my items completed for my shuttle exchange and just need to knock out two more shuttles as gifts for some friends before I mail 6 or 7 packages tomorrow. PHEW, I will be happy to get those off of my plate.

I've been decorating some plastic Boye shuttles to bring to Finger Lakes. That's been so much fun. I am getting really excited about the conference. Shawn is going to take some time off of work and come up to spend some days with me after the conference.

I am still working on Makaylee's baby blanket, a bobbin lace bookmark, one round of a round robin doily and a couple other WIPs. I want to get them all done before the conference.

Well not much else happening today. I'm going to get ready for my trip up north for the evening.

Great weekend

I had a fabulous weekend.

Friday night I went to stitching group. We had a really good time. One of the members of the group lost her mom a week ago and the group helped lift her spirits. My friend, Joyce, came with me again. She's been suffering from pain in her hands and arms for many years and she was able to tat for 30 mins. So happy for her. She is coming right along. I'd taught her to tat many years ago and inviting her to stitching group has gotten back into tatting. She's so happy to be able to craft again.

Saturday morning I got up early and drove to Gettysburg and met up with my friend, Deb. We went to Harrisburg, PA to an event called the Gathering of the Guilds. It's an event where many crafting guilds gather to have workshops and lessons in their artform. I was able to take 2 workshops. One was a needlepoint lesson for a mini sampler. The teacher was amazing and I even bought a couple of her pattern books and one kit.
While waiting for that workshop, I went to a lesson where the instructor was showing how to make a pillowcase. Ok, That seems strange. But she taught the ABCs of a pillowcase - Accent, Body, and Cuff. We learned how to make it so there were no seams showing in the accent and cuff. Then my mind was blown when I learned how to do a 'french seam'. You sew the seam on the outside first, and then turn the piece inside out and sew the seam from the inside and no raw edges show. I was so impressed.
Next I went to a class to make a basket coaster. I wove my own basket. It was so much fun. It's a small basket that is intended to be a coaster. I had so much fun with that little class.

I got home and Shawn and I had a really nice quiet evening.

Sunday, we went to church and had a great sermon. We came home and started watching the Daytona 500. Yippee, NASCAR is back. Then there was a rain delay and I took a nice 3 hour nap. I got up and worked on the shuttles for my tatting shuttle exchange. I almost finished them all. I just have to do the final sanding and fine tuning of the wood. I'm almost done tatting the bookmarks and I will dye the thread this week. I plan to mail the packages out on Friday. Phew, one more thing off of my plate.

I still have to work on my bobbin lace bookmark. I have a final round of a round robin doily to work on and I want to add more padding to the roller part of my bobbin lace pillow. Then my plate is open and I can work on whatever I want.

Finger Lakes tatting conference is coming up in 5 weeks or so. I can't wait to go. I get to meet some people that I've been wanting to meet for a long time.

So now I need to get a little tatting done tonight.

CNC machine is a bust.

My CNC machine is STILL not working. The seller asked me to send him photos of the fuses that I changed. I sent the photos and advised that I changed both fuses and that all the filiments are in tact. That was on Feb 10th. Normally when I contact them, the reply withing 24 hours, no problems.
Well I  haven't heard from them since I sent the message with the photos.

I contacted my credit card company and filed a dispute about the machine not working. Usually you can only dispute charges within 90 days but because I've been working with the seller for so long to try to get troubleshooting done then they would consider my dispute. They already credited my account back for the cost of the machine.

I am so sad. I need to get an engraving machine. I have things to get made. I have people that want things made. I need to do some more research and see what I can do to get a new machine. I will be back on the hunt for one.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day all.

Shawn and I really don't celebrate valentines day. We don't need one day out of the year to tell each other how much we love each other. We celebrate all year long.

I cooked dinner of pork loin chops, stuffing and green beans. It was so good.

We've been watching movies all evening and I've been working on a bookmarker for a tatting shuttle exchange. Not much else going on.

CNC Machine, sick, snow and all the rest

Well, I'm still without the CNC machine. The seller contacted me and asked for photos of the fuse I changed. This is getting stupid. I sent photos of both of the fuses that I changed. I think they are just stalling and hoping I will give up. All of these crazy troubleshooting steps are not necessary. My machine does not work and I will not give up until I either have a new machine or my money back. I wonder if I can call my credit card company and dispute the charges now that we definately know the machine does not work? Humm, I'm going to have to call them and find out.

So I've been sick since Sunday. I have this gastro virus that I picked up several years ago. The dr said I will never get rid of it and it will flare up every once in a while. Well, it flared up on Sunday. It's not a pretty thing. At least now I'm able to hold a little food down. It should run it's course within the next few days. I'm actually feeling a little better today. I'm out of bed and sitting in the family room this evening.

We are expecting snow tonight and tomorrow. The weatherman are predicting between 6-18 inches, favoring on more than a foot of snow. I'm not really happy about this. My hubby will probably have to go to work in this mess tomorrow. I always fear for his safety when he has to drive in the bad weather. I wish he would just stay home, but he won't.

I've been working on several projects lately. I have a bookmark on my bobbin lace pillow. I have 4 bookmarks to tat. I have a round on a doily that I need to finish for a round robin. I still have to work on Makaylee's baby blanket. At least I won't be bored being snowed in.

I sorted out and reorganized all of my beads today. That was fun. Especially doing it while sick. Shawn wants to move the Shopsmith to a new location in the house and I need to get some things organized and purged so we have room. He got the lathe set up on the Shopsmith so when I feel better, I can learn to carve bobbins. I'm excited.

Bekah came over last week and picked up my spinning wheel because she has a project in her History class and she wants to spin and knit a pair of socks. I gave her a quick lesson. I was surprised that I rememberd so much. It's been a while since I did any spinning of yarn. She has a way to go before she is good at spinning but I think she can get enough yarn spun to make the socks. I even gave her my roving to spin. I have a bunch of it, so it's not a huge imposition to give some up.

Well, back to tatting the bookmarks for the exchange.

Shawn's birthday and more

Today is my hubby's 49th birthday. We had a quiet evening, eating leftovers and watching the start of the Olympics. He didn't want to go out. I'm taking him to dinner tomorrow evening instead. He wants to go to Cheeburger Cheeburger. Not a place we go to often, but we enjoy the food.

Update on Tre'. He had to have most of  his fingertips amputated today. He's doing very well with the procedures and some of his skin has started to heal itself. the family is really holding up well. We all know that God is in control of this situation and will take care of Tre'.

My bobbin lace teacher is working with me on getting all the Torchon stitches down. I'm doing a pattern with some passive bobbins, some ground stitches, and some cloth stitches. Next we are going to work on spiders and then changing colors in the middle of a pattern.
She is such a nice person. I am blessed to have her. She is an amazing lacer and is very patient with me. I lucked out with her. She found me and offered to teach me and that's a blessing in itself.

Saturday is our CMA chapter meeting then I'm going over to Calvin and Jessica's house for Mariyah's 2nd birthday party. I can't believe she's already 2. We are getting her a doll house. I can't wait to see the girls. I haven't seen them in a few weeks. Makaylee is so big. I am working on a blanket for her and I need to finish it before she's too old to use it. HAHAHA.

The ladies I tat with in PA started a new tatting group tonight in Hanover PA. I was supposed to go, but since it's Shawn's birthday, I stayed home. I don't think Shawn would have liked to spend his birthday evening alone.

I have a lot of things to keep me busy in the coming weeks. I'll post pix of what I'm working on later.

I finished making my new bobbin lace roller pillow last night. It looks pretty good. Here's a picture of it:

It came out nicer than I thought. I can't wait to use it. I've got a project on the travel pillow right now so I won't be using it yet.

What a week and weekend

It has been a crazy week.

First of all, last Saturday Braxton and Tiffany were laid to rest. What a heartbreaking situation for the whole family. Olivia said that there were so many people at the funeral, they had to stop the greeting line for the family after 1.5 hours and not everyone got to greet the family. Olivia saw LaTanya and broke down. Bill and LaTanya were the ones to console her.

Braxton loved the Seattle Seahawks so much that his coffin was in the Seahawks colors and there was a huge team sticker on it. The owner of the team sent a letter and memorabilia to Tre'. The letter was read during the service. What a nice gesture.

Shawn and I didn't go to Ohio. It would have been too hard of a turn around. We stayed here and went to CMA's Seasons of Refreshing. It was a good day spent with fellow Christian bikers.

So Sunday we hung around the house and Nick came over for a few minutes. We just hung around the house and relaxed. We watched the ProBowl which was pretty cool. First time it was held like a fantasy team. Players from the same pro team were on opposite teams during the game. It was pretty cool. I ordered a Seahawks jersey with Braxton on the back and #11. I could have put #16 which was his number but 11 just felt right. I spent more to have it overnighted but I really wanted it to wear on Superbowl Sunday

The week was crazy. Shawn worked his rear off. I had a bunch of things to do around the house. Thursday PawPaw turned 99. I got to talk to him for several minutes on Thursday evcening. We had a great conversation and he's happy to be back in DC. My jersey came in. I was so excited. Happy to have it. Spent way too much for it, but I wanted to honor Braxton. Plus it has my last name on it so I can wear it later. On Wednesday the coach for the Seahawks called Braxton's dad and spoke to him about the fire and the family. WOW, during Superbowl week, the coach took the time to call and speak to the father of a young fan who lost his life in a fire. WOW.

Saturday I had a wonderful bobbin lace lesson with Alyson. She taught me so much. We spent 3 hours during the lesson. I got a lot more understanding and feel much more confident. I came home and we went grocery shopping. Woo Hoo.

Went to church this morning and had a great sermon. I took so many notes, I'm going to have to go back and rewatch the message.

Today is SuperBowl Sunday. I made chili and a cheeseball. The Seahawks dominated the game. They won 43-8. Who would have guessed that? I had them winning 34-27. Braxton would be so happy right now. We had hoped that somehow Braxton would have been acknowledged at the start of the game, but that didn't happen.

We are still so excited that the Seahawks won. This one's for you Braxton. ♥♥♥