this and that

I don't really have anything exciting to write about. I've really just been occupied with work, daily affairs and a bit of crafting here and there. I finished the blocks for project improv. It was a bit of a struggle but I've managed to complete two blocks, and I like the result. There is a project improv group on Flickr, go check it out. It is so cool to see how different people interpret the same project in so many different ways!

I came across this cute children's tea set, decorated with the cutiest designs, at Kruitvat I could not resist buying it.

I also have a weakness for yummie fabrics, could not resit this either! Just love the combination red and white and the pretty flowers.

Talking about flowers...I desperate need to refresh this lot! Tulips are beautiful flowers but it seems I never can keep them fresh longer than a day or three. Maybe you can give me some good advise on that?

And to end this post I love to show you this pretty charmpack that arrived in the mail. "Recess" by American Jane for Moda Fabrics.

Wouldn't this be a nice lay-out for a small quilt? Well lots of work to do, see you next time!
p.s. Julie from knitsational is having a blog giveaway...all beautiful hearts, so if you love hearts go see her.

Thursday already!

...Hard to believe, the week has just flown by. It's in the afternoon and its raining! I have to do urgent grocery shopping -i don't believe there isn't anything eatable left in the house- but I hate going out in this weather! As you can see I still have some Christmas decoration hanging in the window. I love this one, especially the little hearts and red figures. I bought them at Ikea, the tree with the stars at the end is from the triftshop.


Hearts...can't get enough of them!!

Heart pincushion

Calico Heart

Blue Hearts

This is my first attempt on making project improv blocks. It's not so easy as it might look. I find it diffecult to think outside the box and improvise. I'm making the blocks in green/ blue and used the red polkadot for a bit of spicing up. Not sure if I will keep it this way, maybe the red is to much?

I'm off to the supermarket now and make sure this family can eat dinner tonight!

early Valentine birds

The valentine birds are done

they were so much fun to make.

I found some button hearts to sew on the wings

And a wooden heart for on the birds leg.

I love the color combination red and pink...so sweet!
Till next time...hope to have more crafty stuff to tell you than!
There is a blog giveaway here, go over if you want to enter!

monday blues

No better way to beat the “Monday Blues” than start making something new!

Using colors pink and red some trim and an old napkin

Listen to a nice tune on the radio while sewing.

That's what I heart...hope you have a fine day too!

good intentions (again)

I'm glad the holiday season is over and life is back to normal again. All the decorations are put away for next december The tree is stripped and put outside where he immediately got re-decorated by mother nature this time in snowy white.

I had had good intentions (for years) to make my own Christmas cards. Wel..the balance for this year...I made one! Remind me to get an early start next time!

Talking about good intentions.. I want to finish of this quilt, deadline: December, 31, 2009. Yes, I know (deep down) deadlines don't work for me but at least I like to think they do!

It's a star sampler quilt. The top is almost finised. I've done the piecing by hand in a time where I didn't need glasses yet. And I can tell you..that's a long while ago!


Lately I'm more attracted to machine piecing. It sure works a lot faster! look at the back of this compass...all those stitches!

Only a few triangles have to be sewn on to the border and then the border sewn on to the quilt. I'm thinking of using cotton for the batting.

But first things first..see if I can find my glasses and start stitching.

Wishing you.....

I wish all of you the very best in this new year to come..
may all your wishes come true!
Happy New Year!

Love to you all!

little Dutch girl

First I must say a thank you for all the warm and lovely comments and e-mails I've had over the last week or so. I love reading them and appreciate them all and want to apologise for how neglectful I've been in answering them. I haven’t been great at keeping up my blog lately. No real excuse except winterblues and lots of activities. I had to do some shopping, decorating, cleaning, go to work and my favorite activity of all.. babysitting this lovely sweetheart.

I also need to spend some considerable time cleaning up my sewing room. Hmm..actually not only my sewingroom!!
I do have to write all my Christmas cards.

And then when I still was desperately looking for new inspiration to get my creative parts going again.... the mailman delivered me a package!
Look what was inside.

This O soooo adorable Dutch girl pegdoll made by Elizabeth from creative breathing. She also made the pretty notecard.
Thank you so much Elizabeth, you made me so very happy!

I love all the little details, Elizabeths work really is perfect.

I believe I've been inspired!

not a jetlag!

We are home from our wonderful vacation for over a week now and still I can't get myself behind this computer to blog. We had a super time! lovely sunny weather, beautiful surroundings and we spend a lot of time with family.
The nine-patch quilt was finished and delivered.

And I saw beautiful objects through my camera lens.

This vase with colorful crocheted flowers...just love it! Wish I had a pattern of those..( + wish I knew how to crocket!)
I took this photo at the Robert Brady museum.

And now back in daily life...I've a lot of catching up to do on reading all of your blogs plus I have to find some inspiration somewhere to get my crafty motor running again! Hope to see you again soon!

vacation

On Thursday Heleen, mom and me are going on a two weeks vacation and during that time I won´t be able to do any posting on this blog. So I´m having a kind of forced break from blogging . But at the end of November I'll be back with (hopefully) lots of new things to show and tell.
Oo, and do you remember this nine patch quilt, it's a gift made by Heleen, mom and me?

It´s almost finished…and ready to be packed to travel. Next time I´ll show a picture of the finished quilt when it has reached its final destination. For now I leave you with these three lovely angels.

They are an embroidered illustration made by Belinda Downes from the book "silent night". I hope besides singing they do a bit of guarduing as wel, 'I do hate flying'! But then our destination is to far to walk so there is no choise, I'll try to be relaxed about it. I'm of now have to do some packing.... I'll be back end of November, until then!
Take care,

{found}

This post I want to share some interesting and fun links I came across the www lately. First I thought it was time for a new blog banner.

I made this banner with the photo editing site Picnik. It's an easy and fun program to use, even for me, a knownothing on computers. Although I must say, since I became a blogger I've spent more and more time behind one and learned new stuff here and there.
Did you ever heard of "favicons"? Well I didn't but now I have one too. It's that little icon in the url bar. I've changed the orange blogger icon for one I made with the help of this site. After your photo is turned into a tiny icon you get a code wich you copy and past on to the html page of your blog. And that's the most "scary" part! I'm always afraid to go to that page...what if I accidentally changed some of the code and there isn't a blog visible anymore, don't want to think about that thought!

One thing I certainly do want to think about are these gorgeous red cashmere fingerless gloves from 'the purl bee'. You can find the pattern on their site....if only I had more time on my hands!!


And how about this cute little mouse house & family from pottery barn kids! Wish we had a pottery barn store over here.

Another store where beautiful wishlist items easily can be found is; Clothkits


I especially adore this skirt with the papercut pattern on. And the little red dress would be so lovely for Luca. Ooh and before I go I've to show you these four beauties from Modern Nursery
These Jess Brown tea dyed dolls are so adorable.. one of them belongs on my wishlist for sure! My birthday isn't before next year and Santaclaus and Sinterklaas are not in town yet..so I better stop dreaming and drag myself away from this computer and go do the grocery shopping otherwise the husband find empty pots and pans (again) when he comes home!