Tuesday 31 May 2016

JS Doily VI WIP Again



I thought I was tatting the 2nd last row in this Jan Stawasz doily. It was 75% done when I realised I missed tatting 9 rings of each repeat. I had two options to correct it, cut or tie lots of ends. I decided to cut. In the photo above, you can see that I am cutting out the incorrect and on the left, is how it should be.

I am thinking it is too terra cotta than coral splash but it might turn out okay once the last round is done. Let's hope so. 


Monday 30 May 2016

Made Me Smile



A wood engraving by  Heinrich Leutemann c. 1865 titled "Interrupted Road Surveying in Singapore"


Under the exhibit was this description:
"An imaginative retelling of colonial architect  GD Coleman's road surveying trip in 1835 and the group's encounter with a tiger."


"Matchmaker" 
A woodblock print by See Cheen Tee

Can you guess what she is saying to the young missy?
Even the cat would like to know!

Friday 27 May 2016

Mille Crepe Cakes



This is the Oreo mille crepe cake from First Love Patisserie.
Soft, creamy and surprisingly light.
I did not taste much of the crepe unlike the Cappuccino mille crepe from the same shop.

The Earl Grey mille crepe from Lady M was delicate in its flavour and had a wonderful texture.
Now, if you like it sweet, try the Lady M signature mille crepe cake. 
Heavenly!

Thursday 26 May 2016

JS Doily VI WIP



It is coming along. 
Tatted another 4 rounds.
4 more to go.

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Art in Currency




A scroll painting of gibbons by Chen Wen Hsi



"Drying Salted Fish" by Cheong Soo Pieng 1978
Chinese ink and watercolours on cloth

Both paintings are featured on the $50 portrait series currency note.




Tuesday 24 May 2016

Tatted Jade Lariat



Thank you for your great comments in the preview post.
I did start this chain thinking it would make a great eyeglass holder.


It was so pretty and I had all those beads already strung so I decided to tat them all.


I was glad I did and it morphed into a lariat which can be worn several ways.

Tatted in a size 30 HDT from Marilee Rockley called Forest.
Besides the jade bamboo beads, I added Swarovski round crystals, Delica beads, and the lariat ends with two carved jade charms.


Monday 23 May 2016

Salted Egg Yolk Crab



Anything coated in salted egg yolk and fried tastes good.
Especially if I did not cook it.
We had this at a local restaurant. 
Fragrant and tasty.

Friday 20 May 2016

Zoroastrian House





While walking in Little India, we came across this. Intricate patterns on the door step. It was closed as it was a public holiday but it did have a signage which identifies it as the Parsi Zoroastrian Association of South East Asia.


Thursday 19 May 2016

New Jade Earrings




I am obsessed with dangling earrings. Lately, it has been jade. I made these for myself. 

The top is very dark green jade in gold filled ear hooks. The jade looks almost black but if you shine a light through it, you can see that it is green.

The second pair is done in 925 silver threaders. The jade is black. 

I love them both.

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Star Grass



I got this plant in a small pot but after reading up on it, I realised it is a marshy bog plant that will do well around ponds. The flowers are quite showy. I would love to have a garden to plant different ornamental grasses. Let's call it the grass garden.

Tuesday 17 May 2016

Another JS doily WIP




I could not wait to use the new Lizbeth colours on a Jan Stawasz pattern. I love this new colourway called Coral Splash (Col. 188) which I just obtained. Combined with Terra Cotta (Col. 673), it looks pretty good. 

Round 3 of the pattern completed so far but many more to go. In the book, two colours were used: white and cream. This one here looks very different.



Monday 16 May 2016

Telok Ayer Temple



A watercolour painting by Ang Ah Tee 1983.

You can enjoy this painting at the National Gallery in Singapore.

I love the colours in this one.

Friday 13 May 2016

Tree Architecture



Leaves on the ground
Crane in the background


Lovely trees


I was trying to capture the kapok tree


from a moving vehicle.
It looks like a very mature tree.



Thursday 12 May 2016

White Baroque Pearl Necklace



A beautiful strand of south sea pearls which was just knotted up in white silk threads.

It will make someone happy wearing these.

Not me unfortunately.
But I am happy to be part of the process.

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Wallpaper



I like the metallic sheen on this wallpaper.
I am not sure how long wallpaper will lasts in our weather if the room isn't cooled most of the time.


Another one that I liked and below a similar design as a wall feature in glass mirror panels. 

Same element on the headboard with the tacks.
Nice!

Tuesday 10 May 2016

JS Doily II Completed




The last 3 rounds completed. I contemplated whether to do the final round in Lizbeth Col. 133 Razzle Dazzle. I am glad I used Lizbeth Col. 656 Wedgewood Dark.

The pattern is Doily II from Jan Stawasz's Tatting Theory and Patterns (2013). I am happily thinking of tatting another JS doily in coloured threads.

Monday 9 May 2016

Paper Thosai



I love paper thosai or dosa because it is crispy and you can dip without getting it soggy. It still has a crunch when you bite into it. 
The other favourite of mine on this plate is a pappadam.
Perfect for weekend brunch.

Friday 6 May 2016

Self Portrait




Georgette Chen's self portrait can be viewed at the National Gallery of Singapore.




We did not have time to see all the galleries. 
Worth another visit on another day. 
A great way to pass time on a hot afternoon. 
What I love most - its cool, not crowded and 
a feast for the eyes.

Thursday 5 May 2016

Jade and Crystal Chain




I started another chain using jade beads, Swarovski crystals and Delica beads. The jade beads were bought years back. Since they were hand carved, the size varies slightly. Each bead is carved like a section of the bamboo stem.

As these are all rings, the beads had to go onto the shuttle. Unless you have a large shuttle that is able to take all the beads wound on one shuttle, it is easier to use two shuttles and start tatting from the middle of the chain. I decided not to put multiple picots in this one. Leave it simple.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Bromeliads



These were growing on a ledge in a shopping mall.  They do pretty well in filtered light or perhaps they get replaced regularly too. I hope shoppers notice and appreciate the indoor landscaping.

I hear tulips are blooming at the Flower Dome in Gardens by the Bay. Will I miss that too? I was too late in visiting to see the cherry blossoms last month.

Tuesday 3 May 2016

JS Doily II WIP



A Jan Stawasz doily pattern.
Tatted in Lizbeth Size 40 in Wedgewood Dark Col. 656
and Razzle Dazzle Col.133.
3 more rounds to go before it is done.



Monday 2 May 2016

Chiku



I saw this in the local market and bought 3. You may know it as Sapodilla. The colour of the fruit does not change when it ripens. You just need to gently feel the fruit as it softens when it ripens. It has a distinct sweet taste.

They seem much larger (palm size) from what I remember and probably bred to contain fewer seeds. I found only one or two black seeds in each fruit.

I remember eating this plucked from the tree in my grandmother's garden.