Where to sell?

 I've put my Etsy shop on vacation until I figure out what to do. For those who haven't heard (and I didn't myself until a few minutes ago) Etsy has become a place where uncaring people are making a profit off of suffering by selling "Alligator Alcatraz", fake "ICE Agent" costumes, and other offensive items promoting cruelty. 

These items break Etsy’s Terms of Use, specifically the Hate and Discrimination Policy. Etsy clearly states that immigration status is a protected characteristic, and content that mocks, dehumanizes, or targets people based on that is not allowed.

Apparently Etsy is not doing it's job to enforce that policy...yet. Perhaps it will if enough people complain and protest, or especially if they start losing significant amounts of money.

I don't know how long this will last, but I may start looking for a different selling platform. Very inconvenient, especially since I just finished hand dyeing a new batch of thread ("Summer Trail") and currently nowhere to sell it!

Ginkgo Leaf

 

Last week I made a "short" (brief video in vertical format) of tatting this Ginkgo Leaf pattern and uploaded it to YouTube. It's also on Instagram and a slightly longer version is on TikTok. 

Since it's a short, it's not a complete how-to, but only a quick peek to get people interested. Although... surprisingly it contains a nice demo of the Catherine Wheel Join. 

My original, longer video of a Catherine Wheel Join is still on YouTube, uploaded 14 years ago. Wow, that old one looks so blurry! Amazing how far technology has come in 14 years. :-)

Harlequin in progress

Where did this motif come from? 

Actually, it's a small design element that I had used in my "Nexus of Joy" necklace, which I was very surprised to find that when repeated, it fit together to form a harlequin diamond shape! So what to do with this? Well, I don't know! But, now that I've gotten past the "all those ends to hide" annoyance, I quite like it and will probably add more in different colors to find out what happens.

Yes, I bought a physical copy of the magazine just to admire my work in print! Well, as a friend told me, "We are at the age where the warranty expires!" so I'm just going to keep going while everything still works, and do it with joy!  :-) 

 To learn more: https://www.artistonish.com/may2025?AW=AW127248630

To read the magazine online: https://www.artistonish.com/may2025

My artwork 'Nexus of Joy' is now published at Artistonish

 

To learn more, please go to:

https://www.artistonish.com/may2025?AW=AW127248630

Read the magazine via the below link:

https://www.artistonish.com/may2025

Giving gentle protest vibes in tatted lace letters

 

"Tax the rich" spelled out in colorful lace lettering on a canvas bag.

For the words "tax the" I used Lizbeth size 10 thread and some of my own hand dyed. 

For the word "rich" I combined Liz gold metallic with a size 40 thread in a similar gold color, since the Liz metallic alone is a little thinner than size 10. I don't often use 2 threads as one, but this combo worked up really well. 

The alphabet pattern is "Funny Alphabet" purchased from FairyLaceAndMore on Etsy. 

After all the letters were tatted and arrangement decided, I painted a thick coat of glue on the back of each letter and pressed it firmly into place on the canvas. The glue I used is called "Aleene's Fabric Fusion" and is described as being permanent and washable. 

I've only just finished and haven't had the bag out in windy weather yet, but so far the letters seem to be stuck on quite well. I was thinking of sewing a few stitches for extra security, but hoping that won't be needed.

I tried my hand at needle lace

 

"Crocus" by Marilee Rockley

The best I can say about it is that the design is original, from a drawing I did of a crocus flower blooming in the snow. I experimented with a few needle lace fillings learned from tutorials posted by Maggie Hensel-Brown - but me being a newbie I just threw them in haphazardly, focusing mainly on the colors. I used size 20 Lizbeth threads, with the shaded green being my own hand dyed.

The idea of finishing with a wooden branch was inspired by the work of  Ágnes Herczeg. I found a fallen twig in my backyard, then cleaned and finished it by following tutorials on YouTube.

It was a good learning experience, and kept my mind distracted from worry. It was very time-consuming so I doubt that I'll do any more of this type of lacemaking, but now I have a better appreciation of it! 

I took only a few in-progress photos, but here they are: