Wow. I haven't blogged in so long that I didn't realize Blogger has changed the layout of their Dashboard. Was a little bit lost just now wondering where is where.
Anyway I'm back with a looooooong post about our very exciting annual Needles n' Crafts Anniversary Meet. This yahoo! group of ours meet up every year to celebrate our anniversary and this year we were graciously hosted by none other than Mel! (I shall refer to her as Super Mel from here onwards because she's so awesome).
Whilst this blog post is going to be picture heavy, you might be a little disappointed to know that I don't have many pictures of the crafty items and what were exchanged. Whilst driving to the meet (which was quite an adventure in itself!), I decide that I was going to focus on the people and take as many candid shots as I can. I know that the other members with cameras will already be focusing on the beautiful handmade items at the meet so why not I take the picture of the beautiful people instead!
And I wasn't disappointed! I took many nice photos that brought a smile to my been-sad-for-too-long face :) Let's take a look at them now!
This beautiful cupcake tier was the centrepiece at the buffet table. Super Mel made it herself can.
The cupcakes were delicious of course! And I think I heard that the frosting was the handiwork on a little girl who joined us that day :)
The buffet spread!
Anddddd..........the chocolate fountain!!!! Some of the members were shameless and went all chocolate monster on this!
The Anniversary Gifts just waiting to be exchanged! It's too bad I didn't join in the exchange this year :(
And these are the birdies that are a compulsory part of the anniversary exchange. Last year, our compulsory item was a gingham heart and the year before that, a felt flower. Members of the exchange have been trying their best to come up with a bird to make. We even vote for the best bird and the winner gets a price!!!
Everyone is excited! We even had Diane on Skype all the way from the USA! Thanks for joining us Diane!
After everyone has finished eating breakfast (or STILL eating breakfast in my case LOL) the first on the programme for the day is a demonstration of the die cutter by Vivian (and Janet?)
Janet, multi-talented crafter and one of NNC's walking craft encyclopedias :)
Thanks for travelling all the way down from Ipoh, Janet!
Janet is very excited!
The die cutter is a very interesting tool. You can cut out paper shapes and emboss beautiful designs on it for cards!
Vivian, who just had a baby so she's looking particularly radiant :)
Jackie and her happy smile! Jackie sews bags and is one of the designated drivers that day.
Usha, our resident crocheter and hug giver. I always get a hug when she's around.
And this young lady is Usha's youngest daughter, Priyanka who I heard helped with the frosting of Super Mel's super cupcakes.
Sally and Nik.
Nik (right in pink) is also a multi-crafter and the owner of NNC. Thanks Nik for such a great crafting group!
Sally is a bag maker, paper crafter, crocheter and entrepreneur whose Best Bird entry was a beautiful swan(?) made from 500 pieces of folded paper!
The koi pond in the middle of Super Mel's house, which you can view from the dining area and kitchen. It's so pretty I had to have a photo of it.
Yes that's Mel's kitchen. It looks so posh I wouldn't dare make sambal petai in it!
Super Mel, the hostess of the happy event.
Mel is super. Nuff' said.
After the die cutter demo there was a PSQ (postage stamp quilt) demo on how to piece the little quilt together by Zarina and her work is so neat and her corners are all beautifully matched.
Like I was saying, perfectly pieced.
Zarina, quilter and maker of HDTs (hand-dyed threads)
Faizon, our resident tatting queen. Most of what I know about tatting I learned from Faizon. If you look at the right shoulder she's wearing one of her beautiful tatting designs as a kilt pin brooch.
A close-up of the pin/brooch.
Faizon also tatted 20 beautiful bookmarks to be given to each member as part of the door gift/goodie bag. Tatted 20 bookmarks! Wow I couldn't even get past one!
Tini, the sewing entrepreneur to shop from for your baby cradle and snazzy stuff on a whim.
View of the excitement from the front windows of Mel's beautiful home.
The birds as viewed from the window. I think a few birdies tried to escape but was smacked back down by Margaret aka MW aka Headmistress of NNC.
Margaret aka MW aka Headmistress of NNC, who is responsible for the brain-busting ideas on the compulsory items every year.
She was organizing the Best Bird draw and here we were making fun of the crumpled wings from Shanny's birdie flown in ALL the way from Switzerland! Thanks for participating all the was from Swissyland Shanny! And for taking time to sew all those cute snappy purses for the door gift!
Veronica, cross-stitcher and sewing extraordinaire!
She won the Best Bird this year and last year she won the Best Gingham Heart!
Veronica's entry for Best Bird in the form of a purse. It was so beautifully sewn and ribbon embroidered it's no wonder she won! Well done Veronica!
Bee Ee is one of our newer members. I think this is her second time joining in our events.
I like people whose eyes disappear into their smiles :)
Everyone really had a lot of fun that day!!
Each member who came gets a Door Gift, contributions from different members. The door gift is always exciting because we don't know what we would be getting!
Zarina receiving her posting prize from Nik.
NNC has prizes for a certain number of postings or for being the X-th number to post periodically.
Sally receiving her posting prize from Nik.
Janet receiving her posting prize. Janet is so excited!
Super Mel received a lot of hostess gifts too for opening her home for the anniversary meet.
A pair of oven mitts from Jackie (and MW?). There was a debate on what the mitts looked like; mushrooms or cupcakes LOL
Super Mel has the best facial expressions!
Another hostess gift I think from Lillie. A beautiful pincushion.
Lillie, one of our resident cross-stitchers.
Finally the best part of the meet is here; The Anniversary Gift Exchange!!
It's a lucky draw thing and members draw lots for their gifts. This year, Super Mel folded paper birdies (our theme????) with the draw numbers attached to the bottom of each bird, along with a piece of Hersey's chocolate kisses. I like.
Zarina receiving Jo's gift.
Jo sews bags and she has cleverly wrapped her gift in fabric, held together by basting stitches. So not only do you get a gift, the wrapping fabric is yours too! Oh why didn't I win it!
Oh no wait on second thought, it's okay that I didn't win it. I can't carry THAT LOL
Jo made a beautiful, beautiful bag!
Nik drew Usha's gift of beautifully crocheted items.
I can't remember who won this, I think it was Radha from Alor Setar, who couldn't join us that day. This absolutely amazing work is from non other than Veronica, lucky Radha!
It depicts a birdie in a cage she said :)
And this is Radha's contribution to the anniversary gift exchange. Unbelievably beautiful as usual! Radha's cross-stitch work is always something to wow over. She's always stitching up beautiful biscornus!
We are still having fun and laughing loudly as we chant, "Open! Open!" to every recipient who receives a gift!
Someone passed a remarks that Mel's neighbours must be thinking there was a male stripper in the house what with all the ladies screaming, "Open! Open! Show! Show!" ROFL!!
Beautiful embroidery on a quilt by Janet.
Sally is over the top happy because she was the lucky recipient to Super Mel's super anniversary gift! Super Mel outdoes herself every year and we're all hoping to receive hers!
This year she made an overnight bag (Overnight Owl Bag? LOL) which carries crucial overnight stuff like a pillow (in the shape of an owl!), blanket and toiletries all in a pretty crocheted bag.
Ooooooh and one of the best things of the meet are the EXTRAS!! Super Mel made THREE extra gifts to be handed out to the members who came! THREE!!!!
A tin of buttons, a pincushion (with pins!) set into a beautiful little frame and a little handtowel rolled up into cupcake! Oh I'm all girlie right now over these gifts! LOL
I also received a birdie made from fabric from MW, but I forgot to take a photo of it. It's so cute.
Now now ladies, don't all go rushing for Super Mel's gifts!
Yay! Group photo minus MW, Jackie and Lillie who left earlier.
I had fun and I can't wait for next year's :) I smiled and laughed until my jaw and heart hurt :)
P/S: You can read more on the blogs of the members who I've linked from their names throughout this post.
