lazy musings

Life has been a bit slow and lazy lately. That hasn’t kept me from tatting or thinking about tatting. Everything has ended up in my sketch book. Here’s an example:

Sinfonia:  Two measure motif that gets tossed back and forth….use chains on either side of rings; maltese; rings on either side of a center section of ?????

     6 key centers in 30 measures alternating Major, Dominant, Relative, on to next key center…..develope motif representing scale degree and mode; use color for mode;

     Research whether motif in sinfonia was used in larger work

     Play with improv on motif and research results

That’s a bit hard to put on paper or blog, but some of you may get the idea. The rest can go ahead and have a good belly laugh at the way my brain works……my friend did the other day. I’ll admit to laughing at myself quite a bit, so I didn’t mind at all.

I hope today that everyone can find something, no matter how small, to enjoy and smile about…maybe even laugh.

Pocket Prayer Shawl idea

Sometimes it takes me awhile……

More than a year ago, our Prayer Shawl Ministry group received a request: Something small folks could tuck into their pocket. We bounced the idea around and experimented, but never really came up with something the Chaplain could use. Well, I’ve been tatting bookmarks, but I haven’t been able to tat many. I just knew the need was unmet.

Today while browsing, I came across a picture of a pocket prayer shawl. It looks like it was taken with a phone (it’s not a blurry as what my phone pictures end up) and there’s nothing to reference scale, but I’m thinking this may be the ticket. (I have requested permission to post the picture.) I’ll have to play with the idea……..

Starworks away

Well, the earrings are finally done. I wasted quite a bit of thread, but thankfully no beads. I’m off in a few minutes to teach the class at the store, so I won’t say much about anything, just a picture:

earrings inspired by Hector earrings by Nina Libin

some ideas tried

It’s still quite cool out. No fires as of yet. I’ve been working steadily on the Saint-Saens. I have some ideas; now to put them all together.

ideas for sections of Saint-Saens piece

First I have a bit of work to do on other projects. I’d like to finish the earrings built on the star jump ring.

Cooler....finally

A storm moved in last night. There was wind all night long. It woke me up……yawn!!!

There’s still a bit of fog at 8:30AM. That means it’ll be cooler. I just hope there aren’t any significant fires going. This is just the right conditions for a fire to spread out of control.

I plan to test tat some ideas for the Saint-Saens today. But first, another cup of coffee. Yawn, blink, blink.

Spare the Air

This week has been a Spare the Air week. I’ve been really trying to do my part. I haven’t driven anywhere. I did go in the car with the family to eat out last night. The air did look hazy and brown. These are not my favorite sights to see. Here’s a healthy wish that the temperature drops and the air clears soon.

So, what have I been doing? Trying to find a pattern for the fall class at the store. I think I have a good one. Now to get approval, tat samples, and set up the curriculum. As soon as that happens, I’ll post about it here.

Daisy picot snowflake in red

In the meantime, I’ll share pictures of the snowflake I’m teaching until the end of July. It’s been great fun teaching. Thank you to Stephanie Wilson for allowing me to use her pattern. I hope to have more fun with leaves soon.

Daisy picot snowflake in green

snowflake in variegated

keeping my focus

Well, I’ve decided to not do a give-away as a celebration of my 100^th post. I’m not trying to be a party-pooper, but my budget just doesn’t allow for giving away of the magnitude that attracts attention in the blogosphere. So, I decided to rely on what I write and post to attract the attention I am targeting. I guess with a full house of family, I just feel like keeping my focus is a struggle. Not that they are making it difficult, it’s difficult for me under normal circumstances (tongue planted firmly in cheek!) and my tatting is important. So, what have I been doing lately?

Last week I continued to work on the Saint-Saens motif. I’m stuck. I continued to work on the earring using the star jump ring. I learned the hard way to let the thread sit a day before loading the shuttle, after loading the beads, it’s wise to take another break, and finally, when you’re tired after a long day of designing is not the time to try a new pattern.

So, after spending 4 hours demonstrating at the Jo-Ann’s store, I finished some samples from the class that fell off the offered list. Here’s the bracelet I was using.

False tatted plait by Gina Brummet

Now that I don’t have 4 shuttles tied up with that sample, I can use them to start more projects….No! I have to remain focused. See how easy it is for me???????

for goodwill among nations and for the well being of all people, for justice and peace.

Ninety-ninth post

So, it’s fast approaching my 100^th post. I understand there’s a tradition to offer a give-away that people sign up for chances. Well, I tend to use everything I have or to repurpose what I own a lot. Perhaps it’s because my grandparents trained me up in the way they survived the Depression. Perhaps it’s because I’m a musician who came of age during the 70’s when things were tight around the house hold budget. Perhaps it’s because I’m married to a rather frugal man. Perhaps it’s because…..

I am who I am.

Bottom line is, there’s just not a whole lot to donate and not a who lot of money to buy “giveaways”. My footprint in the world is fairly light.

I thought about offering some tatting supplies, but I have nothing that hasn’t been used. I thought about offering a tatted piece, but everything that’s come off my shuttles is intended for someone or an event. I thought about offering some music, but I have no extra cd’s and don’t have files I’ve downloaded. I thought about offering a recording of me playing, but the sound quality was not good enough. So, I haven’t thought of anything to offer.

Well, I offer wishes for a safe 4^th of July celebration. I have no wish to repeat the vigil outside an emergency room because of someone handling fireworks that wasn’t trained. Please, leave the risk to someone else. Please.

I offer prayers of peace. I have people in my life who have chosen to serve in the military. All who serve deserve thanks. All deserve a chance to continue to create their own future. All deserve freedom. We all deserve peace. Let’s all work for it.

In the meantime, I’ll keep trying to figure out a 100^th post. Until then……