Bookmark Exchange and Father's Day Presents

The bookmark exchange from the NeedlesnCrafts group came in from Paul Lionel (Malaysia).

Paul crocheted book thongs for me. They can stretch and fit deep into the spine.  The green one is a sprout that sprouts out of the book. The hand-drawn sakura flowers postcard is also intended as a bookmark!

My girl, Joey, just learned to crochet after I showed her some basic stitches.  After just a few small practice pieces, she crocheted this round motif for Kristine who mounted it on a 20 cm diameter ring. Kristine just love dream catchers.

Joey's next project was this crocheted monkey. She did everything herself without any guidance. Not bad for a beginner, right?  Her handmade Father's Day gift.  He is 15 cm tall.

Kristine went into baking mode again and baked a red velvet cake for papa.  Don't tell her, but it looked better than it tasted.

Mini Books and Tatted Bookmarks for Exchanges

I did a paper bag mini album swap in March with Shallale Figaro.  The mail took a whole month to arrive from Mexico

Shallale used very small brown paper bags of about 2" × 2.5" and bound them together with a ring from a keychain and another metal ring.

I did mine with envelopes instead - folded in half and altered the opening. About 4.5" × 4.5".

Tatted Sem's name on paperclips for his last day  of work in the office in Feb.

Designed another tatted name, this time on a bookmark.  In fact, both bookmarks are newly designed and tatted for Diane Merlock (USA) for the NeedlesnCrafts 2016 Bookmark Exchange.

Di Magical Bloom and Heart You.

Yet to Show Some Old Swaps

Pam Colosimo's (Canada) spring tag book is finally here, the one she graciously re-sent after the original one went missing in the mail.

We had a bookmark exchange in May over at NeedlesnCrafts. Swapped with Diane L. Merlock (USA). I sent tatted bookmarks.

Sweet hardanger bookmarks Diane sewed for me and tatting threads she enclosed.

My finished butterfly ATCS for the Futterby Butterfly swap which Nikki hosted over at Paper Traders.  Remember these stencilled-printed butterflies with stryofoam? I added die-cut flowers and a quote about butterfly.

ATCs received from (from left going clockwise) Sandra Dewling, Pam Prosser and Barb Adams.

I joined my first swap at Mini-books. Jill Filey (USA) sent me a spring theme mini book 5"×5". 

My first attempt at explosion books. It's done but I haven't heard from Michelle whom I'm supposed to send to. 

Dress Form and Bookmark Swaps and Teachers' Day Presents

Another one "busy" weekend attending workshops in libraries - Watercolour Painting, Chinese Knotting and Finger Painting!

 

Met an ex-colleague too!

It has been some months I have not done any paper doll.  The ATC-ArtDoll group went inactive, but it's back now with Cindy Whiddon (USA) hosting Aug swaps.  I painted Detective Conan for the Famous Detective swap, and decorated my first ever altered dress form.  I folded the origami roses again, but much smaller this time. The whole dress form is about 6 inches tall. Both went to Cindy.

My altered dress form from Jan Gray (USA) came in a pair!  Thank you, Jan!

I just managed to finish 1 set for my own album.

Oh yes, remember the Stitchmap's Summer Bookmark swap?  I received 2 cross-stitched and one hand-embroidered bookmarkers.  Aren't they a treasure!?!  The bird house from Hollie Poley, the pansies from Kriss Svidro and the feather-stitched from Lyn Gaskill.

Finally, Teachers' Day presents! This time round, the children did them mostly on their own - flowers and cards done by the girls and the scones baked by Ivan. I bought them the materials and ingredients, and helped out here and there on the last night.

A Bit of Everything for March and April Swaps

I sent this lot to Debbie House (USA) for the Inchies-onexone March and April swaps.

March swaps included 4 Purrfect (Cat) inchies and 4 Analogous Twinchies with spring time theme.  The cats are stamped on and placed over thread ends all knotted together and wrapped over the whole inchie, while the twinchies are done with die-cut.  The following are a duplicate set of all the swaps for my own collection.

April swaps included a set of 4 inchies of pastel watercolour background with tatted butterflies, 4 inchies stamped and embossed, 2 Moos, 2 thrinchies, and 2 ATCs.  I cut and folded some flowers on 1 of the Moos and folded a pair of butterflies for the other - turned out very Japanese-looking because of the papers!

I did more of the movable ATCs after the March ATC session in Bisahn Library.  For the "Up and Away" ATC on the left in the photo below, pull the bottom string to move the balloons up the sky and pull the top string to bring the balloons down.

For the Bookmark exchange on the NEEDLESnCRAFTS group, I received 2 very lovely cross-stitched bookmarks and a tag from Margaret Wong (Malaysia). Margaret has matched the colour and theme of the  backing fabric, tassel and gift to go along with the bookmarks and tag.  Cross-stitch is something I couldn't do well, so they are extra precious to me, thank you, Margaret!

Kristine did another flower arrangement in school, this scored 86 out of 100.  I like the colour combination.