Eyes

A full half of yesterday was spent sitting in the eye doctor's office with the family, because that's what happens when you schedule 4 appointments in a row and 3 of you have your eyes dilated extending the appointment. The first half of the day was pretty nice though. Look what I got in the mail from Instructables. It's a neat new prize pack. I know I haven't put anything new on that site in a while, but I do go there all the time to learn new things. It's my first stop when curiosity hits.

I've been getting a few comments on facebook asking for an Armenian knotted lace tutorial, but I don't think I'm quite good enough, or more importantly, knowledgeable enough of the technique to teach it. I mean, everything I know I learned from one book or experimentation. Does that even remotely qualify me to teach something to other people? No, really I'm asking. What do you think?

Leaving that question, this is what I got done on the gray piece during the day. I actually worked on it a bit in the waiting room before my eyes were dilated and I could no longer see. I didn't measure it so I'm not sure how big it is right now. I think I'm going to continue with the design I've worked out by growing the points every new round. So far it's working out okay, but this one is just pure guesswork. I'll likely just work it up to about the same size as the purple one.

New Pattern!

While there was a bit of sock knitting yesterday, I still haven't finished one of them. Tiny needles, tons of rounds and surprisingly I actually did what I thought I was going to stall over for days. I actually put together patterns. I thought a progress shot of the socks would liven up the post a little though.

Back to the patterns.While the original plan was to get them ready to release April 1st for International Tatting Day, I guess I just couldn't wait. The first one is up for free at Instructables! I just published it this morning. I did the pattern for my Grand Daisy Tatted Choker. I actually published the pattern before in an issue of Belle Armoire or Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine, I honestly can't remember which anymore as I had designs in both and it was quite a few years ago. Since you can only get magazines for so long, I figured it would be nice to make it available to everyone.

As an extra bonus, I have some three month Instructables Pro memberships and I thought I'd do a giveaway for them. Instructables is of course free to use, but there are some bonuses to a Pro membership including the ability to actually download the tutorials and no ads on the site. So comment on this post that you'd like one and I'll do a drawing for a few of them tomorrow morning.

As to the other patterns I'm putting together, you will just have to wait until April 1st for those. There will be at least two of them. One is already chosen and ready, the other I'm not quite settled on yet, but I have time to get it sussed. I hope that you like the choker pattern and share what you make with it, but please use it for personal use only, thanks!

Lock Stitch

It was quite a day yesterday. It was busy, productive and fun and relaxing though I'm still a little tired from all of it. First thing I managed to do yesterday after schooling the kids was get the lock stitch video filmed and posted.Yes, you heard that right, I actually did that. It's posted on YouTube and Instructables and of course right here.

It's really rather short, but I think it does what it needs to. Never mind that it took like an hour of babbling to myself just to end up with a two minute clip. I thought about waiting to post it with all the other pieces of the petals pattern puzzle on Monday, but I really needed the feeling of accomplishment that can only come from putting something finished into the world and getting any kind of feedback at all. The initial small flurry of views and comments were all I needed to feel justified in my effort.

After that I had my nieces and nephews to babysit for the afternoon, so I didn't get much else done. I was far too busy monitoring the playing and nonsense that only occurs when extra kids are about. It wasn't a bad afternoon, just chaotic. I did get a couple of interesting emails that may result in extra work, but it's too soon to tell.

The evening was rounded out with dinner out with friends, which I do honestly wish we could do more often because it makes me feel like an adult and because it allows me to actually talk to other grown-ups I'm not related to and because my friends are terribly awesome with ridiculous stories.

So that brings us to today's tasks. I woke this morning to the sale of some ankle corsets, so I have ready made tatting tasks in their remaking that will take me at least the day if not a few. Oh, it's definitely going to be a few days on those which I can deal with. Crazy as this week has been and next week is going to be, I'm feeling pretty good about all of it.

Bead In The Belly

Another day of headaches, but this time more metaphorical than literal. It was my duty to shuttle my mother to and from the hospital for an outpatient procedure. The to-ing in the morning interrupted schooling which made the children adverse to finishing what needed to be done. They did, but it was less than pleasant. The from-ing in the evening was full of extra drama as I was lost in the  hospital thanks to high school volunteers who sent me all about and then for extra fun, the hospital called after I had fetched my mother because they had forgotten to give my us the discharge forms. This meant I had to go back to get them and take them to my mother who, by the way, lives across town. Why can't anything be simple?

Between all that though I managed to do something slightly productive, I made another Instructable. Something old and something new at the same time. I did one on the simple spider whose pattern I've shared repeatedly, but I added the bead belly variation which allowed me to teach how to put a bead in the center of a ring with needle tatting...my version anyway. You can find the Instructable here: Tiny Tatted Spiders.

I'm sort of hoping that I get some nice quiet time soon so I can do a video on the bead technique with the needle. Though I should probably check youtube first and see if one already exists first. There's no point in doing one if someone already did it, right? Plus, finding quiet time around here is like finding a mythical lost city.

I finally made a sale of items I can remake last night. It's been painfully dead in the shop lately, add to that my first customer return in a really long time and I've been feeling particularly bummed about the shop lately. I'm sure all the headache nonsense might have a little to do with that, but I was just plugging along, waiting patiently for an uptick. I'm hoping it comes soon so I can start complaining about too much to do instead of too little.

Free Pattern: Tatted Lace Corsage Bracelet

I'm not certain why I got it in my head to release a pattern yesterday, but I did. Even before I started schooling for the day i was hard at work making up the sample piece so I could take pictures the entire time. I know I could just publish the pattern, but I really do love the format at Instructables that allows a much more comprehensive approach so that even non-tatters can give it a go. I didn't finish writing it up until well into the afternoon, but it is published now. You can find my newest free pattern here: Tatted Lace Corsage Bracelet. The link has also been added to the sidebar with my other free patterns. The reason I chose to do this one was because a few days ago someone had asked for it in order to make a gift. Of course I didn't have it written up, but I really had no objection regarding this pattern. I suppose I felt it was the perfect excuse to get something new up. Please do let me know if I've made any mistakes or anything.

In other news, I also managed to get both the new Peter Pan collar necklaces listed. In fact I felt rather too productive for the day even though all I did was get photos taken since the camera was out anyway. I was pretty proud that they looked like they were supposed to when worn. Sometimes I'm just not sure I got it right until its really too late to back out. Once all this nonsense was taken care of I even got back to remaking things. I got some supplies in the mail that I needed to remake one piece, so I worked on that. If I hadn't had an allergy induced headache most of the day, I would have been extraordinarily happy, but I did so I was merely pleased.

Today promises to be a much less productive day. We have the last face to face teacher meeting of the year with our homeschooling teacher this morning. They're always pleasant and relatively short, but it throws my precious schedule off a bit. I'll likely use the rest of the day for more remaking and perhaps thinking on my next possible project. No, I have no new ideas, just trying to seed them by putting that out there in the Universe.

Remember The Mustache?

I spent much of the day making up pieces that needed to be replaced in the shop and telling the kitties happy birthday every time I walked by one of them. They didn't seem particularly interested in the event, but I think they secretly love all the extra attention. There were plenty of entries for the giveaway as well, but we'll still need a few more if you want to see what else I will give away. You have until Monday when I post to enter by leaving a comment on the giveaway post here.

When the kids were down for their nap I happened to catch that Insructables weekly challenge was Mustaches. I generally ignore these sort of contests and challenges because of the limitations of using tatted lace for them, but not this time. This time I actually had a pattern already made up. I made my tatted mustache necklace as a bit of a hipster joke. They are very popular over at the etsy and I thought I'd join in with my own. All I needed to do for the challenge was take a few step by step pictures and post it there. So if you want to make your own the Instructable is here.

You can also stiffen it more and add it to a stick for that perfect ironic disguise or lazy Halloween costume. I've also been told it looks a bit like two birds kissing. Maybe in blue with yellow as the center ring and some long picots for feet. Point is, it's simple and available for you to play with should you have the desire.

I've caught up on the remaking of pieces so today is wide open save for the field trip to the park for the kids homeschool group. Well that and I really should get some cleaning done. I have really been slacking lately with no dinners or parties to host. Of course this doesn't mean I'll do any cleaning, just pointing out that it should get done. Well, that's it for me and please do scroll down to yesterdays post and enter the giveaway before it's too late.

Newest Instructable: Needle Tatted Chainmaille

Sometimes an impulsive comment like, 'I might make this my next Instructable.' turns into an actual thing without much planning on my part. After schooling and laundry and the wunderkammer were all done yesterday I sat down with my tatted chainmaille again. As I worked I realized how simple it would be to get shots of the construction as I worked since each ring works up quickly. So I stopped weaving and got a surplus of rings made up so I could do just that.

You can find the tutorial up on Instructables here: Needle Tatted Chainmaille if you're interested in working one of these up, though if you're already a tatter and know even a little chainmaille, you will likely have already figured it out already or can now that the idea has been presented. That's the point of posting on Instructables though, it's for those who aren't tatters, those that need to see the off center things you can do with the art before they give it a go. I have been so very fortunate to reach such a large uninitiated audience there...I love Instructables.

I got back to the scarf once that was posted and it's at about 25 inches right now. I figured I would just going until I run out of yarn and hopefully I get at least three feet, four would be nice. I'm not even certain that this will make it into the shop at all. I guess I'll make that decision when its done. I do have to take a break on it now so I can work up a custom colored necklace for one of my favorite customers. I still don't think my shop is fully awake yet though so I should be able to finish the scarf soon.

So to recap, the tutorial was yesterday's task and today is just making, though I am still tossing around the idea of making a quick video of making the ring needed for the chainmaille since it is a true ring, not the usual mock one generally used in needle tatting, but I'll just wait until I'm better motivated to do so, or someone actually asks. I have also had another streak of custom item inquiries where the customer doesn't get back to me at all and I fear that they will all return at the same time, though actually that would be awesome for business, so forget about that fear thing I just said. Wait, no, it still scares me, but it's unlikely to happen, so I'll just take a deep breath and hope that future inquiry discussions actually come to a conclusion at all, whether it be to move forward or not. It's the not knowing that causes all the stress. Crap, I'm rambling again...I'll just leave now before it gets worse.

New Instructable

I decided to try and stay on task and get some sold things remade and since I was starting with the barefoot sandals, I kind of veered off task a bit to take pictures of the creation. I have been meaning to do an Instructable on them for quite some time but I never seemed to make the time. Why would I bother doing an Instructable when I have already posted the pattern? Well, it's because the audience there is completely different from my usual tatting friends. Doing these allows me to introduce tatting to new people in a much more visual way. I can step out processes like joining together a first and last ring which seems to stump folks. Heck doing these is what got me to make the short videos and those have sucked in countless new tatters so it really is a win.

You can find it here and the wonderful people over at Instructables have featured the tutorial on there main page as well. This just exposes it to way more views and again that's wonderful. Of course this does not help me remake pieces that need remaking, so I must get back to that today. I also had a request this morning for a great many pieces to send overseas. I'm a little hesitant as it is a very large order with a small discount I offered before I knew just how large the order would be. There is also the matter of shipping all this stuff. I've not worried about my small packages being considered a commercial shipment before, but this one seems to cross that line and I'm not certain I know how to handle all that. Of course if I ship with UPS, I think they handle all that business and I just have a huge shipping cost which I would of course have the buyer pay...maybe I can do it. I think there is more thinking involved here.

I also got the two pieces with bad pictures listed with better pictures yesterday. The first one up there is the redone piece. I really am so much happier with the way it hand now. I still has the same belly dance flavor with the bells, but now it's much more wearable and supported by the extra chains. The other is also listed and it too has a nice weight to it, but still hangs very well. I suppose I've just gotten better at assembling chains and my tatting over the past few years. It was bound to happen, practice and all that. Anyway, I'm going to go stress over that crazy order and get the day started.

Needle Tatting Split Rings & Josephine Chains

I totally get a pass on today's blog. Why, you ask? Because I did a tutorial video yesterday and I get to post that for you. This one is on split rings and Josephine chains and is already linked over in the pattern list in the right column. I got the filigree pieces in to remake the Copper Princess necklace and used the the chain portion of that to film. Also, I talk in this one and according to early feedback this is a good thing. In fact, I may redo my other video with the talking as well since I apparently do not sound like an idiot...unless they're all lying to me and I do sound like an idiot.

The video is also posted at Instructables if you'd like to go rate it there. I may also go ahead and do a series of these though they do already exist by other folks. I suppose sometimes having a choice of who to learn from is a good thing.

There's A Giveaway At The End Of This Post

You know, I love holidays just like any other person, but I hate when Tuesday acts like Monday. It's unnatural and puts my whole week in a weird spin. No matter how I hard I try, the week is just off. Anyway, I tried to do myself a favor by simply posting the Instructable yesterday, but I think it just further contributed to yesterday not feeling like a week day. The folks over at Instructables have again spoiled me by choosing to feature my tutorial. I think that this one will ultimately get far less attention as it really doesn't teach all that much new nor is it complicated and interesting looking like the mask, but I do like to throw these out every once in a while and keep interest in tatting growing outside the established community.

I have not worked any more on the gloves as I've had my hands full with other projects demanding more immediate attention. Okay, maybe not demanding, more like actually having destinations in mind. I spent much of the weekend sewing sequins on an other mask, this time, I think I found the sweet spot for the person who requested it. This one will take a trip and I'll let it's destination and purpose remain a mystery so I can talk about it later.

Ooh, now a story. So, I was checking out my google alerts for tatted jewelry when I stumbled upon a blog and I read the entry and I commented nicely in regards to the content and it appears that I must have not been polite enough to warrant the publishing of said comment, so I shall share here. It was in regards to why people publish free patterns and then do not want you selling pieces made with them. I've heard opinions on this subject most recently during the copycat scandal that of course went well beyond just that. Basically what I said there was: I give out patterns because I believe most people who seek out free patterns are not trying to make money with them. They are trying build their skills, make gifts for themselves and others and simply enjoy the pastime. I knit, I look for free patterns, I don't sell those things, that's not why I knit. It's not *why* I tat either, but I've managed to make this my only income, so you'd see why I wouldn't want to hurt that. I think I was naive when I offered patterns of things I was trying to sell, but when I started selling on etsy there was not a single solitary tatter selling there...not one. It is of course rapidly becoming a crowded market and I would not have guessed that just a few years ago.

Anyway, the blog post also referred to coming up with a ring design all by themselves and that they didn't think anyone could claim the design as it was too simple. I mention this because it seems an odd succession of statements, almost as if they were justifying or defending themselves. This might be because while they may have indeed independently come up with the design as many others may have, I did too, last November when I made and listed the ring. Look, I'm not mad here. I have long accepted that with limited elements simple pieces are going to be created, discovered, designed by multiple sources independent of others. There are things I 'created', then subsequently saw in a book from the turn of the century. Here, I am not naive. It is what you do with the elements that makes a piece original. I just worry when folks get defensive like this while also condemning people for not wanting to freely share with no conditions. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on the subject and I doubt I'll change any minds here, but I think this is why so many creators pull their heads into their shells and do not share techniques, hoarding their knowledge. They believe their ideas do in fact belong to them...not the world, it's sad, but I don't blame them.

Sorry to be such a downer and all, just needed some venting and that's what a blog is for right? I did mention another surprise, but again it is not ready to be unveiled, but I do have one last thing for the day...a giveaway. It's not mine, but you can win one of my Quadra bracelets. Choklit of Adornments for Tarts is having a fabulous tiered giveaway that only starts with my bracelet and continues on to gift certificates for her gorgeous silk and beaded beauties. I've had the pleasure of seeing her work in person and it is simply divine and elegant. So head over to her blog and enter to win. The more people who enter, the more prizes there are to be had.

A New Instructable

I know that I said this was going on a long list of tasks and would likely not be complete any time soon, but the kids were gone, it was quiet and it seemed a good time to get some pictures of the pearl technique and post some instructions. So here it is in all it's glory.


Pearl Necklace Makeover With Tatting - More DIY How To Projects


You can definitely use this technique with any other large beads, crystals, heck whatever suits your fancy. It's far too basic for me to be the first one to give it a go, so I claim no such rights to it. I imagine it can also be done with a shuttle, but I don't have a clue how you'd load such large beads onto a shuttle. Tatters of the shuttle variety, if you're so inclined to share how that would be done, I can add that to the instructions. I've got a few more surprises and announcements that might be spilling forth soon, but I don't want to get ahead of myself, so I'll just leave it at that for the day. Now go and destroy a necklace...it's fun.

Turkey Coma

I am slightly less than lucid this morning. There was of course much cleaning, cooking and chaos. The house filled with 18 people and 3 small dogs and shockingly returned to n almost normal state in very little time. The turkey roast far to quickly thanks to out lack of knowledge regarding my new houses convection oven. Though the warming featured allowed us the time to create the rest of the meal before any damage was done. However, I actually had to prepare food and that was not our standing arrangement. I provide house, tables, dishes and workspace...I do not cook, I babysit and baste, but that is the extent of my skill level. Perhaps one day I shall take on these responsibilities from the "real" adults, but not yet man, not yet.

I did manage a little tatting between basting. I got a custom order the other day for one of my slave bracelet designs. I always state that they can be adjusted to other sizes upon request, but I always forget how challenging that can be. Let's face it, a design is created in a certain size. If the adjustment is exactly two motifs large, everything goes swimmingly. If the adjustment is very slight, I usually add a splint ring section to the edge that doesn't disturb the existing design. It's when the adjustment length is in between these sizes, that my brain cells are taxed. It took me seemingly forever to create an appropriate half motif for either side of the bracelet to keep in the design and the function. The saddest part, I will forget what I did next time and have to do this all over again. I know, I could just take a picture of the piece, but yeah...that would make it easy.

If you're looking for my black Friday/Cyber Monday deal...I'm afraid you won't really find one. I have given the entire store free worldwide shipping through the holiday shopping season and that's it for me. I may still put up the occasional one day facebook sale, but honestly it gets tiring maintaining those as well. I'd rather put my efforts into creating pieces as quickly as possible. Once the holidays have past, I'm looking forward to more designing and creating more tutorials for Instructables and maybe I'll actually submit something to the new Stampington publication on string. I really wanted to do that for their first issue, but I just don't seem to have the patience to do the step out photos and get all the instructions together for anything. It's just such a hassle to photograph everything one step at a time, when I've so many other things and people demanding my attention, but I digress. This babble fest is over for the week. I'll be back Monday, hopefully fresh and revived.

Slave

So turns out, I was a big old liar yesterday as I wrote that I would accomplish nothing during the day. I assumed a days worth of activities coupled with sheer exhaustion would preclude working. On the contrary, the husband wasn't feeling well, so the activities changed to movie watching on the couch and I can work with that.

I finished the collar I was working on during our blu ray screening of Up and then I started work on the slave bracelet design during a Spongebob marathon. My accepted task was to make a slave bracelet design that was less flowery and girly. My first attempt was to take the starbust motif that I've tuned into a pendant as well as a necklace and work it into the bracelet base that I already use.
It was basically a this for that exchange so it worked up quickly and I posted it for the customers approval as well as on the facebook fan page.

It was rejected as being still a little too girly, so I began work on take two. This time I took the same design as my heart pendant and further modified the pattern until it was large enough to be place on the hand. This was not a simple this for that exchange and I spent quite a while looking cross eyed at the pieces trying to see how to marry them together. Once the idea clicked I had the new one made up before the children woke from their naps and this time it was approved. Since the first was one a prototype and the customer wanted a pair, I made up two with some slight variations to match. That means that both of these designs will be making a debut in my etsy store today. I know, two new things in one day...amazing.

In other news, I appear to be doing rather well in the voting phase of the Instructables contest. There are still three days left for the voting, so go and vote for my mask tutorial if you haven't yet. I think I might actually have a shot at winning at least a second place in this thing. I wish I could see how many votes have actually been cast, but that's not an option. Anyway, link is here if you still need to go and vote!

I'm going to try and get back to that scarf today and I have at least one mask that wants to be remade as well, but we'll see. I think today might be a fall out day after all that progress yesterday. Yeah, I might just try and relax and you know, do some laundry, dishes, or really get crazy and vacuum something. See you tomorrow.

Sleepover

Sorry if I lack the chipper this morning, but we hosted a sleepover last night. I know you're thinking, aren't your daughters really young? Why, yes they are. We had their cousins over along with Grandma to help. This equals 4 girls between the ages of 2 and 7. Now, I remember the destruction of teenage girl slumber party, but was different. This was, mommy has to sleep with us too and even though we're tired, we're going to fight the actually going to sleep until you're ready to explode with uncontrollable rage tempered only by the fact that you're so tired too. So, yeah...not so much with the chipper this morning.

Today is also a holiday, no homeschooling and husband is home from work. So even if I wanted to get work done, it is unlikely to occur. I did get a request for a slightly different patterned slave bracelet so I might carve out some time to work on a new one. It won't be completely different, but I need to change the motif that sits on the hand and perhaps the bottom edge of the bracelet to match better with whatever motif I go with.

Still on the remaking kick as well as working on the new scarf. Since no one is technically waiting for the scarf I'm not in a huge rush to get it done. I keep telling myself that scarf only sell during the winter, but then I have to remind myself that the world is round and it's only winter up here. I do have quite a few Australian customers so, yeah no rush on the scarf.

I'd continue to go on about stuff, but I am exhausted and can't remember if there was anything else worth sharing. Oh, but thanks so much to everyone that took a minute to go vote in the Instructables Halloween contest for me. I really appreciate it, if you haven't yet, the link is here. Since I'm feeling a bit attention deprived lately this is a welcome salve and now I shall try to go and wake up some more.

Instructables Contest

And a happy Tuesday morning to you. No, I'm not in a ridiculously fine mood today, just felt the need for a greeting. Oh and I have a small favor to ask of you. Don't worry, it's a small one. last year the slide show of my tatted mask won third place in the Instructables Halloween contest co-sponsored by etsy. It was my introduction to the site and a month later I had completed the tutorial for the mask making it eligible for entry in this years contest. So as you might have guessed it has been entered, now I need you to go and vote for the Mask Tutorial so that I might have a chance to win...please. You'll find the contest page here and you only need to login and vote since I know many of you have already registered for the site. If you haven't, there is a free membership and you can find tutorials on almost anything you should ever want to know. Thank you for your time.

Moving on, I spend most of yesterday working on an Art Deco scarf with Panda Cotton yarn. It's a bamboo, cotton blend and is slightly thicker than the wool I usually use for the pattern. The motifs worked up just fine, but as I began the edging, it was clear that the size difference was going to require a different pattern for the edge to work. I made some on the fly changes and Ive still a way to go before it's done and we see whether the changes result in a nice pattern or not.

I might take a break on the scarf today as I now have a few pieces that need remaking. Here's hoping that this is the beginning of a brisk holiday shopping season. The last few years, I've used nearly all the money made during the season for our holiday gifts, so the more I sell, the more I get to shop. Though we are nearly done with all the kids gifts, we haven't even started on all the adults that we need to gift.

So today, remaking pieces, cleaning the house for a cousin sleepover, ordering up some promo stickers from somewhere. Ooh and I still need to get those beads and check my supplies for any other things I need. I'm also waiting for some new supplies to arrive so that I can make a piece for a belly dancers costume. I'm really excited about this one, since I seem to have made the acquaintance of quite a few dancers and I'd love to be able to make a line that appeals specifically to them. Wow, I'm meandering all over today. I'll stop now so I can again get to work.

Instructables Again

I know I've been talking a lot about Instructables lately. Yeah, I'm going to keep doing that. I was over there yesterday to answer a question and I noted that my mask tutorial has been viewed...wait for it...over 33,000 times. May I just say, damn. Now, I know that not all of those eyes liked what they say, some clicked and left, but my etsy traffic is showing an upswing due to those eyes. They added my mask to their newsletter this week and just yesterday my etsy views went from an average of, oh 150-175 a day to 450. Sure they aren't buying right now, but that doesn't mean they won't come back later and get a little something. I guess the point that I'm trying to make is Instructables...good.

On a related note, I have at least two more Instructables planned for when I get a little down time. I've been wanting to put up the barefoot sandals for some time, but just haven't had the opportunity. I have also decided to do one on tatting the other way, with a cut thread. This method mimics tatting with a single shuttle and while I tend to avoid it, often rewriting a pattern with chains instead of thread spaces, it is still sometimes necessary for some patterns. So, I will share, when I get the time. I imagine that might mean after the first of the year, but I'll try to get to it sooner. There might be a nice down time after the Halloween rush.

I abandoned a pair of ankle corsets yesterday to start work on a Kind Of Pale Jewel mask after I had an inquiry about it. I don't usually start work on something after such a uncommitted comment, but I figured that it needed to be made anyway. Of course the inquiry has not yet turned into a sale and time is short before Halloween is upon us. I wonder why it is that folks with the shorted deadline seem to take the longest to actually place the order, assuming of course that it gets placed at all. Sure, people have the right to change their minds and take their time. That's fine really, but I am one of those people that just wants to get to work, to get immediate answers, you know, terribly impatient. Then I fear that someone else will order the same thing and my claim that it can be done in time becomes void because the customer is no longer first in line. But, hey it's first come first serve right?

Busy, Busy

I feel like I'm almost too busy to stop and write down well, anything really. I shall not complain about busy though...busy is good. Anyway I want to thank everyone for their support yesterday. Your comments not only undid the negativity I started the day with, but shot me right back into positive space. If you didn't catch the end of the story, the comment was removed after a wonderful friend flagged the comment. So my instructables presence is no longer marred, in fact I'm featured in the weekly newsletter as well. So, yay.

In more 'yay' news, I mentioned that I got some samples of hand dyed thread recently, unsolicited. What a lovely surprise it was and it led to my acquisition of a dark purple and gray thread. I just ordered them, so I shall have to wait to get them, but I wanted to show you the shades. The thread is dyed by Heather of hajdesigns31. It has been a pleasure working with her and I can't wait to get these new colors.

Sure, I don't know when I'll get some time to make up new pieces in the shades, but at least I finally have the option. I do get frustrated by the lack of deep colors in size 10 thread. So now, I've got a supplier for those colors I get asked for the most.

Yes, I'm still working on masks and ankle corsets and I see no end of the tunnel yet. I still have pieces to make for a photo shoot next month and the holidays are right around the corner. I'm out of breath just thinking about the list. Well, here I go now.

Too Mean

I'm up, I'm up. Seriously, I haven't a clue as to why I am so ridiculously tired lately. Of course I suppose it might have something to do with my daily task list getting longer by the minute, but still.

So anyway, I have a story to tell. I have again garnered much attention due to my original tatted mask on Instructables. It was almost a year ago when I first joined the site and since then I have produced three full tutorials and one video. They've been viewed a ridiculous number of times and I've been able to help and answer questions from dozens of people trying tatting for the first time or just trying my pieces. The comments have always either been encouraging or questions, but never mean...until today. Now, I'll grant you that it's not all that mean and I really ought not take it to heart especially given the sheer number of those who have made, admired or purchased one of my masks, but it still burns a bit.

You can see the comment here as it is probably still the first one there. If not, I imagine a short scroll and you'll see it. I'd spend a few paragraphs arguing the point made, but really that's a waste of energy, so instead I'll just share and let you be the judge. Really, it would take much worse than that to scare me away as the site has been really nothing but good for me and well for tatting. So many people who like to try new things have been exposed to something they probably knew little or nothing about, so yeah...it still lands in the positive column.

I'm still tatting as fast as I can to keep masks in stock and I will keep doing so until the holiday is upon us an the mask fades away. I just wish that paypal would stop flagging my customers payments. Seriously I've had two flags just this week and there was another not too long ago. I feel like they're watching me not watching out for me as the flagging system claims. This seems to only happen when I have things that need to go out on a deadline. Never when I have tons of time, no that would be convenient. So know, when people are ordering masks for Halloween or a masquerade ball around the corner, I get to sit on my hands and not ship their pieces for at least another day. Yes, I am annoyed. Gotta keep moving forward though, no time to dawdle.

update: The "mean" comment has now been removed! Thanks for the support.

A Day Away

At the risk or getting all tmi on you, yesterday was my annual doctor's appointment. You know, the *girl* one. Don't worry, I mention this only as a segue. Since it was early, I rushed through the five year olds school work very early and even got all the laundry and other chores started. When I got back from the doctor, my day was fairly clear. So, I tagged along on "Grandma day", went to lunch and did a little shopping.

I have to tell you, I forget how nice it can be to break away from my routine even for just a little while. Since I'm caught up on orders and sales have been...well, let's just say inconsistent, I didn't need to be full speed tatting either. I did manage to finish a mask in the doctors office, but only because there's nothing else good to do there to kill all that waiting. I started on the last mask I'm going to make for now yesterday as well. When it's done, all the ones listed in the etsy store are made and ready to ship. Though that whole inconsistent thing has me worried that I've already sold all the masks that I'm going to for the season. I know mine are much more expensive that many that can be acquired. I've also noted a few lace ones popping up at etsy. Of course they are manufactured lace and even one made on an embroidery machine, but they're cheap and I suppose have the same general look.

In other news, the folks over at Instructables have again placed my mask in a nice and visible position. This time on the craft page with other Halloween themed craft guides. They used the image for the icon of the mask guide, where my instructable sits along side many other interesting mask choices. So, thanks for the attention again Instuctables, you know how I love the attention for both myself and tatting. It really is a great site for anyone who wants to learn how to do almost anything and of course if you haven't yet, you can learn to needle tat too.

What's on the agenda today? I have no idea. After I finish this last mask, I guess I'm waiting for a sale to appear to give me something to work toward. I mean otherwise, I'm going to have to focus on cleaning or something and I'm saving that for next week.

Look What I Discovered

So just recently I've been noticing a new surge in Instructable visits to my etsy store as well as new subscribers to my page there. Needless to say, I had no idea why. I haven't made a new on in a while, though I have one on deck for after I move. So this morning I went be there and started to look around a bit. Wasn't featured on the craft page and I couldn't find my face anywhere, until maybe the third time I landed on the front page. There in the top right corner is a large rotating block which was now full of my masked face...ahhh, that would explain it. So, thank you folks at Instructables for once again giving me a bit more exposure. I continue to be awed and humbled by the attention that mask has gotten. And to think, I only entered the Halloween contest that started on on a whim since I had coincidentally created the mask that season.I have to say this discovery was a lovely way to wake up and here's hoping that it carries on throughout the day. I didn't get all that much done yesterday as I was not only called upon to puppy sit, but I also had a visit from my Grandfather and my brother at the same time. This ate up most of the morning and since I spent the kids nap time scrubbing the bathroom floor, I didn't finish the ankle corsets as I had hoped I would. I did get two bracelets made in the morning though. I am started to yearn for creation again, but I shall try to stave off the desire for a bit. I've packed away all my photo stuff, so anything I make would lie undiscovered for weeks anyway and you know me, I like attention. Hard to create something and not immediately play show and tell with it.

I am starting to reach an impasse with the cleaning now as well. Until I am told by the property management what must be done, I think I'll sit on my hands a bit, 'cause there's no way I'm touching that garage. It is absolutely the last frontier in cleaning. Spider webs, mystery boxes and, well so much crap I wouldn't even know where to begin, so I won't. I'll try for more tatting today, maybe a bit of packing and that, my friends, is about it.