New beginning...

It has been silent on this blog a couple of years.

Why was I absent?
We took care of my dad with Alzheimer's. He lived with me for over a year and spent his last year in a nursing home where me and my brother visited him every day until his death. It was a very difficult time but also a time with much love and laughter. My dad recognized us till the end and I have never seen so much love in his eyes on the moment he "said" goodbye to us, his kids and grandkids.
we wouldn't have wanted to miss these moments for anything in the world. It was a magic experience for all of us and a priceless last gift.

What am I up to lately?
The most beautiful thing happened to me after my dad's passing!!!!
I had sketched and drawn my dad many times and got a request of Catherine V. Holmes if it was OK to use a particular drawing of him for her new book "shading Techniques". I thought at first someone was pulling my leg, but when I received a contract from the publisher, I was flabbergasted. I was allowed to write my own text and use my name too!
When the book was published in September 2017, I felt so emotional because my dad (who always wanted to travel but couldn't) now travelled across the globe (with help from Amazon). To me it was a postume gift for my dad

Sold on Amazon 

Published in the book. 

My dad on the couch having an Alzheimer "moment". The dog knew in advance and sat next to him and made a soft sound, so I could calm my dad when he had delusions and got scared or feel sad.

Money makes the world go round?

December.... the month of gifts, good food, wine and family. At least for those who can afford it!!
For the less financially fortunate it's difficult!! Especially if you have young children.
I can recommand tipnut or tipjunkie on the internet, they have a variety of cheap gifts you can make yourself (even for the craft challenged people among us!!) so you won't have to break the bank during the holidays and paying off your bills till march next year!!

Since I am one of the less financially fortunate people lately I am learning all sorts of crafts!! Good for my wallet and also it keeps me busy and I can give way to my creativity!! Also it diminishes my carbon footprint here on earth. So all positive things!!

Being really poor is having no food on the table, no roof over your head,  no warmth and no health insurance. I have all that, so I am feeling lucky!!

Still, I had to make a lot of changes and now I can't imagine why I didn't do it before!!

Maybe time to share my experiences and the way I've found frugal solutions for  monetary problems?

This is the reason why this year I've embroidered

my New Years wishes. The year before I crocheted stars, then sooked them in starch, ironed them, attached a ribbon and sprayed them with glitter. It was really goodlooking in the Christmas tree!!

 This year I wanted to try something else. I had a lot of cards in red, green, white and yellow. Also had a stash of embroidery yarn and also small leftovers from previous embroideries.

Ergo, it had to be embroidered Holiday cards!!

I've started with "Bonne Année" (Happy Newyear) and although the legenda says white and red yarn, I tried red and sand because the white didn't jump out on the fabric.



Then I wanted to see how the "Noël"embroidery would turn out in these colors and I am happy with the result!! I think they will look lovely framed in a red card or an offwhite linen card perhaps!!
If you want the charts: Click on DOWNLOAD!!

This was just the start of a Christmas card odyssee!!! Will be continued!!!



Antique Crochet Case

Very busy day today!!!
Had to move my sewing stuff and painting stuff out of the spare room down the stairs and into the barn and it was heavy and a lot!!! There is a chance my nephew is staying with me for a while, he is 13 years and I want him to feel at home.
I am trying to ignore my muscles at this moment which I am courageously doing!!

No time for making a PDF-file today. I did make pictures of my antique crochet case. I am really very font of it!!!

It contains all the original needles, bone and wooden crochet hooks, scissors, bobbin and an old clothes pin. But, and that is quite rare to find here, also tools to repair and fasten little buttons on kids and ladies boots.
And tools that look like crochet hooks but aren't (the metal ones).

They were used to turn fabric that was sewn to tie a dress at the back
or that are attached to hats (to keep them in place).
Anyway, I can't find the right word for it but I think you get the
drift.

The outside and inside of the case is made from red velvet, which is
not in an immaculate state,its used and that shows!! Adds character!!
The copper lock is completely intact.

I've added the crocheted white fish as a colorcontrast to the case.
Maybe will look that pattern up to give it to you, if you are interested let me know!!
I do remember it was a drawn chart and not a written one. (I love the drawn patterns!! It binds all women of the world together, because we all can understand that no matter what our language is).

Wish you all a nice week!!!

The Donkey and the Dog

 I've made this embroidery and sew it on a pillow. I like to embroider monochromes because it's easier, cheaper (don't have to buy a lot of different colors) and more harmonious in my interior.

This embroidery is also made on linen with a high dreadcount so it are very tiny stitches.

I've bought this linen on the local market for 2 euro a metre and it's 1.40 metres wide, so a bargain!!!

 Have thougt about how to sew it on the pillow and I decided to do it very simple.

So I stitched a line as a frame to visually define the border of the embroidery and have torn out some threads to give it a rural look.

Afterwards I saw this picture in older books in full colour. I saw it in a serie about Don Quichotte, the hidalgo who is fighting windmills. (A windmill in the back) But thats contrary to the title "L'Ane et le Chien, which is french. And in France they have windmills too!!! So for the ones who tought only Holland has windmills..... I have to desillusion them...

Above the pattern. And if you want it in PDF ...   HERE  it is!!

First freebie and PDF-file!!

Thursday,
The weather is quite gloomy. Visited my daughter in law who has had a surgery on her foot.  To my surprise she was quite mobile!!! And also very bored because she isn't used to sitting and doing nothing whole day. It was a real nice afternoon!!
After that I walked my dog and cleaned up the house a bit. Cooked dinner and cleaned up a board on Pinterest.

Here is a picture of an embroidery I've made last month on very fine linen. To show you how tiny it really is I've put a spoon next to it. Could only work on it with daylight (and with glasses).
It's a typical German scenery with deer, quite oldfashioned but still nice to look at!!
I've seen a lot of deer in Germany but also in my youth in the Netherlands. My grandparents had a second home in the woods and by dusk and dawn us children crawled very silently in hiding to see the deer drink water. A magical time!!! We saw a lot of animals in the wild that are allmost disappeared now, although there is a revival of reintroducing animals like wolves and everzwijnen  (have to look that one up, maybe wild pig?????). Am not to crazy about the wolves but they are very beautiful!!! Have seen them in Germany inside an enclosed territory. They are shy animals unless they're hungry ofcourse.



Anyway,if you want the chart as a PDF-file, click HERE and I hope you will enjoy embroidering it as much as I did!!!

A New Start...

It was a crazy day!!! My house is on the market since today, the real estate agent has made pictures and put it on his site. Hope it sells soon so I can move on to a new home, I am soooo ready for a new start!!!


bathroom

Am busy embroidering christmas cards, or actually embroidering little pictures to put in a cutout christmascard.

Unfortunately my photo's didnt turn out very clear so have to

make them again.

So here is an embroidery I've made earlier. I've got the idea from Pinterest and copied it. (lol)

Also added a crocheted rim to it. Now I am looking for a purpose for it. I think I have a small wooden sewing box in the shed that might be perfect for it!!
The embroidery might fit fine in or on top of the lid....... Am going to look for it tomorrow.

Long time absence

It has been a long time since I've posted my last blognews. A lot has happened!!! Good things and less good things.

• I want to relocate to anoter url but still haven't figured out how.
• I want (maybe) to make a dutch and english version on the same page. 
• I want my blogfocus more on art, crafts in all their manifestations but also things happening in the world and/or in my life (although I don't want to lose my privacy)
• Want to blog in a more structural way (for instance 3 times a week - more is good, less not).and am going to make an archive of blogtopics
• want to link to Pinterest and other social media
• Want to go back to writing articles. I miss it!!

Well, these are all good intentions and it isn't even New Year!!! Am curious if my readers have good intentions.....