Saturday, August 29, 2009

A Busy, Busy Life

It is true, I am terrible at keeping up with this blog! I really was trying to do better for a while, but inevitably, life gets in the way and the blog gets pushed to the back burner. Between teenager issues, work, the summer craft show schedule, and deciding to go back to school this fall, I've been swamped.

Yes, I have started online classes with a local community college. I already have a B.A. in Business Administration, but after working in the tax/accounting industry for the past five years, have decided I'd really like to be a CPA. I can see a demand in the industry as a whole and specifically in the firm I work for. So, at 40 years old, I'm back in college. I got my black belt in Tae Kwon Do at 34, so I guess I tend to do some big things a little later in life? Of course, I had my kids earlier than a lot of people nowadays (I was 23) so as they get older I find myself with some more time on my hands than I had when they were little.

I am currently tatting fall jewelry - in oranges, deep reds, leaf patterns, that sort of thing. I love Yarnplayer's Sugar Maple thread and also have some silks in variegated fall colors as well. What I will share with you today is my pumpkin earrings.


I found this technique of wrapping a pearl in tatting in a Japanese book called "Tatting Lace," and the pumpkins developed from there. I love this technique and have used it in many ways. Some day I'd like to create an entire string of tatted pearls, but I haven't managed to do so yet.

11 comments:

Sally Kerson said...

Great to see you back and with some really impressive earrings. Take every opportunity to learn, but try and find time for yourself and of course for tatting!

Krystle said...

Kind of encouraging to me that you are having more time for yourself lol, I'm 25 and my kids are little now. So someday I'll get some time back, right?

Fox said...

It gets even better! I was also 23 when I had my kids and I have a lot of free time now - even with the grandkids! (and getting a degree or two!)

Lovely tatting. I am curious about that method...oh no.... another book! : )) Fox

rainbows and raindrops said...

These are so cute!

Gina said...

I love those "beads".

Well...I started my family just before I turned 20. Finally got my bachelor's at .....mmmm....age 47. I'm still looking at some further certifications and I'm now 60. Education never ends. In fact, at the rate that technology is changing things, it is continuous if you want to stay employable.

Unknown said...

That is very very pretty! You've got some of the prettiest tatted jewelry out there! :)

~TattingChic ♥

Tatskool said...

Good to see you back. I always love looking at the things you tat. Education is wonderful, go for it.

Kathy Niklewicz said...

Hi Elizabeth!

We've missed you! I've been hoping that being busy was the main reason for your 'absence', and, happily, you confirmed that is the case. We love to read your blog, but your being out there in the public eye with your exquisite tatted jewelry is very important.

I don't know how you're able to keep adding to your inventory with all you have going on, not to mention the level of energy necessary to do the shows.

I really am amazed how you keep up with your show schedule. I thought you were going to 'cut back', but I see no evidence of it!

You may think 40 is 'old', but you're just a 'youngster' to me! I'd like to be 40 again, and do some things a little differently! Interestingly, I didn't learn to tat until I was 45, but by then I was pretty much winding down my 'career'. And I can't believe how fast these past 20 years have gone! So enjoy being young!

Just keep letting us know how you're doing. As usual, you have some very 'cool' jewelry ideas!

Prabhdeep said...

Great!!! I just welcomed my second child and am also going back to school for my Master's in couple of weeks. I love your pumpkin earrings. Would love to have a pattern. Please teach the technique.

Elizabeth said...

Thanks everyone for still visiting the blog - I'm gone for such long periods of time I wonder that anyone is still paying attention.

I definitely have a lot more time on my hands now than I did when my boys were young and I was a stay-at-home mom. Of course, there are still challenges, and at the this age, the challenges can be quite... distressing... but I won't go into all that now :-0

I love school. Thanks to everyone who is so encouraging in that area.

I have cut back on shows - from about 15 last year to 8 this year, so about in half - and next year I have 5 I plan to do.

Finally, I don't feel it is my place to share the specifics of the technique as it is not originally mine - the book is available at a number of suppliers though, so you can certainly get a hold of it and learn the technique there.

Etha said...

Oh I love those earrings!! absolutely cool!