I Love These Books!

After I sent out my 3 little books for the swap, I worked to make another set for myself. They are at least 90% similar to the Book 2 and 3 sent in for the Little Book swap.

This is the new book cut out using the QuicKutz's Sugarplum dies for the cover and inserts. To re-cap, thin oriental papers lie between cardstock, the papers and cards perked up with colour from different types of ink pads, and tatted flowers adjorned the pages. The other book, the fabric one, measuring about 5" by 4" in size. Words stamped on, laces and tatted motifs added.

The little books for the swap came back - 3 of them!! All so lovely! Thank you, Barbara, Sabine and Sue, for your fabulous creations, and Lenna too, for organising the swap!

(1) From #16 - Barbara DeLisle (USA) - A book of "Ovals", the red little one on the bottom left corner of the above photo - it's barely 1 1/2" x 1 1/8"! 15 words with corresponding pictures, just like a pictorial dictionary, complete with a yellow bookmarker! Barbara received my QuicKutz Sugarplum book.

(2) From #32 - Sabine Schneider (Germany) - A fabric accordion book- canvas painted with acrylic, and sanded down. Came wrapped with a most interesting German paper napkin. Sabine received my fabric book.

(3) From #33 - Sue Emmerson (Australia) - A tag book on "Friends". Came in a machined-sewed paper envelope.7 tags in all, full of Victorian graphics, quotes, ribbons and laces! Sue received my 3" by 3" book.

I finished my "P is for Penguin" fabric ATCs, and is now working to wrap up the sewing of my "O" ATCs.

Cute penguins! Martha Ess' little critter designs are sweet, just can't tat enough of them!

More on the China trip. Moving on to the 5th day (12 Jun, Sun), DH's colleague and his family drove us on a three-hour journey west from Guiyang to the Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄国树大瀑布). It is one of the biggest falls in China, reaching 74m high and spanning 81m in width.

According to local legend, in ancient times, the sky suddenly cracked open, causing part of the Milky Way to smash to pieces on the ground. The largest piece hung on the verge of a cliff and became the Huangguoshu Waterfalls, which, in the process of crashing down the cliff, broke into several dozen cascades. When the Milky Way fell, numerous stars came down with it, which were converted into stone forests, crystal-clear pools, bridges and caves. Water pours down the cliff into the Xiniu Pool sending up great spray and as sunlight is diffracted through the drops of water, glorious rainbows are produced. There is a natural cave behind the waterfall, 40m above Xiniu Pool, which regretfully, we didn't trek up due to time constraint. Around Huangguoshu are 18 smaller falls and 30 karst caves. Scenery is spectacular.

A long escalator (where I were pointing) will also bring tourists up & down to the waterfall area.

The other stop at the Tian Xian Landscape (天星景) was most interesting.

The Shu Sheng Bu (数生步) consists of steps of stone, each stone with a date starting from 1st Jan all the way to 31 Dec.

Here's the place (Gao's Mansion) where Pigsy of the Journey to the West, wanted to take a bride, and where he finally me the Buddhist monk Xuanzang.

On the 6th day (13 Jun, Mon), DH went back to his factory for a meeting. We went along to visit his office. It is big with numerous yards.

Then, it was a lunch with his big boss and the various deparment heads, together with 2 new Zealand guests, in a VIP room of a posh seafood restaurant (雅园大海螺海鲜酒楼) located at 南明区四方河路 within 山水黔城. It was more grand than any function I have attended.

We spent the rest of the day walking the Yang Ming Flowers and Birds Market and more streets at 市西路.

There are a number of stores selling Chinese herbs like this one here.

This last photo was at 市西路, taken in the evening (by the way, the sky was only dark at 8pm during this season). This area is just like Hong Kong's Women Street, selling clothings, towels, umbrellas, shoes, ...and lots of cross-stitch stores too! The walk was cut short when DH was informed last minute of a dinner appointment with the New Zealand guests. We left, but would be back another day!