KissKus

NaBloPoMo

A new month! A new beginning!

Quite by chance I read that today National Blog Posting Month began and I reckoned that this would be an excellent way to get back into the blog groove.
It's quite a challenge, I must admit. Especially since I've only written three (3!) posts in October, but I'm going to give it a serious try.
There's enough to catch up on, that's for sure! And if I run out of topics then I can always ask you guys for help, right?!

Who else is in for this challenge?!

Feeling bookish

Is bookish a synonym for tired and edgy?! No? Well, that's how I've been feeling today anyway. Let's just say that I could have been a little more patient with the children... ahum.

However, wonderful things entered our house today, all via my lovely husband.

First this book that I've been impatiently waiting for! I know everyone else in the world already owns it and has sewn many lovely things from it, but it's new to me and I love it. Can't wait to get started on some of these projects!

Then this fantastic book that I've also had to wait for for a long time. It's absolutely wonderful... very inspiring. I'll post some photos from it in another post (perhaps when I've finally started a new mosaic project).

Next up this gorgeous children's book. The drawings are so unbelievably wonderful.

Aren't these so beautiful?!

And then there is another children's book that we really like.

It's all about an elephant who thinks he's a cat... funny!

And then there is of course still this book (styling by Simon, by the way :))

I must the slowest HP-reader in the world, because I'm still only on page 224!! Please, tell me there are other people that still haven't finished it?! I think I'm just scared to read on...

Well, those were today's books... who knows what Michel will bring home again tomorrow?!

(Oh, I just have to tell you that Michel managed to break the new mug that I'd bought on Tuesday! Along with this favourite mug... well done, dear! And this afternoon when I got the washing out of the machine my lovely new table runner was all messed up, the colours had started to blend :(
So, no wonder I'm feeling bookish!)

Oh oh and.... tomorrow morning we're going to pick up our new car!! Yay!

Oh and PS, I'll post all the links for the books later (I need to get some sleep now)!!

::200::

I've decided that this 200th is my official housewarming post.
It feels good here on Typepad... I'm staying!

I had plans to host a tea party... set a pretty table and serve some nice food. But I must be realistic... organising it would stress me out and chances are it will never happen.
So I'm afraid you're going to have to bring along your own food and drink... it's what we here call an "American party" ;)

Blogging is still providing me with lots of joy and a great sense of satisfaction. I've been keeping diaries ever since I was able to write, but I think that this is the most regular that I've ever been writing. It makes me proud that I'm keeping it up, although it isn't hard. I love documenting our lives and it's wonderful to know that in this way I'm preserving  memories for myself and the children.

Of course, I also truly love the interaction with anyone who visits here. I'm still amazed that there are people from America, Australia and everywhere else coming here to read about my life. I love comments :)
As a thank-you I would like to give away two packages (*) to two people who leave a comment. I'll draw names on Friday. Lurkers, de-lurk!
Thank you all for making my blog feel like a place where friends can drop in whenever they want!

(*) The first package will contain a lovely handmade (not by me) apron and one of my patchwork pouches, the other will contain the cheery flowery bag and also one of my patchwork pouches. If you prefer one or the other, please say so.

BIG

Simon is the baby of our family. Nonetheless, it was becoming increasingly clear that he no longer really fitted into his babybed. It was alright as long as he pulled his knees up, but when he stretched the bed was filled with a whole lot of Simon!

Sentimental fool that I am, I usually take some time for myself to adjust to a new step in our children's development. However, when I was at IKEA on Thursday the bed we were planning to buy for Simon was there at a mega bargain price. We just had to buy it!

And therefore Simon now has his BIG bed.
A little sooner than his mama was really ready for... but I suppose I'll just need to do some adjusting afterwards (snif*)!

By the way, this is my 199th post... let's not hope that the same will happen as last year! (it won't!)

Seeing things in black & white

Black: you're spending too much time on the computer, I must put a halt to it!
White: hhmmpfffhhh...

The result: one week without a computer for me.

Michel thought it was best and I kind of went with the experiment. I did well, didn't I, honey?

But now I'm back from my secret blog-break!! Hurray! You didn't even miss me, did you?!

I can't wait get up on all your blogs :)

Wishlist

Things I want make this week:

1. Skirt for moi
2. Dress for Amber
3. Dishtowel totes
4. Anything with zippers (I bought 100 on E-bay... hurray!)
5. Patchwork cushion for friend's birthday
6. Curtains for our bedroom (so long over due!)

I'd better start sewing... I'll keep you posted!

The weekend has begun!!

It's Friday afternoon, so the weekend has officially begun!
And this is the first weekend in *five* weeks that I don't have to work... that calls for a celebration, doesn't it?!

I've got two days full of fun to look forward to. As soon as Simon wakes up from his nap, I will go and drop the children off at the oma's lovely chalet at the campsite. They've got plans to go cycling tomorrow. The weather is supposed to stay good, so I'm sure they'll have a lovely time.

While Michel will be working I will spend tomorrow preparing for Amber's birthday that's coming up this week. Although I've already bought a "just-in-case-I-won't-make-it-on-time" dress, I still would love to sew her something. Additionally I would like to make a smock for her doll. For the rest, it's my absolute intention to send out the tissueholders.

Tomorrow evening we are going to a wedding and then Sunday morning at dawn we'll go... up in a hot air balloon!! I'm so excited it's finally going to happen!!

Monday morning Michel's going to order our new car!! We made a test drive today and we decided to go for it... yay!

What are your plans for this weekend? Any exciting things planned or just relaxing at home? Have a good weekend!

*The photos were made on our most recent visit to Weesp and on the children's day out with opa*
*I also uploaded more photos to Flickr of the K.F. exhibition*

Kaffe Fassett exhibition Part Deux

As promised more photos of the Kaffe Fassett Exhibition I went to in Hasselt, Belgium.
The quilts were the main focus for me there, but there were so many more wonderful things to see. I had expected to see quilts and knitted jumpers, but there were also many embroidered pieces (cushions, slippers, whole chairs) and lots of beautiful mosaic pieces. I really knew so little about Kaffe Fassett (I must get my hands on his books), but I definitely didn't appreciate his work any less because of it!

The quality of the photos isn't great since I had to make do with sparse artificial lighting, but they do give you a clue as to what was on show.

Like this amazing embroidered cushion:

or this one:

Look at this fantastic tapestry:

Whole decors were set up in the same style...quilts, embroidered pieces, wallpaper, paintings and mosaics

What a gorgeous table!

With matching vase

I think I might have to improve my own mosaic skills a little... although with mosaics you can't really go wrong, can you? I can't wait to get started on that again... come out sun!

*I might upload some more photos tomorrow*

Kaffe Fassett exhibition

My parents' birthday present to me was a trip to Hasselt (Belgium) to the Kaffe Fassett exhibition in The Fashion Museum.
It was fabulous!
Exhibited were quilts, jumpers, mosaics, embroidered cushions and so much more. I just can't believe how multi-talented this man is!

Since it's late and I have to work early tomorrow, I'll just show you some photos of the quilts I liked best loved.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to take really good photos because of the sparse lighting, but you get the idea, don't you?! Look at that explosion of colours!

This one is much more subdued, but I love the simplicity and the pattern. See how he used the stripy fabric to create the pattern as well? Simple, but so effective.

This was one of my absolute favourites. Yellow, pink & orange just are my colours.

Genius. Love everything about this. Must try something like this.

Mum (quilter, knitter & allround crafty girl) and I (just crafty girl) got so inspired on so many levels by just looking at his work. The choice of fabric, colours, patterns... I can't wait to get started!
And I didn't leave empty-handed either. Mum & Dad were sweet enough to contribute this to my stash:)

I'm so happy just to look at it. I do believe it's the prettiest (and most expensive) fabric I've ever had!

Next post I'll show you photos of the other items that were on show.

Food for thought

Six years ago I graduated from university.
When deciding what I wanted to study one thing was very clear to me: I had to pick something that I would really enjoy, otherwise I wouldn't be able to stay focused and motivated for four more than four years.
I chose to study English language & culture and later narrowed it down to contemporary English literature. Thankfully it was the right choice. I enjoyed it immensely and was lucky enough to find myself at the best English faculty in the country (at least at that time).
I certainly wasn't a great student, but for the amount of time I put in, I wasn't bad either. All went well until I had to write my dissertation. Alone at the computer without structure... it wasn't a good situation for me. Of course, it didn't help that we got married, moved house and had a baby all in the same year that I was supposed to write my dissertation. At my graduation my tutor in his speech said that it had been a double labour for me and it truly was. I handed in the final version of my dissertation on the 6th of June 2001, early next morning my waters broke and a couple of hours later I was a mother. From student life to parenthood in 24 hours... it was a crazy time. When I came to pick up my diploma my 3-weeks old daughter came along (and behaved perfectly).

Anyway, as I said I'm so glad I chose to study English literature. I learned SO much then and I know it's a basic knowledge that I'll always carry around with me and will be useful in whatever I do. I've never had a career in mind when I was studying and I definitely don't think it's a "shame" that I don't use my education in the kind of work I do now as so many people have told me over the years. Our decision to have children young is more important than any kind of respect or money we could have earned with another kind of job. Besides, I believe that having fun at what you do and being valued for who you are, is what matters most in a job.

I wanted to tell you about the lecture I went to on Friday, but instead I wrote all this. I also wanted to ask you whether you too have the feeling sometimes that you're getting less intelligent as you're getting older/since you've had children. Any ideas on that are very welcome, but I'm just too tired to think anymore right now ;)) This will be continued, though...

The photos are from today. We've enjoyed the warmest and loveliest April Sunday possible!