countings crows

I've made a crow doorhanger from the drawing of my 7year old

March Competition

The March competition at Crafty mamas:
"The lovely Lissy Lou has kindly hand crafted and offered up a prize for March's competition! Lissy is giving away a Steiner inspired handmade toy pack, including this beautiful Waldorf style doll and cotton play cloths. "
Lissy's blog
Lissy hand makes these to order, pm her for more details or email adminATcraftymamas.net

"So, how can you win this great prize....??'Create an heirloom for your child, a toy that will stay with them for a lifetime'Lissylou will be selecting a winner for this competition, and will shortly post a few of the qualities she will be looking for in a winning entry.Good luck!"

As we were seriously moving this month and shuttling between two houses while packing and getting the new house in order, I wondered what I'd do.

Well,I took the drawings again of the girls and decided to make door hangers for them.

I've started with DearDaughter 5yrs drawing
the princesses she draws are all over the house: boxes, little cards, books, used envelopes, etc. and it is typical as she likes to dress up and become a princess when she's a grown-up. This pic she drew last week. I found it on my desk. It is the new house. Her room is top right. I guess she is watching from it and me and her sister are below.

tried and copy her drawing exactly(ball hands and pointy shoes the works!) apart from the embellishments.

• I've used felt for her body and crown


• stuffed her head with cotton


• used cotton thread for crocheting and embroidery


• her (dread) locks are pure virgin wool


• hand painted wooden beads


• metal bell

at the back on her dress:

• wooden buttons


• self covered metal buttons with Japanese canvas fabric

She's aprox 15-17cm and will hang in dd room. Something to enjoy forever.

Remember this one?

Happy Ending

Once upon a time.....

Last year in November I've joined the swap bot an participated for the first time. I'm such a swap addict. Anyway, it works like this. I searched out a cute swap where I as a newby without any past swap history at swap bot, could join. I've found a lovely sheep swap: I heart sheep.
I joined a made an adorable package for my swap partner with sheep stuff. I threw it on the post and couldn't wait for mine. My swap partner received my package and gave me a nice rating for it. Thanx partner. Well and I waited for my package from Sugarsunshine. And waited and waited. I made excuses for it being late: international post, Christmas, new year, etc. Well, no package and then as I went to have another look at my partner's profile (a different person sends to me than the one a sent to) it seemed she had a good rating, then joined a couple of swaps and then turned rotten. She had a lot of open swaps, moi included. Ahhhhh I kept my hopes up high but to no avail. Well, of all my succeeded swaps this was the first turned bad. Always a first time....I guess. Then beginning of this year fluffywelshsheep(her blog), the coordinator of the swap, contacted me with a message:
"hiya monart, if you get flaked on again (which i hope you don't) at all try to contact the person in charge and they get back to you quicker :). I would have got back to you soon if i had had email via swap bot or a comment on my profile etc :)"
well I guess I was too hopeful and next time will mail very soon ;-)
anyway dear fluffywelsheep found me a swap angel. someone who is such a angel as to send the swap package someone (like me) missed because of a bad swapper.
I got a message from an angel Caam(her blog):
"Hi Monart! I will be "angeling" for you for this swap! I will be sending out by the end of the weekend. I am so sorry you were flaked on for this, your very first swap". This sweet hearted angel was so bubbly and yesterday received an over abundantly package which really made this swap worthwhile and unforgettable. Woweeee I was spoiled:

She sent this package with a very nice letter telling me about the contents. The sheep stuff comes from Maryland Sheep and Wool.

• One cute t-shirt for me
• one cute t-shirt for baby (I told her I was preggies in my excitement)
• a sheep and wool mug
• a sheep and wool key chain
• a cute woolly black sheep (handcrafted in Vietnam )with the words attached to it: There is one in every family
  

Then Added was this (I was stunned by the generosity):

This dear angel was a photo organising consultant and sent me some VERY helpfull ideas and tools!

• 
  2 black/white photo pencils for writing on the back of photo's without damaging them
• 4 concertina files to make organising easier (the dark blue "booklets")
• 2 corner cutters!
• 2 photo polishing cloths
• Notes + lots of tags and stuff for christmas memories for scrapbooking
• notes + lots of tags and stuff with fruit theme for scrapbooking
• Lot of notes named "croptalk" with great ideas for organising photo's

so much even without the photo organising stuff I would've been overly glad or even if I just got the photo stuff I would've been quite spoiled.

Thank you for making this swap something special!

I'll send you postcards from South AFrica and The NL ;-)

big hug to Caam!

And all live happily ever After

The end

Easter Swap at Craftymamas

I had such a welcome supprise on this grey, cold, rainy and windy Monday!

I've received my Easter Swap at CraftyMamas from 2spunkymonkeys (see her blog here).

Oh how cute:

1. one adorable soft and green fabric with little chicks
2. blue ric rac
3. blue ribbon
4. pink pom-pom fringe
5. blue pom-pom fringe
6. a cute booklet with 1000 Easter stickers
7. a chocolate/plaster of Paris mold with bunnies
8. 9 purple heart buttons
9. multicolored daisy trim
10. one very soft and lovely baby vest with 3 little ducklings
    

Oh how lovely,
thank you very much Spunky!

(I hope she receives my package in time for this year's Easter)

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 ;-)

Percheron and polka dots

I've painted the partial face of a Percheron with oil on Canvas (80x30cm).

I've cropped the photo a bit.

This was my first try out of making myself a skirt. I've sewn it according to an Onion Pattern number 3021. It is ok. Don't want to talk about it. I wish my mom was near(she's 10 000km's away) to help me rather than me trying to discover the wheel all over again regarding sewing. The delightfull babyrib fabric was (I think) from Stenzo (or somekind of a known European brand)

Pecca-doo-a

I've created this bird after a drawing of my 7 year old. I had some fun creating tags with ribbons and using all kinds of fabric and embelishments. His other side is completely different. I've also used safty eyes.

Oh I've received this Crafty Mamas vintage swap from the dear Cinnemum (visit her blog). I didn't take a photo right away of the contents of the swap and now a search party is looking for the missing items near Mount 5 year old. She ran of with a vintage bracelet the hat and the vintage belt ;-)

I got

• a lovely little golden book: Raggedy Ann and the cookie snatcher (about telling the truth)
• a ladies vintage garden hat (made by Cinn)
• a vintage embroidery on a doily (made by Cinn)
• a book with and inscription written in 1956 "what Katy did"
• vintage cake decorating book
• and a vintage pattern: style 3944
• groovy hip belt
• glorious purple and gold bracelet
• 2 vintage pillows

Clay day

This past Monday I was asked at a Primary school to do some claying with the kids ages 4-6. I've never done it before but was quite excited to give it a try. I first tried out some ideas on my own kids (5 and 7 years) and made some examples. There were 29 kids and they were divided in 5 groups. We made a large rose, a dinosaur, a little square man and a snail with wired antennae. On the photo you see a small version of the rose which I've painted and used with daffodil bulbs as a gift. Each child made one creation with a mega large heap of clay. I was really impressed with the way the roses turned out. Maybe I'll make a tutorial about that one because it is so easy and impressive for kids to make. I really had a fun morning and got a yellow bouquet as a thanx!

This morning came the January Fat Quarter swap, I was really spoiled with cute fabrics and ribbons in a very neat package ;-) aaaalll the way from New Zealand

Slipping up on the slippers

After doing some serious surfing trying to find a free crochet pattern for slippers I came across these ones. I fell in love with them and tried them out. Well, next time better. I wanted to crochet the slippers for my little girl of 7 and had to adapt the pattern. So as I'm not a veteran on this area I tried my best and know (I think) what to do next time. It was anyway fun and I've finished them while the intended owner was already in dreamland so I'll have to wait until the morning to hear her comments.
Yarn used:
Punto color from Schachenmayr
color code:92
50g 90m

Out of the closet came...

Well the story does the round that Lady Anna was the one that introduced Bella to Mon Art Fashion Design for a new dress. All part of a planned metamorphosis. At first all were supprised by Bella's courage to step into the spotlight and with such style. Whispering voices suggested that Lady Anna was behind this as she was the first to wear dresses designed by Monart. Lady Anna was well known in high society. She has an astonishing social IQ and the network of contacts she has woven over time is the only thing that catches her when she risks of falling from the ladder of fame. Her chest size points directly towards the Opera house where she spends most of her time at what she claims to be the reason for her fame: singing. She claims to be the one referred to to when said "It’s not over until the fat lady sings. " (though she does find the term crude and insist it being originally said as: It is not over until the clearly visible lady sings). Lady Anna is known for keeping up appearances and trying to wave away the dark cloud of opera critics since her career saw the light. It may be that helping the ever sweet Bella up the ladder is none other than a good calculated publicity stunt. ...
We've been able to draw a photo from the archives of Lady Anna. She has a standing court order against anyone publishing a photo of her after the age of 45 as she wants to be remembered by her fans as "The lady who managed the art of youth fullness".

a saga unfolds

This morning "The stylist" was already undressing miss Mouse which is now called by her artist's name: Bella. It seems the stylist is in an ethical conflict as she dressed her favourite star (Annabel which is a new born poodle) with the clothes. I'm sure Bella will make a come back. She has such character despite where she comes from. I guess she discerns that it is showbiz and that Annabel is too young and oblivious of these things. The mamarazzi was able to capture an unflattering photo of Annabel after another night of partying her worries away. It seems she has entered the limelights too soon and without adequate advice. Late nights and unbalanced eating have taken its toll on Annabel's skin. After intensive talks and agreements a deal was cut and Annabel's photo was published after it was photo shopped.

Miss Mouse

I've just finished what I've started after dinner and no, it is not my coffee. I've crocheted this mouse what should be a bunny when starting this hobby 2 years ago. She is from a little booklet called "vrolijke beestjes haken". The 2nd bunny I tried out turned out looking like piglet and was sold as a piglet. Well Martie as I called her was claimed by my youngest in the mean time. Martie supprised me by hanging onto her dangling arms and legs despite the rough but fun times she went through. To be honest I thought she'll be a grey mouse living a grey live somewhere forgotten. None was true. Martie with her cute face and her big spirit in that awkward little body, caught the eye of the talent hunter in our house. So Martie rose to the occasion and got a new suitable show bizz name from her new manager. I'll just check with the manager if I may go public with the info so soon. Her manager and stylist (it seems) asked me to make her a dress and as this rising star has such a wonderful personality I made her a hat to match! Monart designed and crocheted her a Cherise scalloped dress with blue trimmings and a hat that will make the ladies green at the Derby ;-)

Granny Square Bag

At last...finished. I've crocheted these squares in August while my husband drove as to and from our holiday location in Denmark. If it wasn't for the Autobahn(highway in Germany where one can drive at top speed) I would've ended up with more squares but probably end up being a square too!

I ran out of hairy yarn when short stitching the squares together. I didn't want the pink that much but the purple was nowhere to be found. To work away the hairy tails isn't that much fun either because the hairs get caught up everywhere. Anyway it is finished now:
19 squares
30x45cm measured without handles
I still want to add a wooden button and crochet a loop and maybe sew an inside/lining.

I got the idea for doing the bag this bag here, when I was looking for something interesting to do with the granny squares.

Dee diddy dum

I've been itching now for a long time to do this; felting. I've crocheted this diddy bag with pure wool I've won here with a Green bag swap. The bag was 31x31cm. I've agitated it by washing it on 30 degrees in the washing machine. It shrunk only 2cm in the width and nothing in the length.

Before

So then I washed it at 50 degrees and the end result was a good and solid felted diddy bag:
26cmx28cm.

After

A perfect bag for a crochet project!

wool used:Moda Dea by Cartwheel

50gr 71m

crocheting two strands simultaneously and used 5 balls

color: 9823 sea blue& color:9745 rasberries

Crocheting fun potholders

While surfing a bit a crashed onto a blog that has a crazy cloth pattern(which I'm very thankful for). I thought I'd try it and after almost giving it up (it loos so simple but missed one of my brain cells in the process) I got the hang of it and couldn't stop. I was very very grateful for the accompanied photo's! (Thank you dear lady)I've tried them in different colours and embellished them with cute buttons. Great gifts. Great to crochet. I

This one was crocheted with red and a red and orange mixed thread but it is not that visible on the photo. It went to a friend as a verrrry late b-day gift.


This one I gave to my husband's grandmother for her birthday with an invitation for dinner.

I will definitely use this pattern in future!
I've bought the cute buttons here

Christmas Jewelry

On Christmas day I "couldn't find" a necklace to fit my top so I made one.

The crocheted beads I've made last year and was waiting for a reason to use them.

I've collected the girls' wooden beads all over the house over time... and crocheted balls over them with Cherise shiny cotton.I have used 8 crocheted beads in total.

This is a large piece reaching 95cm. I've crocheted the beads together using fake fur yarn and some of my prize 100%wool. I've used silver metal beads, Cherise/pink/Salmon glass beads and black wooden beads using a 3mm hook.

I was quite pleased with how it turned out, just as arty and a bit over the top as I wanted.

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.

Supppprrrise!

This beautifully crisp sunny morning I got a *B*E*A*U*T*I*F*U*L* swap in the post.
I'll share the medium version of this package:


What is so amazing is that it was a swap that was to be sent by Nov 4th. Two weeks later still no sign of it. I assumed it was maybe sent by slow shipping. Four weeks later I still haven't received it and after an e-mail to my swap partner she replied ending her mail with saying that she was ill at the time and asked dh to mail it not telling him how important the sent date was and she really felt terrible that it took so long. So I thought as it was Christmas time I'll just have to be patient. Well, this morning it came and I can understand why it took it's time lol somebody at TNT (our national postal service) took his or her time to decode the address and did a splendid job. I've place bubbles for my own privacy but I can assure you that what is underneath the bubbles is also smudged! This envelope was drenched good and solid, even the sender's address was smudged.

I've been totally spoiled by my swapper: this photo will give you only an idea as it is impossible to show everything! My girls were totally swooning; the one laid hand on the scissors and buttons and made a little booklet for grandma and the other one was playing princess with a pink glittery FatQuater. Wow.. so many scrapbook paper, embellishments, vintage photo's, stickers and buttons. It makes my hands tingle to make something.

So thank you to Fairlight and Michelle for the Miscelanny swap and keeping track of sent and received swaps.

Thank you for Kim for your abundant package

and thank you for post person who manage to solve the address enigma

Holiday Ornaments 2007

I'm a bit behind on posting so I'll try and catch up:


This cute embroidery I've received from Crystal, TN :
This arty ornament came from Lauren, Florida (I just love the combinations and textures):

and then just before the end of 2007, this gorgeously cute skates made with paperclips and felt came aaaaalll the way from Meg in Mexico:
That was it then; aaaaah "only" 9 ornaments. One get so greedy for more ;-) Well, looking forward to the ornaments of 2008!

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.