LINDA'S STITCHING RAMBLES

MY COLLECTION OF CHARTS

2010-06-29T22:14:00.002+08:00

.........and many more!

MY COLLECTION OF THREADS

2010-06-22T21:03:00.003+08:00

....some of the many I have in my humongous stash...

3 days........

2010-06-21T22:02:00.001+08:00

and still no X....

WHAT HAPPENED TODAY?

2010-06-20T21:48:00.002+08:00

I rearranged the furnitures at our living hall. We have more space in front of the TV now. We shifted the coffee table.

I am supposed to start stitching this weekend. That was my resolution last Friday. I managed to rummage through Aniza's package. Flip some XS mags but yet to lift my fingers to hold a needle.

Sigh!

KARATE KID VS STITCHING

2010-06-20T01:13:00.003+08:00

...and karate kid won. There goes my stitching once again....Nevertheless, the movie was excellent. Jaden Smith is just sooo cute!

JUMP START ON MY STITCHING

2009-03-21T13:20:00.001+08:00

..............still in gear 1.....

my beloved XS

2009-02-25T21:49:00.002+08:00

HELLO.................

2008-11-16T21:28:00.002+08:00

Mt stitching mood has been in the low for almost 2 years....shame..shame...I try not to look at my stash to avoid feling guilty. I spent so much money on them...emmm. So much had happened in 2 years. I changed job, moved house, transferred to another department (therefore changed boss...)...wahhh seeems so much to update.

Later la...........

I AM BACK!!!!

2008-07-10T13:40:00.034+08:00

Wow! It has been a very-very long hibernation. I bet nobody visit my blog anymore. I have neglected this blog for so long, nearly as long as my stitching slump.

I was frustrated with my new job to say the least. I had no chemistry with my boss. She was to bossy to my liking. Anyway that had passed. I have been transferred to a new department, different boss but same big boss. I am now doing the same thing I used to do in my previous company; which I do not mind. I love numbers and now I am back with them. It feels good to see my numbers reconciled...he he he..

Stitching wise, no progress thus far except that I had all my stitched pieces framed up at Tammy's. I love their handywork - neat & tidy. I 'll have to post the pictures.

I have left the blogging world fo so long that I have forgotten on how to upload pictures. Let me try that tonight at home.

I hope to write more, at least a line or two a day to lift up my stitching spirit. I need to get reading glasses to start my stitching again. That's it - why I have not been stitching lately. My vision has not been that good especially my right since after that eye operation I had in 2006.

Adios, will write again tomorrow!

A TURN IN MY LIFE

2007-01-12T11:17:00.000+08:00

I finally tendered my resignation on 29/11/2006. So that was the big day mentioned in my earlier post. My boss wasn't suprised. I guess he could see it coming as verbal confrontation has become almost a daily affair between the two of us. What suprised him was that I was hired by Petronas; one of the best employer in Malaysia. A lot of people said that I was really lucky to land a job there and with a salary higher than what I earned in my then current workplace. Everyday I thank Allah for all his blessings. At the age nearing 40; I got a job at my dream company. Although I am now based in KLCC further away from home, I am truly happy. I can see that life will change for the better in years to come. Hubby was 100 percent behind me; supporting me all the way. I hope it's not too late for me to climb the corporate ladder. Better late than never so they say.

On the stitching front, I have not finished my alphabet sampler as I was supposed to. I was in stitching slump in the midst of the excitement of changing jobs. I have just continued stitching my alphabet sampler and started on my scissor fob for an exchange. A long absence from stitching has made me a little careless in counting that I had to do more frogging than stitching last night!

My third son has started primary school. I used to ferry the kids to & fro school but I can't now as I have to leave home early in the morning to get to the office in time. They have to go to school by bus. luckily the children seem to understand that Mak has to go to work early. My little princess has also started kindie. She loved it! We had no problem leaving her at the kindergarden on her first day. I was suprised as she can be very shy at times.

So that's what has been going on in my life. I hope to be able to post more often especially on the progress of my forever increasing number of WIPs!

BIG DAY

2006-11-28T20:35:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow is going to be a big day for me. I have been waiting for this moment for the past one or so year. Things have become unbearable and I had to make the move. I will tell you all about it tomorrow............

LOVE GROWS

2006-11-08T20:53:00.000+08:00

....is my latest finish. A design by Michelle M. Lash of Brittercup Designs fom Just Cross Stitch Magazine issue June 2005.

It was stitched on 32ct evenweave over 2 with 1 strand. It look a bit bare but I like it anyway.

I am now stitching the alphabet sampler and hope to finish that before the year ends.

BUZZ RR UPDATE

2006-09-19T00:23:00.000+08:00

I am nearly finished with the RR. Only has the backstitching to be done. I have been bad. Thankfully Nik is busy these days; I am buying a little bit more time. I had to blame it on my health. I had fever recently and shortly after that gone away; I had an allergy attack. I was not sure what cause the rashes but the most suspicious food item I had was "udang galah". It was last week and I thought it had gone for good but sadly it came back last night and I couldn't sleep because of the itch. Lack of sleep coupled with sore throat, rashes and flu, I just had to call for sick leave. I went to work in the morning, went to fetch my children from school and then slept all afternoon after a dose of panadol. I am still feeling unwell even after my maid gave me a good back massage.

TATTERS MEET 16.09.2006

2006-09-19T00:14:00.000+08:00

That was the first ever meet organised by MY_ShuttlesandNeedles (MYSN). It was great fun. We all learnt different tehcniques with our generous teacher; Faizon. Thank you teacher! I was supposed to try my hands on tatting with beads. Had all the beads ready threaded at the shuttle and the ball but did not bring along the pattern. Did not ever print it; a misunderstanding on the instructions given by Faizon. I learnt split ring and split chain instead and hopefully I can come up with something soon. I am planning to join the 25 motifs challenge and I better be fast. Faizon has tatted 8 so far and I am yet to start any.

BLOG FACELIFT

2006-08-22T21:46:00.000+08:00

I spent 3 hours just to have this facelift but it's all worth it. I learn something new everytime I change the blog template. I hope you'll like it!

PINK EXCHANGE

2006-08-15T22:32:00.000+08:00

I am going to give this away to my partner in an exchange. I hope she will not find out until she receives it. I don't think she reads my blog, that's why I dare to post the picture here. I am supposed to stitch something in pink and I was running out of time. The mailing date was 15th August. Then I remembered this pink hardanger flower. It is just appropriate for the exchange even though it is larger than the required size. I hope she'd like it!

TATTING LAGIK..........

2006-08-13T20:11:00.000+08:00

Here is my progress on tatting with 2 shuttles :

I think there is a typo on the instruction for the exercise on ring 4 (right one in the photo). The instruction reads 4+4-4-4 that resulted in the ones I tatted above. But when I look at the picture of Teacher Faizon's tatted pattern it looks like 4-4+4-4 i.e the joining is at picot no 2. I will try again tonight and see whether I am right.

Anyway, I had a good lesson on tatting yesterday. In all excitement of tatting, we forgot to buy Teacher Faizon a drink! Malunya! Well, I will have to make up for that the next time I see her. Hopefully this coming Wednesday, if she's free.

Teacher & I were having a hard time squeezing into the packed commuter train on the way back home. It was like a riding on a bus mini with the KTM staff shouting "masuk - masuk, masuk dalam lagi, belakang masih kosong!". Ha..ha...I wish I had driven there.

Earlier before I went to the class at KL sentral, I went to Ikea and bought myself a corner table for half the price. Ikea was having a sale. I reorganise my stitching room and hopefully I will utilise the room more often.

MORE TATTING UPDATES

2006-07-30T17:54:00.000+08:00

From left to right : Conifers, inner rings/chains of bookmark homework, bookmark

I finished the conifers in a few hours spread over 2 days. It was a fun project as it was my first tatting using thread from the ball.

I started on the bookmark home work on Thursday, finished the inner part last night but had wrongly cut the threads ends. See that the chain/ring unravel. I gave up.

In frustration, I started my own project using a chart from a site referred by Teacher Faizon. Everything went well but some stitches were not flipped correctly at the tail portion. I could not tidy up the stitches - it looks ugly! Anyway since I as too far gone so I decided to finish up the bookmark but managed to make another mistake in the last ring!

Now, I better get back to my XS starting tonight. My WIPs are screaming at me!

TATTING UPDATE

2006-07-25T07:59:00.000+08:00

Here is my completed homework :

I am beginning to like tatting. My XS is still my 1st love though. Will post more update soon!

TATTING ANYONE???

2006-07-18T23:09:00.000+08:00

I just can't resist this craft when I join Azie for her tatting class with Faizon. I had to try it just to test my fingers. I was so happy that I manage to flip and flap. I wanted to go to Yee the next day and invited teacher Faizon as well as Jo to come along. See what I bought for my tatting and if you see at the side there is my test tatted piece:



But I have to slow down as I have an RR commitment with Wendy & Nik. I finished Wendy's :

MY GRANDMOTHER

2006-07-18T22:57:00.000+08:00

I used to live with her when I was 3 until 12. Life was difficult then, my parents decided to let me stay with Nyai (that is what we call her - grnadma in javanese) when I requested so. I was so adamant to leave my parents and followed her home. I was brought up by Nyai and my Uncles & aunties. They were all grown up so I had all the attention I was looking for. They spoilt me rotten with what little they had. I did not learn to ride the bicycle until I was 10. Nyai or my auntie or uncle would send me to school riding on the bicycle. And the school was 2 miles to and fro. I had to leave Nyai when I was accepted to attend a boarding school in Kuantan. She is now in her 80's and still going strong despite her worsening vision. I love you Nyai!

MY PRINCESS

2006-07-18T22:45:00.000+08:00

I just can resist posting these photos in this blog. My dear daughter is turning 4 this coming August. How time flies............

Ain having her first hair cut



Ain posing for the camera...



....UUUUU.......

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

2006-07-12T23:19:00.000+08:00

............since I last updated my blog. Here are my latest progresses & projects :

BUZZ RR

2006-05-16T22:05:00.000+08:00

Buzz...buzzz.....I am feeling very guilty. The deadline was 1st May 2006 and I am 2 weeks behind. Shame on me. Blame it to my mother's visit, our alumni reunion meeting and my kids but myself.

I have completed my square :

And I was very confident to finish the border for the 3rd square this evening and send the RR to the next person and............as I was happily stitching the outline away and whattt???? I miscalculated one of the sides and the lines did not meet at the corner! See this :

Now I have to frog the border (again!) and SMS'ed my partner that I couldn't make it tonight. I feel very bad..................Sorry Nik!

P/S - Can you spot the mistake?

ALL FRAMED UP

2006-05-13T11:25:00.000+08:00

They are all hubby's :

Except this one :

Finished my LK Blocks at last but still need to stitch the border before sending it to framer. I completed it 3 weeks ago but never seem to find the time to update my blog.

My Buzz RR, nearly complete but I am already 2 weeks behind. My partners must be really mad at me!

And lastly Hubby's latest finishes :

MOTHER'S DAY

2006-05-13T11:09:00.000+08:00

This year is the most memorable one. My eldest wrote me a poem. I was really touched. The poem may not make much sense but the fact the he tried makes me a real proud Mak. I love you Afif!

Dear Mak,
You make me smile everyday
Even if you are miles away
I have lots to say

But I don't have the spirits to say
I'm sorry I have let you be astray

You care a lot to me
You will never fade from me

You make me happy, you make me sad
But least of all, you will go mad

You make my probems go away
But now, I have nothing to say
Except for one of all kind
You will never go out from my mind

P/S - Afif is eleven

ENVY..ENVY..ENVY

2006-04-19T23:16:00.000+08:00

I really envy DH, he can stay up late to finish his stitching and me, sleeping like a baby by his side. Since he installed the overhead light with 2 separate arms, so that he can adjust the angle of his side of the light, he's been stitching on the bed. At times until 2am! He's now certified XS addict. I can't catch up! He finished LK "love my cat " in 4 days!

He finish this one even faster!

I only managed to progress this far on my LK Blocks!

I was 60% towards completion of this block when I realised that I placed the stitches 1 column to the left. I was so frustrated that I frogged everything I stitched and started all over again...grrrr...

MORE UPDATES

2006-04-12T21:29:00.000+08:00

DH is hooked into stitching! See his latest progress :

And here are mine :

HOW COULD I.....

2006-04-08T14:46:00.000+08:00

have forgotten about this piece? I finished this in Dec 05. Pattern is from one of the UK mags :

PROGRESS ON WIPs

2006-04-08T00:17:00.000+08:00

This is the only progress I can show off :

While hubby finished this :

and started this :

I will be stitching my LK Blocks this weekend. Now that I have a stitching companion in house; I have to stitch faster!

WIPS

2006-04-07T12:29:00.000+08:00

This is a long overdue post, there has been progress on these pieces:

Teaching is a work of heart has been given to my son's teacher who was diagnosed with brain cancer. She left the school last week.

Home is where our story begins is hubby's WIP then, now finished.

I will post more pictures on our WIP soon.

THREE MORE BLOCKS..............

2006-02-16T17:02:00.000+08:00

to go on my LK Flip-It Blocks. I forgot to upload my finish in Dec05 - a scenery from one of my mags. I am now gridding another LK. Will start on that one soon. I kitted a few projects and one of them is a sampler from Sweetheart Tree (ST). Ooops! I promised Cheez to update Stitch & Such (SNS) album with my latest stocks of ST, fabrics, buttons & charms last night. Sorry Cheeze, I forgot because I was too engross in my gridding..he..he...I will do it over the weekend. I need to take the photos first.

When I came home today another batch of SSS arrived! Now I have about 90% of their colours. My next target is to complete my Weeks & GAST. Sanman & Bentcreek are on the way.

I went gallavanting at midvalley on Monday but found no new XS mags. What a waste of time! I wanted to buy a suit for a job interview that I had to attend on Tuesday but didn't find anything I really like. So I decided to wear my baju kurung batik..he..he..The interview went well. I am now waiting for a call for the second interview. This time I really need to wear a suit. If I got the job, the office will be in KL so near to KLCC and so near to XS temptations!

How I wish!

MY LATEST FINISH...

2006-02-06T21:48:00.000+08:00

My first attempt at stitching a biscornu. See the beads I stitched at the sides? I wanted to sew a button on the middle but I decided againsty it as it would cover some of the stitches.

The other side of the biscornu.

I finished this during the CNY holidays. This card is for my secret partner for the valentine's stitched card exchange (VSCE).

This one is for another secret partner from another group.

MY OTHER BLOG

2006-02-02T11:17:00.000+08:00

I now have a separate blog for my personal thoughts & ramblings.

This blog will be solely on my stitching news & update.

I managed to finish 2 valentines stitched cards and 1 bisornu during the Chinese New Holiday. I need to add some finishing before sending them off to my partners.

WHO SAID.....

2006-01-11T21:08:00.000+08:00

.....you cannot make money surfing the internet? My friend did, a lot of people did and I will. So don't miss the boat...just click here...and you are on you way!

You need to have an account with Stormpay. Here is the link :

Don't wait..join us now! You will have more money to buy your stash!

2005-12-29T16:12:00.000+08:00

Cute..aren't they. This was taken at Mahsuri's house.

2005-12-29T16:10:00.000+08:00

Nice view isn't it??

2005-12-29T16:02:00.000+08:00

Nice view...

2005-12-29T16:01:00.000+08:00

Budak2..pantang jumpa bath tub!

2005-12-29T16:00:00.001+08:00

Having early breakfast before going off to LIMA

2005-12-29T16:00:00.000+08:00

Motor pun ada kat LIMA, I thought air craft only!

2005-12-29T15:59:00.000+08:00

Ain again - in the ferry, tired from 3 hrs travelling from Taiping to Kuala Perlis

2005-12-29T15:57:00.000+08:00

Ain always ready for the camera!

HOLIDAY IN LANGKAWI

2005-12-15T18:21:00.000+08:00

I thought I will have some time to stitch while we were in Langkawi. But none at all! I was having fun with my family that I'd forgotten about the WIP I brought along! It was a spur of the moment decision to go to Langkawi. Our friends said we were crazy to go there during LIMA and the accomodation & car rental could cost us a bomb. Thanks to a friend of hubby, we managed to get a room and a car at a very reasonable price considering the peak period.

And thanks to my brother in law, we got to visit LIMA without much hassle because he was one of the officer in charge there.

The children love the cable car and the hanging bridge on top of the hills. I was having fun shopping for Corelle & the likes. I'd love to buy more but would have problems carrying along the packages. I had to let go my urge to have that Vantage set...

Thanks to hubby who let me have 2 big boxes of corelle that he had to load and unload the ferry. I love you hubby!

Yeah..we had great fun and now planning for another holiday somewhere else. Where there is no shopping involved...he..he..he..

PHOTOS

2005-12-05T16:09:00.000+08:00

The customary raya photo taken on the 1st raya when the kids were still in their baju melayu..

The loving couple...

..cheeky Shadan (2nd son)

....moody Aziq (my third)

Mak & Ain (the youngest & only daughter)....people say we look alike. Do we?

Ain was feeling bored. Helping Tok Ndak to mop the floor is more interesting than sitting around eating raya cookies!

My 80 year old Grandma. I call her Nyai. I used to stay with her during my childhood days until I was 12.

mari..mari..main bunga api..

This is what you get when you are naughty! My 1st cut his forehead when he was playing on top of a double decker bed at a neighbour's house with the ceiling fan running. He was in pain but too scared to admit because he didn't ask for our permission to go to the neoghbour's. This happened a week before raya.

Aziq celebrated his 5th birthday on the 9th of Nov at my parents' with his cousins.

RAYA IS OVER

2005-12-05T14:22:00.000+08:00

I know..I know..I am supposed to put more time to post entries instead of changing my blogskin. I love red and strawberries are red..so that's why the strawberries.

Raya was full of visiting activities. We went back to hubby's hometown first then on 3rd raya we left for USJ..ooops it was 4th raya because we left Taiping at 2.00am. The express buses were the kings of the highway. They sped like mad and if you are in their way, they would just follow so closely to your car until you move away! Was I scared!

We reached USJ at 5.30am, went to bed, woke up at 10.30am and got ready for another journey south to my kampung in Johor. Next year will be my parents' turn to have us with them on the 1st raya and we will travel north on the 3rd raya to hubby's hometown. I don't know until when will we be doing this north to south travelling.

I packed my WIPs along but did not manage even to open the bag in that 10 days stretch of festive holiday. I was not in the mood to stitch eventhough there were times when I was free. I'd rather chat with Mak and my sisters.

I will post some photos soon. Photobucket is having problems. I cannot upload the photos there just yet.

Why people can get so cruel?

2005-11-16T13:10:00.000+08:00

Today is my birthday. I should be happy but I am a little sad. I was very sad yesterday. Thanks to all well wishes received from family and friends, my spirit is up again.

I always think that Malays are very curteous lot. Bila bercakap mesti berlapik. Kalau nak marah pun berlapik walau apa pun kesilapan yang telah dilakukan. But yesterday changed my perception. A person whom a lot of people consider nice could be so cruel. Just because I sent an exchange to a different address, I was scolded like mad. That's fine to me, I made a mistake, I get a scolding. Fair enough. But to say that I sent the exchange just for the sake of sending, just to "melepas batuk ditangga" was too much to take. I nearly cried, how can a person say that when she has not even seen the things I sent? How can a person be so cruel to say such nasty things in a discussion board? Something yang menjatuhkan air muka? Have I hurt her feelings so bad by sending the exchange to a different address? Not even a word of thanks for my effort for trying to get the exchange delivered earlier, for standing in long que in a stuffy post office back in Taiping, on a fasting day ,on the Raya eve.

Yeah..people keep saying forgive and forget. To forgive is easy but to forget? Not in a lifetime!

Why do I like to procastinate?

2005-10-19T13:40:00.000+08:00

It's a bad habit of mine that I must let go. I seemed to have been doing that for ages. I don't know why. Could it because of peer influence when I was schooling and during my uni days? When many friends were around and we tend to get distracted with whatever more interesting things that were going on around us than studying. And I carried over that bad habit till today.

I know I work better under pressure, when the adreline is pumping faster but that doesn't justify my habit to procastinate especially on tasks that I hate doing. I get distracted easily that sometime I wish I can work alone in a cave in the middle of nowhere where there is no internet, no tv no nothing. Only me and my work...but then what is life without distractions..meaningless!

The malay proverb says "Kerja bertangguh tak menjadi...." (to procastinate results in nothing) is absolutely true...as for me it results in scolding from the boss!

I need to see a therapist!

Our encounters with Malaysian personalities

2005-10-18T12:03:00.000+08:00

I'd like to share our photos with Malaysian personalities.

Siti Nurhaliza................

Ella.....

Roslan Aziz........

TV3 personalities......

My children are always excited to meet these people and or course meeting Siti was the most memorable. Hubby was the one who noticed her that day at metrojaya midvalley megamall. She is even more gorgeous in person and very nice too!

Finally.............

2005-10-14T14:08:00.000+08:00

Finally I am satisfied with my blogskin. After spending a lot of time studying the HTML script and by trial and error..walla..here is my creation! But of course the graphics were copied from everywhere in the net!

Stitchingwise, not much was done last week but I managed to finish my May L*K block flip-it. Here it is

Another photo that has nothing to do with sticthing but everything to do with my life..my sons having a meal for break fast in front of the TV.

and....

..my darling daughter who is now 3!

Try once more...

2005-10-11T17:16:00.000+08:00

Another day, another try........

Another try...

2005-10-10T17:05:00.000+08:00

We'll see whether this time it works. Below is my current WIP.

ANOTHER BLOG OF MINE

2005-09-09T13:28:00.000+08:00

This is my second attempt of creating a blog for my stitching activities. I hope this one works!