More Little Missies!

Remember I did one for my niece in purple when I attended Corine’s bag class at Kelvin’s more than 3 months ago?

Well, after that, I made 3 more!

I made two in shades of pink and one in turquoise and pink.

The first pink bag was for my niece, Kuyana, for her birthday in August.

I just love the pink and purple flowers and the pink polka dot fabrics just compliments the pink and purple flowers very well, making the bag look so sweet! Just perfect for my sweet niece!

The pink and purple flower fabric was from an old stock some 2 years back when I started going crazy doing patchwork. The polka dot fabric came from IKEA bought more than a year ago.

I had actually completed her bag in time for her birthday, but since I did not get a chance to meet up with her, I kept it until a time when I would meet up with her.

Guess what? This 16 year old niece of mine called me up crying, no, make that, wailing, saying that that I had forgotten her birthday and that I did not love her because I did not make her a bag but I made her sister, Kuyasmin, a bag (their birthdays are only 4 days apart).

In actual fact, I met up Kuyasmin after my class with Corine, and so decided to give her the purple bag then which, coincidentally, was the day just before her birthday. At that time I had yet to complete making Kuyana’s bag.

Trust my niece to wail! LOL!

Anyway, I finally gave her the bag when we had a family get together cum Raya Open House on the 16th of September 2010. Just look at that happy face upon receiving the bag! LOL! Makes it all worthwhile making her the bag when you get such a wonderful reaction like this, doesn’t it?

She was also excited to see the other pink bag I made, but most probably I won’t be giving away nor selling it just yet as I need to have one as a sample/reference in case I might forget how to do it.

This second pink bag has wild flowers motifs for its front and bag. I had bought this fabric at Kelvin’s at about the same time that I had attended the class to make the Little Missy.

The complimenting pink fabric was from my old stock, but fits in almost perfectly with the wild flower motif fabric.

The 4th Little Missy bag I made is in turquoise and pink, an order from a relative who saw my bag at a family gathering at my uncle’s house during the Raya season. She said that she’s ordering it for her daughter.

I really enjoyed making this bag as I really love the colour combination!

Both fabrics came from Quilt Gallery in Bangsar Village which I had bought more than a year ago.

Makes me feel good to use up stash I had bought long time ago rather than having to go out and buy new fabrics when making projects, especially those that are special orders. It gives me the feeling that I am spending less yet making money! LOL!

The bag was safely hand delivered to the relative sometime in September, all packed up ready to be given away as a gift should she decide to give it away as a present to her daughter or someone else.

I am now taking orders to make the Little Missy. So, if any of you are interested to order, do visit my blogshop at Uniquely Aznique to find out more or drop me an email.

Went shopping but came back with nothing to show......

Huh? Went shopping but nothing to prove it? How’s that?

Well, read on.......

Epal had some sort of a road show to sell fabrics, gadgets and what nots related to sewing on the 7th of November, 2010. I thought they were having a sale. At least I thought that was what they told me when they called me to inform me about the event a week earlier. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a sale, but just a road show (they call it that) to sell things which before this are not available in their shop. I went there after 2.00pm when the weekly maid had left and after lunch was done with.

I think I will let the photos tell the story as a picture paints a thousand words.

Just look at all the fabrics on sale!

I went crazy looking at all these fabrics! I think I bought almost 1/3rd of what was sold! LOL! *blush! Opps! Shhhhhhhh! Better not let hubby here me say that! LOL! *grin*

Seen here is Ain writing down my very long list of orders! *grin*

There were samples of bags to give you ideas on how to use the fabrics on sale. Alas, they don't have classes on how to make the bags. *sigh* If they did, I think I'll probbaly sign up without even giving it a second thought! LOL!

There were also many quilts on show giving you more ideas and tempting you to buy more stash! LOL!

I especially like this quilt of tea cups and saucers!

I went crazy shopping for all the fabrics (like as if I don’t already have enough fabrics at home! LOL! ), almost bursting my budget but came home feeling like something is missing as I could not come home to play with my new stash of fabrics, as we can only order what we want, and it will only be made available in 2 weeks time. *sigh* Doesn’t that make you feel odd?

Anyway, here are SOME of the fabrics I bought.

I have many ideas on the types and design of bags that I want to do with all these newly acquired stash. The only problem now is that I need to find the time to do them. Now THAT is a BIG problem as work in the office does not look like it is going to slow down! *sign* Maybe around Christmas time when all the bosses go on holiday? I can only wish....

In the mean time, I shall be sleeping with my stash........ LOL! *wink*

A time with mum!

My mum was here about a week ago, and she stayed over at my house on the 5th of November, 2010.

While she was here, I decided to take her out on a treat. So, on Saturday, 6th November, we started our day out early by having breakfast at Pelita in Bangsar.

We made a quick stop at the newly renovated MPH before proceeding to drop off my son at his usual Saturday class.

After that, we went for a manicure and pedicure at Chic Nail Spa at Bangsar Village II.

This spa is owned by a former Miss Malaysia, Soong Ai Ling, and I just love the decor at this spa!

My! My! Don’t we look pampered! LOL!

After pampering ourselves to a manicure and pedicure, I treated everyone, which included my hubby, son, brother Azan, niece Kuya and boyfriend (a future nephew-in-law? *wink*) Raphael, to lunch at Sakae Sushi.

I can’t remember the names of the food, but just look at what we ordered!

I think everyone enjoyed themselves as all the plates were empty! Either that or, everyone was hungry! LOL!

The night before, for dinner, we had steamboat, Aznique style!

My mum and brother said they enjoyed the dinner despite my brother sneezing throughout the dinner as he was allergic to the cats playing in our wet kitchen. Poor Azan!

Back to school....

Well, sort of. It’s been more than 8 months since I last went for any classes at Epal, unlike the year before where almost every other month, I would at least take a day off from work to attend classes at Epal, and I would also go to Epal every other Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

This year has been very hectic at the office front that I have not been able to take that many days leave from work to indulge in my hobbies and to pamper myself. So, last week, I decided to take 2 days off from work to coincide with my son having his exams.

I wanted to make sure that he has a proper breakfast in the morning, and I want to pick him up from school instead of having him take the bus to his grandparents’house, where my hubby would then pick him up from there at about 7.00pm. By the time they get home, it would leave him with little time to study, and we wouldn’t have time to check on him to see if he is prepared for the next day’s exam.

So, by taking leave, I can pick him up directly from school and bring him right home, giving him plenty of time to study and for us to check on him to make sure that he studies properly. His grandfather is quite strict actually, and he does make Aiman study during exam week, but, I thought since I only get to spend very little time with him lately, this is the best excuse I have to spend some extra time with him.

By taking leave during Aiman’s exam week, I also get to kill two birds with one stone, as his school only ends at 3.30pm, so, I get to attend a class at Epal while he is in school, yet be in time to pick him up from school.

Classes at Epal starts only at 10.00am and I would have leave Puchong by 2.30pm to be in time to pick him up just as his school ends for the day.

The first day I was there on Monday, 25th October, after 8 months of absence, I felt I was a little disorganised. There were many things to learn from the new kit I had just bought, but due to my being a little bit disorganised, I only managed to learn two things from the kit that day. I learned how to make a lace using dissolvable stabilizer and how to do the appliqué for Sun Bonnet Sue.

I felt very unproductive that day when it came to my crafts.

The next day, Tuesday, 26th October, I decided to get a little bit more organised. I planned on what I wanted to learn from the kit.

So, when I got to class at precisely 10.00am, I laid out all the kits that I wanted to learn that day and told the teacher that I want to try to learn at least 4 kits today before I have to leave by 2.30pm.

So, the first thing I learnt that day was to make the tissue holder. That was quite fast to do. I got that done in less than an hour.

Next, I did a cat pincushion all done in the hoop. I think this cat is kind of cute!

My 3rd project is quilting using the embroidery machine which I find very interesting as I can see lots of the quilting that I have been wanting to do I can now do that using Em. Yeah!

I am sure I can’t do all my quilting on the machine as it is not a quilting machine, but, I am sure the possibilities are plenty enough to get me excited! LOL!

My 4th project that day was something I hadn’t imagine possible – to do a sulam tekad emas using the embroidery machine! I was really amazed at the results. Just take a look! Doesn’t it look almost like the original?

I also managed to learn to do a 5th project – how to embroider motifs that has holes in them like I always see on exclusively designed baju kurung.

All this while, I thought that I would have to patiently poke the holes one by one to get the see through effects. Now I know the trick, and no, I am not going to share the trade secret with anyone! LOL! *wink*

NNC October 2010 Stitching Bee

I had put up a poll at the NNC group in September to decide on the date for the October Stitching Bee. Never did it occur to me that when the poll closed that the date, 30th October that was chosen actually coincided with the birth of NNC itself 4 years ago!

Wow! Has it been 4 years already since NNC came into existence? I am very grateful and thankful for all the support the members have given to keep NNC going! And so, to thank all those who made an effort to make it to the Bee which coincided with NNC’s 4th anniversary, I decided to make some small giveaways.

I wanted to make something which all members could use regardless of what their hobbies might be, and I thought that pincushion is something everyone would have a use for, even if you are doing paper crafts.

I started making the pincushion about 2 weeks before the 30th of October. I am glad I started making them early as the week of the Bee itself, I came down with flu. It was a really bad one this time around as I actually even lost my voice, but luckily I lost the voice only after the Bee.

I originally started with 7 numbers since that was the number that said were coming, but, as the date grew near, more posted to say that they were coming. I managed to add 3 more and made one very special needlebook, a first for me, as before this, I had never tried making one even though I had always wanted to give my hand at it, before I fell really sick.

I had a fever on the night of the 29th of October. Since Margaret (co-moderator) wasn’t going to be around, and Paul (also another co-moderator) was working that day, I had to psyche myself up not be sick so that I can be there at the Bee, especially since I had promised a giveaway to celebrate the birth of NNC.

I popped a panadol and some flu medicine and went to bed at 10.30pm that night after I finished packing everything up to get ready for the Bee.

I kept waking up every hour from 2.00am as I could not sleep as I was having trouble breathing through my nose, and my throat was drying up because I was breathing through my mouth instead.

I got up at 5.00am, popped up another dose of panadol and flu medicine and went back to bed. I woke up at 8.00am just in time to get ready, get my son ready, got the laundry done and headed out to McD for a drive-thru breakfast as it started raining.

I was feeling a lot better. I think it must have been psychological as I was excited to be meeting up with friends whom I have not met for some time and who shares the same passion as I do.

When I got there at 10.20am, there was still no one there yet. I ordered hot coffee for myself and hot chocolate for Aiman. I sat him down and we each had a dose of the flu medicine I had brought along. My son has not fully recovered from his coughing, though his sniffles is much more under control.

Veronica arrived as I was giving Aiman his medicine, followed soon by Sabariah who looked dainty in a baju kurung.

She looked like she was dressed to go for a wedding like she always does when she comes to the bee – always touch n’go! LOL!

But, not this time though. She is here to stay longer, but the baju kurung was to hide a cut on her knee from a fall she had a week ago. *grin*

Next came Faizon loaded with plenty of tatting books to show off and a book on bags which I just love! I might want to get it! LOL! *wink*

Next came June, and Tini arrived when I was away to send Aiman to his engineering class. Jo came carrying a HUGE bag which I fell in love with immediately! LOL! I must make one for myself!

Jo also showed off her BIG BLUE BAG which everyone has been going ooh and aaah when she posted it at her blog and mentioned about it at the group board.

She also brought along the fabrics which she had bought when she was in the US some months ago. They were all so very lovely!

Zarina came too and brought along her lovely girl quilt to show off! Isn't this so sweet?

Here are some other photos of the going ons that day at the Bee.

Anna came almost towards the end of our meet, but she came with some very lovely crocheted pieces which she wanted Jo to sew on the lining for her. Seen here are some of the lovely pieces.

Mel was supposed to turn up, but due some last minute hiccup, she could not make it.

At about 12.00noon when I think everyone who is supposed to be there was there, I pulled out the small giveaways to make a draw for who gets what.

Everyone was required to write their names on a small piece of paper which I had already prepared earlier and then roll them up and put them in a jar.

Next, I asked June to choose a small giveaway and draw out the name of who was going to get the giveaway that June had picked out. That person then picked another giveaway and drew the next person to receive it and so on and so forth until all 6 (there were 8 of us, including myself) giveaways were given out, leaving June the only one whose name was not picked out. Her name was at the bottom of the jar tightly rolled, and she was lamenting that next time she won’t rolled so tight anymore as it made it heavy and fell to the bottom of the jar. LOL!

Little did she know that she was actually the luckiest as she got the special giveaway of a needlebook with NNC 4th Anniversary embroidered on the front, some needles, a pack of coloured head pins and a pair of little pink scissors!

Seen here are all those who attended showing off the little giveaway I made for them.

And here are close-ups of just two samples of the giveaways. More photos will be posted in a separate posting.

At about 12.30noon or so, Paul appeared somewhat a little thinner than the last time I met him. He also looked different as this time he had his glasses on instead of his contacts. I also noticed that he was not his usual cheerful self. He was rather quiet. I am a little concerned. I hope that whatever that Paul is currently going through, he will be strong to face it and come out of it stronger. We want back our cheerful Paul!

Here's everyone who came minus Anna who was snapped the photo.

Anyway, thank you so much, Paul, for coming, despite having to come after work. I really appreciate it. Thank you too to Veronica, Faizon, Sabariah, June, Tini, Zarina, Anna and Jo for coming! I hope you girls and Paul had a great time! I know I did!

BTW, I lost my voice on Saturday night due to the flu and had to look for a 24 hour clinic in Port Dickson where I drove after the Bee to join my hubby who was there attending a workshop.