A new year full of tatting already

Isn't this cute!!! Two of the Spanish-speaking Tatting group made it as a gift to all of us. I find it so cute that I want to show it to you too. It says in Spanish "Happy New Year 2010". They made it without noticing that our Monthly challenge of January was going to make things allusive to the New Year. So I told them that this was going to qualify for the challenge.

During this year the group has grow a lot. We now have over 1285 members. Not all of them as active as I would like but there are a lot of people learning and sharing their work. It's so good to see that the Hispanics are embracing tatting as well as other laces. We even have a new group project that is gigantous! We are going to translate the whole book of Priscilla No. 3. Can you believe it? Well, at least the projects are going to be redone and the patterns written in Spanish. They'll be posted on the web weekly. The first project will be post on January 11 and the last on December 13.




I choose this one: Tatted Centerpiece made with Needle and Shuttle. Very appropriate as my web site has the same name. :-) I won't be making it all as in the photo. But I'll make the grape and leaves. I'm thinking like making a big leaf and then over it a cute small bunch of grapes and frame it. I started to read the instructions and it seems that the grapes are me in two at the time using a combination of the needle tatting and using the needle as a shuttle. This is something I haven't done in years, so it will be a great challenge. But I have plenty of time. This pattern will be posted by August. :-)

This is my last post of the decade. So Happy New Year to all!

Hmm... Which one will be mine for my BD?

My first 40th BD is near and I'm thinking in giving myself a very nice gift because I deserve it! lol So what better gift than a shuttle or two. I was looking at the Houtz Bro site and they now have some resin shuttles that are gorgeous!!! The silver ones are awesome too. But this one caught my eyes and I think this is the one!


Isn't it gorgeous?! Of course that I would like also a wood shuttle (love purpleheart and cherry wood) and their 3rd book.

I'll keep looking for shuttles but I think I have the winner. Now I hope that my BD doesn't arrive with a red line on the bank!

Or if anyone knows a BD Fairy that grant wishes tell her that I love shuttles and threads. I'm not very picky. lol

Shuttles at ArtFire

My dad and I have been spending a lot of time together since I started my process for the bariatric surgery. On the days spent at his home we go to the back of the house and make this little shuttles. They are made with wood biscuits, something used to make cabinets. I got a whole bucket of them and dad helps me making the holes and slits. Then we spend the afternoons painting them. I decided to place them on ArtFire for sale. There are 2 different designs. They measure around 2 1/2 inches long and are perfect for learning or just collecting them.

Visit Needles-N-Shuttles's ArtFire Shop

ArtFire Free Shipping

I'm having a free shipping coupon on my shop. Every sale over $10 from now until January 11th, will have free shipping. I have to get "rid" of my inventory because I need the money to make some "super" specialized blood labs and the co payment is $300, something that I don't have. These labs are going to help me in knowing, at last, why my blood coagulates too much, even while I'm in a high dose of blood thinners. From here then my Hematologist will put me in a treatment that will permit me to have the bariatric surgery. *sigh* So many things before the surgery can be perform!

So if you would like to have a nice tatted item here is your opportunity!

Visit Needles-N-Shuttles's Studio

Receive free shipping on Order Total (orders above $10.00)

Use Coupon Code:

LABS

during checkout.

Handmade Wedding

New threads

Mom and I went to a dollar shop near our home and browsing around found this thread. It comes in cones of a whooping 6000 yds! The thread is a poly-cotton mix. But what attracted it to me was the price of $3.00 :-) The size is similar to a #40 or #50. I already tatted something with it and it tats nice. The only thing, like with any polyester thread, is that I need to hav my hands really dry or the rings won't close.



The only ID the threads has is this sticker inside. There are on the shop plenty of these cones but only in the 2 colors that I got. A few months ago they had black but I couldn't get it at that time. :-(

Thanks Aileen

Awhile ago, Aileen (wickedtat) had a giveaway. As usually I participated and then forgot. I really don't have luck for giveaways. But this time I was lucky. I chose the 1st prize. A cute bag! I was in need of a tatting bag. The color is like a salmon peach and inside is a gorgeous purple shade. It's decorated with beads strands outside and a few beaded picots on the top.









As soon as I opened it there was this cute card saying Congratulations.











But, what was inside? A lot of shinny, jingling and nifty things!














There is a bobbin with a big sample of a variegated thread in blues and white. Size seems like a #40. Love it!!!













Then, there was this cute small scissors. I'm always misplacing them. So this one has a pouch to keep it safe.



















Also inside were 4 bags of sequins! How she guessed I like sequins? ;) The colors are all like sparkling in red, silver, black and an oily blueish green. Already have in mind what to do with them.











And last, a great sample of charms, cabone rings, coins and the tiniest jingle bells I've ever seen. Really cute!!!

This for sure has lifted my spirits! After been in bed for a few days with some "new" pains. Now I have some new toys to play with.

Thanks a lot Aileen and hope to see you in PR soon!

At last I'm a Puerto Rican Lace maker!

Today dad brought me back to my home after spending last week with him. While driving to Carolina I told him if we can drive through Old San Juan (PR's capital). I love to visit Old San Juan with the colonial houses and monuments. And while in San Juan I mentioned dad to check if I can meet my friend Romulo Otero, who works on the Cultural Institute of PR. He has been helping me to get a membership as part of the Institute as a lacemaker, specially with Tatting. Well, we were able to meet with him and it was a blessing!!! He went to talk with the person in charge of approving the artisans and I was #3 on the list. But because the government fired a lot of people, they were going to start calling in January of 2010. Romulo talked with the person in charge that I was already in the office and that I got with me my work and all and she agree to see me. After a short evaluation of some work I did during my week at dad's and an interview she opened my folder and added me to the list of Artisans.

What means all this? This means that I'm a recognized Artisan by the government of PR under the category of Lacemaking. Also that I'm dedicated to the preservation of the Puerto Rican culture through my art and I can represent PR out of the island in anything related to my expertise. Also is an honor because I'm the 1st tatter on the island to get membership on the Institute. It's not easy to become an Artisan now a day. They ask for a lot of details of the work, and we must try, by all means, to use materials made in PR, which is almost impossible because now a day almost everything comes from China! But at least some of the threads can be buy here in local yarn shops. One thing they ask me was to avoid "commercial" licensed characters (Disney, Pooh, Santa Claus, etc) because they are not from PR. Anyway I don't make anything related to them because my tatting is more of an abstract and geometrical form. Also told me that though they are accepting works with beads, they want me to make them not the principal items of my work and to give more emphasis to baby dresses and stuff like that.

So, after over 2 years of trying to get into the Institute at last I was made member today! I'm just so, so happy. Alhamdulillah!!! Thanks God!!!

One less...

I'm supposed to weight myself on Mondays but I forgot and I weight myself today. After a week of trying to diminish the amount of food and drinking the 64 oz of water daily that's 2.5 liters!) I kept the 8 pounds I lost when I was sick plus lost another pound. Woohoo!!!

It's not much but that makes me happy. It shows that if I manage to stick to the nutritionist's program that will start next week I'll loose the 30 pounds before surgery. I think I didn't loose more because I'm not walking and we ate at Burger King and KFC this week. I know this is not good, but when in a hurry and without a lot of money that's the option you have. But even eating out I've modified my eating habits. No more "Super Size", ask for water instead of soda and no apple pie (well, just one this week lol). Kid meals are cool! I love the little plush toys and the dolls, so I'll be asking for them instead of bigger combos. That is IF we eat out.

On another note... I re-opened my Etsy shop and have over 20 great gifts; mostly under $10. Now that winter is near I'm tatting like crazy.

Needle Tatting

It's been so long that I didn't use a needle for tatting that I was thinking I must have forgotten. Well, it's like the saying "Once your ride a bike never forget". I don't know how to ride a bike but I didn't forget how to needle tat. I lost my tatting needles but I found a package of doll needles (very long needles using to make dolls) and took one of them and cut the point and then dulled it. That's the main difference of a tatting needle compared to others. They are very long and don't have a sharp point.

So I took the needle and the only appropriate thread I can use with them is the crochet #10. That's fine with me. I just made this little doodle to practice. Pretty nice, eh? I have to continue practicing, specially the tension of the chains and the size of the picots. Going to make a couple of motifs so I don't loose the skills, but this doesn't mean that I will left my shuttles in a corner. No! I love my shuttles too much.

Bariatric Surgery - Finally!

Cayey, PR

Have you miss me? I have been with my dad in his house where there's NO INTERNET!!!! *gasp* The last week I found a Technology Center and I was able to use the net for limited time but not for blogging.

Anyway, apart of visiting my dad I was starting something very important in my life. A few of you know already and the support is incredible, including husband's! But because now is for sure I'll start talking about it. Early next year I'll have bariatric surgery. I spent around 2 years making research and consulting with my doctors and finally we took the step to go and ask for a consultation. On the 14th was the evaluation. The doctor is really nice and she talked honestly and in details about the 2 surgeries and the pros and cons of each one for my condition. We agreed that the Realize band is the best for me. It's less invasive than the bypass, the weight loss is slower and I won't have to take as much supplements as the other. Plus the recovery time is much less. The surgery will be around February or March.

Meanwhile I will be visiting a battery of doctors (I think all the "ologists"): cardiologist, pneumologist, internist, nutritionist, psychiatrist and hematologist. The hematologist is the most important right now because of my coagulation disorder. The doctor told me that probably I will have to need a small surgery to place a "filter" on my Cava Vein (the main vein that brings the blood to the heart). I have had 3 DVTs Deep Vein Thrombophlebitis) and they need to avoid at all cost another one or could be fatal. So from now on I will have to visit my dad often. At least I'm the one that has the "best" relationship with him and thou we discuss a lot (I think it's just because he's getting the senior's manias) he likes that I stay in his house.

Oh, did I mention that I have to loose 30 pounds before the surgery? Ugh! This will be the fire test. I have never been able to loose more than 15 pounds under doctor supervision. But because now I'm motivated because of the surgery I think I'll accomplish it. No, I won't do any silly diet. I'll be visiting a nutritionist and will follow her directions. Also, now that the pains are diminishing considerably I'll try to use the bike at least 5 minutes daily or as my body stands the pain and discomfort.

What about hubby? I have been talking with hubby about all this and he agrees with me. It's all for my health. He says that he will be patient and will be praying a lot for me and the doctors. He's happy and he keeps joking that he will have a new wife when I returns to Egypt. The new wife been the new me. lol

Well, these are the news for now. I took like 200 photos while at dad's and I need to upload them and then blog about them and also have to update my tatting stuff and the over 3000 e-mails that I have without reading! Ugh! But most of them are trash anyway.

Stormy day

Well it's not raining per se. In fact is a pretty sunny day with a temperature above 90 degrees! It's just that it started in a wrong way.

I haven't blog in awhile because my lil sister Naida was here for 10 days and I was enjoying her company. She at last, has grow up and mature. Got married, civil, and later in April will be the wedding ceremony. She's finishing her certificates in phlebotomy and practical nursing and is looking forward to start a family with his husband. It has been a 360 degree change from a couple of years were she used to cut herself and abhorred the idea of marriage. Thank God for her change! Here is a photo of the happy couple.

Eric never smiles, but Naida smiles for him. She is showing her gorgeous ring that have a pink zirconium in a heart shape between two white zirconiums, also heart shaped. Lovely ring!!!

Anyway, so this morning I finished reading the 2nd book of Harry Potter that I start like 2 years ago and never finished it. And went to pick up the 3rd one that is over the tall computer desk and a lamp fell down. I never imagined that a small light bulb can smithereens into million pieces and spread over a whole 10x10 room. So I had to sweep the floor and that is something I really can do because of my back. So after spending like 30 minutes sweeping the million pieces of glass I had energy enough to prepare a big glass of iced tea, place a Gloria Trevi's DVD ( Mexican singer) and "flop" on the floor. So I won't stand up from the floor until is time to cook dinner.

Meanwhile I'll be singing and probably tatting. Here is a video of Gloria Trevi. I love her because she's wild and a rebel. Just like my lil poor heart. lol This was when she started in the 80's. But has been her greatest hit. She's singing about having the hair wild and that she doesn't care about the society rules.




BTW... The butterfly on the beginning of the post is one that I made a few days ago. The pattern is by Marilee Rockley and it's on her book "Tatting Boutique". I made it using a HDT called "Vibrato" also from Marilee. The are glass beads in shades of purple and peacock blue.

Lydie-Bug Ornament

This week a friend told me that her granddaughter has cerebral cancer. She's only 1 year old and the cutest baby I have seen. I cried so much for such tragedy. The baby, even at her young age is a true warrior. You can read her story and see her precious photos here: CaringBridge / lydianichols / Welcome



Inspired by her I made this ornament. I call it Lydie-Bug, that's her nickname. If you can please add her and her parents on your prayers, meditations or duahs.


You can find the pattern on my eSnips

Coupon: EarlyXmas

Preparing for Xmas? Here is a great opportunity. Free surprise bag when u buy $15! Coupon: EarlyXmas http://bit.ly/qhx9D Exp. 10-13

My Shinny Treasure!

Like a week or so ago I won a contest from Foxy Findings. The prize was a shopping spree worth of $50. Because last week I was at dad's home I didn't know the package arrived until Friday afternoon. These are all the shinny beads I got. I feel like Bead Heaven! lol Now I need to get busy tatting with them. On Thursday Naida arrives for a week to prepare some things for her wedding on April 24th and I'll show her some ideas for the souvenirs. Of course they are going to be tatted by me. Plus I'll be tatting also for my BD on January. It seems that next year will be a very festive one.

Down are some up close pics so you can see better the beads.

I have been feature!

There's an e-zine by HandMadeNews.Org about crafts and on this month there's an article about tatting. One of my projects has been used as an example of tatting. I'm so excited!!! This could give me a little boost on the shop. :-) I really recommend this site if you love crafts in general. There's always a very interested article.

The tatting artcicle is here: http://www.handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=3554

By the way. The e-zine is free as the shipping on my shop! Free shipping in orders over $15. http://bit.ly/qhx9D Code:ARTFIRE KIOSK Ends 9/5

Resplandecent Star

I haven't design in awhile but I need to make something special for the Online Frivolite Class that was about working with buttons and sequins. So I came with a "lighter" version of another star I made for my Frivolite newsletter. I really love this one. It sparkles a lot more than the photo shows. Mom also love it and want to decorate her Xmas tree with these. I think this time I'll make her the set because she separate the silver sequins from the big mess bag of sequins. lol The pattern for this one is already posted in Spanish on the http://frivolite.org website if you want to get it right now. But if you want to wait to get it in English it will be post on my site later.

Estrella Resplandeciente

More Inspiration

You know by now that I love to play with beads and since I'm buying mine from Foxy Findings I'm getting more motivated to play with them. Last time I got these delicious chocolate color beads and I couldn't resist making this pin with them. The thread is a C-lon in a light mocha color and with the beads looks awesome. The pattern is from Free Tatting Patterns. I made a mistake (oops, I mean variation) on the pattern and it curves a little. I'll do another one during the week.















Also I got to play with Jane's Multibeaded Earring and I love it!!! I used for this one Cebelia #20 but I find the thread too soft for jewelry.

I'm hooked on the beads I got last week that I ordered a few strands of 4, 6 and 8mm bicones in a lot of yummy colors. Anyway will need to buy more beads soon because my youngest sister will get married and she wants me to make her party favors and probably her tiara and bouquet. Isn't it sweet that she asked me? :-) We don't know yet if she's getting married this December or next one. So just in case I'm preparing myself to tat, tat and tat some more.

You know?... You can help me too. I'm participating in Facebook in a contest and the prize is a $50 certificate from Foxy Findings. Just need to go to to this link and like my post of Needles-N-Shuttles:Inspiration. You have to be a fan of FoxyFindings to be able to "Like".

Lovely pack!

In my Spanish-speaking group we're doing a thread exchange and I got mine already. Wow! This came from Venezuela, from Maria Montilla. She not only sent me the thread's samples but she made 3 shuttles and wrapped the thread on them. The thread on the yellow shuttle is a Colombian thread, kinda like a #20. The thread on the white shuttle is a Coats like a perle #5. and the purple shuttle has a Colombian/Venezuela thread like a #30. Really lovely the postcards that she also included. Can't wait to use the threads. But for now I'm just taking a rest from tatting *sob* because I have a dental infection and need to take painkillers every 4 hours so I sleep most of the day and the rest just feel like a zombie. Yesterday I only made 3 repetitions of a very simple collar. What would have taken me only minutes took like an hour. Oh well... At least looking at the pretty shuttles make my day a brighter one. Thanks Maria!

Inspiration

Last night was a painful and awful one because I had to go to the hospital for a Polysomnography (Sleep Disorder Studio). Gosh, they put cables everywhere and I sleep mostly on my stomach and for the test I had to sleep on my back. Then my right arm started to hurt as hell. So when I arrived home I couldn't do nothing but sleep a nap. *pft* A 6 hours nap! lol When I woke up mom arrived from work and brought me a little package. Inside was an order from Foxy Findings. Gorgeous! This made my day a better one. I got 2 strands of 16" of 8mm pearls and 2 tubes of 11 seed beads (chocolate and holiday red), the wedding ice tube was a prize I won from a Twitter Contest. If you have Twitter follow FoxyFindings. It's well worth! I have won already 3 prizes, this is the 1st one in arrive.



So after my brain was well awake I was inspired to do this. It's a small pendant with a pearl surrounded by red beads. Isn't it cool?


















I tried here to take a close up of the pearl. But my camera doesn't take macros. But I think it's pretty close to see that there are four strands of beads around the pearl. I will write the pattern tomorrow. I haven't share a pattern since my BD. So this will be at my web site later on the weekend.

I won!

Heather, aka The Tarnished Tatter, had a contest on her blog and I noticed today that I was one of the winners. I'm so excited because it's the 1st time I win a blog's contest. :-) Doing a little dance here.

The prize? A copy of her coming book "Tatted Earrings and Things". Just the hummingbirds at the cover make me all happy. They look so cute!

Thanks Heather for the contest and the prize. It was fun to guess what it was.

Flower Tassels

Last night, to empty a shuttle, I made these 3 flowers and then this morning I decided to make them tassels. I love tassels. These ones can be hang on a Xmas tree. The flower is 2 inches across and the tassel is 4 inches long. I used Altin Basak #10 with silver filament and without the filament for the center. An acrylic heart holds the tassel itself.

What uses can you give to these tassels?

The set is available at my ArtFire Studio if you are interested on it.

Hibiscus Cameo with Tatted Edging

Last week I ordered a few cameos from Filigree and Findings at ArtFire. Oh my! I love Cameos and that shop is like Cameo heaven! lol Got only 3 to play with them but definitively I'll order some more.

These are 40 x 30mm. But she has smaller in the shop and different themes. Mom said as soon as I opened the package that the black and white was hers. lol



So this morning I played with it and finished a brooch. The edging is a "Hen and chick" style, just one shuttle. Then I glued the small rings to the back and placed a black felt piece over. Then glued the brooch finding. I just love how it looks. So frilly and elegant! I want to order smaller ones to make chokers and bracelets, so in fashion now.

So if you want to get cameos at good prices visit Cathy at Filigree and Findings.

*Note: Not a paid ad, just a very happy customer. :-D

Tatted Girl Collar

Last week I so busy helping my mom take care of 8 children as a part of a Presbyterian Minister's Convention here in PR that I couldn't be online and much less tat, because I arrived home so tire! But this week I started in a good mood for tatting, now that my hands don't hurt too much. :-)



So I made this collar that Renesmee is modeling. She loves it! It's a pattern from a Russian booklet; but I have seen variations of it in old books. The collar was going to be only white, but when I reached the 2nd row I noticed that I didn't have enough white thread to finish it so I added pink for the chains. Then to make it even I added a round of chains around the neckline in pink. So the collar looks like it was written in that way. ;-)

I used #10 thread and the neckline measures 12 inches and it's 2.75 inches wide. It's now on my ArtFire if you want to see more photos or you if would like to have it.

Doing some "cleaning"

Prepare yourself! Here is one of the many boxes and bags I have filled with tatting.

This is just one I have filled with the things I made last year. Because I tat almost everyday I keep placing the projects in a box or bag. Then mom sits and choose whatever she wants to embellish her t-shirts or xmas tree. But still I'm left with tons of motifs. Some are my designs, others are from patterns (online and books).

I really don't know what to do with all this! There are some pieces that I will sell on ArtFire (suncatchers, bookmarks, doilies, appliques...). But still I'm left with tons of bits and pieces.

This is a photo of the doilies. There are a few crocheted ones too. But most of them are small tatted doilies.

I think I'll make a few surprise bags and make a giveaway or sell them as surprise bags or something like that. I'll keep rumming all the boxes and bags to see what else I got. All because I'm looking for a collar that I made and I know that mom didn't keep it so I want to sell it. In result, I found all this tatting but not collar. :-( But this is just one box. lol