Christmas tyme

Hard to believed that it's eve of Christmas and the New Year is now only days away.  Time really flies by  and sometimes I wonder where did the days actually went. I began my first Christmas stitching for HOE Exchange. This is my exchange piece for Karen in the land of Oz

One part freebie design by Sub-Rosa, Tree and Deer and the other if I am not wrong a design by Gazette. Finished it into a house shape with tiny pom-poms that I thought it look like snow. I was rather surprised that it arrived in less than 10 days when I had expected it to arrive nearer to Christmas or even feared after Christmas. While mine arrived, there still no sign of my Ornament from the exchange. 

More Christmas ornaments stitched thereafter.

Faith - JCS Ornament 2014

Nikys Creations stitched on Linen 32ct  teadyed for Barbara J

I had to steal the photo from BJ as it looked much better than the one I took.

Noel 2008 freebie design by Ravenelle

Stitched on Aida between 18 or 16ct white. Simple finishing as I simply got lazy.

Lizzie Kate Up on the tree

32 ct Linen

JCS Ornament 2014

 Snowflake finished on a mini picture frame. I know now I should have stitched  it in red

Some two weeks back, I help a friend set up her tea table at her son's wedding to welcome the bride and her entourage for the tea ceremony.

and finally, I know I have not visited anyone lately, but here's me wishing everyone

HAVE A JOLLY GOOD CHRISTMAS 

& HAPPY HOLIDAYS

thank you for your friendship in blogging and inspiring words in your comments throughout the year. I appreciate it a lot. 

The Witch flew

Now that The Witch has landed, it's time to reveal.
Halloween Exchange Round 4, my favourite season. Not wanting to stitch something in silhouette this round, I found this design was calling out to me.

Finally finished stitchin', after many many days

but I was missing one absolutely necessary part that it can't do without
It looked so weird even here
The witch had two strands of springy curly hair that stays curly
a thread that has a "memory" to stay put, I need to get that

Exploring for some alternative embellishment for my ornament for the just in case.

Took the wire binder off an old table calendar in the office..yes, in the office..and  took it home. Sprayed it  Orange as it should be one morning, dried it and had it hanging somewhere that I will not forget where it will be when it's needed , just in case ...

This is the result after it's dried. it looks good. I have no complaints for now but not without worries since it had to fly on it's own at high altitude

While waiting for my order to come,  an idea was playing  for a Halloween Theme Card. It was the weekend I was home at my In-laws, our visits went weekly after news of  my FIL became seriously ill. I took with me enough supplies, or  whatever I thought I would need and obviously,  I han't brought enough, that happens...always

  My first popped up of a Ghost and two mini note inserts. One slotted into the pumpkin on the right while the other into the spider Halloween greetings on the left.

Then I waited for the 'thread'. 

A week went by, another week came and gone and I can't wait any longer

FINISHED
HOE Halloween Ornament Exchange Round 4

The Witch...Is Me !

Design by Amy Bruecken Designs

Halloween Collection Magazine

I have converted the threads to all DMCs, my choice

Replaced DMC Memory Thread with the wired binder.
I hope it will sustained the journey

32 count Linen from my stash
For Marie P in USA

My sincere apology to  Marie for the extremely late mailing out of her exchange.
Up to the time of my mailing, I have yet to receive my order of the Memory Thread.

HALLOWEEN ORNAMENT that came
My exchange ornament came from Nicole S in Canada a week earlier before I mailed mine. She wrote that the design is from JCS 2014 Ghosts.  Adorable design! Thank you so much Nicole, love your choice of design for me.

Thank you all for taking time to visit me and leave a comment in my last post. Big hugs to all of you.

December secrets

I have been secretly  stitching some Christmassy theme for a little tete-a-tete with the ladies from the WSG group(not forgetting the gentleman too who at some point was our cameraman ;P Thanks T) two Saturdays ago.

and sewing into the night for two nights

took two evenings to add all the laces and trims

 buttons and stuffing included

Happened to stumble upon mugs with patchwork designs at Sundays

and sweet of the Counter Saleslady who gave me individual packaging

where I randomly placed my little houses into each cup

and like always at every meet we have stuff to 'show-off'

 and gifts to be taken home too

Thanks ladies!

This is the HOE Perpetual Halloween Tree Ornament Exchange which seem to have took like forever to arrive it's new home. Finally saw the group's posting on Friday , 13

Design by : The Stitcherhood "SPELLS"

JSC Ornament 2012 (I think)

DMCs my choice threads

Fabric 32ct from my stash

For Linda O

 

Positive Thinking SAL is currently taking a back seat until I can get my Christmassy stitching done with. I am almost done with Part 3, hopefully I get to complete Part 4 before Part 5 is release.

 

Until my next post, thank you for coming by and

may the spirit of Christmas warm your heart

 



Inspiration for Mary Wigham

November is almost coming to an end and looks like this will be my last posting in November. Obligations and commitment weight me down heavily the past couple of weeks, hence my silence. I just couldn't find enough time in one sitting to complete a blog post. Stitching is the only one thing that kept my sanity intact and I have been working hard at finishing this.

It's been a long journey, almost five years in progress and I have personalize the alphabets to that of mine. I had my fair share of frogging, some doubtful moments with colours, made some alterations and even aligned some motifs along the way.  For now, my journey with Mary has come to an end.

I must show you what inspired my colours on Mary. Inspiration came from this beautiful Peranakan Porcelains or Ceramic pottery. These wares are native to the Chinese-Peranakan in South East Asia. Treasured and collector's item today.

 

Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants. It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who have adopted Nusantara customs — partially or in full — to be somewhat assimilated into the local communities

 

HALLOWEEN TREE ORNAMENT EXCHANGE

I received the cutest Trick Bag from Marie P for the first Perpetual Halloween Ornament Exchange at HOE last Saturday.  Marie had chosen a design by Prairie Schooler and finished it creatively with colourful threads in plaits. Thank you Marie for this adorable first exchange.

My exchange piece had left my shores on the 21st, it'll be another week or so before I'll have news of it's arrival. Until then I cannot reveal as yet.

 

 Hope I had not caused you any agony with my blabbering with regards to this journey of mine with Mary.   I am glad to be apart of this worldwide SAL and  an opportunity to stitched this treasured sampler.

Thanks for coming by and stay warm where snow has fallen  or rained

A belated October posting

This is indeed a belated October posting in my November post. This is an exchange at HOE for it's Runner's Up Christmas Ornament Exchange in October.

On evenweave in blue

Design by LHN - It's Snow Cold !

Changes :  Black seed beads on the belly and white lace

I adapted my color choices to compliment the fabric color

Size : 4" x 4" approximately

Mailed on October 12 and arrived it's new home on October 29

For Amy VM

 I think this is the best cording I have ever twisted

This sweet design came to me on Saturday, 19  October from Jayne in UK. She stitched me a design by Country Cottage Needleworks which is a joy to received since I have yet to own this particular design.

 Loved the finishing details .

Finally a progress of Part 2 Positive Thinking SAL by JP completed on the evening of October 30

A lil'peek into a wedding dinner of a colleague on October 19 at Cheers Palace Restaurant in Cheras

A belated Birthday gift came hand delivered personally on October 21st from Jaimis . What a delight to see a cute key pouch and a zipped pouch sewn by herself among other sewing things in the package. She did a wonderful job considering that she just took up sewing only recently  and  it was great to meet up again. Thanks JK!

 

Thank you for visiting, hope you'll have a good week ahead.

 

Smoke gets in my eyes

Can you imagine our clear blue skies turned to this for days for about week or so? The worst of the smog shifted from the southernmost district and the coastal line, where noxious fumes have drifted across the sea this past week from Indonesia's Sumatra island.

Buildings enveloped in smog that slashed visibility to barely hundreds of meters (feet).
Cities was shrouded with haze from forest fires set by people who used the traditional slash and burnt method for clearing land for farming on the Indonesian island of Sumatra causing  “unhealthy” levels of pollution on our atmosphere brought in by wind.  The city skies were hazy and air pollution readings was at hazardous level of over 500 in some districts. Some light rain in the last two days finally saw the air quality dramatically improved with moderate air quality reading.

Today, I see blue sky again. Hopefully it stays good for the days to come.

A little mail is all I need to cheer me up from the weather woes. I received this gorgeous  needleroll from Roberta, my Summer Exchange at HOE yesterday. I didn't expect this to arrive so soon, so this was a pleasant surprise. It's very  sweet of Roberta to include a lovely  cut of Summer Theme fabric with cute flipflops design.

Just look at the detailing on the needleroll, Roberta is amazingly talented, so much beautiful creativity in one place.  Thank you so much Roberta, love this to bits.

This weekend ends the  2nd quarter of the year, unfortunately I have not progress much on Mary as I had planned, my attention got diverted to something which I am not allowed to reveal for now. I am giving myself another month to complete Mary and oh yes! I do have secret projects ongoing, LOL!

Have a good weekend everyone



Image google searched captured between 6 to 2 days ago.

Stitcher's Choice Ornament

One quickie post !  This beauty arrived on Tuesday when I had given up hope of it ever showing up, came all the way from the land of Oz , Australia stitched by Karen K.

The wonderful goodies from Karen with an adorable  Christmas card, note that it’s full of Owls?,LOL and the package is filled with sweet scent from the soap simply named Scents of Christmas. Thank you Karen, for a lovely ornament and all the things you put in for me.

This was the last exchange for year 2012 at Hooked On Exchanging organized by Carol.

Thank you all for your visits and your lovely comments in my last post. 
To my new followers, welcome!
Here's wishing everyone a wonderful weekend !

Christmas in summerland

The Hometown Christmas theme at HOE was a real challenge, its a reflection of cultural identity.

The Tree materialized from a sketch I made

As a kid, all species of pine trees are known to me as Christmas Tree,

as such, a tree without decorations and presents beneath, will  just be another pine tree on any one's front lawn or on a beach. A decorated tree definitely made all the difference.

Its magical to a kid !

This is what Christmas is to me in my perspective through my eyes

My package flew to Melissa C in USA on October 8 and I received words of its arrived on October 25 . I think it turned out quite nicely.

 Tropical Christmas Tree

Fabric : 32 count Linen

Floss : DMC and Carrie
with silvery finishing

Finishing another few more pieces

Design : Old Colonial Design "Christmas"

Source : JCS Magazine 2010

Floss : Carrie and Needle Odyssey on 32 ct linen
Replacing the Santa with an angle from among my stash

Size : 2 1/2 x 4"

Christmas Coffee 2012

Freebie by Plum Street Samplers

Floss : DMC 801, 3861 and white

The fabric almost drown the snowflakes
Size : 3 x 4 1/2"

Guardian of the Sea

Freebie Design from The Little Stitcher

Floss Needle Odyssey OD and Carrie
Size : 4 1/2 x 5 1/2"
Pinkeep

This week marks the 44th week of the year. Nine more weeks before the year comes to an end.  I have my schedules up to my neck with year end reports, a charity function and three weddings to attend all in November. I have two more exchanges left to wrap up and a couple more Christmas stitching. The WIP  will have to take a back seat for awhile.

 

*SPM (O-Level equivalent) begins today too. It has been some months and weeks and hours of anxiety, tensions, nervousness and jittery in between irritable, lethargic and exhausting for both the candidate and this mommy. As at this morning,  the feelings has not been calm, I think it has escalate. 

Thank you everyone who came by and took time to leave me your comments, I appreciate your visits.
A lil'prayer goes to all those affected by Sandy.

HOE Praire Schooler Ornament

A couple of weeks back, I received a package from Becky K for the  HOE Perpetual Christmas Ornament Exchange. Its been awhile I had stayed away from exchanging and so I was rather excited when I had a package in my mailbox.  Becky K stitched me this adorable design, she did gave me details of this but I shamelessly had to admit that I had misplaced her postcard that came along, thou I had reminded myself that its kept in a safe place, its still is somewhere,  forget~able  only for now. I was in the mist of tiding up my work table then, anyway I do love Santa and this is just perfect!

From me, I stitched a design from the Cranberry  Christmas Booklet. This is for Sadie in UK  stitched on  32 ct Linen Antique White.  I received words that it had arrived on Thursday. I was getting a bit worried since it has been travelling for almost two weeks.

A wedding Dress Form Scissor Pocket, from a whimsical thought when I still had the mood to work on my old sewing machine.

Much much thanks to all who came by and took time to leave me your lovely comments.

Have a good happy crafting weekend.