Motif #25 Second Round - Mary Konior's 'Patchwork' as a Pendant !

Also:  Nostalgic Hometown Fourth of July

Reinstating photographs

With little fanfare, I’m finally finishing my Second Round of the 25 Motif Challenge!  I’m quite embarrassed that it has taken me almost two years to complete it, especially since I was up to #18 in June of 2010, and well within sight of the ‘finish line’ date of Sept. 2010.   I never dreamed it would take me a whole other year to post the last seven motifs! (Thank you, Sharon, for understanding!)     Computer problems and several other distractions are to blame. I do hope to start a third round soon, as my computer issues are finally in the process of being cleared up. I had hoped when DH retired three years ago already (!) that Time would seem to slow down, but instead it has speeded up!

Motif #25 - Mary Konior's 'Patchwork' Motif - as a Pendant

Way back in November 2008, a few months after starting my blog, I showed another of this same motif in white thread, encased in a paperweight, but the beauty of the pattern is more defined here. (I decided to wear it on ’point’, so it might look a little ‘different’ to you. )


I have no idea when I tatted this motif - possibly in the late 1990s.

The true ‘gold’ color is more evident in the next photo.

 
Even in size 12 DMC perle cotton (equivalent to size 30 Cebelia), it is a 'larger' pendant, at 3" across.


I like the way the pendant looks with this particular jacket. The lace looks right at home, even though the jacket is modern and sporty (and happens to be Pittsburgh’s sports teams’ colors!)

This motif sat in my stash for many years. I never dreamed I’d eventually wear it as a piece of jewelry!   I'm sure Mary would be pleased! 

New ideas for my pendants

In my usual fashion, I attached the motif to a black 'velvet' paper circle, but I didn‘t want to use glue on this very special piece of tatting! (The large rhinestone is glued onto the paper - not the tatting, but does add to the design.)

For attaching this motif to the velvet disc, I discovered the wonderful little brads that you can find with scrapbook supplies. The tatting stays secure on the paper, and the brads also add a little 'bling'. (I did dot the outer edges with a bit of glue stick, which easily washes out if necessary)

However, my biggest ‘change’ was in adding a metal ‘backing’ to the pendant, after I discovered some new (to me) very sticky, wide, double-sided tape. As I’m sure you’re aware, all kinds of metallic embellishments are available at craft stores these days. I had to hunt for just the right one. I wanted to use a filigree rather than a solid metal backing, because I needed two 'holes' to stabilize the large motif, in the position shown in the first photo. I used large black jump rings that are also ‘new’ to craft stores.

Since discovering how strong this tacky tape is, I’ve decided that all my smaller pendants on the paper discs need to be attached to a metal backing, which adds a finishing touch, but importantly, adds 'weight', and keeps the pendant from twisting over. I now look for these metal pendants when they are on sale. 
HOMETOWN 4^TH OF JULY - 2011

In this post I also want to acknowledge the 235th Birthday of the USA. I made my usual nostalgic ‘trip down memory lane’ by attending my hometown’s annual 4th of July celebration.

These wonderful horses are

beautifully trained!

They are so majestic, and gentle!
Kids loved riding in the ‘cart’

These houses are along the parade route, on a nice tree-lined street.

I should mention that the town is only 2 miles long and has only 2 streets running through it.  But it has a wonderful park, where I spent a lot of my chlidhood - and doing a lot of crafts!!    Everything was within walking distance, including the schools. 

Although I live only 5 miles away (across the river) from my hometown, and can visit anytime, it's on the Fourth of July that it comes alive with nostalgia and memories from the 1950s and early 1960s, during my childhood and my graduation from high school.  My parents had moved there in 1945 (into the then brand new rental duplexes, near the high school) from New England when my dad was transferred to the Pittsburgh area.  So I spent my entire childhood there, through my graduation in 1961.  They then decided to move because the duplexes were going to be sold as townhouses, and they didn't want a mortgage at their age.  They moved to a very nice apartment in the next town, and my mother finally got a bigger kitchen!  And I started my secretarial 'career' in 1962 and got married in 1964.  But we always returned to the old hometown for the Fourth of July.  

What I kind of 'glossed over' above was the date of my high school graduation.  And doing the math - yes, it's been 50 years!  I just can't believe it!   So I spent some time walking around the old Alma Mater.  It's now quite updated and and modern, with renovated classrooms that have access to today's technology, and a recently built stadium with lights, plus new tennis courts.   In 1961 our yearbook shows many photos of the first big construction project that doubled the size of the original 1926 school and added the modern gymnasium.  I still refer to it as the 'new addiition' (LOL!)

Of course, I had to talk to the new band director, who was quite interested in my tales from the past!  As I've mentioned before, there are no majorettes in 'my' band these days, but the musicians sound great, and they have the flags, which are very colorful.     I couldn't help but think about  my marvelous last Fourth of July parade, when I led the band as head majorette! 
Memories, memories ...... ! 

I think I did mention somewhere in my blog that my husband and I were in the parade with the GTO a few times, and as recently as 2000, which was fun!  But the car will oveheat in the hot weather and slow-moving parade, so we haven't done that for awhile!  

Hope you are all having a good summer!