Avon, my youngest daughter, turns 4 on Sunday.

When I was sewing a backpack for a little friend of hers a while ago she wanted one too. She especially wanted the fabric with blue and white dots. When she saw scraps two very sweet Crafty Mamas (Papillon and Missmagic) sent me, Avon picked the Owl fabric.

Unfortuantely I can't remember which CM sent me the owls, sorrry :( I've asked for scraps for projects just like this one so I can use up my stash (the black and white dots) and the cute fabrics. Thank you both of you nice women for taking the time and effort to send me a bag with your fabrics. ♥♥♥

So...I sat down today, acutally wanted to do it on sewing Wednesday :) but okay I'm on Africa timing it seems. I used a Starry, starry night background for the cute owls.

Again my scraps of zpagetti came in very handy for the draw strings and farbenmix ribbo I still have to use. I'm almost at a point where I'm allowed to buy new ones ;)

It is not visible but I've stitched a fancy stitch looking like twigs in green all over the top of the bag on the black just to over do it hie-hie.

peasant top

I just love this pattern:

Potrait Peasant top @ youcanmakethis.com

I've made it twice (like this one) and will definitely not stop making them

and surely try some more variations:

sorry again for the not-so-crisp photo. It is just so easy to take a photo with my BB and send it to my pc wherever I am. Unfortunately the weather is often very dark here in the NL.

The fabric I've used was from Dapper (2011)

new line of fabric, very cute, very bold.

Update

..the crow we saved was a raven ;-)

and I phoned up a couple of weeks after the incident to hear how it was doing.
I asked about the crow and the lady said they would've been lucky to see a crow again, this is a raven.
I was right it was a "tame" one. This is why he didn't fly away.
They think he was propably hungry and that is why he went to the kids playing outside.
no.....not to eat them...
Unfortunately they put him to sleep just the day before I phoned.
It seemed he had a broken foot and that was why the toes grew crooked.
It was broken a long time ago and healed badly and they couldn't fix it.
The bird sanctuary were afraid that he may get entagled when they free him because of the way the nails grew and he may die a horrible death. So he had to walk the green mile.
this is a crow
this is a raven

Here is a very helpfull site on what the difference is between a crow and a raven as it can be quite confusing. The site even shows the difference between the calls:
The Raven's Aviary

this is where I sleep.

I need curtains.

Luckily it is on the upper level ;-)

all who peeks in are the family of Jackdaws living in the willow outside our bedroom

and they won't tell on me ;-)

What a day!

It started out with snow (our first and what a supprise)
and then dh came to tell that somebody drove of the dyke. Slipped, would be a better choice of words as I don't think somebody intentionally would drive off the dyke. Especially when the car ended up coliding into one of the Zimbabwean statues of the neighbours, smashed it and... the driver was a lady!

We live near to a bend in the dyke and it is the 2nd car slipping since we live here (6 months). We took photo's and maybe you can see the sun had to make way for another snow "storm" coming. The lady making the accident phoned her boyfriend and he and his colleagues came to get the car. They work for a potatoe farming company 1km from us. We also poned to warn our neighbour as it seemed he wasn't aware of what was going on outside in his "garden". (The statue nearest to you is where our property begins, we took the photo out of our window on the first level)

Then dh had to leave and try and get some clothes for a birtday dinner tonight. He left and I tried with the girls to get their snow stuff. Things were still in boxes and they left with dd8 wearing MY rain boots and dd6 wearing my gloves and they both had hats that were one size to small...! The neighbour's 2 sons came to play and had some fun sliding down the dyke.

Then in they came telling there is a raven that couldn't fly. I was still in my pyjama's so got some pants and a jearsey and chucked dd out of my rainboots. Indeed, the raven came where they were playing?? And didn't fly away though looking verrry alert and healthy. I picked it up. Yes....he really did his best to treat me as carrion but I knew with that terrrible beak he couldn't reach below his cheeks lol and behind his ears so I came out without a scratch on my bare hands and that bird was cursing high and low. Terrible sound. Have you seen "the crow"? You know all those movies? Luckily the sun was shining lol... we live next to a grave yard and our town is called "warden of the death" (direct translation*) ok ok I have an enormous sense of drama and imagination.

I had to manage 4 excited kids (age 6-8), one baby that decided it was time to be heard (loudly), 1 little histerical dog barking at the top of her voice and the crow that was telling me unsensored what he was thinking about the situation while he was trying to get away as well.

Ok the kids ended up with their wet snow clothes calming the baby and the crow was bucketed and my tray was used as a lid. I phoned the animal rescue: one hand on the lid and one hand for the phone (didn't need my legs lol). I noticed that I had the animal rescue's number in my phone. We're here 6 months and already had the number regarding a lost cat and a dead one (run over infront of our house).

The bin was a bit small so I got a (clean) plastic rubbish bin (how appropriate) with a lid wich didn't fit well. I couldn't use my hands this time as the villain crow was ready for me and I couldn't supprise him from behind so I chucked the bucket and him into the bin.

While waiting for the animal rescue I made myself presentable, vacuumed, tidied the kitchen, put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, breast fed the baby, organised the kids and checked on the crow (who cursed every time I did!)
Only a mother would do these things.....

The animal rescue arrived and came to the same conclusion as I did:
the bird wasn't hurt as far as one could see, only a crooked nail but no blood.
What a day! and it all happened before 12....

The girls had to go to Sinterklaas entering our town at 13:30 (and still looked like runnaways) and I had to run errands and then get all girls 3 and me! pressentable for tonight's dinner.

from the corner of my eye

We were driving past orchards round dusk when from the corner of my eye

I saw movement in a little broken window of a wee little barn It was this little fella

I've finished another order: a textile painted giraffe. Somebody ordered it for the 30th b-day of her friend. I had much fun painting this...needed some colour in my life ;-)

So Sad....

While brunching we heard a loud Thump! Our youngest thought it was fireworks some mischievous youngster still had to light after New Year's eve.
I wished it was...it was one of the birds, we were admiring at our bird feeder, who flew into the glass door.
It was a "common" finch(Chaffinch). Beautifully coloured (not seen in Photo but see link).
As we rushed to the window he was just giving his last squirms and died. Broken neck.
I rushed to get my Photo camera and the girls were planning a funeral. Dad got the spade.
What a pity.

quatro fun order

Michelle (Crafty Mama) asked me to paint her two bags with sea creatures in greens and blues. So I've done that with lot of enjoyment. 2 bags with 4 different scenes. I used a lot of pearl paint to give a nice effect.

Then as I was busy she asked me to add another bag. She's making a quilt with fun animals and a lot of dots I believe (can't wait to see the finished quilt). She asked if I can paint a zebra in lime and purple and add dots. Well, how exciting...I'll used the dotted effect more as I had a lot of fun.

Then...she asked me if I can paint a bag for her mom. Mom loves bluebirds, gulls and bishops. So..I had to look up a bluebird as I've never heard about them. They seem a lot like a red robin to me ;-) apart from the colour of course! I decided to do the blue and the red birds ;-) really enjoyed it and when crazy on the background.

Thanx a million for this great order Michelle!

In total I've painted 4 bags but with 8 different scenes as the two sides of each bag is painted totally different! Please see my Flickr album for more photo's. Don't be afraid; enjoy the colours ;-)

CM Tea Towel Swap

We had a tea towel swap at CraftyMamas in October. I had fun with a plain (bought) tea towel. I've used flowered and fun buttons, retro dotted fabric, Japanese fabric and golden ric rac. I'm always nervously awaiting feedback on the swaps (hoping it is satisfying). So today I got a pm that the package has arrived:

"Monique I received my tea towel today - Thank you so much!!! It is really beautiful - I know you said you were only new to sewing, but you did an amazing job - I really love it. I almost appliqued cupcakes on yours as well, but changed my mind at the last minute. Great minds think alike!! Once again thank you. " No, Thank YOU lol 2spunkymonkies!

It takes two crows

I got a swap order for two crows from YeOldeCrowShoppe for two crow paintings. I ordered the handmade crafts in my previous entry and in return got and order for the paintings. Each add shipping to the total price and then maybe there is no need for money transfers. This is what I call and order swap. Love it. This time I had to pay the difference. This would be a nice idea to do more often, stimulate each other and doing a swap order so no or less money transfers.

The crow above is based on the common carrion crow in Europe and the crow below is based on the pied crow (white breasted crow-free translation for South African name) we have in South Africa.

I can only show my complete projects after they are received by their buyers otherwise I would steal their supprise moment. So they see it first and then I share it with you. These paintings are 20x20cm painted on 3D canvas and painted with acryl paint. I've added finishing touches with gold,silver and glitter and sprayed it with a fixative for protection. These crows are my first and after I've drawn it I asked my 5 year old what it was. Her reply was: crows. So they passed the test as recognisable as the colours are of course my creative expression. Fun to paint and received well:"I can't stop looking at the crow paintings. lol They SO make me smile. :-)"

I can brake the vow of silence

" Now turn around and face us hands in the air,

you're surrounded!"

"Looks innocent to me, what do you think?"

For the crafty Mama july swap the theme was Recycled item.
It was my first swap and I was quite nervous.
Needend be.
I've crocheted this one from black garbage bags (unused), yellow and red bags from Kruidvat and blue bags from some expensive shop.
His eyes was made from beads I had from an ancient wooden beaded fly curtain a friend had.
I drew some pupils on them.
I know his feet look like they've been burnt by a hot roof...
I've stuffed him with bags.
While I was crocheting I raked my mind to give this frankenstein a little hope for love
If you're ugly you must have character and humour certainly helps.
When he was finished being crocheted and had eyes he already looked better
I didn't shave him but gave him a Smurf hankerchief (the girls') as a bandanna
I tied the card round his neck and then
had so much fun I though I'd make him a knapsack from felt I've been planning to do something with for 5+ years.
In there is the bounty money: Different European cents.
foreign looking type of guy
I thought he was picked up by the highway police but
he survived the trip to Ausralia and
I've received a absolutely cheery report from my swap partner Violet!
Lot of fun
We all fell in love with that rough fellow,
under all that black is a heart ready to spread some laughter!

GIP

Go In Peace

This guy is no longer with us.

He flew off yesterday to nest at a friend's house.

I wish them both lots of fun together. lol.

(Guinea Fowl Linnen bag painted by me, see more here:HouseOnTheMountain)

I've tried this weekend some new liners I've bought with a friend. I'm quite use to the ones I bring from South Africa so It was a bit getting use to these. They're from "Tulip". I've tried them out on a used pair of jeans belonging to my youngest. She'll be delighted when she sees it I think because it is a favourite and showed wear and tear

I've tried them out on a used pair of jeans belonging to my youngest. She'll be delighted when she sees it I think because it is a favourite and showed wear and tear

Because we DID have sun on Sunday, we sat outside.

The only hobby I know that I can easily take outside it crocheting! That is if I don't do crossword puzzles.

So I crocheted this bird (finished it today). It is a crazy crow pattern and you can see why it is called that way. It was quite fun to make. Its paws make me thing of a slaughtered chickens' lol.

I saw it!!

The sun!

Not a picture of a sun

the newspaper "The Sun"

the rap artist King Sun

not a logo of Sun Microsystems

not Forest Sun the rock star

not the Sun river in a travel magazine

or a sunflower

or a sun bear

or a sun bird

or sunscreen

not a sun on television

or in a magazine
but outside in the sky propped in a blanket of grey clouds

and then...

it went away again;

Hello Sun; bye-bye Sun

So we made cookies today..

you make think they're in the form of a sun because we so desperately need sun

but it is a star;

Here comes the story behind the stars:

I'm participating at a craftymamas forum and they have ideas, challenges etc

very nice.

The theme challenge for July is: Christmas lol

It can be anything you've made,

so we made coffee flavoured(my idea) Christmas(star shape + metallic balls) cookies

dipped in chocolate

*The "we" = the girls and me

* A cookie (answers.com) = A small, usually flat and crisp cake made from sweetened dough.

ok I've also done some Christmas "graphicing"

And to make sure it is not seen as last December's baking I've

dived into the "old paper" (yes, we separate here in The Netherlands)

and found the newspaper of yesterday.

I took a photo with a cookie and the date of yesterday

like in the "kidnap" detective series on television.

Guess what we did on a Tuesday

Yes, we went to a theme park, one called the Efteling.

I've been there when I was 4/5 yrs of age and I'll be honest,

yesterday I was a little girl again ;-) Most of all I enjoyed the fairy tale forest with all the classic fairy tales.

It is situated in a beautiful forest and the trees are full of birds singing (real birds!)

This butterfly is sitting on the knee of long neck while he tells his story. Of course when you're in a fairy tale forest
you can't expect the (real) doves to be ordinary!

Want to peek into the little house of Mrs.Holle?

(I'm sure she's called by another name in English?)

Below you can visit the scenery of the little match girl.

The story is too sad for me so I didn't go inside.

I'm sure you know the story about the frog prince,

well here below was an interesting water feature with the golden ball. We were able to visit everything we liked as there were almost no waiting in cues. We went on a perfect day! We spent 7 hours in the park so needless to say we were quite ready for our beds at the end of the day.

No ugly ducklings only beautiful swans

This morning I drove the scenic route to a friend. I saw the storks have arrived and are busy Spring cleaning their nest. Then I passed the beautiful green grass that I, as a South African, appreciate so much. It looked delicious and the swans down the road thought so too. I love seeing them as in South Africa it is a bird I associate with Europe and fairy tales.

The swans near the road didn't appreciate me taking photos of them so gathered their skirts and turned their backs on me.

What a pity, as they were really close to the road but behind a wired fence so I wasn't able to get closer for a better picture.

The sky has turned grey again as I'm typing this I'm relieved I have evidence that the sun did shine this morning!