Chinese Ink Brush Painting

Bamboos swaying in the wind. I think it is from a Chinese poem. If you know it, could you let me know who the poet is.

I understand that the brushstrokes are very important in this type of painting. The brushstrokes are the signature of the artist. This one is painted by Song Qi Xian. I shot a video of him painting this. It took about 15 mins.

Daffodil

A little daffodil just sprouted and bloomed. The springtime daffodil is from Georgia Seitz's website and is a pattern from Inger Kirstensen. It sprouted from Martha Ess' Maltese Sugar bowl. Venus Size 40 threads were used in 2 shades of green, dark peach and yellow. I wanted to do the petals in a lighter yellow. I took the ball of thread out but forgot and continued with the darker yellow. Maybe next time I will remember.

Hope this brightens up your winter's day and hope spring comes soon.

Bridges of Putrajaya

Putrajaya is the administrative centre of Malaysia and the creator was the former PM of Malaysia. Putrajaya is beautiful with bridges over man-made lakes, sprawling green gardens and large buildings.

Seri Saujana Bridge

View on Seri Saujana Bridge

Seri Wawasan Bridge

Seri Wawasan Bridge

View from Seri Wawasan Bridge


View of Putra Mosque from Seri Wawasan Bridge
The building behind the minaret is Perdana Putra, the Prime Minister's office

View of Iron Mosque from Seri Wawasan Bridge

A Basket of Roses

This basket of roses is also for Judy. She loves roses and I realised I have not tatted this rose pattern for her. The rose pattern came from the Japanese book 'Tatting Lace' from Sumi Fujishige on page 10 and 50.

The basket pattern is from Tatting - Book #207 on page 18. It was not tatted exactly to the pattern as my spacing of the rings was all wrong. The pattern started with Row 2 and Row 1 was tatted last. In mine, I omitted Row 1 all together, one row had too few rings and another row had too many rings. But you get the shape of the basket. Sorry, the photo was taken before blocking. Weeks back Gina showed a lovely tatted basket. That was a really pretty pattern.

Love & Marriage

"We come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly"

~Sam Keen~

"A good marriage is one that allows for change and growth in the individuals and the way they express their love"

~Pearl S. Buck~

Impatiens Busy Lizzie

I first saw this double petaled Impatiens in soft pink, red and white at Fraser's Hill, Malaysia when we visited for the weekend. Fraser's Hill has a day temperature of about 25 degrees C. So the cooler temperatures were just suitable for this plant to grow. We got some cuttings and mom planted them in her garden. They survived for a few months but when the temperatures got really hot to about 33 - 34 degrees C, they succumbed to the heat.

I got these peach ones from a nursery nearby and asked for other colours but they only had these. They are doing well now and I hope they continue to thrive before the weather gets too hot. I am hoping that because they were propagated here in Singapore, it would be more adapted to the hot temperatures.

Easter Tatting

These tatted pieces are for Judy of CJ Stitching and Blooms. She requested some Easter themed tatting for a Easter Crazy Quilt that she is stitching. I was most happy to oblige. Judy is a kind lady and a kindred spirit.

The bunny is Mark Myer's pattern tatted in Ladyshuttlemaker's Easter Eggs HDT Size 20.

Kirsten Wind Hansen's easter egg pattern #19 with Lisa Trumble's little bunny. Tatted in Altin Basak Size 50 (#3054) which Typstatting sent me.

Same pattern #19 as above but tatted in Coats Size 20 Col. 693 and Delica beads.

Kirsten Wind Hansen's Easter Egg #5 tatted in DMC Size 12 in white (Blanc) and pink (#818).

Kirsten Wind Hansen's Easter Egg #16 tatted in Flora Size 20 #207.

Second Attempt

Does this look more like the photo in the book. What am I talking about? This!! Getting the chains to entwine.

I thought all I had to do was block it correctly but I just realised it is not so, silly!! It should entwine meaning some celtic tatting. I could not see it from the diagram in the book and the Japanese instructions. So this means I have to tat this again.

I am beginning to think that, this is the way I am going, starting this year, with my tatting. I have to tat each pattern a few times to get it right. Where is my concentration?

Malay Gooseberry

This plant is Phyllanthus acidus or the Malay gooseberry. The fruit is normally eaten pickled and it looks yellow. I have not seen the tree with the fruits until now. Isn't the colour gorgeous? It reminded me of Tatskool's Chocolime HDT.

Turquoise Tatted Hairpin

This is tatted in Lizbeth Size 40 in dark ocean turquoise (#657). In the centre is a grey rhinestone. The shape of this one is round so it looks more like a flower. Here is a photo showing all three: square, round and diamond-shaped.

Christmas 2011 Snowflake #4

I have been distracted from my snowflakes. But that is fine.

This one is from Sumi Fujishige's Tatting Lace Book on page 12 and 53. If you have flipped through this book, did you notice the Clover pastel shuttles photographed in this book? This book was first printed in June 2010.

There I go, getting distracted again. This snowflake has long chains which should entwine. Mine unfortunately did not. The centre was a little misleading as it looked so much like a circle in the book photo but when you tat it up, you realise it is not. Quite fast to tat up too.

Flowers to Bring More Cheer

The colour spotting on this African Violet seemed unusual so it is now in my balcony. More flowers to be posted as and when they bloom.

The other pot of African violet bloomed with many sprays during Christmas time last year. The flowers looked almost white but it is actually a very light lilac.

The Great 'Enchanter'

This is a really pretty heart pattern by Jon Yusoff. I did not tie the ribbon at the end although it added a nice touch to the pattern. Two of these are going to a friend. Val has the same pattern tatted up. Do have a look at her enchanter.

Chilli Padi

This is mom's chilli padi tree in her garden. Neighbours and relatives are all welcome to pick them. They are very spicy and can be eaten raw, perserved in vinegar or used in curry or sambal dishes.

Chilli padi (padi is the Malay word for paddy refering to the rice grain it resembles) or cabai burung is also known as bird's eye chilli. The birds love to pick the ripe ones which are bright red. We pick the green ones so they preserve better. The tree is about a meter high and you only need one tree for the whole neighbourhood. The flowers are white and the fruit is only about 1 inch in length.

The ones sold in Singapore is a different variety and they are about 2 inches in length and not as spicy as these ones.

Small Tatted Heart

Thank you Betsy Evans for this small tatted heart pattern. The shape of the heart is just lovely and I am amazed at how she created the pattern to allow the chains to flow. If you have not tatted it, I highly recommend it.

I found some minor corrections (Ring #3: 6+4-4-6 and Ring #13: 4+4-2) to the pattern.

The black one (Milford Size 40) was tatted first with one mistake (so I thought). I went on to tat the red one (Lizbeth Size 40 Red Burst #147) to correct my earlier mistake and apparently totally satisfied with myself, I started blocking both and realised another mistake found in both. And you see the third heart in Lizbeth Size 20 Sea Shell (#114) which is still wrong (see Ring #13). So the last heart in Lizbeth Size 20 Shell Pink Medium (#627) is hopefully correct, otherwise I am going to scre........am.

More 2010 Rabbits

These are store adverts which I thought were quite nice. I hope you like them too.

This one is a dough dumpling shaped into a rabbit.

Chinese New Year Decorations

Lots of red and gold everywhere. The pineapple represents good luck; gold for wealth; and red for good fortune and joy. All auspicious symbols and colours.

Chinese New Year Goodies

These are Chinese New Year goodies sold only at this time of the year.

Waxed leg of ham

Waxed whole duck

Preserved sweets - sugared fruits and melons

Preserved sugared persimmons

A well-known shop in Singapore for sticky sweet cakes (nian kao/tee kueh), a traditional cake for the Chinese New Year. The shop is also famous for its mooncakes sold only during the mid autumn festival.

It could be cut up and steamed, rolled in fresh grated coconut or deep fried in batter with yam and sweet potatoes.