Tatted Spats

I'd love to tell you that I'm all better, but the throat zombie is still there, though it seems he might have sent home his friends. The worst part about this cold thing is that my family got it first so I know what is coming next and I am not looking forward to it. I suppose it is possible that my body will react differently, that my nose won't start running like a sieve, but I fear it unlikely. That's enough sick talk though, onto the tatting.

I did finish working up the second ankle corset and since it looks so much like a spat, I went with tatted spat as a descriptor, though I kept ankle corset in there as like a brand identifier of something. Okay, it sounds ridiculous to refer to oneself as a brand, but whatever. I thought I'd give you some details on the design. The center section was tatted in a discontinued cebelia light gray. I have a just a couple of balls of this left in this shade. The outer ring is made up of small motifs tatted together using the hand dyed gray. There are slight variations in the batch, but overall a very smooth color. Then the outside is just plain old black. The first time I did this piece I did not add the edging to the top, but I thought it needed the outline with that very light gray center.

It's kid of funny, in the browns I think this piece had an entirely different look. In the gray and black, they come off very lolita. I can just see them with a big poofy tea lengthen black skirt. But I digress, next up on the tatting list is to get a wrist corset, gauntlet made up so I can list one and I might even list the first neck corset I made, the one without the beads. Sure, I could keep it, but where would I wear it, Target? Then I need to get a few more things remade, namely the headband. I think I might do up a black version this time. You know, I'm thinking to myself right now, if this is my sick time list of tasks...there is something very wrong with me. Of course, I am avoiding the major cleaning that the house needs before the weekend. That is how I chose to rest, sue me.

Ugh

So, Pam...how you doing this morning? Well, you remember that I mentioned there seemed to be something dead in my throat. It seems that over night, it invited over some friends and that urban myth about fingernails growing after death must be true because they are using them to do a little jig all over my throat. Other wise, I'm just peachy, thanks. Of course on the plus side, the rest of the family appears to be doing better so I didn't get to stay up half the night listening to the symphony of the coughs, so there's that at least.

The day wasn't too bad, I did a short school day for my oldest and they managed to be fairly well behaved thanks in part to art class. I finished wrapping the wire on one mask and made another that had been ordered. Then I got back to a project I wanted to do a while ago. I don't know if you remember an ankle corset design I did in browns that looked more like a spat. Well the brown version was promised to someone exclusively and while I still wait to break that surprise, I figured why not make it in another color scheme. I had taken out the gray threads quite a spell ago to try it, but with the desire to move a lot taken out of me, it was the perfect time to give it a go.

I of course did not write down the original pattern, as I had a prototype, never mind that said prototype is relatively useless as I made a major design change in the final piece. So, I used both that and the pictures I took to make the new one up. Now only one is done now, but I should be able to get its twin made today. If things go according to plan, I'll get pictures and get it listed as well. No guarantees of course. It always amuses me going back to a pattern like this. I wonder why I thought this strangely shaped mess would work in the first place. I do spend a lot of time stopping and trying things on to see if they will lay properly, but still, what a strange shape.

So, that's the plan for the day providing that the undead in my throat allow me some energy, it's too early to tell for sure yet. Oh and did I mention that my youngest turns three on Saturday which means I need to clean the house for the celebrations as well...so fun all around.

For Your Neck & Wrist

I wish I could, in good conscious, begin today's post with a happy Monday sentiment, but I can not. During the weekend the household cold/illness worked it's way through the remaining members in good health taking down the youngest on Saturday. Me, it took the longest to overcome. I started with a slightly irritated throat and a rare cough...I thought I had escaped the worst of it, but no. This morning I awake to a sensation that could only be something dead in my throat, an overwhelming malaise and a host of other symptoms. The world does not stop for me though, I must keep on moving...I do not however, have to like it.

I owe you some pictures it seems. I finished up the embellished neck corset. I know my picture skills leave a bit to be desired, but for this piece there is good news. It was created as basically a photo prop, which you might have guessed means I shall be sending it off to a real photographer in the near future. I should get the neck corset back with amazing pictures that do the work justice after that. So you will not see this sitting in the shop any time soon though the unembellished version may eventually end up there.

Next up we have the wrist corset. Yes, I know I might be taking the whole corset description a little far, but it laces up the back too, so I'm keeping it. I had planned to try this look out ages ago when I made my first neck corset that was made of just the spine motifs. The spacing was never quite right, but with the new versions and their split ring sections, it worked perfectly. I added the victorious edging to this one to match the other neck corset I recently made. They too have a date with an entirely different photographer. I am going to try and get a few more of these wrist corsets made up though, because they went over so well on the facebook fan page.

Now, I am perfectly certain that I am forgetting to tell you something this morning, but the illness is winning and everything is a bit of a fog. You can of course remind me if I promised you any updates that I have not delivered. Yes, I'm sure I could go back and read Friday's post to reveal that information myself, but that kind of sounds like work. I can't imagine that today is going to be a whirlwind of activity, but I will try to get some tatting accomplished. Please forgive me if tomorrows post is simply full of random nothingness though.

A Bit Of This

It seems to have been another of those time portal sort of weeks. At first it seemed to go on too slowly and then it suddenly comes to an end. I debated a lot over the week whether I should do a giveaway for the Wunderkammer's first anniversary. Since that blog features other peoples work and not my own, I couldn't really give something of mine away and I was feeling too lazy to solicit others for donations. I think you've figured where I'm going here, I did nothing. I did write a short anniversary thank you message and featured the same four sellers that I did in the very first post, but that's it. I know, it's all anticlimactic especially given all the fuss I made over this blogs anniversary. You can stop by today and leave some love though...that would be great.

In between working on the embellished neck corset, I finished up the super colorful piece I teased with yesterday. It's a convertible piece and this is just one of it's uses. It can also be worn like this as a hair piece, as a necklace, bracelet and anklet, heck I'm sure you could tie it just about anywhere. Now we'll just have to wait and see if folks like the idea enough to buy one.

Further stalling, I decided to make some earrings using my cameo pattern. I used size 20 thread and mucked with the stitch count a bit and they were small enough to wear. There was of course less room to hang goodies in though, so I just hung a swarovski round and some crystals. I also made a pair in white with a large crystal and a glass pearl, but those won't be listed until later today.

Finally, much progress on the neck corset. I finished up the first row of the necklace section which I had decided would contain the bulk of the beads. They are so very shiny. At each tip there is a sterling silver teardrop and the small silver beads dot throughout the edge. I did also manage to get the split ring sections done, so all that is left is the small clovers that act as webs between the points. They too will have some silver beads in them. The beads while light have definitely given the piece some heft both physically and visually, I think. I just hope it's not too much heft.

I have an open house for my daughter this evening and a bit of preparing to do for that and the weekend should be busy with family birthday parties and a bunch of other nonsense. So, what I'm trying to say is if I don't get the neck piece done today, it's gonna be a while, so I'm going to try and rush on it. There is of course no actual rush on getting it done, but I am an impatient person. Well that and I want to get back to the wrist cuffs and a few other ideas that keep spring up while I work before I forget them completely. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever slow down.

Well, Would You Look At That

Apparently I wrote a bit too soon yesterday as almost immediately after I published yesterdays blog post I got a nice email from a French customer who had just received her order. She had taken the time to scan an article in a local magazine and sent it to me. Why? Because that's where she found me in the first place.

It's the same basic write up that I've been seeing in other fashion blogs since one of my facebook fans mentioned my work on a fashion networking site, but this one is in print. I mentioned it yesterday and wondered if this is what has actually been shared with me, what else might there be out there that I don't know about. It's actually quite a lovely thought. So thank you again to both the fan and the customer. This sort of this is a day maker!

I was slow going on the embellished collar though. My oldest daughter has come down with something,but since I home school this only means that I need to have more patience with her as we work. Also trying to keep her in rest mode is nigh on impossible as nothing is really different. All that being said I did get all the spine motifs worked up and I adore working with the sterling beads. I thought they would be just like seed beads, but the shine and the feel of them, they really have a different look. I have gotten further and started adding them to the first row of the necklace portion, but alas the light was gone by that point in the evening so no pictures.

The one thing that brings me down about a large project like this is the lack of instant gratification. I had really gotten used to making pieces up that were finished quickly, that I could get pictures of and list the same day.To that end, I often take small breaks during the large projects to do something completely different. Yesterday it was bust out with the spring colored threads and make something with a Celtic edge. This is actually a piece I've made before in a different color combination that is currently in a secret location awaiting revealing. I'll be adding a bead to the center today and I might get it listed so you can see what it actually is besides ridiculously colorful. They are all the hand dyed threads that I got from Heather. Perhaps together they are overkill, but I needed to make something to take the edge off of all the black. Odd, since I love working in black...maybe it's the weather messing with me. I might make another of these in a different color blend, perhaps purples when I need another break today and here's hoping I don't catch whatever he child has, even though it is probably inevitable.