Motif No. 12 - Joy and Joey's Paper Clips

Just a short and quick post on the paperclip pattern for this month - "Joy". The pattern is available on Georgia's Online Tatting Class. Hope they bring lots of joy to everyone!

And since I was at it, I have also created another one specially for my girl, Joey. Thought these turned out quite well.

Keepsake and Japanese Doll ATCs and A Great Sing-Along Event

Whenever I received mails, expecially from exchanges, I would try to keep everything, the cards that came along naturally, and even the envelopes. Since I started creating ATCs, I look through what I have and couldn't resist using the envelopes and cards to create the first 9 keepsake ATCs. Do you recognise your mail?

I love Japanese stuff - Japanese food (especially sushi and sashimi), Japanese handicrafts, and these Japanese paper dolls. These dolls are very popular during my school days and I did a number of them then (around 1992 to be precise). I found these in pretty good condition in an album and re-mounted them on to ATC-size cards and tried my hand at stamping again. All the backgrounds were created with rubber stamps and coloured with chalks.

It was a first time for me and my boy to attend a Sing-along event yesterday and sure a big one too, attended by 12,000 people, from very young children to old aunties and uncles. The songs were a good mix from evergreen classics to local xinyao, and from the 1970s oldies to new favourites on the pop chart. Mainly Chinese songs, but there were a few English, Hokkien and Canto pops too. Lyrics were printed on complimentary booklets and also flashed on 2 big screens for all to follow and sing along. A lot of us, including myself, brought along honey water to nourish the throats so that we could sing for the 3 and a half hours long. It was a great time reminiscing and singing old songs I have sang during my student days by the breeze from the sea at the Marina Bay.

A Pleasant Surprise, Gifts and ATCs

I had to mention this first - I received a package in the mail and was pleasantly surprised to receive it. A Thank-You package from Randi, the winner of my blog giveaway. She had sent me some of her hand-painted thread and a sweet pink beaded butterfly, and some postcards. Thank you, Randi, I love everything you sent! Let me see how to assemble something into an ATC. Watch out in the next post how I have recycled and assembled the little stickers, cards, postmarked stamps and what-not I received from tatting exchanges into ATCs. Some of you may recognise some stuff ; )

I tatted this up for Daphne Yap, whose last day with the company was on Thu. These alphabets by Anna Valeire, are quick to tat up and the effect is just great. And a little cute Sun for Wen Yng, who also quitted on Fri.

We had our monthly ATC trading session on Thu. Moses asked for a tatting demo, so I did a short one, giving a brief introduction to tatting, explaining some tatting terms, showing some tatted works and demonstrating the execution of the double stitch. Hopefully, everyone who was present would be able to recognize tatted works when they see it in the future. And here I was presenting a tatted bookmark to Richard, as a prize for a little lucky draw for the session. (Photo taken by Moses.)

The theme for the session was "Self-Portrait". These are what Kristine and I did.

More ATCs drawn by Kristine
What we traded.
"Fishes" by Pei Ling, "One Man's Mess is Another Man's Art" by Terence, "Lotus" by Moses.

"Pieces of Me" by Laura, "Joe Cool" by Becky and "Flower" by Pei Ling.

I was particularly excited I received my ATCs from my first group trade. They are paper-cutting ATCs with an open theme, and so interesting to see different styles and varieties in the paper-cutting from across the world.

From top left going clockwise: "Tiger" from Florinda, "Putting on the Glitz" and "Lighthouse Stairs I" both by Susan S Hahn (our hostess), "At The Ball" by Melissa Clark, Birch Bark Cutting by Edie Johnstone, unnamed by Florinda. Susan sent me extra for a tatted bookmark I sent. Thanks, Susan!

The ones I sent were more of a Chinese style - all cut using 80 gsm acid-free papers. Going clockwise from the top left-hand corner: Poeny, Chattering, Floral Spray, In The Dusk.

A special mention of Ambitatterous's Giveaway, you need to put on a small thinking hat but a fun one to read what everyone wrote!

Motif No. 9 (Parrot), 10 (Peacock) & 11 (Becky's Paper Clip)

I'm finally done with the Extreme Round Robin and sent out my last motif (or rather, motifs) to Becky, to make up for her long wait.

This parrot (Motif No. 9), tatted with mainly Flora and Coats size 20 threads, is the main one which I have been working on for months, which I feel there is still much for improvement.

Next is a small peacock (Motif No. 10) tatted with Olympus 40. Thought this might make a nice brooch.
And a pair of paper clips specially designed for Becky (Motif No. 11). Hope Becky likes the selection!

Next is the butterfly which I received from Camille earlier for this Round Robin. See those clunies! And it is tatted with fine thread! Now waiting for the last one from Wally.

So much for tattting. Kristine drew & coloured all the 4 panels and frame for this lantern, and I assembled them up. She was so happy when her teacher complimented it was super nice and it was picked to be hung up for the mooncake festival celebration in the school on last Fri.