Here We Go Again

I hope that I haven't bored you to death with all this mask nonsense, because I'm afraid that I have more. First, my mask got it's first virtual shout out over on the Access Fashion blog. It's just a little blurb and a picture, but it's always nice to get a little unsolicited praise. I managed to get about halfway through the embellished version of the mask before I stopped to work on my newest idea.

This one was actually inspired by the avatar of a fellow steam teamers avatar, well that and Mardi Gras in general. I still don't know if it's going to work after shaping and I think that I'm going to have to do some sort of border to make it looka little less like a granny square quilt on your face, but I shall work through my doubt. Doing this mask has actually gotten me thinking about trying to make a mask counter part to a few more of my chokers. The picture here is actually my Art Deco Duo necklace laid with some new pieces to see if this idea will fly. Imagine the neckalce worn with mask though. I think it would be pretty stunning. So after this one, I imagine I'll make a least a couple more before I get utterly sick of this mask making.

When I first started tatting bookmarks and doilies, I never imagined that just a few years later I would not only be making such elaborate things, but doing so much of my own designing. I never thought I would be able to translate shapes into stiches, rings and chains. It just seemed like such a mathematical operation. I mean look at my first sale on etsy, which was one of my very first bracelets. It's just a string of simple flowers from a pattern I found somewhere online. I assumed that this was the most I could expect out of my newly discovered craft. Now I know that there are no limits to what can be created with tatted lace and I'm certain that I will come up with many more off the wall ideas in the years to come.

I'm babbling on about this stuff in hopes that it can be inspiring to new tatters or anyone who thinks that they've taken thier art of craft as far as they can. There is always another hill you can climb if only you simply try. I am by no means suggesting that everyone can succeed at anything if they try hard enough, talent is not universal and hard work does not always make up for raw talent. I am suggesting that you don't know, if you don't try as I certainly didn't know what I was capable of before I picked up my needle and thread and simply tried. I used this slow sales time to stretch my limits and I think I will be better off for it in the long run. So that's the end of my inspirational speech. I'll be back tomorrow with more mask news!