Girls Only

Little Man went away for a sleepover yesterday, so it's us girls for more than two days! Little Lady is very pleased that she gets all the attention and chatters all day long. Lots of fun! Our days were filled with relaxing/playing at home, going to playgrounds and doing groceries. You know, the ordinary things!
For me, this meant a little bit more time to crochet, so on Thursday I got halfway through the border of my new design and started thinking about the final row.

 

An ordinary day in our house is not an ordinary day without some laundry. I love it when I can hang it to dry outside in the garden. I just love it. I also washed my African Flower blanket for the first time... I was pretty scared about the dark blue bleeding into the lighter colours. I popped it into the washing machine, added some "colour catchers" and put it on cold. And prayed it would be okay in the end. Well...Voila. No worries! Still as beautiful as ever.

 

At some time it looked like it was going to rain, but fortunately it never did. I loved how the clouds were looking today.

 

Looking up to our little apple tree it still seems so hard to decide the right apple picking time. I think I really need to wait until September right?

 

I was very happy to see after our vacation that our little orange Indian cress was blooming in full glory, they are doing great and bring lots of colour to a dark spot in our garden.

After pottering in the garden we decided to visit a playground and while Little Lady was climbing and sliding I got a little visit from a special  ladybug!

 

 

So very cute! I had to Google, but the little bug is the same as the last one on the last row:

A propylea quatordecimpunctata.  Awesome!

And about an hour ago, I finished my new wrap design!!!!! I am intending to finish the pattern coming week and put it on the Pattern Testers Group on Ravelry. This will be the first time for me, and I am very excited!

I hope you all will have a splendid weekend!

Babara

P.S. It is still up and running, so please check out the lovely projects linked up in the Busy Fingers Showing Off Party and maybe link up your own pretties!

Busy Fingers Showing Off! #12

Hi all!

I am having a very hectic week, gosh, time flies! How are you?
I was simply amazed last week to see the party quickly filled with lots of links. There are some very cute projects that were added, and I visited all of them to look at all the yarny goodies :) It is such a joy to read other blogs and see what others can create!

Shall we look at our top 3 from last week to see who got the most views?

Number 1

 

Marianna's lovely little purse bag with pattern! @ Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days

Number 2

 

Preeti's Butterfly charm @ Creat-E-witty Unleashed

And last but not least at number 3

Marianna's Crocheted Gift Bag with pattern! @ Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days

Congrats to both of you! I will pin you to my Pinterest board :)

Want to get featured too?

Please link up your project below, the Party is open until Monday!

 

 

 

 

Wedding Bells

Today is the day my little sister is getting married! I hope she and her hubby-to-be will have a superb day, with lots of laughter and pleasure.

I made two handkerchiefs, one for him (which has the wedding date on it) and one for her (with a crocheted shell border). I am really pleased with the outcome. The only request I got was to give it a purple theme, I happily obliged to that. Purple is such a lovely colour!

So while you are reading this post, I am possibly getting ready for the big event, helping my sister in her gown and enjoying the whole feast!

Have a great day!

~ Monday Music ~

A very, very special "song" I have for you today. An anthem would be a better word to use for today's song I think!

My youngest sister-in-law is visiting today and will have a little farewell dinner with us. Since I have known her, she has stayed in Scotland and Suriname for quite some time for her studies, and now she has tied the knot for a new career path. I think the Netherlands is a bit too boring to her taste! :)

This time, she is going to Vancouver for about a year, probably longer if she can get a work visum. She is going to really learn how to cook ( I don't know which cooking school it is going to be as there seems to be four of them in Vancouver...I will ask though!) and probably want to start somewhere as a sous chef.
Exciting isn't it? She is young, no kids, internationally orientated, so it is a wonderful opportunity to see the world from a different perspective!

I got to know her as the little sister of Big Man, a girl who sings in a choir. I have seen her perform a couple of times and it got me to value classical music even more. All the different voices and different keys they use to get an emotion across to the public is just so beautiful!

Today's song is an anthem from ghe UK. I chose the masterpiece "Spem in alium" by Thomas Tallis. It is very very beautiful and I was urged to listen to it by my sister-in-law because it is also a technical masterpiece.
The other reason I like it because of the historical part of the piece. It was created by Tallis for Queen  Elizabeth I during her reign, but Tallis was the royal composer and performer during the reign of Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth during very turbulent religious times for England. And if you have seen the HBO series "The Tudors" you know of which person this masterpiece came from!

So without taking more of your time by blabbering about history, please sit down with something and listen to this amazing piece of music....

Proud

 

 

There are those days you are simply proud of yourself and the ones around you.

The house is clean, lots of rubbish has been thrown away, the kids are simply enjoying llife and getting along with eachother.

I am also proud of myself because I started running four weeks ago! I got bothered by a bit of a shinsplint during the vacation , but after a bit more rest I am right back on track.

Running is lovely during this time of the year and I am enjoying the sunsets and trying to become friends with other kitties.

I really like it!

You can already notice the days getting shorter and during my run I saw another sigh of Autumn coming.....

Summer is nearing its end....

One Year of Stereo Kitty Purrrrrrrrrrrs

 

On August 4 2012, we became a two-kitty household for the second time.

In one cage, we had our dear Rover who visited the animal shelter during our vacation, and in the other cage, we had a new one year old shelter kitty that was going to stay with us. We were thrilled!

We were told Rover would not have many problems about accepting a new roommate because he is so social and that the new kitty would fit in in no time because she was used to live with other cats.

Well, that was not how the story started and/or ended.

We had months of fighting, and a very scared new kitty who did not want to come out of our bedroom....

We were quite at our wit's end just before the Christmas holidays and we decided if it would not get better during those two weeks off she had to return to the shelter. I was so sad when we made that decision, but really, it was not a good situation with two cats wrestling with eachother....

Gladly, the story got a unexpected twist!

Over the first few months of 2013 (and probably because I was at home during March and a bit of April) she got adjusted pretty well and became a very cuddly, quirky, mellow cat and a perfect friend for Rover.

Our little Mies is now one year in our home and I would not miss her for the world!

Busy Fingers Showing Off! #11

Thank you so much for linking up the past three weeks!!! What a wonderful projects were linked up, they were colourful, witty and beautiful.

I have visited you or will visit you today if you have linked up during the last party, I just haven't been able to check all of the comments/posts/entries.

I hope you all had some lovely crafty time during this summer vacation. I myself am pretty pleased with what I got done the past four weeks.

Before I move to the featured projects I want to say that I would love to keep going with the Link Party and hope you all wil show and tell during the upcoming parties! I am curious to see what you have been up to craftwise.

And here is the top 3!


Number 1

Preeti created another lovely doily! @ Creat-E-witty Unleashed

Number 2

Odoh the Owl's story and the lovely fantasy blanket @ Linda's Crafty Corner

Number 3

 

Lots of Bag Inspiration! @ Renate's haken enzo

Please go and get your "I've been featured" button and thank you for linking up! I will be pinning you on my "Busy Fingers showing off" Pinterest board :)

Want to get featured too?

Please link up your project below, the Party is open until Monday!

Routines & Crafting

Hi Guys!

I am back at home, but I am sort of in a buzz of decluttering and crafting and taking care of the kids at the moment... This causes blogging to be put at the very bottom of my to-do list....


I had a lovely vacation and as soon I get some more laptop time, I will sift through my pictures and let you enjoy what I have been enjoying for the past two weeks!

After coming home I desperately needed to start digging and decluttering all of my school paperwork and after three (!) mornings of trying to organize things and keeping the kids occupied I am so relieved to say that 99% of it is sorted and put away in binders!

 

For the first time in years I can just pull out a binder and actually find the tests and exercises in a few seconds.

All of my books are organized as well! It looks so nice. All the piles are gone and everything I did not need is in the paper bin.

Before going on vacation I showed you what I was going to work on. I had quite a bit of crafty fun.

I am working on the gussets of my socks!

 

The wedding gift is aaaaaaaaaaaaalmost done (check the date! only 7 days to go!). My sister and brother-in-law are tying the knot, and I am so excited for them.

 

And a new shawl in the making. I am "working" on the border, but since I was completely distracted by both my awesome socks and the wedding gift, I wasn't able to finish this shawl...

O and the baby gift? I haven't started yet and I really really hope the bub is going to stay put for a bit longer.....

Have a great evening and see you tomorrow for the big Link Party!

 

~ Monday Music ~

What a great thing it is to be back at home..

It feels like I never left, but somehow I think I misplaced my brains during my vacation!

Today I realized I forgot the current date, I misplaced a few appointments and did not think about shop's opening hours. I am so in vacation mode!

For today's Monday Music I thought it would be nice to pick a Simon & Garfunkel song :)

Enjoy!

Home!

I am home again after a very, very nice vacation!

I hope you all are doing fine!

Today we are going to unpack the last things and relax a bit. Normal blogging routine will follow shortly I think! I have lots and lots to tell, share and show about our vacation.

I had an incredible time.

Right now I have a very cuddly kitty to take care of, she really was short of cuddles so I am bound to the couch and stroke on demand :)

Happy Sunday everyone!

Pattern: Bunting #2, The Girl Version

And here we are, with the second bunting I have designed over the last couple of weeks. It needed a bit of tweaking, but I really like it!

It is girly, but not too frilly. With both buntings I wanted to step away from the traditional granny triangle, and make a different bunting. It became a more rounded, more "shield" like bunting, and I am very pleased with it!

For Little Lady I used lovely pinks and purples but with a splash of yellow. It has some nice contrast. She was very happy that she got her own bunting!

Have fun with this bunting, I would love to see your colour choices!

P.S. At the time of writing I did not have the time to weave in the ends and assemble the bunting, but I can assure you, the pattern is great! Pictures of the finished bunting will be posted soon!

* Click here for the Printerfriendly Version! *

General information

Skill level

Beginner

Special Stitches

Dc2tog: [Yarn over hook, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over hook and pull up loop, yarn over hook, draw through 2 loops] 2 times, yarn over hook, draw through all loops on hook

Abbreviations

Ch: Chain

Sl st: slip stitch

Sc: single crochet

Hdc: half double crochet

Dc: double crochet

Sk: skip

Sp: space

Notes

Any yarn will do, just keep in mind you do not want the triangle/shield cup too much. Choose an appropriate hook for your yarn and a little blocking will make your motif flat. I used cotton for this bunting and made the motifs a little bit wet and pinned them into shape and let them dry.

Finished measurement

16 cm (6.25”) wide across the top, 16 cm (6.25”) from top to bottom tip

Materials

DK weight/light worsted cotton yarn

Nova cotton (Wibra) in different colours (soft pink, hot pink, yellow, light purple, dark purple)

Katia (Monaco) in white

Crochet hook 3.5 mm

Pattern

Choose a starting colour.

Ch3, sl st to close ring.

Round 1: Ch3, dc into ring, *ch1, dc two times into ring, repeat between ** four more times, ch1, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Fasten off and attach new colour or slip stitch to the next ch sp

Round 2: Ch2, dc in same ch sp, ch1, dc2tog in same ch sp, *ch1, (dc2tog, ch1, dc2tog) in next ch sp*, repeat between ** four more times, ch1, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Round 3: Ch3, dc 2 times into same ch sp, ch1, *dc 3 times inot same ch sp, ch1*, repeat between ** ten more times, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Fasten off and attach new colour, or slip stitch to the next ch sp

Round 4: Ch1, sc in same ch sp, ch3, *sc once in next ch sp, ch3*, repeat between ** ten more times, sl st to first sc

Fasten off and attach new colour, or sl st to the next ch3 sp

Round 5: Ch3, dc 3 times into same ch3 sp, ch1, dc 4 times into next ch3 sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into next ch3 sp, ch1, *(dc 4 times into next ch3 sp, ch1) in next three ch3 sp, (dc3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into next ch3 sp, ch1*, repeat between ** one more time, (dc 4 times, ch1) into last ch3 sp, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Fasten off and attach new colour in 2nd ch sp to ch sp of left corner increase group

Round 6: Ch1, sc 3 times into same ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, *(dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into corner ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1, sc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1, sc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1*, repeat between ** one more time, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into last corner ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1, sc 3 times into last ch sp, ch1, sl st to first sc.

Fasten off and attach new colour in 2nd ch sp to ch sp of left corner increase group

Round 7: Ch1, sc 3 times into same ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, *(dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into corner ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) into next 5 ch sp*, repeat between ** one more time, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into last corner ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1, sc 3 times into last ch sp, ch1, sl st to first sc

Round 8: Sl st to next ch sp or attach new colour (2nd ch sp from left corner increase group), ch1, *sc into each st until corner ch sp, sc three times into corner ch sp*, repeat between ** for the other two sides, sc in each st until you reach your first sc st, sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Finishing the bunting

Take another colour (I used white) for the string part. You can use different amount of chains at the start/end or between flag if you prefer.

Ch 40, (sc in corner sc of flag, ch3 * sk next three sc, sc in next sc, ch3*, repeat between ** until last four sc, sc in corner sc, ch 15) repeat between brackets for each flag, ch40 after last flag, fasten off.

Busy Fingers Showing Off! #10 part 3

 

We are enjoying the beach!

You can link up over here for all of your projects!

~ Monday Music ~

I am staying in the Summer Mood!

This one is a classic, and just great to swing your hips to :)

I especially like the "glass bottle sound effect"!

Enjoy!

~ "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry ~

Playing with Composition

 

I was playing around with composition and focus.

I absolutely love the last two pictures because they have a very nice amount of bokeh ("blurriness").

I did not shoot these pics with a DSLR.

Nope. I only used my simple Canon PowerShot! I am impressed at the quality of the pictures and the possibilities of this tiny camera!

Pattern: Bunting #1, The Boy Version

Today and next Friday I will release two new patterns! I was stalked, no, bugged by both Little Man and Little Lady with requests I should make them something. I've been really selfish when it comes to crochet and knitting projects!

Here's the first pattern, it is inspired by the wall in the room of Little Man. We did not know the gender when I was pregnant with him, so we chose a green wall.

I absolutely do not like gender-typical colours. Both kids have a multi colour wardrobe and that is so much fun. I thought it would be nice to have a little decoration hanging in their (they share a room at the moment) bed room that is boy and girl, or the other way around!

And, to be honest, I have been bitten by the baby bug since there is a little bub coming soon to our family... I am going to be an aunt for the first time!

Have fun picking your own colours and crocheting this bunting! Another version (with a different design) is coming next Friday!

* Click here for the Printerfriendly Version! *  

General information

Skill level

Beginner

Special Stitches

Dc2tog: [Yarn over hook, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over hook, draw through 2 loops] 2 times, yarn over hook, draw through all loops on hook—1 stitch decreased.

Abbreviations

Ch: Chain

Sl st: slip stitch

Sc: single crochet

Hdc: half double crochet

Dc: double crochet

Sk: skip

Sp: space

Notes

Any yarn will do, just keep in mind you do not want the triangle/shield cup too much. Choose an appropriate hook for your yarn and a little blocking will make your motif flat. I used cotton for this bunting and made the motifs a little bit wet and pinned them into shape and let them dry.

Finished measurement

16 cm (6.25”) wide across the top, 16 cm (6.25”) from top to bottom tip

Materials

DK weight/light worsted cotton yarn

Nova cotton (Wibra) in white, aqua, light green, dark green, emerald and yellow

Katia (Capri) in white

Crochet hook 3.5 mm

Pattern

Choose a starting colour.

Ch3, sl st to close ring.

Round 1: Ch3, dc into ring, *ch1, dc two times into ring, repeat between ** four more times, ch1, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Round 2: Sl st to ch1 sp, ch2, dc in same ch sp, ch1, dc2tog in same ch sp, *ch1, (dc2tog, ch1, dc2tog) in next ch sp*, repeat between ** four more times, ch1, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Fasten off and attach new colour in ch sp or slip stitch to the next ch sp

Round 3: Ch3, dc 2 times into same ch sp, ch1, *dc 3 times into same ch sp, ch1*, repeat between ** ten more times, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Round 4: Sl st to next ch sp (2nd ch sp from left corner increase group), ch1, dc 3 times into next ch sp, ch1, (dc3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into next ch sp, ch1, (dc3 times, ch1) in next three ch sp, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into next ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) in next three ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3times) into next ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) in next  ch sp, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Fasten off and attach new colour or slip stitch to the next ch sp (you start in 2nd ch sp from left corner increase group)

Round 5: Ch3, dc 2 times into same ch sp, ch1, dc 3 times int next ch sp, ch1, *(dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into the corner ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) into next four ch sp*, repeat between ** one more time, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into last corner ch sp, ch 1, (dc 3 times, ch1) into last two ch sp, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Round 6: Sl st to next ch sp (2nd ch sp from left corner increase group), ch1, sc 3 times into same ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) into next ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into corner ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) into next 5 ch sp, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into corner ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into corner ch sp, ch1, (dc 3 times, ch1) into next five ch sp, (dc 3 times, ch1, dc 3 times) into corner ch sp, ch1, (sc 3 times, ch1) into last two ch sp, sl st to 3rd ch of ch3

Round 7: Sl st to next ch sp or attach new colour (2nd ch sp from corner increase group), ch1, *sc into each st until corner ch sp, sc three times into corner ch sp*, repeat between ** for the other two sides, sc in each st until you reach your first sc st, sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Finishing the bunting

Take another colour (I used white) for the string part. You can use different amount of chains at the start/end or between flag if you prefer.

Ch 40, (sc in corner sc of flag, ch3 * sk next three sc, sc in next sc, ch3*, repeat between ** until last four sc, sc in corner sc, ch 15) repeat between brackets for each flag, ch40 after last flag, fasten off.

 

Busy Fingers Showing Off! # 10 part 2

 

Even the sheep are on Summer Break!!!

You can link up over here!

~ Monday Music ~

When the weather is warm, you get this warm, lazy feeling...

I thought it would be appropriate to choose a song that is very flowing, very soothing and just very relaxing.

Enjoy!

~ "Albatross" played by Fleetwood Mac ~

Sunday Share

 

I had to say goodbye to a colleague of mine during the last weeks of school. He used to teach General Sciences together with me, so I had to look for a perfect gift to say goodbye.

I knew he was an avid book reader, and I wanted to reflect the subjects he teaches (General Sciences and Chemistry).

So I went to the thrift shop and found two perfect books! "Gaia" by James Lovelock about the Gaia hypothesis and a biography about Marie Curie, written by her daughter.

And a little crocheted something that reflected myself.

I used this awesome Granny Rectangle pattern written by Sue, I can recommend it!

I used a 2 mm hook and crochet thread, followed the pattern and made a single crochet last round. A smidge of blocking and I had a lovely book mark!