Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Tatted Christmas Tree is done – The Peterborough Festival of Trees is its next stop

Misty Hollow Carving
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Today’s Blog Post
The Tatted Christmas Tree is done – The Peterborough Festival of Trees is its next stop

The task is done. I have just completed my Festival of Trees – Christmas Tree and it is ready to delivery.

The Peterborough Festival of Trees runs from November 23 – 28 this year (2010) at the Memorial Centre on Lansdowne Street.

12 years ago when we arrived in Peterborough we attended our first Festival of Tree. It was our first experience of attending the wonderful fund raising event held each year before Christmas. The money raised supports the Hospital, Hospice and an organization that buys medical equipment for our community.

I stood looking at the beautiful trees over the years and wondered to myself if I could ever place a tree in this fund raising event covered with the lace that I make?

Since that time I have started my Misty Hollow Woodcarving business. I have kept working at my Lace Making as well. Tatting in particular and also Honiton & Torchon Bobbin Lace.

Well the dream has come true. The Christmas Tree covered with Tatting and some woodcarving is now complete.

The tree has 155 tatted pieces on it. Actually the number is higher than that in that the Glass Balls have two or three small tatted pieces of them.

I should have started the tatting for this tree last March. But the decision to do so wasn’t made until the early part of September.

There are 50 snowflakes that took about 70 hours to make. 46 of these pieces are my own designs.

The woodcarving took another week to do along with the tatting that is placed on the angels.

I am running out of words to describe the tree – so the photos will have to do. Later I hope to have a Blog dedicated just to the Tatting and the patterns that I created.

Next Monday evening I will install the tree at the Memorial Centre. The four foot tree will stand tall beside the other trees – some of these are six and eight foot tall… and each decorated in a unique and beautiful way.

Misty Hollow Carving’s small black tree will be there along with the rest…. Shinning its little heart out.

Now the hard part is letting it go. As I have placed so many hours into the design and decoration it is hard to give it up. I will not likely hear from the person that wins this tree. I hate to just give it up… but photos help!

(The fund raising is done as people buy tickets and then place them into the box in front of the tree that they are hoping to win. Some could be bought as well… and at least one is auctioned off at some point in the week’s activities.)

Check out http://www.pfot.org/  for more information – the Peterborough Festival of Trees Web Site.

It is all about volunteers and the tremendous work that they do!

TVCogeco Cable Vision has produced this video to help you see the set up
http://www.tvcogeco.com/peterborough/gallery/our-shows/414-focus/28371-festival-of-trees10
and
http://www.tvcogeco.com/peterborough/gallery/our-shows/414-focus/28252-pfot-volunteers  

Why not plan to come to the Festival and then look for the four foot Black Christmas Tree sponsored by Dr. Bert Van Brenk and Designed by Murray Lincoln, Misty Hollow Carving. That is about as much advertisement that I will get… so I need your help to tell some one about it!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

NOTE: Tatted Snowflakes are for sale as well.  Please contact me if you would like to purchase some for Christmas. Available at the Royal Gardens Christmas Craft Sale November 27, 2010














14 comments:

Brenda said...

Your Tree is really Beautiful, Murray. I hope we can get to see it in person.
Congratulations on getting all that work Done!!

Anonymous said...

Absolutely beautiful. You are an inspiration for all of your fellow tatters.

Elizabeth said...

Beautiful tree. I especially like the Angel at the top.
Elizabeth

Shirley Burger said...

Ooooh, that's gorgeous!!! You should be so proud!!! What a wonderful accomplishment! Amazing that it was done in such a short time (would take me a year to do that much tatting). I look forward to having the patterns being made available. Best wishes to you and yours for a Happy Christmas.

Unknown said...

You should be very proud. The tree is amazing and hopefully it goes to someone who appreciates tatting. I think you will be surprised by how many people recognize the tatting. I know I was when I lived in Peterborough.

Traveling Square Dancers said...

One of the most beautiful trees I've ever seen. Thanks for helping to publicize the art of tatting in such a lovely way!

Suztats said...

Wow! Murray, that is one gorgeous tree! So many hours have created a unique tree filled with lace. What a wonderful way to support such a worthy cause. Yay!

Gina said...

Wow! That took a lot of dedication. My lace guild does a small tree and each member contributes at least 3 lace ornament. I made 12 this year. I can't imagine making 155! Beautiful tree Murray - kudos to you!

Anonymous said...

That's a great job! Wonderful work, fellow tatter. :)

Christina said...

A beautiful tree! On behalf of the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation I want to thank you for your support of Festival of Trees. Your hard work and efforts have led to the creation of a wonderful tree that will truly make a difference in support of local health care. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Murray Lincoln said...

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Christina it is a priviledge for me to help this way. After publishing this Blog about the Festival - about 1000 people have responded from all over the world in one way or another... very positive. Some are also thinking of doing something similar in their area. On one day I received commments and contacts back from New Zealand all the way west to Hawaii and dozens of countries in between. This little tree has been around the world and back again to the Memorial Centre.

Couldn't have happened without Dr. Bert Van Brenk - our Donor!!!

BTW - I serve as an On-Call Chaplain at the Hospital one weekend a month... love volunteering.

misfitknits said...

wow, your christmas tree is really awesome!! and i mean AWE-some! i really love the close-up photos of the ornaments, so you can see more detail of the individual ornaments! they are beautiful, and if most are your original design, i WANT the patterns!! they are great! i myself just ordered lene bjorn's snowflake book, and i'm looking forward to tatting ornaments for family. their probably won't be any that make it to MY tree this year, since i've decided to do it so late!! XD but i'm really excited to give even one tatted ornament to each family member who will appreciate it!! i hope to give my grandmother a small set since i know she won't have many more christmas's left to enjoy them, and although that's sad, it warms my heart.

KatherineN said...

Dearest Murray,

I am the winner of your tree from the Peterborough Festival of Trees!
I can't tell you how thrilled I am to win this beautiful tree that you have made!
For over 10years I have gone to Festival and although thoroughly enjoyed it, never won anything till now!
Your tree will be proudly displayed in my home exactly as it is decorated now, it doesn't need any improving as it is so beautiful!
I am picking it up tomorrow and don't think I will be able to sleep as I am so excited!
Thank you for supporting the community and creating this masterpiece that I will show for many, many years to come!!
Sincerely,
Katherine

Murray Lincoln said...

THANK YOU KATHERINE N... what a joy to know that it is someone that will appreciate it. I hope you enjoy the Teddy Bear as well. And if you look carefully, there is free Tatting Lessons that come with the Tree... should you wish to learn how to Tat in days to come - look for one of the Celtic Design decorations - on the back side.

BTW - The Newswatch@5:30 Gals are doing a program on Tatting and the Lace Making that I do on the Dec 8th - with broadcast sometime after that.

The tree has been viewed by 100s and 100s of people so far... actually in one recent week a little over 1000 views from New Zealand and moving west through to Hawaii - all 24 hours of time zones on one day alone! It has become pretty popular to say the least - around the world and here at home!!!!

Congratulations!

Murray Lincoln