Back to the Challenge & Belated Christmas

Well, it has certainly been a while -- I've been a little busier than usual and this poor blog has suffered from neglect.

These are a few of the motif ornaments that I made to give at Christmas. On the left is Mark Myer's Madonna, pattern at http://www.tat-man.net/patterns/motifs.html

I love the way he uses just a few lines and circles to suggest the shape, so subtle and elegant.

On the right is Jane Ebborall's Snowflake #2 (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~nickeb/ ). I cannot say enough good things about this design -- I just wish the scan showed it better. As snowflake patterns go, this is a quick and easy one, but it's fancy enough even a non-tatter will appreciate it. At first glance you might think it's one of those patterns where you have to count and load the beads very carefully, but really it's so simple. One color beads on the shuttle and the other color on the ball and the pattern takes care of itself. It turned out I was out of cabone rings with Christmas fast approaching, so I improvised with some gold cord and hot glue to make rings.

I had said I planned to do the challenge again. I claim the chick, eagle, and both turkeys as motifs plus these two for a total of six on the second time around.