itching for crafting!

Caring for a broken arm Hanie and down with fever & bad stomach Alya, I didn't get a chance to cross stitch. But my fingers kept on 'fidgeting'. I settled on 2 small crochet projects. Mini crochet doily stitched using no. 10 Anchor thread. And a crocheted pincushion, stitched using rayon floss. My 1st encounter of crocheting using rayon floss. It was rather tricky but I would like to use the floss for crocheted edging project in my crafts-to-do list.

not Claire Bennet

Hanie broke her left arm. Was in the shower when I heard her cry. I went into panic to see her sitting on the couch with a broken arm. Hanie is one tough little honey. She sat still and stopped crying after seeing me panicking. She asked me "Are we going to the hospital?"

After coming back from the hospital, I asked her "Why did you jump?". She replied calmly "I did not. I fell down." Apparently, she was climbing up the double decker. She slipped and fell onto the floor. When we moved into the house, the owner provided us some furnitures including the double decker. The top bed is never been used for sleeping actually and we also had the ladder removed. But somehow it didn't deter our little Hanie from testing her motor skill - climbing up.

The cast would be removed in one month period. Now, when she sees her sisters trying to climb up the couch, table etc, Hanie would say "You better not! It is dangerous. You will break your arm and have to go to the hospital!"

She is just our little honey, not 'Claire Bennet'.

The best fish tank I ever had

CAUTION : THIS POSTING IS DEDICATED TO FISH LOVERS

A group of tropical fishes had been added to the family since last year - as our little princesses' very own 1st pet. The kids really enjoying watching the fishes swimming around the sunken 'ship' and water plants. My hubby and I also loves having a tank of tropical fishes in the house. Apart from the nice underwater view, it also helps cooling down the temperature during the hot & dry spell. Works wonder as the night lamp (we usually switch off the fish tank's light before we to bed though). Also a focal point in the living room.

Personally, this is the 3rd fish tank I ever had (not to count the tanks that my father has had during my childhood days). My 1st tank was actually a golden fish bowl (many many years ago). Anyway, I didn't have golden fish in it. I put a pair of tropical fishes that didn't need aerated water to live in. They were tough cookie species of tropical fishes. Usually found in the ponds, muddy freshwater and paddy fields. Low and easy maintenance, it just that their looks do not have much for you to adore if you love ornamental fishes.

2nd tank was the plastic ones (medium size). Tiger barbs & dwarf gouramis lived in there not long before we bought the current glass tank complete with the water filter, aerator & light.


Small tropical fishes like tiger barbs & dwarf gouramis do not have higher chances and longer lifespan like other fishes. We at least had 3 batches of tropical fishes since the 1st batch we purchased. The only fish that survives throughout the year is pleco, the tank cleaner or better known locally as 'ikan bandaraya'. You can see Pleco creeping up the wall in the 2nd pic (the black & grey spotted fish). Currently we have tiger barbs, Shanghai carps, cherry barb, koi & 'black skirtings' as well as pleco.

MYS Neighbourhood RR 2007 - round 4

Round 4 - I have to stitch on Zarina's RR piece. Unlike the rest of us, she has specifically decided on neighbourhood gardens for her RR theme. The participants have to stitch the 'gardens of their own'.

Knowing that Zarina fancies oriental gardens, I flipped lots of magazines to find oriental sceneries patterns. I couldn't find much but I was really glad to see 'Fujiyama pattern' in one of the magazines. Since the pattern is way too big for the RR, I merely stitched a portion from the whole pattern that includes the coral pink shrubs, stream and pagoda garden lamp/lantern. And stitched a bridge from another pattern, a complement to the oriental landscape. Thought of oriental gardens, that we could always find willow trees next to the bridges or streams, I charted on my own a simple willow tree pattern to 'complete' the garden.

I really enjoyed stitching the oriental garden. I used DMC flosses with some colour changes and adjustments to the patterns for this oriental scenery.