What a Loon!

Card #: US-1194620
From: AshleyDePover
Origin: Minnesota
Caption: The common loon is Minnesota's State Bird, and is well loved as a symbol of the state's wilderness.

Note: Greetings from Minnesota. This bird is the state bird of Minnesota. I have only ever seen it in the Northern part of our state. They can be kind of hard to find."

Card:

Motif-ated

Thanks to dictionary.com, further research has revealed that a Motif is "a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on wallpaper." ...or tatting.

One motif...

 

linked together with other motifs...

becomes addictive. Before you know it...

 you have something really cool. Almost done. Maybe by Saturday?*

In spite of the definition, I am opting to only count this piece as one (not eleven) motif for the challenge. It wouldn't be much of a challenge if I could complete almost half of it in one afternoon. Especially since you have a whole year to mess around on this.

*Or maybe today...

The chain around the outside edge didn't take long at all. The finished piece is 2 1/2 inches wide. The pattern is Jon Yusef's Heart o'Daisies. The thread is Yarnplayer's HDT "Knitty Gritty" in a size 30.

Disappearing Act

Card #: UA-110971
From: Tatiana09
Origin: Ukraine
Caption: Bukovel, Carpatians

Note: "Hello! I live in Lvor not far from mountains named Carpatians (in Ukraine). I like nice cities and nice nature, I like animals. I wish you a lot of nice postcards from all over the world!"

Stamp: No stamp. Neat trick. Maybe the stamp is with all of the missing skiers. There is a picture of a black bear on the back of the card. Maybe he ate the stamp. And the skiers.

Card:

25 Motif Challenge

I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of seeing nothing but postcards here. Time to fix that.

You may remember that several months ago, I took up the challenge to learn how to tat with a shuttle. This after needle tatting for the last year or so. Let me tell you right now, shuttle tatting is a completely different animal. So forget you know anything about tatting at all and it will go better for you. Yeah.
We're going to skip the frustration, temper tantrums, and tears of despondency (yes, all over string) and move right to when the rays of sunshine pierce the clouds and the angels sing at the moment of triumph. Ta-da!

And because enough is never enough, I had to go and join the 25 Motif Challenge. Basically, you challenge yourself to tat 25 motifs within a year. While I am still unclear as to the precise definition of "motif", I'm pretty sure that bookmarks and doilies will count. So far, I have 5. I guess to be official, I should declare that my start date was August 5th.

This first bookmark was part of a "Challenge Yourself" exchange done through the In Tatters community. The idea was to stretch your ability in tatting. My goal was simply to master shuttle tatting enough so that I didn't feel like throwing the project across the room five minutes after picking it up. After three false starts, I managed to complete Kersti's Floral Bookmark again, using a much smaller thread (breaking it twice and forgetting everything I had figured out the last time notwithstanding). I used Yarnplayer's "Sugar Maple" HDT (hand dyed thread) in a size 30.

 

The other four bookmarks above are:

• Kersti's Floral (again), done with a crochet thread from Michael's
• "Jane in South Africa" bookmark, done with DMC perle cotton #4065, variations "Morning Meadows". My repeats are slightly different than the pattern because I was tatting in the car without the instructions. This was also before I learned how to hide my ends. To cover that up, I made a tassel for each end of the bookmark. This weekend, I talked with several girls who insist that their bookmarks be long enough to hang out both ends of the book, which makes this piece perfect.
• I have no idea what to call this one. It's just the result of messing with my own ideas and trying to use up the thread on a couple of shuttles.
• "Jane in South Africa again, but this time done with Yarnplayer's "Sugar Maple" HDT.

Now on to the next project!

Hole in One

Card #: NL-700449
From: Marlissa92
Origin: Netherlands
Caption: "Groeten van de Velnwe" or Greetings from the Veluwe (National Park)

Note: Hi, J. My name is Morlissa and I live in the Netherlands, in a region called "Veluwe". There's a lot of forest with animals around. Like deers, wildebeasts (what we'd call wild pigs, I think) and foxes, as you can see on the postcard. The tree on the card is a very famous and old one."

Stamp: repeat

Card:

The yellow circle is a cut out in the card.

Funny Business

Card #: SG-44343
From: deliaisreelynice
Origin: Singapore
Caption: "Your HDB flat is your home and a long-term asset!"

Note: "Hey there, J. I'm Delia from Singapore! I'm a 13 year old girl and school life is extremely hectic. By the way, you are 12? That's really cool! I hardly meet a postcrosser my age! Would you like to be my penpal? I find it really stress relieving to write letters/postcards. Email me if you want to, okay? Then I can give you my address. This card is Singapore's cartoon style."

Stamp: Destination Singapore

Card:

More Arizona

Card #: US-1186392
From: teaearlgreyHARD
Origin: A card of Arizona, sent from Texas, but printed in Singapore. Hmmm.
Caption: San Carlos Lake, Arizona. Arizona hosts many lakes that are surrounded by desert landscaping. San Carlos Lake, shown here, has been formed above the Coolidge Dam located on the Gila River. Within the boundaries of the San Carlos Indian Reservation, this lake offers some of the finest fishing in Arizona.

Note: "San Carlos isn't a lake I've been to. My favorites are Canyon Lake (in Apache Junction) and Patagonia (near Nogales)."

Card:

Fabio

Card #: US-1152346
From: linuxalexa
Origin: Utah
Caption: Fabio the Romney Ram
Note: "J, Meet Sadie (picture of kitten included). She is 11 weeks old. I rescued her when her mom left all the kittens. Sadie is the only survivor of 6 kittens. I now have 2 dogs, 3 cats, 11 chickens, and 2 goats. Happy postcrossing!"

Card:

Why, Yes, I do see the resemblance.

C'luck-ting postcards

Card #: NL-687682
From: toonoomens
Origin: Netherlands
Note: "Hi, J! Hope you like my chicken. We have also chicken and I love eggs! Happy postcrossing!"
Stamp: repeat
Card:

Musil-licks

Card #: CZ-118152
From: Valecek
Origin: Czech Republic
Caption: N/A, but the picture is a Borzoi.

Note: "hello, My name is Milos, I live in the Czech Republic. I like traveling, castle, train, nature. Sending postcard for you. Happy Postcrossing!"

Stamp: Alois Musil 1868-1944

If you've never watched Lawrence of Arabia, now might be a good time.

Card:

Tired of Titles*

Card #: PL-226945
From: Demifortes
Origin: Poland
Caption: Poznanski Palace, History Museum and Contemporary gallery of Lodz.

Note: "Hey! I'm Ewa, 15 & I live in Lodz. It's in the middle of Poland. I love reading and writing. I'd like to be a writer. I love animals, too! I've got only one, blue cat called  'Gizmo', but he's really cool. Greetings, Ewa."

Stamps: Jan Matejko Manor and Sopot

*While you are reading these posts over the course of several months, they were all written in about 3 days. Today is really the 29th of June and this is postcard number 24 for the day. I'm done naming stuff.

A Letterbox!

Card #: RU-449813
From: Mihanti
Origin: Russia

Note: "Hi, J! Greetings from Russia! My name is Mikhail. I live in a small town Kostroma. P.S. On a postcard typical Russian mailbox.

Stamps:

Potential meets Kinetic

Potential energy is the stored energy of an object due to its position. Jack Russell terriers, on the other hand, are the definition of Kinetic energy, or the energy of an object in motion.

Card #: FI-1098679
From: Ksanthia
Origin: Finland
Caption: None, however, the card was printed in Detroit. :)

Note: "Hi, J, What a pretty name you have! My name is Katrüna and I'm from Finland. I'm 21 years old. I love animals and I would really like to have a dog and 2 cats as well. Maybe one day...  I hope you like this card! Take care and have a great day! Katrüna"

Stamp:

Here Comes the Bride

Card #: NL-675876
From: eiramenna
Origin: Netherlands

Note: "Hallo, Hope you like this card made by schoolkids in my hometown, Oldenzaal. Greetings, Annemarie."

Stamps:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered*

*Not sorry.

Card #: NL-664143
From: miriamk
Origin: Netherlands

Caption: None (boo)

Note: "Hello, J, I hope you like this card with a seal. I have bought it when I was on a school camp to Terschelling, an island in the Netherlands, the day before yesterday. I have two Netherland Dwarf rabbits at home (hooray!). Greetings, Miriam"

Stamps: