25-Motif Challenge, Tatting Exchange and Update attempting,,,,,

Hello everyone!

Well I am going to attempt to catch up my tatting blogging. The photos for garden pics will have to come later, if I can get that caught up. Right now, I can't make any promises. I feel sooooo behind. I don't know HOW ya all keep up like you do!!!!

To begin with, I'll start off with posting pics for my Motif Challenge which is also part of my tatting exchanges as well.

Here are Motifs 17-23.

The first are bookmarks for my May Bookmark Exchange. The green & white bookmark went to Singapore, using DMC Cebelia size 30 Color # 699 green and BLANC (white). I can't remember right at the moment just where I found the pattern, other than it was in one of my tatting books. I'll edit this posting as soon as I find the pattern. The Yellow bookmark stayed here in the states. I used JP Coats Big Ball Best 6-cord in size 30 color # 10A (bright yellow). The pattern is by Kersti Anear "Floral". This was another fun pattern as I am sure many of you have done yourself! Seems to be a pretty popular pattern! I also used the same pattern for the other two bookmarks using some more of my wonderful Rubi thread I received from a dear and sweet tatter.

For motifs 21-23,,,,(these were my July Christmas exchange) I used for the snowflake, again the DMC Cebelia BLANC size 30 thread. Pattern is by Teri Dusenbury. I just LOVE her snowflake patterns. Course the partial one, I ran out of thread on my shuttle and couldn't remember which of two whites I used. So I ended it there and figured it could be appliqued onto something. What ever my partner wishes to use it for. Then the Heart is done in a variegated blue- another JP Coats thread in the best 6-cord size 30 Color # 13. Design is by Susan K Fuller "Heart's Desire" found on Georgia Seitz' site. I really enjoyed doing this pattern. I have a second one in progress. Pic will come later along with details. Then lastly the 3-d Rose Brooch pin by Jeanne Lugert is done in another JP Coats thread 6-cord size 30 variegated purple for the outside rings and the yellow used in the bookmark for the inside part of the rings. Followed by the DMC Cebelia size 30 Color #699 for the green petal background.

In my Multiply album you can see more detailed pics of some of the pics.

Here is what I got for my Bookmark exchanges (I still need to get a pic of the bookmark from Valerie from Singapore). Dorcas sent me a beautifully multicolored bookmark along with these beautiful beads and thread! (thank you very much Dorcas!) I'll edit in Valerie's as soon as I get a photo taken and downloaded. (Thank you too Valerie!!!!)

Here is what I got for my July Exchange! WoW What wonderful goodies! I can't decide just which is my fav,,,,I LOVE them all! Thank you Sandra E!!!!

Here is what I sent to Sandra! First is everything all layed out, and then the second pic is,,,Can you believe it,,,all packed into this tin, except for the address book and diary!!!

Now I have one last exchange I am in the process of catching up! I am sooo behind .

As to what else I have been doing,,,,Besides the 'trying' to garden,,,I have had to water most all summer by hand starting in July. It seems the well that has 32 members on,,is not only contaminatedwiht uranium,,,but it is running low,,,so low they have now put us on restrictions, where we pay $36.00 for only 6,000 gallons of water instead of the normal 12,000 gallons per month. So hubby has been hauling water in two 55-gal barrels, emptying them into 55 gal barrels so that I can water using a watering can through the day. He hauls about 4 barrels a day for not only our garden beds, but also our renter's garden beds. Sadly my garden beds haven't done as well as I have hoped they would. Then as if that wasn't enough,,,our water line has sprung a leak in July! We hopefully have that fixed after having to dig by hand through rock n clay 4 foot down and a hole about 4 foot across (which I dug most of, ). Last week I FINALLY had to get away, so I went on a camping trip with a friend. We were up on the mountain top for about 5 days. We picked huckleberries, did some campfire cooking a little hiking. Seen some deer almost right in our camp, until her dogs ran them off LOL! Other than that we just sat around the campfire and worked on crafts. Me knitting leg warmers, and on an afghan, along with a little tatting, she worked on a sanding a sculpture she is carving on our of alabaster (if I remember right) Beautiful horses! Then of course I had to end the trip coming down sick! So besides diarrhea, I have a sore throat and chills. We 'were' suppose to go back for a couple more days, but things happened at her house, and well, I'm still sick with a sore throat.

OK,,,I think before I for sure put ya all asleep I better end this thing, if I haven't already bored ya stiff LOL! Catch ya on the next round. Blessings my friends!!!