Race before 2012!

Hello!  Here we are, with a little less than 6 hours left til the New Year 2012.  In Singapore, the day after Christmas (Boxing Day they call it, a remnant of their colonial British past), decorations for the Chinese New Year were being put up right alongside the Christmas decor which were most likely on the way down, I suppose.  They say that the next year 2012 is the Year of the Dragon (honestly would not have known that if I hadn't been there: the lead up to that will come in our local papers maybe a week or 2 weeks to Chinese New Year, which I reckon will be towards the end of January 2012.. no firm date overheard).   They say it will be a better year.  We can only hope!

See the Christmas decor on Orchard (poor shot taken from a taxi cab as we were crossing Orchard; my timing was off)

As of now I am rushing this Day 4 doll square, work on which you may recall came to a standstill after I lost the whole skein of green 501 floss.  Pretty lame, but there it is.  My friend Joysze has been yearning to see a finish (sorry Joysze! and I forgot to sign up for IHSW!)  For the past week I have been sporadically stitching on it; I've been unable to because I was spending time with the apples of my eyes (there are 2 apples, don't you know) my nephew and niece.  Christmas was a bit of an anticlimax, with family matters spoiling all things Christmas.  

Anyway, here is what is new over at Casa Whimsey and Wit (my WIP is now a "casa" where things happen.. or don't! lol):

I'm not being very ambitious, I just want the green dress and the red piping done and the word "dolly" in green sewn out before 2012 comes.  The red piping will be courtesy of DMC metallics 321 -- apparently there is no such thing as DMC 5270 anymore...  paid a quick visit to the local needlestore - such nice staff!  the store is smaller than it used to be but the two young ladies manning it said it was only temporary - let's hope so! I bought 4 DMC Amorsolo patterns (I have the Tinikling already, so that makes 5th) - there are 8, but I don't like the other three -- all yellows and browns, and the "Banga" one and the fishing one and the girl bathing which I really don't feel drawn to as subjects for stitching.  Are they for me?  No, they're for my dear cousin who's visiting - it's been 5 years since her last visit and she's here with her family to celebrate her mom's 80th.   I must say, though, that I'm inclined to buy the patterns for myself... but given my rate of finishing they might turn out UFOs or NFOs!  Still.. would be nice to have them in case I'm ever crazy  inspired enough to stitch them.  I like Tinikling, and the Girl with Mangoes.   My cousin, on the other hand, is someone who will likely stitch them, and finish!

These paintings portray early 20th century scenes from the countryside.  Sadly these scenes are very rare now as what used to be countryside and rice fields are now real estate developments!

On to more inspiring things... stash!  Magazines count as stash, don't they?

A lot of magazines my cousin sent to me.  These aren't half of it yet.  She even sent charts, and boy can she keep them neat and really new looking.  She made up a kit for me for one of them and that's going to be the second, no third item I'm stitching for 2012.  First will be a Happy New Year small for a card ( I already apologized for not being able to send it off before Christmas!), then the Flower scene "Flowery Meadow" from Burda, and then the kit.  Um, I should say I have not kitted up for the Flowery Meadow just yet.  Threads are in Anchor. I don't mind Anchor, but at the point where I started stitching there seemed to be more DMC, so I have more DMC than Anchor.  

I have a confession to make.  I visited Spotlight at Plaza Singapura, and they were having a huge sale til January 5th, and I didn't buy anything except a pack of Mill Hill beads that were on sale at SG$1.  There was also Kreinik at SG2, and 2 shades of green Marlitt at SG3.. and packs of Aida and evenweave with accompanying leaflets/charts by Semco at SG5.. even red Aida 16ct.. and I didn't buy!!  At that time I was congratulating myself on my restraint but now... it just seems abysmally dumb of me not to have bought!!!  :((

 And another thing... I FORGOT to bring my stitched ornaments to my nephew and niece!  So they're here, languishing in my box.  Well, I have decided to find a way to "finish" them into respectable ornaments and not just little bits of stitched stuff, so my mom or I can bring them next time.   Oh well.  

Okay.. I better get cracking if I'm to finish Day 4!

A brighter, happier, all around better New Year to all my stitchy friends!   A peaceful, prosperous New Year!