Leprechauns spread even further round the world.

Now..you all know my Leprechaun Fergeal and his siblings.

You can catch up on my blog by either searching for Leprechaun in my side bar labels..I see there are 10 posts OR in the search engine at the top of the blog. This helps me enormously when I can't remember if I posted some tatting or not! It might help you if you want to know how much thread to use for a project and I might have made it!
Also you can read ALL the posts in this blog.


sitting........................waiting for you to catch up.........................twiddling my thumbs.......................my hubby actually does this................while he is waiting at traffic lights.................who else does....................?

OK welcome back now I don't have to explain any more!



So lets start again.....

Fergeal has a list...(just like Santa Claus...only Fergeal checks his list every day). His list is all the tatters that he would like to have a Leprechaun.....

The problem is that he is such a gregarious little soul that his list gets longer and longer ...every day!!

I keep telling him "Fergeal, how do you think I can make all those Leprechauns, have you any idea how long it takes just to make one???"

Obviously he hasn't!

So I finally put my foot down and told him that I couldn't possibly make any this year.

He was not happy!

"If you stop that silly tatting you would have plenty of time!"

mmm I think I have heard that before!!

Well anyway, Fergeal decided that there was no option but to take matters into his own hands, handicapped as he is by his lucky Irish cent.

Nope, it's not what you think...he didn't borrow my felt, scissors, needles and thread.... he took the easy way out and he advertised in the Leprechaun Times....for Leprechauns willing to travel.... outside their homeland.....not afraid to learn new things...ambassadors for their country...and so on.

I didn't think that even one would apply..they are all so cosy at home....

But they must have been intrigued and so was I when he came and told me that he had seven applicants...seven!! (good job it wasn't the seven dwarves!!)

You might think that this was the end of the story...Oh no!

Fergeal decided that he had to interview them...to make sure that they were of good character and wouldn't let us down!!

There's more....

He said that he couldn't possibly interview them..where he normally lives...on top of the piano...watching me......Oh no!! he wanted his own office!!

I hope it keeps fine for him I thought!

Well it did..you may have noticed how the Leprechauns seem to get their own way...a lot. William has his own van and sets off whenever he feels the need....Oisin goes to college and let us not forget Brendan (the naviagator!) who was determined to see the world that he left his post and went AWOL! No we could never forget Brendan.

Fergeal didn't want a repeat of that.................and so I found myself in Leprechaun Office Supplies....with my credit card...bad move......

It seemed that not only did he want a desk and chair...but he wanted to upgrade his entire lifestyle!! He told me he wanted antique Irish furniture....solid mahogany circa 1850 ( he has been watching too many Antique Roadshows!

In yer dreams Fergeal!

Well to cut a long story short, he got ready for the interviews... I looked up and there was a line of Leprechauns waiting for their turn....pushing and shoving and nearly falling over each other, so eager were they.





A motley lot they look too!





Now there are no prizes...(but you can guess anyway)....for guessing which day Fergeal chose for his interviews???...think now think!.....or what he was going to ask them. All answers on a blank cheque please!

One by one they answered his gruelling questions, he even let them sit on his brand new rocking chair..... did they know what that mysterious object on his desk was?....



... the others relaxed on his new three piece suite!...and chatted amongst themselves...wonder what they were thinking...were they a teeny bit afraid of what they were letting themselves in for.



What was Fergeal holding in his hand and what was he going to use those books for that he had on his desk.....was he going to make them swear an oath....so many questions I was dying to ask...but i was going to have to wait...you can't afford to interrupt a Leprechaun doing his job.....remember that!



Every now and again he would get up and go over to his antique globe (note that it's an antique...well he thinks it is anyway!), give it twirl and peer into it and scratch his head.



Finally, finally the were all sent home, and I got to quiz him.

He was chuntering away to himself.

"What's up lad?" I dared to ask.

"One of them's a girl!!" was his reply.
"A girl, I ask you who has ever heard of girl leprechauns...no such thing!"

"mmmm!"I dared to reply, "if there are no girl leprechauns, where do you think you came from???"

Well if looks could kill!!

Looks to me like my brave little fellow fancies her, though he would never admit it.

I asked him how he knew it was a girl!!! He tapped the side of his nose knowingly and said that he knew all right, she may have been dressed like leprechaun but it was the little things that gave her away!!!

She was the first one that he called back and I did do a photo shoot while he wasn't looking.....but that's for another day.

As for the others he said they knew sod all about tatting, some of them had never heard of it.....but they were all keen....well wouldn't you be he said if you were offered the opportunity to travel the world.

I think he is jealous...he keeps on at me that I promised him a world tour!!

So anyway back to the job in hand....he has sent them away to the Lep Academy for their tatting/spy training and they just arrived back the other day.

I wonder where he has decided to send them.

I guess I will soon know.

Leprechaun Reunion at Palmetto

Danny was really looking forward to going to Palmetto. Any trip away from home is good, but this one was special since he could visit with some of his cousins. Fergus arrived on Thursday as well, and they had a great time.

They quickly located the chocolate in the hospitality area.

They found some nice greeting cards.

They thoroughly explored the vending room, starting with the silent auction table.

Remember how Danny liked to play in the ball (of thread) pool at Hector? He taught the game to Fergus. Tracy Jackson of the Lacemaker of Cortland OH came over to see what the maniacal laughter was all about, but she let them keep playing.

More fun climbing the display rack on Georgia's table.

Finian arrived later. They had a fine party Saturday night.

They got to meet Georgia!

They stayed up very, very late since they didn't want it all to end and go home the next day. They promised to meet again next year.

I won at the fair!!! by Conor

Oh Joy! I have had a great time this weekend! My mom was going to put my best friend, pd the dragon, in the fair, and since I couldn't live without him for a whole week, I begged her to let me go, too! Well, she did and guess what? We BOTH won 1st prize blue ribbons! We are so proud. And, it is a good thing we both won, too, that way there will be no teasing by the winner to the loser. Mom said she will take better photos of us when she picks us up on Sunday. In this picture, I was so exhausted from the excitement I had to lay down. It is very cool, people coming by constantly to visit us and smile! I miss Mom, as I have to be away for a whole week, but I will see her on her visits to the fair. If you want to see more of the stuff she won ribbons on, check out her blog!

http://www.battatter.blogspot.com/

Bye for now... Conor

115 Degrees in AZ...get the point?

Donnacha perches upon needles for this photo taken between Wickenburg and Phoenix, AZ

This is a "still" from a hilarious video taken by DH (an accident) and viewed by very, very few!
If it were longer, I'd send it to America's Funniest Videos.... Oh! That's Bev, Donnacha's human. There is also a short video of Donnacha waving at the Cacti because HE thought they were waving their arms at him! If he can figure out how to share it, he will.

Donnacha Searches for a friend. . .

Donnacha went looking for a friend; at first, he rode around on the tractor...but soon he thought going on foot would be better because the "pop" "pop" of the tractor was frightening all the wood critters.

This is really the end of Dom's search for a friend. It all began when. . .

"Dom" found a friend, but it was not easy! He found a friend dressed in the same colors as himself; and, yes the new friend is a gnome and not a Lep ~ but they are distant cousins ~ I think! Mom and DH had been visiting with relatives, making new friends; and, while Dom enjoyed all the photo sessions ~ he, too, wanted to meet a Lep, a gnome or even an elf! He visited Bear, but the bear was looking at his ladybug friend which had landed on his nose. This made Bear cross eyed ~ and cross indeed!

Dom climbed as high as he could to reach a duck in a pond ~ but Duck was not talking.

He searched through the many flowers Cousin Trudy has growing in her yard. She is a Master Gardner and there were A LOT of flowers and critters...He even asked squirrels because they are busy and in every part of the flower and vegetable gardens, but he found the squirrels were really quite ignorant of friends for a Lep.

Dom tried befriending the geese, but the Momma Goose came after him ~ hissing, "get away from my goslings"

Then he came to pigs drinking at the pond...but being pigs they slurped and slurped and did not talk at all! They oinked in his general direction. Sadly, he pressed on. . . would he never find a friend of his own?

Dom saw Owl and climbed up and up...Owl was wise. Owl would know where he could find a friend. "Go past the potted pansies" and turn left and there you will find a Gnome who is dressed in gold and green, wearing a red hat and red shoes ~ just like yours. He will be your friend".

And so, Dom followed Owl's wise counsel. He traveled past the potted pansies, turned left and there he was ~ the Gnome! Sitting by the mushrooms. Gnome and Dom spent the afternoon chatting and Dom learned all about Big Bear. And he learned that he was going to get to go to fireworks, right at the lakeside on the Fourth of July! Gnome could not go, he had to tend to the mushrooms, but Dom's person would take him to the big party on the deck. Donnacha was tired from all that climbing and trekking; he and Gnome had a nice nap under the mushrooms in the afternoon sunshine. Dom dreamt of a hissing goose and FIREWORKS over Big Bear lake.

. . .whereupon the mischeiveous Donnacha escapes!

Where's Donnacha? That's DH on the right! What a guy, lifted me right up on the counter at Big Bear California's, Big Juan's eatery.
We love chocolate ~ Right?

Really, I wanted Carmel Apple Crisp

"On the road again. . "

This is me ~ right next to her favorite Tatting bag!

My name is Donnacha (my Human calls me Dom; because she has a very short memory and can't remember Donnacha...I TELL her..."It's like Don likes nacha's ~nachos? " She says, "it's tradition; you come from over the sea and someone in the USA gives you a new name...like they did on Ellis Island in the 1800's""

Leps love travel...I enjoy looking at the exotic places my cousins have gone! Sometimes Mom goes to Wal-Mart; but really, how exciting can that be when it's the only clothes store within two hours? I don't mean to insult where my human lives...but it really isn't anything like the end of the rainbow! She keeps asking herself "Why?"

Then, her paisley Roly Poly tatting bag went into the purse with many zippers....and she huffed and puffed for a whole week! Filling two suitcases, a bigger tatting bag; and, I hopped inside! Right beside the tatting bag. I knew she'd be getting that out and would find me and.....maybe, just maybe she'd take some pictures of me! We might go someplace exciting and then I could share with my cousins.

We left New Mexico and drove through Phoenix and got to Wickenburg, Arizona ~ and ate!

I really, really hinted about getting a Carmel Apple Crisp. Later, she gave me a Snickers candy bar which I did not have to share with that little beastie, Sara. The next morning we got up very early and I saw cotton tail bunnies hopping across a parking lot!

We drove all day long, eight hours! And came to Big Bear, California ~ where we ate! The food was just too spicy for me but I did enjoy the fountain and having my picture taken. I wonder why the people looked at Mom's DH so much when he moved me around the fountain for pictures. I mean, haven't they ever seen a leprechaun?

I don't know where we will be next. I want to see the lake, I want to meet Mom's cousin...I want to eat out again and get some dessert. I can't wait for tomorrow...I'll let you know what happens ~ I'm so excited....hummm, do I smell chocolate?

Cormac has been hanging out in my office ever since St. Paddy's Day. The pics didn't turn out very well and he thought I'd try for another photo opportunity or at least that's what he told me. I think he just liked eavesdropping on the gossip! He's nestled in the honey sticks and mint chocolate stir sticks that I keep for my tea.


He thought he was in American Heaven - a pot of silver! (minus the rainbow) Truly it was only a bowl of Hershey's Kisses, but chocolate is as good as any pot of gold or silver, isn't it?

Fergeal's additions!

Just gotta get a few things straightened out. My mom just got a CD full of photos...only another 286..that's all. She got a fab photo of them there Giants at the causeway.



Just look at those lips!!

I sneeked a look and found a photo of my mom. She hates photos of her but serves her right. You can see how tight she is holding on to me!!





Do I look like I am going to do a runner!!

Some of you have been asking about Toastie...well he is one special little bear. He came free in a winter survival pack from a well know tissue manufacturer. he came in a padded bag inn the post and all over the outside in big letters was written...

I'm here let me out!!

So we have always had to be real careful not to suffocate him.

He is a Hug me better bear

He has a hole in his back and inside him is a bag of wheat seeds that can be heated in the microwave and then when they are put back he is is Toastie warm inside.

Well the other advantage of the bag of seeds is that when he is going on holiday he can be eviscerated...ouch!! so he is very light. When he gets where he is going he usually gets a sock stuffed inside him to make him feel more human!

Here is a sketch she did of him in a jumper that he borrowed...





Here he is in real life on one of his holidays..crossing the Irish sea....



and on a coach. You should never travel without a stuffie!

Fergeal's Wonderful Weekend! Part 3.

The lady who had the Antique Lace brought in some more..this time bobbin lace. I had a good look. She said that it was ok to show these pictures. I wanted top learn as much as possible.





This one is Honiton Lace...gosh what eyesight they must have had.

There was a lady making bobbin lace



Good heavens all those bobbins!!

My mom was given a job...they told her to untangle all these threads!!! she didn't do it tho!!



The most fun that I had was when we went into a shop! and i found a lot of books that were soooh interesting.



Oh my he looks ugly!!, I never did find out what the truth was as she wouldn't buy it for me!



This one isn't quite so scary but doesn't look much like me.



But can ya see what it says on the back.. I am learning stuff here that I never knew !!!

Just in case ya can't read!! this is what it says.....


Leprechauns are supposed to know where pots of gold are buried and they guard this sectet very well. They are very hard to ensnare, and if you manage to catch one then you must hold him very firmly and never, even for a second, take your eyes off him, because in the blink of an eye he can dissapear and will use every trick he knows to escape..so be warned!!

Ooops! Brendan must have know this!! No wonder she held on to my feet at the Giants Causeway...as if I would!! Some of us know when we have a good thing going!!



One more book to read and this one looks like fun!

My mom showed me to the man behind the counter and he said that I was too tall to be a leprechaun...now how does he know that????
She told him tho', she said "He is a Cork Leprechaun, we breed them tall there!!"

See!!



Well she caught me trying to run off with this...so she bought it for me!!

I soon got rid of those chocolate imposters!.....



and now its MINE..all mine.





I'll be seeing ya!!

Gotta tell ya about Toastie tomorow...by request!