Frogs

At the moment I have five craft projects on the go and this is causing, apart from a lot of mess, a fair amount of my time tied up with trying to get them completed for certain deadlines, although most are for July. Apart from tatting I am making something out of crochet which I will blog about soon.  So I really don't know why I decided to make this frog, but it might just come in useful to compliment one of the projects.

After I had made it I was clearing some stuff in the garden and this little fellow appeared. He immediately made a jump for the undergrowth and then when I tried to take another photograph he jumped again and I dropped the camera as I was so close to him and he frightened me!

The pattern for the Red Eyed Tree frog (not found in English gardens!) is Janes and you can find it here

Shuttles and Cuff Links

It is time to show you the latest goings on in the garage!  I was impressed at Diane's display of blinged shuttles which you can see here especially as they were displayed so well.  My attempt is not so good especially when I noticed, after looking at them in detail that there is a wine stain on the table! Six post shuttles in total, three made out of cedar (they have the transfers on) and three made out of Rosewood.  The two photographs show you what is on each side.

The cuff links are coming on well with just a few set backs, which always happens when you try something new in the craft line, particularly when you are working with wood, here are the latest designs.

This pair are made out of pear wood (notice same sounding word but spelt differently) they have glass beads in, and look a bit like cherry cakes!

These are made out of ebony

And finally cocobola rosewood

There are some other designs, all should be in Jane's Etsy shop soon. They are travelling to her tomorrow,  not by Royal Mail, but are to be delivered personally by 'Im in the Garage'.  Also there will be some apple pop-a-bobbin shuttles in the delivery.   Now I have to package them all up and perhaps after then there may be some time for tatting.

Surprises

We all love surprises, especially the ones that come in boxes or packets.  These were in a bulging package that Sue Anna sent me, she has spoilt my big sister Jane as well and we are both thrilled to bits.  Sue Anna heard of the trouble we have had importing goods from the USA because the nasty customs people get to them first!   And so she came to our rescue.  There are some amazing colours, certainly a reminder that Summer is coming and just look at those HDTs from Yarnplayer.  She also included bobbins they are so so useful.  Thank you again Sue Anna

When my boys were young and they were given Christmas or Birthday presents they usually were more interested in the boxes that the toys came in rather than the actual toys themselves.  My son (the one who lives in England) always gives me surprise gifts in beautiful boxes, and then tells me off for liking the box more than the gift. I of course remind him that he used to be exactly the same! Some years ago he gave me this box filled with very luxurious bath and shower gel. Although this one isn't as pretty as the boxes he now gives me with gifts inside, I kept this because it was so strong.

It was transformed over the weekend to look like this.

The flowers are Abutilon (Chinese Lanterns) and by complete coincidence I noticed that Wendy has posted on her blog a picture of the same flower only it doesn't seem to be published properly at the moment, hopefully it will later on today.

Next time I hope to show you the latest cuff links that 'Im in the garage' has made, don't worry shuttles are also still being produced.

Wearing it today!

I managed to finish this necklace last night even though it was started many weeks ago, only because I wanted to wear it today. The buttons are larger than the ones in the original button pattern so there was some adjustment and also larger beads were used on parts of it.

Purple is the liturgical colour of Lent, but it is a colour I wear a lot of so rather like the season in that respect.   I have given up chocolate for Lent and taken on writing a series of talks about the Book of Proverbs, and don't really know which is the hardest as they are both very challenging.

But I have resisted this chocolate lollipop given to me by my son as a reward for being good at the dentist after root canal treatment, he has got a very good sense of humour.   It is resting on some rhubarb leaves which are really doing well now that we are having a bit of sunshine for a change.

Now that it is warmer trying to encourage 'Im in the garage' to stay in there longer!

Challenge and Commission

Recently in our house (and garage) we were challenged by our youngest son to make him a pair of cuff links in either tatting or wood.  So there were many plans for these works of art, but 'Im in the Garage got in to said place much quicker than I got into my 'tatting corner' and came up with these beauties.

The back pair are made from cocobola rosewood, and the front pairs are made from ebony.  After seeing them, that was it, any thoughts of tatted cuff links were abandoned, ah well sometimes you just cannot compete with wood!   Also these are now in full use and I dare say go to bed at night in their cuff link box.

Last year I was asked if I could do some tatting for some one I knew who has a daughter getting married in July. Needless to say I have never met the daughter and hardly know mum either, but they saw some of my tatting and have commissioned me to do some tatted butterflies for the wedding.  The bride likes butterflies and her mother is embroidering what you see below on the invitations.  I had a bit of a problem matching the colours, but as you can see in the end the match was exact, the pink is Manuela and the turquoise is Lizbeth.

I have made 250 so far and will probably need at least another 150!

I am not sure how popular cuff links are but when more pairs are made they will be put into Jane's shop. I certainly don't think they will be as sort after as tatting shuttles, but you never know!

Dagger Heart

Thank you to Vicki for this lovely pattern - just added a few beads!

 

They work well as pendants, although what you cannot see is that I have not finished off the ends of the ribbons, need to get some findings.

The photographs were taken with them resting on a piece of rough glass found in a garden in Ireland, it was originally from the famous Waterford Glass factory and probably dates from the 1960s.  This piece is scratched and a bit worse for wear but it has character and although it did not end up as a beautiful item of exquisite cut glass, it was rescued and given a new home and still admired even in its rough and ready state.

                                                      "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"