Wishing you a happy new year

Hi,

         I wish you and your families

A very Happy New Year

May 2014 be a good, healthy 

and above all

Full of wonderful craft ideas.

Hugs

Margaret

No crafting for a while

Hi,
I have nothing to show you today,  over Christmas we went to Oxford to see Vernon's family, while in Oxford I had an accident on Friday,   my foot got caught in a pot hole with a small drain cover which sent me flying.
We came home yesterday and because my hand was so swollen we called in to our local hospital.  After a long wait and they don't have an x ray department at weekends.  They looked at my hand and said I have a fracture in fact it could be multi fractures.  I also have a fracture in my right leg and a rather bad left knee which I scrapped the skin off even though I was wearing trousers.  I also caught my nose and scratched my glasses,  like vernon said they can be repaired, he was more worried about me.
I am totally out of action, my left hand is in plaster, I my right foot and leg is strapped and I have to walk with a cutch.  I have to go back tomorrow to everything to be X-rayed.  

Roll on 2014 I have had enough of 2013.

Hugs
Margaret

Wishing you a Happy Christmas

Hi,

                                 I would like to wish

                     all my followers and friends 

                        a very  Happy Christmas

                           

                                     Hugs

                                Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - the three D's

 Hi,
Another post today,  this time its my card for the CD Sunday Challenge, and this week its the three D's,
1.   DL card,   for my followers who don't make cards that the shape of              the card
2.  Decoupage
3.  Die cuts.

Well this is my 3 D's card, I used the Art Deco Timeless Keepsake CD for the image and backing sheet.  matted the image on a gold card and then a pink card to match the colour of the art deco lady.  I decoupage the image with several layers.  My die cuts were from a friend who sent me the chandelier and the corner pieces.  I made a tiny bow for the top of the chandelier.
I dont know what I would do without my friends sending me the diecuts thank you you are wonderful.

Hope where ever you are you are safe and not flooded and if are going away you arrived safely.   The weather has improved but its still windy but at least the sun has been shining.  There's another storm coming in on Friday I hope it wont pick up half the Atlantic Ocean and dump it on us again, because this small island will be floating.
Take care
              Hugs
          Margaret

Snowflake Challenge- Countdown to Christmas 19/25 motif challenge

Hi,

Day 24

Last day of the Challenge,  todays snowflake is Twinkle Twinkle,  this is a pattern by Joelle link to her blog. This little pattern is a joy to make,  so easy and yet looks so pretty.  I have made a range of colours using seed beads and lizbeth thread no 20 in white.  It was hard to pick out of all patterns I have of snowflakes to find one to finish with and then along came this one and that was it.  

Yesterday was horrible with the storm that hit the southern part of the UK,  the storm that flew across the Atlantic was propelled by the Jet stream,  it gathered up the Atlantic Ocean and throw it down on us.   Parts of the area are flooded,  roads closed, trees down and transport ie trains and flights disrupted.  It was so dark I could not take a picture of these snowflakes and then we lost our electric,   and they say another storm is coming in for Friday.  Just hoping it is not as bad as yesterday.

I am making the snowflake challenge from Day 1 to Day 24 no 18 of the 25 motif challenge.

Have a nice day,

                    Hugs

                Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 23

Gosh only one more day to go before the end of the challenge, time has flown this month.  Todays snowflake was difficult to photo even though the sun was shining when I took the photos,  after days of bad light, heavy and torrential rain,  gale force winds it still has not come out as good as I hoped.
 Its called Swirl Snowflake from the book Tatted Snowflakes by Vida Sunderman. I bought this book a few weeks ago and this is the first one I have done,  the middle is very tight and looking back at the picture my picots in the middle are too small and should have been larger.  I did not have time to re-tat it but next time I will do them larger in the middle.  A little cock up that can be remedy is I finished this late at night on saturday.  I found when I photo'd it one of the picots is very large,  easy to fix sew in the ends that I was going to use as the hanging thread, and put a hanging thread on the large picot and put a couple of beads on it to cover the large picot.  It was tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.
I hope you like this snowflake.
                     Hugs
                  Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi

Day 22

Todays snowflake is Nanny's from Be-stitched.com is called Tatted 10-Point Snowflake,  sorry its not a good photo but the weather here in the Uk was horrible yesterday and this was the best I could get after several trys. It was tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20 in white.
We had torrential rain and strong winds all day,  the light was on more or less the whole day.  Oh I was so glad I went shopping on friday instead of saturday as I was planning.   But yesterday was be nasty to Margaret day,  I won't go into details but thanks to someone who complained about my blog and upset me very much I clicked on something I should not have clicked on and lost all my blog photos,  I have now got Decembers back on the rest will be put on at a later date.  I also had a mini accident and hit my head quite hard,  I had to sit down for some time, no it was not my day.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend.
                 Hugs
            Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

 Hi
Day 21

Todays snowflake is called Celeste,  by Joelle Paulson link to her blog  the top one has no beads which I did first to try the pattern,  the other one has blue seed beads.   I used the beads highlight the snowflake,  I don't like thousands of beads I like to see the tatting without over doing the beads,   I hope you like them.  I enjoyed tatting this pattern and there will be more.
It was tatted with LIzbeth thread no 20


                    Hugs
                Margaret

Update
I have been well and truly upset today,  it's been reported that and I won't mention any names clicked on one of my pictures and got a porn site,  since then I have had several emails from another person no names,  telling me my blog has been hacked etc.,  well while trying to sort it out I clicked on something and lost most of my photos.  And I have been told that she won't be coming back on my blog again until I sort it out,  and that other people don't come on either.  It's pouring with rain out side blowing a gale and I feel just like the weather,  well and truly ....... .... . If you have had trouble with my blog I am trying to sort it and I have been into blogger, I have changed the password, not a lot more I can do at this moment in time.  Please accept my apologises but today I feel well and truly hacked off.  And just to add to my day I have to reload pictures, as if we don't have enough to do at this time of year.

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day 20

Todays snowflake is the pattern by Sally Magill,  Double/Triple Picot Snowflake,  I think I did one picot a bit short but its not too hard a pattern and looks a neat snowflake. Tatted in Lizbeth thread no20.
Hope you like this one.
                 Hugs
             Margaret

Snowflake challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day 19

Todays snowflake is called Sweetheart Snowflake,  this pattern was designed by Natalie Rogers who used Gina Butlers Brides Garter Pattern and before starting the second row of the her pattern played around with curving  the first row.
I was not happy with the first snowflake as above it did not lay right and the long chains just would not lay together.  So I did another one and half way on the chains I added a picto and joined the chains together as I tatted them.  it still cups a little but the chains lay together.     It was tatted in Lizbeth Thread no 20 What do you think?
                     Hugs
                 Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day 18

Today snowflake is from the book Easy Tatting, and is called Snowflake Ornament,   tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.  I have photoed this snowflake on yellow card, it just shows the light was supposed to be good with the sun shining but by the look of the yellow  its come out green,  hopefully this picture will be better for those who are having problems with them.  Its a pretty snowflake and I think I will be doing more of these.
                   Hugs
                Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 17

Todays snowflakes are my favorite,   they are Fluffy Snowflakes by  Wally Sosa,   I used Turkish Thread Oren Bayen Perle no 8 which makes really lovely fluffy look when frayed.   they can by combed to make them even more fluffy.   These gave me the idea for my Fluffy Angel last year.
                   Hugs
               Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 16

Todays snowflake is from the book Easy Tatting and this is the Five Inch snowflake,  not my favorite I feel its too open and can flop.   Tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.
Hope you are nearly ready for christmas
               Hugs
            Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 15

Todays snowflake is the Wheel of Nine Rings,  from the book Christmas Angels and other Tatting Patterns by Monica Hahn,   this snowflake is a personal favorite and I love the onion rings funny most tatters hate them but I love them.   It was tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.
Hope you like it to.
I was told that the photos are not appearing correctly,   Jane said she got something nasty when she click on them,  I have double checked them and had two other friends in different parts of the UK checked them and they found no problems,  they were photo'd on my windowsill which is wood and is the best place to photo anything.  If you do find anything wrong please let me know I hope I don't have a hacker hacking into my blog
                             Hugs
                        Margaret.

Snowflake Challenge - A Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 14

Today's snowflake is from Diane,  this is her doodad snowflake which she designed,  my doodad does not do it justice as I don't have any silver ones and this was the smallest and the nearest I have.  Doodads are difficult to get in the UK.  I love this little pattern with the Josephine knits around the edge.  here is the link to Diane's blog.   As usual its tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.

                    Hugs
                Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - Home Sweet Home

 Hi,
On this dark and rainy day here in Somerset,  the light has been on most of the day and now its just beginning to get to even darker for the night,  we have some wonderful mild days this week very unusual for December.  not shouting too loud it could all change just like that.  Anyway a change from the snowflakes for a few hours here's my card for the CD sunday Challenge and this week (ah fortnight) its Home Sweet Home.

 I used the Joanna Sheens CD The Pamela West Collection and the backing paper also belongs to the image.
I matted the image on sliver card,  a blue ribbon bow at the top,  and then used some lovely die cuts which have been sent to me.  and finished off with silver peel offs.
Still no sign of a die cutting machine but I have got what might be coming a craft room,  yes I think hes finally relating to a craft room, I will keep you posted if it happens,  until then the dinning room is getting smaller every time I buy some new craft stash.

I hope you are keeping well,  until we meet again take care.

                    Hugs

                Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 13

Todays snowflake is Bree's snowflake No 14,  tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20,  another nice pattern but I found the chains wont play ball perhaps its me but worth tatting again.  link to Bree's blog

                Hugs
              Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 12

Today's snowflake is the third day of December from the book 24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Bjorn.  and is tatted in Lizbeth thread No 20.
I hope you are enjoying these snowflakes and not bored yet, today's is the half way point only another 12 to go.
Have a nice Day.
                      Hugs
                  Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - Countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day 11

Today's snowflake comes from this little Russian Tatting book I was sent by Kristen last month.  its an easy pattern fully diagrammed which is good as I don't speak or read Russian.   Its tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.
Just an update look at the date today. 11.12.13, how many times does the numbers follow on in order??


                                   Hugs
                                Margaret

Look at what I found.............

Hi,

Its the 10th December today mild outside at around 10c and I heard a strange noise in the bedroom,  this is what I found fluttering inside my bedroom window a Red Admiral Butterfly, the photo looks a little orange but the flash came on so the colour was washed out a bit.  Well I just had to take a picture and share it.   Butterflies in December that's definitely rare,  we only saw two of these butterflies all summer.
Hope you had a good day,  this surprise made my day. Vernon did put her outside but she came back in again,  so we left her to go out of the little window when shes ready.
                       Hugs
                   Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 10

Todays snowflake is from the book 24 Snowflakes in Tatting and is called the Eighth day of December,  this snowflake I thought would be a good practice piece for block tatting and it proved to be a lot harder than I first thought.  My first effort made a lovely flower for a card which you saw a few weeks ago,  anyway this is the finished snowflake,  a challenge in itself but worth doing.   It was tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20
                   Hugs
               Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A Countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day 9

Todays snowflake is designed by Renulek  link to her blog and is part of her tat along mat that many of us have done or in my case still tatting,  Yes I know I have not updated you on it recently,  its about the same as I have not done much to it,  it sits on my coffee table in front of me and there it sits,  hopefully after christmas I will pick it up again and try to get somewhere near the finish.   Anyway for those have not seen the said mat there is a round with these snowflakes  12 in all,  all the way around,  hence I did this as a pretty snowflake which looks lovely hanging up.  I used Lizbeth thread no 20.
Hugs
Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A Countdown to Chirstmas

Hi,

Day 8

Todays Snowflake is Flocon d'Or designed by Joelle Paulson last year,   and this I love,  the way its tatted around the doodad with rings and chains.   Its tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20
Hope you have a lovely weekend
                              Hugs
                           Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day Seven

Today its a snowflake from Anna Magazine dated December 1992 no 37,  tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.  I was asked about the Anna Magazine,  it is still published in German and can be brought across Europe,  but sadly it is now longer published in English,  it was my only way of getting new tatting patterns for many years before the internet now the world has opened up and tatting inspiration comes from all parts of the world. When I go away I do look to see if I can find a copy of Anna and see if there is any tatting in it,  unfortunately I seem to miss the right month,  I will keep on looking at least the patterns are all diagrams so I don't need to know German.
I am back in Cheese and Grain in Frome today with another craft table this I think will be my last this year.
Have a nice day
                  Hugs
               Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day Six

Today its called Fancy Snowflake from Easy Tatting book, tatted in Lizbeth no 20,  unfortunately I dont like this one its too open in the middle and without stiffening it tenad to flop.
                          Hugs
                       Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day Five
Today its from the 24 Snowflakes book by Lene Bjorn called the Fifth Day of December,    tating in Lizbeth thread no 20 white.
                    Hugs
                Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Chrismtas

Hi,

Day Four

Today the snowflake is from an old Anna Magazine dated December 1991 no 39,   its a lovely snowflake to do although I have cut out some of the picots.   It was tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20
                   Hugs
                Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Christmas

Hi,

Day three

Today I have a snowflakes from Monica Hahn book Christmas Angels and other tatting Patterns,  this is the Daisy Snowflake.   Tatted in Lizbeth no 20 white.
Hope you are enjoying these snowflakes.
                    Hugs
                Margaret

Snowflake Challenge - A countdown to Christmas

 Hi
Day Two

Todays snowflake is from the 24 Snowflakes in Tatting book by Lene Bjorn,  and it is called The second day of December.   The one above is in plain white and the one below is in Ice blue,  both are tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20.

Jenson Button in Frome/ craft market

Hi,
What a Christmas start we had in Frome,  now you know I am a Jenson and Lewis Fan and although I would have loved to have seen this,  I thought I would share with you this Youtube clip of Jenson Buttons as he said final grand prix of the year.
Frome is the oldest market town in Somerset,  we live just outside the town,  They built a bridge over the river when he won the world title,  and named a street after him,  but there is also another road called Button Lane which is in one of the oldest part of Frome.  Button is a common surname in Frome area.   Jenson grow up and went to school in Frome.  During Friday he visited the Royal United Hospital giving out gifts to the sick children before visiting the Santander Branch in Trowbridge.
Theres just a couple of question I wonder how much it cost,  speed ramps were dug up Thursday night so the whole of the car park and streets were flat for the car,  he did bump the front wing somewhere.   They took over the Cheese and Grain building and made it a pit stop garage for the day,   oh I wish I had seen it.
This clip shows you Frome, inside Cheese and Grain and the switching on of the lights,   please enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcn1C4ljWnw&noredirect=1

Now look what was in the car park the next morning his lorry carrying his car,  I just had to take it,   to the right of this picture is Cheese and Grain building.

Look at the length of the lorry,  and below the back.

 Heres my Christmas table,  and Bethany joined us for the day,  she also learned to Knit,   and when I was busy Vernon helped her sort out a stitch.  See he does have hidden talents.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.
             Hugs
         Margaret

Snowflake Challenge to Countdown to Christmas

Hi,
Day one

This is the first post on my snowflake challenge to the countdown to Christmas,   and today I am starting with (Drum roll please)  Dianes Snowflake,   this is Diane's own little pattern which she designed last year and I must say I love the pattern,  link to her blog.  This snowflake was tatted in Lizbeth thread no 20 in white.
Over the next 24 days I hope to give you 24 different patterns snowflake patterns,  some you will have seen before and some are new.
I hope you enjoy seeing the snowflakes.
                            Hugs
                        Margaret

Knitted Christmas Holly Cakes and Fluffy Doughnuts

 Hi,
Today I am doing a christmas fair in Cheese and Grain in Frome.  I am hoping the weather forecast will be kind to us,  yesterday it was a cold wind although it stayed dry. Last night Jenson Button turned on the christmas lights in Frome.  Update on this Jenson is on the national news this morning doing his doughnut in his F1 car in the car park in Frome, which is outside the building where I will be today,  in the Cheese and Grain they used the hall as pit stop garage.
These are my knitted Christmas Holly cakes from the book 20 to make Knitted cakes.  I put a piece of red ribbon around the base of the cakes. One has knitted red berries and the other is a white christmas rose which I added yellow french knots in the middle to break the whiteness. With knitted green holly leaves.

Here is something different,  knitted fluffy doughnuts,  I brought some fluffy wool in the market a few weeks ago and this is what I did with it,  there was no labels so I don't know what make of wool it was but they made an interesting take on a doughnut.
I must wish Cheryl from "intatters" who also has a craft market but in Alberta Canada, when mine finishes she will be beginning hers,  good luck, hope you sell lots.


Hope you have a nice weekend.
        Hugs
     Margaret

A choir of Ice blue Angels 18/25 motif challenge

 Hi,
Not a very big choir,  but I have been playing with a new thread called Ice Blue by Lizbeth no 20,  its not new new but its new to me,  if you get it.
The top picture I took to show you the difference between angels made in white and ice blue,   I rather like the colour and is really suits snowflakes and angels.

As you can see I have done my favorite Angel the 3D Angel by Katie Johnson,  I don't glue the skirt on I attach it to the body and I still have not found anyway of asking her if I can update the pattern and give you how I have altered the pattern to make her stand up.
The other angel is also another one I do a lot of and thats the SSSR angel by Anne Bruvold.   The picture shows her in white and ice blue,  only the ice blue looks a bit wonky I dont know why thats just how she ended up after I steamed her.   I have also done a few snowflakes in the Ice blue from the 1st December I will post a different snowflake everyday and then you will see them mixed in.  If anyone wants to join in with posting a different snowflake every day until christmas please feel free to join in,  the more the merrier
Hope you are keeping well, until we meet again take care
                         Hugs
                     Margaret

Jan Stawasz RIP

Today it is a sad day  in the tatting world as we have learnt that Jan Stawasz has died.  His funeral was today at the Old Cemetery Chapel in Slupsk in Poland.  His tatting adventures started in 1992 after a car accident.   He had several patterns published in the German Magazine "Anna",  which he gave me the magazine numbers so I could find his patterns in my copies of Anna.
The picture above is from his second book which Wendy and I did a tat along back in the summer.  I am so pleased I managed to buy a copy of this book.
 They were going to republished his first book about now,  I hope they do republished it as if it is half as good as his second then it will be worth buying.
His designs and patterns are world famous and the tatting world has lost a wonderful man.   I hope he is tatting with the angels but memory will live on in the tatting world.
I send my condolences to the family and friends of this great tatter.

Margaret

Papercraft Inspirations Freebies

 Hi,
How often do you get freebies and they sit on the craft table or to one side and never get used.  No well they often do in my case but these from the Christmas edition of Papercraft Inspirations just seem to say use me.
The one thing I added was the square card and some ribbon, oh and a piece of plain green card for the top card,   the rest backing paper and images were all free.
I still have a free bits left and some paper so a few more cards will be made may not be this year but they will get used one day.
Have a nice day
              Hugs
          Margaret