Circlet

I was horrifyingly bad at staying on task yesterday. Sure I got a few things remade, but the second I needed to fetch a piece so that I could double check the pattern, I got all lazy like and started playing on my phone instead. Since I received an order yesterday for a few pieces as well, I start today as far in the hole with the tatting pile as I did yesterday.

I did get photos of the new piece despite that rather unattractive cold sore exploding on my face. It is quite amazing what the simplest of photo editing tools can do. I got that listed and then stalled some more. Wait, I cleaned up my pile of finished tatting and got it sorted away into their proper bins too. Let's just say it was a quiet tatting day.

Today is the first field trip day for the homeschooling group...class...whatever. Point is, we're going out bowling this afternoon. I still have to get the full day of classes done and so it might be a quiet tatting day today as well. I have high hopes that I can get back on task once we're back though. That to-do list is getting pretty formidable and yesterdays sale added a few larger pieces to it that I really like to have listed at all times.

I have stumbled upon a few sources of inspiration lately that I've tried to note so I can get back to them when my plate is empty again. I've seen several necklaces that I would love to try to recreate the look of in lace and I've been collecting pictures of them. I almost started one just before the birthday orders starting rolling in, but it's on the back burner now. Hopefully next week will be one of creation. Yes, I know we're not even halfway through this week yet, but I'm pretty sure looking forward to next week on this point is a wise idea.

Thanks

Well, thank you! The happy birthday comments I received both here and all over my other internet haunts were numerous and very nice. It was a fairly uneventful birthday what with the schooling and not much else planned, but the wonderful thing is, it wasn't even remotely 'bad'. Nothing went horribly wrong and add that to the lovely Saturday I had in celebration of the birthday and I'd say we broke the bad birthday streak. I was also pleasantly surprised to have a really good day in the shop. Usually when I have a one day sale, I am soundly ignored save for one pity sale, but that was not the case and I have much packing to do this morning. So, thanks for that too.

Aside from birthday stuff, I did get some tatting completed as well. I finished the mask, the custom necklace and I got the hardware on the new circlet/necklace. I didn't get any real photos because I wasn't feeling pretty. I was going to do them this morning, but I feel a cold sore forming just below my lip at this very moment so I might not. There is always editing to get rid of it if it doesn't explode or anything I guess...we'll see.

Since I did make some sales yesterday, I have quite the list of tatting that needs remaking so that will be the task on tap for today and quite likely tomorrow as well. They were all smaller pieces, earrings, bracelets and the like, so it should go pretty quickly. The daughter's class schedule however is much denser this year meaning I will be spending a bit more time on that. On the flip side, she also has more work that she needs to do herself giving me more downtime in between, so perhaps it will just mean more tatting during those times. I don't know what I'll do once both kids are schooling. Oh, I'm sure I'll work it out just fine...I've got another year to figure it out. That's it for me I think. Again, thanks for the birthday love, you helped make this one loads better.

So Much New For You

I am noting if not impressionable. Okay, maybe that's unfair, I'm not impressionable, but rather I tend to take suggestions to heart and run with them. To wit, Crazy Mom Tats! asks in the comments on Friday if I'd ever thought about making headpieces. The answer to the question is yes, I had, but there were others out there, I didn't have any chain laying about at the time, inspiration hadn't quite hit right...you know the usually list of reason why one abandoned an idea. Well the suggestion came at the right time this go round, combined with elements I had on hand and a little inspiration via Crazy Mom's link and this was born. I must admit that getting the chain lengths right and the attachments to the lace perfect was much more of a challenge than I had imagined, but I think it turned out beautifully.

Of course I couldn't just stop at one, so I dug through my existing pendants to find something that would make a nice center piece. I had actually made up two of these embellished tenebrous pendants so I didn't even need to do an more tatting before I started to play with the chains again. The fist one is an adjustable piece with the lobster clasp at the back attacking directly to the chain. It also means that one can be worn as a necklace as well. This time I decided to make a fixed size with the chain that sits on the head. If I thought chain length was a difficult task with the first piece, this one took it way up a notch. I used a heavier chain and they all attach together in the back. I do have plans to try out a few more designs of these using more tatting, but really it's the chains that make them, so I probably won't do any made entirely of tatted chains.

Why though, did I have all these chains on hand in the first place. Well you remember on Friday I was still working on a new collar design and I went to the store Friday night to get more chains. I wanted nice light aluminum ones in gunmetal and bright silver so I could combine them to make this collar. I do like the way it turned out, but man was it a task to figure out all the attachments and lengths. What looks good lying down or even on my mannequin head does not necessarily look goo draping on a real neck. Of course after all that work I didn't write down a single measurement. So I guess all of these pieces, particularly the choker, are one of a kinds. Though it shouldn't be too hard to replicate the headpieces I guess.

So that and a snow trip was my weekend. The chains left my fingers sore and the snow trip left everything else sore. I won't even get into the epic bruise on my hip. Today is still a vacation day so I  likely won't get anything too interesting done, but who knows what inspiration your comments will give me today.