Eighteenth birthday

After a peacefull and delicious christmas we started to do some housekeeping in the morning and birthday visiting in the afternoon.
It was our niece her eighteenth birthday! And eighteen is a special age! It's the age when you may vote for a government, it's the age when you can get a driving licence and drive a car, it's the age when you may buy firework for New Year's Eve.
I remember how adult I felt when I turned eighteen!



However on this birthday our niece gave me a present to open on my birthday (in the begining of January). But I was curious and weak.... and here you see...! Isn't it a great gift!

A family christmas group

I want to tell you about this crib. My mother made this group in the first year of her marriage, around 1959. she made the puppets from newspapers, a little iron wire and fabric.


First my older brothers, later my sister and me played each year with this group. Then about 25 years ago the first grandchildren came and they played with it for years.... and I'm sure when there will be great-grandchildren they'll also play with them!


It always gives me a special feeling to unwrap the puppets and place them under the christmastree!

After sharing this with you I wish everyone A Merry Christmas!

What's in a box: 3 and another new (sold) bag

Today I bought and decorated our christmas tree. And so I had to take this box with christmas ornaments.


Some of them are gifts but most of them I made myself. Every year I try to make a new ornament.



Last year I made these hearts and before that I embriodered what you see on the picture. But what wil I make this year???




Yesterday I finished this bag! My mom gave me another (old) vest (to make more bags). And it was a challenge for me to make a different bag out of it with a new pattern. So here you see the result!





Just this evening my cousin came to visit and when she saw the bag she wanted to have it..



Wel I have to say, with the red boots and black coat, it does look costume made for her. So, another SOLD bag.

Sint-Niclaa.....Christmas

The fourth of december we celebrate Sinterklaas feast at my sisters house (corry).
Because all the children (and adolts) don’t believe in the Sint anymore we make “suprices”. A surprise is a gift consealed in something made by the giver. This can be a gag or something else selfmade beautiful thing. And the giver has to write a poem to go with the gift. A lot of those poems are teasing ones! Everyone made a magnificent suprise! It was a great evening!
I had to make something for my dougther. I made her this dol (a homework partner). The gift was stashed away in the belly.























My sister made this 'Michelin'star for my husband. Who can cook great and now Sinterklaas gave him a star!



Yesterday we had Sint-Niclas'Eve, with a great meal and lot's of gifts for the kids.
This morning the kids are free from school to play with their new toys or.. to bake Dutch Speculaas (spiced) dolls. It makes the house smell so great! And they taste wonderful













Today Sint-Nicolas and his men are sailing back to Spain. So now we can focus on christmas! While the kids were baking I put a little christmas atmosphere together on this vintage tray I just found at the secondhand store.

Sint-Nicolaas and Zwarte piet

Zwarte piet climbing on the roof and throwing presents down the chimney.

With the Dutch children, Sint-Nicolaas feast (5-dec.) is the happening of the year! The children at school and at home are preparing for this feast from half november till 5 December. So now you know why I was absent last two weeks, and neglecting my bloglife (I'm still so very busy)
Anyway I will share with you some of the things my colleague and I made with the children in our class for this feast.





two needle felted 'zwarte pietjes'


Sint-Nicolaas


Three pompon 'zwarte pieten'


three 'zwarte pieten'made with oil pastels


A hand puppet 'zwarte piet'

And although Sint-Nicolaas and Zwarte piet are in the Dutch country, I did see these little felted christmas santa's snooping around.......

Polka-dot-chicken?!

Recently Joni (Yummers) blogged about loving polka-dots... Wel, I also love polka-dots! I collect the colourful crockery from Oilily and Polish crockery.


As you can see ful of dots! On a pack of coffee sit a coupon with points, and with lot's, lot's of points you can buy a plate or a cup. I have my whole family collecting coupons for me! And, yes everyone who visit's can drink lot's of coffee. And birthday's always help to extend my collections.

Chicken, oh how I love chicken!
We have three chicken in our garden. They are really tame, they are funny ánd they lay eggs! How can we not love them!?
I also collect al kind of chicken stuff..
Now I was having one of these sleeples night's again, where all kind of thoughts and ideas cross my mind. When I started to calculate; polka-dots + chicken = polka-dot-chicken! And here are the results:







I think I'm going to make a polka-dot-chicken quilt as wel! Have a nice weekend everyone!

What's in a box: 2

I told you about being busy these weeks, and I am!! But I'm so addicted to blogging! I had to make a little message, so... here is my second "What's in a box" (tin)item.


It was hard to pick a box, but this one has special felted mandala's in it.



I enjoyed making these so much!! I can make these all the time.



This is a 6 star mandala. I think they look good and they feel so soft......



This is a nine star mandala.
..but there they are... in this box(tin)...and I don't know what to do with them??



Maby some of you have a good idea? Or, (and I'm o.k. with that idea,) I will treasure them a little longer in this box (tin)!

My mom's vest....

Last time I blogged (I'm sorry it took me two weeks to blog again but I've been very occupied with school)I wrote about finding my mom's old favorite vest and I wanted to suprise her with a bag.
Today I finished the bags.
Yes I managed to get three bags out of the vest and fabrics! So now I'm going to suprise my mom ánd my sister with a bag.

I do, however, have one bag left. And if there is someone who would like it? I'm willing to sell it! It's the bag on the next picture, the bag in the middle of the three bags. You can mail me.

The next weeks I'll be occupied with the Dutch Sinterklaas and our school art project about Africa. But I'm going to try to blog as often as I can!

More bags

The big advantage of being a teacher, are the many holidays. The kids and me have the same holidays. This week is autum holiday week. And besides doing all kind of creative things with the children... I have been busy making more bags.
We made some felt toadstool candle lights
My oldest son made this building from Kapla blocks
My doughter had this little wool dress when she was two years old. I was always in love withe the little dress, so I saved it in a box. Until now. I made two bags out of them.
with the dress, my husband old jacket, fabrics and ribbons from my moms attic....
I started to make the two bags
I love to sort out were to put al the pieces.
And here you see the result.


Today I found my moms old favorite knitted vest... I think I'm going to suprise her with .... a bag.