Opening my gifts

Before Christmas because I CAN'T WAIT!

This utterly cute and original Christmas dress is from Shin (here's her blog), isn't this cute? This is how my day started.

Then the doorbell rang and I got a package from The Green Swap. This went fast, I didn't expect it already, especially with the Christmas craziness in Post land. This is my prize I've shopped for on ETsy. I wanted now for a long time to buy pure wool to crochet a bag and then felt it.(trying something like this) The colours are beautiful! Thank you Farhanna. Included was beautiful stich markers, from the same shop, i wanted to photograph but then my photo ran out of batteries.

this too came in the post: a felt Christmas ornament from Tannis in Canada. You can visit her here .

So if it is cold

why don't we have snow! I want snow! I deserve snow!
Of course I want it...for the kids ;-)

I did get a neat little package from San Fransisco today;I wasn't at home and the postman was so kind as to leave me a note saying he left it in our outside storage (what's it called).So when I came home I ran back into the cold and found this cute little box and after making myself a hot cup of espresso I opened it.Oh how thank you Arran for felting a Christmas ornament for me ;-)

When I got home later in the day after Picking up the girls from school I found the most amazing tree trunk in my post ;-)Oh how original, the 2 little leaves, the print on the felt...it is so trunky Thank you very much Emily!

Belle and Boo

oooooh I just have to share this with you:

I've read about Belle and Boo on the blog Domestic Bliss,While searching for a swap. I had a visit at Belle and boo on Etsy and then completely fell in love with the fragile beauties this artist makes. You can read more about her on her blog.

When typing this post I discovered the origin of the name Belle and Boo:

"I guess I should start by introducing the namesakes of my blog, Belle and her little bunny Boo. Belle is loosely based on a much younger me and my all time favourite children's book character millymollymandy, who I think.." Read more here

After a couple of weeks I return and bought one for myself (called Release), and one for Chanah(Chance Encounter) and of course one for Danae (Flowers for mommy) with money I made from my paintings ;-)

How's that for an art circle ;-)

So please do yourself a favour and go and visit Belle and Boo's shop and I can recommend buying because the service is excellent.

Christmas time

What a nice supprise, I got a box today in the post and when I opened it this card was laying on top. And in a soft nest of paper strips I've found this amazing hand made paper ornament from Jessica,Texas:

Arrivè!

These two paintings were ordered by a Crafty Mama, from Australia,for her girls:

• Acryl paint on Canvas
• fixed with varnish
• finishing touch: glitter and silver&gold liners
• 24x30cm

I really appreciate orders that don't really pin me down to having no freedom of how I'm painting. This was such a lovely order: "for girls, not too pink, and a choice from 5/6 animals" I had the fun I needed ;-) thanx for this order and I hope it brings a lot of giggles!

ps. photo's distorts a bit and I don't know why

Christmas Swaps

I've joined the Holiday Ornament swap 2007. I've made 9 ornaments and sent them and then I'll receive in return from 9 different people. My first received one was from Knitalatte from Canada. She wrapped this cutey in the most beautiful wrapping. Here you can see more ornaments on the Flickr site.

Then I've also joined the Crafty Mama secret Christmas swap. I've been abundantly spoiled by my secret swap mama:

In the photo above you can see some of the 12 felt Christmas trees she made me and 9 of the 10 candy ornaments. Unfortunately for the candy#10, who snapped in the post, I had to eat him lol. Below you can see an apron(I'm definitely and apron girl), pan holder, beautiful knitted arm bracelet/band, a beautiful Christmas sock (the little bear has stitched details), 3 Christmas fabrics and 1 fold out Christmas Card. The care taken to make these things and to put my package together is so valued. Thank you Secret Crafty Mama!

Now for the other 8 ornaments woo-hoo!

The Green swap:Woo-hoo!

I've joined the green swap and these were the

"Details of swap: Send your swap partner a beautiful tote so she can throw away all her plastic bags! You can either make the tote, or buy one (so even those that can't sew are encouraged to join) and add some 'life' to it!
Minimum of one tote to be sent.
You are more than welcome to send extra goodies. (They are always appreciated)
The 'best' tote (voted by the participants and viewers) will receive a little gift.
Please use the 'green swap' button at the top on your blog/site (if you have one) so others can join in".

Before sending out the bag it was possible to enter the bag in a competition.
I've sent my swap partner a bag I've sewn with a bag pattern from morsbags. Really really good tutorial for beginner sewers like me. (Morsbags by the way also promote cottons bags and not using plastics as it is terrible for the environment) I've painted the bag and the zebra with textile paint and used the dots I wanted too. I think I'm in a zebra craziness ;-)

Today I got a mail congratulating me that I'm the winner!
In my absolute stupidity I added the green swap link to my favourites but didn't refresh it when I visited so I never saw the part you can vote for a winner! Aaaaah I love voting and Never would've seen who won. I assumed all is done by mailing or will be added later on....

Well so now it says on Farhanna's blog:

"Congratulations! You did an amazing job!And of course, every winner needs a prize. You get to enjoy a $20 web shopping spree. There is a few limits though, it must be a handmade item (or items) or/and any 'green' item(s)."

wow, wow and I have to throw in a 3rd wow!
Thank you Farhanna, and all the voters and all the ladies making their lovely bags in the swap.
Go green and don't use plastic bags but support crafts by buying yourself unique and green bags ;-)

If you can't keep up...

...then don't run with the wild ponies!

I've made 2 fillies for a Christmas order from a crafty mama(see her blog here as she makes awesome bears and jewelry)

The 2 ponies have each 2 different sides. I've had some fun with ribbon, buttons, press-ons,felt,fake fur and safety eyes. The ponies are blanket stitched around and then I've crocheted mane and given them awesome 2 coloured tails ;-) To see the other sides please visit my Flickr Album
I can show you the ponies because I just had a private message that they've arrived safely and in time for Christmas, woo-hoo! The four sides have all a press on felt flower so you can play with the ponies' flowered butts changing them as you wish.

40x40cm of warmth

40x40x3cm Acryl paintings for a "new baby" order. I really enjoyed painting these larger paintings and they make quite an impression ;-) My photo's (again) doesn't distorts a bit with uploading so you're not able to see the glitter and the added gold and silver 3D liners used for a beautiful finishing touch.

Too late or too early

I've at last sent my Dutch friend, named like me, her birthday gift (visit her beautiful site here). Her birthday was in April...
I wanted to give her something made and eventually made her a set of pot holders. I've crocheted it with orange/red mix (pity that the photo doesn't show it that well as it looks like fun) and red. I've added a cute ladybird and a dotted satin button (she likes the bugs, by the way I'm a huge fan too) and she had the option to choose between these colours and blue/lime.

She has a darling large black dog called Blacky and I've made this door knob hanger with his name around this dog's colour. (though some people thought this was a cat). I've embroidered the mouth with gold yarn and blanket stitched around with cherise metallic yarn (yes I'm not telling stories here it is just a bad photo). I've added on both sides studded flowers, bug buttons and beads. The string he is hanging on is a dotted ribbon from Farbenmix and Sun catcher safety eyes.

by the way, she likes her gift ;-)

Felted Fun

Yesterday I've completed this filly with his two sides as part of the November Theme Challenge at Crafty Mamas: felty goodness

19x19cm felted fun!
I've added to his cute butt and to make him sparkle:

• embroidery


• buttons


• studs


• jewels


• satin ribbon,


• safety eyes and


• blanket stitched it around with Cherise crochet yarn


• crocheted his mane with fake fur (bought here)

Then I can share with you a swap I've had from Eccles. Do yourself a favour and visit her blog as she make the most gorgeous creations and is raising baby lovebirds. The theme of the swap was: "we don't have that here". After she forgot it in the back of her car and didn't send it for almost 2 months ;-) I got it and in my 2 seasons too late or 2 seasons too early Spring Clean, I mislaid it as I've totally reorganised my hobby room....

Ok, I've found it too take a photo and here it is:

• 3 awesome Australian mags
• 2 cuts of fabric
• a sweet back pack
• a koala label, a metal wombat, roo's clasping dolls, and a dolphin on a piece of shell

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 ;-)

Zizi's crocheted bodywarmer

This is zizi. This month she'll turn 2 on the 22nd. Her father was a mini Maltese and her mother a normal sized one so I guess she ends up being a M size ;-) I take her to the doggy parlour for a trim 3-4 times a year. It seems then that we have 2 dogs; when she's shaves she looks very mini and French and then in a month's time her hair is already longer and she turns into a mini boomer. I looked for a cute suitable not too glamourace name like Fifi and then ended up with Zizi. I stumbled on the name when watching the South African movie Duma,about a boy and his Cheetah. Then I asked a friend of mine then living in Botswana to give me the meaning of zizi. Zizi is the name given to mosquitoes in a native tongue in Botswana and Namibia. It means unseen power. (I guess because the mosquitoes they refer to travels in clouds) Ok it is not very flattering to the dog but she is very small and she has a lot of nerve for such a wee thing. She absolutely hates big dogs and constantly pulls at her leash like a husky when we let take her for a walk and she sees a big dog. The Benner Senner of people living down the street is her favourite target. She actually goes for his throat and the noises she makes seems like she already swallowed 3 quarters of him. Very embarrassing.
Anyway in Hungarian Zizi is a diminutive of Elizabeth. The girls coming to visit my daughters love her and calls her Sissi (the Empress of Austria). Girls love the cartoon version. So all ends well ;-)

Anyway what I actually wanted to share was that she got shaved again and as we have cold weather (when not?) I decided to crochet a body warmer for her. I started out making this one but got lost at the "Middle". I think I've crocheted it on the wrong side. Then I continued with side 2 and then I totally abandoned the pattern and crocheted away. It has a halter on her lower breast so it won't move around. I've also made it shorter so it won't get too dirty on the walks and she only needs it for her upper body. Well, I like it, the girls like it and Zizi couldn't care. At least she's one snazzy doggy now ;-)

These are a few of my favourite things

I bought myself at DeStoffenkraam some fabric. The top two are stenzo 2007/2008 rib cord prints as they had 50% discount. The ribon is from farbenmix: orange with pink dots and green with strawberries. Aren't they' cute? You probably can't see if they're cute because of the photo ;-)
Then they have a supprise parcel which you pay 10 Euro for and you get 4x 1m fabric from BIzzKids/Stenzo/Polytex. They choose which fabrics. This is the 2nd time I've done this and I'll to it again.

I've also ordered some buttons from Grootmoedersknopendoos (translated:grandmothersbuttonbox) as I use them on all sorts of projects. Oh they were terribly adorable and really difficult to choose which ones I'll take. What a joy to receive these two packages in the post the next day after ordering! Great service.

What I've been up to

I've completed 4 bags for a great order: sea creatures, birds and a dotty zebra. Had a lot of fun with alle these great colours and had to part with them throwing them on the post to Australia. I wish their receivers a lot a warmth and joy!then I've absolutely stunned myself by sewing a bag. Not any bag; it is a reversable bag. I've bought a pattern from SwapMamas' shop because it was on sale and I love bags. Never thought I had the guts to try anything else but the morsebag. It is a double duty bag from sewbaby and I can really recommend it. As it is reversable you it has a great finished look. I was just sewing in a clip-on for car keys in one of the pockets when my friend came in. Well, she bought if fresh from the oven! It is such a great bag, either using it with the pockets outside (see photo) for easy access or reverse it with the pockets inside. I've used 2 fabrics to create the different look like you have two bags for the price of one ;-)
They say it is easy and I can confirm it is.

Announcing the winner of the Fall Giveaway

Entries are closed and I've had 12 of you entering in this giveaway so thank yo all for your participation. This was my first giveaway and I'm very sorry that there is only one winner ;-) Maybe next time it is you!
Have a great fall! (this read funny I know)

Herero Woman

Well at least she has sun to enjoy ;-) and doesn't she ;-)

She is nearly finished,

oil painting on canvas

40x50x2cm

time for tea towel

Isn't this just so utterly something that should be in my kitchen?! The dots, the colours and the fun. I BIG thank you to twospunkymonkies who made me this towel. I received it today as well as a cute card and a calender with beautiful photo's of her area. This towel is so me! Oh and I appreciate the time going into the blanket stitch, is very special. I'm honoured to be your first swap partner ;-) Well done!

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!

crowns, high heels and grand dresses

We are going to a birthday party in a couple of hours. It is not just any birthday so the gift had to be special too. It is the first birthday of my friend's first child: the most cute little girl!

I wanted to make her something and then got inspired by my dd of 5. She draws the whole time (with glitter gel pens) queens with high heels, long dresses, long hair and crowns. So one of the pics (lying all over the house) caught my eye and I've decided to use it.

I've used cute Japanese fabrics, Dutch Folk prints and very retro dots to sew this little queen. I've added a lot of tags (made one with her name on) and buttons (which I've sewn so that she'd never get it into her mouth) for the fun of it. I've painted the faces with textile paint, using white glitter textile paint and lilac. I've called in my little girl for the honors of drawing the faces herself with textile pen. She decided to draw a princess and 2 cats on the "awake face". Very cute and she's as proud as a peacock! I've stuffed only the head and the body. Will definitely do this again and make it into a pyjama bag. I also have to use my other dd pics to make another version.

I've deliberately sewn the high heels facing the same way as in the original painting ;-) She is 55cm from crown to toe and 29 cm at the widest part of her dress. The only important part I didn't add to the doll was the long hair. Maybe next time!

Never trust Wild horses

Yes, another horse in the topic. This one was ordered by the innovative Crafty Mama (herself). It was a lot of fun to paint and I couldn't wait for her to receive it....

and I couldn't wait for her to receive it....

and I couldn't wait for her to receive it....

and I couldn't wait for her to receive it....

and I couldn't wait for her to receive it....

it seemed like ages

I've posted her the same time as another swap order in Australia and that one did get there quick(the tiger one). At first I didn't hear a word and thought both were gone with the wind but then it seemed that the poor mom was so swallowed up in mom stuff that she just forgot to let me know.

Well, at last the horse got to the intended stable and I got a very nice reaction:

today 23rd Oct

"Today we received the bag that Mon painted for my dd. It is truly stunning...Mon, you are gifted. DD loves it so!! Thank you! "

Well thank you Cin! I wish dd lots of fun times with that bag ;-)

Enter in the Fall giveaway

Hello,

I've joined the Fall Bloggy giveaway

I've you like to make a chance of winning this tea towel I've textile painted just add (below this post)

1. your name,
2. why you'd like to win the tea towel and
3. a way for me to contact you when you're a winner!

• The towel is heat set and washable at max 40degrees.
• I've written a recipe for pumpkin caramel cookies on it.
• I sent internationally and the shipping charge is for my account.
• I'll draw a winner in the 1st weekend of November
• I'll contact the winner and If I don't get a response within 5 days I'll draw another winner.
  
• If you'd like to enter at more Fall giveaways, take a look here

Giveaway is closed the winner is Alyson

a horse called Bea

The past 2 days I gathered all courage and tackled a farbenmix pattern, the 2nd one, called Bea. I embelished it with crocheted flowers at the back and one at the front I made while watching the girls play on the beach at the Rhine river this past Summer.

If you don't know if you'd try out the pattern yourself, please don't base your decicion on my version of it. But have a look at Peppels Design 's. Hers is absolutely adorable. I've made a calculation mistake and a common sense mistake. I've cut 2 right pockets (don't ask) and trying to right my wrong I ended up with 3 right pockets (don't ask). That left me with no pocket at all! And no fabric left to make the utter cute hood (snif!). I also cut 2 right arms (don't ask) and ended up cutting 4 front arms so as to still make it work....

But in all of this decided that as a beginner I can't suspect miracles where I'm concerned and that I just get back on the horse after every throw. Poor Horse Bea, it is not her fault. Her stable mates: Sscissors, MeasureTape and SewingMachine were silent witnesses and could just shake their heads and avoid eye contact. Well, the story does end well. Nobody got hurt and DD7yrs loves it. DD5yrs cried because I didn't make HER one too....
I think we may be looking at a sequel here.

Meet Patricia, Katerina, Pernilla and Alexandra

This weekend we went to Ikea for a bright flowery fabric I saw and gotta have. Didn't find it though it was in the latest folder, but came back with a couple of others. Quite a contrast ;-)

Get your copy now!

Ok I've been fooling around with flickr

mushrooms,hedgehogs,berries and leaves

The girls and I made hedgehogs, leaves and mushrooms with DAS clay. These are my creations, theirs are at theirs school as a part of a Autumn table.

It was really fun to make and to paint with Acryl paint.

I took the photo in our garden an for additional colour I added some picked berries(they're real!).

Today I saw the most awesome gathering of mushrooms.

I was on my way with my dd of 6 who fell in gym class on her mouth...

one broken tooth, one milk tooth the dentist had to remove and 2 huge cuts in her lip. From 5 places blood came and I can just say it looked like a slaughter.

She's ok now but it will take some days to heal and she's eating difficult at the moment and can't pronounce the letter "p". Next week she'll go again to the dentist to fix her broken tooth.

Anyway I was on my way from the dentist to the doctor with her and we took a short cut. Oh my! we saw these huge red mushrooms with white spots. The bigges I've ever seen. Oh so beautiful!

I just know them as "the red mushrooms with the white spots"

but this afternoon my 5 year old came home and told me she knew their name: "vliegenzwam" in Dutch

anyway if I translate it direct it is fly fungi I think. Well so now I have to go and surf and see what it is called in English. Oh I see in English it is called fly mushroom. So now we know that too and the name coms aparantly because it is used for killing flies.

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Tigers and Butterflies

This butterfly bag was a lot of fun to make. I tried something different and it worked. My oldest daughter said it looked like a butterfly garden. The friend ordering this bag really loved it...me too...wanted to keep it ;-)

This tiger bag was a swap order: I've painted this for a CraftyMama in return for craft magazine and lovely soaps she make herself. She loves tigers and asked if I could paint her a tiger bag. Please visit her site here. (Spoil yourself with her fragrant soaps)