A sad weekend

Hi,
We had some bad news on Saturday, I was doing a table at a craft fair in aid of Diabetics in Children, (we both have diabetics so we are pleased to help). Actually I did quite well and the kids were running around having fun. They had a table with loads of cuddly toys on, £1 per go and you pick a name from the box and get a toy. What did I get a camel, very similar to the drunken camel we brought Gertie back from Grand Canary in December, why drunken for those who missed the post in December, so much he look drunk.
Towards the end of the morning Miranda popped in with her youngest, he looked so sad and she told us that Gertie had died the previous day in her sleep. Gertie was mothers dog and Miranda was her foster mum, shes been looking after Gertie since New Year, She could not have wished for a better home, they gave Gertie a lot of love and attention, and really looked after so well. Roger had put Gertie's basket out in the garden for her, she had gone to sleep in it, a little while later he found her, she had died in her sleep, at least she did not suffer, as far as we know she was not in pain. I wonder if the camel was from her?
Gussie who died last June ( I still have her ashes) I will put them together as near to their mother (Haie pronounced hay) as we can, the bush she is under has grown so much we might have some problems but we will try to get them as close as we can. They were from the same litter and always together, Gussie used to climb into Gertie's basket backwards and sit on her, lay on her, or push her so she could get in. Just occasionally Gertie would get annoyed with her and bash her with her paw. Gertie was like a mother hen she looked after Gussie and Mother, even trying to help mother up when she fell, I know she missed Gussie when she died, and I am sure over the last few months Miranda and her kids have given Gertie the best possible life she could have had.

Gussie, as she always was with her ears cocked.

Haie, their mother and my dog before she died ten years ago.

Its strange because I had Haie and then when she died and mothers previous dog died, the kennels offered mother the two sisters and then we found out they were from Haie's last litter, they were five when Mother had them, so give or take a few months Gertie was around 15 years old.
Unfortunately Mother still asks about Gussie and misses them so I am going to try and get her a toy dog she can at least cuddle.

Rest in peace my girls.

Margaret

International Tatting Day

Hi,

Today is International Tatting Day, I have some new bits to show you which I have saved up for today. Many tatters around the world will be going out and tatting either in a cafe or somewhere in public, unfortunately I am not going out today, but I was tatting at the craft fair yesterday.

Tatting is an art that is practiced all over the world, I am often asked about how old the art is or they have never heard of tatting. It dates back to the 16th century as far as I have found out, although it died out being done for a long time, it is coming back in a big way. I am hoping to start some tatting lessons, but due to being ill its been something that's on hold at the moment. I can say to anyone who does not tat, look down my sidebar and pop over to some of the tatting blogs listed, I am sure they would be pleased to see you, and you will be so surprised just how many tatters there are worldwide. Many years ago tatting would have been used from Doilies and edgings, today beads and many items are being incorporated into tatting, that the scope of uses for tatting has grown.
This is a new design that I have been working on, I call it Daisy Rose, and I have made a pendant with a silver leaf from a pair of earrings I brought to chop about and make into new items, the thread used is Lizbeth Purple Twist no 20.

The pink earrings which I am making a pendant to match, are also the Daisy Rose with silver leaves from a pair of earrings I brought a few months ago. the thread is very old but is by coats I am sorry I don't have the name of the thread its lost its label.

These blue earrings are from a pattern I found on the Internet a few months ago called Tree Earrings, by Nami, www.namiart.blogspot.com. I used Lizbeth thread Peacock blues which Wendy sent me before Christmas, its a lovely colour combination, and I will be using it often.

I hope where ever you are you enjoy international tatting day.

Until we meet again Take care

Hugs

Margaret

The Sunday CD Challenge - Spring has Sprung

Hi,

I am very late with this card, but I have had a very very bad cold over the last couple of weeks. I had a phone call from Sheila my sister in law who asked why I had not put anything on my blog for over a week, well sheila I hope you enjoy this card and will you come back again on Sunday for the tatting piece which I am putting together for International Tatting Day.

We have had some beautiful weather in Somerset this last week, the sun has had his hat on and its been lovely to wake up to sunshine and some warmth at last.

I struggled in Cheese and Grain last weekend, and as the morning went on I found I had conjunctivitis in my left eye and then woke up the next morning with it in both eyes, apart from the market being quite I did reasonably well. I am this week doing a craft fair in Midsommer Norton for Children with Diabetics, I hope we have a good morning.

Now to my card for this week, Spring has Sprung, I used the Furry Friends CD, from the Squeeze Cards group of Cd's. The picture is called A Quick Chat, instead of the card being on its own, I have put it on a blank peach card, added some yellow ribbon from stock, I think it might have come from a free pack from a magazine. I knitted two small daffodils and placed them on the card in each corner. We have two birthdays over the next week so it will be used for one of them.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, and enjoy what is left of the gorgeous weather we have been having before the cold returns next week.

Until we meet again Take care

Hugs

Margaret

Esty Anniversary

Hi,
I have had my Esty shop for a whole year so as part of the anniversary I have a promotion for two weeks starting today until 31st March 2012, to all customers new and old and all followers of my blog.
I am offering 10% off when purchasing anything from my Esty Shop using coupon code ..... annivshopdiscount.
Follow the link in my sidebar for my Esty shop.
Have a nice day
Hugs
Margaret

Happy Mothers Day

Hi,

Happy Mothers Day, this is the card I am giving to my mother. The image is from Joana Sheen's CD The Royal Horticultural Society CD Collection
She likes orchids and I thought she would like this image. I have backed the card with matching paper from the Cd, placed it on two silver pieces of card and put a pale pink ribbon and bow down the side, finished off with silver peel offs.
I had a big surprise on Thursday night, we went over to Gary's (Vernon's step son although we do use the word step, hes a son to us and they treat us as parents) for tea, I was given a gorgeous Mothers Day card and a Pink Gerbera Plant, with the most lovely message inside, I had a few tears well up, I was not expecting anything from them, it was a lovely surprise.
It was also nice to Bethany our grand daughter, we spent ages talking about Tatting, she really taken to it and I think we have a tatter for the future, she already designing bits as she learns.
Have a lovely day, and until we meet again Take care
Hugs
Margaret

Happy St Patricks Day

Hi,
Happy St Patricks Day.
Today I bring you Saint Patricks Day Shamrock Earrings, these were designed by Rachel from The Piney Woods Tatter link here
Rachel designed these earrings back in 2004 and posted them again as a free pattern last week.
Rachel is a needle tatter, she makes some gorgeous items please follow the link and visit her blog its very interesting. As I am not a needle tatter, I sat down and work with the pattern into a shuttle tatting pattern, actually it was not difficult to do. Rachel has given me permission to put the shuttle pattern onto my pattern blog for you all. For those who do not do tatting, there are two ways of tatting either with a needle or a shuttle.
The top pair of earrings are in dark green Flora thread no 20, I find this thread hard to work and I don't use it very often.
This pair are in a lighter green, (although the picture looks more blue than green, it is green) Coats thread no 20, both have the same shade of green bead.
Its a lovely pattern and I can see me making quite a few of these earrings.
You will find the shuttle pattern on my pattern blog, there is a link in my sidebar for the pattern blog.
Thank you Rachel for a gorgeous pattern and allowing me to put the alternative tatting pattern on my pattern blog.
Have a lovely St. Patricks day.
Until we meet again Take Care
Hugs
Margaret

I am a Lhasa Apso Lover

Hi,
Another dull day, I think we have only seen the sun once or twice in the last week in Somerset.
I have been over the moon all week, I am a Lhasa Apso lover, what you say, whats an Lhasa Apso, well its a breed of dog.
It was a Lhasa Apso who won Crufts last weekend, she won the top prize as best in show, its years since a Lhasa Apso has won crufts.
I have had four of them, first it was Happy she was black and white, her show name was Happiness. We then got Lucy she was cream and beige. Then we had Shona, her show name was Shoolin and she was black and white, and finally Avanti (who turned into Mothers dog) which in Italian means forward or come in, she was all black with a touch of white down her front.
Lhasa Apsos come from Tibet and they are the only dogs to be allowed into a Tibetan Monasteries and were kept by the Dalai Lama the hereditary ruler of Tibet. It is believed that the souls of the monks when they die going into these dogs, they are very well respected and prized. A lot of people cut their cuts short but really they should be left long and flowing, their hair is the nearest dogs hair to humans. I never brought dog shampoo for them I used what I had my hair, it was far better than any shampoo made for a dog and kept their coats in better condition. They make wonderful guard dogs, and they hear things long before some of the breeds for guarding. They are lovely dogs and very loving, if you don't feel like going for a walk they are kept happy to stay at home with their master.
When we saw her on breakfast television on Tuesday morning I told Vernon that if we get a dog, I am having another Lhasa Apso.
When I moved in with Vernon before we got married 10 years ago, I had a dog called Haie she had a french name meaning fence or hedge (she was a Belgium Griffon) at that time I was unable to get a Lhasa Apso so I settled for a Belgium Griffon. She unfortunately died within four weeks of us moving in, Vernon did not want another dog then but I told her then if anything happen to him, he would walk out one door and a dog would walk in another.
Shortly after she died Mother lost Avanti, and when she went back to the kennels for a replacement they only had two sisters who turned out to be from Haie's last litter, Gertie and Gussie.
We did say when we retired we would have a dog, its going to be Lhasa Apso.
The card above has an image of a Lhasa Apso, I did not colour it in as I felt it was better in black and white, I brought the Digi image from Imag-e-nation.
I am a bit late with this post I was going to write this a couple of days ago, I hope you have enjoyed my piece on my favorite bred of dog.
I hope you have a lovely weekend. until we meet again take care
Hugs
Margaret