Ain't house hunting fun!!!

Well, it is fun to imagine and see where other people have chosen to live at one time or another. It’s another experience to actually start the process of buying/selling and moving/relocating. It’s exciting, scary, and rather nerve-wracking. I have to keep telling myself that I can stay calm through it all. Tatting helps.

 I took the time to locate where my bead stash is. I have been itching to tat more earrings. I also need to clean or replace a pair that I wear often. My photo didn’t turn out well at all. When I finish the replacement pair, I’ll scan them before I finish them with the wire. I like using jump rings and such to attach the tatting to a wire. It seems to put the focal point of the design at the height that compliments most people. Just my opinion……

I think I’ll go pick a pattern idea from the sketch book. That should calm my nerves and focus my imagination.

Tatting with paper

I’ve seen this phrase used several times now. I like it. If anyone knows who started using this phrase, please let me know. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like playing with thread and shuttle. I like just tatting and seeing where it takes me. I did that with the bead cap earring pattern. But, I also play with combinations on paper using Inkscape to see if it will remotely work before I pick up the shuttle. Sometimes it works. Other times, I come away with no more of an idea than when I sat down with the pencil or mouse. Sigh. So, that’s my challenge for this week: improve my tatting with paper.

learning graphics to quiet the clamor

It’s Friday and I’m a little tired. A long rehearsal on Thursday usually does this to me. Add to that, I’ve been working through some tutorials using Inkscape. I’d like to cut down on the test tats of my design ideas and use a graphics program rather than a shuttle to see how things will work. So, yesterday and today are set aside for learning this program. First off: I am not an artist! As such, I am outnumbered in my family. My brother is gifted; my husband kept my children happy while waiting in restaurants by sketching; my children both produce wonderful photos and computer art. I work with fibers….sort of. For my attempts to be successful there has to be some sort of framework: geometric pattern, grid for foundation, limited color variance, you get the idea. That’s why I enjoy tatting so much. And, given the structure of the music I enjoy (think Bach), that’s where my idea to combine organ music and tatting shuttles come from.

I’ve had some folks tell me I do crafts, not art. I tend to agree. But then others tell me my crafting is high enough quality to earn the designation of art. I agree at times. So, I’ve decided I’m a crafty type that occasionally produces art. I’m just hoping that the time spent learning how to create with Inkscape is worth it to quiet some of the clamor in my brain for new ideas to tat.

Take for instance the tune that’s been rolling around since rehearsal: “Blessing and honour, glory, and pow’r, be unto Him, that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Great fugue Handel. Gotta be a set of DS with picots that correlates with that……….