NNC July 2011 Stitching Bee

Hi, everyone! It feels like it’s been ages since I last blogged. Busy! Busy! Busy! So, what else is new, right? LOL!

Anyway, before this posting becomes way overdue, I have to blog about our latest Bee which was recently held on the 30th of July 2011 at Level 2, The Gardens Food Court.

This is the 2nd time that the Bee was held there though the first time it was held at The Gardens, I was not able to be around. That particular Bee was held in honour of Shanny who came back for the holidays from Switzerland.

We actually had a Bee earlier to coincide with her (Shanny) coming back in early May at Sally’s house, but, being totally busy, I was not able to blog about it. I still hope to blog about it some day as I had a great time during that Bee too (since when has an NNC Bee not been fun? LOL!).

Anyway, back to the current affair at hand, which is the Bee which was held at The Gardens, I arrived at The Gardens at about 9.40am, about the same time Faizon arrived. I ran out of credit on my personal phone and so could not reply to Jo's and Faizon's smses.

I used my office phone to call Faizon and Paul earlier. Faizon did not pick up until the 4th time. I guess since it was an unfamiliar number, she didn't pick it up. I understood that, but, I guess when I persisted, Faizon had to pick up the phone! LOL! *wink*

Paul answered my call with a groggy voice; obviously he had just gotten out of bed! SORRY, Paul! *blush*

Anyway, I managed to show off the few new bags I just made to Faizon before Vivian arrived and showed us her lovely handmade book binding. 

Vivian also showed us her cute stocking animal. I think everyone thought that it was adorable and wanted to bring it back with them. LOL!

Faizon showed more of her lovely tatted works. I wanted to buy the lovely green tatted bracelet which coincidentally matched the green blouse that I was wearing, but forgot all about it when the others arrived.

Janet arrived soon after. I must apologised to Janet for not offering to pick her up at KL Sentral. I should have, but I had too many things on my mind yesterday that I forgot a lot of things yesterday, the most embarrassing was the fact that I forgot all about bringing the signature blocks for Zarina's Block Swap. I am truly really embarrassed! I felt like shoving my head under the table and kicking myself for forgetting about the blocks when I actually posted at the NNC board that I would bring it to this Bee to pass it on to her.

I have since made arrangement with Zarina to mail the signature blocks directly to those participating when I mail out my blocks to the rest of the participants. Thanks, Zarina, for agreeing to this arrangement and sorry again.

Zarina gave me a pack of lovely variegated embroidery threads as a trade off to my helping her to embroider the Signature Blocks for her. Thanks, Zarina. I will surely have plenty of use for it though it’s been ages since I did any embroidery on Em.

Mel arrived soon with a HUGE bag of birthday goodies for me. I think my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw all the lovely goodies in the big red huge paper bag. Everything was, of course, PINK! Well, almost all. *grin* Everything was all things cupcakes! There were cupcake cups – loads of them in different designs and sizes! Even the cute little serviette had cupcake motifs on it!

I especially like the box of very tiny cupcakes. I don’t want to unpack the box just yet, they are too pretty and I just want to see them in the box for now until I need to use them.

Mel also included in the bag of goodies a handmade fabric flower brooch which is awesome! I wear brooches all the time to work. I just need to match it with the clothes I wear to work and I am sure I have a Baju Kurung in peach!

There was also a card with the note “Here’s to a great baking adventure”. I am sure I will be having a great adventure baking cupcakes with all that Mel has gifted. Hari Raya is just 3 weeks away, and I was just thinking of making cupcakes this year instead of the usual square Carrot Walnut Cake that I make yearly. Only problem is, I am not that good at the decorating. Hmmm.......

Thanks again, Mel!

In the midst of my excitement of getting the birthday goodies from Mel, Tini and Paul arrived.

Paul brought along to show us the lovely birthday present he received from Diane recently. They were all so awesome! I especially like the hat pincushion, and everyone was trying to guess what the brim of the hat could be off made of. We guessed it right – it was made from a paper plate! Awesome idea!

I love everything about the gifts Diane made for Paul, but I love the scissor keeper with the cute stork scissors the most. They were so cute together.

While everyone just chatted away, Faizon, as usual, took out her tatting box and started tatting.

I should have brought my cross stitch to work on, but, like I said earlier, I was very absent minded that day. I had not been well the week before and things were also getting overly stressful at work trying to resolve issues with a very difficult contractor.

Earlier in the week, I was diagnosed with having low blood pressure and later, diagnosed with having vertigo. So, I have been a little bit imbalanced the last few days prior to the Bee. I was also not sleeping properly due to issues at work not being resolved. I think it all adds up.

While we were chatting away, Nigel, Mel’s son kept coming back and forth to show Paul some games on the iPhone. I think it was cute the game that Nigel showed Paul, and it kept Paul preoccupied with the game for most part of the Bee. *grin*

At about 12.00noon, I started feeling hungry as I did not have much of a breakfast before coming, and so decided to get myself a serving of kebabs with pita bread. It did not look the least bit appetizing but it was delicious. I think next time I’ll bring my son and hubby along to eat at the food court so that they too can enjoy this food, though it was a little bit on the expensive side.

It felt odd to be the only one having lunch while the others chatted away, but, after a while, Faizon joined me for lunch while the others carried on chatting away.

Mel had left to join her family for lunch earlier, and Vivian had left even earlier for another appointment. When Faizon and I were both done with lunch, the four of us, Janet, Faizon, Zarina and I went over to Art Friends to check out what’s there while Tini and Paul left together for another appointment.

I did not buy anything at Art Friend. I did not stay long as I had to be back in time to fetch Aiman from his tuition class.

I felt like it was a short Bee this time around, and I think I felt that way probably because it could be due to the fact that I was feeling not quite myself; I felt like as if I was floating. It could probably have got to do with the vertigo that I was experiencing in the last few days. I am better now, thank God, though I still try to avoid driving fast like I use to, not that I drive like a race driver. LOL!

Thanks for coming, everyone! Thank you Faizon, Vivian, Janet, Mel, Paul, Tini & Zarina. Can’t wait for the next Bee in October!