30 Days!!!!!

Finally, a finish!!!! This piece was my travel stitching project so I have been working on and off on this one for a while, but I felt like I had to wrap it up, so here it is~

Pattern: Little House Needleworks “Plant Kindness”
Thread: Gentle Art and DMC Cotton Floss
Fabric: 28 ct Linen color Flax
Stitched Size: 5.75” x 7.5”
Completion Date: 06-22-2012

I really like the colors on this one, purple and green, my favorite colors~

So I went to visit a Sew and Vac superstore here in San Diego and guess what I got!! A new sewing machine!!! I didn’t actually plan on buying that day but saw this model there and it was on sale, and the next thing I knew I was pulling out my credit card!!! I still have to test it out more but I’m liking it so far!!!

So what do all these have to do with 30 days? Well, that is when I will be moving – AGAIN!!! This time, we are moving overseas back to my home country - Taiwan~ That is why I am so eager to finish up my projects and get a new machine is such a short time. Although I’ve already packing, I still have all my crafting things out. I need to figure out what I want to work on before all the boxes arrive to our new home… So if it seemed like I have not been too active lately, that’s because I’m busy packing!! I’ll try to pop in as often as I can~ Enjoy your weekend!!

Nothing much…

Thank you for all your comments about my sister’s wedding and my wedding sampler~ You guys are so sweet~~ I have not been doing too much stitching since I came back. Still in the recovering mode… I did ordered some fabric online before I left town, it was The Pop Garden Collection by Heather Bailey for Free Spirit Fibers!! I couldn’t resist the beautiful greens~~

I’m also searching for a sewing machine. The one I had is pretty basic, and I want to find one that has more built in stitches and quilting abilities. Right now I’m looking at SINGER Stylist 7258 Sewing Machine and Brother CS5055PRW Sewing Machine. I couldn’t decide which one to get, for all you quilters out there, what type of sewing machine do you use?

I was at a gathering the other day, and one of my friend made these most adorable rice balls for the kids~ How cute are these?! And of course, all the kids loved it!!!!

Enjoy your weekend!!!

Winner, Blankets and Threads!!!

Sorry that I’m a few days late to announce the winner of my Paris souvenir giveaway, things were a bit busy these past few days. So without further ado, Vickie is the lucky winner of this giveaway!!!! Congratulations, Vickie~ I’ll e-mail you for your address.

I also made some baby blankets for my friends who are going to be new moms~One is having a boy and the other a girl!! So excited for them!!!! You would think after having quite a few rounds of practice I have finally got a hang of this, but this time I ran into some trouble with the little bird fabric. Apparently the sot did not gave me a square cut, so I almost didn’t have enough fabric!! after a few try I finally got it to work. I’ll have to remember to ask for a square cut next time when I’m in the store.

Pattern: Sew Much Ado "Ric Rac Receiving Blanket" 
Size: 40” x 40” & 36” x 36”
Completion Date: 04-11-2012

Michaels had a 30% off all purchase coupon this past Saturday, and I wanted to take full advantage of it, so I went and did a crazy thing – I bought all the DMC thread that I did not have!!! The poor girl that helped me at check out had her work cut out for her, since they had to scan each and every one of them, not to mention I froze up their machine because it exceeded the total limit so she had to void that transaction and start all over again!!!!! I felt sooo guilty making her do all that work, don’t think I’ll show up in that store anytime soon…

Thank you all for your lovely comments in my last post, may you all have a wonderful evening~~

I’m Back with Something Fun!!!

Hello my darling friends~ I’m back from Paris!!!! It was amazing!!!! There is soooo much to see in Paris, the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Musee d’Orsay, Notre-Dame, and Versailles were just a few. Our legs were so sore from all the walking, but it was totally worth it!!! I can see why so many people love going to Paris, it is a city full of culture and so alive, and their food is amazingly delicious~

While I was planning the trip, I discovered that the tapestries of “The Lady and the Unicorn” (French: La Dame à la licorne) is on display in the Musée de Cluny. I first known these tapestries from the novel “The Lady and the Unicorn” by Tracy Chevalier, and it is one of my favorite novels, so I had to go see these tapestries in person. Let me tell you, they are magnificent!!! I was so moved by them. It made me want to read the novel all over again~

Thanks to Jennifer for her tips and a book I found that had a list of craft stores in Paris, I even managed to visit some local needlepoint shops. It was a wonderful treasure hunt, I found so many wonderful charms and ribbons and trims, and of course I had to get a pair of Sajou scissors!!! I did not get as much charts as I expect. It’s not that I didn’t find things I like, in the contrary, I fell in love with so many of them!!! But because most of the shops carry kits instead of just charts, the cost is quite expansive. I had to cut back but still managed to take home with me two charts, a kit and a wonderful book~

Here’s a list of the shops I went just in case anyone is planning to go to Paris in the future. A note to remember, all stores are closed on Sunday, and most of them open late and close early, so be sure to check the hours before you go:

• Des Fils et Une Aiguille ♥♥♥♥♥
  1 rue Chabanais 75002 Paris
  Metro: Pyramides (M7, M14); close to Palais Royal
  Hours: 11am~7pm; closed Sun., 12/31, 3 weeks in August
  Web: www.desfilsetuneaiguille.com
  
  This is an awesome needlepoint/craft shop~ It is very much like a needlepoint shop in the US, filled with lots of kits, trims, ribbons, threads, fabrics and charms. It also carries a variety of Sajou products. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Totally worth a visit if you are in the area!!

• Le Bonheur des Dames ♥♥♥♥♥
  Le Viaduc des Arts - 17, Avenue Daumesnil 75012 Paris
  

  Métro: Ledru Rollin (M8); close to the Place de la Bastille and the Marais
  R.E.R: Gare de Lyon
  Hours: 10:30AM ~ 7PM; closed Sun. 
  Web: www.bonheur-des-dames.biz/boutique_us/liste_rayons.cfm?code_lg=lg_us
  
  This is a wonderful cross stitch shop with a lot of patterns, kits, fabric, threads, and books. They also have all kinds of linen and Aida strip fabrics for bell pulls and such. This is the biggest shop I’ve been to while I was in Paris, and their own Le Bonheur des Dames patterns are all so gorgeous!!!! Almost all their patterns are in complete kits, so it includes all the threads, fabric, charms and needle. Although the staff do not speak much English (as of most of the  other shops here in Paris), they are really friendly. This is a must see if you ever go to Paris~
  

• Le Bonheur des Dames 2 ♥♥♥
  8 Passage Verdeau 75009 Paris
  Metro: Grands Boulevards (M8, M9)
  Hours: Mon. 11:30AM ~ 2:00PM and 2:00PM ~ 7:00 PM;Tue. to Sat. 10:30AM ~ 2:00PM and 2:30PM ~ 7:00PM; closed Sun.
  Web: www.bonheur-des-dames.biz/boutique_us/liste_rayons.cfm?code_lg=lg_us
  
  This is a small branch located in Passage Verdeau, and is much smaller then the Viaduct shop, carries mainly Le Bonheur des Dames kits. Our hotel was only 3 minutes walk away, so even though I have been to the  Viaduct already, I couldn’t resist to stop by this one as well~

• Au Fil des Jours ♥♥♥♥
  2 rue Fremicourt 75015 Paris
  Metro: Ave. Emile Zola (M10)
  Hours: Tue. Fri. Sat. 10am~7pm; Wed. Thu. 2:30pm~7pm; closed Sun. Mon., second week in August
  
  This small shop is located right across the street of the Metro station. Although it’s small, it carries all the necessities to stitch~ Trims, buttons, charms, charts, you name it, they have it. This shop also carries a small amount of Sajou products.
  
• La Croix et la Maniere ♥♥
  36 rue Faidherbe 75011 Paris
  Merto: Charonne (M9) is closer, or Faidherbe-Chaligny (M8)
  Hours: 12pm~7pm; closed Sun., Mon., and August
  Web: www.lacroixetlamaniere.com/
  
  This is the shop of Monique Lyonnet. Many linen products can be found here, and a wide variety of linen kits, interesting buttons and trims. It is a bit more expansive then other shops, but the quality is undeniable.
  
• Entrée des Fournisseurs ♥♥♥♥
  8 rue des Francs Bourgeois 75003 Paris
  Metro: St. Paul (M1)
  Hours: Mon. 2pm~7pm; Tue~Sat. 10:30am~7pm; closed Sun, and third week of August
  Web: www.entreedesfournisseurs.fr
  
  This is a wonderful craft shop is located in the courtyard of #8 rue des Francs Bourgeois. It is filled with an incredible array of ribbons, trims, buttons, and fabrics!!! There are so many things to choose from that you definitely won’t  leave empty handed~ The staff speak a little English and are extremely helpful~

• La Droguerie ♥♥♥
  9 et 11 rue du Jour 75001 Paris
  Metro: Les Halles (M4)
  Hours: Mon. 2pm~6:45pm; Tue~Sat 10:30am~6:45pm; closed Sun
  Web: www.ladroguerie.com
  
  This is another wonderful craft shop that is locaed right next to Eglise St. Eustache. The minute you step into the shop, you are drawn to the colorful yarns, ribbons, buttons, beads, fabrics… you name it, they have it!!! This shop is sooo busy that you’ll have to wait for a while for someone to help you, so be sure to grab a staff to help you while you can.
  

• Le Comptoir ♥♥
  26 reu Cadet 75009 Paris
  Metro: Cadet (M7)
  Hours: Mon 12pm~7pm; Tue.~Sat. 11am~7pm; closed sun.
  Web: lecomptoir.canalblog.com/
  This is a little shop filled from floor to ceiling with tons of yarn!!! It is a knitter’s haven~ It also carries a small amount of stitching/sewing goods.

I did not have a chance to go to the following stores Jennifer recommended, but I still would like to list it here for your information:

• le Bon Marche Department Store
  24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris, France
  Hours: Mon-Wed & Fri 10am ~ 8pm , Thu & Sat 10am ~ 9pm, closed Sun.
  Metro: Sevres Babylone (M10,M12), nearest to the Musee D'orsay
  Web: www.lebonmarche.fr
  According to Jennifer, this is an upscale department store with a sewing department on the second floor (double check). It has a fabulous variety of Sajou products, Liberty of London fabric, yarn department, cross stitch fabric and charts. She also found DMC thread on a spool here, which was really interesting.

• BHV Department Store
  52 Rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris, France
  Hours: Mon., Tue., Thu., Fri. 9:30 am ~ 7:30 p.m. Wed. 9:30 am ~ 9:00 pm, Sat. 9:30 am ~ 8:00 pm; closed Sun.
  Metro: Hotel de Ville (M1,M11), right across from Hotel de Ville de Paris
  Web: http://www.bhv.fr/
  This is a huge department store that has a much of everything in it.The second floor has a huge craft/art section, as well as a book department. There are excellent books here with cross stitch and embroidery patterns, as well as quilting books.They also have a huge inventory of Japanese craft books.

Thank you for reading this long post this far, and now for something fun~ If you would like some of the treasures I brought back from Paris, please say so in the comment of this post. I will put together a package and pick a winner on Easter Day April 8. Good luck, and thanks for visiting~~~

Sneak Peak~

I have finished making the gift for my Blogoversary giveaway this week~~ Although I can’t tell you what it is yet, this is what was left in my trash bin~ See all the threads I ripped out? I ran into trouble with the binding again!!!! Can’t remember how many times I had ripped it out and redid it, but I finally got a result that I can live with. I hope you like fall colors!!!! If you would like to enter for the giveaway, you can still leave a comment on my earlier post, and I will draw a name on 9/26 evening.

I went to JoAnn’s the other day, on the intention of picking up some threads, but ended up bring home some fabrics with me as well. I’m on the look out of gathering cute baby girl fabrics, cause I’m going to be an aunt!!!!! Mind you I have no idea what I will be doing with these fabrics yet, but hey, that is not important, right?  ;-)

Fall has definitely arrived, I can feel it in the air~ How about you?

Blueberries and Stash~

My hubby and I went blueberry picking this past weekend. We had a blast!!!! I think more berries ended up in my hubby’s stomach then in the bucket!!! There were so many berries on the branches you could almost mistaken them as a string of grapes~~

Since we were in the area, we stopped by Old Town Temecula to shop around the stores. This is a town with lots of characters, and a whole lot of antique shops!!!

But antique was not why I was there, craft stores are more my thing. The first one I hit was The Wool Lady!!! Her shop was just filled with wooly goods!!!! I couldn’t stop oohing and aahing every time I turned a corner.

These Blackworks by Lolita Newman really caught my eye, even my hubby said they were quite awesome. I couldn’t resist but had to bring 2 of them home, including a kit for the Chicken Coop Series~~

Next stop, Quilter’s Coop!!! This is one AWESOME quilt shop!!! It carries many fabric brands and the store is so big I could get lost in there forever!!!!

Seriously, I only intended to look around in the store and did not planned on buying anything. I even told my hubby that I will be quick. Well, almost an hour later, I came out with another bag. This time with some discounted fabric. To my defense they were 40% off, and I just couldn’t pass that up, could I?!

Finally, we arrived at Rooster Creek. This is a shop filled with all sorts of crafty goods. With the guilt from the last store, I didn’t get anything from this store. But those candles sure looked tempting!!!!!

Rooster Creek
42050 Main Street
Temecula, CA 92590
(951) 694-9918

My recent order from 123 Stitch.com also arrived last week. After seeing so many wonderful starts around the blogging world, I couldn’t resist and ordered Brenda Gervais’s Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler!! I don’t know if I could start it anytime soon but it’s definitely on my to do list!!!

So that was my weekend. I hope you all had a wonderful time as well~~ Thanks for visiting!!!! Happy summer!!!!

Away…

I will be traveling again for a few weeks, first to Japan then back home to Taiwan. To make sure I have enough supply during my trip, I’ve placed an order on fabrics and threads that I will need for the LHN ornaments. I think I’m all set, at lease in the stitching department….

I was super busy these past few weeks. With only two more days left before leaving, I haven’t even pull out my suitcase yet, and I’m the type that usually start packing like 2 weeks early!! Can you tell that I’m panicking right now?!

1.11.11

I brought my car in for a smog check today and saw the receptionist wrote down “1.11.11” on my receipt. At first I thought it was some sort of code, then I realized that was today’s date!!!! How interesting~ I wonder if anyone had especially scheduled to give birth today just to get this on the birth certificate~~

I don’t know if it’s because of the new year, I felt like stash shopping lately, and shopping is what I did!!

 

Of course seeing Bunny Hill Designs was having a sale didn’t help me stop either!!! I bought a few patterns and this pack of Cosmo Variegated Floss, which were on sale at half off~~~ Who could resist these beautiful floss?! I think Anne still have some in her shop but not much, so if you feel like getting some will have to act quick~~

I’ve also been wanting those lovely charms I saw so many fellow stitchers put on their works!! So I did a little bit web surfing and found that CR’s Crafts carried a few variations of this charm with a reasonable price~~ I thought these will look nice on the ornaments I hopefully will be making….

Oh~~ I’m not done shopping yet!! I feel like there will be more to come~~ ^^

New Year~

Happy New Year, my dear friends~~ Can you believe a new year has started already?! January 1st is not only this first day of a year, it is also my wedding anniversary!!! DH took me shopping all day and treated me with a wonderful dinner!! I was sooo tired by all the walking at the end of the day, but was filled with happiness. It sure didn’t feel like 5 years have past. I am very fortunate to have him as my husband~~

Well, guess where I went for my first stop of shopping!!! Michaels of course!!! I wanted to restock my DMC threads so I took the advantage of using the 25% off entire purchase coupon~~ After seeing all the wonderful ornaments you guys did this past year, it made me wanted to do it for this year. And have you seen the preview of Little House Needlework’s new ornaments? I totally gave in after seeing it. So this is the challenge I gave myself this year. Finish at least one ornament a month. I hope I can do it!!!!

Wishing you all a year filled with happy dances!!!!