Tatting To-Day by David Law Proudfit

(the frame is a collage of photos I've taken in the last year)

Tatting To-Day

With figure demure, and a downcast face,

And a tranquil air of quiet grace,

Her delicate fingers deftly wrought

A pattern as fine as a fairy’s thought,

Tatting that day!

O maiden fair, with the silken hair,

And the shining eyes of a luster rare,

What abracadabra’s mysterious spell

Is thy flying shuttle weaving so well,

Tatting to-day?

Ah, sir, I work to have my way

In the perfumed air of a gracious day;

My nimble fingers are weaving a snare

To entangle human hearts.  Beware

Of my tatting to-day!

So the lily fingers entrancing flew,

And the lustrous eyes were heavenly blue;

And the silken hair was shot with gold,

And down in a golden glory rolled,

Tatting that day.

And she had her will on a gracious day,

All clad in a cloud of white array;

And I bless the day and the perfumed air

That kissed her cheek as she wove her snare

Tatting that day.
                                      David Law Proudfit

My Little Gardener

These have become Baby Doll's pansies.  A neighbor's daughter sold them to me as part of a team fundraiser, I planted them in a couple pots in the backyard last October and haven't touched them since.  Mother Nature watered them through the winter months with more rain than we are used to and MUCH more snow than we are used to. Things have warmed up and dried out now.  The flowers needed watering on a regular basis but my mind has been elsewhere.  You may recall that I am a cold blooded plant killer.  Things were looking pretty bad for my pots of pansies.  That's when Baby Doll stepped in.  She LOVES being outside and in her ramblings through the back yard she took an interest in the sad, potted pansies.  At first I thought her interest would kill them.  She is a rather brutal dead header.  I humored her when she asked for repeated cups of water knowing she meant it for the flowers.  Then about a week ago, I noticed that the pansies were perking up.  Tonight both pots were full of flowers.  Do you think green genes are recessive?  Because although I don't exhibit many indications of having a green thumb, I seem to have passed my green genes on to the next generation.

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

but no worries, because I'm talking wicked GOOD, as in the giveaway I won from Aileen's Wicked Tats!  For her birthday, Aileen hosted a party favor giveaway and much to my surprise, MY name was drawn for a prize!  I don't know WHAT I am doing, but lately I have been quite lucky and it all began with Aileen.  Previously, IN MY WHOLE, ENTIRE LIFE, I had only won ONE thing... a frozen turkey in fourth grade... imagine my delight...

Well I'm not in grade school anymore and just LOOK at the cool party favors Aileen sent!  I have done QUITE a bit of cross stitch in my time and enjoy it VERY much.  Cross Stitcher magazine has some really pretty charts, so I may be finding myself with a piece of lugana and two strands of floss in my hand again... IF I can find the magazine!  I taught Groovy Girl (my third grader) to cross stitch last summer and she has already kiped it once - caught her reading it in bed.  She has her eye on this chart in the "how to" section:

Aileen also sent a COOL, cross stitch, key chain which has charts for the Chinese Zodiac.  I will get to stitch this one for sure... but probably not in my sign.  Most likely, I will stitch up a pig for my oldest daughter.  She flipped for it when she saw it, which just goes to show how cool it is, because she isn't normally a flipper!  Plus, the pig is SO DARN CUTE!

Thank you Aileen!  We are ALL enjoying your party favor prizes!!!

(by the way, Baby Doll is beginning to think she is a hand model)

Love, Love, Pat, Pat - A Quilt for Baby Doll

I recently posted pictures of a pillow and pillowcase I made for Baby Doll's American Girl doll, Emily.  I commented later that Baby Doll had stood beside me at the sewing machine as I stitched the final seams. When I was done, she put out her little hand for the pillow and upon receiving it put out her other hand and said simply, "Blanket."  My blogging friend, Martha replied, "Tell Baby Doll not to worry -- a little yellow doll quilt will be coming her way soon from Washington."  I LOVE Martha's blog, Q is for Quilter and admire her work greatly, so I have been very excited, especially when she began posting about the Baby Doll Quilt she had begun.  Yesterday it arrived in the mail and it is absolutely ADORABLE!

(pat, pat)

It's like a ray of sunshine!  I LOVE the yellow setting blocks and the fabrics Martha chose!  She makes most of her quilts using vintage fabrics.  The quilt is approximately 17" x 23" and is OVERFLOWING with 1930's era prints!

Martha pieced it by machine and then hand quilted it with little tulips in the setting triangles because the fabrics reminded her of spring.

It is SUCH a happy little quilt!

Even the back is sunny and bright!

(love, love)

Baby Doll LOVES her little quilt!  She squealed when we opened the package yesterday and called it her "blanquets (said with a lisp)."  Poor Emily didn't happen to be nearby, so Baby Doll gathered up Stella in the purple and Mora in the plaid and went to snuggle with them and the blanquets (don't forget the lisp) in a chair.  

We didn't get to play much today because we had a sick sibling keeping us company, but we will get Emily all tucked in and share with you soon!

Thank you Martha - it is a special little quilt 
and you are such a kind friend!

Happy Easter!

Luke 24:1-8

Happy Easter!

This cross was tatted by Grandma.

(tatted piece by my grandma)

HAPPY TAT DAY!

I haven't ACTUALLY tatted today OR had chocolate and since I don't have any chocolate in the house and probably won't tat until LATE tonight, I thought I had best hurry and wish you a HAPPY INTERNATIONAL TATTING DAY now before the night gets away from me (again) and I have to wish you HAPPY DAY AFTER INTERNATIONAL TATTING DAY tomorrow... it just doesn't have the same ring to it...