Sick babies

Like last year... poor little 'uns.

But we're not the only ones feeling poorly... good luck all you mamas and babies!

Meanwhile, I finally switched to Beta Blogger. What do you think; a bit too bright (you all know I like it colourful :))? It's very user friendly though. I think I'm happy with it; I just need to change the banner a bit.

Ok, caring required... bye everyone!

Bloggaversary & bibs

Today it's exactly one year ago that I wrote my first post on this blog.
I created this blog as an experiment. I wanted to see how it worked, because I wanted to 'give' my sister-in-law a blog before she went back to Australia. She now posts about once month and it's a good way to get an idea of her life down south.
Well anyway, once I had created this blog it turned out that I really enjoyed it myself and I've been writing ever since. Even though I had a bit of a blogbreak this summer, this is my 126th post, which comes to an average of posting every three days... not bad, I think :))
Blogging for me is: fun, creativity, discipline, connection, inspiration... it's been a great enrichment to my life.
To commemorate this milestone I'm going to send some LONG (very long!!!) overdue packages to these three girls. I'm so ashamed, but hopefully they'll arrive in time for Christmas!

So onto the bibs you see above. I bought a package of plain Ikea bibs the other day and spiced them up a bit yesterday... what a lovely way to spend a sunday afternoon!
Eventhough Simon is two he still needs to wear bibs when he eats his porridge and dinner; he even asks for them himself.


Fabric also used here.


Fabric bought in Oxford.


Star made out of a small logcabin.


Amy gave me this fabric. Simon particularly loves this one.


Ikea fabric.


Simon is two! (thrifted fabric)



Have a good day all!

Oh to be a Pampers' baby and lie around all day!

Sorry for the unexpected mini-blog breaks I'm taking lately. I'm not happy about it, but 'normal' life keeps getting in the way of my blogging and crafting.
I'm on my way to work again right now, but in three days time we're going on holiday!!
We all so need this break... we're going to relax as hard as this Pampers' baby!!
I'll try to post before we leave. Hope you're all well!

*edit* I didn't manage a new post. We're off to Germany tomorrow; hope to be back next week, rested and full of new energy!!

The rounds

Do you have a strict routine surfing the internet too?!

Bloglines is my starting page and after scanning that quickly I then open my e-mail.
I have three different accounts for different purposes. I *heart* getting mail; unfortunately I've also been receiving lots and lots of spam recently.

Then I go to Flickr. There is always so much to do there!! First I read the new comments. Then I check my views, the new photos of my contacts and my groups.
By the way I just started two new Flickr-groups: Placemats and Tissueholders. Come and have a look and join if you like :)

Whilst checking e-mail and Flickr I'm also reading the new posts of my favourite blogs and leave comments as much as I can.

These are the three most important things I do on the internet. But ofcourse there are many other places that I like to visit, such as here (for the latest news and weather), and here (for the best laughs), and here, and here.

A website that I also really love is Craftygirls. If you're interested in Dutch crafty life then this is the place to be. Here you find crafty projects, links to crafty people/shops and ofcourse there's the forum where I like to hang out :)
There is also a monthly goodiebag for sale with promotional mini-items. The next will be up for sale tomorrow 20.30h and I've donated some goodies too this month!

All this checking on blogs and websites keeps me content and occupied for a long time. Sometimes so long that Michel gets irritated and asks me: What on earth are you doing all the time?! To which I always answer: Oh, just doing the rounds!
So I'm just going to do a quick last round and then I go downstairs to my lovely hubbie who waits for me with tea and chocolate!

Just a photo of some fun we had today. Is Amber wearing her pyjamas in the middle of the day?! Well, yes she is! I tried to have her take a nap, because she's been quite tired these last days, but ofcourse she wouldn't sleep!

Fingerfood

Last night I finished the last of these six tissue holders.
I love them... they're so quick, easy and fun to make!
And these turned out even better than the ones I made before.



All those happy fabrics and ribbons are really my thing. I really enjoy photographing them too, so I made a new set for them :))



We had a great time at the weekend. We went away with friends to a cottage.
The weather was still beautiful and we did lots of fun things like this:




















and this:




















Oh, and the lovely Miss Woolly did a little feature on me on her blog... check it out!!

*edit* I just saw this tutorial on Whipup; if you'd like to make your own tissue holders but don't know where to start!

Quite pleased...

...with my first proper attempt at making a bag:



It's not bad, is it?!

The only baglike thing I've tried before were two big shoppers. One for myself (I use it daily) and one for my sister-in-law. This one:



I made the pattern of this bag up and I'm rather happy with it. For a future bag I would try to do it a little different, but not much :)
While I was sewing I noticed that the fabric was in fact quite beautiful (it was thrifted... ooh I'm proud of myself!).
















Amber ordered (demanded) two bags for herself, so I suppose those will be next on my to do-list!















Oh, and I received my order of postcards last week. They were supposed to be "free", but I had to pay almost 25 euros for them. Still, now I have 100!



*Blogger is being a pain, so I'll add the other photos later!*
Edit: Blogger is in a good mood today (almost weekend), so I've added some more photos!

Grand dessert

First of all let me say thank you for the warm welcome-back you all gave me! Now I'm really in the mood for blogging again :)))
I'm going to draw the other two names for the presents tomorrow, so if you want to be included in the drawing then tell me!

Today I fancied going to my favourite ice-cream salon. Luckily for me it wasn't difficult to persuade the rest of the family to go.


We all enjoyed our ice-creams and finished every last bit of it!!


Some more photos here.

How long does it take to write your 100th post?!

Hello friends, remember me?!

Isn't this lovely mild 1st of September a wonderful day to start blogging again?!
First, a thousand apologies for going on a blog-break without saying so!!!

When Amber's summerholiday began and my days at work continued to increase, there simply wasn't time to blog (or sew, or read or do anything that wasn't connected to the children, housekeeping and work). I wanted to let you all know that I wouldn't be around for a while, but at the same time I didn't want to spend my 100th post (this one) writing that!
Especially since I wanted to hand out somes pressies, but knew I didn't have time to make anything.
So that's why it's been so quiet here for the past seven weeks or so... but I can't wait to get started again :)))

So presents!!
I've decided to make something for these lovely girls, since they so very kindly enquired after my well-being and said they missed my blogging... that made me feel so good and it gave me the extra motivation to start blogging again. So Hannah, Krista and Claudia, I will send you an e-mail for your addresses!

Also I'm going to make something for two other people that stop by to say hello. That's going to be a real test; I wonder whether anyone still checks this blog!

Well, it feels good to be back and I 'm really looking forward to catch up on everything thing!

By the way, these were the Poppes I finally managed to send to Seattle for Plush You II (that took me a looooong time too!).

8 days a week

Shame on me... 8 days without blogging!!
I'm so behind with everything... reading blogs, commenting, replying to e-mail. But also: housekeeping, paying bills, cooking proper meals, spending time with the children. I suppose this is what it's like when you work full-time :)
I'm not complaining though, I know this is only temporarily and I'm still very happy about the new job.

Anyway, back to bussiness! Let me introduce to you Pandior, the beautiful BT3-softie that came in the mail last week all the way from Australia.



Isn't she gorgeous?! The detail is stunning, which is especially clever when you know that it really is a very small softie. She arrived carrying her own handbag with a tiny bunny in it... so very cute!

There were also lovely presents for me (I believe I'm now the proud owner of three wonderful pieces of Japanese fabric, yay!).

And even some for the kids. This was particularly sweet, since the package arrived on Amber's birthday. Again, look at the detail... it's absolutely stunning!

Thank you so very much for this wonderful package, Amber!! I'm so happy to have had you as my BT-partner :)) And I know you're bit worried about your little Pandior... but I can assure you that she's already feeling quite at home in her new country. Here she is cheering on the Dutch team in the football World Cup!


My own BT-package is still in the mail, but hopefully Jack will arrive very soon at his new home!