Fire

My friend Antoinette send me the recipe for spicy tomato-preserve. And since I had just gotten this bowl of home-grown tomatoes from my parents I decided to use the recipe right away. Tomato's with hot peppers, orange-peel and juice. Hot, bitter and sweet. What do you want more? Yummie!

Walk in the woods

The sun was shining, no coats needed. Nature showed a strange mix of summer and autumn. Waterlily's and chestnuts. Flowers and mushrooms. Summery temperatures with a fresh autumn scent.

Mum, tissue, please!

The season of colds and drippy noses has arrived. One tissue after another. In between too many other things that really need to be done I found some time to make these pocket tissue-holders. A quick and easy project. A tutorial is to be found here.

Living the good life

What a wonderful afternoon it was. A perfect day to visit a biological farm and have a festive dinner in one of the stables. The animals of this farmer live a good life. We were surprised by the big difference between 'normal' and biological farming. Even more reason to spend that extra euro for a tasty piece of meat or healthy vegetables.

Nice puzzle

Making pretty things is easy using beautiful matching fabrics. More rewarding to me is making something from materials that were not my favorites to begin with. That's a challenge I often engage, because the results are more interesting. Here is a project like that. Two autumn-buntings for the lovely ladies from daycare who take care of our youngest. Big chance that you think those fabrics are made for eachother.

Green mom place

A few months ago Anna asked me to design stamps for her online-shop green mom place. A very nice asignment. As a thank you she sent these crayon-rocks for our daughters. I think these rocks make a wonderful gift for creative (aren't all kids?) children. I also love the sandwichcutters in het shop a lot. Thanks, Anna!

New colors

You probably know that I got this wonderful wooden tree for my birthday last year. Since then it is standing in the end of our diningtable to express the seasons. Now autumn is arriving. I love the long dark evenings that are coming but I do not look forward to getting up in the morning when the sun is still sleeping. All the more reason to make things cosy inside the house. To decorate the tree I made this autumn-leaves-garland from felt scraps. Just cut and sew!

Another first time

Swimming-lesson. Also a new bag, of course. This girl was very excited and jumping up and down and asking if it was time to go already. After this first lesson she was even more enthusiastic. Can't wait till next week. When home, her hair still wet, she started drawing right away. That's her way to unwind and process the new impressions.

Pretty in pink

Yesterday our little one had her first ballet-lesson. She had been dancing all morning at home. But in ballet-class she could hardly let go of her mom. Finally she walked around with the teachers assistant. But no sign of dancing. Afterwards she said she loved ballet! So, we still have good hopes for next lesson and that her new ballet-bag will be used more often.

Stock

Tomatoes were so cheap that I had to buy some kilos. And here they are, as soup (or sauce) in a bottle. Prepared with sellery, carrot, orion and garlic. I did the same with half a cauliflower we had left. I enjoy the sight of these filled bottles.

Fabric scraps

Quilting is not my thing. Too much patience needed. But two days ago I suddenly felt the urge to make a baby-blanket for a soon-to-be-born little guy. His mother often expressed that she loved the blankets I made for my daughters. Later it appeared that the exact moment I started sewing the baby saw daylight. Welcome in this world Maksim!

Lovely day

And this was my pink and red felt corsage for yesterdays wedding. It is from the same book as my daughters wristlets. You can find a tutorial on Flora.

Change of season

I sewed light-coloured skirts for my ladies for the wedding we're going to attend tomorrow. But the weather has changed. All autumny now. I decided that they are going to wear something else. They both will be dressed in purple. And of course they need other corsages too. So today I made these felt wristlets. The wonderful idea came from this japanese book.

Confitures

Another souvenir from France. In french. You might think that I speak the language, but I don't. I can read just enough to decipher recipes like these. With a dictionary. So I'm curious how this courgette-chutney is going to taste.

Diner for two

I'm pretty sure that the couple-soon-to-be-wed is not reading my blog. That's why I dare to place these pictures already. I made them this linnen table-cloth and two napkins, decorated with a flower-stamp. The flower grew by putting their initials together.