Another museum visit

Back to the place where our daughters were born: Rotterdam. We enjoy going back once in a while. Drive through our old neighbourhood and go to places where we used to go. Lunch at Bazar for example. The restaurant 'where the personnel is so friendly to children' as our girls recall. And go to places we've never been before. The 'Natuurhistorisch Museum' this time. A nice and small museum in a beautiful building. And an attractive collection, of mainly stuffed and prepared animals, for the kids.

Holiday crochet

With the kids at home and many family visits there's not much time to start larger projects during christmas vacation. But some yarn, a crochet hook and printed tutorials are easy to carry around and use when there's a quiet moment. This headband is such a small in between project. Made for J, but mostly worn by N. The tutorial is one of a very nice set of crochet and knit patterns.

No need for hesistation

Finally, I thought it would be more complicated, I made my own cheese. A recipe from Homemade. Just milk, buttermilk, a few drops of lemon, pepper and mustard seeds. As a cheese mold I used a small plastic bucket in which I made holes with a Dremel, to drain the cheese. After 12 hours we had a pretty tasty piece of cheese. Little less pepper next time though. I'm looking forward to try other recipes and spices.

No bling, just beauty

Some time ago I discovered the work of Nora Rochel from Germany. I fell in love with her jewelry. Sweet flowers, but with a mystic, dark touch. So when my husband asked what I would like to have for my birthday I knew what to suggest. Nora had to make them, so they were just delivered today. I'm so happy! I hardly ever wear earrings, but am sure I will wear these. The ring on the right is now on top of my wishlist...

Happy Christmas

The collage for our christmas card was made more than two months ago. But, like every year, I was late finishing it to send it to the photo print service in time. Always a last minute job. No time for a test print, which resulted in a mistake in the text this time. Let's say it's the thought that counts. For all of you, not getting one of these: we wish you warm and cosy days these christmas!

To Leiden again

A rainy day like today is a day to go to a museum. We once again went to our kids' favourite Naturalis Biodiversity Center. We joined a small class in determining animal sculls. Interesting, for kids and adults. They also enjoyed the temporary exhibition about senses. After lunch we payed a visit to the Museum Volkenkunde, to an exhibition about the history of totum poles. The girls had seen an add on tv and asked us to go there (hooray for the 'Museumjaarkaart'). Fun, but the girls were getting tired. We'll have to go back there to see the rest of the collection.

House in the woods

With some scraps of felt, embroidery yarn, stuffing and a nice cup of herbal tea on the couch watching tv is for me a perfect way to spend the evening. This set was made that way months ago, but I haven't shown them here. They could go for christmas ornaments, don't you think? The idea is not completely mine, but I can't find the inspiration picture.

Nice neighbourhood

Around 20 boys and girls, mothers, fathers and a grandmother joined the neighbourhood kids club last weekend, to make christmas ornaments. Ornaments to sell at the market right after the creative activity. We made balls, trees and glitter pins. Accompanied with juice, cakes and some old Disney winter cartoons the afternoon was a succes. Just as the market and drink afterwards. Again next year!

Angels singing

Janne made all of these clothspin angels and sold almost all of them at the christmas market last weekend. She first cut some patterns and used those to make the dresses and wings. The wings are glued between the wooden parts. This picture led to these angels. While working J. was listening to her favourite christmas cd's: the one from Trapperdetrap and (from my youth) an oldy made by Herman van Veen.

Tutorial toilet paper roll lantern

Turning the simplest materials in something beautiful with little means and effort is so rewarding. Inspired after seeing this tutorial I fabricated a quick trial version of these lanterns. And then one more and another one. Just ten minutes to make each paper roll light. I wrote a quick tutorial for you to create your own christmas candles. You can see and download it here.

Pefect hump

A madeleine-mold was one of my wishes Sinterklaas has fulfilled this year. On my wishlist for a while, but I couldn't find a reason to buy one (since I already have a rediculously large collection of baking tins). A few days ago the first batch of classic Madeleines de Commercy came out of the oven. Using a recipe by Julia Child. A good recipe because, apart from a little too much batter into each cup, this first try came out remarkably well. Many more of these cookies/cakes will follow! I will probably 'need' a mold for small madeleines too...

Seasonal recycling

Their patience lasted only three cute angels. I had thought that it would have been nice to make some more, to sell at the christmas market. But our daughters didn't feel like it. And that's fine. We'll keep these beauties for our own tree, which will be delivered tonight by our gardener. The angels are made from foodpackaging, toilet rolls and fabric scraps, a variation on this tutorial.

Swap surprise

This cute little christmas angel, made by Miranda, flew in my mailbox today. A surprise, because I had already forgotten about the mini-swap. Miranda was inspired by this tutorial from the Dutch Sisters. I love the idea that someone has made something especially for me. The other way around, it's really nice to put together a personal package for someone else. I should swap more. I want to swap more! So, anyone, from a far away country, interested in a swap? Mail me or leave a comment!

More hats

The first one witht the flower is for cousin Wies. It goes well with her new tomato red coat. The other hat is for her dad, my brother. But I'm not sure whether he's gonna wear it.

Twinkle twinkle

I think I like the cosy dark days filled with candle light before more than christmas itself. Today we put up the first seasonal decorations. Made last week. Paper stars, folded following this tutorial. Put on a string with glass beads, felt balls and tassels, inspired by these images. But when I put them in front of the window, I saw that the windows desperately needed washing up. I believe that 'a clean house is a sign of a wasted life', but in order to let my paper stars shine I will have to do some cleaning when the rain and snow have stopped falling this week.

Christmas craft

Sinterklaas is gone, time for another festivity. Next weekend our annual neigbourhood christmas market   takes place. We're already preparing the crafts for the kids to make and sell. For these decorations we cut circles from food packaging and made 16 small cuts around the edge. Wrapping the yarn is simple. Pens and glitters give the ornaments a nice touch. The idea came from this tutorial.

In the snow

One hat every evening. I've been crocheting a lot these days. Not for nothing, because it will be very very cold this weekend. The receivers can use their present right away. The first one is a cowl. I like this simple pattern which gives a nice structure and a scalloped edge without any extra effort. The other one's a hat made following this tutorial.

Comfort food

I know, it's a bit quiet over here. A lasting cold and Sinterklaas excitement took over in this house. The cold askes for fresh juice. The excitement askes for food without aversions. One dish everyone likes over here is roasted chicken. I found this simple and delicous recipe in the online magazine Sweet Paul. A mixture of rosemary, sage (both still from our garden) and pinenuts under the skin and potatoes and carrots around the chicken. Ninety minutes in the oven and in that time I almost completed a crochet childrens hat.

Lunaria annua

You can find these money plants ('judas coin' in Dutch) everywhere. The ones I found didn't have any seeds anymore, otherwise we could have used those too to make flowers. Just a little bit of glue to put them together and to hold a piece of sewing thread. They look so nice and fragile.

Getting cold outside

The whole house smelled warm wintery when we had dried these cinnamon christmas ornaments. That alone was worth the effort. But they also turned out rather nicely looking. We'll be selling them on the christmas market or just giving them away when there's a giving moment. A recipe can be found here.