Last of the Orchid Pictures

This will be the last of the orchid pictures and the next post will be Tatting.

Tatting a Jan Stawasz Doily

I was very sad to hear about the passing of Jan Stawasz a while ago and ordered his two books before they went out of print because I love making Doilies and he made BIG ones. This is the start of doily #1 from his book Tatting Theory and Patterns. I started this one in size 20 thread so that I could get used to his style of Tatting. The problem is that I hate using thread this thick and prefer to do doilies in size 80 thread so I think I am only going to Tat 2 more rows and then start it in a thread color that I like in size 80.

Internet and Tatting

It has been a long 3 1/2 months with no Internet but they finally came today and we now have satellite Internet. It has been horrible not being able to keep in touch with my Tatting friends and write on my blog. Now I am going to be able to post on a regular basis and enjoy all that is Tatting on line.

Here is a picture of my latest Tatting and a quartz crystal ball that we have that has water inside of it that has been there for thousands of years. the ball is about 7 inches wide and came all the way from Hawaii.

I look forward to sharing a lot with you and hope that you will once again start to follow my blog.

Clyde

Tatting and Spanish

When we first were planning on moving to Panama I thought I would teach myself to speak Spanish before we moved. Unfortunately I did not realize how much of my time was going to be taken up by planning the move so it did not happen. I have finally reached a point in time where I have decided that I need to make learning to speak Spanish a priority so I am trying to devote 30 minutes a day to doing this. We shall see how it goes with this old brain of mine. 
Now as promised a scan of my tatting WIP (work in progress). The pattern is from the book Tatting Theory and Patterns by Jan Stawasz and the pattern is called Doily 1 and the finished size when tatted in size 10 thread is a diameter of 80cm so mine will be a little smaller because I am using size 20 thread.

They are Growing and News on Tatting.

Well our three little ones are growing fast and the hand feeding is almost done. It has been a lot of work for Gregg but it was a good thing to keep him busy.

On the Tatting side I just received 2 books by Jan Stawasz. The tatting patterns are very nice and his method of Tatting is interesting. It is sad that such a talented Tatter has passed away. 
In my next post I will include a picture of my work in progress. I promise.

Happy New Year and A New Life in El Valle, Panama

HAPPY YEARS EVERYONE

 My Partner Gregg and I have now officially retired and moved to El Valle, Panama.

Never again will we have to endure a Canadian winter. Here in El Valle, Panama we have 2 seasons wet and dry. The average daily temperature is about 27 and the night time temperatures average 22 and it is like this year round. The one thing that is really different is the winds we get here are crazy. Last night they were blowing so hard they were blowing furniture across the patio. The town of EL Valle is in the crater of a dormant volcano. It is the second biggest inhabited crater in the world. Located about 2 1/2 hours from Panama City at an elevation of about 600 meters and with a population of 5,000 this tropical wonder has to be seen to be believed. The town is surrounded by lush green mountains and there is vegetation everywhere you look. Every tree that you look at is covered with orchids, bromeliads and ferns planted by mother nature.

This year my blog will have lots of pictures from here and some tatting here and there.

This is the view that we get to look at each morning as we have our breakfast on one of the covered patio's. Below is a scan of the snowflakes that I made and gave to friends this Christmas. This is a Celtic Snowflake and the pattern is from Ruth Perry. Thank you Ruth these made impressive gifts for my friends and they loved them. 

Tatting and Monday's Inspiration

 "If you don't like something, change it.

If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Don't complain."

-Maya Angelou 

Tatting and Friday's Inspiration

"People who say it cannot be done

should not interrupt those who are doing it."

-George Bernard Shaw 

Tatting and Tuesday's Inspiration

"There are three ingredients in the good life;

learning, earning and yearning."

-Christopher Morley

Tatting and Weekend's Inspiration

This doily is another one of my creations.

"True life lies in laughter, love and work."

-Elbert Hubbard

Tatting and Monday's Inspiration

"Always remember that the future

comes one day a a time."

-Dean Acheson

Thursday's Inspiration and Tatting

This is a doily that I designed 2 years ago. I am hoping that life will slow down a little when my partner and I retire soon so that I can finish my book of doilies. 

"You have to leave the city of your comfort

and go into the wilderness of your intuition.

What you'll discover will be wonderful.

What you'll discover is yourself."

-Alan Alda

Tuesday's Inspiration and Tatting

"Goals are not only absolutely necessary

to motivate us. They are essential

to really keep us alive."

-Robert H. Schuller

Tuesday Inspiration

Large Celtic Snowflake tatted using size 30 echru Cebilia thread. The pattern is by Ruth Perry and can be found on her site at http://tatting.wordpress.com Look for the 2010 snowflakes. It still needs to be blocked but I am very happy with it.0

"As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others."

-Robert Schuller

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing everyone a Happy Valentines Day.

"Your aspirations are your possibilities."

-Samuel Johnson

Some Tatting and a Giveaway

This is a doily I just finished making using Lady Shuttlemakers Silk Hand Dyed Thread size 60 colour Middle Earth. The pattern is just one I made up as I went along.
Below is a picture of the doily that I am giving away along with 50 yards of Middle Earth HDT, size 60. All you have to do to be entered is to leave a comment with your name. Good luck. Deadline is thursday noon.

Due to the overwhelming response to my giveaway I have decided to change it a little to give more people a chance to win. There will now be 3 prizes.
1. The green doily
2. 50 yard skein of Middle Earth HDT size 60 by Lady Shuttlemaker
3. A small skein of Peace HDT size 80 by Yarnplayer

Sorry, no Tatting

Sorry there have not been any pictures of Tatting lately but I have been fighting double pneumonia and because of the puffers I have been having to use my hands shake to much to do tatting. Hopefully it will clear up soon so I can get back to my tatting.

Tatting and Inspiration

I made this doily to match one that a friend bought at an antique store. It measures 12 inches across and is tatted in size 30 DMC Cebelia ecru thread.

"Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted.
Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world."
_____ Hans Margolius

Weekend Inspiration

These are the first seven rows of a doily I am making for a friend. I am making it to match an antique doily that she has. "Don't be surprised, Don't be startled; All things will arrange themselves. Don't cause a disturbance, Don't exert pressure; All things will clarify themselves." _____ Huai-nan-tzu

Tatting and Inspiration

This is the first 5 rows of a tatted doily that I am making as a surprise for a friend. The pattern comes from a doily that she bought from an antique store and I am making it so she has a set of matching doilies. "It is necessary to be noble, and yet take humility as a basis. It is necessary to be exalted, and yet take modesty as a foundation." _____ Lao-tzu