Flower of Spring

This is a pattern by Gillian Buchanan. It is a pretty pattern and easy to do. It features the Josephine knot. I used the 2nd half stitch to do the Josephine knot. The Size 20 thread is from a Japanese brand called Coron . I have not been doing much tatting or anything else. I have been having a bad shoulder due to spending too much time working at the computer monitor. I badly need a good massage.

Pretty pink flowers on the grass

Aren't they so delicate and such a pretty pink.

Prawn and drumstick curry

This is my one of favourite curries. My mom used to cook this because we had a tree in our backyard from which the drumsticks grew. The fruit is long and looks very much like drum sticks. It is a legume with white flowers and very easy to grow . When I have a craving for this curry, I cook it myself.

Saute a chopped onion in some vegetable oil, add 2 tablespoons of fish curry powder and fry under low heat. Add drumsticks and cook for 10 mins before adding some water and coconut milk. When drumsticks are tender, add prawns and cook for another 10 mins. Curry tastes better after storing in the fridge overnight. It will be heated up and eaten with steamed rice tomorrow for dinner.

Red Fountain Grass

I love this grass. First saw it in Bangkok but more and more I see it planted here in Singapore in landscaped gardens. It has beautiful reddish inflorescence spikes. Plant is named Pennisetum setaceum.

Henderson Waves

I dragged AAA out of bed on Sunday to have a look at this new Singapore attraction. Henderson Waves is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. It links Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill across Henderson Road. Mount Faber is actually a hill. We parked at Mount Faber, strolled around the highest point listening to birds. We even had a whiff of starfruit near the Henderson Waves entrance. It was a wild fruit tree which we could not recognise. It was not a starfruit tree.

View towards Mount Faber

View from the mid way on the bridge down on Henderson Road

View towards Telok Blangah Hill

74.88m above sea level

View towards Telok Blangah HDB flats

View from Mount Faber where we sat and had a picnic breakfast of coffee and turkey sandwiches. Other groups of visitors were having nasi lemak.

Grass is always greener on the other side.

For a better view of Henderson Waves look here

More gorgeous threads and shuttle

I could not get enough of Lady Shuttle Maker's hand dyed threads. This time I got more silk threads: (from left) seaweed, yummy grapefruit, Karen's halo, peach pandorea, royalty, raspberry mousse and Vickies Lilacs. I was also amazed by her clay shuttles and decided to treat myself to one of her creations. I tried it out and it tats well. Just don't drop the shuttle or it might shatter to pieces. I just have to be careful. I love the tree design.

Congrats to Jess

The blue delica beaded rose is going to Jess. Can you see the bite marks on the paper. Tsuru was really enthusiastic about it. Thank you to all who joined the giveaway. Do come by to visit again. Jess, you know what to do!!

My Tatted Garfield

I love how each of these cats seem to get their own personality after its done. This one is ready to pounce on Jon.

Pink necklace

I just finished this necklace and will be posting it on Etsy soon. It is in different shades of pink and burgundy Swarovski crystal pearls, bicone crystals and two woven roses done with Delica beads.

Delica rose giveaway

This rose (2cm across) was woven using two different blue Delica beads with one Swarovski crystal pearl in the middle. I use these roses in my jewellery but your can use it for anything. An embellishment on your sewing project or as a centrepiece in a necklace, or bracelet or brooch. All up to your imagination. As what I did last month, I am giving this away. All you have to do is leave a comment on how you would use it before 19 July 2008 and I will do a draw on 20 July 2008. This is my fourth giveaway.

Size comparison

Annie asked me for the size of the previous flower motif in Vickies Lilacs. This photo shows the same pattern done in Tuscany Size 80 (2.2 inches) and on the right done in Anchor Cotton Perle 8 (#1325) threads (3 inches).

Tatted flower motif in Vikies Lilacs

This was done with Sherry's Vickies Lilacs Size 80. Aren't the picots pretty. I love how delicate it looks. And the colour is just fantastic.

Different size threads for tatting

I have always used size 20, 30 or Perle 8 threads for tatting. When I saw the hand dyed threads on Etsy, I wanted to try them out. I got a Size 100 silk thread with a few Size 80 cotton threads. The brown one on the left is tatted with Perle 8 (DMC #111), the middle row is tatted with Size 80 cotton (Tutti Frutti, Shades of Gray and Vikies Lilacs) and the one on the right is tatted with Size 100 silk (Hydrangea). I love how the picots form with Size 80 and the delicate texture. Size 100 is more difficult to tat with as the stitches are really tiny and when you have to unpick, it takes ages.

Wonderful coloured threads

I received these late last week and was eager to try it out for tatting. It's Size 80 and Size 100 which I have never used before. I love the colours and will post the tatting when I'm done. I got them from Lady Shuttle Maker. She also makes ceramic shuttles which I have yet to try. Perhaps I would treat myself to one.