Next!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday. Mine has been great! My son came home for Christmas so our family was together again. As usual, I was busy crafting all through the month of December. Lately, I have been obsessed with making earrings. I love to wear them and have many, many pairs. I have included a couple of examples of them. I guess I made about more than 50 different pairs. They are going on Etsy as soon as I get pictures and will only be $4.00 each. 
 My new challenge will be crazy quilting. I got a new magazine online and made a new friend and the background of my earring pictures shows the magazine.  It is called "Crazy Quilt Gatherings" and I love it!!  I would like to make some phone cases and book covers. That will be a challenge! If I can ever get off my new IPad, I plan to get busy. Have a great weekend and 2012!

For Chocolate Lovers!

I found this candy recipe on Pinterest and I want to make it!

     Chocolate Bark: the easiest candy ever | King Arthur Flour – Baking Banter

Busy Time of Year

Things are definitely speeding up for me at this time of year.  We had our "Holiday Ball" at Elmcroft Assisted Living where I work.  I have started a choir at Elmcroft called "Here's To Life Choir".  It is made up of around 15 residents and they sang four songs at our Holiday Ball.  They look so festive, don't they?   Everyone did such a good job that our Resident Director said we were going to take them "on the road."  That will definitely be fun for everyone!  

I have also been making many more ornaments and angels.  This ornament is my latest.  I got an order from a new little shop close to my home and they wanted these colors used.  I think they came out really cute.  I delivered the order today and the shop owners were very pleased.  I need to start decorating my home for Christmas but I am waiting for my grandson to get back home before I do.  He always helps me.  I hope everyone is enjoying the Season!

My Youtube Videos

I have enjoyed putting new videos on Youtube for everyone to view.  I have some of my singing and some of my crafts.  My latest one is a compilation of my tatting projects over the past few years  I always  try to come up with a new way to use my tatting.  That is the challenge for me.  I can't handle the big tatting projects like doilies and tablecloths.  I wish I could, but I mostly want instant gratification when it comes to creating.  

My video has the wonderful arrangement of "Amazing Grace - My Chains Are Gone".  I am trying to become better in my computer skills in my old age.  If you would like to go to my Youtube Channel, you can reach it by doing the following:


1.  Bring up Youtube in the search engine.
2.  Type in "Linda Price" in the Youtube search.
3.  Look for the pretty butterfly video under Linda Price-that's me!
4.  Click on that video (it is my singing rendition of "Yesterday") and you can view it.  Look above the video and you will see all 11 of my videos.  Click that on and they will all come up.
   
 I hope you enjoy the video and maybe you can get some ideas from it to use in your creations!

It's Been Awhile

Wow!  Time goes by so fast.  Much has happened since I last posted.  Mostly, I have been sick and had a bad reaction to some medication the doctor had me taking.  But, I am better now.  They put me on steroids and so I started feeling very strong and my knees didn't hurt anymore.
I still had to work and sing (as best I could), though.  I had two concerts I had to perform at and made it through them without coughing too much.  I sold my first "black" tatted bracelet on Etsy and I am surprised at that.  Someone suggested I make one in black thread.  I love getting ideas and trying them--some of them turn out pretty good!  I have included a picture of it here.  I am now getting ready for a craft show the first of December at Elmcroft.  These are always fun for everyone.  
This week, we will be celebrating one of my most favorite holidays--Thanksgiving.  I am so thankful for many things God has done for me and my family.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

My Grandson

I just had to post this picture of my grandson.  My daughter is a wonderful photographer and this picture is just one example of her fantastic work.  You may wonder how she took this picture.  Well, I really can't tell you, but I can say that it is not photoshopped.  There is a place in downtown Chattanooga that she has found where she can take it.  I don't know whether the place was created for this purpose, but she found it all the same. 


This picture represents my grandson's life.  It is how he is every day--full of life.  I have loved every stage of his life so far and he and I are very close.  I just thought you would enjoy this picture.  You don't see many of these every day!

Sophie

  I have a kitty, Sophie, who won't let me tat--she thinks all that dangly thread is her's, so she bats at it and even grabs it with her mouth while I'm trying to tat.  That really messes up my tatting rhythm.  And, if I'm not tatting, she is always poking her head in my bag of thread and dragging out whatever she can get.  I have to put all my thread into baggies so it won't be all over the floor.  She forces me to be neat--I guess that's a good thing.  Oh, yes, she is all white and I have lots of sticky lint removers.  I even bought a vacuum for cat hair.


When I am tatting, she pretends to be my friend and gets up in my  lap, but all she wants is my tatting thread.  


Oh, yes, and Sophie does not like to be chased.  My grandson, Blythe, likes to chase her around the house to try to pet her, but she will have nothing to do with it.  He often sneaks up and when he walks slowly, he can get a pet in every now and then.

My Husband Terry

On Friday, my husband Terry turned 65 years old!  This is hardly possible since I am not far behind him.  He is now a member of the Medicare Club and hopefully, that will be good.  He is still working full time for a local grocery store and has told them that he is sticking around until he is 70!  That just blows their minds.  He is my best friend and has been for a long time.  I hope we have many more years together.  Happy Birthday, Terry--and many more!  I love you!

Busy Week!

I have been very busy making all my "stuff" this week and singing.  On Thursday evening, I sang a jazz concert at a Family Night for a local assisted living home.  There were about 100 people there.  The lights were low and they all sat around small tables eating olives, cheese and nuts and drinking wine and sparkling juice while I sang.  It was fun!  I sang for about an hour and it was totally jazz music from the 30's and 40's.  I am doing this again this coming Monday at another place.   I am going to try to develop this since there are not very many people doing it.  Can you imagine how many songs the younger singers would have to learn to catch up to me?  I think I have an edge on this for sure.  I think I have found my calling!

I am also showing some pictures of my new ornaments.  I have enjoyed making these and have a lot more to make.  So, that is what I will be doing all day today after I post this.  You can find them on my Etsy site at http://www.lllangel.etsy.com and they are very reasonable in price--really no more than most other store-bought ornaments.  And they are handmade.  I think they would look cute when added to the bow of a gift wrapped package, too.  So, until next time. . . . .

My Latest Adventures

Lately, I have been very busy singing.  I have found a new music love in Jazz.  I love all the old 1930's and 1940's music and have found that my voice adapts well to these old songs.  I guess you would say that I like "crooning."  I'll bet you thought only guys did that!  I have some singing engagements where I only sing jazz.  It is very conducive to dancing while I'm singing.  And it is very relaxing for me to sing.  Also, jazz is making a comeback these days.  Younger people are discovering it and the ballroom dancing adapts very well it it.  So, I am having fun with it these days.  Maybe I will post a song or two in the coming weeks that I am doing.  


Also, I have decided to start selling my creations to unique shops and boutiques again.  I  took a long break from it and was jolted back to reality when I received a great order from the Old Mill Pottery in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  So, if you are in Pigeon Forge and you stop by the Old Mill complex, you might just see some of these tatted pins on display in their pottery store.  Also, you might see lots of my angels pictured here.  I made 160 of them--wow, that took awhile!  I hope to do well so I can just keep sending them re-orders.  Wouldn't that be great??  Here's hoping!

My Friend's Beautiful Creation

 The top picture is the back of the garment.  The bottom picture is the front.

Well, my new friend in Canada finally received her tatted pieces from me.  It took quite a while to get there.  But, I am so glad they arrived.  I am posting the first pictures of her beautiful creations where the tatting is being added.  This is a chemise she made and added the tatted accent to the back of it.  Isn't it beautiful?  I can't wait to see more.

My Daughter

I just wanted to post a picture of my beautiful daughter.  She is an RN in the ER of a local children's hospital and has a son of her own (my precious grandson).  My grandson took this picture of his mom.  He is quite the little photographer!  She has taught him well--she is a great photographer.  I just wanted to share her with you.

New Friend in Canada

This last month, I have been talking via email to a talented lady in Canada who creates beautiful dresses and clothes.  They look very victorian and rich.  So, she asked me to make her up some tatting so she could work in into her designs.  I have added a picture of what I sent her--she requested certain colors that would go with her designs.  I can't wait to see how she uses them--this may be the start of something very nice!

This Hits Close To Home

I thought I would post what is happening to my sister who is a former employee of Kohl's (unfortunately, a place I love to shop).  Even though they have good bargains, they need to clean up their act when it comes to discrimination.  I am so glad the EEOC decided to help my sister.  It is time for these big companies (along with their heartless, aggressive young managers)  to stop discriminating against people with disabilities!!

EEOC Sues Kohl's Department Stores For Disability Discrimination

Employee Forced to Quit After Store Denies a Regular Schedule to Accommodate Her Diabetes

PORTLAND, Maine  – Kohl’s Department Stores, a nationwide, Wisconsin-based retailer, violated  federal law when it refused to accommodate a diabetic employee’s request for a  regular schedule and forced her to quit her job at a Westbrook, Maine, Kohl’s store, the  U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it  filed today.

The EEOC’s lawsuit, Civil Action  No.11-00320, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, alleges  that Kohl’s failed to accommodate Pamela Manning, who began to suffer  significant complications to her diabetes after Kohl’s switched her from her  long-held set schedule to an irregular schedule. The EEOC’s suit states that her oral requests  for a return to a set schedule were repeatedly ignored. After Manning brought in a note from her  doctor that explained the need for her to work a predictable day shift to help  prevent serious complications from her diabetes, Kohl’s again refused to change  her schedule. When Manning told Kohl’s  that the scheduled hours could kill her, its store manager laughed and told her  that she would not accommodate her, the EEOC said. Manning then had no choice but to resign her  employment to protect her health. Kohl’s  refused to accommodate Manning even though it had numerous employees on set schedules and had accommodated employees’ scheduling  requests for such reasons as day care, transportation and other personal  needs.

Disability discrimination,  including the failure to reasonably accommodate an employee’s disability,  violates the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to  reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The agency seeks monetary relief for Manning,  the adoption of strong policies and procedures to remedy and prevent  disability discrimination by Kohl’s, training on discrimination for its  managers and employees, and more.

“Employers  are obligated to reasonably accommodate employees with disabilities, and this  obligation becomes even more serious when a worker has a potentially  life-threatening illness,” said Markus L. Penzel, trial attorney in the EEOC’s  Boston Area Office, which has jurisdiction over Maine.

Elizabeth Grossman, regional  attorney for the EEOC’s New York District, added, “Keeping Ms. Manning on a  regular, set schedule would have posed no undue hardship on this company. When one considers the possible dire  consequences of ignoring her needs, refusing her request out of hand was  unconscionable.”

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment  discrimination. Further information  about the agency is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.

The Craft Show Results!

Well, it was a pretty good craft show for July.  Everyone made a little money and we made some new friends, too.  I made a great contact and we are possibly going to do some future shows together.  It's always easier if you have someone to partner with you at a craft show.  We can then each get some breaks during the day and have someone to talk to.  I think it's fun!  I sold mostly my rings and little decorated hair pins.  My little books did not sell--but I think that's more for the Holidays.  I also sold a few angels, which I do at every craft show.  They never go out of "style".  We are planning another show for November and hope to make it for 2 or 3 days plus add more vendors.  Well, back to creating again!

Craft Show Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our craft show and I only have a few more hours to get ready for it.  I love craft shows--as long as they are inside!  I have had my share of outside craft show disasters.  Just last month, we had a show outside and it was in the 90's!  Give me air conditioning and a constant air flow, and I'm happy.  


We are donating a portion of our sales tomorrow to the Alzheimer's Association.  I am looking forward to a good show.  Several of our residents are very talented and have made items to put in the craft show.  One of our residents makes wonderful dolls from head to toe.  And even the faces and hair are hand-stitched.  I will let you know how things go after it is over.  Here is an example of some of our items we will have in the show.  

My Alzheimer's Memory Bracelet

The "Memory Walk for Alzheimer's" is coming up in September and I have made a bracelet commemorating this very important event. My my own mom passed away three years ago from this dreaded disease. I also work at an assisted living home with memory care residents. Every day, I see this disease and the effect it has on people from the ages of 50 to 95.  It is so sad to see a dear resident in distress over thoughts that aren't even reality.  


Just last week, I was helping a resident who had been a very successful ad executive in New York City for many years.  She wanted to know how to turn on her computer because she wanted to write down some of her thoughts.  I turned her computer on and a page came up with a page full of typed letters that did not spell any words.  And she didn't even know that these weren't words.  She thought she was typing her thoughts.  I wanted to cry for her.


Whatever sales I receive from this bracelet, I will donate a portion of the sales to the Alzheimer's Organization. I am raising money at this time. If you would like to order a bracelet, you can go to my Etsy located at the top left column of my blog.


We need to find a cure for Alzheimer's. 

The bracelet is made of silver metal beads and glass crystals with the Alzheimer's light purple ribbon charm attached. The stretch cord bracelet is 6-1/2".

What I've Been Up To Lately

Lately, I have been spending my spare time making "holiday" items.  I'm making my tatted Christmas trees and Christmas wreaths.  I have also finished a "free" website and maybe more people can find me here on this vast web.  

    My new website address is:


 I am thinking of getting my own domain name to make it easier to find. 


 I have also started selling on a new website called "Three Sisters Marketplace".  They have been so nice and I have already sold two items on there. 


Three Sisters Marketplace website is:   


  They aren't as huge as Etsy and only sell handmade items (not vintage and used items like Etsy does). 


This all takes many hours of work--hours I should be using to "make" my products.  


I would love it if you would visit me and leave me a message in my Guestbook.  Hope to see you soon!  Thanks!

My Music - "Temporary Home"

Well, since my blog is about a musical tatter, I thought I'd put a video on with one of my favorite "newer" songs - "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood.  I hope you enjoy it!

My New Ring Collection

I have always loved jewelry and started making it a few years ago.  I have made earrings, necklaces and bracelets, but never rings.  A few months ago, I saw a ring that I liked and searched for many, many hours to find the pieces to make these rings.  Along with my tatting, I started designing these rings, because it seemed they fit right into my tatting and lacy look.  Of course, I have to add my tatting somehow, so I made a medallion that can be slipped over the ring.  It is stiff, so it stays without sliding around.  I call it my Tatted Ring Jacket.  If someone likes the "big" ring look, it sure adds to the size.  The medallion can also be added to other rings to change the look.


 So, now I am selling my rings locally and on my Etsy.  They are doing very well--they are not too big so they get in the way of working with your hands, and not so small that they are not noticed.  I like the look--sort of contemporary but still old-world looking.  So, I'm having fun with this new line of rings.

MY STAR FISH STORY - AND I'M STICKING TO IT!

It's Friday and another week has flown by.  This summer is passing quickly and school starts in about another month!  My grandson is going into the first grade and is so excited about starting school.  I wonder how long that will last?  It's fun to see him so excited, though.  

We went on a quick trip to Florida a couple of weeks ago and my grandson and I spent most of the time collecting shells.  We also went to a couple of shell stores where I found some of my favorite star fish and bought about $6.00 of them.  I couldn't wait to get back home to use them in my creations.  Well, my daughter left them outside the night we returned home because they didn't smell too good--I guess they were "fresh."  The next morning, my star fish were eaten up!  I guess someone was hungry and the star fish tasted good.  I was so disappointed that I lost my star fish, but was also happy that someone had the opportunity to feast  on a very expensive meal--you might say it was gourmet food for them.  Those star fish must have tasted really good!


So, now I'm looking for more star fish . . . . . . 

Highlights of My Week So Far

Well, I have had a very full week.  In addition to teaching all my students and working at Elmcroft, I added a few more activities to my busy schedule.   On Wednesday, I sang at a local assisted living home that I sing at every month.  I sang about 16 songs for about an hour and loved doing it.  Then, yesterday, my boss (who plays the drums), a chef from our kitchen (who plays the sax) and I (who plays the keyboards) did a concert at our local Senior Center for over 100 people.  We play jazz mostly, but have a couple of very upbeat songs headed by our sax player.  He is just a young guy and is so good at improv.  I wish you could hear him.


Last week, I made a quick trip to Navarre, Florida and hung out there with my daughter and sweet grandson.  We mostly collected shells the whole time we were there.  I came home and created a little journal with some of the shells that I collected and posted it on Etsy.  So fun!!  


Well, I am really tired out now and hope for a nice weekend.  On Sunday, our Praise Team is singing a Patriotic Package.  Can't wait!

My Name Change

I hope this does not confuse all my friends, but I decided to change my blog name.  I think my new name tells a little more about me and I can also talk about tatting plus music.  I don't think my other name told you much about me--we all have thoughts, right?  :)   I had some creative juices flowing yesterday and made this little muslin gift bag.  I trimmed it in vintage laces and made my own flower and tatted center.  I needed something new to add to my Etsy, so we'll see how everyone likes it.  


My next project is to work on an angel for Alzheimer's.  I want to be able to contribute to the Alzheimer's Association and I can give part of the sale of the angel to them.  So, that's another idea that has to be developed.  I am always trying to create and learn.