Saint-Saens progress

I have been working steadily on the Saint-Saens pattern this week. It’s coming together. I’ve got a second draft. Now to put what’s on paper into thread. Of course, as I do that, I’m tweaking the design. So, what’s on paper is influenced by what’s in thread and what’s in thread is influenced by what’s on the computer. And it’s all based on the composition. I still haven’t decided to what extent I’ll be using beads; and if I’ll be using any metallic thread or such. Saint-Saens used the organ as a color instrument. Even when the orchestra is playing at forte, you can still generally discern the organ’s notes. Even though one of the melodies he uses is based on Dies Irae, I will probably not plumb the composition for such nuances. But then, I’m not finished yet. As an organist, I can’t ignore the fugue section, but it really isn’t an important facet. So, how to tat……

distracted again.....

This time the distraction was not a pattern idea. The weather was absolutely gorgeous the past few days. I got out into the yard, weeded, dreamed, looked over our budget, dreamed some more, went shopping, and did……….

Nothing

Well, we do have a plan now. It will take a while, and quite a bit of money, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to chase the ideas in my head onto paper and into thread. We’ll see……

anyone?????

another adaptation of Beanile technique

Here’s another idea I’ve had.

Now, I’m putting these ideas out there because, they’re distracting me. My raison d’etre in designing will be taking musical works and interpreting them in tatting. These earrings are fun to make for gifts, fun to take ordinary findings and make something special from them, but working on these designs is taking time away from what I really should be doing.

Anybody out there want to run with these?

ideas I've been kicking around

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately. I’m having a lot of fun trying out these ideas. More later.

star jump ring idea

Happy Father's Day

I wish all Fathers in the World a Happy Father’s Day. Anyone can father children, but those that are a Dad to kids work hard to nurture their children. My husband is a Dad to his two children. I feel very honored when they call him “Dad” and give him a hug and kiss. I join them in saying Happy Father’s Day.

A present for a grad

It’s graduation time. I’ve been enjoying watching family friends celebrate. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child. Sometimes a family is enough of a village, at other times the blood relatives are not the best influence for a person. I knew even before I married that my children would do better if they enjoyed the mentoring and nurturing of many adults. I tried to place my children in situations where they were able to benefit from people within our family, community and groups. Unfortunately, we moved far away from blood relatives; the jobs just weren’t available for us in those locales. The up side of that is the many contacts we have all over the U.S. Here’s a pair of earrings I’m making for one of those friends.

Beanile earrings pattern by Nina Libin

It’s part of the Butterfly in Your Heart set Nina shared with the Online tatting class. http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2012/nlibinhrtbflyearneck.pdf I rather like using this technique. I’m working on a Saint-Saens piece right now, but when I finish that up, I have a sketch for a Bach Sinfonia that uses this technique along with maltese technique. More on that later. 

Grateful

Ever have one of those days when things keep happening that make you feel grateful for living?

Yesterday was one of those days. I’m still smiling!

The final OnLine class of the year was a great class! I have several really good ideas to run with over the summer. I spent the afternoon yesterday working on an idea based on a Sinfonia by Bach. In between spurts with the piano, score, and shuttle, I started on some Cherry blossoms. Georgia needs them for a fund raiser. I like the pattern. I decided to leave these with picots uncut and ends attached. Hopefully, that will make it easier for her to use them.

Cherry Blossom by Jane Eborall

Off to sit in on the design class and try out more new ideas.

what I've been playing with

I spent yesterday playing with earring designs. I found some beading thread at the bead store the other day. I wondered how it would tat up.

Beanile simple earring

It is nice and crisp, but very thin. So, it doesn’t hold up in the pattern well. I’m glad I tried it though. I think I’ll add it to my sample pages and see where it takes me in a few days.

my page of samples using Beanile patterns and various threads with size 14 beads

Now, I’m off to pack my back for a demo at the store and do house chores (ugh).

organizing and such

Whew! How does one stay so busy?????

Ok, dreaming up large projects often has something to do with how busy I am. This blog is one of those large projects. And it’s still a work in progress. I would like to add a gallery and several other…..widgets….(I think that’s what I’m thinking of).

Another large project is getting my possessions thinned out and organized enough I’m not stepping over boxes to get to stuff. Never fear, I don’t consider that interesting enough for blog material. Occasionally I repurpose items left behind by the kids as they grow into other interests. One item is a storage system my daughter bought with gift cards and used for beads, toys, robot parts, and other small items. After a scrubbing up, it’s holding my small spools of thread quite nicely. I need to do something about all the paper that has piled up though……

Today I’ll finish a few more snowflakes. When it’s all done, I’ll post a picture. Hopefully, they will entice more to sign up for classes at the store. Off to tat.

Teaching the earring pattern

Today is the day. I am the guest teacher for Georgia’s Monday On-going Online class (scroll down to the correct date). I’ll be sharing my earring pattern worked around a finding from a bead shop. (see pattern page of this blog) I’ve been looking forward to getting this pattern out there to other tatters. I see so many possibilities and I won’t have enough of me to try them all. Please, join in the fun!

long term projects

I’ve been toiling away on long term projects this week. Both for the tatting files and the home files. Whew! I need a break. So, today I’m catching up on other things. I can’t reveal much about the projects for tatting, but I will say one is for the store classes, another for the Idea Centers at the store, and finally a commission for a friend. She asked for something based on the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. I’ve had fun analyzing the movements using organ. I think I’ll focus on the last movement. More as that developes.