Update and exchanges

It's almost a month since I last posted. It had been a busy and sad month. My dad was very sick in November and passed away on the 26th of November. His death hit us very badly especially my mom. I missed my dad very much. I have been spending time with my mom so that she will not feel too sad and lonely. I guess time will heal the pain and sadness.

I have tried to pick up my stitchings again but the mood is not there. In the meantime, I have set myself some stitching goals for 2009:

1) A Quaker Christmas by ByGone Stitches

2) Flip-it Blocks by Lizzie Kate - one block per month

3) Christmas ornaments - one ornie per month

4) exchange stitchings

I hope to start stitching after the holidays. Have a couple of exhanges to update, I received my HoE Christmas ornament from Leigh D. She stitched a lovely stocking ornie by Blackbird Designs. She also sent me some note pads, chocolate and a nice card. Thank you, Leigh for a lovely exchange. I also participated in the EMS 5th Annual Ornament exchange and received this lovely ornie from Melissa McQueen. I am not sure about the origin of this design but thanks, Melissa for this ornie.


I join LHN Winter SAL and started on Peppermint Lane. Here is a picture of where I left off.






Thank you for visiting. Merry Christmas and a wonderful year ahead!

Exchanges and ornies

Sally had received my parcel, so now I can show what I stitched for her. This is the HoE Christmas ornament exchange and I stitched Lizzie Kate December Flip-it Block on 28 ct linen. Here is the picture. I also sent Sally some goodies, please visit her blog.




I am also in the Holiday ornament exchange on the EMS board. My partner is Melanie from Australia. I am very sure that she does not read my blog, so I went ahead to post a picture of the ornie. She should receive it shortly, hope she likes what I had stitched for her. This is a freebie from the Cricket Collection.



Here are some ornies that I am going to keep for myself - Santa and more Santa. These 2 Santas are by The Prairie Schooler. I also finished "Jingle, sparkle, joy" a freebie by Midsummer Night Musings. Now I have to decide how to finish them.

Next an update on my Willie's Quaker Square. I really love this design, it should be finished in no time. I have ordered A Quaker Christmas - chart plus supplies- this is my Quaker project for 2009. I am excited and eager to start this big project.

Thank you for visiting and happy stitching!

Chiloe's giveaway

Chiloe is celebrating her first 600 posts. She decided to do a giveaway, go to her blog for more details.

Thanks for visiting, happy stitching.

I was tagged

Mylene tagged me to share 6 random things about me.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Six random things about myself:
1. I am a coffee addict and must drink coffee first thing in the morning.

2. I don't eat much chocolate but I love dark chocolate.

3. I love Autumn even though there is no season change where I live. To me Autumn is cool and beautiful, all those lovely colours.

4. I am an accountant by profession. I retired five years ago. Now, I am a part time needleworks teacher, giving lessons on hardanger, embroidery etc

5. Besides needlecrafts, I am also into mosaic arts. I am a trainer with a mosaic shop and supervise children's lessons.

6. I met my husband 26 years ago when he came to Singapore to work. We were colleagues at an audit firm.

I am supposed to tag 6 people,I do hope I'm not double-tagging someone. Feel free to do the tag and if not, that is fine too. I don't want to burden anyone with anything.

1. Joke
2. Jessie
3. Joan
4. Yuko
5. Sandra
6. Sachiko

I am new to this, I hope I am doing the right thing.

Here is an update on Willie's Quaker Square. I love the way it is coming along.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Happy Stitching!

Exchange and update

Heard from Jill that she had received my parcel for the floss tag exchange. As this is my first exchange, I was getting worried that it took so long to reach her, about 11 days. I am very happy to know that she like what I stitch for her and also the goodies that I sent her. Now, I can show what I stitch for her.
I stitched a peacock in Jill's favourite colour on the front and HoE & our initials on the back. You can see more pictures at Jill's blog.

As promised in my last post, here is a picture of my current WIP, Willie's Quaker Square #7. I stitch this on 32ct Belfast linen using Anchor variegated thread.
An update on my Seasonal Breeze SAL. I had finished the Winter Breeze, one more season to go - Spring. This SAL is fun and quick to stitch. Thanks Patrizia from The Cutemermaid for the SAL.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Happy Stitching!

Floss Tag Exchange

I received a lovely parcel from Simone all the way from the Netherlands. Simone is my partner for the HoE Floss Tag Exchange. She stitched the "round robin" over one on a piece of tea-dyed linen. I love it. Simone also added some extras, variegated threads, ornament cut piece of linen, pins and a nice postcard. Thanks, Simone for a wonderful exchange. This is my very first exchange.

Here is a close up picture of the Floss Tag. Isn't it lovely?

I had mailed off my floss tag to my partner, will post pictures when she receives it. I have started a new project recently, the Willie's Quaker Square #7. I am stitching it on 32ct Belfast using Anchor variegated thread. Will post progress soon.

Happy Stitching!

Letter Prize

Look at what the postman delivered today! I have a parcel from Madeira Garne, Germany. This is my prize for the letter published in Cross Stitch Collection Issue 163. The prize consists of some silk and metallic threads, a stitching hoop and a pair of gold plated double curved scissors.

Here is a closed up picture of the scissors. I am looking forward to trying the silk threads for my next projects. Thanks Madeira for the wonderful prize.

Take care & happy stitching!

Two small finishes & an UFO

Have not post for two weeks, was down with the flu virus. I had fever and sore throat for a couple of days. Thanks goodness, I am better now except that the throat is still a bit sore.

Found an UFO while going through my stash, it was a kit by Periwinkle Promises - Marigold Sampler Accent. I bought this kit many years ago and started on it but for some reasons it was not finished. I finally finished it last night and here is a picture of it.


I have two other small finishes to show. They are freebies, one from Plum Pudding Needleart and the other from Debbie Draper Designs. I am going to try my hands at making them into
bourses.



I had also finished the "Waterlilies on a Pond" - WIP in my previous post. What attracted me about this chart was the colour of the waterlilies. They are purplish blue in colour which is not so common. We normally see more pink waterlilies.


I had mailed out my floss tag for the HOE exchange, will post picture later when my partner receives the parcel. Also participate in the EMS Board beaded fob exchange, will mail out the parcel today.

Thank you for visiting my blog and I love and appreciate all those lovely comments.
Until later, happy stitching!

Floral Extravaganza

I got a big surprise when I opened Cross Stitch Collection (UK cross stitch magazine) last Friday. My letter was published, hooray! I love flowers and sent them pictures of my vases of flowers a couple of months ago. These flowers were from various issues of Collection. I had forgotten that I had sent that e-mail until I saw my letter in the magazine. I am a collector of magazines both cross stitch and hardanger.


Here are some closeup pictures of the flowers.WIP





I have started another piece "Waterlilies on a pond" from this magazine.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate and love all the lovely comments.

Happy Stitching!

A Busy Week

Had a busy and fruitful week. I put the final stitch to my Damier Checkerboard. Here is the picture. The final part to this SAL is the border. I am finishing this piece into a cushion so will leave out the border. Thanks Maryse for this SAL. Maryse now has designs for purchase.





Stitched up and put the final touch to a few biscornus during the week. The blue one in the picture is for Maria(her birthday is on the 13 October). Maria manages the shop where I give hardanger lessons.




The shop carries mainly DMC threads with some Anchor perle cotton and special Kreinik.
Knotty Shop carries a selection of linen, evenweave and aida fabrics. That is Maria in the picture.


I had added two adorable black and white kits( on 14 count white aida) to my stash. I have decided to stitch them on 28 count linen instead.




Happy Stitching!

Update

It has been two weeks since I last posted. Currently, I am addicted to smalls, have been stitching small designs. All my big wips are in cold storage now. I had finished another triangular scissor case and a floss tag. Found the merlion design in my stash and stitched into a cute floss tag. I forgot who actually charted this pattern. The
scissor case is from one of Carinne's freebies.










Now, an update on my monopoly SAL. It is progressing very slowly, I had worked on it on and off during the past two weeks. Here is a picture of the progress.







This ring pillow is a sample. I regularly stitch something new as samples for my students. Many students had stitched this design for their families and friends.








Singapore is gearing for the world's first Formula One night race this weekend, from 26th to 28th September. There are lots of promotions and events during this Grand Prix (GP) season.
I am not a fan of this sport, find it too noisy and dangerous.

SALs

Stitch, stitch and stitch! I hooked myself to several Sals recently. Yesterday, I finally started on my Monopoly SAL. I found a piece of 28 count cream linen in my stash big enough to start the project. Here is a picture of my progress so far.






List of other SALs that I am doing:


The Seasonal Breezes SAL by the Cute Mermaid. Fun and quick to
stitch.










Halloween SAL by Joan Pavlick (sapphirestitching)
Have not make up the game board and pieces yet.









Damier Checkerboard SAL by Maryse
Some stitching to catch up.








List of SALs that I want to start:

How Does Your Garden Grow? by Papillon Creations
Rose Sampler By EMS
Symphonie SAL by Isa R. Creation

I am very ambitious, lol , as though I don't have enough things to do.

Parcel from Japan

The parcel finally arrived. Emi sent me two cross stitch books and cookies. Emi is my ex-hardanger student. She went back to Japan 3 years ago. She is staying in Yokohama now.

The books she sent are part of the DMC Museum Collection, one is on folklore and the other on nostalgia. Cross stitch folklore is a collection of patterns and stitches from Eastern Europe. The other book contains patterns on daily life, fairy tales, cloths & customs, school life etc. I love these books, thank you so much Emi.

The cookies look yummy, couldn't wait to try!

I have made a small biscornu for Emi, the design is from Mausimoms blog. I would be sending her this and some other surprise soon.

Discover the World of Smalls

I have been surfing the net recently and discovered the World of Smalls. Now I am hooked on smalls. Making smalls tests my finishing skills and I've made a few to show.

This is my first biscornu. The design is by Pelin Tezer. It is a bit big because I stitched it on 25 count Lugana.









Next I try my hands on making floss tags. It took me some time to figure out how to make them. I came across Staci's tutorial on floss tags after I made these. Thanks you Helga for the flower freebie. The blue motif is from Windy Willows.






After making the floss tags, I had a bright idea (ha! ha!) to finish the next piece into a nametag for my daughter. She has ballet lesson every Sunday, so I stitched two ballerinas for her. The design is from Dance Factory.

I love this design when I saw it on the net. This Hungarian design is by Ancsa. I am now crazy about this triangular scissor case and in the process of making my second one. I will post a picture when it is done.





I am now in the world of smalls. Everyday I am looking for small designs to make small things.

Welcome to my Blog

This is my first attempt at blogging. My children did a great job helping me start up this blog. I am married with 3 children. We live in Singapore. I am an accountant by profession but had stopped working for many years. I have been cross stitching for more than 20 years and still crazy about it. I also love hardanger and teach this at a craft shop three days a week. Here, you can see some pictures of my teaching pieces.


The students usually start their first projects stitching these coasters. After the initial piece, they can choose their next project. Over the years, I have many students, mainly Japanese. Locally, hardanger is not very popular and very few shops carries the threads and fabrics required for hardanger.

My other hobbies are beading, mosaics and reading.