Christmas in August!

This post started over a week ago. My how time flies...

With the school year about to start, I decided to reclaim my possessions from the spare classroom at school. I run a crafts afternoon once a month there and had left some of my supplies and other PTA stuff. I hadn't counted on the fact that they would be using that room as an active classroom this year. So, I walk in to find nothing where it should be. Yes, I know I should have gone back sooner, and I had meant to, I really had. But the summer just got away from me. I was able to track down my bin of remnants but am at a loss as to where my collection of pinking shears has gone or my PTA files, for that matter.

Funny thing is, though, when I opened my remnant bin, there was a bag with about seven balls and two cones of thread in it. They aren't full by any means, and I have no idea what size the thread is, but they are now mine!

I have decided to use the thread to make snowflake or star ornaments for our Christmas market at school. I've spoken with the organizer and she thinks it's a great idea! I hope to tat one up before school starts so she knows exactly what I'm talking about. So far, I'm thinking the Leal Morgan Snowflake pattern in red or green or ecru. Or a star pattern I found (I'll post the pattern designer when I have something to show). I'm looking for something simple that tats up quickly since I may need to make quite a few of these.

Upon closer inspection, the balls appear to be size 10 and the cones may be as well. One of the coned  threads is sort of fuzzy so I don't know what I'll do with that. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments, please!

I just received my first catalog from Handy Hands and I'm quite excited! The Lizbeth color chart is quite convenient and I know I'll use the matching reference guide (not so good with the color matching). I've perused the sample newsletter, made a note to subscribe, and am about to dive into the catalog itself. Hooray!!!! So happy to see that in my mailbox!

Continued...
Just back from a quick trip to visit my parents. I am fortunate enough to see them fairly often and I never fail to feel refreshed after a visit. This was particularly fun because we staged a little fishing derby. My parents, daughter, and nephew all headed out with our fishing poles yesterday. My nephew was determined to catch fish for our dinner. As you might expect, it didn't turn out quite as planned. In the end, I cleaned fish for the first time in years and he had some tasty pan fried fish bits from the two fish he managed to land. (note, grapes are for scale)

My parents and I were more interested in the fishing so as the kids hung out of the deck we fished for the better part of today. Mom and I managed to land a little 10 inch bass. I say we because she left her rod lying on the dock next to me while I fished and I happened to land the thing. It had taken the hook far too deep to survive and since it was a fair-sized fish I decided to cook it rather than release it. My fish-cleaning skills were better today (with the aid of a proper filleting knife) and it was deemed quite tasty by the consumer.

My last act of my visit there was to work with my father to re-rig a number of fishing poles we found in the basement.  This was a completely unplanned activity; I found him down there and couldn't resist.  We stood there, side by side, at the old tool bench, tying leaders and attaching weights and bobbers, while reminiscing about fishing in Canada and tying our own lures years ago. We worked very well together; he checked the reels and selected the proper materials while I tied the knots. I credit my tatting for making my fingers a bit stronger and more dexterous.  It was a lovely time and I will cherish it as he slowly slips away.