I won!!! I won!!! I won!!!

I can hardly believe it... I've been awarded a Folk Art Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi Arts Commission in the amount of $4400 for my tatting. I applied way back in March and only applied because my wonderful wife encouraged me to fill out the forms and send in the photos/samples of my work. It was a juried at both the State and Federal level. The Fellowship is to encourage and enable artists to continue and grow in their work. There will be write ups in the paper and possibly a award ceremony. I can't believe I've been acknowledged at this level, I never thought I would get a Fellowship, especially such a wonderful one, I guess it's time to shout, "Praise The Lord" and do a little happy dance.

Rosette Cross - motiff #9

Its a crazy week with my ordination service scheduled for Sunday, July 12th and Vacation Bible School to begin the following week, but I've still managed to find some time to tat. The idea for this cross came from a baby bonnet in Aunt Ellen's Tatting Handbook and a similar cross by Sharon Briggs. It is tatted in Flora #20.

What Happens When a Tatter Loses Their Mind... motif#8

This is what happens when a tatters starts to crack. My wife and I unfortunately have no children (not from lack of wanting), we have no pets because our apartment complex charges a fortune for them, but we do have Serta Counting Sheep. They may not be as good as kids or pets, but they don't have to be taken for a walk and never want to borrow the car. Believe it or not , the sheep are not the crazy part!!! The crazy part started a while ago while I was crocheting some baby booties and bonnets for a ministry called "Threads of Love", they take them to the local hospitals for the preemies, I decided to make a set for "Trinity" (she's a #3 Serta Counting Sheep). That was strange, but cute, but strange... the losing my mind part came when I decided she needed a little BLING, so I tatted her a tiny pink tiara with a swarovski crystal on top. My wife laughed (it is her sheep, after all) and I'm starting to think about starting a Tatters Anonymous group. Well here's Trinity.......

Can You Name This Doily? Motif #7a,b,c,d

April Snowflakes did bring May doilies, unfortunately it also brought a lack of organization and a SENIOR MOMENT.
I'm not sure I qualify for a senior moment in my forties, of course 20 years ago I would have said of course. Somehow the older I get the younger everyone else seems.
The senior moment has to do with remembering what the name is of each of these doilies are and where I put the patterns so I can give each designer the well earned credit they are due. So please forgive my memory lapse. I do know that one of them is the Arches doily, and another are the windmill doilies, one was done according to the pattern, the second one was made larger by increases the repeats in the pattern. All were done in Flora #20. By the way, April Snowflakes brought May Doilies, and May Doilies have brought June Earrings, so check back soon.

April Snowflakes Bring May Doilies - Motif # 6

We didn't have much in the way of April showers here in Mississippi but I had a blizzard of snowflakes appear. They include ones by Jon (by the way her snowflake book is great), Tatbit, Ruth (Celtic patterns), and several others. They also include my only non-white snowflake. I think May was a doily month, stay tuned for my next catch-up post.

Long Time No Blog - Motifs 3,4,5

Its been over 2 months since I blogged, its amazing how time flies when your not having fun. I love serving as a Pastor in a little country Church but it sure would be a lot easier if there weren't any people (ha!ha! groan). Even though I haven't been blogging I have been tatting quite a bit, its very soothing. There's something about taking string and turning it into a delicate piece of lace that does wonders for my attitude.

Here are the first of the tatting I've been doing since February.
Motif # 3 - Anne's dragon in Flora 20 (several of his relatives have made great gifts for dragon loving friends)


















Motif # 4 - Sabina's Floral Bookmark in Flora #20



















Motif #5 - Santa Fe Cross by Barbara Foster in Flora #20

New Bracelet with Matching Earrings, Motif #2

I was at a loss what to make my angel of a wife (believe me, putting up with me for 17 years definitely qualifies her for wings), I've tatted her hearts and doilies, crocheted her afghans, scarfs, and angels, so this year I took a stab at "Denise's Bracelet" by Debbie Strickland. Thanks to her generously sharing her pattern, I was able to tat both a bracelet and matching earrings.
I used Manuela black #20 with lots and lots of swarovski crystals.
These count as motif #2 of my 2nd 25.

A Blizzard of Tatting motif #1 of 2nd 25

I finally got DSL its amazing what a difference it makes after using dial-up.
It's been a while since I've blogged, but I've still been busy tatting, one of my distractions from blogging was performing my first wedding. The lucky couple are members of the Church I pastor and were actually renewing their vows. They had been married 60 years and had their children, grandchildren and a multitude of great grandchildren in attendance. They even had the couple that been their witnesses there (they had just celebrated 60 years of marriage themselves).
Back to tatting... I've been tatting a blizzard ever since Christmas. Several of the snowflakes are patterns by Tina Frauberger, Jan Stawasz and Teri Dusenbury all done in Flora #20. After blocking them I stiffened them with a water/glue mixture and sprinkled them with some micro glitter. It doesn't show in the photos but it gives a nice finish.
I'm counting all of them as motif#1 of my second 25.