Sunday, December 13, 2009

Aznique products by Em and me!

It’s been some time since I last updated on the projects that I have been doing on Em. I have been extremely busy at the office these last few weeks that I have been coming home extremely tired, mentally and physically, that I could hardly keep my eyes open even if it was only 9.00pm.

I have been doing some projects, though not much. I have in fact gone to class at Epal only once this month of December, and with my schedule, at home and at the office looking even busier, I doubt it if I will be able to find the time to go to any class this month.

Whatever leave I can take from the office, I prefer to spend the time with my son, taking him to his classes and where ever that he wants to go. I feel that I need to spend a lot more time with him. I don’t want to have to regret the times that passed that I have not been able to spend with him.

Soon, he will want to spend more time with his friends than his parents. In fact, even now, he’d rather be spending time with his cousins than us, boring parents. LOL! *grin*

Anyway, back to what I have been working together with Em the last few weeks, in support of going green and saying ‘No’ to plastic bags, here is a bag that folds neatly into a purse and can be carried with you in your handbag.


Should at any time that you need a bag when you go shopping, just unfold it, and tah dah….you have a bag!


I think this is so cool, especially when we want to encourage the public to go green to save the environment.

The material, however, is something like a rain coat, and I am not sure where I can get more of these materials to make more to sell or give away. I am thinking of trying out with canvas, and if it works, I might make many more to sell or give away.

Did I say sell? Yup! I am trying to sell some of the things I make if I can get people interested to buy. I have been spending so much money on my crafts, I think it’s time I make some money from my hobbies (notice the plural? LOL!), so that I can buy even more stash! LOL! *wink*

Remember some months ago I posted about a bag I learnt at Quilt Gallery, which is actually a praying mat? Well, at Epal, part of the Home Base Business program (a program that I got as part of buying the embroidery machine), I also learnt how to make a praying mat, but, this time, it was taught differently.


This is good, because now I can actually combine the knowledge that I got from both classes, and come up with something that best suits me and how I actually want the bag to look like.


I love the fact that the bag kit came in PINK! *wink*

The last class that I went to Epal at the beginning of December, I was taught how to embroider a `tudung’ (scarf). While doing it, I feel like pulling my hair apart and almost gave up doing it.


I had trouble matching up the embroidery, and the teacher had also failed to tell me that the pattern calls for me to flip and rotate the pattern that I ended up having the patterns upside down! Uurrghhh!


I finally completed embroidering the scarf, but, after much `cheating’, tweaking here and there, when it came to matching and aligning the motifs.


I don’t think I will ever make another tudung, and for sure, the tudung will definitely not be an item I will make to sell! LOL!

The market is already saturated with embroidered tudung already anyway, so, I might as well concentrate on things where other people have yet to try out – the niche market, so to speak, right? *wink*

Oohh! This next project I like! *grin* I can see myself doing many more of these to give away, and maybe even to sell! *wink*

Isn’t this tissue box holder so sweet? It did not take me long to make once I got the technique on how to do it. I am definitely making more of these! Any orders? *wink*


I made many pouches to give away, and here are some of what I had made and given away to my nieces and nephews.

The one that says “SARAH” and “FARHAN” went all the way to my niece and nephew in the US,.


This one that says “When we love we grow” went to my niece in Kota Bharu.


ALYYSSA will get hers this coming 19th Decenber, the day of her birthday.


I even made one for my hubby, and this time, it was a request from him. He wanted it to put in all his computer gadgets.


He wanted it to be as simple as possible though. He in fact wanted the motif to be in black, but I managed to convince him otherwise, as I told him that having the motif in black is like having no embroidery at all. He had chosen the motif himself.

I am so happy that he actually asked me to make something for him. *smile*

I love doing these pouches as I get to play around with all the beautiful embroidered patterns available on the internet. I just love playing with all the lovely coloured threads and seeing the patterns come to life!

I feel like I am colouring, but with Em is doing all the hard work! LOL!

This next piece is a must see……*wink*

My sister-in-law, Eina, made a special request to me recently. She had wanted me to cross stitch a nameplate for her 3rd child. I had cross stitched a nameplate for her two older children soon after they were born, but when the 3rd one came along, I had sort of put cross stitching on hold when I went patchwork, and now, embroidery crazy. *grin*

So, when she put in the request to me, I told her that if she wanted it in cross stitch, she might only get it when her son, Akmarul is 20! LOL! So, I asked if she would mind if the name plate is embroidered instead, especially since, at that time, I had just gotten Em, and was looking for an excuse to play with her (Em). LOL! *grin*

She totally bought the idea, and hinted that she might even want me to make another one, God willing, for her unborn child due in March. That way, the two older children wouldn’t feel jealous like Akmarul is being treated special, and Akmarul wouldn’t feel odd at getting something different from the older two children.

I was nervous, however, when I started on this project, it being my first embroidered nameplate, and at that time, I have yet to fully get acquainted with Em. Em had only come home with me for only two weeks then.


I am glad, however, that it turned out well, and my SIL said that Akmarul loves it so much and would keep looking at it and asking her, if that is really his. *smile*

That made all my efforts worthwhile. *smile*

I hope that the next one that I will make will be even better.

Keep a look out for more updates on projects soon! I have more to show!

7 comments:

Janet C said...

All the pieces are lovely. Love the design on the tissue box and the cute robots on your nephew's pouch!
BTW, you do know how to spell my name, eh! *hint, hint, wink* :D

erin said...

I like the tissue box Nik...

snazzynsuch said...

good job nik.. love the robots embroidery design..

The Heart of Paul said...

Very nice Nik! The work looks like that of someone who has done it countless times :)

Imagine all the things you can do with your machine once you get the hang of it. Keep practising!

Keep up the good work!

All things beautiful said...

Hi Nik,
Were u the kindred spirit I met at Vistana the other day who said she'll be coming up to Alor Setar/Jitra to start some craft classes soon? Seeing all your lovely work emphsizes the fact "I'm living in Craft Desert"... I need rejuvenation... QUICK :-)

Za said...

Yeah, I like the tissue box holder too, Erin and Janet, and it was not that difficult to do actually, though I took 2 days to do it bcoz the wriiten instructions that came with the kit was a little confusing.

I had to go to class for the second time b4 I could finnaly complete it.

Yeah, I thought that the robots were cute too, Tini! It was fun `embroidering' it with Em's help! LOL!

Thanks, Paul! I still have lots to practice b4 any of the things I make can be considered as perfect!

Hi All Things Beautiful! Sorry, but I can't recall if I got your name when we met, or, which one was you in the class, but, no, I am not the one going over to Kedah to start some classes. You must have mistaken me for someone else.

Rose said...

Nik - very creative the way you did the shopping bag. I also see that you are making full use of your embroidery machine. Wish I could sew all those things. I can't even sew a zip properly!