Road Trip by Where Stitchers Gather

Girls from the Where Stitches Gather made another trip to a charming  little town at the foothills of Fraser's Hill known as  Kuala Kubu Bahru (KKB for short). The town began life as mining colony in the 18th Century. The original town situated by the Selangor River had a massive flood in 1883 that wiped out the entire town and claiming 33 lives including the then District Magistrate and Revenue Collector Sir Cecil Ranking.  The town was then rebuilt to this present hilly terrain surrounded by lush valleys.

Our journey's first pit stop to refuel before we embark on our journey was a venue sort of midway point between Kuala Lumpur and KKB. It's  a sleepy little village that comes alive during the weekends where food enthusiasts townsfolks come hunting for a good bowl of  their signature hand knead noodle,  Ulu Yam Loh Mee (UYL) . It's cooked in a  thick black broth of soysauce with an overpowering of black vinegar .

Thereafter, we headed to the World of Phalaenopsis, the moth orchids and be swoon over by the sea of blooming orchids in a variety of colors

 A little welcome sign at one of the Showroom entrance.

These orchids are housed in air conditioning showrooms. I have blog about this place before, each time I re-visited, there are something new, either with the deco, new pots or some new color orchids.

 A groupie for the album

Wall painted look so good with the potted orchids

Teng Wun Bakery, a small bakery on the main road are well known for their light fluffy sponge cupcakes and  Kaya puffs, a must stop for some takeaways, the cupcakes was unfortunately all sold out when we got there but the butter sponge cakes and kaya puff saves the day. Here's a slice of my butter sponge for afternoon tea.

By the five foot way 2 doors away from the Bakery, these kitties are in deep slumber, oblivious of all the noise we were making as we walked by.

 I have completed my pincushion from my last post.

It's the Nathalie Bird pincushion from her Red Home

This pincushion has a bit of everything; stitchery, applique, hexagon and even a little blue bird of happiness. I have added with a cross stitched red bird replacing the fabric bird which was the original design and a handmade fabric button with my initial on it.

The assembly part is a bit tacky for me. I had to undo twice before I got it right or rather fit the bottom square and it didn't look quite right or perfect as I had hoped for. I didn't filled it walnut crushed either, just some polyfiber and I am having some doubts over the button of my choice too 

On the drawing board now is an exchange for the Christmas In July hosted by Kim

The exchange calls for three handmade items with a specific theme.

This is my first of such exchange, so it's very interesting and exciting.

Reveal day will be sometime in the last week of  July.

Thank you all who came and took time to comment in my last post.

I appreciate your visit so very much.

Weekend is here soon and here's wishing all a wonderful weekend.

Catching up and Finishing up

About the WSG Birthday Exchange

These are the fabrics I picked for my finishing

and these trimmings

which I ended not using it

RED HEXA SAL

Six more done, completed just in time before November ends

Counting 45 Hexa Flowers 7 more and 1 month left

Thirty-Two years later

A welcome home luncheon for Michelle (sited in the center) 

who flew in from Kansas, USA for a visit and

for this meet up at PUTIEN, Chinese Restaurant

Our afternoon lunch

Top Row

Fried Toufo/Yam Fritters/Bittergourd with Honey

Middle Row

Steam Chicken/Pickle Papaya & Hazelnuts/ Chinese noodle

Last Row

Steam Fish/Fried Vermicelli/Pork Ribs

 Desserts by Putien
Variety of Yam and potatoes in
Pumpkin or Coconut Milk and Jelly

Hereafter, we adjourned to Betjernm & Barton for Tea

The motifs crocheted tunic for Diane in Lilac is finally done

and fitted. Just hope one day she will wear it and I'll remember to take photo. 

For now, she ain't gonna model it for me. 

Our WSG Birthday Exchange meet is this weekend.

It's finally happening!!

My exchange are all done and packed. 

The shops are now filled with all things Christmas

and my boxes look Christmassy too as I wanted the same box design

Sorry the pictures here are a little dull as we  have entered the Monsoon season, which means higher rainfall and gloomy days and shorter sunny day light. As I am writing this now, it's raining very heavily outside and it's kinda chilly inside.

Thank you all for coming by again and especially to all who left comments in my last post.

Mind over Matter

I have been missing for a little while
It's one of those time that you feel time is not enough for you to do everything in a day.
There's so much to do and no matter how much you have done, by  the end of the day, the feelings that there is still so much more that need to be done or  wonders what have you done and where did  all the time went. Then there's the birthdays, everyone in the family far and near seem to have been born after the 2nd half of the year. So we had a little more dinning out than the usual and get to explore eateries. Second half of the year also means we are getting a little more invites to dinner functions for all sorts of events.

On another note, I have been waking up earlier than usual the past month or so, early rise means taking naps early in the evening after work before dinner and waking up in the middle of the night and going back to bed at odd hours which attributed to the feeling of  insufficient  sleep by morning. It was during these middle of the night sessions that I have finally come to terms with an idea for my annual exchange. After months of pondering with finishing ideas and looking up on google and Pinterest for ideas,   I have decided not to sit on it any longer but now that I have finished one, I am having second thoughts as to if I should stitched all four the same design or to give each a different one ? and what about the color? It's the mind that is playing tricks, afterall I have already decided but why  this mind is giving me second thoughts and complicating matters,  and so I am taking a little time to re-think.

I also get to stitch my second  Mail Art Exchange organized by Mii Stitch. A Halloween theme, my fav. Now how can I give that a missed.  Theme makes it easier don't you think so? No showing for now and I have some light bulbs moment with the finishing. Happy to say I am done and I hope to get to the postie in a week or so.

Here's another progress on my RED Hexa SAL, counting at  33/52.

A crocheted bag, with an interesting circular design. Finishing was abit tacky as the design did not come with finishing details, so I had to figured my way with the photos posted.

A little something stitched for Diane, a Lizzie Kate design

Thread colors are my own

Added lace at the bottom, replaced the stitched motif

I am sending this to the framer, least it can go on her wall in her dorm

cause knowing her, anything on her table will eventually ended up on the floor, LOL

Knitting wise, my shawl is literally crawling like an old tortoise, I have only knitted 6 inches. So yeah..a long way to go still.

By the way, we are having the Hungry Ghost festival this month, according to the Chinese Calender.
It literally means that the gates of hell is opened for the underworld to visit the living, while the living had to appeased these being by offering big feast of prayers and offering of food. Won't go into the detailed, as this is an annual affair and I had posted these before previously.

Till my next posting then.
Thanks for dropping by and  for not giving up on my blog
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Catching up with July

Two weeks has since went by in July, yet it didn't felt like it's been half a year has already gone by and likewise, I am sure the year end is rolling in as quickly as the months that has passed. In a week or so, Diane will be embarking on a new journey in her life as an undergraduate majoring in a science related field. It's been months of hectic and stressful times while she worries and fuss about almost everything there is.

My hopes are naturally that she will enjoy where she is with her chosen field, cause I believed that will attribute to her doing well. 

June progress of my RED Hexagone. Everyone seems to have abandon the SAL, LOL,seems like I am the only one posting lately. Well six more months to go. The flowers are now counting 25/52, and you can see July pieces in progress

Crocheted Landyard and in BLACK that Diane intended as gifts to her bff. All will be starting as undergraduates in various Universities of their chosen field soon.

I am thinking of adding a little crochet flower for each landyard, just one tiny flower, but that will need approval, kids these days you'll never know what's on their mind.

The Knitting bug has caught up with me lately.  I was so inspired  when  Lynn posted her fabulous shawl that I could not resist knitting one. While the design is simple enough even for a beginner, my choice of yarn was a bit difficult to manage.  Knitting with three hairline yarns need a bit a more concentration and lots of patience. What was I thinking when I decided on that yarn !

Testing out a pattern, need to get myself accustomed to the pattern before I start, as you can see I already failed 

Throwback two weekends. Meeting two girls for a little chatter over an English Afternoon Tea at Mandarin Oriental Hotel near our most photographed landmark, the KLCC Twin Towers. Unfortunately someone is having that photo of the twin towers. LOL

Till my next post, I hope I have something stitched to show.

The Four Days Weekend

When I first pick-up cross stitching again after some years, I was so into seasonal theme. Love these whimscial charts by San-Mans Original but somehow the only chart that was really finished then was Summer - Bless The Breeze 

These charts dated back to 2003 if I recalled correctly

14ct Cream Aida

I never got to complete Autumn when I was so close to finishing by stitching the veins

Can't remember why it all went into hibernation, this was the last in the series that I stitched then

Spring was done except the embellishments

Then (L) and now (R)

 So was Winter - Bless the Freeze

I am still short of two Cardinals, I must have missed read the chart

I am now torn between flying in the birdies or just maybe substitute with some snowflakes

The country had a four days weekend and I think I have never accomplished this much in a weekend before with stitching that is. I got Autumn completed plus all the embellishments done for all seasons except for the missing birdies

So glad that these buttons didn't got misplaced

Can I consider these completed ?

RED HEXA SAL

Five more Red Hexa Flowers done which now counting at  17 pieces. Yay! I am good for April.

I think I enjoyed finishing  from my pile of UFO's . While rummaging my UFO's I have also found some stitched pieces which I never knew or rather forgotten I have stitched, will surely need to look into those too.

VESAK DAY , a celebration to commemorates three significant event in Lord Buddha's life - namely his birthday, his enlightenment and his passing away falls on Sunday this year, thus the extra holiday today. Buddhist temples are all full of activities with special services. Flowers , joss sticks and candles are offered to remind us that just as flowers wither and die, and joss sticks and candles burn away, so too is life - temporary and you'll find me spending some hours in the morning on the temple grounds and Diane took the opportunity to donate blood where Blood Donation Campaign is always one of the event being organized, unfortunately not me, my blood is a bit self-centred, my  haemoglobin level is just never enough to enable me to share.

Lighting the candles for Blessings

It's back to work tomorrow

Thank you all for coming by, appreciate your visits and thank you for your comments.

Linking to : Super Mom No Cape

Catching up

Coffee and hexing during the week long holiday of the festive season. I have to admit that this is my most productive CNY where crafting is concerned and I am not complaining. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed every bit of that moment.

I accumulated a total of 35/52 pieces but I will need an additional 4 more for my intended quilt, that is until I change my mind.

Three more flowers completed adding to 7/52 , falling back a little here. Peeking from below the flowers,  you'll see Lizzie Kate "Bless Our Home", this will be getting a frame. I no longer have the bird house charm and I haven't found anything inspiring to replace yet. Will see how it goes by the time I sent to the framers

Thank you all for coming by. Have a good rest of the week.

It's in the air, the goat year

Progress of my Weekly Red Hexa SAL as at end of January, seen here are 5/52. whew!

Me and some girlfriends had a day's trip out to Carey Island, famous for it's seafoods

The Restaurant Kang Guan overlooking the island. Once upon a time sampan is used to cross over, now there's a bridge which is visible in the photo located at  the far end, it was a pleasant ride sandwich by palm trees

Spicy Fried Crabs

and steam prawns are two of the few dishes we had

AC who grew up here and never left her hometown  took us on a tour into the Palm Oil Estate where this bungalow stood, a  residence of the manager.

I hope we didn't kill the Orchids when each of us grab a tree for a photo shot playfully, LOL

Here we are, all nine of us including our host AC, third from left

Here we are all waiting for our cup of  Tanjung Sepat coffee 

 Mr Goh's, a colleague weds his beau was the start of my February

The weeks went by rather quickly this February, it's almost two weeks since

 Another dinner function last Sunday. I need to shed some fats gained from  all the good food..LOL

Chinese New Year festival is just about a week from now. Like any festivity, there's lots to be done like spring cleaning the house and shopping for the festive stuff. I haven't done much of either yet as I have been preoccupied every weekends. MIL's annual medical checkup took three weekends away from me and then the dinners follow with Diane's graduation but I manage some bakes on some weekdays night.

Seaweed Crackers are the most popular with my two adolscents and therefore never could wait until  the festivity for consumption, normally the last to make but this round I had to make some for some early gift givings.

Kuih Bangkit, literally translated as Rise Cookie is a traditional cookie. I failed miserably last year  as it wasn't soft nor melt in the mouth as it should be. There was a slight improvement this year yet there was no melt in the mouth. I might go for a second attempt soon.

 Peanut Cookies, was soft and fragrant. Initially I was worried that the peanut was a bit coarsely  grind but it gives a crunchy bite. 

Some old charms deco for the Chinese New Year festival at Nu Sentral, our newest mall

One can really feel the festive season of the Chinese New Year is being celebrated. Red lanterns, cherry blossoms or ponies and  red dressers are on every window displays accompanied with blasting Chinese New Year songs. It can really set one into the mood or scared one away. LOL

Soon malls everywhere will host Lion dance and cracking fire crackers.

Have a wonderful rest of the week everyone. Thank you once again everyone for coming by and for your wonderful comments in my last post.