HAPPY NEW YEAR

I have been MIA for sometime - a very unexpected thing happened in 2012 which I shall not delve here!

Anyway, I just want to wish everyone that 2013 will be full of SUNSHINE and RAINBOWS! 

Sneak peek of a quilt I hope to complete in 2013 - the backing is laid; just need to sew the border. 
BTW.....the challenge for the coming NNC Anniversary meet is FABRIC House set by our esteemed headmistress, MW! And I'm pleased to say, I have completed ! *wink* I have also completed the Gift Exchange to go together with the Fabric house. Unfortunately, I can't show the pictures at this time yet! 

I have a new toy!

As a birthday gift to myself, I bought a die cutting machine. It comes in my fave colour too!

Now I'm a BIG SHOT owner! *grin*

25 years ago.....

...... this day, DH and I exchanged vows to love and honour each other...at the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Ipoh Garden. Prior to taking the walk down the aisle, the church required us to attend a 6-weeks course of marriage preparation called Evening of the Engaged (EE). [It has since be re-named Catholic Marriage Preparation course] Besides us, there were two other couples plus the married couple who were facilitating the course for the church. It was compulsory for couples seeking to be married in the Catholic church to attend this course as divorce is not permitted in the church's doctrine -"what God has joined, let no man un-join!"

And I designed my wedding gown, though I did not keep the gown after the BIG day! Because the bridal shop had to start from scratch to make the gown, they charged me extra! (and my mum make a big fuss over why I have to use my own design, instead of just renting one of those ready-made ones to save some money. Well, it was my gown and I wanted one that was unique!) It was a combo of 'Scarlet O'hara' and the late Princess Diana's wedding gown! *grin*

DH and I had our ups and downs and we have come a long way to learn to live as a couple! Along the way, we had a daughter who is now 23 years old and doing her final year at the University of Science Malaysia, Penang.

We had a quite dinner on Sunday night to mark this event at the San Francisco Steak House......
here is the dessert we had which was a rich chocolate cake filled with a sweet gooey chocolate sauce and served with Hagen Das ice-cream! Yummy!

Thank you for visiting.

A Skirt

It has been ages since I sewed for myself......here is the outcome of 1 hour work! I just sewed the one side seam, put it the elastic cording and ta da.....a NEW SKIRT for moi! *grin*

I bought this fabric about a month ago at Nagoya when NNC had the mini stitching bee in Ipoh. It has a very pretty Japanese style print on a pink background and I knew I had to buy it! LOL However, it is not Japanese cotton which I initially thought was. It is made in Thailand as there was a mark on the selvedge with Thai script! :( Anyway, I still have a new skirt.......

Arrghh......

......I don't have space to craft anymore!! Which means...............

.......it's time for another clear-up. I did that here. *wink* I such a messy person, no?? Anyway, I spent yesterday afternoon clearing up and re-arranging the table so that I can find my tools - I couldn't find my tape measure a few days ago when I wanted to measure how long I wanted to make my skirt from the piece of pink fabric with Japanese design which I bought from Nagoya two weeks ago! :(
However, before the clean up, I went to buy some new containers to store some of the papers which I have printed out from some freebie site and which I hope to make/stitch one of these days! And I found just the right one....it store A4 flat and I can use it to hold my wip's without have to fold the paper chart!

And so, here is the result after a hard afternoon's work................:D

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Voila! My craft table is back.

Thanks for visiting.

Have a nice day!

Chinese New Year 2010

On the 5th day of the Chinese New Year (Feb 18), my friends and I met up for our so called "annual gathering" This year's was a little late....many of the gals have came and gone! Anyhow, we have a special guest this year...Mary Cheah.... flew in from Vancouver to attend her aunt's 80th birthday celebration.
We had an enjoyable lunch at the Indulgence Restaurant, Ipoh - a treat from Micheal Lee.

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A day earlier, I met up with two members of NNC who happened to be visiting their families in Ipoh - Paul and Ann. Ann is a very new member and she is very enthusiastic about what we do in the group. Incidentally, Paul and Ann have signed up for the current 'blue' pincushion exchange co-ordinated by Usha and Paul has been assigned to send to Ann.....*grin*

oooOoooOooo

This Chinese New Year is one of the hottest I've experienced - the heat and humidity makes one want to stay indoors! There has not been any rain since the first day - 14th February - of the celebration!
This afternoon DD went back to campus as classes will resume on Monday and I have to go back to work on Monday, too.........:(

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010

I have not much to write for this post, but just want to post a picture of the Chang family photo....Chang is DH's family name and he has 5 brothers and 2 sisters. His sisters live in Adelaide, Australia and they are visiting with their two daughters. Unfortunately, DH's brothers in-law couldn't make the trip. Anyway, it is not an easy feat to have the whole family together at one place....now especially some of the older grandchildren are off to college and unis and they have different semester break.

Chang family-taken on Christmas day 2009

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY 2010

Clean Up

My craft table was becoming so cluttered that I hardly had any space to work on! I also couldn't find some of the necessary tools for my craft. All of them were drown in the mess! LOL
Yesterday I decided to clean up the table and re-arrange my things so I can at least see what is where!

Before

VOILA!...........here's how it looks like after............Yay! I have more space to work on......lol.





NNC STITCHING BEE on 7th November 2009

This bee was initially arranged to coincide with Lody's visit to Malaysia while she was visiting her homeland, the Philipines. Unfortunately, the Philipines was hit by heavy rain which caused much flooding just after Lody arrived there and she couldn't come over as planned.

Anyway, the local members went ahead with the bee and we had the biggest turnout of members thus far! A detail report of the day is here.

During the meet, MW gave me a belated birthday present which was designed by Lody. Thank you Margaret! It is so well-stitched and beautifully finished.

Needle Etui

Inside

Back

Fob

Thank you for visiting.

Christmas RR & Exchanges

MW organized a quartet Christmas RR at NNC I chose to stitch snowmen because of a chart I received from the ATC birthday exchange. I found the snowman so adorable! Lillie will be the next person to stitch on it; after which it will be passed on to MW, then Anna.

Design: Waxing Moon

Stitched on 14ct red aida using DMC fibres

This is the second RR I'm taking part in. Unfortunately, the first piece (which is nearly a year old now) has not been returned to me yet due to circumstances beyond my control!

I am glad to say I'm kind of updated with my exchanges - I have posted (on 16th July) my piece for the LK exchange. I will reveal it when my 'secret' partner has received it.
I have finished stitching my next ATC birthday exchange for Marie whose birthday is in August. Now I just have to mount and post it to Marie. However, as of writing, Kate whose birthday fell on 7th July has not received my piece yet - keeping my fingers crossed that it will arrive soon.
One more exchange which will be due end August is the needlebook exchange also organized by MW. It is partially finished and I hope to complete before the end of the month! *wink*

Thank you for dropping by.

When I say......

I received this beautiful poem from a friend and would like to share:

I'm A Christian
by
Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on..

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say.... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say.... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Share this with somebody who already has this understanding, as reinforcement. But more importantly, share this with those who do not have a clear understanding of what it means to be a Christian, so that the myth that Christians think they are "perfect" or "better than others" can be dispelled.

Another Exchange & a Zigouigoui

I have joined another exchange (my gray cells must have gone on vacation when I signed up). Since it involves small pieces of stitching, I believed I am able to follow through! *keeping my fingers crossed though!* This exchange will allow me to stitch some cute small designs and finish it as an ATC for the birthday gal and this exchange has stitchers from all over the world.....Australia, Africa, UK, USA and yours truly in Malaysia. There are many designs that I had loved to stitch, but did not know how to finish it, so the ATC is a good opportunity to do so! Incidentally, the first person on the birtday list is yours truly and I am so looking forward to receive the cards. Frankly, I only have a vague idea of the ATC so being the first recipient will allow me to know what to do for the next birthday gal whose birthday falls in July!

A Zigouigoui.......what in the world is this when I first saw the name?? Anyway, a fellow stitcher made one and I fell in love with it. (BTW, there is a tutorial link at the said post on how to finish is little ornament!) Finally, I managed to complete it and here it is.

Fabric: 14ct red Aida

Fibre: DMC metallic E135
Fringe is made from a multi-coloured crochet yarn.
I stitched pearl beads along the seams and
the cord for the hanging is crocheted from the nulti-coloured yarn
with pearl beads added along the way.

Here is the design before the finish. It's a freebie from here.

Thank you for visiting and I also take this opportunity to wish all mothers
A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

Time flies.....

About 10 months ago, I wrote here that DD was entering university. Last Sunday, 26th April DH and I drove up to Penang and helped her to bring back her things from the hostel as she has completed her exams and first year! How quickly time passed.....

She is home now for the next two months and these past few days, she had done nothing, but sleep and watched video! She and her friends have planned some trip for next month. We (she and I) will also be going for a holiday down under in June!

During this trip to Penang, I took the opportunity to visit Little Penang Street. Personally, I was quite disappointed with what were offered or displayed there. It could be because we were there rather late at about 2.30pm and some of the stalls were already empty. For those who want to visit this event which happens on every last Sunday of the month, it is on the street adjacent to the E&O Hotel, Pg which is a historical landmark.

THE SEED

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different.

He called all the young executives in his company together.

"It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO," he said.

''I have decided to choose one of you."

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. ''I am going to give each one of you a seed today - a very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks,
some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure....

Six months went by - still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - he so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach. It was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.

He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the
CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot, He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed.. Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Here is your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!"

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said?

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me
trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"

MORAL:

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

source: from the internet - original author unknown

My Wife's A Hooker

This entry is shamelessly copied from a post by a member at NNC

My wife she is a hooker,
Of this she's mighty proud,
And the stories of her exploits,
Are legends in our town,
She's shameless with her talents,
She'll go hooking anywhere,
And if people want to watch her,
She really doesn't care,
It seems to be a family thing,
Her mother taught her how,
Seems her grandma was a hooker,
And my daughters hooking now,
She goes to hookers meetings,
to learn the new techniques,
She starts hooking in a frenzy,
And won't talk to me for weeks,
She doesn't do the housework,
She doesn't make the beds,
No she doesn't have time for that,
She'd rather hook instead,
My wife she is a hooker,
And I curse that awful day,
When she first picked up the hook and yarn,
And learned how to crochet

I am also a hooker and proud of it!

Mid semester break

DD had her first semester break from 15th - 24th August 2008 and she came home for a few days. She took this opportunity to visit her fave place - KLCC or more precisely Kinokuniya book shop! She even pre-ordered one of her manga books and picked it up while we were there.

I bought a few books myself too, *wink* 2 Chinese craft books and a Japanese x-stitch book with French designs.
We also went to Petaling Street as DD also wanted to look for anime VCDs.

USM Campus

We (DH and I) and Celine (Cheng Fai's mum) made an early start to Penang. We fetched Celine at 7.30am and had breakfast before setting off.

It was hazy while we were crossing the Penang Bridge like a storm is brewing over the island, but surprisingly it was bright and sunny when we arrived on the island. We didn't have difficulty finding the campus - just followed the sign boards and landed right at the doorstep of the main entrance (Batu Uban) lol! After gaining permission from the guard, we drove through the campus and had a first hand look at the Garden University which USM is also know as. It is like a small township and quite impressive and condusive for study! DD and Cheng Fai's hostels are located at the other end of the main gate - in fact, it's an annex to the main campus compound. There are six blocks of apartments - namely Restu, Saujana and Tekun. DD is staying in Saujana, whereas Cheng Fai is in Tekun. DD block is pretty clean and she said the cleaners come around every morning to empty the rubbish bins. Apparently, over at Tekun, the bins are only cleared once a week. DD shares the room with a girl in the same course whose hometown is over at Butterworth!

DD in front of hostel

After unloading the luggage, we went to Queensbay Mall.

The two of them, apparently just got up before we arrive and thus did not have any breakfast. We had brunch at Nando's as DH and Celine hadn't tasted them before. Then we proceeded to Borders where I bought a few books and a Japanese mag (the only one I saw) while DD bought some Japanese reference books! After spending 4 hours at Queensbay Mall, we went to Tesco Extra as both of them want to pick up some tidbits and necessities! Brought them back to the hostel and after having a drink at the cafeteria, we started our journey home. Today, the kids start their classess......

Off to Uni (USM Penang)

Last week, Michele found that she has been accepted to study Management at Univeristi Sains Malaysia, Penang.....thus began a hectic week for us. First, we went shopping....for SKIRTS and blouses, two items that is not common vocabulary for her! lol Finding blouses/shirts were not too difficult, but the skirts were another story....they are either too short, too flowery, or too expensive. Didn't want to get pricey ones as she won't be wearing them much once the Orientation is over. Finally, we managed to find three pieces that meets her criteria at Reject Shop at RM100.60 for all three pieces!
Then we have to buy pails, brushes and other daily necessities which she took for granted while living at home. As she begins this new journey, she has to learn to do chores for herself....wash her clothes (though there are washing machines in the campus), ironing, and keeping her room clean! At home, she didn't do chores at all!
And she began packing only yesterday afternoon and I helped her to pack her suitcase and there seem to be so many things that she has to take along. The next week is only Orientation week and her clothes took up most of the space in the case! Didn't get to bed until after 1 am! Her other stuff is still lying on the floor at home and DH and I will be bringing them to her next week when she moves to her 'permanent' hostel for the semester. We are taking Cheng Fai's stuff too to him. He is doing a different course - English Literature and Linguistic Studies.
Both Michele and Cheng Fai left for Penang this morning and staying over night at Cheng Fai's friend's place at Batu Ferringhi. The friend will be fetching them to USM campus tomorrow.
Will miss her though especially going for Japanese food.

Beauty from Trash

Ever wonder what to do with your empty plastic bottle, old newspapers/magazines or the white box which you "ta pau"? Last Saturday, I attended a workshop where you turn these 'trash' into beauties!

The 'vase' is re-cycled from a cut-off plastic bottle and sprayed black.

From old newspaper.......

.....to a pretty basket!

Quilt Expo

The Quilt Expo in conjunction with Bernina's Sewing machines 75th Anniversary was held at the Corus Hotel, Jalan Ampang, KL from 6th - 9th Sept. 2007. Went there on 7th Sept with the main purpose to attend the Thread painting workshop. Paid RM120 for this workshop which gave us a kit of 9pcs 6"x6" of cotton fabric, 6 spools of Metler threads, a large piece of muslin, a hoop and some stabilizer. The instructor showed us how to 'paint' on the fabric using the Bernina 440 It looked very easy, but when I tried the piece was a disaster! Lucky, I 'painted' from the corner, therefore was able to savage some of the fabric which I believed were American cotton.

Since the workshop was only 2 hours and I had plenty of time to 'kill' before coming home, I bought the Christmas ball kit to make. The kit costs RM20.00 which consisted of a polystyrene ball and 3 sets of 2" x 2" cotton fabric and some pins. It was easy to make as it only involved folding the fabric and pinning it to the polystyrene ball!

Before leaving, I bought some buttons and charms, the heart shape

yo-yo maker (small),a tin of spray glue and the plastic for the rim of the Ort bag.

Didn't get any fabric though as what they have there were not to my taste. Were looking for Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett, but they did not carry them. What they had were quite dated and the novelty prints which I saw were cats!

Had lunch with Seng Fong whom I had not seen for sometime, before going to the Expo. We took the opportunity to update each other on our news.

Daylight Flexilens Magnifier

Bought this magnifier from Jean of Needle Little Love, Singapore. It makes stitching on linen so much easier. By far, a very good investment.