Patch Parade Mystery

I've also been working on parts two and three of the mystery Patch Parade. All finished....now I just need to wait for the new pattern to arrive at the beginning of February!

Part two. I made this one eight times.

Part three, this triangle had to be made four times.

It look nice like this too!

Every month Francoise also sends us (her mystery participants) an extra pattern. These patterns will form a little quilt at the end of the exercise! The little quilt is called Sweet pieces, and they are! Below the pictures for parts two and three. Great fun to do and very quick.

Part two

Part three

 Still more to come! More pictures tomorrow!

Lots of love,
Heleen

FOUND IT!

After a very sudden brainwave I have managed to retrieve the cord to reload my camera! Not exactly as the saying goes (it's always the last place you look). It was actually the first place I looked. I just did not look very well.... So a lot of pictures to come again. First of all: The gifts I received from Peg, my lovely partner in the pillowcase swap. She has been angelically patient in waiting for me to finally publish these pictures!

Nicely fitting in, in its new place.

A little closer.

The back

Notebook cover, complete with notebook!

This is what it looks like opened.

Little angel!

 Peg also sent me Vegemite but (I am a coward) I have not tried it yet. I will tell you what it tastes like when I do. Thank you so much Peg, I loved all your gifts and enjoy them every day.

I will post more pictures of finished projects and projects in progress tomorrow!

Lots of love,
Heleen

Happy Christmas to all!

I have been doing lots of stuff lately. I finished the blocks for the second part of the mystery, I made needle books for four people, a pin cushion for a friend, a pillow case, little and big scented hearts (tutorial by Dutch Sisters Easy Valentine ).

Unfortunately I cannot show any of my own pictures of it. I have misplaced the cord to juice up my camera.....I have been looking for it everywhere! It seems to have gone where all stuff in the house randomly disappears into. This means of course that somewhere in my house there has to be a one-legged (socks), long haired (hair elastics), constantly sniffling (handkerchiefs), ink-addicted (pens) person, that has now become interested in electrical stuff as well. Do you have one of these at home?

Anyway. We are having a white Christmas here. Lots of snow (20 cm in the last 5 hours) and ice. Just the way it should be. Wouldn't it be lovely to have a picture here.....

I wish you all a very happy Christmas, 

may all 

your wishes be granted!

Lots of love,

Heleen

Almost a miracle day

It was a day filled with little miracles today. First the world turned completely white with loads of snow. All the bushes and trees outside are wearing white fluffy hats and it looks truly beautiful.

The second amazing event was a visit from Sjefke. Now why is that amazing? Sjefke is a baby donkey, only three weeks old. He lives on a farm that is owned by good friends of mine. Since I have been sick, I could not pay them a visit to celebrate the birth of this gorgeous boy donkey. Kees (his owner) decided that if I did not come to him, he would just bring the baby to me. So we had a baby donkey in our hallway! He was not fazed by this at all. He walked through like he belonged. His enormous ears and his silky, spotted coat where stunning in real life. Meanwhile his mother was still in the trailer making loads of noise. People walked by looking really stunned about the long and loud IIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAA. Of course my camera was empty, but luckily pictures have already been posted on Facebook (Sjefke on Facebook), just click on the link and you'll find much more pictures of him and his mother Majolica.

Sjefke during his appearance at a school earlier today

What a boy!

As everything seems to happen in three, the third little miracle. Our dog Sara got really, really sick very very fast. We called the vet, had to bring her over immediately. We all were convinced that we would not see her again, she was that sick. She couldn't walk, her eyes were rolling back. It was horrible. However, arriving at the vets, madam stepped out of the car like nothing happened. The vet checked her thoroughly and diagnosed the event as an epileptic one. So we have our girl back, she is tired but happy. We need to watch her of course but for now, all is well. Hopefully it will stay that way!

The miracle dog herself.

More soon,

Heleen

Testing a site.....

We are making real headway with our new project. The man building our new website has been very busy indeed. The site is now being tested. That is what this post is all about. All the invited testers have been working their way through the site.....me included. The good thing about me testing is that if I can use it......everybody can!

The site looks very beautiful (of course) but it offers a lot of possibilities. All these need to be tested to see if they are easy to use, necessary and of course WORK! I have posted some random pictures below because I have no clue how to reduce the size of pictures any other way...... They are to become my avatars or (test) profile pictures.

The magical bean that never grew......

My lovely Sjorsje, just saying hello.

Just to thank you for actually reading this rambling I will keep you informed about the progress (after all no good deed goes unpunished...) and of course I will invite you all to visit this amazing new initiative for charities all over the world. It is really a wonderful site - or it will become that soon -  offering a great deal of opportunities for sharing, networking, finding and offering knowledge and much much more!

Watch this space (or rather this blog)!

My disgruntled cat in her onesy....

Much happier on the couch!

Heleen

Knee deep in Christmas trees

What have I been doing? Well first of all finishing of my pillowcase for the swap of course. It was finished last Thursday, but the postal workers were on strike! Luckily today everything was working again and I finally send my box to my swap partner Peg. So that was one challenge down. She has not received it yet of course, so no pictures.

Each year we make up something to send people by way of Christmas cards. We have a lot of fun designing it, talking about it, buying the necessary material, anything accept actually making them. That is why each year we start way too late, work our fingers to the bone and finish just in the nick of time. Each year we swear we will not be making that mistake again. No. This year we will start in June, well July at the latest......Guess what. We did it again. So for the last few days I have been knee-deep in Christmas trees! I haven't finished yet.......

Lots of little trees! It is almost a production line in my room. Great fun to do though!

Meanwhile out in the real world the weather has been changing. The rain stopped. It became really cold (-5) and today the long awaited snow arrived. It is only a few centimeters, but it looks beautiful.

It is also fun to realize I do not have to go out! So I get to enjoy the white splendor from a warm and cosy house!

How are your Christmas trees coming?

More soon,
Heleen

First block down!

I promised to show you the finished first block of the new mystery. I did get distracted by Sinterklaas walking past my window and a lot of other stuff going on, but I did finish it!

Tadaaaaaaah!

I was very happy with the result! Now I just need to make the little squares required for the welcome quilt. That means I get to cut up some of the lovely fabric in the little silver box!

In the category other projects I am also making Christmas Trees, the pillow case of course and some other bits and bobs. It is a good thing that winter is closing in. All the warnings on the weather front only mean one thing: We are in dire need of more quilts! What a wonderful excuse.

What is your excuse?

More tomorrow,
Heleen