Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tatted Angel in Snowglobe !

Product Alert:
This unique snowglobe has a place for inserting photos (2" x 3"), but also has plenty of room to insert a small piece of tatting, and it can be seen from both sides. It is also magnified.


I want to alert you to these snow globes that I found in the Photo area of the big discount store whose intials are W-M. These globes are also advertised on the internet.

The large snow globes (which are not glass but some kind of soft acrylic material) allow you to insert two small 2" x 3" photos back to back. The photos get magnified and look as if they're floating in the snow globe, with the usual 'snow' swirling when you shake them. Cost: about $10.

The base stand just pulls off, and the photos are placed inside the plastic insert (shown in the photo below), which then slides up into a protected area of the globe. Very clever!
I knew exactly the tatted piece I wanted to showcase.
I'm sure you've already guessed what it is:

Motif #20 - Second Round
Hairpin Lace and Tatted Angel - by Martha Ess

Of course, it's Martha Ess's excellent and innovative angel pattern, which can be found on the internet.
For some reason I'm not able to paste the link to the URL here. If you Google "Tatted Angel Hairpin Lace" it will be the first listing on the page. I apologize for the inconvenience!
For size comparisons, here is the angel outside the globe, next to the clear plastic insert (2" x 3") which slides into the globe from the bottom, and holds the photos (or in this case tatting) in place.
I tatted the angel with size 30 Cebelia thread.
I first saw Martha's lovely and unusual pattern (combining hairpin lace and tatting) on the internet in 1998. I was very much intrigued by it, and finally decided to try to make it, possibly around 1999.

Somehow I had a hairpin lace loom among my craft supplies, but had never used it other than to practice making a small sample of hairpin lace, using a crochet hook.

I was quite pleased with myself when I finished the piece (minus halo - I hope to add it soon!), and it's the only hairpin lace I've ever made.

As most of you are aware, Martha has gone on to design so many other fabulous designs, has written several tatting books, and has taught classes at Hector and Palmetto. Thank you, Martha, for your total dedication and innovative contributions to the art of tatted lace !
These snowglobes are a great showcase for your smaller tatted items, which can easily be changed according to the season.
I hope to put a printed gold label on the base, and definitely plan to buy a few more globes!
* * *

In the United States we are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, a very pleasant holiday to share with friends and family. i hope you also have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

More Treasures from Wanda!

Part 2 of 2

In addition to winning Wanda’s fabulous Pumpkin Vine Bookmark (see prior post), I was stunned that there were so many other items hidden in the pretty red gift bag that she handed me at the restaurant on Sunday (Halloween), all part of a very generous Giveaway Prize for her 2nd Blogaversary!



Imagine my total surprise at receiving all of THIS, in addition to the Bookmark!

I certainly appreciate the time and effort that Wanda made into gathering, and in some cases, making or decorating, these items!








The attractive candle contains three scents: Maple Sugar, Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Apple Crisp. How yummy is that?!!! I can’t wait to light it up! (I didn’t even know there WERE ‘three-scented’ candles!)

Next to the candle is a lovely tea tin, decoupaged by Wanda with a pretty fabric (in my favorite colors), all around the sides and on the lid! I can now rescue my teabags from their cardboard boxes!

Inside the tin were all the items you see in front of it! I was amazed to pull all these things out of the tin while we were visiting!

- Lizbeth #20 Autumn Spice thread (one that I don’t have!)

- Three cute wood ‘paddles’ with Lizbeth solid thread samples
in Fall colors: brown, green and orange (the last two were used in her pumpkin
bookmark!) She labeled them with a green glitter pen! I notice these things!


- Three matching items (pictured below) all decorated with the
same pretty 'Falling Leaves' fabric:





An unusual ‘fine’ crochet hook with a cylindrical handle, again decoupaged by Wanda. I’ve never seen this kind of hook before! I have one that has a flat handle, but not cylindrical. Very ergonomic!

Clover shuttle, also decoupaged by Wanda, which makes it so special and unique!


Wonderful Needle Keeper, expertly sewn by Wanda!






Inside the needle keeper, complete with needles!!!!


This is so nicely made, and will be VERY handy!




And there were even MORE items! (shown in the first photo above)

A cute postcard from Kansas, which shouts “Hay! from Kansas”, also showing a big sunflower (the State flower)! :)

Pumpkin Seed Recipes”! Very handy for this season!

And another BIG surprise: Karey Solomon’s “Here be Dragons” book, which I have never seen before. It has amazing patterns in it!

I am so overwhelmed by all of this, from getting the notification that I won ‘something’, to making arrangements to meet, and to sharing that wonderful and special time together!

And she still had to continue on with her long road trip to Kansas (over several days), whereas I was only 45 minutes from home!

Wanda is such a delightful person – she is so cheerful and enthusiastic, and seems to have endless energy, not to mention her exceptional creative talent! Her blog, only two years old, is brimming with her own beautiful tatting designs (several of which she has shared with us) plus excellent ‘travelogues’ about her travel adventures!


And her devotion to family, friends and work is obvious. I’m so glad I got to meet her in person - plus her daughter and grandson! Quite an amazing day!!
I can only say: THANK YOU SO MUCH, WANDA!


This has been a very wonderful experience!