Tatted Tikka

And it's all over. The husband returns to work today and though the child is technically on vacation for more than two more weeks, I'm putting her back to work today as well. Not full time or anything, but the routine must be reestablished before chaos becomes the new routine and I lose complete control. So, what did I work on yesterday? Well, I did a little cleaning and I took down Christmas early due to escalating cat related incidents. We usually leave it up until the 6th for Little Christmas, but I began to fear the worst so I erred on the side of caution, but I did also tat.

I know I am going to have to wait until I get in the last stiffener before I really start to work on that idea, so in the meantime I thought I'd tackle another of your ideas, a simpler one. I decided to have at the Indian hair jewelry that I've since learned is called tikka, or at least the pendant portion is. I'm still a little fuzzy on it, but it seems the pendant is suspended from a short chain that ends in a hook that is attached to the hair, either to a braid or bobby pinned in. This is the prototype pendant I tatted up based on the last necklace design I came up with.

Next up I dug though my findings feeling pretty confident I had a hook or two on hand to make the first one with. Well, I did, but they were gold toned. I figured the best way to utilize what I had on hand was to make the piece up in brass. I made the final piece up with brass bits and dark brown thread. I think that the basic design could work with different embellishment options as well. I could hand bits from the bottom as well as bead the outside edge. So if this one is well received, I'll try to source some silver hooks and get a few more versions made up. I'm also thinking I should treat the back of the lace so that spirit gum can be applied to it. I read that is often done to keep the pendant in place while belly dancing. Luckily I've already run across just the product for that purpose.

Hopefully I'll get this and my newest mask listed today after I get some photos. Of course that depends on the sun and my ability to remember how to get good photos. I's been quite some time since I had to do ones that featured my face so predominately. I was enjoying all the simple pieces that I didn't have to get dolled up to photograph. So, that will likely be the whole of the day, unless of course inspiration strikes or someone actually makes the first purchase of the year...I'm still waiting for that one.

Mine, All Mine

More remaking, yep that's right. I spent more time finishing a mask, making a choker and I even started on getting my headband remade. I was going to go the headband in black this time, but I was drawn back to the purple thread. Oh, how I love that purple thread. Now, I did get one new piece made yesterday. In fact I stopped mid choker to make it because I needed to make something new even if it was just a new color combination.

I know, you're thinking to yourself, 'Pam, you're wearing that in you hair! You can't sell that'. You're right and I'm not. This one is for me. Yep, mark your calenders, I made something to keep. I was thinking that I would like a flower in my hair, but haven't been able to find one I really liked to wear. The problem of course is that it needed to be in black and white so as to not interfere with the ridiculously colored hair I am always sporting. Sure, I will probably make a second one to sell, but this one is mine. What's funny is I never wear my tatting. I couldn't initially because I had babies that would pull and tear at everything making it terribly unwise. Then I suppose I was just spending so much time making things to sell and give as gifts I felt like I didn't have the time to make something for me.

Got another toy yesterday. Good old refund money has bought us our first Dyson. It's a canister vacuum that I can easily use on the stairs. Demonstrating the powerful allure of the fancy looking thing, our 5 year old kept asking if she could try it when it arrived late last evening. I hope she still feels like that when I am making her use it in a few years. Seriously though, when did tax refund money become about appliances and home improvement. I mean I'm not really complaining, I picked these things to buy, but I remember when it was video game consuls and expensive home entertainment. Now I want a vacuum cleaner and a retractable awning...damn, I think I might have become a grown up.

So there will be much vacuuming today and I just sold a pair of ankle corsets that must be made, but maybe I will squeeze in making another convertible piece so I can list one. Though the others haven't sold yet. I still like the concept of the piece, so yes I think I will make another. Only two more days of official home school vacation so i best make them count. Monday it's back to the educational grind. It's a good gig, but I have enjoyed the bit of a breather.

Almost There

Great Gatsby people! Yesterday afternoon the entrants on the giveaway passed the threshold for prize number three. You didn't stop there though, this morning as of 7 the entrants stand at 81 and we've only started day three.

A pair of The Queen's Feet barefoot sandals have now been included in the giveaway and I have no doubt that you will reach the number needed for the ankle corsets very soon. So, I have to wonder now if I should have set the bar even higher. I have seen a lot of blog giveaways and I assumed that my numbers were already quite a stretch. Is my giveaway structure actually that clever? Are the prizes just that inciting? Am I just that cool and I didn't know it?

I'll probably never know for sure what has made this giveaway a success already, but it is. Sure, the entries started with very familiar names, but more recently the names are entirely new, which is of course the hidden motive for any giveaway, exposure to a new audience. The sale portion of my event is not doing so well though. So far, only one sale tied to the event. I had hoped that this would help jump start my sluggish sales, but it's not over yet, so I'm still hopeful.

One last thing for today, I put together two different hair clips and listed them yesterday. I know I want to come up with at least one more design for this line before I stop making them.

This one is called Crimson and Clover. I asked for name help over on twitter and that one was perfect for this design that combines three different tatted flowers. The black one is a four leave clover design and I added a crystal to pull the whole thing together. Again, this is new territory so I struggled with attaching it to the clip. I opted to stitch the piece on using the tail. It slides a bit on the clip, but not much. I might add a dot of glue for security, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

A Flower For Your hair

I have to say Monday was a huge let down after the flurry of attention I received from my tatted footwear over the weekend. On top of that my husband is gone until Wednesday evening at a conference so I'm alone wrangling the children who oscillate between sad and uncontrollably crazy. Oh and they both have a nice little cough to add to the challenge.

During their nap, I sat down in front of twitter and bounced ideas for a new tatted item off those inclined to pay attention to me. I decided on doing some hair pieces. I have generally avoided the hair accessory idea since there are many others doing the small bobby pin flowers. So I knew that I needed to come up with something different and bold. This project sent me back to the 40's, where I found a vintage carnation pattern worn in the hair. I held it in my hair with my tatting needle when I was finished and snapped a picture with my laptop. I left off the final row of the pattern since I was using size 10 thread, it was already quite large.

Once I was finished with that one, I tried out a magnolia pattern I had found online, but it was a single shuttle pattern that lost something in my translation. The attempt taught me a technique that I used to modify yet another vintage flower motif into a three dimensional design. I ordered up some barrettes and hair combs and when they arrive I will figure out how to attach the flowers to them. I might even embellish with some feathers to make them more of a fascinator than a simple hair clip.

I've got one more easy flower idea on deck, then I want to try my hand at a three dimensional rose. I've seen a few about, but I'm still trying to figure out the basic construction so I can design around that. I also want to see if I can create something inspired by a dahlia because I know someone who might like that a lot. I'm probably making it harder than it is since I refuse to buy modern tatting books. The last thing I want to do is steal patterns intentionally and make things to sell with them. I don't even like to look at too many patterns for fear, I'll unintentionally borrow too heavily from the designs. That's why I love vintage patterns so much, I can use, modify and completely rework them without stepping on anyone's toes. More on the flowers as I get them done and don't worry I haven't forgotten about my anniversary event, I just don't know what it is yet.