It's Spring in Chinatown

Cherry blossoms in Chinatown Singapore?

Just fake crystal ones which light up at night.
Enjoy the photos.

I had fun walking through.

That is the only way to take some photos.

More new year goodies tomorrow.

Year of the Rabbit

This year I decided on a black one. The red one was nice too but I love this one. I got this at the Chinese craft fair. Last year I got this red one here.

There was also a Chinese ink brush painting which I love but it was not mounted and I hesitated. The artist painted it the morning I visited. What I loved about it was the brush strokes of the bamboo stems and leaves. It looked abstract and more contemporary. The photo above is an example of his work on his namecard.

Abundant Rabbits

They do multiply quite fast, dont they? Good for thread ends from your tatting projects. It takes about 2 yards of Size 20 thread on two shuttles or on one. Pattern is from Lisa Trumble and can be found here.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

Happy New Year. According to the chinese calendar, this is the year of the rabbit. I tatted two red rabbits and two gold rabbits for the occasion. I chose red because it is a lucky colour and it resembles the chinese paper cuttings. Gold because this year is the year of the metal rabbit. This pattern is from Mark Myers called bunny. I forgot to tie a ribbon before taking the photo.

Reunion Dinner

Probably everyone is rushing home for reunion dinner on the eve of the lunar new year. A dinner prepared lovingly with traditional dishes by mom or grandma and every member of the family tries to be present for this dinner. These days, some family reunion dinners are done in restaurants because it is just too troublesome to cook a huge dinner.

In the old days, my eldest aunt and grandma would cook and we would all go to my grandparents house for this dinner. Imagine cooking for 30-40 people using a wood burning stove. Eating on long dining tables on wooden benches. Some of the dishes I remember: salted vegetable with duck soup (kiam chye ark thng/ kiam chye boey) or pig innards soup (tu tor thng), shredded turnip and carrot with cuttlefish (jiu hu char), mixed vegetables (chap chye or koh le chai hua), fried chicken or curry chicken, meatballs with fatt choy, shrimp paste chilli (sambal belachan), soy sauce pork (tau eu bak), pork roll in tofu skin (lor bak/ngor hiang), tamarind prawn (assam hae) and shredded vegetables in flour cups (kuih pie tee).

Announcing the Winner

The lucky commenter on this post who wins a tatted cup is . . . . . .

Tattips of Loves to Tat.

Thank you to all 21 of your who participated. Hope you had fun.

Tattips, please let me know what colour you would like your tatted cup in. I will tat it up and send it off soon. Do e-mail me your mailing details too.

Yellow Flower Episcia

This plant is one of the easiest to grow. It does not require much sun and is perfect for the balcony. This particular Episcia has yellow flowers while the more common ones have red flowers. Other Episcias have copper or red leaves.

A Pink Hairpin

This one is done in pink Venus Size 40 threads. In the middle is an alabaster pink rhinestone. The shape is slightly more diamond shaped. And Tsuru said no. Some of you asked where I found the hairpin filigree frame. I got them from the local jewellery craft store. And no, I did not stiffen the tatting. It takes time to tat this and it isn't easy as a tiny crochet hook has to go through the tiny spaces of the filigree frame.

I think I will also try glueing some to the other type of hairpin e.g. snap clips or aligator pinch clips which would be easier to use, especially for the younger kids. I will post them if I ever get around to making them.

Balcony Garden Decor

I found this pretty pink tin jug in Malaysia when I visited mom. The shop was filled with similar items and I had a hard time choosing just one. Perhaps I will get more, the next time I visit. I also bought a little plant holder for a friend but since she is not a gardener, I thought she could use it on her desk in the office. I forgot to photograph that.

The little porcelain cat is from Bangkok. It's like a kitten trying to get into the tin jug for milk. The little doggy plant holder was a birthday present from friends years back. I have a spider plant in that.

A Tatted Hairpin

Did this in size 40 Coats thread which The Tatting Goddess sent me. Gina knew I love tatting in red. There is no pattern. Just me tatting and fiddling with it until it looks okay. Fixed a rhinestone in the middle and it is a new hairpin. Do you see four hearts in the negative space? I did not notice that before. I tried to get Tsuru to model it for me but she refused. I am currently tatting a pink one perhaps she would not mind modeling that.