SS Winner 3, and SS Giveaway Post #4

Whew! This is fun, right?

So, there were 89 entries into this last giveaway, 

and Third time just happened to be a charm for 

Shannon_in_love!!! 

Congratulations Shannon!

Please email your address and your color / size preference to 

jess.d.foster@gmail.com

Just a Random Photo for fun:

I don't really know what this is, it looks like either a huge megaphone, or
like Livi is about to written on by a really huge pencil tip!

Now, You know the drill at this point. 

But, since, you might get tired of just stating your desire to have your name thrown in the pot again, how about this time around, to have your name entered into the pot again :

Comment what you had for breakfast!

For NEXT week, be thinking about your favorite holiday tradition, but we'll save the sentiments for next week and just have some fun this week!

I did not have breakfast this morning!  I don't particularly like breakfast in fact.  I really REALLY dislike bacon, and only slightly tolerate sausage.  But, I do appreciate a good waffle or pancake as long as they have no syrup on them and I in company that won't look at me like I'm an alien if I pick mine up and eat it like a piece of bread.

Though, I will say that people don't tend find my waffle/ pancake eating habits nearly as strange as when I pick up a steak and eat it the same way.  I just don't like cutting my food.  

If I am going to go some where fancy, where picking up a steak and eating it by hand is unacceptable, I will have someone cut it up for me. :o)

<3<3<3

** UPDATE:  Yes, I plan to add commentary to everyone's breakfast!  Why? Because I just recently enabled replies... and I have lots of questions!"**

Newness and such

At this very moment, I have a sinus headache.  But, I have been moving all day in fear that I might just collapse from fatigue. Have you ever felt like that?
So, what did I do?  Well, first I got Livi to school and then I went to school....

Then I started this:

Then I received this in the mail!  It's so pretty!! Thank you so much Frivole/ LaCossette!

It's a Clover shuttle with Cherry Blossoms!! I love everything about this shuttle!  It's so fabulous! :o)

But anyway, back to my schedule, then I wrote up two data reports for Genetics Lab and then finished this:

Overall I love it! It was fun to make and didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would.

However, I seriously need to do something about this part:

This part is not working for me. At ALL!

I thought about not posting pictures of this, because I may give it away as a Christmas present and some of my family does read the blog.  But, I like it, so I may keep it.  But, who knows.

Anyway, does any one have any suggestions how to neatly add a bead toggle??

Rainbow-licious Reservations

Hello Everyone!!

I got a request today for more Rainbow-licious.  As you may already know, any time I've done Rainbow-licious, the size 20 sells out really really fast.  Since it's not the easiest colorway to dye, I would rather do a bunch at one time.  So, would anyone else like to reserve a skein/s before I start dyeing??

I will be winding skeins this week and hopefully get dyeing next week.

You can email me your request if you prefer to do it that way.  It makes no difference to me.  My email is located on my Blogger profile or you can message me through Etsy.

This is what the last batch looked like for reminders. :o)

Sorrel Splendour hits the shop!

I mentioned a while back that I had tried to do a regular colorway for Sorrel Spendour.  It turned out to "Christmas-y"
I personally love Christmas, but I do not like the traditional red and green colored Christmas.

So, overdyed the batch and fixed it.
I have listed them in my Etsy shop.  I raised to price on them temporarily.  They are set at $9 but once I take down the THANKSGIVING coupon tommorrow, they will be the regular $7.20.
I didn't figure I would be doing myself any favors by letting these brand new skeins go at the super low price.

I'm sure you understand. :o)

SS Winner 2, SS Giveaway 3

Is it Friday already??

I hope all my fellow Americans had a nice Thanksgiving!!

This week's Secret Santa Giveaway winner is:

Margaret from 

Margarets Designer Cards

Congratulations Margaret!!

Please email me Margaret your address and color/ size choice. :o)

Once again, comment on this post to get your name placed in the hat (Excel spreadsheet) again!

And if you are needing to catch up on what's going on here are the links to the first two giveaways:

Giveaway 2

Giveaway 1

ALSO, don't forget that I've got a special "THANKSGIVING" coupon sale going on!!

Don't miss out on this AWESOME deal!!

<3<3<3

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, most of my classes yesterday were cancelled, so I actually had some tatting time.  So nice!
So, I did this:  (I did hear, do one in SeaGlass right?)

Originally, I was going to do another one of Jane's Button Brooches, but I like this button, and I didn't want to hide it, so I did something a little different. I love how the chains look all boxy.  This has not been blocked at all, so that's just how it turned out. I think it's the tube beads that's causing it.

Anyway THEN I found some abandoned motifs and put them on ornaments:

 

This Gold one, I just made up one.  I finished this one with a tassel. 

The bigger one, has Jon's Baduri (is that the right name?) from Elegant Tatting Gems

I took a seprate thread and fed it through the picots and tied to keep it secure.  I like it a lot!

I tatted this one last year, in Lizbeth's Blue Ice.

Anyway!  Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans!

Don't eat too too much!

If you go out shopping tomorrow, please be safe!

Check yesterdays post for a very special coupon!!

30% coupon LIMITED TIME

So, I just KNOW everyone loves a good sale.  So, Today through Monday (11/26/12) I am offering 30% off everything in my shop.
This means that a skein that normally cost $7.20 is now just slightly over $5.
This is a REALLY great deal.  So good that I cannot  afford to do it often or for very long, but I just adore all of you, and this is my way of saying "Thank You!!"
The coupon code is "THANKSGIVING"

Please enjoy!  Keep in mind that every purchase helps me get Livi Christmas presents.  So, if you are in fence on buying something for yourself this season, maybe you can talk yourself into splurging a little knowing that it means more Christmas for Livi. :o)

She is such a pretty girl! I LOVE her hair. :o)

ALSO!!! Remember Friday is the cut off to enter your name into this week's Secret Santa Giveaway. 

I put a link to entry post on the side. 

:o)

----------------->

Just in case you haven't seen enough of these on Jane's blog

When I saw Jane's, I just knew I wanted one.  I don't know why.  I don't wear brooches and this is very brooch-y.  But, I like it.  I think it is very clever.  Maybe it will be a Christmas present.
I put a split ring on the Long Beaded Picot so that the charm can be changed out.
Since Thanksgiving is this week, I put a little pie charm on it.
Cute right??

I am thinking that maybe my beads on the LBP are little too big, but not unsightly, so it's alright. :o)

The pattern is Jane Eborall's, the thread is size 40 Blue Ridge (my own)

Most of the beads are 15/0 

Except the ones on the LBP which are 4mm

:o)

My Lil' Tie dyed Native American

Livi and her classmates are dressing up as Native Americans and Pilgrams.  They are going to have a feast and everything.  It must be fun to be in kindergarten.  :o)

So, we went and bought a pack of pillowcases and tie dyed them for her Native American outfit.  Doesn't she look so cute???

So, as you can probably guess, the pack of pillowcases had two pillowcases... so, the other is mine! All mine!

AND Livi actualy help dyed these.  It was guided help, but at least she can go to school and tell all her friends and teacher that she made it. :o)

Relisting..... catch em while you can!

I noticed that the number of listed skeins and the number of skeins on hand did not correlate.  Then I remembered that when I got back from Tat Days, I didn't count all the skeins I had.
Ooohhh yea!!!
Ever have one of those moments?

So I have relisted some of those sold out colorways, (mostly only size 20)
These include:
Serendipity
Fancy Fields
Queen Anthias
4-Eva
Chilled
Bahamas
Blue Ridge
Pitaya Limeade
and Jade n Salmon


Are there more that could be listed,- probably.


Also, I tried the Sorrell Splendour colorway again, but this time, with the regular method.  I turned out more Christmas and less Autumn.  But I am going to retry and I'll photograph these skeins tomorrow after I get a chance to get some batteries for my camera!

<3<3<3

Winner 1 and Secret Santa Giveaway 2!

Alright!!  I entered all the entries into an Excel document since, I had entries from Facebook and email that were mixed in.  That assigned numbers to each name, and then used the Random number generator to pick

PHYLLIS

as the winner of the first Secret Santa Giveaway!

Congratulations!!

Now, let's keep this game rolling!! 

Comment on this post to enter the 2nd Secret Santa Giveaway!!

If this is the first you are hearing about the Secret Santa Giveaway, I invite you to look here. 

:o)



**UPDATE:  I've been mulling over this idea, and I have finally decided to go forth with it.

I'm going to make these giveaway cumulative.  Meaning, if you entered last week, you are entered this week.  Entering again this week will give you two names in the pot.  So potentially, by the sixth giveaway, you could have your name in the pot 6 times.

I am not going to do repeat winners though, so you can only win once.


Thanks everyone!
This is fun!
<3

Meeting the Challenge

So, yesterday, I was publically challenged by our very own Fox.

Who challenged me with this:

Of course, I could not ignore this.  I am impulsive after all.  

When I don't have 2 lab reports, a scientific paper, and an immunology test to deal with (Ater next Tuesday) I will play more with these colors.

I really REALLY like how my leaf came together.  

(Which of course is Frivole's design!)

I have very few skeins of this particular batch, feel free to email me to inquire about them.  They will most likely not make it to my shop. Only because there are so few.  I will be doing another batch where I try for more green. :o)

I

"Forest Dusk"

I decided on "Forest Dusk" with the help of the fabulous comments.

Though, I'm still loving the "Under the Sea" name, and I shall contemplate what I a perfect thread color would be for that name.

That's one thing I love about the dyeing game.

Some times the colors come together first, then a name is applied.

But, sometimes, there is a name, and the colors come next.

Both ways are super fun!!

Anyway, "Forest Dusk" is listed and the hankie and size 60 150 yard skein have already sold. :o)

Since it moved so fast, I think it will be fun to do them again. 

Warning! Contents may be too irresistible!

Lol, I always feel bad when I get the "your bad for my wallet" comments.  I know they are well meaning, but being some one who knows what being "broke" feels like.  I always have a guilt trip following these types of sayings.

Anyway, I have a new Messy Jess!-y.  I don't have a name for this one yet. This one was a surprise.  If I told you the colors that went into this one, I don't think you would believe it.

You can guess though if you want to.

I bit a pretty big bullet this time.  I dyed a hankie at the same time as the thread.  I will start by listing it paired with the 150 yd skein (of size 60) at $30.  If it doesn't move though, I will list them separately.

This skein is NOT the 150 yd one.  I plan to retake this picture with the actual 150 yard skein.  Each skein ends up being a little bit different than all the others.

These skeins will be completely dry and will hopefully have a name by tomorrow when I list them!

In other news:

Livi is just too cute for words!!

She made me dinner the other night, doesn't it look appetizing???

Cheezits and broken up bread! lol

I purchased one of Jeff Hamilton's scalemaile flower pendants.  Instead of using at a pendant though, I attached a craft wire (which Jeff so graciously added along with the flower!) and I am going to add it to a small vase.  

These's nothing quite like a pretty flower that will wilt and will gather too much dust. :o)

Peachy Coral

OK, this is inspired by the edging I'm doing, undoubtedly, but also significantly different.

I think if I kept going with it, it could make a nice snowflake, what do you think?

The thread is my Messy Jess!-y "Peachy Coral", which is quite pink while still being orangish.  I find it refreshing.  I have it paired with Lizbeth's Periwinkle here. 

If you haven't already, comment on yesterday's post to enter this week's Secret Santa Giveaway!

Secret Santa Giveaway

I love Tatland!!

A couple days ago, I got an email, and here is some of what it read:

"I would like to be a secret santa in tatland as a way of saying thanks to all those folks out there who so generously share their expertise and talent and patterns and good humor. So this is what I propose... I would like to buy 12 skeins of your lovely thread and I would like you to give it away to other tatters. I would also pay for postage. You have much more contact with tatters than I do. Perhaps you know of some tatters who might need a little cheering this season and some of your thread unexpectedly  in their mailbox would be just the ticket, or you could do a giveaway on your blog dividing it up any way you like. I am to remain anonymous  and have the pleasure of knowing others will have the enjoyment of  tatting something lovely with your thread."

I think this so so sweet and so very generous!

So, there are about ~6 weeks until Christmas.
So, here is how we will do this:
Comment on this post to be entered into the first giveaway. I will have 6 giveaway posts, one each week. Make sure to come back next week to enter the next giveaway!
I will draw the first winner on November 16th, and will post the next giveaway also on November 16th.

So, I love this idea so much!  I really wish that I could match our Secret Santa skein for a skein, however, I can't afford to, I will however, match them 1 for 2. So, each giveaway winner will receive 2 skeins.
I will in addition to the 6 giveaways, pass along 6 skeins to tatters who may need a little extra cheering this holiday season.

If you have any suggestions, I will love to the see them in my e-mailbox (jess dot d dot foster at gmail dot com)
and I will sincerely consider them.
In addition, if you yourself would like to be a secret Santa for someone else, I am up for being the silent middleman. :o)



ALSO, here's the new Pink/Orange
It turned out just peachy! (<---Pun INTENDED! lol)

Really, it's not very peach-y

It is however quite coral-ish, or salmon-y.

I show it next to the Dreamcicle from earlier.

Next to it, the one from today doesn't look orange at all does it??

UPDATE!!!! If you can not comment due to my turning off anonymous comments, please email me your entry!!  I will make sure you get entered. :o)

A general Heads up!

I have an exam this coming Monday, so I won't be getting any more thread dyed this week, this coming weekend, and possibly next week.
However, I did do up another Messy Jess!y this morning.  It's another orange.  But I am hoping this one will be more a PINK orange.  I like pink oranges, I even like burnt oranges.  I don't like BRIGHT orange.
So, I wanted a PINK orange, and I hope this messy Jess!y will be it.

Also, there are going to be a lot of giveaways here at Tat-ilicious very soon!
No thanks to me though, I'll have more info on that later, but keep your ears and eyes open and pass the word along!

I saw this on Facebook the other day.
So funny!!

Orange Update, and the more complex edging.

Here it is, the Orange Messy Jess!-y that I blogged about yesterday.  Despite the fact that I am not a big orange fan, I do like this mix.

The edging is the same from the last post from Occhi-Schiffchenspitze - Frivolite.

I like Diane's idea of Dreamsicle.  So I may call this that.  Some reason I think Dreamsicle would do better in my shop over my idea of "Beta Carotene". lolz!

So, here is the more complex edging that I spoke of/ blogged about yesterday: It's from the same book as the other edging.  I looked earlier to see what page it was, but I have forgotten already. 

Go figs.  :o)

It's not a hard edging, but it is a lot of tatting, and takes a lot of thread.  Each of those flowers takes over a yard of thread.  I figured this pattern would take a lot of thread, so I am using my size 60 "Young Hearts" HDT.  I have LOTS of this one.  If you don't remember, I dyed a ball of it to enter into the fair.  It won first place, and I have kept the thread for myself.  

I have no idea what I am going to use this edging for.  It's actually very enjoyable to tat, so I guess I will just keep going until I get tired of it, and then find something to decorate with it. Maybe a pillow case (for a smaller pillow lol) 

In the book, they have an example of this one on a belt.  That looks pretty neat.  However, I don't wear belts, so..... that would be a waist. :o)

Orange ya?

Lol, I just dyed up some more Messy Jess!-y

With this batch, I went some where I very rarely go.

ORANGE!

I am not going to show any photos yet.  This batch is actually more orange than what I intended.  BUT, I think it's still going to look pretty. Even though I really do not care for orange, EXCEPT, I think it may have a fresh look. So, that will be fun, I guess.

Do you like Orange??

As far as tatting goes. I am working on a couple of edging type patterns.  One is more complex than the other.

Here is the more simple one:

I'm using size 40 "Madder Tatter", the pattern is from Occhi-Schiffchenspitze - Frivolite

I must tell you, Livi got on to me her shuttle.  She picked out this Tinkerbell shuttle at Tat Days and she was quite upset when she saw me using her shuttle without having asked first.
Whoops!

So, I asked nicely if I could use it this once.  She said it was okay. :o)  She is too sweet!

It's a cute shuttle but I don't like tatting with it (the stickers and little decals get in the way of my already tight tatting. ).  So, I'm glad that this shuttle really only needs one shuttle.  I'm only using the Tinkerbell shuttle as a portable ball.

I will show the other edging when I get more done on it. :o)

Studying, Studying (well, nevermind)

Well, I am going to be up for a bit studying, but I have been working on this, and loved how the colors were coming together.   So, share, I must!

You probably know the pattern.  It's only a small bit famous. lol

I'm doing it in size 100 Punk Princess

That means, that there will be shorter distances between the colors in the bigger threads.  

Anyway, good night all.  I've finally put in my contacts so I get some studying done.  I don't really like wearing the contacts, but my glasses are broke, broke, broke... 

Well, really they are just broke, broke..

The arms fell off. Each time one fell off, Livi was playing with them.  Well, once she was playing with them, the other she was playing with me and they fell off and broke. 

lol

Well scratch it all.... 

first a funny story

Last night, I stayed up a bit to study.  I was a little confused because I hadn't seen Layla in a while.  Usually, once Livi is in bed, and I am downstairs alone, she is all of a sudden stuck to my side.

But not last night.  So I did my little call her with some "tongue clickings" (these usually work very well)... she still didn't come.

At that point I figured, she was upstairs in my room resting by the guinea pig cage, or maybe she climbed in a drawer and was sleeping.

But, later, when I went to bed.... she wasn't there.  I even double checked the hall for her glowing eyes to make sure I didn't lock her out of my room.

Come to find out, she got trapped in my mom's bathroom for the night. lol

So, she has been extra cuddly today. Not so good for me.

I love my cat, but I am very allergic!  So, right now, my nose is dripping, my eyes are dripping, and my lungs are not happy.  I took some benadryl... and I'm going to bed.  I will make sure that she is not trapped tonight so that she will resume her only mildly interested in me, content by my side and not my face attitude tomorrow.

Layla

Punk Princess Preview

Here is the latest Messy Jess!-y!!

This one will be named "Punk Princess"
I have started naming these, because if I'm going to have more than one at a time, it's less confusing.

Pink and (dark) Gray, Love these!!

However, they are still not reproducible, even though I can try.... no guarantees though. :o)


I am waiting for the skeins to dry before I list them.
If you would like to reserve one before I list them, just email me.  
Nevermind, they dry faster than I expected.  I have listed them now. :o)

I have:
 7 size 20, 50 yds
1 size 20, 100 yds
6 size 40 50 yds
1 size 60 100 yds
1 size 100 100 yds

I may have more, but I can't remember.  Seeing this list, it doesn't seem like much, does it?
hmm

It's a balloon, it's a tree, it's a something?

Well, it's really just my one shuttle heart, with a chain going around the outside and finished with a few split rings, but I think it looks like a heart tree. :o)

Whatever you call it, I like it!

This another of my Messy Jess!y's that I did a long-ish time ago.

I hope to get some more Messy Jess!y's done later tonight or tomorrow.

For right now though....

I have a little "special" to offer.

I have a bag of random un-sellable thread. The skeins in the this bag are unsaleable for different reasons.  Maybe I wasn't overly happy with the way the turned out, maybe the skein didn't get dyed all the way through, leaving white spots, maybe I messed up on it some way or another.  Maybe the batch turned out in such a way that made it impossible to photograph and then I just never listed it.  Some are even sample sized and perfectly regular and even pretty colorways.  

I get tired of these skeins stacking/piling up.

So, here is the offer.  For every skein that you buy (from my Etsy shop), I will have Livi pull out a random skein from my random bag to add to your order.

I will have Livi do it so that it will be truly random.  

I have sizes 20, 40, 60 and 80 in this bag.  It's mostly 20 though I 'm thinking, with 40 being a runner up.

(So, if you buy 1 skein, you'll get one random skein.  If you buy 10 skeins, you will get 10 random skeins.)

Not only that, but if you order the unwinding for your skeins, I will go ahead and unwind your extra skeins as well, unless you specify that you would rather they not be unwound.

When you are ordering, use the coupon "Random" or just mention the random special in the message box if you can't get the coupon to work.

The coupon also takes off 5% of the purchase price of the skeins. 

Woohoo!!

<3<3<3<3