My finish for November & December....

Hi All Stitching Friends!!



Just a short update on my latest finish.....both are for Seasonal Ornaments SAL ...

"Be Thankful"

Freebie pattern from one of the website (Can't recall which one....)

32 ct Mystery White Linen

Combination thread from DMC 839, DMC Color Variation & Carrie Creation "Mandarin"

Start on 17th Nov, Finish on 30th Nov 2008

This one take me longer than expected because I use 32ct linen and I need to put my magnifying glass while stitching it. I wanted to finish this as a fob but have not really putting much effort to start stitching for the back portion. I use the oval hoop for the sake of taking the photo to make it look nicer (LOL..).

"Glittering Christmas Tree" by Angela Poole

Cross Stitch Collection Magazine Issue 164 - X'mas 2008

Zweigart 16 ct Rustico

DMC 304

Beads from Shamrock Craft

I don't celebrate Christmas but I like all the patterns feature on most of cross stitch magazine for Chrsitmas theme. Stitching this one is very fun and fast too. I think I take about less than 10 hours to finish stitching partly because I choose one color thread (I love French redwork soo muucchh..!!). Assembling it into the pinkeep take me less than 30 min. I had difficulty of tying the satin ribbon for the top portion. That cause me 3-4 times trying to tie it correctly.....nevertheless, it was really fun and I plan to have more pin keep for my next project so that I can have full ornies in my basket......hu...hu.....I am now working on another piece for my 2nd ornie....I also have a few stitching coming up right now, hope to share with you here in my next journal entry.

I am sorrounded by lots of colleagues who celebrate Christmas and they come from all over the world. The office will be very quite beginning next week as most of them are flying back to their "nest" .....we will be having our Christmas party in one of the Muslim Restaurant about an hour drive from our place this Friday. This is part of the team end of the year gathering. My boss decided to have it in a Muslim Restaurant so that all his Muslim employee will be able to attend.

To all of you celebrating Christmas.....Have a very Merry Christmas (how nice to be able to see white X'mas again)......have a safe trip back and for those who are not celebrating Happy Holidays!! Enjoy the break with your loved one. I am also heading home for 5 hours flight with the children on 27th Dec....goosshhh...looking forward for my food hunting and catching up with all my former Mizzou friends in Malaysia!!! and a week break out of China!! (happy dance...)

Hugs

//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 - 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

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........

I went for my stitching supplies shopping spree last weekend..... I don't even know why I bought them ??...just adding my stash pile I guess ... ...

Some cotton fabrics and multicolor ribbons ....

A few laces............

My weekend project....my 1st floss tag.....which was unsuccessful coz I had forgotten to make the hole first on the fabric before I use the tool.......and it is too small......nevermind, there is alway next time....

My latest small project...I plan to assemble and make this into grocery bag with the cotton fabric I bought....hhhmmmm...sound sooo ambitious.....let's wait n see......

My active WIP....too much french knots on the RE...make me loose interest sometimes........not much progress on both...since I have been focusing on my xs card swap.......even my big xs project for Petal of Roses also has not been touched since I started a week before...I made mistake on a few rows and need restitching.........

I only managed to stitch the 1st 4 rows for my Petals of Roses.........the most ambitious project ever and the largest among all...stitch on 14ct Aida with image size of 25 x 36 inches.....from this snapshot you can see the rows of thread hang on the stitching frame.....gooosshhh........I have a feeling I can't meet the dateline in early December....only time will tell...........I hope I will finish the xs card swap soon so that I can start focusing on this one.....yeaaahh will lost 3 days next week for my Shanghai trip (arrrggghhhh.....I hate to be away from my stitching nest...)

Surprise my other half with my first RE card......handcarry back to Malaysia by a colleague of mine...

Another card for my adorable niece, Sufi wishing her for speedy recovery after her dreadful accident.....

Last but not least, picture taken by Rozi candidly during our last trip to Xi'an while waiting for the flight back to Hangzhou......as always stitching while on the go....LOL.......

Gotta go now......thanks for dropping by.....Happy Stitching.............

Hugs

Siti

My world of RE & Xs...

Hi again....just got back these framed RE I took from the frame shop last weekend, thought of sharing them with all of you....just can't wait for Rozi to bring them back to Malaysia for our living room wall....

I have to admit now that I can't really get away with RE and had been addicted for more...I started this last weekend....very straight forward pattern and use lots of french knots....I am a bit bored with this one and this

may take longer to complete...

I have a few WIP in my stitching basket already right now, but still a bit greedier and make a big purchase for a kit last weekend....I have been admiring this beautiful framed rose petals completed by another stitchers at the frame shop for a couple of weeks already.

Then keep on holding my desire to buy the kit set before finally made up my mind to purchase the kit on my 4rd visit to the regular cross stitch shop. I am not sure whether I will be able to finish this before leaving China for good. I have been telling myself to complete by end of November so that it can be frame and send home (wish me lots of luck!!!).....had started on my 1st 4 rows of boxes on the fabric....I guess the only way to give myselft a motivation to keep on going is to update my progress here for everyone to see and also all of you can send me some good words of encouragement (ha....ha....that's friends are for anyway!!!!) in case I fall back. This will be my biggest cross stitch project since the day I found this hobby which is about 25 years ago (yeaahhh ....age is really catching up...hhhmmm.....

I have to put up with 65 different colors packed in a few bundles and 2 giant charts......

To all stitchers out there, if you are happen to be in Shanghai, I found this one building near the Yuyuan Garden (just a few steps away from the main entrance) which sells lots of stitching and knitting stuffs beside other crafts supplies like buttons, ribbons, needle etc. Most of the shops located at the 5th floor. Here are the photos of one of the shops which sell cross stitch kits for frame, pillow, bookmarks etc (I can't even move in this shop.....you can go crazy looking at lots of different xs kits hanging around you!), there also some diffent sizes of flexible hoops, marking pencils, thead (local made not DMC/Anchor) and the list goes on and on....

I was so engrossed looking at the stuff around this shop until we missed our train at Shanghai South Railway station. Luckily, the staff at the train station was kind enough letting us to change our ticket to the next train and escorted us throughout the process. Bravo to CRH company who operate the train service in China.....so far my trips via CRH are very smooth and efficient........thanks to Mr Li for helping us, he was very cautious despite of not knowing a single of English word but managed to assist us beyond his duty and send us until the train door, waited for us to ensure that we get into the right train.

That's it for now.....hope you had enjoy reading my journal....

Don't forget to Stitch away your stress..........

Hugs

siti

My new Craft Discovery...Ribbon embroidery

Hello again..I was supposed to get some photos of our Beijing trip from Rozi's laptop but keep on forgetting them (yeeahhh sign of aging I guess...LOL.....)

I was wondering around one fine evening after having some minor misunderstanding with Rozi during one of our lenghty chatting session when I bump into a shop selling Ribbon Embroidery kit. This is the first shop I discover selling RE kits since I came to town in Dec 2007. I bought one basic kit and started right away when I reach home. It took me about 2 days to finish it into cushion cover.

My 1st Ribbon embroidery piece...completed in June 08...I have yet to send this piece to the tailor for sewing to turn it into cushion cover.

My 2nd piece...finish for framing...completed in June 08

These are among my first RE piece and I enjoying every minute of doing it......I have been planning to go for a class organize by a talented lady, Umi (btw, her work is really superb and her color selection is very beautiful...full of English colors...)....the kit I bought came with completed step by step instruction (of course all in Chinese...but I managed to figure it out with the help of the shop owner who does not speak any single English word!!)....but the shop owner is very helpful and she keep on reminding me to come back in case I didnt understand the instruction .......I shown to Rozi and the kids through webcam once I had completed the piece, as usual not much response of excitement or comments from my other half...I guess he had been used to my hobby since we first met (my 1st gift for him is a small cross stitch piece....)...but the girls was so excited and amazed of the piece since that was the first time they saw a ribbon turn into small flower and leaf..........I have plan to start working on another kit (thought of SAL with a few of my cyber stitching friends..) but have to put on hold to make way for the rest of project in the pipeline....LOL.......

I also picked a few kits for my stitching friend back home in Malaysia. I hope they like it and enjoy making them into the cushion cover.

Started my collection on RE kits.......I hope not too much by the time I leave for good......LOL ..

Pouch Bag

Frame Piece

Cushion Cover

Frame Piece

My other crafting project for June-July-Aug 2008.....i guess this will occupy my time till September.........

Bookmark exchange June

My first exchange for bookmark also my 1st handmade bookmark. Very simple piece and I hope the ladies will like it...

Cross stitch card swap July-Sept 08...2 of my completed piece....another 9 pieces to go...I have to find a way to cut the hole of the color paper to assemble this stitching piece into beautiful card.....I guess this will be my weekend task wondering around Jinhua looking for a frame shop to do this since they may have some cutting tools for this purpose.....

This piece "Little Rose" is a stitch along activity with my buddy stitcher Eyna...stitch on my greentea hand dyed linen......but I m not so sure what to finish this into...can anyone give some suggestion.....

Eyna....if you are reading my entry...sorry babe I guess I have to disclose this bad news to you....LOL.......

BTW, got this beautiful mag from one of Rozi's engineers, Siti, during my last trip back. Thanks Siti..you are always very thoughtful...the last trip in Feb I got "O" mag from her....I think this is the way god give me back in return to my giving spirit whenever I am back to Malaysia...the bouquet of tulip featured on the front page really caught my eye...I wonder when I will have enough time to stitch them.....anyone wanna do SAL with me ???

Some of the mags I managed to grab while I was in Malaysia last month....I still can't help to get rid of my bad habits of buying xs mags

I guess that's about it for this time...till then.....H a P P y S t I T c H i N G.......

Life is beautiful and full of love........
CT