Veronica's Stitching Vault

Unofficial IHSW Update

2012-01-26T11:49:00.000+08:00

Chinese New Year falls on 23 January this year. I had returned to my hometown the previous Friday with my family to celebrate Chinese New Year with my relatives. Hence, I had thought I wouldn't be able to join in this month's IHSW so I didn't sign up for it.
Surprisingly however, I found myself stitching quite a bit this past weekend so here's my unofficial IHSW result:

This is such an enjoyable design to stitch. Makes me wonder why I hadn't started it ages ago. All that's left now is the construction of the house.
I had mixed up the TUSAL dates last post. WiPocalypse is on the FULL moon and TUSAL is on the NEW moon. Whoops! Thanks to Mouse and Dani for pointing that out to me.
Here's my TUSAL update again with more orts from Home of A Needleworker (Too)!

To all my friends who are celebrating Chinese New Year, Gong Xi Fa Chai and to everyone else, Happy Stitching!

New Year, New Starts

2012-01-13T09:57:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year, dear readers. Yes, I'm late with my WiPocalypse update. Still, better late than never, right? I've had two new starts. I figured January should be a guilt-free month.

First, as planned, is Magic Garden Sampler by Shakespeare's Peddlar.

I'm stitching this with HDF on Lakeside Linens Navy Bean. I absolutely love how the silk glides through the fabric.

Next, I started Home of A Needleworker (Too)! by Little House Needleworks as well.

It's stitched on the same fabric as Magic Garden Sampler. I've also converted the colors to HDF. It's not an exact color conversion as I'm only eyeballing the floss and choosing what I deemed fit but I'm loving the results so far.

Last but not least, I've joined the TUSAL and this is my first update:

Have a great weekend, everyone and happy stitching!

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-30T09:37:00.000+08:00

This will be my last post before the new year. As mentioned in my last post, I manage to have one last finish for 2011.

Design: She Tends

Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Fabric: R&R Reproductions Alabaster 30 count linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours, Weeks Dye Works & Sampler Threads

Embellishments: Shepherd's Bush Silver Shepherd Charm

Here are all four blocks together.

2012 will be a year of SALs for me.

Most of you already know about the TUSAL organized by Daffy Cat. Well, I've joined in the fun.

Next up will be the WiPocalypse organized by Measi. There's even a WiPocalypse forum for it. Which means I need to buck up and list down my projects for 2012. So far, this is what I have in mind:

Abi Guden - Tree of Stitches (New)
Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks - Spring Song (New)
Lanarte - Lazy Afternoon (WiP)
Lilliput Lane - Lilliput Village (WiP)
Little House Needleworks - Home of A Needleworker (Too!) (New)
Little House Needleworks - Singing the Blues (New)
Mirabilia - Garden Verses (WiP)
Passione Ricamo - Romantic Stitcher (WiP)
Papillon Creations - Love With A Capital L (WiP)
Shepherd's Bush - Sail Away (New)
Stickideen von der Wiehenburg - Rose Quaker (New)
Valerie Pfeiffer - Chorus Line (WiP)

That's my WiPocalypse list. However, I make no guarantee that it won't change. After all, you know what they said about the best laid plans and all.

I'll also be starting Magic Garden Sampler by Shakespeare Peddler in January. This will be a private SAL with my friend June (no blog).

End of February is the due date for the Friendship Bag Exchange on NNC so I'll be busy with that.

Tentative start date for Lizzie Kate's 6 Fat Man SAL will be in March. Anymore of you out there who's interested to join Katica, Tammy and me? I believe there are a few more takers over at Kat's blog as well but hey, the more the merrier :)

NNC's Anniversary Meet has been scheduled in April so I'll need to prepare for the Anniversary Gift Exchange and the challenge. This year, the challenge was a Gingham Heart. For 2012, the organizers have come up with the Bird Challenge! What that is, you'll have to wait and see.

That's my plans so far for 2012. Have I bitten off more than I could chew? I certainly hope not.

Happy Stitching!

A Christmas Finish

2011-12-27T08:41:00.000+08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I was actually pretty sick two days before Christmas but on Christmas day, I was feeling well enough to stitch. I'm happy to announce that I have a Christmas finish which unfortunately has nothing to do with Christmas.

Design: Little House Neighborhood

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Fabric: 28 count Picture This Plus Legacy Cashel linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers silk

Embellishments: JABC Buttons

This was a SAL with the Little House Neighborhood SAL which started in 2008. Boy, have I been behind.

As per my usual habit, I've made quite a number of changes to this design. Can you spot the differences?

Let's take a closer look.

As you can see, I've substituted a few motifs for JABC buttons. Don't you just love the kitty cat?

I opted for a dog and a watering can in place of the squirrel and rooster.

The white star on the house has been replaced with a button too.

My favourite part which coincidentally is right smack in the middle of the entire design.

The wool on the sheeps is stitched with silk chenille. Love how real it makes it look.

Last but not least, I think these hearts are perfect companions for the words.

Stitching the border nearly killed me. I'm no fan of repetitive, boring borders. I was beyond relief when the last stitches were finally put in.

I'm hoping to have one more finish before the year is up. Wish me luck!

Happy Stitching!

A Gift of Snowmen

2011-12-22T09:18:00.000+08:00

I'm usually not one for stitching Christmas ornaments since I don't own a tree. However, I couldn't resist when I saw this design.

Design: He's A Flake

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Fabric: 32 count Natural Italian Linen

Fibers: DMC

Instead of making him into an ornament, I decided on something else... A mailart.

It arrived yesterday so now I'm able show it to you.

For the back, I stitched part of Snow in Love by Little House Needleworks. You'd probably recognize the little snowman at the top from my recent Drawn Thread Spot of Winter finish.

I used Colorful Christmas by Minds Eye for Riley Blake Designs fabric to line the inside.

Now, what's an envelope good for without its contents, right? Here's the card I made to go with it.

I've always thought of popup cards like the surprise inside Fabergé eggs. Of course, it's nothing even as remotely grand as those surprises but hopefully you understand my comparison.
Anyway, here's my surprise for this snowman card.

I found this design here if you're interested in making one too.

This gift of snowmen is for Mikey, my longtime friend, my best friend, my boyfriend.

Dearest Mikey,
Thank you for all the times you've been there for me when I needed you and especially when I thought I didn't need you.
Thank you for refusing to leave when I pushed you away and figured you'd be better off without me.
Thank you for loving me still after all the crap I've put you through and even when I'm not the most lovable person in the world.
I love you, too.

My Birthday Exchange

2011-12-13T10:27:00.000+08:00

Last Thursday was my birthday. I received the most wonderful present from Jo, my NNC Birthday Exchange partner this year.

Look at what her package contained:

She made me a Sewing Machine Mat and a Thread Catcher. She also gave me a 12" x 18" Olfa Rotary Mat (which I was gonna buy from her), a couple of buttons, sewing threads, DMC floss, plastic bobbins, an extra cut of the same cat fabric she used for the sewing machine mat and thread catcher so that in future, I could make myself a matching sewing machine cover if I wanted to (heck yeah, I want to. LOL!) and a length of plastic strip (no idea what it's called) that she inserted into the thread catcher to retain its opening shape (so I could make myself another thread catcher if I wanted to).

Am I spoilt or am I spoilt? I've been meaning to make myself a sewing machine mat and thread catcher for some time now. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Now, I don't have to anymore. Thanks to Jo :)

Take a look at the thread catcher. Gosh, isn't the fabric she used adorable?

I immediately put them both to good use. I had all my sewing accessories organized in the many pockets too though you could barely see them.

Doesn't my Bernette look gorgeous with her new companions? Now, I can sew in style!
Thank you so much again, Jo.

Come Join Us!

2011-11-30T11:12:00.001+08:00

My computer at home decided to stop cooperating. Thus, I guess there won't be much photos to show until I get it fixed. Anyone have any idea what causes a computer to keep freezing shortly after booting up and the screen to flicker ocassionally? I just had it formatted not too long ago when it was giving me the same problems so I know for a fact that it's not a software problem. Sigh!

On to the point of this post. A while ago, I saw Katica's Shopping List. Among the items she had listed were Lizzie*Kate's 6 Fat Man. I've been drooling over this design ever since I saw it. I ended up leaving Kati a comment asking if she would be interested to have an SAL if and when she decides to start it.

Well, one thing led to another and before I knew it, we'd set the tentative start date for 6 Fat Man in March 2012. We haven't worked out any other details other than that but I think it would most likely be a free and easy, work-at-your-own-pace, no demands SAL. What do you think, Kati?

Anyway, my question to all my dear readers is this:

Would you like to join us for Lizzie Kate's 6 Fat Man SAL?

I mean seriously look at it. It's so cute! How could you resist?

I have already ordered my charts. I haven't decided on the fabric yet but I'll be stitching it with (what else?!) Vikki's silk. I'm asking Vikki to help me with the conversion :)

Please do let me know if you're interested. I believe there are already quite a few takers over at Kati's SAL post.

Happy Stitching!

Early ISHW Report

2011-11-20T14:36:00.001+08:00

It's ISHW again! How can that be? Time sure has flown.

I've been working on my Little House Neighbourhood as I mentioned in my last post. Been almost a year since I worked on this. Can you tell I'm trying really hard to reduce my WiP list before the year is up?

Well, I managed to complete the third row.

Now that the forth and final house has been built, it's now time for the borders and words at the bottom.

You might have noticed there are some missing elements still. Not to worry, I've not forgotten about them. I have plans for those which will be revealed soon.

I also have another happy dance. My iStitch Mystery SAL is done!

Design: Sew A Mystery

Designer: iStitch Designs

Fabric: Hand Dyed Fibers 32 count Jackalope linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers (Examplar Black Iris) silk

Yup, this SAL now has a name... A very fitting one in my opinion. For those of you who missed out and would like to stitch it, Carol now has it on sale here.

Recently, I won another giveaway. This is what I received.

A scissors fob that Melinda made. Ain't that black cat the cutest charm you've ever seen? Don't let the photo fool you. Oh how its eyes sparkle in real life. I love it! Thanx, Melinda.

Happy Stitching!

Happy Dances

2011-11-05T20:36:00.000+08:00

Yes, Happy Dances. Plural, with an S. Come celebrate with me. It's a party. First up, here's Spot of Winter.

Design: Spot of Winter

Designer: The Drawn Thread

Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen

Fibers: DMC & Weeks Dye Works

Being the last of the seasonal spot sampler series, you know what that means, don't you? Yup, the entire series is now finish. Another happy dance. Woohoo! (Yes, I'm counting this as another one even though technically it's one and the same :P)

Don't all four of them look great together? I certainly think so. This one has been three years in the making. The first one, Spot of Spring, was finished in September 2008. So glad to see this done.

Now, what's a happy dance without close up pics, right?

All the charms used in this piece were substitutes. I had problem sourcing for the originals when I first bought the used charts off eBay. This was way before The Drawn Thread's webshop was set up.

My favourite part of the entire sampler. Falling leaves in autumn. I think they gave an illusion of motion to the design.

Winter. I had the most fun with the Sprats Head Tree stitch (small Fir Trees at bottom right). Very interesting weave effect.

Along with the spot samplers, I managed to keep up with my November stitching schedule (so far) and finished She Tends Block 3!

Design: She Tends

Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Fabric: R&R Reproductions Alabaster linen 30 count linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours, Weeks Dye Works & Sampler Threads

Embellishments: Shepherd's Bush Silver Leaping Lamb Charm

I know, unbelievable, right? The confetti stitches in this one nearly drove me mad. Fortunately, it's small.

And that, my friends, concludes this party.

Next up, Little House Neighbourhood.

Happy Stitching!

Belated October IHSW

2011-10-26T18:51:00.000+08:00

Yes, I know, I'm more than a week late in giving my IHSW update. Bad news, I barely stitched so I didn't have anything to show. Good news, I stitched quite a bit AFTER that weekend and guess what? Romantique Sampler is now finished!

Wait, hold your horses and bear with me. Before I show you the completed project, I just gotta show you Part 16 first.

And then Part 21 ^.^

Okay, I'm done torturing you with the suspense as I could hardly contain my own excitement. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Romantique Sampler!

Design: Romantique Sampler

Designer: Angie Designer

Fabric: 32 count White Belfast Linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers (Examplar Fleckstone & Velvet Midnight series) silk

I started this is February 2011 which means it was stitched over a period of nine months. Now that it's done, I'll definitely miss stitching on it for sure. Then again, that means I'm allowed to start a new WiP, right? :P

On to the second SAL. Here's my iStitch Mystery SAL to date.

That's a cute willow tree. Still having fun with this SAL :)

One last thing, I recently won Hannah's Holiday Giveaway. The package she sent me has arrived.

Now tell me that isn't the most adorable autumn pillow you've ever seen? It's highly hugable as well and I especially love the felt edging. She also included some WDW threads too. Thank you so much, Hannah, for the lovely gift.

Happy Stitching, everyone!

October Update

2011-10-15T20:30:00.000+08:00

This will be a short and sweet update as my October stitching schedule has not been turning out too well so far. Thus, I don't have much to show.

However, I managed to salvage some of it by finishing Part 2 of She Tends by Shepherd's Bush.

Design: She Tends
Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Fabric: R&R Reproductions Alabaster 30 count linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours, Weeks Dye Works & Sampler Threads

Embellishments: Shepherd's Bush Silver Standing Sheep Charm

As you can see, the red floss has bled into the fabric after I washed it. Am not too happy with that. This is why I won't ever buy non colorfast hand-dyed floss again once I finish stitching any ongoing projects that uses them. For the price they're selling for, I'd rather convert them to Vikki's silk to spare myself this frustration. Better value for money and yes, I'm turning into a silk snub ^.^

Anyway, complaints aside, have you seen Part 6 of iStitch Mystery SAL? I'm loving the pair of scissors! Wonder if I could buy an actual pair that looks like that. Anyone knows?

That's all for now. This weekend is IHSW again. What will you be stitching? I'll be working on Romantique Sampler.

Happy Stitching!

Finally An Update

2011-10-10T01:56:00.000+08:00

My September stitching schedule was completely unsuccessful. I didn't stitch on Love With A Capital L nor the Mirabilia and Passione Ricamo SALs. In fact, I only managed to finish Part 20 of Romantique Sampler last week. I had wanted to show the photos way before this but my computer went down not long after that.
Finally, after a long, arduous process of troubleshooting and reformatting which I would rather not go into, here's my long overdue post. So glad the computer problem is all behind me. Phew! Let's hope it stays that way for a very, very long time, if not forever ^.^
Here's Part 20 :)

Only one more instalment which will be sent today! I'm so excited to get this done.

Of course, there's also iStitch's Mystery SAL which I finished last weekend.

I recently got an Android phone thanks to a friend in Australia so I've been playing with it ~~too much~~ some. Hence not much stitching done this past week.
I'm currently working on the second block of Shepherd's Bush's She Tends. Now, wanna hear something funny? If you recall, I had a Birthday Giveaway last year which included some Crescent Colours floss? I had completely forgotten that I still need a couple of those for this design. Sigh! This is why Mikey calls me his goofball. Had to reorder them from 123 Stitch so I won't be finishing this anytime soon until my floss arrives. Double sigh!
Dear Anonymous who left a comment on my last post, please do not be embarassed to leave your name and link to your blog. We're all stitchers and there's no such thing as amateurs in my book which I'm sure many other stitchers will agree. I personally would love to have another blog to admire or as Joyce like to say, stallk :P As to answer your question, I usually buy my supplies online, be it linen, floss or charts. You can find the various links to the ONS I frequent, especially for hand-dyed fabrics at the sidebar of my blog. Please do email me if you have anymore questions. I'll be happy to answer them.
Happy Stitching!

My First IHSW

2011-09-19T18:53:00.000+08:00

So I finally caved and joined in September's IHSW. However, before I showed you what I've been up to this past weekend, here's Part 3 of iStitch Mystery SAL as promised.

Anyway, last weekend was a long weekend for me as Friday (16 September) was Malaysia Day. Unfortunately, I didn't stitch as much as one would expect. I've yet to put in a single stitch on Garden Verses for the Mirabilia SAL. I hope to rectify that soon.

I worked on Romantique Sampler instead. This time round, Angie has sent three parts rather than of her usual two. I managed to complete two parts so far.

Part 18:

Part 19:

I'm now working on Part 20. Once I get that done, I'll move on to Garden Verses. Luckily, I took Monday and Tuesday off too (Yeah, it's a very long weekend for me :P Five days!). I guess I had overestimated my stitching speed when I allocated five days for Romantique Sampler on my stitching schedule. Then again, that's supposed to act only as guidelines, right? ^.^

On Saturday, Carol sent out Part 4 of her Mystery SAL. It's small so it was done in no time at all.

I hope you've all had a great weekend. Happy Stitching!

Autumn

2011-09-12T08:38:00.000+08:00

I've always love the rich palette of autumn. In keeping with my stitching schedule abeit slightly late, I completed Spot of Autumn.

Design: Spot of Autumn

Designer: The Drawn Thread

Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen

Fibers: DMC & Weeks Dye Works

Stitching this has been a work of frustration and trial of patience. Have you ever felt like you did more frogging than actual stitching on a piece? This was one such case. Other than the red flowers on the bottom left, I must have stitched everything at least twice and the pumpkins three times! I'm reminded once again why it nearly became a UFO two years ago.

So has all that fuss been worth it? I certainly hope so. It sure is pretty, isn't it? Only winter left :)
I also managed to complete Part 2 of iStitch Mystery SAL.

I actually finished Part 3 last night as well but have yet to take a picture. Now it's on to Romantique Sampler.

Happy Stitching!

Coffee or Tea?

2011-09-06T09:10:00.000+08:00

Which do you prefer? Me, I like both equally. So it comes as no surprise that I fell in love with Little House Needleworks' Coffee and Tea series. Last weekend, I decided to pick up Herbal Tea.

Took me about five days to finish it.

Design: Herbal Tea

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Fabric: Zweigart's Vintage Country Mocha (Marbled) 32 count Belfast linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours Belle Soie

All three of the tea series are finally done.

The Coffee and Tea series has been an ongoing WiP spanning four years. Can you believe that? If you look closely, you'll see that I finished Cappuccino in 2008! I'm glad to finally have all of them done.

I normally don't make plans when it comes to stitching but I really want to have more finishes before the year is out. Sometime last month, I made a schedule for the remaining months. Here it is in table form. I hope it makes sense. What do you think

Dates	September	October	November	December
1st - 3rd	Little House Needleworks - Herbal Tea	Shepherd's Bush - She Tends (Block 2)	Shepherd's Bush - She Tends (Block 3)	Shepherd's Bush - She Tends (Block 4)
6th - 8th	Drawn Thread - Spot of Autumn	Drawn Thread - Spot of Winter	-	-
11th - 15th	Angie Designs - Romantique Sampler (SAL)	Angie Designs - Romantique Sampler (SAL)	Little House Needleworks - Little House Neighbourhood	Little House Needleworks - Little House Neighbourhood
16th - 20th	Mirabilia - Garden Verses (SAL)	Mirabilia - Garden Verses (SAL)	Mirabilia - Garden Verses (SAL)	Mirabilia - Garden Verses (SAL)
21th - 25th	Passione Ricamo - Romantic Stitcher (SAL)	Passione Ricamo - Romantic Stitcher (SAL)	Passione Ricamo - Romantic Stitcher (SAL)	Passione Ricamo - Romantic Stitcher (SAL)
26th - 30th	Papillon Creations - Love With A Capital L	Papillon Creations - Love With A Capital L	Papillon Creations - Love With A Capital L	Papillon Creations - Love With A Capital L

On the dates not listed, I figured I'll stitch on whatever captures my fancy or work on those that I couldn't finish in time. As for iStitch's Mystery SAL, I'll stitch it when new parts are released. I should be able to finish it in between stitching other projects as the parts are pretty small.

So far, it's been successful. Hence Herbal Tea's finish. Guess we'll see how well I'm able to keep that up. Wish me luck :)

By the way, have you heard of Measi's 2012 WiPocalypse? It's an ongoing SAL for the entire year 2012. I mentioned how much I love SALs in my last post and seeing it, Measi suggested I join hers. I'm so in! Do check it out. There are no obligations, just fun. I'll post my list later depending on how many WiPs I can get done by the end of the year. Hope to see you there too.

Happy Stitching!

Stitch A-Longs

2011-09-01T03:43:00.000+08:00

I love Stitch A-Longs, aka SALs. I love the community feeling one gets of stitching together with a group of stitchers online yet at the same time, it's all on my own time, at my own pace. No pressure. I find that very motivating.

For the month of August, I've participated in three SALs. First is the Mirabilia & Nora SAL over at Love 4 Stitching from 16th to 20th every month. Some of you might remember that I started Garden Verses back in September 2010. With this SAL, I finally finished her yellow dress.

Next, I signed up for iStitch's Mystery SAL organized by Carol R. Here's the first part.As you can see, I'm stitching it with Vikki's Examplar Black Iris. It's a lovely, subtly variegated black/maroon in real life which unfortunately the photo doesn't really show. The fabric I'm using is Vikki's 32 count linen in Jackalope.

I'm actually late in this SAL as I went to Phuket, Thailand for a three day vacation last week and couldn't complete it in time. Hopefully I'll receive the next part from Carol soon after I send her the picture.

Last but not least is Romantique Sampler again.

Part 15 was finished ages ago. I'm late as usual with the update.

I just put in the last stitch for Part 17 earlier today. At least for once I'm prompt :)

It's really coming along beautifully if I do say so myself.

Hard to believe this SAL is nearing an end. Two more installments. I doubt I'd have gotten this far with this design had it not been an SAL. What about you? What are your thoughts on SALs?

Back to Love

2011-08-15T12:35:00.000+08:00

While waiting on the next two parts of Romantique Sampler, I decided it's way past time to pick up Love With A Capital L again. I had last stitch on it in March 2010. It's been more than a year! Where has the time gone?

Anyway, I finished another section of it last Friday. There were some charting errors so I had to make some minor adjustments to centralize it.

I love this motif.

Always Protects, Trust, Hopes, Perserveres.

Another close up.

Now it's back to Romantique Sampler and the new iStitch Mystery SAL that just started.

Happy Stitching!

Beiges & Blues

2011-08-03T15:45:00.000+08:00

I should have, could have posted my Romantique Sampler progress weeks ago but only gotten around to it today. Well, I am famous for my procrastination skills ^.^

Anyway, here's Part 9.

Part 14

And as before, a photo of the whole sampler. I'm still in love with the beiges and blues I picked for this sampler.

The end is nearly in sight. Only three more installments to go. 10 August is coming up. I'm looking forward to stitching the next two parts.

Colours

2011-07-20T11:02:00.000+08:00

My friend, June, has been wanting to know how I store my floss for a while now. I'm sorry it took me so long to post the photos. So, this is for you, June.

I store my DMC floss in a two tier craft box. Lucky for me, it's big enough to fit my entire set of DMC in.

As you can see here, I had the floss wound on plastic bobbins. So much easier for storage.

I've been building up my collection of HDF Solids. My micro bobbins are stored in a clear Ferrero Rocher box.

Of course, my box is now overflowing.

What better excuse could one ask for to buy more chocolates? I used to joke with Mikey that silks are yummier than chocolates. Don't you agree with me?

I've also been asked to show my scissors collection. Now, my collection isn't as extensive as some stitchers I see out there but until I put them all on display like this, I never realize I've already accumulated this many scissors. LOL!

One last thing, I received this gorgeous scarf from Radha a few weeks back. I've neglected to show it off until now. Radha knows my favourite colour is blue so she made me one in a brilliant shade of blue. Thank you so much again, Radha. I love it!

That's it for now. I'll show more piccies of my Romantique Sampler next time. I'm working on the next two parts at the moment.

Happy Stitching!

I Caught Up!

2011-07-08T10:19:00.000+08:00

This post's title says it all. Finally, finally, I caught up on my Romantique Sampler.

Part 10

Part 11

As of 26 June 2011

Part 12

Part 13

And here's how it looks like currently.

I managed to beat the deadline by four days too. (I had completed Part 13 couple of days ago but didn't have the opportunity to take a decent photo until this morning). Can you tell my needle's been busy? ^.^

Guess what's I'm stitching at the moment while waiting for the next part?

Happy Stitching!

I've Been Featured!

2011-07-02T12:43:00.000+08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Scott of Be @ Home, a home decor blog. He asked if he could feature my blog in his weekly Best of the Web series. I agreed immediately. How could I not jump at this opportunity? I've never had a request like this before.

Today, I received another email from Scott. The article has been posted!

Best of the Web: Be @ Home #29

I'd love it if you would go over and take a look. Gotta scroll down a little though. I'm sure my regular readers would be able to recognize my journal cover ^.^

To my friends, readers and fellow bloggers, you all have been phenomenal with your encouragements, inspiring me to keep creating. Thank you so much!

Romantique Sampler Again... & Blue Rose Freebie

2011-06-22T20:19:00.000+08:00

Time flies. It's been almost a month since I last posted. Yikes! I hope my readers are still around ^.^

First things first, I asked in my last post whether you would be interested in stitching my Blue Rose Stitching Set. A number of you replied in the affirmative. Well, your wish is my command :D I've just finished converting the designs into .pdf files. (Partly the reason for this long overdue update). You can find the link to download them on my Freebies page. I hope you enjoy stitching these. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

So, are you tired of my Romantique Sampler yet? I hope not because unfortunately, that's all I've got to show. That's all I've been stitching for the past few weeks and that's all I'll be stitching until I catch up.

Part 6

As of 29 May 2011

Part 7

Part 8

As of 18 June 2011

I'm now only a month behind. Think I'll finally be able to catch up?

Happy Stitching!

2011 NNC Birthday Exchange

2011-05-24T00:00:00.044+08:00

If you've been reading my recent posts, you'd have seen me mentioned about an upcoming birthday exchange that I've been diligently working on. Well, today's the day. Happy Birthday, Jo!

This past Saturday, I was able to meet up with Jo during NNC's Stitching Bee, held at Sally's lovely house. (Thank you, Sally, for having us.) However, I was too lazy to take any photos while there so I only have my exchange pictures to share.

For this exchange, I was required to include one handmade craft item along with two related handmade or store-bought items and of course a birthday card.

Here's what my package consists of:

A Tilda's Summer Ideas book
I figured Jo might find it refreshing and enjoyable as she is into sewing/bag-making. At least that's what I was hoping for.
A Blue Rose Pouch
A Birthday Card
The design for the birthday card was from Form-A-Lines. I love its simplicity and added the layers for a 3D effect.

My main handcrafted item is this blue rose pouch. I wanted Jo to have something she could use often if not on a daily basis. Since I knew she sews, (in fact, we had first met at the school where we both take tailoring lessons) I made this pouch with multiple pockets especially for her tools.

The general idea was taken from Butterick B5006 pattern but once again, I challenged myself to try something different. As you can see, I've modified the center to incorporate a simple patchwork pattern and cross stitch roses. I've also binded the edges with pink bias tape.

I then endeavour to fill up every single one of those eight pockets for the "related items requirement". I gotta say I sure had fun coming up with ideas.

I included charms, pearl and wooden buttons, a ceramic thimble with Jo's birth month on it, a couple of vintage bobbins, a pair of golden peacock scissors (which I was "paid" 10 cents for in order to ensure our friendship ties were not cut ^.^), a scissors case, a biscornu pincushion and a scissors fob filled with emery for sharpening needles.

Love this picture of the accessories sitting cozily in their individual pockets.

Wanna know a secret? The stitching set was designed by me. I stitched it in blue because that's Jo's favourite color. I named it "Blue Rose Stitching Set".

It all started with one biscornu side.

Then the other.

And the rest...

Design: Blue Rose Stitching Set

Designer: Veronica's Vault

Fabric: Cream Italian 32 count linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers (Velvet Midnight) Silk

Why roses, you ask? Well, not only are roses beautiful, they are my absolute favourite flowers. Besides, I wanted the design to match the pouch. As you can see, the scissors case and fob can be personalized with an initial, in this case, J for Jo.

So I have a question. Would you be interested in stitching this Blue Rose Set as well?

Thank you for dropping by. Happy Stitching!

Romantique Sampler Update

2011-04-25T12:11:00.000+08:00

Just a short and sweet update on my progress on Romantique Sampler.

Part 4 is completed.

Romantique Sampler as of 3 April 2011.

And the newly finished Part 5.

Yes, I'm still trying very hard to catch up. However, I'm also still working on my upcoming birthday exchange which unfortunately can only be revealed end of May.

Hope everyone have had a wonderful weekend and Happy Easter to those celebrating it.

Birthdays

2011-03-30T14:17:00.000+08:00

I've been reading Stitch Bitch blog for a while now and her stories of her grandmother, Maggie, have always amused me. So, when she put out a call for birthday cards to be sent to Maggie on her 89th birthday, how could I say no? After all, this is a lady whom I hope to emulate when I'm her age ^.^

Two weeks before the big day, I put on my thinking cap. Once again, I went on my trusted Stitching Cards website for inspiration and made this.

I really love this design. The basket is stitched with metallic gold thread and gold beads are added to the flowers for that extra sparkle.

I think the card arrived a couple days late but at least it didn't go missing which I'm grateful for.

22nd March was once again my best friend, Adeline's birthday. As with years past, I had a kitty design stitched and framed for her.

I, for one, think it would be perfect in the baby's room but that's for her to decide, of course.

Dede, another good friend of mine's birthday is also coming up in April. Remember my Passione Ricamo piece I had stitched? It was first intended for her birthday last year and then postponed to Christmas... It is now framed too and finally ready to be presented to her.

Other than that, I've also been working on New Birth of Spring sporadically and this is where it stands at the moment.

However, it has now been put on hold while I try to catch up on Romantique Sampler. Part 2 stitched.

First month is now complete.

Working on the second month. Here is Part 3.

Onwards to Part 4... But I have a Birthday Exchange due in May...

Talk about a full plate! I have only myself to blame but I'm enjoying every single minute of it :D

2011 Anniversary Gift Exchange

2011-03-22T13:24:00.002+08:00

Caution: Picture heavy post (again).

So did I manage to keep you in suspense? ^.^ Truth be told, when the anniversary gift exchange was first announced, I was highly in doubt as to whether I'll be joining in. I have absolutely no clue what to make for it. Added to that was the gingham heart challenge. After a long deliberation, I decided to take the plunge.

The determining factor on what to make for my gift was that I wanted it to be something everyone could use, since our group consists of a wide range of crafters. I also wanted not only to stick with the familiar but also to expand my boundaries. With that in mind, I started off with cross stitching...

Design: Robyn

Designer: Tantes Zolder

Fabric: Natural Italian 32 count linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers (Ox Blood) Silk

Design: SALexandre (Part)

Designer: Tempus Fugit

Fabric: Natural Italian 32 count linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers (Ox Blood) Silk

After more pondering, this is the result - a journal cover. The fabric I used is Candy Kisses Floral Lipstick by Sandy Gervais for Moda.

Here's the front,

the back,

and the inside.

Sewing, I had no problem with but quilting, that's a first. I think it turned out well enough, if I do say so myself.

Next was the gingham heart challenge. The requirements of it was that it has to be heart shaped and no smaller than three inches in width n height, embellished in any way the crafter chooses.

This was when I was stumped with two choices. I had a piece of 28 count cream/natural graziano gingham linen and a piece of white/pink cotton gingham. Which should I pick? I was gonna try my hand at hardanger had I chosen the linen but I figured this is a good time as any to completely step out of my comfort zone. Free hand embroidery.

I had stumbled upon a free Heart Wreath embroidery design from French Knots during my many "heart" Google searches. So it was decided...

I kinda went a little overboard trying out new-to-me specialty stitches. Among those were ribbon stitch, weave stitch,

cretan stitch, feather stitch, stem stitch, spider web rose,

french knots, lazy daisy and beading.

Once again, I think I hurt my brain trying to come up with something that fit the requirements yet does not only act as a decoration. Then I came across this post at Le Marquoir d'Elise. A link was given to the free pattern here but I couldn't figure out how to download it. I don't read French, you see :(

However, I had gotten the gist of the idea from the photos alone. So I threw caution to the wind and this happened:

This is what the back looks like.

I absolutely adore the cute "Hand Made" label which I bought from Fabric Fanatics.

Folded up...

Into this. Hey, it's still technically a heart!

I drew Usha's name in the exchange. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take a picture of me handing her the gift in my excitement :( Oh well.

My heart won the gingham heart competition. Big thank you to all who voted for it. The yummy prize went home with me.

I literary went home with three bags that day. I left the house with two. Man, was I one happy girl.

Thank you once again to Nik and Margaret for organizing the meet, Rose for opening your house to us and everyone who attended.

2011 NNC Anniversary Meet

2011-03-21T17:16:00.002+08:00

Caution: Picture heavy post.

It has been a long, long while since I last posted. Didn't have much time as I was busy preparing my 2011 NNC Anniversary Gift Exchange. Seventeen of NNC members met up on 19 March 2011 in Rose's beautiful house. I arrived around eleven thanks to Margaret and Jackie who picked me up from my house. Nik was already there preparing the door gifts. By the time we finished doing so, most of the members have already arrived.

First there was the food. There can be no crafters gathering without food :P

Mel's Macadamia Mango Cheese Cake was heavenly!

And her Double Chocolate Fudge Pecan Cupcakes were equally sinful!

After we stuffed ourselves til we could barely move (at least I did), it was time for the hardanger demo which Nik has generously offered to give.

I didn't sign up for it which was just as well for I was having too much fun at the veranda with Zarina, Jackie and a few others that Margaret, our headmistress had to head over to hush us as the hardanger group was having trouble concentrating due to our boisterous laughters.

After the hardanger class, it's presents time! First up was the lucky draw which I still had trouble believing that I was one of the lucky winners.

I won this beautiful blue bag made by Jo.

Isn't it gorgeous? Talented is our Jo :)

Next the door gifts were distributed.

Love the cupcake label with my name on it.

The contents were contributed by NNC members, some even sent all the way from USA (Thank you Diane and Carla).

Here's our gracious hostess, Rose, with her hostess gifts.

Finally, it's on to the event of the day - the 2011 Anniversary Gift Exchange. How could one not be excited when confronted with this sight every time one walks past the living room?

Certainly not me. Names were called out alphabetically. Participants were asked to pick a chocolate from a box of Ferrero Rocher. Names had been stuck on the bottom of the chocolates. Whomever gets their name picked gets to receive a gift from the person who picked their name.

My name was picked by Nik

and from her, I received a beautifully wrapped box

with numerous goodies inside!

But that's not all. The rule for this gift exchange is that every gift must be accompanied by a gingham heart decorated as the participants see fit.

Here's Nik's pretty gingham heart that went home with me.

Every member's gingham heart is automatically entered into a competition for this lovely prize contributed by Margaret. Quite the motivation, don't you think?

Here are all nineteen hearts on display for members to vote on.

Alright, this post have been long enough. So have I piqued your curiousity on which heart is mine and what I made for my anniversary gift? All shall be revealed in due time. Do check back soon ^.^
P.S. NNC Members, Shhhhhh... No letting the cat out of the bag!

I've Been Naughty

2011-02-07T11:15:00.003+08:00

Yes, I have been. Remember back when I said I'd like to concentrate on some WiPs? All that is out the window now. I started not just one but two new projects! First one is a SAL you might have seen popping up on many blogs.

Romantique Sampler designed by Angie Designer. Here's my progress so far.

I'm using HDF Examplar FleckStone in place of DMC 3046 listed by the designer. I absolutely love the subtle color variations.

I finished Part 1 before the Chinese New Year holidays.

The lacey effect from the backstitches are awesome.

Part 2 is still in progress mainly because I misordered my silks. I had to reorder and am waiting for them to arrive.

Instead of the mauve recommended by the designer, I'm gonna stitch it in shades of HDF Velvet Midnight. Once again, if you have yet to stitch with HDF silk, I highly recommend it.

One other thing I'd like to bring to your attention, every single time I ordered from Vikki, she always includes extras in my order. This time was no different. She took into consideration that the silk I had ordered might have been too similar in shades from what I wanted so she included two extra micros of a darker shade in my order AT NO EXTRA COST! In case you didn't know, that's 300 yards of free single stranded silk! On top of that, she switched my order from minis to micros.

I had ordered four different shades of Velvet Midnight. Five minis of each color. Let's do the math...

5 minis = 261 yards (52.2 yards each)

2 micros = 300 yards (150 yards each)

That's about 40 yards extra silk for each color. If that's not great customer service, I don't know what is.

Moving on, I have wonderful news. My best friend, Adeline, is pregnant and I've been told that 90% it's a boy! It's her first child and this is something she's been waiting for a long time. Now what's a stitcher to do but start stitching a birth sampler for her son? ^.^

Many birth samplers I've seen out there are too girlish or babyish. I know, I know, it is after all meant for a baby but I wanted something that could last. Yet, I didn't want something too grown up. So I searched and searched and searched and had nearly given up when I came across this Stoney Creek design.

New Birth of Spring by Stoney Creek

Technically, it's not a birth sampler but I think it's perfect, especially since he will be born in the rabbit year. I plan to change the words to "A Beautiful Miracle". This is my progress so far:

The similar colors and color changes are driving me crazy but I will persevere. LOL! Let's hope I can finish it around June for the boy will be a June baby.

One last thing, have you seen Martina of Chatelaine's newest design?

I think I'm in trouble! I've never owned or stitched a Chatelaine before even though Alpine Garden is on my wish list mainly because even though I find them lovely, I can't see myself stitching four identical corners over and over again. I know some designs have different corners but they just don't capture me as much. Now this... This Chinese Garden Mandala completely blows me away. Maybe I'm bias since I'm Chinese but I think most would agree with me that it's gorgeous. Definitely gonna sign up for the Chinese Garden Mandala Yahoo Group soon.

Wish me luck that I'll be able to handle all the specialty stitches this design is sure to contain.

In the meantime, happy stitching and if you celebrate Chinese New Year, Gong Xi Fa Chai!

Chart Title Quiz... Again

2011-01-28T08:30:00.000+08:00

I was bored and decided to look at my past blog posts just to see how far I've come in my stitching. I realized that I've changed quite a bit not only in design taste but also in the materials I use nowadays. I barely stitched on Aida now and have become more or less a linen snob. I still stitch with DMC but I prefer silk a lot more. I've learnt quite a lot about beading, metallic threads and specialty stitches. With that said, I think it's time for another Chart Title Quiz! I did this once back in February 2006. I figured it would be fun to do it again just to see how my answers differ from then. On top of that, there are more new designs now to chose from.

So here goes... Again...

Are you male or female?

Garden Girl by Country Cottage Needleworks

Describe yourself.

Romantic Stitcher by Passione Ricamo

How do some people feel about you?

Wildflower Garden by The Drawn Thread

How do you feel about yourself?

Sunshine and Flowers by Cross 'N Patch

Describe your love interest.

Honor by The Silver Lining

Where would you rather be?

Sail Away by Shepherd's Bush

Describe what you want to be.

Traveling Stitcher by Little House Needleworks

Describe how you live.

Simple Joys by Little House Needleworks

Describe how you love.

Deepest Love by Mirabilia

What would you rather be doing (besides stitching)?

Take Time to Read by Jeannette Douglas Designs

What do you value most in life?

Love With A Capital L by Papillon Creations

Which trait would you wish to possess more of?

Patience by Just Nan

Your favourite time of the day.

Midnight by Lavender Wings (OOP)

Share a few words of wisdom.

Live Laugh Love by La D Da

All the charts I've listed are either a WiP, in my stash or on my wish list. Seems like all my answers (hence taste) have changed except for one. Not too much into the cutesy stuff anymore. Perhaps I've matured? LOL! That's something to ponder about.

I've added a few more questions to the original quiz. I'd love for you to play along too. As before, the only condition is that you must genuinely love the design and not just choose it for the title. If you decide to post this quiz, please leave me a comment and I'll definitely drop by to see your answers. However, I refuse to take the blame for the amount of enabling this might cause :P Have fun!

P.S. Credit is once again given to Anna who created it back in November 2005

Stitching... Among Other Stuff

2011-01-21T09:17:00.001+08:00

Mikey's sister, Marjorie, celebrated her 35th birthday this year. He bought her one of my scissors fobs as a birthday present (Thank you, Mikey ^.^). I decided to make her a birthday card as well.

I was told that she likes cats and her favourite color is purple. So I came up with this. The design is from Form-A-Lines. Aren't the cats cute?

On top of that, Marjorie loves reading. With that in mind, how could I not tat her another bookmark? :)

The design is modified from Part 2 of Faizon's Foldover Bookmark.

I haven't gotten the hang of two shuttle tatting yet so I figured I'll keep it simple this time round.

Not much progress was made on the stitching front however. I'm still working on my Little House Neighbourhood and here is how it stands as of 20 January 2011.

Building of the third house is completed, the trees have sprouted leaves and people have moved in!

Two of my Birthday Giveaways have also reached their destinations. Nina took lovely pictures of her package here. If you've yet to check out her blog, please do. I promise you'll find lots of eye candies. I don't know how she takes such gorgeous pictures.

Thank you for dropping by. Happy Stitching!

Making Plans

2011-01-03T12:34:00.001+08:00

HAPPY (Belated) NEW YEAR!

I'm not one for making New Year resolutions. Especially not when it comes to stitching. After all, a hobby should be enjoyable and setting goals and targets would only make it seem like an obligation. That opinion is completely mine though and I have nothing against stitchers who do.

However, I do like making stitching plans because fondling fabric, threads and charts is always, always fun in my book.

With this post, there are a few things I hope to accomplish. Firstly, with as few words as possible, I'd like to summarize what I have in mind for 2011. Secondly, this would serve as a reminder that I have more than enough stash for now which hopefully would help curb my itchy finger from clicking on all those wonderful sale items out there :P

Also, I love drooling over pictures of stitchers' stash. To thank all of you for sharing pictures of your stash with me, here's a portion of mine which I hope will serve as eye candy for the day :) So be prepared... Picture heavy post coming up.

Here are some of the projects I would like to get started on this year. Do keep in mind that my plans are always flexible. Changes are bound to be made at a moment’s notice ^.^

I've noticed that I've been accumulating a lot of CCN and LHN charts. Hopefully, this year I'll be able to reduce this pile you see here.

Not to mention those I've kitted up such as LHN’s Brave Hearts with my conversion of Vikki's silk and Vintage Lentil from Lakeside Linens.

Same goes for LHN Home of A Needleworker (Too!) which I'll be stitching on Sassy Fabbys' Spun Sugar.

Then there's LHN Sea to Shining Sea. The fabric I've chosen is Pansy by Picture This Plus.

I'm also dying to stitch Martina's designs. Two in particular.

Spot Sampler Victoria with HDF Ethereal Ice on PTP Fog. The fabric is 36 count linen which is something I’ve yet to stitch on so I’m rather apprehensive about it.

But dang, isn't the silk yummy?

Rose Quaker which I've been drooling over ever since Martina posted it on her Yahoo group front page. Once again, I couldn't resist converting it to HDF, this time in premium silk.

I've also vowed to make something with my charm packs and jelly rolls instead of having them sitting oh-so-prettily in a corner gathering dust. Gotta admit they make lovely decorations though ^.^

Don't worry, I've not neglected my poor WiPs. Here are a few which I've decided I would like to concentrate on this year, especially that Drawn Thread piece... If I ever get around to frogging most of Autumn out, that is. Most of it is off by one stitch :(

I did spend some of my New Year weekend stitching instead of just playing with my stash. I’ve been working on Little House Neighbourhood.

Not much progress since my last update but I'm having fun with... what else... the silks! LOL!

On the tatting front, I made another bookmark for my mum for Christmas.

A Clover Bookmark, again an online freebie. It’s kinda wonky though as I messed up and attached the picots of the clovers differently from the pattern :(

This year, I also hope to try my hands at something different. Couple things I look forward to are Silk Ribbon Embroidery and Bag Making. Guess we’ll find out how well that went come December.

So what are your plans for 2011? Happy Stitching!

Birthday Giveaway Winners

2010-12-25T23:57:00.001+08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Everyone! (Pic is Margaret Sherry’s Santa Claus which I stitched a few years back for one of my still uncompleted round robin)

I’m so tired after a long, busy day. It’s already nearly midnight and Christmas is almost over in my part of the world so without further ado, here are the winners of my Birthday Giveaway:

Congratulations to all the winners! Please email me your mailing address so I could get the packages out to you.

Thank you to everyone who participate. I really wish I could have given each and every one of you a gift but unfortunately, that’s not possible.

I've really enjoyed holding this giveaway. I hope to have another one again in the near future. May your hopes and dreams be fulfilled in the new year.

Birthday Giveaway Unveiled - Part 4

2010-12-23T09:25:00.000+08:00

A while ago, I mentioned that I was trying my hand at tatting. I was intrigued by the elegance and delicacy of this art. While still an amateur, I think I’ve sufficiently mastered it enough to show you a few of my handiwork.

These are bookmarks which I’ll be included with my giveaway pouches. Yes, you’ve guessed it. I'll come clean and admit that this is part of the reason for the delay. Not the greatest of photos I'm afraid as they're taken in poor lighting but you get the idea.

First from left is a pattern taken from Faizon's Learning Shuttle Tatting book. The middle Lacy Bookmark is an online freebie and the one on the right is a Jessica Bookmark, another freebie.

Last but not least, I’m also including five different cuts of lace with each pouch.

Once again, winners will be drawn on Christmas Day so if there is still time if you would like to participate in my Birthday Giveaway. Just remember to leave a comment on that post only.
Thank you for dropping by. I really appreciate it. Happy Stitching!

Birthday Giveaway Unveiled - Part 3

2010-12-21T08:51:00.000+08:00

To those who are waiting for me to draw the winners’ names, please accept my humble apology. I’ll be postponing that until Christmas Day – 25 December 2010. Truth is, I was still getting the packages ready when I posted about it. I’ve been busy and couldn’t make it in time :(

Anyway, on to today’s preview... Another of my greatest stitching love is variegated threads.

Be the color changes subtle or obvious, I love them all.

These threads are taken from my own stash. I hope you don’t mind but a few are slightly used. Most, however, are brand new.

Thank you for your patience. Once again, I’m sorry for the delay. Happy Stitching!

Birthday Giveaway Unveiled - Part 2

2010-12-17T22:25:00.000+08:00

As a stitcher/crafter, I could never resist fabrics. Ever. I love fabrics of every color and hue, be it bright and bold or soft and sweet. Now, my fabric collection is not that extensive… yet. Still, I figured I’ll share this passion with you by offering three pieces of fabric with each drawstring pouch.

These are Japanese cotton and measures approximately 20” x 22.5”.

Any ideas on how you’ll be using them yet?

I look forward to hearing them :)

Birthday Giveaway Unveiled - Part 1

2010-12-14T10:26:00.000+08:00

I’ve been remiss in my promise to show you what’s in the drawstring pouches but before I do, I just have one question for you.

Do you like ribbons and trims?

I know I do…

I hope you do too.

Assorted ribbons and trims.

More will be revealed soon.

Birthday Giveaway!

2010-12-08T16:34:00.002+08:00

It’s my birthday today and if that's not a good enough reason to have a giveaway, I don't know what is.

Even though it's been a rocky first half of the year for me with the end of a six year relationship and a job that I hated, I've been blessed for the second half of the year. I got family and friends who loves me (you know who you are) and whom I very much love back, a job that I love and on top of that, a sewing machine :P Hehehe... Oh,and I'm also at nearly 100 Followers too! Definitely cause for a giveaway celebration.

Okay, okay, I know you're all dying to hear what I got up my sleeves this time. Yes? No? Aww come on, show a bit more enthusiasm.

Anyway, remember my last finish? Renato Parolin's Camille, Paul Et Myrtille?

With the help of Maccabags' tutorial, here they are, hot off my sewing machine, transformed into drawstring pouches! I lined them with the Christmasy fabric in the background.

In case you're wondering, yes, I'm giving all three away to three lucky winners.

So what do you need to do to be eligible? Just comment on this post. That's it, no catches. However, I do require you to leave an email address if it's not listed in your profile in order for me to contact you if you win.

I'll really appreciate if you decide to tell other stitches about my giveaway though. The more the merrier :) And if you become a Follower to help me reach 100, you'll be making this birthday girl very happy ^.^

Birthday Giveaway deadline is 20 December 2010.

One last thing, if you're curious to see what else is included in the giveaway, do check back regularly prior to that. I'll be revealing the contents in the pouches periodically until then.

Thanx for visiting. Happy stitching!

Renato Parolin

2010-12-05T20:39:00.004+08:00

I've been stitching up a storm this week and what's more, I actually have a finish to show! Let me introduce you to Camille...

Camille turned up real prettily in HDF BeCreamed.

This is Paul.

Paul is dressed in HDF Examplar Fried Pickles.

And last but not least is Myrtille.

Myrtille decided to make its appearance in HDF Old Maid of the Heart.

All three of them, ready to party!

Design: Camille, Paul Et Myrtille

Designer: Renato Parolin

Fabric: Natural Italian 32 count linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers Silk

Four pairs of scissors that I bought from Ebay arrived in my mailbox last Friday. I've been drooling over these Retro Scissors when I first saw them appear on stitchers' blogs.

I finally treated myself to them. My excuse? For my birthday! Aren't they pretty?

Recently, I won some tatted ornaments made by Cathy's mum. Don't you think these are just so delicate and exquisite? Huge thanks to both Cathy and her mum for having the giveaway. They'll definitely be treasured.

I had a BOMB on Saturday, attending NNC Yahoo Group's Stitching Bee. Wonder why it's called a Stitching Bee... never got around to asking but I digress. Anyway, thanks to Faizon I got a better understanding of tatting. I left the Bee with these...

The book is written by Faizon with clear, concise and easy-to-understand instructions. The threads are courtesy of Zarina. Two balls of size 50 threads and a yummy skein of "Orchid Garden" hand dyed by Zarina. In order to be able to use them, I must first master tatting :) Zarina also sells her threads on Etsy. Check out her Etsy shop here. Thank you so much again, ladies.

I'm planning to have another giveaway again soon so do drop by again in the next few days. Happy stitching!

Stitching Again

2010-11-29T18:52:00.000+08:00

Slowly but surely, I'm stitching again! I recently went through some of my oldest WiP and came up with this:

Granted, this is technically not a WiP since it's released separately and I've finished four parts so far but it's been a three year span since I started this series. Hence I decided to pick it up again.

Design: Iced Tea

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Fabric: Zweigart's Vintage Country Mocha (Marbled) 32 count Belfast linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours Belle Soie

Five down. One more to go. Hopefully I'll be able to finish the last one before the year is out.

All but one of my giveaway scissors fob have arrived at their destinations. (What's going on with Canadian Post? Sigh!) Among those that are now residing with their new owners are the three surprise fobs so now I can finally show you what I made.

Princess Ivy for Hazel

Liberty's Dream for Deborah

Scarlet Jinx for Carin

I've been trying my hand at new things recently. Beading, as you know, being one of them. I bought my first tatting shuttle along with some thread couple of weekends ago. I managed to get the basics down... Double stitch, Picot and Close Ring. Still trying to figure out the rest. Will see how that goes. If not, hopefully Faizon, our Malaysian Needles & Crafts group tatting guru and Zarina, will be able to shed some light this coming Saturday during our December Stitching Bee.

On top of that, I went on an all out splurge this past Saturday and bought a sewing machine. My birthday is coming up and this is the present I gave myself – among other things :P.

It’s a Bernina E82e, exactly like the one shown except that it’s silver instead of purple. I was told that’s because it’s imported from Europe (hence the E). It only differs from the one available in USA in appearance (and voltage, I think). Since I prefer silver over purple, I’m happy with that.

I’m not a novice to using a sewing machine. After all, I’ve been taking part time tailoring lessons for quite a while now but this is the first time I have an electronic sewing machine with all these fun features to play with.

I look forward to exploring different finishing techniques and perhaps venture into patchwork/quilting and maybe even bag making. It’s a whole new world of possibilities that has just been opened to me!

Thanx for stopping by. Happy Stitching!
P.S. To Karen who asked about my scissors, they’re Gingher’s silver Lion’s Tail Embroidery Scissors. I wish I own a Dovo though. They’re so pretty but too expensive for me.

StarZanite Webshop is Up!

2010-11-12T13:41:00.003+08:00

After nearly two weeks of being sick, I'm well on the road back to full recovery. It started two Sundays ago with a slight fever and sore throat. Come Monday, I was pretty much down for the count. Took the day off work and visited the doctor which I was given antibiotics, painkillers and a couple other medicines for my fever and throat.

Now, for those of you who don’t know, I’m allergic to painkillers similar to Aspirin and I had specifically told the doctor that. She had even assured me that the painkillers she had prescribed me are not Aspirin. So I went home, took my medicines after eating and went to bed. I’m sure you can guess what happened next. Lo and behold, I woke up with both my eyes swollen as big as saucers – allergic reaction from the painkillers. Luckily it wasn’t worse than that.

Went back to work the next day since I was only given one day of medical leave. My eyes were still slightly swollen but not noticeable with make up on ^.^ Spent the week finishing off the remaining antibiotics and I thought I had recovered. Alas, that was not the case. Friday, Saturday and Sunday was spent sniffling my head off. I figured it’s only a flu/running nose. I can handle this. Monday was when the diarrhea started… While I was at work nonetheless!

Left work and went to see another doctor (family specialist doctor this time) and was told unfortunately, antibiotics not only kill the bad bacterial but also the good ones which resulted in diarrhea due to bacterial imbalance in my body. Yet at the same time, it had not done its job properly hence my prevailing symptoms.

That was the reason I took so long to send out my giveaway prizes. Thank you for being so patient with me. Finally, thanks to my dad who braved the post office for me, the packages were mailed yesterday.

I’ve never had so many packages sent at one time. I kinda felt like Santa Claus. Hehehe… So winners, start watching your mailboxes soon. Don’t worry, your last name and the first line of your address has been taken out of the picture to protect your privacy.

30 October was Needles n Craft (NNC) Yahoo Group’s Stitching Bee meet up. Coincidentally, it was also the group’s 4th year anniversary. The group’s founder, Nik Ainun has prepared special gifts for all who attended the Bee. This was the package I received.

I can assured you, the contents are as scrumptious as the presentation.

It’s a machine embroidered pincushion with a beautiful matching piece of fabric. Nik is very talented with her sewing machine. Do check out her blog. More photos of the day (along with ugly pictures of me :P) can be found here.

I haven’t been stitching much, hence no stitching updates… Not a good idea to stitch when sick. I won’t be able to complete my goal for the Mirabilia Stitchers Competition :'(

However, I do have more beaded scissors fobs to show :D

Prismatic Night

Caribbean Breeze

Serene Ripples

Sandy Shores

Summer Mist

Pictures of the three surprise fobs will only be posted once they have been received.

Last but not least, I’ll like to announce that my StarZanite Webshop on an alternate page of my blog is now up and running.

I’m so excited. Please do check it out. This is the first time I’ve set up something like this so please let me know if you encounter any problems. I really appreciate it.

Thank you for sticking with me through such a long post. Happy Stitching!

Giveaway Winners!

2010-11-01T21:33:00.000+08:00

It’s time for the drawing… Here are all the entries.

Couple of weekends ago, I bought a flower pot from IKEA on a whim. I was really taken in by its color. Since no plant currently calls it home yet, I converted it into the Flower Pot of Luck ^.^

Here are the winners!

Due to the overwhelming response (I was hoping for but not really expecting 50 comments), I decided to draw eight names instead.

Hazel
Carol - Grape Ink
Blu - Ocean Waterlilies
Christy - Winter Cherries
Deborah
Belinda - Desert Rose
Carin
Virpi - Tropical Jade

Winners get their fob of choice in the order their name is drawn. As Deborah, Hazel and Carin did not mention specific favourites, I’ll be sending you a surprise fob . Sure hope you’ll like it :)

Please email me with your mailing address within the week. If I don’t hear from you after the week is up, I’ll draw another name. I’ll try to send out the fobs as soon as I receive your email. However, as I’m feeling a little under the weather, it might take me a few days. I hope you understand.

Thank you, everyone for participating. I really had fun organizing this giveaway. Take care!

Beading & Stitching Along

2010-10-25T14:44:00.003+08:00

First off, wow! A huge THANK YOU to everyone for the wonderful comments you’ve left on my Giveaway post. You’re awesome! I’ve had over 50 comments which is an all time high for me. If you’ve yet to participate on my “StarZanite Giveaway”, do drop by. I’ll be drawing the winners on 1 November so there’s still plenty of time to join in the fun.

Well, your interest has spurred me to make more fobs. This is what I came up with so far:

This time, I’ve decided to take the close up pictures on a white background as I think this shows off the colours much nicely. (Should have done that the first time round.)

Ice Storm

Mango Confetti

Mike and I have been having trouble agreeing on whether the colour on the beads are yellow or green. Which do you think it is?

Amber Voyage

Chili Pebbles

Yes, the “misspelling” of Chili Pebbles is intentional. It’s a word play on Chili Peppers because I think the brown beads look like pebbles.

Frosted Sapphire

Cathy asked if I have any prices in mind. I’m thinking US$15–US$18 per fob plus shipping. Opinions? Do you think that’s asking too much? I plan on setting up a Paypal WebShop on a separate page right here on my blog. Have yet to get around to that but if you see something you like, feel free to email me.

On the stitching front, progress on Garden Verses has been slow. (Gee, I wonder why?) Here’s a photo to give you an idea.

I don’t think I’ll be able to complete my goal in time for the competition unless I buck up and stop messing with my beads.

Thanx for staying with my ramblings this far. I truly appreciate it.

StarZanite Giveaway

2010-10-18T09:56:00.001+08:00

Lately, I've been lagging on my stitching. Thus, there is not enough progress on Garden Verses to warrant a photo. Instead, I’ve a newfound ~~obsession~~ hobby – beading. To be exact, I’ve been making beaded scissors fobs.

The stitching community has been more than generous to me and it's my turn to give a little back. Hence, of the five scissors fobs I made, I’ll be giving them all away. Yes, that’s right! There will be five winners :)

To be honest, I’m thinking of making more and perhaps selling some in the future if there’s enough interest. So I guess this giveaway is kinda a blatant “testing of the waters” if I may. I even have the name of my shop already in mind – StarZanite. I think it suits the glitter and sparkle of beads, don’t you think?

With that said, this will be the StarZanite Giveaway!

To be eligible for this giveaway, please...

Leave a comment on this post only that you would like to be included and also state your favourite fob/s. (I rather the winners receive one to their liking if possible.)
Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link to mine for a second entry. You can use the picture above.
Become a Follower or let me know that you’re an existing reader of my blog for yet another chance to win!

Please also remember to leave a way for me to get in touch with you if you win. This giveaway will close in two weeks. Names will be drawn on 1 November 2010.

Here are more detailed photos for a clearer view. As you can see, I also gave each of them names ^.^

Tropical Jade

Grape Ink

Winter Cherries

Ocean Waterlilies

Desert Rose

This is my first attempt making beaded scissors fobs. As such, they are by no means perfect. I chose to use cell phone straps instead of lobster clasps because they are more flexible. (Think flash drive fobs, cell phone fobs, rear view mirror fobs, camera/camera case fobs, ornaments, etc... the possibilities are endless!) Moreover, it would not wear away your fine scissors finishing due to friction.

I really hope you like them. Opinions and comments welcomed.

Garden Verses Update

2010-10-04T10:35:00.000+08:00

Thank you, everyone for your kind words on Garden Verses. After another week of working on her, here's the latest progress:

She's still a pleasure to stitch. However, sometime last week, I found out that I've made a huge placement error when starting her. Instead of being centralized on the fabric, I've stitched her half an inch to the right. Now while half an inch might not be much under normal circumstances, Garden Verses on the other hand, fits just nicely in a fat quarter, leaving only 2 inches of fabric on both sides for framing. Usually, I tend to leave 3 inches of framing space so 2 inches is already pushing it. Now with my placing error, there leaves only 1 1/2 inch for framing on the right side. Oh how I was kicking myself for it. This is the first time I've done something like that. I guess the saying "Never Say Never" really does apply here, huh? Luckily, the ladies on Mirabilia Stitchers has assured me that a good framer can definitely work with that. What a relief! Maybe I'll get her frame by Jill Rensel. What do you think, eh? Mikey? Hehehe...

Speaking of the forum, the Mirabilia Competition will be starting soon... On 6 October. I'm thinking of switching my goal from stitching her skin to finishing the yellow part of her dress. Fact is, not only is having to stitch one over one within a given time limit is intimidating me but as Mike pointed out, her skin, especially her face, is an intimate part of the design and as such, should never be rushed. Besides, I have a good rhythm going on her dress that I don't wanna break.

I was informed by Meari that I had won her TMQ Contest. Late last week, I received the package she had sent me. This is what the prize consists of:

A couple of Christmas charts, DMC thread and Vikki Clayton's yummy silk perle. I like! Thank you so much again, Meari.

Here's a close up shot of the silks. Isn't the lustre scrumptious?

My First Mirabilia

2010-09-27T10:15:00.001+08:00

Approximately seven (seven?! Has it been that long already?) months ago, I mentioned in passing that I started a Mirabilia. My first one in fact. I never got around to confirming which Mirabilia it was after asking readers to guess nor did I end up posting any photos of it. Obviously, other projects took over, gaining my immediate interest and the Mirabilia was pushed to the bottom of my to-do list.

Recently however, it has once again capture my undivided attention and I have been stitching it with intense vigor. Now that I have hopefully spike your curiosity, let me present to you...

For those familiar with Mirabilia designs, I'm sure you can tell at a glance with the amount of stitches put in so far that it's Garden Verses. The fabric is Silkweaver's Wandering Ivy Reflections 32 count Jazlyn. This is my first time stitching on Jazlyn as well. I find it very similar to lugana. Perhaps a little softer but the difference is minimal.

I will be participating in the Mirabilia Contest held at Mirabilia Stitchers with Garden Verses. My goal is to finish stitching her skin. A daunting task since I'm planning to stitch it one over one but the result is oh so rewarding. Wish me luck! :)

The Cat Has Whiskers

2010-09-08T09:23:00.001+08:00

That was the defining line between Mike and me because he had trouble determining whether my High Hopes by Just Nan was completed. Hence, the cat whiskers were the last stitches I put in. Now finally, after more than a year (I first post a WiP pic in July last year), it is done!

Design: High Hopes

Designer: Just Nan

Fabric: 28 count Silkweaver Opalescent Solo Lugana

Fibers: DMC

Embellishments: Just Nan Handpainted Bird Bath Charm JNC37

Unfortunately, the photo isn't the best. I've actually finished it last weekend but the sun has been all but hiding the past few days. It wasn't until yesterday evening did I get the opportunity to take some photos what with work and all. The close up photos does look better though.

It's amazing that there is so much going on in a design this size. Check out the spiderweb and the spider hanging in a corner along with the over one ladybugs.

The beehive with bees buzzing around the flowers collecting honey.

This lucky little mouse has been totally ignored by the cat next to him...

...Because the cat's undivided attention is on the star of the piece... The blue bird on the bird bath in the middle of the garden.

Once again, thank you all for stopping by. After finishing High Hopes, my needle has not been idle. I've been stitching on Mirabilia's Garden Verses. This is my first Mirabilia and I'm really enjoying it so far. I hope to have a WiP pic soon. Take care and happy stitching!

Belated Birthday Gift

2010-08-16T16:32:00.000+08:00

Slowly but surely, I'm stitching again. Another project completed last Friday... One that's about four months overdue. I started stitching this with my good friend Dede's birthday in mind. April has long past! Still deciding if I should give it to her as a very belated birthday present or an early Christmas gift. LOL!

Design: Devoted to Laurie (Freebie)

Designer: Passione Ricamo

Fabric: 28 count Silkweaver Solo Lugana

Fibers: DMC & Hand Dyed Fibers Silk

I love the verse in this design. True friends are indeed blessings in life.

As usual, I personalized the design by swapping the DMC floss for the monochrome flowers with Hand Dyed Fibers' Crushed Berry - leftover floss from my last project. I think it lend more depth and flow to the entire piece.

As usual, confetti stitches are a pain but the result are usually worth it. If only I'd remember that next time I encounter them again. *Grin*

Berries

2010-08-02T09:03:00.000+08:00

Four months, two jobs, one breakup later, I finally have a finish to show. Can you say life happened? I actually completed this last Friday but didn't get around to posting it until today. So without further ado, here it is.

Design: It's Berry Time

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 32 count Hand Dyed Fibers Jackalope Linen

Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers silk (Crushed Berry)

I love how the name of the floss went with the theme of the piece. I've been privately calling it my Berries project. You can see how the colours flows so naturally into each other with these close up shots.

Don't you just love the glossy shine of silk?

The only changes I made to this piece was the year. The numbers were not provided so I had to chart it out. Am pretty satisfied with the result.

So what's next, you ask. I have no idea though Mike has been pushing me to work on a friend's birthday present that I started a while ago which was supposedly due in April...

Awards, Silk & Framing

2010-03-30T13:39:00.000+08:00

I got two blog awards within days of each other. First is the Beautiful Blogger award given to me by Jan. Thank you, Jan.

As with each award, there are certain rules:

Accept the award
Thank the person who gave you the award
Add a link to the person who gave you the award
Put the award on your blog
Write 10 things about yourself others might not know
Pass the award on to 10 others

So here are 10 things about me:

I love both coffee and tea. And Gummi Bears.
I play the piano. In fact, I have a Grade 8 qualification. However, I am ashamed to say that I have not touched the piano in years.
I have a HUGE thing for Forever Friends bear. Cutest bear in the world!
I am a complete bookworm and my favorite books are romance novels. I also collect books. If I have a book from a series, I usually end up with the whole series.
I love watching Stargate TV series.
I visited Phuket, Thailand for vacation three times within the last two years. My partner loves that place!
I speak three languages (English, Mandarin and Malay) fluently and two dialects (Cantonese and Hokkien) not so fluently.
I love assembling jigsaw puzzles. The more pieces, the better. I like the challenge.
I met my partner online through a dating website.
I play World of Warcraft and my main character is a druid.

My second award is from mbroider. Thank you!

Once again, here are the rules for this award:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post
Pass the award to 12 bloggers
Link the nominees within your post
Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award

I'm gonna bend the rules a little. For BOTH awards, I nominate the following bloggers:

Andie of Stitchitandie
Chiloe of Chiloe's Corner
Christine of Mtrl Girl's Material World
Cindy of Stitching Corner
Dani of Dani: Black Belt Stitching Wizard
Dovilė of Žydinti svajonių pieva
EeKoon of CraftyPretender Projects
Elizabeth of Sew in Love
Hazel of Quietly Stitching
Helen of Stitchery Nook
Lillie of Home of a Little Needlecrafter
Lisa of Lisa's Blog

As to what I've been working on, I'm two thirds done with Berry Time.

Did I mention I love silk? Especially variegated ones which this project shows off to perfection? If I didn't, well, once again, I LOVE silk!

I've switched back to stitching on Love With A Capital L for now. This is the progress so far:

I would like to personally thank Christine here for bringing to my attention some discrepancies in the bottom half of the design which the stitches were not centered properly. She has recorded the errors on her blog here if you need more details.

Now that's done, look what came home from the framers last week.

This was presented to Adeline on 22 March, her birthday. I'm happy to report that she was trilled with it though I gotta admit I mentally facepalmed myself when I had to literary explained to her that the kitties represented her two cats. She unwrapped it, took one look and went "Oooooh... a black cat and a white cat! So cute!" >.< In her defense, we were in a karaoke room with dim lights but still...

And here's Esperanza again.

She is awaiting the arrival of my partner. Hence, I won't be online much for the next couple of weeks. He will be here in Malaysia as will his brother who is visiting Malaysia for the first time for the Formula One race this coming Sunday.

A Couple WiPs

2010-03-20T12:41:00.002+08:00

After finishing Rose in Morning, I figured I'll stitch something more complicated. "High Hopes" by Just Nan which have been languishing in my WiP pile fits the bill so I picked it up and started plowing steadily away on it. It wasn't long before the constant colour changing started to drive me bonkers. Soon after, the project started stalling and finally came to a screeching halt.

That's when I decided something a lot simpler is in order before my stitching mojo vanishes. Going through my WiP again, nothing caught my eye this time so... yes, I was naughty and started a new project. In my defense however, there's nothing like a new start to ensure the stitching mojo stays.

This is "It's Berry Time" by Blackbird Designs. Knowing my fondness for silk, I'm sure you have no doubt that's what it's stitched with. The floss is HDF (what else?) Examplar Crushed Berry. In my opinion, it's perfect for the design. Even the name matches it. As for the fabric, this is the first time I'm using Vikki's 32 count hand-dyed linen. The colour is Jackalope and I gotta say I'm loving it. The design calls for about four skeins of floss and exactly one skein has been used here in this picture. Judging from the amount stitched, I should have more than enough, which I'm thankful for.

The Rose in Morning

2010-03-07T12:08:00.006+08:00

I don't post frequently. In fact, I sometimes go months with nothing to show. Hence, I'm always surprise that there are people out there still visiting my blog, some even taking the time to leave me encouraging comments. To all of you, thank you.
I know I promised a Mirabilia WiP pic in my last post but sadly, I have yet to make any progress since. Reason? I've been gobbling up House M.D. by the seasons and stitching something that requires a lot of counting while doing that is generally not a good idea. Hence, I picked up a much simple WiP and this is the result...

Design: The Rose in Morning
Designer: Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 32 count Silkweaver Desert Sky Belfast Linen
Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers silk
Embellishments: Mill Hill Beads & Charms

Notice any difference from the original design? Let's take a closer look.

Hummingbird charm in place of a stitched bee.

HDF silk with beads.

Bee and dragonfly charms in place of the remaining stitched bees.
Yup, I'll say changes have been made alright ^.^
The conversion is Vickki's own, which she sells prepacked here along with the conversion list...
DMC Ecru - HDF Ecru
CC Country Lane - HDF Chocolate
CC Dandelion Stem - HDF PennyWort 3443
CC Petite Maison - HDF Magpie Twitters
CC Second Hand Rose - HDF Examplar Pressed Petals
CC Tufted Yellow - HDF Lemon Creme
Now I'm off to find another simple WiP along with another episode of House M.D. Happy stitching, all.

First 2010 Finish

2010-02-27T12:52:00.004+08:00

My best friend, Adeline, has two cats - Gaby, a beautiful blue Burmese and Cookie, a gorgeous Siamese named after her favourite character in Sesame Street the Cookie Monster. These two completely owns her heart... besides her husband, of course.
Now since her birthday is coming up, I decided to stitch something special for her...

Design: Brotherly Love
Designer: Brittercup Designs
Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen
Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers silk

Not surprisingly, I changed the colour of the cats to better represent Gaby and Cookie. Then again, I stitched the whole piece in HDF silk so technically, I've changed every colour. As usual, I've made some changes to the chart as well and used the alternative wordings provided.
Here's my HDF floss list if you're interested:
Cream Cat - FleckStone
Grey Cat - Nisse-Ness
Grass - LE 3209/11/13
Brown on Pot - BeFuddled
Metal Rod (Guider?) & Black on Pot - BeGrimed
Hearts - LE 1303/07/11 & WinterBerried
Rhodes Heart & Ribbon - OMG Red 1139
Eyes, Nose, Whiskers & Words - Basic Black 5300
Now I gotta have it framed in time for her birthday which is in three weeks.
Other than that, I've been stitching on Capital L. I've also started a Mirabilia... my first in fact. Anyone can guess which one it is? Hehe... However, I don't have enough progress to warrant a pic yet so stay tuned.

Goodbye, 2009

2009-12-31T20:46:00.002+08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! This would be my last post for Year 2009. I hope everyone has enjoyed their holidays. It occurred to me earlier that I probably should make some New Year Stitching Resolutions. Now, I never have done so because that would mean putting restrictions on a hobby which would in turn make it not as enjoyable but with my WiPs and stash piling up, I figured I'll make one (yes, just one :P) New Year Stitching Resolution and that is to at least finish five (can you tell I'm not ambitious? LOL!) projects, be it WiPs or a new start :)

Anyway, as usual, I've been stitching some but not a lot. Made more progress on Love With A Capital L.

The top half minus the border is now completed. Onwards to the bottom half. With only two colours to switch between, this is such a relaxing stitch.

Capital L is Back

2009-12-19T15:37:00.005+08:00

After months, actually, make that more than a year, of hibernating under my constantly growing pile of WiPs, Love With A Capital L by Papillon Creations is finally in rotation again.

Maybe it's the season. After all, Christmas is a season of love but more than likely it's encouragement from Mikey and a suggestion from my SO who said that he would like to see me stitch something different, like letters or even a famous quote after my angel. Well, I've taken both their advise to heart. Nothing could be more famous than a chapter from the Bible, right? Either way, enough talk. I'm sure you would be waiting for a picture by now so here it is.

I know, I've only finished the flower movif from my last WiP picture but an update is still an update. Heh! I hope you're not disappointed. Anyway, I'll leave you with this close up picture. I'm loving the colours. Also, did I mention stitching with Vikki Clayton's silk is a luxury?

A Little Christmas Gift

2009-12-10T00:18:00.004+08:00

I just return from an incredible eleven days vacation in Phuket, Thailand with my significant other. Before I left, I had posted off a small package. A day after I return, I was informed that my package has arrived safely. Shortly after, I encountered computer problems so it wasn't until now that I can finally show you what the package contained...

This is my third mailart to date. What do you think? The Leisure arts design can be bought and downloaded here.

I used a Passione Ricamo freebie for the back. Sadly, the fabric doesn't show off the white metallic thread I used to stitch the snow :(

And here's the fabric I used for the mail art lining. I've had this Christmas themed fabric for a while now and have been waiting for the right project to use it on. I think it's perfect for it.
As usual, what is a mailart without a card, right? Since I have a thing for handmade cards, once again, I decided to let my creative juices flow...

I just love these Stitching Cards. This time, I have a Christmas Tree theme going...

I hope you enjoyed your gift, Mikey. To everyone else reading this, Merry Christmas! I hope you have had a great year.

The Finish Line

2009-11-18T11:09:00.004+08:00

Two post in two days. That must be some kind of record for me. Well, I changed my mind and decided to bead Esperanza after I posted yesterday. She's intended as a Christmas present for my significant other. Thus, I'll be having her framed soon either way. So here she is in all her glory :D

Design: Angel of Hope
Designer: Lavender & Lace
Fabric: 32 count Silkweaver Skye Reflections Lugana
Fibers: DMC, Kreinik #4 Braid & Hand Dyed Fibers Silk
Embellishments: Mill Hill Beads

What's a happy dance without closed up, detailed pictures? So once, again, here we go ^.^
I just love the beads forming a halo around her head. For anyone who's interested, I attached the beads with invisible thread so in real life, they look like they're suspended in mid air.

Here's her harp. Another feature I absolutely love of the design. Heck, who am I kidding? I love everything about her. The sparkling metallic thread makes it stands out so much more.

Silk ribbons close up with more beads.

The result of the metallic swirls on the frills of her gown along with the flowers is gorgeous but they sure ain't too much fun to stitch.

More flowers, more beads, more of everything. Hehe...

Can't leave out the left side of her gown, can I?

Last but never least, she's been Esperanza to me for so long I had to embroider her name along with mine :)

Thanx for staying with me for so long. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Final Stretch

2009-11-17T10:06:00.002+08:00

Here's the latest WiP picture of Esperanza. Let's compare my last WiP picture with the previous one... 10 days was all it took to finish the white on her dress. Now let's see how long it took for me to stitch the flowers and the metallic thread... one whole week! Now do you understand why I said they're a real PitA? Heh!

Anyway, notice that I mention that this is still a WiP? To anyone who is unfamiliar with the design, Esperanza is, in all appearance, completed. However, I assure you that is not the case. There are still some confetti stitches around her head and sides that I have yet to stitch. The design supposedly calls for DMC gold metallic thread which in my usual style, I've substitute with Kreinik 002HL Very Fine #4 Braid. In my opinion, it sparkles more ^.^ Now, can you believe I've used up nearly a full spool of it just on the harp and the strip of gold near her hemline? I'm afraid I won't have enough for the confetti stitches. Thus, I've decided to bead those stitches instead. I think that will give the design a more interesting depth. Since I won't be doing the beading until I'm ready to have her framed up, I guess Esperanza will remain a WiP for a while yet.

No More Frills

2009-11-10T16:32:00.003+08:00

Finally! No. More. White. Yesssssss!
Yup, as you probably can tell, I'm trilled here. Why? What's so exciting about white? This, ladies and gentlemen, is why ^.^

Her dress is done and the frills is done. True, Esperanza is still far from being finished but other than the flowers, the strip of gold near her hemline and her harp, all of which will be a world of hurt to stitch due to the constant colour changes the flowers require and the metallic thread the strip of gold and harp demands, she's nearly completed.
You can bet that the next design I stitch will not and I repeat WILL NOT consist of any white or at best minimal white. So sick of white. I didn't keep track of the exact number of skeins I used on this design but five to six skeins is a good guess.
Anyway, gonna get back to her. The sooner I start on the pain... er... I mean flowers, the sooner it will be done :)

For Mikey

2009-10-31T14:21:00.003+08:00

Yup, as the title suggests, this update is specially for my good friend Mikey who has been asking over and over again how Esperanza is going. So here you are, Mikey, a picture finally :)

What do you think? Not a whole lot of progress but still better than no progress. I'm a little concern about the yellow silk that bled some when I rinsed it a couple of weeks ago and stained the fabric a little around the ribbon's edge. Nothing too obvious but rather visible if you know where to look. I know, I've been boasting about the colourfastness of HDF silk and I still stand by my statement. Vikki never guaranteed that her silks won't bleed. Truth is this is a first. Thus, in my opinion, as far as the colourfastness of hand dyed items is concern, hers is still at the top of my list. I just hope when I wash it again after the stitching is done, I'll be able to get rid of the stain completely. Any tips on accomplishing that more effectively? Thanx in advance!

Silk Ribbons

2009-09-21T22:14:00.007+08:00

Or more accurately, ribbons stitched in silk. I know, it's been a while since the last update on Esperanza. Finally, here she is again with the ribbons around her waist completed.

Remember I mentioned I had some changes in mind for the ribbons? As you can see, I've changed the colours to a brighter, more cheerful yellow. I reckon it's more striking this way. The reason why this update was so long in coming was because I had to frog and restitch it as my first conversion ended up being more brown than yellow. You know how much I love Vikki's silk so it's shouldn't be a surprise to you that I've opted to stitch it using that.
As usual, the picture does not show off the silk's subtle shine but I can guarantee you the texture difference is something to behold in real life, especially when cotton and silk are stitched side by side like this.
For anyone who might be interested of using this conversion as your own, here is the list:
DMC - HDF (DMC)
829 - Cerveza 4143 (783)
831 - Cerveza 4141 (728)
833 - Koi Gold 4219 (972)
834 - Koi Gold 4217 (725)
3046 - GoldRush 4225 (744)
3047 - GoldRush 4223 (745)
3072 - Haywains 4123 (746)
Hope you like it. I had wanted to take more close-up pictures but my camera batteries kinda died on me :( Now back on to the not-so-fun part... more white. Sigh!

Quaker Faith Hope Love

2009-09-08T22:38:00.002+08:00

This is a quick post to show you my first Quaker project:

Design: Quaker Faith Hope Love
Designer: Midnight Stitching
Fabric: 32 count Silkweaver Desert Sky Belfast Linen
Fibers: Hand Dyed Fibers silk

It was a fast stitch, finished in only four days using the new variegated silks by HDF - the BE colours.
Faith is stitched using BeSmurfed. I was expecting this to be an all blue colour from the picture and description instead of blue/blue green that you see but as with all hand dyed products, dyed lots can varied so even though it wasn't what I expected, I'm not too fussed. I think it's rather pretty, don't you think so? I can assure you the colour is so much more vibrant in real life.

As mentioned last post, Hope is stitched with BeCreamed. You can see it more clearly in this picture compared to the last one.

Lastly, my favourite of all the three BE is BeRedded. I'm officially in love with this red. It's beautiful!

As usual, it has been a pleasure stitching with Vikki Clayton's silk. With this done, I really think I should be getting back to Esperanza. I've delayed long enough.

The Final Band

2009-09-05T22:31:00.006+08:00

With that picture, can you guess what it means? Yes, you're absolutely right. After more than a year my kingdom of stitches is finally finished!

Design: Queen of the Needle
Designer: Just Nan
Fabric: 28 count Silkweaver Abracadabra Cashel Linen
Fibers: Soie D'Alger silk
Embelishments:White Pearl Beads, Rosaline Swarovski Crystal Pearls & Queen's Rose Antique Gold Visions Charm

Wanna see the entire kingdom close up? If you do, scroll down. Just a caution though, it's gonna be picture heavy ^.^
First, we have some beautiful flowers and a lovely rose charm:

Bluebirds and verse:

Every queen must have a crown...

And a couple of bunnies as pets.

What is a kingdom without butterflies and more flowers?

Aren't the pink Swarovski pearls pretty?

And how could I leave out my favourite tiny over one ladybirds?

I hope you've enjoyed your tour of my little cross stitch kingdom.
On another entirely different note, I need your opinion. I took a break from Esperanza and decided to start a small project - Quaker Faith Hope and Love by Midnight stitching. I've already finished Hope here:

As you can see, or rather can barely see, it is disappearing into the fabric. It's more visible in real life compared to the picture but it's still kinda bothering me. It's stitched on Silkweaver's Desert Sky cashel linen with HDF BeCreamed. I used the fabric because it was exactly the right size but now I'm wondering if I should have not done so. I'm trying to decide if I should just start over again or continue on with Faith and Love. What would you do? Help!
To Yin who asked where I purchase all my materials, with the exception of DMC floss, I buy them all online nowadays as the LNS here are sadly inadequately stocked to suit my needs. Hand-dyed fabrics are ordered directly from the company that produces them. The rest from various ONS. Needlecraft Corner, Wasatch Needlecraft and Handcrafts Online are a few of my favourites. Drema, Karen and Mary Kathryn from those respective ONS are absolutely wonderful to deal with and their shipping charges to Malaysia are very reasonable as well.

Esperanza Update

2009-08-31T17:29:00.004+08:00

Wow! Thank you for all your congratulations. Haven't had that number of comments in a while, mostly due to my fault of not being a constant blogger. I've yet to claim my prize from Silkweaver but I'll be sure to keep you all posted on when I do :)
Not a lot to say except that it's way past time that I post regarding Esperanza's progress. In fact, she's been screaming at me to show her off to you for a while now. Rather justified, since she's about halfway done now and getting prettier by the day.

I was playing with my camera, trying to take some close up shots like I see on many stitchers' blogs so here they are. Just don't laugh at my amateur photo-taking skills, okay?

Her face:

Another angle:

Yes, yes, I know I'm not the greatest of photographers but you get the idea. I'm now so sick of white. However, nearly all the unstitched area is white. Argh! I think I'll take a break from white and stitch the yellow ribbons now. This should be interesting for I have some changes in mind for them. What those changes are, you'll find out soon enough. *Wink*

I Won!

2009-08-10T15:14:00.006+08:00

Oh. My. Gosh! Remember my Voice of the Shepherd that I stitched a while back? Indulge me and let's see it again.

Remember that I had entered it into the Silkweaver Showcases competition under the smalls category? The results were just announced and apparently, I won! I won, I Won, I WON! Thank you, Ee Koon for letting me know I was among the finalist. I had no idea. I found out that the winners had been announced here while lurking at the Mirabilia Stitchers forum.
I'm still stunned, speechless and in a daze. Everybody's stitching is so beautiful that it totally never cross my mind that I would stand a chance. A huge thank you to everyone who voted for me. It still hasn't sunk in yet. I hope it will soon so I can calm down enough to get back to Esperanza. LOL!

She Can Fly!

2009-08-03T18:38:00.004+08:00

Her wings are done and in the process of growing them, she taught me humility. Why? Because I had begun to think that a Lavender and Lace angel is an easy stitch since I've been making pretty fast progress on her. How? By teaching me the lesson of always, always double checking your floss colour before stitching. Look closely at her right wing and then compared that with my previous progress photo.

Can you spot the difference? Notice that the light grey in this recent photo is more pronounced? Yes, you guessed right. Apparently I had stitched it with DMC762 instead of DMC3072 as called for in the chart. I have no idea how I end up with DMC762 since it's not even a colour listed in the key. This is the first time that I've made a stitching mistake of this magnitude before. Let's hope I never do it again. Frogging such a very light grey among a sea of white is NOT my idea of fun. It's worse than having to restitch it in the right colour again. Finally, that's done. Her wings are finished. Now on to the fun part - her gown.
P.S. I would like to thank you for your kind words and encouragement regarding Esperanza. I'm constantly surprised that there are still visitors to my blog since I don't exactly post on a regular basis.

One Winged Angel

2009-07-28T18:37:00.006+08:00

Here's a quick post to give an update on Esperanza. As you can see, her right wing is now completed.

One more wing then I'll have the most complicated part (in my opinion) of the design finished. She's a rather fast stitch so far and I'm loving her. All in all, taking into account that I chose the fabric and design on a whim, the combination is working out pretty nicely, I reckon.
Well, she's vying for my attention again so I better be getting back to her. Who knows, maybe next time you see her again, she just might be able to fly.

An Introduction

2009-07-22T16:35:00.005+08:00

With my last post, I expect you're all anticipating that this post will be happy dance related. That is, sadly, not the case. I'm sure you can all guess by now what happened. Yes, I've been naughty again and started another new project. I tried, I truly did, but what's a girl to do when there are so many other fun and exciting projects calling out my name? After all, you only live once...
Anyway, everyone, say hello to Esperanza, a.k.a. Angel of Hope by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum of Lavender & Lace.

Her skin is stitched one over one. I just love how the different texture gives the piece a 3D effect. I think the extra work is totally worth it. To give you a better idea, here's a close up of her face.

I've been stitching on her for slightly more than a week now. Not too bad, considering, with all the extra over one stitching. With that done, it should go faster, I hope. I plan to finish her by the end of the year. Too ambitious maybe? She's a spur of the moment decision. I've been wanting to stitch one of the Lavender & Lace for a while now but have never quite make up my mind which one to pick as my first. She's stitched on Silkweaver 32 count Skye Reflections Lugana originally intended for Angelica.
Before I sign off, did you know that for one week only, from 21 July 2009 to 27 July 2009, Silkweaver's Colour of the Week is their discontinued Tutti Fruitie/Rainbow Sparkle Reflections? One of their prettiest colours, in my opinion. I'm considering stocking up some.
Till next time, happy stitching!

In A Just Nan Mood

2009-07-03T16:41:00.008+08:00

Not a lot to say but I do have a couple of WiPs to show. Been working on two Just Nan designs at a steady pace so I'm happy. Thank you for your encouragement regarding my last post. I understand stitching can't be forced but it sure can be frustrating when you have the desire but not the patience. LOL!

Anyway, first up is Queen of the Needle. It's been more than a year since I started it. It was going fine until I got stuck on these blasted flowers.

I gotta tell ya, he countless colour changes sure ain't fun. I'm so grateful I'm finally done with them. One more band and beading left until it's finished.

The other project I've been stitching is High Hopes. Not a whole lot done on it but enough to warrant a picture, I guess :)

Stitched on a 28 count Silkweaver solo opalescent lugana, this one's intended as a gift for my best friend, Adeline though when she'll actually receive it remains to be seen. Hehe...

That is all for today. On a side note, have you seen the newest Mirabilia 2009 Cherub freebie?

I think she's sweet.

Till next time, happy stitching, all.

I've Lost My Mojo...

2009-06-18T15:29:00.012+08:00

Can you help me find it please? I've tried everything, from looking at new releases to looking at your WiP pictures and lovely finishes to fondling my stash (which I had fun doing, by the way). Things that had helped in the past but to no avail now. I have the desire to stitch but not the drive. Does that make sense? I mean, I'll pick up something intending to work on it but few stitches in and I just cannot bring myself to continue on. I'm frustrating myself. Argh!

This is why, even after eons of absence, I have only one small happy dance to show. If you remember, from my last post, I was working on Little House Needleworks' Coffee Series. The first of the accompanying Tea Series is Spiced Tea.

I gotta tell you, it is not without struggle that I manage to finish it. For such a small design, it is quite a big accomplishment for me.

Design: Spiced Tea

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Fabric: Zweigart's Vintage Country Mocha (Marbled) 32 count Belfast linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours Belle Soie

Other than that, I've also managed to complete the middle section of my Little House Neighbourhood.

And that, ladies (and gentlemen), is all the stitching I have to show. Pathetic, I know :(

On to other stitching related (but not actual stitching) news :P look what's back from the framers.

I think my framer did a splendid job. He's my father's friend and all my needlework with the exception of Be My Valentine by Ellen Maurer-Stroh have been framed by him. I usually leave it to him to pick out the mats and frame which so far, he has yet to disappoint.

Check out a close-up picture of the gold-colored frame. I especially love the aged effect.

Oooh... the postman was just here and look what he left behind!

Cindy had a giveaway of charts on her blog couple of weeks ago to celebrate more than 10,000 hits. I was one of the lucky few who won something :) Thank you, Cindy, for your generosity. If you had not visited her blog before, head on over and you'll see why it had generated so many hits. I believe you won't be disappointed.

Till next time, take care and happy stitching.

Small, Simple & Sweet

2009-04-24T15:27:00.004+08:00

I've been in a fickle mood lately, finding it really hard to stick to one single project, especially if it's a rather complicated one with tons of colour changes. Have you felt this way before? To avoid losing my stitching mojo, I decided to pick up some small projects for some quick finishes. At least this way, I'll feel as if I've actually accomplished something. Thus, digging through my stash and evergrowing WiP pile, I came up with this.

It's been nearly a year since I've stitched Cappuccino, the first in the Coffee Series by Little House Needleworks. The time has definitely arrived to stitch the last of the trio. After a few days working on it, Caffe Latte is finally completed.

Design: Caffe Latte

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Fabric: Zweigart's Vintage Country Mocha (Marbled) 32 count Belfast linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours Belle Soie

Here's all three of the Coffee Series together. Don't they look pretty lined up like that?

By then, I was already itching to stitch something else. Once again, I went through my stash and ended up with a mini Shepherd's Bush finish. This is in fact the first time I'm stitching a Shepherd's Bush design and I gotta say I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Design: she Tends

Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Fabric: R&R Reproductions Alabaster linen 30 count linen

Fibers: Crescent Colours, Weeks Dye Works & Sampler Threads

Embellishments: Shepherd's Bush Silver Garden Girl Charm

All in all, a very sweet design. I look forward to stitching the other three blocks but I have no idea when I'll get to them because once again, I needed another change. This time round, I stitched The Drawn Thread's Spot of Summer. The variety of designers and style I've rotated between so far certainly keeps it fun for me and prevents me from losing interest.

Design: Spot of Summer

Designer: The Drawn Thread

Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen

Fibers: DMC & Weeks Dye Works

Two seasons out of four is now done. As you can see, I'm stitching them as a sampler in a row...

Hmm... What's next, I wonder. Well, my WiPs should keep me busy for a bit. Thanx for dropping by.

Still Alive...

2009-03-17T18:27:00.005+08:00

My poor stitching blog has not been feeling my love lately. In fact, it's been flat out ignored and neglected. Rest assured though, I'm still here and well. To those of you who emailed/commented, thank you for your concern. Let's just say life, as usual has a way of sidetracking our intentions. Where, oh where, do I start? Let's see, as I mentioned, my partner came here again during Christmas and my dad finally went through with his heart bypass surgery (he is now well and fully recovered, thank God). Also, I am currently unemployed :( The upside to not having a job however, means I have more time to stitch but it also means I won't be able to join in exchanges as much or stash as often due to money constraints. Then again, I have enough stash to last a lifetime so... :P
Anyway, with all that said, the main reason you've not heard from me for so long however is because *gasp* I completely lost my stitching mojo. Not surprising with all that's been going on but it's no excuse either for being behind on my round robins. Thus, my sincerest apologies to Janet and Chris whose RRs I'm still holding. Good news is that I got it back recently and has been diligently working on them together with my other WiPs. I've finally finished my square for Janet's Seasonal Cottage RR.

Design: Summer Cottage
Designer: Maryse
Fabric: 32 count Natural Linen
Fibers: DMC

Just one more square to go then it'll be on its way home to its owner.

Janet, I've emailed you and will be sending it to Charlene once I get the go ahead from her. Chris, I'm still stitching on your RR and will send it back as soon as I finished. Once again, I'm truly sorrie.
Next up is something I've been dying to share with all of you. 3 years, 4 countries, 12 stitchers later, look what has returned home completed in January...

Design: 12 Days of Christmas
Designer: Margaret Sherry
Fabric: 28 count Cream Lugana
Fibers: DMC
Source: October 2005, November 2005 & Christmas 2005 of British CrossStitcher Magazine

Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU! to Allison, Sarah and Marilyn from Canada, Angie, Lynn, Kirsty, Priscilla and Marion from UK and Chris, Dawn & Renée from USA. What started out as an ambitious round robin on the British Aion Needlecrafts forum (which is sadly now closed) was returned to me with three empty squares for I had to pull out halfway. It stayed in that state for more than a year until Renée decided to organize a round robin last year and they graciously let me use this as my RR. Words can't describe how I felt when I opened the package and saw the finished piece. This is why I love RRs because whether they realize it or not, every single stitcher leaves a part of themselves on the piece through their stitches for which I will forever treasure.
One last update before I end this post. Ladies and gentlemen, come dance with me because we have our first finish of 2009...

Design: Voice of The Shepherd
Designer: Told in A Garden
Fabric: 32 count Silkweaver Golden Promise Belfast Linen
Fibers: DMC

Yes, yes, I know it's already March but that's beside the point. I just love the fabric, don't you? I think I'm gonna submit it for the Silkweaver Showcase 2009. I've already submitted a couple of entries. Do you recognize them? Think I have a chance of winning? Good luck, to all participants :)

The Pumpkin Patch Exchange

2008-12-02T21:18:00.010+08:00

Hi everyone, it's been quite a while and I must apologize for my long absence. As I mentioned before, I went on vacation. I spent a wonderful week in Thailand with my partner and he stayed in Malaysia for another week before heading back to Japan. You can check out our vacation pictures here, here and here. Then right after he left, I was horribly sick with food poisoning for about a week. I could only thank the fact that it didn't happen while he was here. At least he had fun on his trip here rather than having to take care of me.
Not long afer, my dad was admitted into the hospital for heart bypass surgery. However, the doctors decided to do another check up on him before determining whether to go ahead with it. He was released today and scheduled to go back on Friday for it. As a result, it has been a stressful (and unproductive) time for me.
However, here's something that I stitched before I left for vacation which I haven't had the chance to show you yet...

Design: Pumpkin Patch
Designer: The Sweetheart Tree
Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen
Fibers: DMC
Embelishments: Mill Hill Beads & Charm

and also this...

Design: Proud Lil' Pumpkins
Designer: The Sweetheart Tree
Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen
Fibers: DMC
Embelishments: Mill Hill Beads & Charm

which I made into my very first needlebook. Here's the front...

and here's the back...

finished off with some cute pumpkins fabric on the inside and some pretty orange shell pinkeep pins from Vikki......

for Andrea's SBEBB Pumpkin Patch Exchange.

For the same exchange, I received a lovely package from Gaby.

She had made me a long pillow from Heart in Hand's Little Pumpkin in the Patch (how fitting). She also sent me a lot of stitching and Halloween goodies. Special note that the wooden pumpkin is handmade by her son. How cute is that? Here's her perfect stitching up close:

I had also won Katica's blogoversary prize that she was offering. Not only did she made me the cutest pillow I had ever seen! (Gotta love the bear's fringe)

Here's what it came with. Thank you, Kati, once again, for your generosity.

I am now way behind on the couple of Round Robin I'm in and also the mailart exchange which sent date has already passed. Am trying to catch up so I apologize in advance :( I won't be around much until after new year as my partner is coming to visit again in another two weeks so I'll be rather occupied. I can't believe I'll be able to see him again in such a short time. I'm so thrilled. I'll post again as soon as I can. I know it's a little early but since Christmas is just around the corner, to those of you who are celebrating it, Merry Christmas! To those who aren't, Happy Holidays! And to ALL of you, Happy Stitching!

A Little Update

2008-10-28T21:40:00.019+08:00

First, I'd like to start off this post with a huge THANK YOU! For the first time ever, I had 30 comments on one single post. Wow! I never knew there were so many of you out there reading my stitching ramblings. Thank you for making me feel special and appreciated. Also, to Jessie and Michele, I'm glad you like my new blog look. I didn't think anyone would notice :)
Special thanx too to Andrea. She had an Autumn Giveaway in September and she drew my name for one of the charts that's up for grabs. I'm now the happy owner of Country Cottage Needleworks' A Place We Call Home.

I almost never win anything so I was smiling from ear to ear when I found out. It made my day. The chart arrived last Friday and I've already ordered the overdyed floss it calls for.
Secondly, I have to apologize for it's been a long while since I last post - more than 3 weeks!
Yet, all I have to show for the time I went missing is this square for Paul's Dragon RR:

Design: Dragon of Water
Designer: Dragon Dreams Inc
Fabric: 14 count Off-White Aida
Fibers: DMC & Kreinik Metallics

If you know me, you would know that I'm usually not too keen on dragons but this one is too cute for words - the friendliest looking one among all four elemental dragons ^.^ Part of the reason I chose it is because it looks like a seahorse which is one of my favourite sea creatures besides dolphins. It also has the added advantage of being blue - my favourite colour.
It's not that I haven't been stitching. I have - some but I've been so restless with my stitching lately I can't seem to concentrate on one single project. Have you ever felt that way before? Here a stitch, there a stitch, the end result being that I have nothing much to show. It feels as if I've barely gotten anything done! What I actually have finished is for an exchange which I can't show until it has been received.
However, does that stop me from stashing? Never! The pictures below are proof enough...
Never in a million years did I think I'd find this magazine after so long and in Malaysia on top of that. Woohoo! Now I can stitch Nora Corbett's Trick or Treat Fairy too.

Silkweaver recently had a sale - 30% off their Classics line. I took full advantage of it...

Golden Harvest, Dark Tan, Heritage & Solo

The only fabric that I bought with a project already in mind for it is Golden Harvest. I'll be stitching my MM&IRR on it. The rest I bought just for the sake of... SALE! If that's not enough reason to buy fabric, I don't know what is :P I'm sure I'll find a suitable design for each one given the fact that they're all in neutral colours.
Since I've actually bought my fabric for the MM&IRR, you must all be wondering what I have in mind as I've never once mentioned anything more about it after joining up. No hint, no tips, no nothing regarding my construction plans. Well, that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking hard and working on it.
Finally, I've decided on a "Home Sweet Home" village. It'll have those words in the middle with quotes on home scattered all over it.
Just so you know what I'm talking about, let me show you a picture of my blueprint. Just don't faint when you see it for I've never claimed to be a gifted artist.

Ahem... have I stunned you into speechlessness? Don't say I didn't warn you. (I actually have another blueprint from my early days of playing with another idea but I'll spare you that) Anyway, now that you're recovering from the horror my "art" has inflicted on you, let me explain. I'll be using all charts from Elizabeth's Designs. I've left out "Home Sweet Home in the center but if you click on it, you can see the quotes I've inserted around each house.
To give you a better idea, here are the charts all laid out:

What do you think? Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? All are welcome!
P.S. I won't be online much from 1st November to 13th November. I'll be on vacation with my SO (Significant Other) which I haven't seen for more than a year. I'm so excited!

Winter Time

2008-10-06T00:12:00.010+08:00

Living in a tropical country, it's so hot and humid here that even with the frequent heavy downpours (which don't help once they stop), one would gladly welcome any relief from the weather. Even when it comes in the form of stitching. Maybe that's why I've been so partial to winter theme designs lately, especially when it comes to round robins. Remember the Winter Cat square I stitched just recently for Renée? Well, here are two more:

Design: Winter Lady

Designer: Passione Ricamo

Fabric: 28 count Polstitches Hand Dyed Evenweave

Fibers: DMC

The recipient of this Passione Ricamo RR is a secret. Let's just say she's a wonderful lady that more than deserves this RR which 9 stitchers from all over the world will be stitching for her. Since I'm 99.9% sure that she doesn't read my blog, I don't mind revealing my square here. As I'm the first to stitch on it, there's really no point showing the whole piece with 8 other empty squares.

Then there's Dawn's Seasonal Snowmen RR.

Design: Winter Snowman

Designer: Stoney Creek

Fabric: 28 count White Evenweave

Fibers: DMC

The whole piece is adorable, isn't it?

Dawn's Seasonal Snowmen RR

Stitching this cheerful snowman does indeed help in fighting the supressing heat. Quick and easy design that I totally enjoy.

It has taken me a while after joining the Let's Stitch blog host by Becky SC to face what I've been ignoring all this time... my ever growing pile of stash and WiPs. Finally, I managed to summon up the courage to compile my WiPs and To-Do Lists. Like I mention in that post, if you happen to see a particular project in my lists that you're stitching or will be stitching, please let me know. I'd love to do an actual SAL with you.

To take it a step further, I've also joined in the Friday Stitch-A-Thon on 3rd October. I chose to stitch my neglected Queen of the Needle. I know, I know. I have older WiPs that are screaming for my attention but as QotN is already on my Q-Snaps, I predicted that would save me time and I could get more stitching done. Here's my progress during the 6 hour Stitch-A-Thon:

I managed to finish stitching Band 10 and I've got bunnies now in my kingdom. How cute are they? Finally, I'm done with the most challenging back stitch words I've ever encountered in my life!

As usual, I couldn't resist adding my own touches to a design. I love the effect of the silk chenille sheep so much that I ended up using it on the bunnies' tails too.

I think I'll stick with QotN for this week's challenge which is to *direct quote* 'stitch on any "sampler" type design you may have as a WIP'. Thus, you can count on more updates on it again soon.

*Edited to add* Chiloe, Dawn's RR is a Stoney creek design taken from Book 381. Hope that helps.

Cake!

2008-09-23T23:06:00.003+08:00

... is done.

And you know what that means? Yup, ladies and gentlemen, dust off your glitter balls because we need you out on the dance floor doing the shimmy, shimmy happy dance with me ^.^ Here's Sweet Treats with all its buttons and beads attached.

Design: Sweet Treats
Designer: Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 28 count Lakeside Linens Vintage Lenti Cashel Linen
Fibers: Crescent Colours
Beads: Mill Hill Beads
Buttons: JABC Buttons

Other than that, not much stitchy news today so this will be a short post. However, I did make some progress on Little House Neighbourhood.

Only managed to finish the middle tree. I'm now working on the blue house on the left. It's stitched with Vikki silk. Other than that, do you notice anything different? Look closer...

I had opted to stitch the sheep with silk chenille also by Vikki Clayton. It sure gives their woolly coats a more realistic look, doesn't it? I think they're too adorable!
I've also joined the newly created Let's Stitch blog by Becky SC. It's basically a SAL blog with no actual theme. We stitch what we like, UFOs, WiPs, New Starts, it's up to you. It exists purely for us stitchers to encourage and support each other so that hopefully, we'll get more stitching done. Judging from the success of my Sweet Treats SAL with Jessie and Carol (it's been a pleasure, ladies!), this will definitely be a huge help to me. I have quite a number of WiPs I have in mind for this SAL and also a couple of new projects I'm looking forward to starting. (Yes, yes, I know I must be out of my mind) Maybe a few of us could even agree to stitch a design which will make it an actual SAL. We'll see. Check it out and email Becky if you're interested.
I'm overwhelmed by the number of comments I received for my last post. Once again, for those of you who have taken the time to stop by for a visit, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!
Appologies to Sherry who asked me a question regarding my Seasonal Cats and Four Seasons Chairs RR. I hope you don't mind me answering your question one post later. (I seem fond of doing that all the time :S) All the cats in Seasonal Cats are designed by the same desginer - Donna Vermillion and published by Sudberry House. I'm not sure where exactly you can find the chart. You can try contacting Renée or perhaps someone here can help out? The same goes for Four Seasons Chairs which in this case is designed by Janlynn Corporation. This one is relatively easy to find. In fact, you can buy it here. Hope that helps. Do feel free to ask more questions if you need more information.
Last but never least, here's my S.E.X. (Stash Enhancement eXperiment for those who don't know :P) for this week.

Spot Sampler Victoria by Martina, yummy linens by Sassy's Fabbys in Spun Sugar and Desert Sandstorm, Vikki Clayton Silks (of course!) and charms from A Charming Place. Remember the $10 gift certificate I was given just for mentioning their website on my blog? Well, these are the charms bought with that along with a free shipping promotion on the day these were ordered... what more could a girl ask for?

Professional Procrastinator Posting Pie!

2008-09-13T16:15:00.007+08:00

A pie that has been baked a week ago and which should have been displayed on Monday.

Still, better late than never, right? Lastly would be cake so stay tuned for a major happy dance soon.
I've also finished (finally!) Gingerbread Cottage. In my last post of it, I showed a lot of missing spots in my project and mentioned that I was playing around with some ideas. Here is the end product.

Design: Gingerbread Cottage
Designer: Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 28 count Silkweaver's Sapphire Sky Cashel Linen
Fibers: DMC & Crescent Colours
Beads: Mill Hill Beads
Buttons: JABC Buttons

As you can see, I substituted parts of the design with buttons from JABC. I gotta give the credit to Jessie who suggested that I take a look at her finished Gingerbread Cottage. Isn't hers lovely? I sorta took her idea one step further and added more embelishments. Hope you don't mind, Jessie.
My LHN Mailart to Joanne has also been sent and arrived on Wednesday so I can show you what I stitched for her.

The design on the front of the mailart is taken from Ladybugs which is published in Leisure Arts' Joy In The Journey leaflet. For $3.99, it can be downloaded here.

As for the back, do you recognize which design it came from? I'm sure most of you can guess. If not, it's a portion of Necessities Sampler. The background fabric is what I used to line the inside of the mailart with as seen here:

Now for something a little different than cross stitch. Enclosed in the mailart is also a Butterfly Card handmade by me.

The design is a freebie from Stitching Cards It's pretty simple to make but the results rather stunning, in my opinion. The butterfly is stitched with DMC E130 metallic thread to achieve the effect I wanted - shiny and colourful. To echo the butterfly theme, the inside of the card has a pop up butterfly.

I gotta admit that my handwriting isn't the best here. The word "Hi!", written in gold, looked a little messy to me. Anyway, here's a closer view:

With the card, I had also put together a kit for Spot of Coffee.

I hope Joanne likes this exchange as much as I have enjoyed making it.
The fabric for Little House Neighbourhood has finally arrived too! Woohoo! Now I can actually start on the SAL Here's the floss toss for it... Vikki Clayton silks on Picture This Plus Legacy.

While we are on the subject of Neighbourhoods, don't forget to check out the MM&IRR and MM&IRR2. I've been thinking and thinking about my Neighbourhood but can't make up my mind on anything concrete yet. Luckily actual building doesn't start until 31st December so I still got plenty of time. Gonna go think some more...
Last but not least, here's a picture on my latest acquisition. I went crazy buying fabrics on Ebay. I think I might have developed another severe addiction. Help?

Ice Cream!

2008-09-02T20:42:00.010+08:00

Once again, I'll start off this entry with another block of Sweet Threats. Yummy, yummy 'Ice Cream'.

Two more blocks to go! Being in a SAL really helps motivate me into stitching one block per week. Jessie, how are you getting on with yours? Carol, have you gotten yours frame yet? How are you feeling? How is your knee?
This past Sunday, 31st August, was Malaysia's 51st National Day. (Happy Independance Day to all Malaysians!) Thus, Monday was a substitute public holiday. One more day to stitch. Yay! So I started something else...

Design: Spot of Spring
Designer: The Drawn Thread
Fabric: 32 count Cream Italian Linen
Fibers: DMC

I know, I know, I shoulda work on my many and ever growing WiPs but at least I finished it ^.^ I consider it a happy dance of sorts even though I still have Summer, Autumn and Winter to go.
Speaking of WiPs, I've joined the Me, Myself and I Round Robins. What am I getting myself into?!
Anyway, I'm sure most of you would have heard about it by now. If not, it is basically a Neighbourhood RR with a twist. Rather than being passed around among a group of stitchers like a round robin usually is, it will instead all be designed and stitched by you yourself. Consider it an SAL of sorts. As of Vonna's last count, there are now (Dang!) 72 of us. Construction of your neighbourhood won't actually begin until 31 December 2008. So... (taken directly from the blog) there is still plenty of time to get your permits, blueprints and waivers needed to begin construction on your neighborhood. Come join us if you're interested but be quick for there are limited spots left.
I am constantly amazed by the generosity of the stitching community. Remember Dixie? who sold me Just Nan's Patience whom I now call my friend? She saw that I had High Hopes by Just Nan on my wish list. She had just finished stitching it and instead of listing it on Ebay like she had intended, she took it upon herself to become my wish fairy and sent the chart to me...

...along with a pretty hardanger chart/card. I've never tried hardanger before but this is the perfect pattern to practice with. I have no idea how to express my gratitue, Dixie, except to say a heartfelt Thank You!
I also received a USD10 Gift Certificate from A Charming Place all because I mentioned them on my blog. Wow! I'm speechless. Thank you, Hayley. Just for the record, I'm not affiliated. Just a satisfied customer.
More things to be thankful for...(You've probably already deduced that this is gonna be a very long post, no?) Look what arrived in the mail today:

It's a LHN mail art from Joanne (no blog) in Malaysia too. She's my partner for the Mail Art Friends LHN Mail Art Exchange. Isn't her stitching pretty? Here's the back:

And here's a picture of the fabric she used to lined the inside and some stash she sent me:

Feeling envious, anyone? I know I would be if I saw this on anyone elses' blog. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm late sending my LHN mail art to her. A first for me. I got it all ready but... I can't very well send it empty, can I? The postman still doesn't want to bring her present to me so I can pass it along to her >.<>Little House Needleworks Silk Threadpacks?

I think I'm in love!
Lillie honoured me with another blog award.

This time I won't nominate anyone. There are too many blogs out there that I love. If I have left a comment on your blog before, you know that I love it. If I haven't, it's probably because I've yet to discover your blog or didn't have time to do so (which I'm profoundly sorry). Just leave a comment and I'll be sure to drop by.
To Jean who asked me to recommend some nice evenweave fabric two posts ago, (sorry I neglected to answer you last post) I've only used Zweigart's Lugana and Wichelt's Jobelan so I doubt I'm the right party to ask about evenweaves. I mostly use Linen nowadays. However, I find jobelan a pleasure to stitch on as the floss goes smoothly through and thus doesn't fray much. Hope that limited information helps?
And to everyone that complimented me on my stitching, Thank You! *Blush*
Stash-wise, I don't have much to show this week except for the fact that...

I seemed to have gone ~~a little~~ completely overboard with charm packs purchases from Deb. I guess now is the time to try out all the pretty finishings ideas, eh?

Tart!

2008-08-25T20:04:00.009+08:00

I've been slacking on my blogging. I know I said I'll update once a week especially with this SAL that Carol, Jessie and I got going. I finished stitching 'Tart' last week but didn't have a chance to post until now.

I'm now officially halfway through Sweet Threats. Ice Cream is next. My absolute favourite among all of 'em. I've yet to start it though. By the way, Carol has already finished her Sweet Threats. If you haven't already seen it, check it out here. Isn't her stitching beautiful? Guess I lost our mock SAL competition >.< Fair and Square #8 package from Michele.

I love them, Michele. The colours are so sweet. Thank you so much! Here's a close up of the square:

The design is 'I Love Cross Stitch' (how appropriate ^.^) from the July 2008 issue of The Gift of Stitching magazine by Maryse Dupont of Les grilles de Maryse. The website is in French so click here for the translated version from Google if you're as clueless as me.

Michele also sent me a card and a a pretty Seattle tin containing peppermints.

I received another blog award - Arte y Pico - this time from Noreen. Thank you, Noreen.

The first time I saw this, it was on Nina's blog which according to her, means 'The Best Art'.

As usual, the rules for every award:

Choose 5 blogs deserving to receive the award (conception, creativity, interesting equipment and contributing to the community of bloggers whatever the language).
Every award must contain the link towards the blog of his author so that it can be visited.
Every winner must show the award-logo and put back the name and the link towards the blog that attributed it for her.
The winner must show the blog link the Arte y Pico.
To Post the rules.

I've nominated a number of blogs before for the last two awards that I've received but I'm gonna go ahead and nominate another 5 more as per requested anyway because in my opinion, there are way too many stitchers out there with wonderful blogs who deserves some recognition.

Thus, once again in alphabetical order:

Biblo's Blog ~ Wendy from Malaysia
Kathy’s Designs & Kreations ~ Kathy from England
Lil' Needlecrafter ~ Lillie from Malaysia
Stitches with Camels ~ Mel from Dubai
Xstitch - Christina ~ Christina from USA

Before you leave me to visit these talented stitchers' blogs, here's my latest update of Just Nan's Queen of the Needle.

Finally got through the dreaded band. Did I mention I don't like confetti stitches? >.<