More Tatting, KBCC #21 and An Evening of Opera

This is the latest name I tatted for my colleague. I love this sweet pink variegated Gutermann Sulky Cotton 30 thread best.

Here are more tatted ATCs. Actually, they are tatted motifs glued onto fabric. A 5th one is not in the photo as it was already traded.

More of my tatted owls, aren't they cute?

Yesterday KBCC was an exciting one, at least to me - sewing a fabric tissue pack holder. I don't sew much and definitely not on the machine, so I can only hand-sewed everything. Quite stressful, especially as I was rushing against time to finish it to make my way to the opera in the evening. Anyway, after working non-stop with the needle for more than 2 hours, most of us finished it. And Betsy bought a most delicious birthday cake for all the Feb babies too! Thanks, Betsy! And thank you Suzanne for her instructions too!

Can you guess which is mine?

Well, this is the piece I sewed. The tatted lace behind the buttons is a scrap piece I received from Faizon earlier when she offered to give them away. It fitted in nicely.

And to the next segment of the day: La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini in the Esplanade Theatre, an opera sung in four acts, directed by Andrew Sinclair, set in Paris in the 1930s, when France had lurched from one chaotic government to another in a short time and life was unstable economically as it was politically. Despite these, Paris remained a melting pot for artists and writers and their hopes and ideals. People were determined to enjoy themselves and the cafes, theatres and restaurants were full to overflowing. Beneath this superficial gaiety, life was different.

The two lead characters, Rodolfo [Simon Kyung Lee, tenor (US/South Korea)] and Mimi [Nancy Yuen, soprano (Singapore)] met and fell in love during the winter, separated in spring and reconciled in summer before she passed away from illness. Rodolfo and Mimi are very much human and simple people; they love, they work and they fight like most of us do. Although the opera was sung in Italian, and it took a little while to get used to reading the subtitles at the sides of the stage and re-focus quickly on the stage, it was still very much an enjoyable night watching and listening to the singing and music filled with emotion and passion, and I was fighting my tears all the way through Act IV, sob..sob... Ok, Mimi died, but she united all the characters at the end.

I will wrap up this post showing you this Workbasket magezine I won and received from the LadyShuttleMaker's latest giveaway. This is my first Workbasket magezine. Thank you, LadyShuttleMaker, I enjoy reading every little articles and even the advertisements!

And co-incidentally, there are more Workbaskets to be won in Crazy Mom Tats' giveaway, pop over to check it out!

Come back soon to read about my giveaway in my next post :)

Mermaids, More Tatted Names and Simply Ballroom

This month ArtDoll swap is a mermaid and I thought I will give it a try. I researched a little to see how others decorated mermaid, and decided I want a beautiful one. These were what I did over the weekend - my first paper art dolls!

Done with scrapbooking cardstocks, they measured about 6.5"tall with a movable tail. I used the QuicKutz fashion doll for the top body, beads for the necklace, sequin & brad for the belly button and embroidery floss for the hair. The patterns on the tail were also highlighted with paper glace, though not obvious in the photo. I'm very pleased with them, but had to separate the twins and the elder one is on her way to Roslind in Japan.

I didn't forget to tat, I have been tatting Anna Valeire's alphabets as gift for my colleagues who have resigned. Does anyone have so high resignation rate in their company ? Sigh. Well, these are 2 of the 3 I am tatting now, and growing to love these Gutermann Sulky Cotton 30 variegated threads.

On a lighter note, I was one of the selected STAR Pass holders to get a free pair of tickets to the "Simply Ballroom" held at the Arina Stadium Waterfront. Although I have been to the Singapore Indoor Stadium numerous times for concerts, I did not know this purportedly the region’s first and biggest temporary ARINA Stadium Waterfront, and had to walk round the whole stadium compound before I found it.

Ok, I didn't go with much expectation, and to be honest, I will not consider buying my own tickets for the show. I do remembered the good times during my university days practicing ballroom dancing, it was a short stint but most enjoyable, especially when you had a good partner to lead. But well, so we were there last night and we're almost immediately swept off our feet by all the vibrant and dazzling couture gowns, the delightful songs belted out by 1 of the 8 couples, while the other 7 pairs danced effortlessly in full ensemble production numbers from Waltz to Tango, Jive to Cha Cha, under a spectacular disco ball. It was a dreamy and sensual atmosphere, captivating - sound and sight, elegance - both figures and moves, and passionate and hot at times. It was a good treat for the hour-plus; no regret for rushing down from work and skipping dinner!

I'm looking forward to the Italian opera this Sat, Puccini's La Boheme, at the Esplanade Theatre (I love the theatre there!) It will be my first time watching an opera sung in a foreign language, though it is so common nowaday to watch Korean and Japanese shows and reading the subtitles.

Paper-Cutting ATCs and TIAS Day 7

Thought I have lost them, but fortunately, they arrived after travelling out there for a whole long month. These are the paper-cutting ATCs I received for the Dec swop. Going from top left corner clockwise: "Poinsettia" by Mary Lou Sulecki, Unicorn by Edie Johnstone, Reindeer by Susan Hahn and "Rudolf" by Melissa Clark. Aren't they beautiful! Certainly well-worth the wait.

Think I haven't posted these that I cut for the same swap. They were all Chinese designs, and my tatted lucky clover paperclip to thank the hostness, Susan.

And my Day 7 of Jane's Tat It And See. My first thought was a rooster as I tatted Day 7, but looking at the 1st part, I'm guessing a peacock. What do you think?

ATCs Galore and Jane's TIAS 2010

We had our first ATC trading session on Thu at Bishan Library. Moses organised a punch art artivity and these were the creations by everyone. Kristine did the snail and the flower cards (bottom left and the one right above it); I did the flower basket (2nd on the top right corner). I like Betsy's Beary Love - card right in the middle.

A more close-up on my flower basket card here, and 3 more foam flower cards I did earlier in the day.

The theme for the month was "Fabric", so I did 4 of these "Vogue" ATCs. The lady is cut from foam with my newest QuicKutz fashion doll set cookie cutter, and dressed in a real fabric piece. (the 4th card was not in photo as it was traded to Richard.)

Interesting cards I traded with Pei Ling (Sandpaper Flower), Rita (Fish), Richard (Textile Batik) and Betsy (Autumn Bloom).

These were what I received from Kristine. She drew and painted the left one with markers, and needle-felted the right one.

Not forgetting Joey, I got her finger-printed "Occupation" card, a hand-drawn frog, an origami flamingo, a QuicKutz owl and a kirigami snowflake flower card.

The last ATCs I am showing were what I received from Amy in the Dec 09 ATC Doll Swap with the theme "Sun, Moon and Stars". The card on the left had 2 faces: the Sun and Moon. The right one is "Fairy on the Moon". Ingenious and well-constructed, everyone went "wow" over them! Thank you, Amy!

Hotly downloaded from my camera is this tatting. I am so happy I have finally managed to catch up Jane's new TIAS till Day 6. I am using Altin Basak 50 threads. Up till Day 4, I really thought it might be a hibiscus, but now I think it might be an animal with that bead for an eye, but I might be fooled. Jane is so good with designing these TIASs!

Hollywood Dinos, A Tatted Name, Self-Portrait ATCs and Sun and Moon Doll ATCs

The dinos are here, well at least till 21 Feb!

These are actually life-size dinosaurs’ exhibits at the Jurong Bird Park - Hollywood Dinos The Live Experience. Just like those we see in the show Jurassic Park, and they are able to move, growl, blink their eyes and even walk and dance! These hi-tech "walking dinosaurs" are the first in Asia and most of the dinosaur species are new exhibits, never before been displayed in Singapore. The walk through the cave, coupled with lighting and special effects, was like being transported to the long lost world of dinosaurs! But beware for those who intend to bring the young toddlers, they might be too scared to go into the cave even when they are in your arms.

Back to some crafts - here's another tatted name for a little girl who loves pink. This will go on her school bag!

These are the lovely self-portrait swap I received recently. A BIG Thank You to Lois Richter who organised the swap!

And these are my latest ATCs - Sun doll titled "Cool In Pink", and Moon doll titled "Lady Moon's New Dress". The top 2 are on the way to Sandy H.

The children are back to school after a 6-week break, and sure tough getting things ready for 3, plus all the forms to fill, all the school letters to disgest, ...