In Memory of Sheila Hudson

Hi All...I am saddened to hear the passing of one of my favorite designer, Sheila Hudson in March. Her work is always shared and displayed in the Cross Stitch Collection or other cross stitchers magazine in the UK.

Photo of Sheila credit to http://www.crossstitchermagazine.co.uk/

Phil came for a business trip and brought with him two latest magazine for me all the way from UK. I was so shock to read one of the letters from other stitchers. Since I relocate to China, I do not have an excess of buying the latest magazine except via online.

I love her work....she made beautiful flower's charts. I will definately miss her, so does other stitchers who admired her works. May god bless your soul.....

//siti

Card swap is heading to Malaysia this weekend....

Finally, after months of delay, I managed to put my final touch on all the cards. I will be saying goodbye to my other half this weekend and he will bring along the cards back to Malaysia for mailing to the organizer.

My creative fingers are busy putting togather the tiny winny things on the card......see how I spilled all over the table my tiny roses just to pick and play with the colors against the card.

Viollaahhh...sitting pretty in my stitching basket just for photoshooting....

Wrapped with satin ribbon, labels with recipient names and inserted a small Crossitch Bookmark kits inside the card.......ready to sail back to Malaysia.....

For my fellow swapper, hope all of you enjoy the cards and thanks for participating ......I appreciate your company!!!

On my stitching update, received my charts order all the way from Utah, all from my favorite designers......LHN, CCN & LK...goooosshhhh they are all soooo lovelyyyy........and can be lasted for rest of my 2009 stitching ......LOL...

Then, right away start stitching the thread pack of "COMFORT" by LHN....my first stitching experience using the Crescent Colors.....brilliant!!! Love the soft color Diane picked for this thread pack. The color change gradually compared to the rest of the hand dyed floss I use before. Diane does have a good taste and lovely design of all her thread packs. I had also put up my order for her Coffee & Tea thread series already.....that will be my last chart spending for this year (hopefully....evil grin!!!). Diane latest creative ideas on "Sea To Shining Sea" really caugh my eye....way goes my $$ again......got to start my piggy bank for those series for my 2009 purchase!! (goosshh provided I stitch whatever I have first on LHN.....good motivational excuse for puchase of new charts...LOL... ;)

The frog came for a visit for this one, how I hate that!!!...when that happen, it really spoiled all my stitching mood......if you notice, I had miscounted the blackbird at the right side.....lesson learn from this one, do not take your stitching for granted....it looks easy but it's not.....cause for me I got carried away while stitching this one!! At the same time, I also started my SAL for the Thanksgiving ornaments but unfortunately had forgotten to take a picture of my stitching....I almost finish my small piece....should do that before the 30th .....

I guess that's about it...I was not able to spend so much time on my laptop while I am home as the kids are with me in China now.....in fact, I wrote this entry during my lunch hour in the office....nevertheless, I still have a few hours at nite stitching.....

Till then, I hope you had a very good Thanksgiving holiday and to my long lost friend, Betsy from Sturgeon, in case you come for a visit, it's nice to rekindle the friendship after so many years of silence.....I miss your pumpkin pie!!!

For those celebrating the X'mas....I bet all of you are busy putting up your tree by now....and lighting the house......I miss the bright lighting along the neighbourhood at Rosemary Lane, Collage Avenue and University Avenue...........

Happy weekend stitching....

//siti

Viooolllaaa it's done!!

I started this on Sunday 16th Nov 2008. This picture were taken on Monday.






On my 04th day of stitching.....








Finally, this is my small floss tag after spending 30 minutes stitching assembling both side of fabric.

Since I only have a very small eyelet in my stash, I opted using lace instead. My second floss ring attempt and I am proud to say that I'm making good progress and improve my stitching this time compared to my 1st attempt. Sit at the background of this photo are 4 kits and a box of pin I received from Raph & Veronique during their last trip back from France...both of them really spoiled me with these Lanarte kits. Thanks you both for these lovely kits!!! Love them all.......

Gotto hit the sack....TGIF!!!! One more working day before weekend....and I had changed my mind not to travel to Shanghai this weekend as we are going to Hangzhou next weekend to send Rozi off back to Malaysia....means I can start on my SAL Ornaments tomorrow night...yippiee.......

Till then....stitch 123.....stitch abc .....and stitch and stitch..........

Stitch your stress awayyy.....

//siti

Weekend stitching -3rd week of November

Hi All....just a short update for the weekend stitching which I should have uploaded earlier...

Freebie from Caron Creation

Stitch on 32ct linen (trying to finish off my linen stash.....)

Thread : DMC Color variation...the color is so superrbbb...love it!!

Finish : Plan to finish this into a floss tag

This is my 1st attempt of using color variation thread and it is soo smooth sailing.....and I like it so much until I went overboard ordering of 24 colors all in a set.......ggooossshhh....that will lasted for ages!!! I have been treating myself well lately shopping for some of my favorite LLH, CCN and LK charts......anyway, the last time I shop for their charts was somewhere last year.......guess it's about time I spend before year end.....It has become a personal ritual for me shopping for my charts once a year and piling it up and never take an efffort to stitch them (dumb...dumb...dumb...).....One of my 2009 stitching resolution is to try to pick one each from LHN, CCN and LK plus that will require me to be more organized and committed. I also been in contact with Vonna from http://thetwistedstitcher.blogspot.com joining her SAL ornaments she organized at http://seasonalornaments.blogspot.com/. Thanks for accepting me into the group. Yeaaahhh...had to keep up with the Thanksgiving challenge.... ;)

I have been visiting some other stitcher's blog which had inspired me a lot .........giving me some motivation to improve on my stitching schedule and be more organize .......some of them has done a good job sharing and motivating each other......I also went through some of their wishlist item.....who knows Santa will come for a visit sending my gift for Xmas ...hooo hoooo hoooo........

The children are around so I will not have enough time to allocate for my stitching at night. Last night I only managed to stitch for 2 hours. We are planning to visit Shanghai this weekend, so there will be no stitching activity this weekend. I wanted to spend as much time as I can with the children and my other half while there are here with me. I have schedule all my holidays up to February already, which mean will be back to Malaysia in Dec and subsequently in end of January/early Feb for Spring holidays.

Before I end this entry, allow me to share some of our pictures togather taken last week while we were in Hangzhou....

Ueya, Adam, Rozi, myself and Wawa minus Yong.......

Rozi and his troop....

Also, a beautiful piece of cross stitch finish into a wall clock which I found in one of the local shop here..........I almost bought the kit but the stock unavailability had save my pocket!!!

I shall be updating all my stitching status and 2009 stitching plan & resolution here in my next entry. But first, I have to be organize.....go through all my charts, select which one to be stitch, checking & make a list of all my WIPs/UFO, make full use of my aida's and linen stash.....and importantly list all my 2009 stitching plan.....till then...Happy stitching!!

Stitch your stress awaaayyy...

//siti

Looking for Floss Ring Tag Exchange Partner/SAL - LHN

Hello Stitchers out there....

I am looking for an exchange partner for a floss ring tag. If you are interested to have an exchange with me please do drop a line at the message below.

I have been keeping "A Stitcher's Prayer" chart by LHN and have not had enough time to stitch them. I am planning to stitch some portion of the pattern out of this chart. This will be my second attempt for a floss ring tag. I take this opportunity to start stitching on my LHN stash collection.

The exchange does not necessary from LHN, it can be any other pattern as long as finish as a floss ring tag. But I would prefer to be stitch on any linen or evenweave, if you do not mind. The duration for the stitching will be from end of November and mail out by 1st week of January (I am a bit flexible on the timing as long as you are able to let me know your best available time to mail out the finish piece is good enough for me)

Hope to hear from you out there. Please be advise first come first serve basis is apply.

Stitch away all your stresses......

//siti

Weekend stitching - 2nd week of November

Hello again,

I had some weeekend stitching activity which I organised with my cyber stitching buddies. This is the outcome.

BEFORE

AFTER

Stitching this piece really take more time than I am expecting. Initially I thought I can finish within 6 hours of total stitching, It prove me wrong. I only managed to finish one side of the border last weekend. Maybe I focus another 50% of my attention to watch the movie. That took me 3 movies all togather (LOL...).....Definitely Maybe, The Holiday and Mamma Mia.....

Finally I had decided to frame the finish piece instead of making it into a pinkepp. I hope to finish stitching tonight but looks like I am going to be busy cleaning and preparing for a night stay in Hangzhou since the kids will be here tomorrow.

On another stitching update, Carol reply my email on my request for HOE......allow me to celebrate with happy dance....thanks to Catherine and Carol ...looking forward for another interesting stitching activity

I have been peeking into 123stitch shop off late....that is not a good sign!! I have been thinking of ordering some CCN, LK and LHN charts........I definatley need some professional help!!! Help me god.

That's it for my short update....I guess I will have to revisit Windy Willow's Little Roses next weekend also my biiigggeesstt project the big Roses....goosshhh.....

Till then...happy stitching and hope you have a productive week ahead...

Hugs

//siti

I am soooo excited....

Yeaahhh it's school holidays again in Malaysia...time for the kids to spend their time with me in China. I will be very busy this weekend preparing for their needs beside as usual some stitching activity togather with my cyber stitching buddies. I already bought an additional winter clothing end of summer a few months ago. The last time they were here we travelled a lots so they only stayed for a couple of days. So this time I have to get some blanket for winter and a few pillows.

I will be travelling to Hangzhou to fetch them. The journey will take me 1.5 hour on train to Xiaoshan then take a cab to the airport. I plan to bring the kids for a short trip around West Lake the next day before we jump into 2.5 hour bus trip back to my apartment.

I am so excited...can't wait to hug them....they will stay till Xmas then I will be taking them back end of the year. Rozi have to fly back by end of Nov to start her new job (good luck D in your new place...). He was on sabbatical for 3 months after his VSS. Thank god he can find another job faster than we expected. He had been enjoying himself staying with the kids at home and at Yong's side for her PMR. I felt so badly that I had to fly back on her first day of her PMR. That morning I woke up 4 am to catch the flight back at 8am. I was the only person who looks so unhappy and miserable. It was a very sad moment for me, I was trying very hard to hold my tears. Sit silently beside the flight window trying to hide my emotion from the person who sat beside me. I was so quite thoroughout the journey. Well that's life.......sometimes we have to be strong to overcome with an unfavorable situation ......

My next trip home will be in Dec for a short trip, then next one will be end of January for Spring Holidays, With the work commitment on project basis it is very difficult to get the time off. Usually I have to plan all my holiday schedule at least 6 month ahead. Also, I have to discuss my plan in advance with my boss. Then when the time come to submit my leave application, my boss will come up with his favorite sentence "Again....how many days a year you need a holiday??" (As if he lost his memory already...LOL...).Goosshh sometimes I hate to confront him whenever I am trying to get his approval....sometimes when I just email the application, then he will say "ahh hhaa now someone does not want to talk to me anymore"....but nevertheless, he has been a very good boss despite of his bluntness towards us. That's it....I dont really like to talk about my work here...that's not my main objective of having this blog......

Anyway....yippiee ...yippee ...happy dance.....soooo excited to be with the kids soon......

Gotta continue my stitching...till then...thanks for reading

Hugs

//siti

ps ever since I found my "little heaven", the craft shop that having lots of xs stuffs from DMC/Zweigart etc, I always thinking of buying more printed fabric, linen, wooden frame, ring........gosshh I really need professional help..........thank god I found it after one year I've been here........LOL....

Stashing...stitching..stashing.......

So this is my latest piece which I finished last month....

Finish into small coin purse for my grocery expenses. Stitch with DMC thread and freebie from Mariperles (I hope I spell her name correctly..) ...yeeaahh my finish for October.


This is another finish for my xs card swap....I had stitch 11 cards altogather.....had forgotten to take a photo for the rest fully assembled pieces...

A pattern taken from Helen Phillip's "Cross stitch Garden Notebook".

Then wanted to finish this as a grocery bag...had done the assembling

and sew acouple of weeks back but as usual pick some something else

to stitch....gotta continue when my mood is coming back to use the sewing machine...Cecily had suggested I send it to the tailor and let her sew it into the bag .....LOL....she said it's too complicated !! I just need to finish off the handle ......

Well...what's new in my WIP ?? Hmmm...I should have finished this on 04th November in conjunction with my 18th wedding anniversary....it seems that I took longer than expected....my plan was to finish this into pinkeep, stitch on 28ct white linen, stitch with both of our initials......but when this is almost finish I change my mind to frame the picece instead......see what will it be later??....stitching this is very smooth sailing and I enjoy sliding the DMC thread into the small hole...it was soo therapeutic.....it is a common saying to your loved one " My Love to you is pure and true" an adaption of a freebie from one of the websites. Need a few more hours of stitching for the border...

This is another WIP I started a few months ago which need my attention ASAP. I plan to continue this one for my weekend stitching this week but right after I finish my anniversary piece. Freebie from Windy Willow's Little Roses. I have not decided as yet what to finish this into, but most likely will be for my needlecase (yeaahh my needles deserve a nice house...it has been scattered all over in my sewing room....I better be organize before Rozi is here!!)

I have 2 WIPs which are inactive for some time already "Ewe Make Me Smile" and "Home of A Needleworker". Also another biiggg project that need revisiting. Gooosshhh too many things to stitch but too little time.....

Goosshhh what else .....hhhmm..I am being a bad girl again...just can't resist of piling up my stash again....I really can stop my foot on stepping into the craft shop..... sometimes you derserve to treat yourself from the hard earned $$ right!! (good excuse to buy more stash...LOL)....

The latest stash I purchased from my last trip home, some needles for my ribbon embroidery, DMC hoop frame with a kit, a few skeins of DMC color variations and Anchor multicolors, also 2 small coin purses. But I bought the DMC fabric from a local shop here in China, which I had wanted it for so long and finally I got one ..yippiee..happy dance :) . The shop carry lots of latest DMC/Zweigart fabric...heaven here it comes again!!...spend...spend..more stash...oouucchh.......I will have a hole in my pocket!!!.

Also another coin purse from a local shop here....I like the English cotton for the fabric which attached with 14ct Aida. This comes with the chart and thread. Wonder when will I be able to stitch this lovely piece, or it will become another pile of stash......

Another set of kit I bought from local shop....

I guess that's about it......till then Happy Stitching........

Happy 18th Anniversary Darling...

D...18 year ago on this date we were married sorrounded by all our beloved families and friends...........Happy 18th anniversary dear....living away from you has been very difficult but eventually we manage to overcome our obstacles....our love and bonding had grown much more stronger, let me say something from the bottom of my heart on our 18th wedding anniversary....

Where do I start writing?. Well....we met in a foreign land when both of us were 18 and our first date
was at Wendy’s. It was winter and we went for bowling after the dinner. I beat you that nite! And up until now I can still brag to you about my winning. But you said, you lost the game but had won my heart. Some interesting discovery the first time knowing you were born 3 days apart, both of us start reading the news paper from the back and we wear the watch at the right wrist. Both of us like Alleycat’s songs. How coincident! Actually I guess that was the main reason we met. I had forgotten to bring any Malaysian songs and had decided to borrow your cassette. That is how it happens. From then onward, you always call me and we click instantly. But in actual fact, I already noticed you while both of us in the orientation program in Malaysia because you were the only boy who wear white uniform with significant height.

I still remember during your trying period to win my heart, you skipped your class and waited for me to pass by at the bench by the pedestrian street near the Memorial Union. I saw you sat there reading newspaper, I walked pass and just say “Hi..what are you doing here” and just continue walking without stopping. At that time, I was not really giving attention to any boys so I treated all boys the same. Later as our relationship grow, you admitted that actually you were waited for me with hoping that I stop and talk to you. That was really sweet of you. I never expected at all that you are trying to win my heart. But, I notice that you always call me everyday asking about my classes and sometimes we were talking at length on the phone. I still treat you nothing special compared to the rest of the guys. You also said sometimes you sat at the lobby of your apartment just waited to see me passed by.



Then I decided to join the girls to travel to Chicago for a week. This had changed your feeling towards me. You called my roommate (Kak Azia) who happens to be one of the senior and admitted to her that you had fallen in love with me and did not know how to tell me because I always very spontaneous towards you. Then, Kak Azia told you either you declare to me or you will loose your chance. I was really having fun with my girlfriends and never gave you a call. Then, when I came back you called me and told me how much you like me. You wanted to be my special boyfriend. I was not shock since I had sensed earlier that you like me but never expected you wanted a serious relationship. I asked for a week to think it over. You call me everyday and asked whether I had made up my mind. I told you firmly, please do not push me into making a decision and when the time comes I will give you an answer. After that only I realized why you willing to walk more than 30 minutes in a thick snow to get me some medicine (you even offer help to buy!! hhhmmm…..later you said it was an investment!!). You gave me special nickname “Adik”. When I ask you why, you said because you want to be special and do not want to call me the same way other guys calling. How neat! That time you always refer me as “Makcik aku” to all of your friends. But now you change to my significant others... I am thankful that your family accept me and welcome me to be part of them. I have a very good relationship with all your sisters and click well with them. I still remember how good your late father was to me when they came to visit me during my short trip back to Malaysia.

I have known you for 24 years and had been your life partner for the past 18 years and still looking forward to many more years to come....we are bless with 4 beautiful children, comfortable life and love all over us! I thank Allah for sending you to me. You have been taking good care of me thoughout all of my 4 confinements....You encouraged me when I was on wheelchair for 4 months after having Adam, you bathed me, took me to the toilet in the middle of the night, attend to Adam when he cried at night when I can't even move...without feeling ashamed you took me out even though I was on wheelchair so that I can still enjoy going to my favorite bookstore, giving me morale support to overcome my pain.....yes, life was not so easy then...that was the most difficult period to test how strong our love bond is....you are such a doting father...love the children more than anything else in this world and always make sure that they are always in your priority......

This is our first time apart not celebrating our anniversary together. Nevertheless, we have a very blissful relationship and still enjoying each other company, even though, sometimes we have our misunderstanding, and we managed to settle our differences. After all this year, we still say “I love you” everyday without fail and you still hold my hand. You still take me out for a date for a nice meal together, watch a movie and always take timeout to spend special moment with me alone. We still chats 2-3 hours everyday like I just knowing you yesterday. You always trust and believe in me. Since I first met you, you never have a feeling of envy or jealous whenever I have a good relationship with other guys. You know me well!! I never hesitated to discuss anything with you. Beside my beloved husband, I feel that you are the best friend I ever had. Yes, our distance now has makes our love grow ponder. I am glad I found you! I love you lots and will always do........Happy Anniversary D!! Looking forward for more years to come.....thank you so much for giving me the chance to be part of your life.....


Lastly, as you dedicated the song to me 24 years ago...I am Crazy for You by Madonna, but now I am STILL crazy for you even after 18 years of our togatherness........I hope I had say it all here...

Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one
I see you through the weight of my stare
You are so close but still a world away
What I'm dying to say, is that
I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you will it's true
Never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new, you'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you, crazy for you
Tryin' hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are
Eye to eye, we need no words at all
Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deept into you
Soon we two are standing still in time
If you read my mind, you'll see
It's all brand new
I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
I am crazy fo you........


Can't wait to be with you and the children on 11th Nov.....


Hugs & kisses from far,
Your significant other