Tatman's Chatline

This past Saturday was another hot and muggy Grande Levee in Vandalia, IL.  It was only a one day event this year and not state supported(thanks to ex-Governor Blago[inexplicit]).  Luckily they got local donations and support to put on the event.  There are several around the state that have to find funding.

Anyhoo……….the breeze and being in the shade made it bearable and there was a good crowd despite the 95 degree F.  We all had a good time visiting with our reenactor friends who we haven’t seen for a while.  Chewed the fat and all that.  One of my sister’s reenactor friends shot this picture of me working on my bolster pillow

I was working on the Brazilian edging that was presented by Christa of Heartland Lace Guild and I took on the challenge of working it up.  It is a typical torchon edging and it works out nicely

This was an edging that has been on this pillow for quite some time. It is worked with DMC pearl cotton size 12.   I got 3 repeats done while at the show.  I needed the pillow for another project I wanted to work on and I was getting bored with the edging anyways.  Imagine that!!!  Me getting bored!  I really do think I have adult ADD.  Or just can’t settle on one project long enough, so have to jump to something new.  Hence my collection of pillows with works in progress and other unfinished projects of all needlework genre.  So I finished a repeat and cut the bobbins off.  Some visitors happen to be watching me and I just went *snip* and they gasped.  HEHE  It was like you thought I neutered it!  I told them I was bored with it and wanted something new.  They understood.  But I liked their reaction!  Don’t know what I am going to do with it.  The footside is 14 inches long.  Can’t put it on a pillow case, but could go on the end of a tea towel.  It might gather up into a nice flower.  Any other ideas??

I will be working a large 14 inch oval doily on the bolster pillow next using some handspun flax/linen in white that I purchased a few years ago at another heritage demonstration.   I will be taking this with me on our vacation.  Don’t have a workable travel pillow, so will haul this monster.  I tend to pack too many projects when going on vacation.  Then I find I don’t really work much on them because I am busy hiking, running, enjoying nature.  But I do try to work on my projects while having coffee in the morning while the rest of the campers are still sleeping. 

This will be our 23rd anniversary, tomorrow.  And this is our present to each other and what we are picking up today

We have been searching hard the past month to find a pop up camper to upgrade from our disheveled tent.  Plus we have to bring our diabetic cat with us camping now to give him his shots.  Bummer, but what we do for our loved ones!

We were about to give up and have to find pet friendly cabins or hotels to stay in for our vacation.  It was getting worrisome and we didn’t know what to do.  Most cabins are booked now and our vacation is in less than a month.

We haven’t been thrilled with the prospects of the cheaper tent campers that have been listed.  Only had so much money and we were stuck between “too cheap and disgusting” to just over our breaking point and too expensive and nice.  But not nice enough for what they ask.  One of our main criteria was that it have A/C.  We do not tolerate heat.  Plus we have a cat that will be in it for the entire time we camp.   So we have to keep it cool for him as well.  We won’t be leaving him for any length of time by himself.  We will just veg out at the campsite.  Altho I get too antsy and have to break free and go running or hiking or something!  And we like to take little drives.  So we may have to take him in our car for those drives.  It isn’t a good situation, but kennels cost too much and there hasn’t been anyone that I trust to give a cat a shot.  Guy and I have an understanding about that.  I give him  his shot at certain times and he gets a treat and won’t swat at me.  If we get off that schedule, he is apprehensive and gets testy!

Anyhoo……This camper popped up on Craigslist at the last minute so yesterday we went to take a look at it.  We liked what we saw.  It was very clean and taken care of for a 1994 Coleman model, it was small and our SUV could hall it easily, had most of what we were looking for……..

EXCEPT NO A/C!  and no refridgerator.

It did have a thermostat exhaust fan.  But we plan on putting a window A/C in it.  I know…….spoiled rotten!!  I do it mostly for Kim….and the cat.  Me…I grew up sleeping on the ground in a bag under the stars.  Growing up my family did have an Airstream  trailer to house all the good things from home.  But no A/C!

So for the price we paid, we still think it is a good deal and we can upgrade it some.  Today we have to borrow a truck to pick it up.  That’s right.  We haven’t any hitch on our car.  That still has to be done soon.  And license plate and registration sticker, OH MY!  What a monster this has turned out to be!  And such a small monster.  But we will enjoy it.

Here are a couple more pictures of the inside

!!!!!!! HAPPY ANIVERSARY TO US !!!!!!!

I just installed a new and improved forum tool I call Switchboard. I had a forum on their for a long time. Not many visitors. Plus it had ads all over the place and looked messy. Wasn’t pleasing format. Since I have upgraded my website, I have a forum tool. So now anyone can come in and talk about anything they want. Clean format and fairly user friendly. It does have a login and registration buttons. You are welcome to become a member and use more benefits that it offers. But I have set it so that you don’t have to if you don’t want to and still receive most of the features. You can add attachments to your posts, talk about them, view who is online, post private messages to each other. Pretty much quite a lot of features!

So I encourage you to pass on to the grapevine and come visit the Switchboard and see who is on the party line!!!

Click on my Switchboard image to join in on the fun

Chainmaille jewelry by Redeye!

Jeff does such beautiful work! I ordered this necklace and bracelet set and is made of stainless steel. Won’t corrode on me and stay shiney. It is a bit on the heavy side if that would bother you. Not me. Weight is just fine! I put it on immediately after I opened the package. Check out his Etsy store!

Tomorrow I will make another surprise happy post after I pick it up this evening. At least it will be happy to me and long awaited.

I am the proud owner of this card that Lorri sent me from the Arachne Card Exchange.

This is what she says about the lace:

“Thread is 40/2 Linen. I did make a change to the bell’s clapper. I skipped the circle on the pattern and added a flattened tear-drop glass bead.

Pricking from Gekloppelter Weihnachtsschmuck by Brigitte Bellon”

I just love German lace designs!

These are caricature drawings I drew for my aunt’s office staff. Loads of work over the two months, and loads of fun! It was good to get back into drawing. I should do it more often!

Earlier this fall when it was peak leaf color I did a couple of senior portraits for some kids we knew from the high school. Plus they are good friends of ours and are involved in the HS musicals. Below is a slideshow of their pics that I took. There are a lot of pics, so be patient when it loads and scrolls through the photos.

ENJOY!

Click on play button to see the fun card

Make a Smilebox greeting

Hope you have a safe and happy holiday!!!

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Make a Smilebox slideshow

Since I have been non stop busy with the wedding and too tired to do anything else, it has been a month or so since I have had the chance to get back into my running schedule. Now that the wedding is over, it sure feels good to go running in the mornings again. Of course at this time of year it is pitch black outside and it was clear skies and I could see all the stars. WONDERFUL! I like running with stars above me

MapMyRun.com – Regular Run: run to church and back on 10/19/2009

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