A just because present

Are they not the best kind? I think so!!!!!!!!!! I made this stash of goodies and purchased this book for a very special young lady who has just started eating solids. Her mother and father are the godparents to our Cameron. If we had loads of cash and time - I would send a just because present to them every other week because:

• They were the first friendship we made in the Netherlands independent of family or friends
• We lived on top of one an other and heard each others laughter through the floor boards
• We had great parties together.
• They fell in love with Cameron immediately
• Amanda taught Cameron the ice trick
• They visited me every day when I was hospitalised for Anneke (it was a darn long time)
• Amanda listen patiently to me when I was scared in hospital
• Amanda threw the best ever hens night
• Ton threw the best ever bucks night
• Ton cried at our wedding
• They just ROCK.

The Felt picture was made using this awesome tutorial - everything else I just winged. I am holding out for a cheap - green - quick - alternative to travelling to the other side of the planet. We just have to wait till next year - till we can meet this precious girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Failed Creations

Not everything I visualise works and I am finding a kind of thrill in the unexpected rather then being horribly down on myself when it all goes wrong.

You see we have this beautiful table - a table I bought in Leiden - and I must preface, my poor suffering Graham had very little input - he hadn't even seen the apartment we bought - as the market was sooooo aggressive a decision had to be made immediately. Luckily Graham trusts me!

As we had no furniture, it was all in storage in Australia, we had to furnish our beautiful new apartment(we still miss that place 2 and half years later) . The Apartment was about 400 years old and rather like a warehouse - I chose a round table that could fit up to 10 people.

Graham fell in love with the table - more then I ever did - but tables are funny things - I have decided in some ways they are the most important piece of furniture in the house. Pre children many a fine meal, wine and raucous debate occurred around that table. Christmases celebrated, birthdays cheered and even tears have been shed around the this table.

Songs have been sung around this table - laughter and joy are now in grained in its wood.

This table holds the memories of a family from its conception to its continuing growth. Post kids the table was part of my baby massage classes - decisions made to return to Australia - more tears lots of tears.

Now the table has an entire room in our small cottage (the apartment is larger then house) and aside from hosting the requisite Sunday dinners, it is our craft table, drawing table - display table.

I nearly wept when my cousin from Leiden was over to visit us and sighed when he saw the table"how I have missed this table" he said "many a good meal was eaten around this table".

To my surprise - Graham told me we need to protect the table - please ing lets find something to protect it - from the scissors the glue and general kids stuff. Ah uh, I am on to it. Yesterday I put the plan in action.

I had previously got the kids to draw and decorate over a large piece of calico. I then attempted to sew some PVC plastic (you know the stuff you buy by the metre as table cloths) over the top. The little engine that couldn't, was my sewing machine and had to abandon the project half way through.

It still adorns the table - and kind of seems fitting that it does - as this table has been witness success and failure in the history of our family .

I think next time I would use double side Velcro to attach the plastic to the cloth - or perhaps dispense with the cloth altogether and move onto the next project

two and a half

It has been two and a half years since we left the Netherlands and almost a year since our last visit. And whilst life here in Sydney is great and we all seem to have found our mojo and rhythm again - it is at this time of year I yearn for Leiden, my dear family& dear friends.

This is my favourite time of year over there everything is ready to burst into magnificent colour.

Here is a small collection of my favourite photos from our last trip circa Easter 2008 .

HEMA

I miss Hema, a lot a real lot. This shop is my breakfast at Tiffany's, when ever I needed a lift I would wonder through my local Hema, just to look, feel and maybe have a koffie verkeerd in the Hema cafe.

Our return to oz - was difficult! But losing my favourite shop ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!. Anyways - my wonderful wonderful friend ( Anneke's godmother) and mum sent a huge parcel of HEMA goodies and this is what I got. IT arrived today!

I love them soooooooooo much and love feelin the hema love. Even the ironing board cover is from Hema - My house sort of smells like hema today. How wonderful!

Here a baby, there a baby every where a baby

So it seems in my circle of friends there is a small population explosion - and I promised in moments of weakness to stitch make and create for their precious bundles of joy



Above is a cheats quilt. I sewed linen to apple green flannel - turned inside out - top stitched every where then placed some carefully cut out (er hum nothing is careful with me) trees from Ikea fabric fredericka- a pink bird, some grass stitchin' and Voila'





Next I used this tutorial as guide and mentor to come up with these chenille lined burp cloths



An other hand stitched blanket or bunny rug



Next my labour of love - I used the bird pattern from the Betz White book and kinda of reshaped it a tad. Rather them stitching and turn out - I blanket stitched them completely for looks and embellished them with my own embroidery designs - but I must confess inspiration when I saw these. To create a mobile fit for a princess