Singapore sunset

This is sunset in my neighbourhood. Not the prettiest of views but the colours of sunset are still beautiful. Sometimes when we're driving home at about this time on the expressway, you get a good view of the sunset too. I love those times but it is not often.

Christmas Tatting

Holly leaves and berries are tatted in Marilee's Forest and Pizzazz HDTs in Size 30. Below that is Ellen's tree bookmark. Ellen shared her tree pattern on her blog. Do have a look. I used a Flora variegated thread in light green Size 20. Thanks so much Ellen.

Treasures from Pat Part II

To continue on what I received from Pat. She must have heard I love to make things and I love brooches/pins. She included this DIY beaded pin kit which I am itching to do. I may bring it on my vacation. Isn’t the design just lovely? Another item is this lace studded with Swarovski crystals. It could be made into a lovely choker or bracelet or used in a CQ project. I have yet to decide. With this, in the little pack, was 3 pairs or beautiful toggle clasps. That would also go into either necklaces or bracelets.

Gorgeous silk ribbons in purple and green, hand dyed by Pat. Loads to stitch with and to practice my silk ribbon embroidery flowers and leaves on a lovely background of Thai silk.

Last but not least, two packets of cocoa raspberry for me and AAA to enjoy.

A beaded tree for Christmas

Rachel made these two lovely trees which now sits on my table reminding me that Christmas is on its way. I will be home for Christmas. It will be little Shu May's first Christmas too. She is my newest niece, born this year on 1st of May. This photo was taken when she was 3 weeks-old.

HDTs from Yarnplayer Arts

This was one of the packages I received last week. Beautiful HDTs from Yarnplayer Arts on Etsy. Marilee also has a blog where she has wonderful tatting designs with beads. From top to bottom: Pizzazz, Tourmaline, Bronzed rose, Nicobar pigeon and Forest. I have started using Forest to make Holly leaves. I will photograph it as soon as it is done.

Treasures from Pat Part I

I won Pat’s birthday giveaway. Pat chose a coin purse for me. I love it. It is robin egg blue. Is that colour appropriately described? It was lovingly wrapped in a purple flower taffeta material with silk ribbons and a butterfly tag. The purse looks really vintage with lovely silk ribbon flowers embroidered on the top near the pretty purse frame. I especially love the lace of leaves and flowers running up the left side and a wonderful message in the centre which reads "With love and fond wishes". And when you open the purse, you see a lovely tag inside. I will treasure this Pat. Thank you so much!

In another quiz by Pat for Halloween, I won this pin which says Free Broom Rides. I told Pat how appropriate this was, Wendy the witch giving free broom rides with her little black cat (my Tsuru). The altered boy looks sweet bearing this message and to celebrate Halloween he is decked up with glitter and a witch’s hat. And oh, it is filled with lavender and so sweet-smelling. Also note the packaging it came in.

Pat included lots more in her package but I will keep that to blog about another day.

Bookworm award

Kathy tagged and gave me this award. Would I care to participate. Hmmmm . . okay. The nearest book to me at the moment is Anne of Avonlea. I watched the TV series nearly 10 years ago, borrowed the books from K and never had time to read it. Recently I took it out from my bookshelf and read Anne of Green Gables. I am now reading the 2nd book. I told Kathy the other book nearest to me on my sofa is a Japanese Tatting book and I did not know how to write out the 5th sentence from page 56 of this book.

So here it goes. 5th sentence on Pg 56 of Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery reads: “Well, I ain’t gonna let anyone else pull it” says Davy, doubling up his fists and frowning. “They’d just better try it. I didn’t hurt her much . . . she just cried ‘cause she’s a girl. I’m glad I’m a boy but I am sorry I am a twin.”

Who got tagged and awarded the bookworm award?
1. Sherry
2. Pat
3. Ellen
4. Lana
5. Annie

Thank you Kathy!!

Malay movies

I came across these old movies on vcd last weekend and some of these movies were actually shot in Singapore in the sixties. I remember growing up watching these movies. Every Friday night on TV, we look forward to these Malay movies. On other week nights, it was either a Tamil or Chinese movie and on Saturdays, English movies. Oh how we looked forward to them. No cable back then only one national channel. Take it or leave it. This was the seventies.

Items on Etsy Part V

Another jewellery Etsian I always look out for is Xinxinemin from Saitama, Japan. Her wired jewellery is intricate yet unique. She wires up unusual shapes, some in '3-dimensional cages'. She also uses the different gemstones to combine the lovely colours. I particularly like a pair of dangling earrings done with ruby and rubelite which yes, has been sold. She has it on her Etsy banner, second one from far right.

Of course there are all the other shops which I adore which I have bought from. If you are on Etsy, you know where to go. Am I an Etsy addict? Maybe.

Lemon poppy seed cake

I have been meaning to bake this cake since February. I know, its November. I finally got down to it today. The crunch of the poppy seeds add an interesting texture. I'm having this with a cup of Earl Grey. Hmm, I think I would bake this cake again, maybe for Christmas. I also received two packages this past week. I will post them next week. Are you wondering what those holes on the cake are. The recipe required me to poke holes and drizzle it with a lemon syrup. Perhaps I should have used a smaller instrument instead of a chopstick. And the next time I bake this I shall drizzle it with a lemon liquer instead of just a lemon syrup.

Items on Etsy Part IV

Another favourite of mine is Meristem. I love her colourful and unpredictable creations. She is also giving a 25% discount for purchases over $40 right now. Meristem is the area of the plant where there is active cell activity and is responsible for creating new organs. Hmmm how appropriate. I wonder if she loves plants too.

November Giveaway Puzzle

In November's giveaway you have to solve a puzzle. You need to find 10 clues in the above word puzzle. The clues are names of characters and places in a book. All you have to do is name the book. Two of the clues are in the title of the book. First person to correctly name the book will win.
Well, I hope this will make your effort worthwhile! Your prize is shown below.

Items on Etsy Part III

The third one is Calexandra. Charlotte makes the loveliest flower hair clips and brooches. Beautiful colour combination and I also think her hand felted items are pretty cool. My favourite is the pink with green or the yellow hair clip / brooch. I would seldom choose a yellow but this one is just attractive. Her motto is to sell affordable, well made and pretty items.

Egg dolls for the Comfort Doll Project

More egg dolls for the Comfort Doll Project. I am happy to say that it has arrived and they are safe with Pat. If you want to know the history of this, do refer here.

The dolls are made with Thai silk fabric, Delica beads, sequins, tatted egg, fire-polished glass beads, more glass beads, plastic beads and Swarovski crystal pearls. All hand sewn while I watch TV with Umi and Tsuru on my left and right.

From L to R

Shy Jill in Hot Fuchsia: Bashful eyes batting her eyelashes; Pretty flower shoes; Body dotted with fire-polished glass beads; Seams lined with pink sequins and Delica beads; Tatted egg in pink and mint green threads

Cordelia the Garden Goddess: A garland of flowers on her temple; Smiling at the flowers blooming in her garden, Glass slippers on her feet; Seams lined with metallic mint green Delica beads; Tatted egg in variegated pinkish blue and green threads

Sonia in Sky Blue: A love charm on her neck tied in a narrow lilac ribbon, She’s too modest to show her face; Light purple glass slippers on her feet; A crystal pearl studs her belly, Seams lined in purple sequins and bluish lilac Delica beads; Tatted egg in variegated purple and dark green threads

Puteri the Ivory Princess: She waits for her new owner to sew on a pretty face for her. She could be smiling or be deep in thought; Sewn in pale ivory silk; Crystal pearl shoes; Seams lined with bronze Delica beads; Tatted egg in khaki, pink and light blue threads; On her back a little ‘made with love’ charm. Puteri is Princess in Malay and it is pronounced as pu---tree.

Items on Etsy Part II

The second one is Soapy Chica. She has these handmade pieces that are to die for. They look too good to use and to me they look like icing covered cakes or deserts. What a treat to use such delicate-looking pieces and I am sure delicately-fragrant hand soap. My favourites are the sugar heart, Victorian wedding cake and flower garden.

Tatted dragonfly step by step instructions

The tatting pattern for this dragonfly can be found at DSD9 Designs. At this site you can also get the kit to make the dragonflies. The instructions below are shown using the self closing mock ring (SCMR) method. You could also use the split ring method (which I prefer because I love to tat split rings). You will need 1.5 yards of thread and two shuttles.

Step 1: Wind 1/3 yard on shuttle 1 (with flowers) and the remaining thread with beads on shuttle 2 (brown). Thread beads in this order: 2 wing beads, 2 eye beads and 2 wing beads.

Step 2: Hold the threads as shown with a loop at the bottom. Assume that Shuttle 2 (brown) is your ball thread and use shuttle 1 (with flowers) to make the chain stiches.

Step 3: This is how I hold my threads.

Step 4: Make your first chain ds using Shuttle 1 (with flowers).

Step 5: After making 3 chain ds, slide one wing bead into place and make the 4th ds.

Step 6: Continue with one more ds and slide in wing bead 2 and make another 3 ds.

Step 7: Make a loop for a ring using Shuttle 2 (brown) with 2 eye beads within ring thread.

Step 8: Make 2 ds, slide one eye bead in place and tat another 4 ds (as shown above). Slide 2nd eye bead and tat 2 more ds.

Step 9: Close ring (photo above) and continue to chain: 4 ds, wing bead, 2ds, wing bead and 3 ds. See photo below.

Step 10: To close SCMR, slide Shuttle 1 (with flowers) through loop and carefully close the SCMR by pulling the Shuttle 1 thread.

Step 11: Chain 12 ds for tail. Tie knot and cut.

Items on Etsy Part I

I love to shop for unique items and these days I find most of these on Etsy. I love to visit markets when we travel overseas, especially to Australia but I have not been there in years. Now I find my treasures on Etsy. Just wanted to highlight some of the Etsy shops which have items I love.

The first one is Kerrera Skye. What a lovely name. She has unique knitted items which are elegant, pretty, feminine (lady-like) and just simply gorgeous. She told me she just makes up the pattern as she knits. I would love to do that. I always need to follow a pattern. Now I remember I probably have some unfinished scarves or sweaters in my stash cupboard. I wish we had cool weather so that I can wear them. I have always preferred cool to hot temperatures. But I am getting something from her for a friend and perhaps myself, or not. I especially love this one which has gone to one lucky person.

A drive to look for sea glass

Woke up this morning to pounding on our ceiling at 6.30am. Sounded like someone on the top floor was assembling furniture. After some pounding you could hear a hammer being laid down on his floor, our ceiling.

Oh well, I thought since we were up, could we drive to the beach to look for sea glass. Ever since collecting sea glass at Port Dickson, I was eager to see whether the beaches of Singapore had any. We live on the north west of Singapore and I wanted to go to Changi beach 32 kms away, to look for sea glass.

Well, to cut a long story short, we ended up in Geylang Serai market for breakfast, drove to East Coach Park, then Changi Beach and I could not find a single piece of sea glass. At East Coast Park, all I found on the beach was empty water bottles, plastic bags, other people's trash, a broken light bulb and onions. Yes, thrash from the city. It's sad.

At Changi beach, it was cleaner, sea shells, seaweed, germinating mangrove seeds, a sea urchin shell and barnacles. What was interesting was that there was a group from the US Army out doing community work. Oh and yes, you could see the planes flying down for landing as the beach was just next to the airport. Caught this on my camera. It was drizzling and a cloudy day.