Newbie Link Up

Thanks for Debbie Doos Newbie Linkup. Her idea is great for our new comers to connect more. It is inspiring in the blogland. I initially only fond of doing ceramics of dolls, plates, pots and sort of. After months of blogging I find myself more creative and active in driving more ideas with bloggies. I searched other blogs for ideas, found wool felting is interesting, I got the inspiration of felt making and able to make a box of this. Corrina loves hens, chicken. When I read Melinda's blog of visiting a farm, the hens and cock are lovely. Idea come to my mind then made this felted box for Corrina. In the process of making it, I think of her and Melinda.

Then I also found some fabric works are so nice. Inspired by Sandee's bag and Valerie's birdie blog, I tried making a bag like this and already given to Lindy. Well, when I see painting and decoupage on fabric are interesting, I made bags and drawn acrylic painting and decoupage. This one was given to my good friend Amy.

I made these needle felted creatures as sample of my wool felt class. All ideas were from blogging.

I stumbled upon diegoagogo's blog, can't resist the black&white cats. One of it is "Ms Flynn". I made the ceramic cat and a plate of it. I love blogging and like to share ideas of felt making and other crafts (but I know a little others and Jack of all Trade !). You may find some tutorials in my older posts. Couldn't agree more blogging is like opening a magazine, you'll find enormous topics

and inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by. Your comments are most welcome.

Thanks Debbie Doo's link up.

Oh my Bag ! 我用心縫制的袋子

Carrying a label bag may have the sense of pride. Giving my handmade bag to someone who appreciates the love behind makes me warm. Just love the soft and light feel of fabric and I will do as much of my own design and hand make.

The left one with my wool felted black cats and a coconut button from my daughter's used rattan handbag. The other two with chirping birds which I made and painted with acrylic. The lower part of the fabric are the curtain samples my mother gave me.
(Please double click all pictures for larger view)
My sister Pauline said she loved my bags and asked me to make one more. So this one with a yellow chirping bird was made for her. Please scroll down to see how I made it.

Lindy is my great supporter. She loves my handmade stuff. This one is big enough for her to carry large documents. It's with zipper, lining and inner bags. Hope she finds it nice and practical.

This one is for myself. I can carry lunch box to office.

This is how I made it. I cut the bird body and wing shapes in white fabric, sewed with cotton enclosed. Then painted with acrylic.

The bird was then sewed on the bag . The tree trunk was also cut from white fabric and acylic painted. Then sewed it twisted. I'm satisfied with this look. Have to admit my sewing skills are not that good, stitches are not quite straight. These are simple bags but it took some hours to finish one. My sister said when she looked at the bag and touched the soft fabric, she smiled. I'm happy she loves it.

"Alright we're fellows now " 好啦同你做個 friend 啦"

Debbie-Doos is holding a pet party. It's fun to join and share.

"Tiger Tiger, burning bright, in the forests of the night......." ~~~William Blake, Tiger

Cats are really good friends. Tiger and Mogi bring us happiness (if no broken glasses !!). Friends know I love cats, they 'd give me cats related stuff. This book is from Irene. The cover cat looks like my Tiger and the quotes and other cat pictures are great.

Tiger, if you could speak ..... I know what you need.

愛貓的人總是沉醉在貓咪的世界, 要與他們溝通我還得要學習他們的語言及了解他們的行為, Irene 送給我的這本貓書有精簡句語及可愛貓兒

My Tiger likes sitting on this stand watching the birds out. Tiger愛站在高台看雀鳥

One day Mogi said " Tiger, can you pull me up? I wanna see what's out."

一日Mogi問Tiger "我都想上去睇吓呀"

Tiger, " Mogi, you get out ! This is my territory !" 唔得! 呢個係我地頭!
Mogi, " What a big deal? Can I just watch a second?" 使唔使咁呀! 睇吓咋嗎!


"Well, if you come you should obey to ME". 好啦, 你要聽我話喎.

Mogi, " Sure, I'll follow you". 一定一定.

OK, boy come on. 上呢啦.
Mogi, "Thank you Sir, please lift me up". 上唔到, 你拉我上去呀.

Tiger + Mogi "There seems nothing in the balcony. Outside the window we heard some noise, but how long can we wait? " 點解等左咁耐都睇唔到有嘢嘅?

I've nothing to say but the sound my cat plays

Hope you enjoy it. Have a good day.

Capture the nature with wool 大自然予我的羊毛靈感

My daughter left me bottles of ice apple wine after the New Year countdown party. Just love the slim shape, I immediately wanted to do something about them ........
大除夕party過後, 女兒留下蘋果冰酒酒瓶, 我喜愛那修長的瓶子, 就用羊毛及大自然的心思把瓶子成為家居小擺設……

In a chilly morning, hubby and I went up to the hill behind my house in Stanley. We climbed up and up. There're lots of wild Camellia. The hill was covered with plenty of such white flowers.

It's cold but sunny with blue skies. The withered branches with creeping purple floweres are livid. I captured the views. Back home, I wet felted the wool and with the ideas of the nature, made the glass bottle with the wool coat and put on the wet wool felted flower.

For the smaller bottle I put the beans I picked up on Po Toi Island. I find these hard beans so eye catching, red and black. Have never seen such bright color beans here and neither know the name of the plant. It's a rare breed. Wondering if the plant knows itself rare and wants to attract birds help breed the offspring !

I put these bottles on the little dining table of my second house. A sweet memory of our hiking and the nature.

Felt Box class 羊毛氈盒子制作

My first class of wool felt this year. Thanks for the girls who made these beautiful boxes in the start of 2011. Indeed, this open class of wool box making is the first one I run. I call this "Treasure Box" as I love it for keeping "little secrets". For people who're first encountered wool may find this craft amazing - how come it can be shaped to a 3-D box ! Yes, amazingly wool is a versatile media. While it's wet and fully felted you can make it round or square. Hope that people here in the tropical region will gradually find wool felting interesting. I love to share my skills and my next class will be making bracelet.
新的一年第一班羊毛氈課程，同學們做了這些盒子，看這些燦爛制作，正正開始我繽紛的一年。 我愛這些漂亮羊毛盒子，就叫 ”月光寶盒” 吧，讓它盛著小小的秘密，羊毛氈工藝就是這麼神奇，充滿創造性，搓圓按扁，做出立體形狀，希望香港有更多人喜愛羊毛氈工藝，下一堂將會教羊毛手鐲及手帶製作，又一新嘗試。

Almost 3 hours, girls made these colorful boxes. The light yellow ones can be used as glowing boxes if a LED lamp is in.

Below is how they made it.
Wool laying on a round template.

Covered both sides of the round template and did the rubbing.

Ater fully felted, cut the lid.

Loosely stitched around the seam to secure the round shape.

Embellished with glass beads.

Treasure box finished, glowing with LED lamp.

My good old days in Provence 戀戀山城法國普羅旺斯

A bloggie asked me about travelling in France. Wow, I love France and immediately trigger me and really want to visit again. I retrieved a travel article written by me for a newspaper years ago about Provence where the culture and atmosphere are what I love the most. All those stunning views, lovely people and beautiful things reminisce my good old days. I visited again the year before. 網友問我有關法國旅遊體驗, 提起法國簡直觸動我的旅遊神經, 不其然翻看多年前我在報刊寫的法國南部普羅旺斯旅遊文字, 愛她的浪漫與文化氛圍, 年前重訪, 依然美好難忘.

(double click to enlarge views)

One of the beautiful tranquility villages. 蔚藍天空, 朵朵白雲, 座落深山的小山城,

Fragance of lavender you can smell everywhere in a summer day 盛夏的薰依草迎風搖曳,散發芳香

Norte Dame Nyon 的聖母院

Blooming sunflowers 盛放的向日葵令人心花怒放

Poppies are my favourite flowers 嬌艷的罌粟花是我最愛

Jean's painting exhibition and a booth of other painter in arts market

朋友Jean的畫展及其他畫家定期的藝墟晝作

The famous Nyons Bridge and the painting of the Bridge from my friend Jean 晝家友人 Jean 送給我的晝作, 著名的 Nyons Bridge

2010 Wrap Up

A collage of my 2010 crafts, not too fruitful. Would love to do this and that...... Well, nuno felt dress, tee or skirt.....would be my next trial.

Bloggie, wish you another successful year 2011

An Inviting island - Po Toi Island 引人入勝的蒲苔島

On New Year day I went with family to the Hong Kong further south island - Po Toi Island for hiking. The island is famous for the rough rocks which let your imagination fly. 元旦日與家人往蒲苔島遠足. We took a 30-min ferry ride from Stanley to the island 從赤柱30分鐘航程便到達.
Decades ago the village was home to around a thousand people mainly fishman but drawn by booming city most has gone. It's very quiet now only a tourist spot during holidays. 數十年前島上有居民逾千, 大多是漁民, 隨後外遷, 現今剩下一些長者過著簡樸生活, 也袛是假日的旅遊景點 .

A tranquilty bay 寧謐的小灘.

Fishman and his harvest 漁民的漁獲.

Looking at the South China Sea 遠眺南中國海.

The twist trail leading to the hill where we can see some rocks. Let's open our heart and let imagination fly...... (double click to enlarge the pictures)

沿海小路往山行, 途經著名的石頭景點,

用一點想像力, 看看這些石頭似什麼? On the left is "Tortoise Rock" - a tortoise climing up the hill 靈龜上山.

Upper is "Pig's Head" and "Monk's Rock". Lower are "Conch Rock" and "Buddha's Palm Rock" 豬頭石, 僧人石, 嚮螺石, 彿手岩, 似嗎 ?

The deep blue sea and sky 碧海藍天

The island is mainly of rough rocks but still we can find some cactus and some kind of wild fruits島上山頭有不少仙人掌及一些野花果 .

People gone and houses abandoned. Only ruins now 人去樓空, 剩下殘垣.

A few houses are repainted for holiday houses. I love the purple one 有幾間房子塗上新漆, 看來是渡假屋, 我愛紫色的那一間.