KissKus

Restyled bookcase

I've been on the look-out for a bookcase for a while. I haven't been looking very hard, but a nice(ly priced) secondhand bookcase is not easy to find. Then one day I saw one online and bid 10 euros, Michel picked them up the same evening... I like it when things go so smoothly :)

This is the before-photo. Do you see its potential? It was a bit worn and smelly as it came from a smokers' home (yuk!). Some treatment was in order... I sanded it and then spray-painted it a few times. Fire engine red! Yes, you know that I like colour :)

Then Michel attached oilcloth to the back of the bookcase. I think that bright red and yellow gingham is a very happy combination :)

Now it sits in the livingroom and holds the library books and some of Linus' puzzles and Schleich animals (in the rotan baskets). We're all pleased with this new acquisition to our home. And happy that we have a bit more place to keep our books, because we do like our books!

This little rack is also new. From the thrifstore, painted and it now accompanies the other two!

Some very random things

These mugs were 35 cents each in the thriftstore, but the joy they bring me is priceless.

Bookmark monster that Amber made today. I think it's brilliant.

The book? The first hardcover I grabbed from our bookcase, which was The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. Who else was utterly disappointed by this long awaited novel? I really did try, but gave up after nearly 200 pages. I wonder whether it will it be worth it to pick it up again?

Michel's finger has a blister. There's an A on it... why??

I'm happy that all three kids have had quite a good first week at school. Especially happy that Simon seems to settle well in his new class, since he skipped a class. I've had rather a few motherly worries about my boy, so I'm relieved and pleased to see that the new situation seems to turn out well for him.

And now it's weekend! And what's more... the people in charge promised us some summery weather. I know, it's AMAZING!! Sun deprived as I am, I certainly intend to absorb as much summer as I can.

Happy weekend everyone!

Midnight selling

Michel is helping out at his old job tonight where they're celebrating Harry Potter-night.
Yes, that's right... in about an hour the Dutch translation of the final HP is being released at last!

How awful if you haven't been able to read the original book... do you think there will be anyone left in the world who doesn't know how it ended?!

Plush You book

Last week I got a super surprise in the mail:

The Plush You book!

And the best thing was that I'm in it!

This book was put together by Kristen Rask, who organises the Plush You exhibitions. I participated last year and that's why I'm in the book together with some of the most wonderful plush makers of the world :) The book also includes sewing tips and patterns.

I think you'll understand that I showed it off to all of my family this week!
If you want it the book can be bought here.

Humpf...

While I was at work my family went swimming!

Do you realise what this means though... the weather was good enough to go swimming! Outside! Michel even got sunburnt! Could it possibly be that summer has come at last?!? Let's hope so... we all could do with a bit of sunshine on our faces.

I've had a bit of a blog block these past days, which is mainly due to the fact that I haven't been sewing for a while. We've also been spending some time with my sister who was back from England for a short visit. Amber and Simon we're happy to see her again.

I'm hoping to relax a little more. Even though Amber doesn't have to go to school, we still seem to be running around a lot. Tomorrow I'll just enjoy the lovely weather and perhaps I might even get some sewing done.

Oh, I finally finished Harry Potter! I promise I won't spoil anything, but mail me if you'd like to talk about it ;)

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)!!

Paint by numbers: patchwork cushion

A little while back we had a 50th birthday to attend. The person celebrating his birthday is a painter who is a friend of Michel's. On his website here you can see the kind of work he makes. Michel and I both love his paintings very much.

Last year he was working on a book that shows an overview of his recent work. He asked Michel to write a piece about him (isn't that cool?!) en we helped him a little with the English translation of the text.
As a thank-you he gave us this:

Our first (and probably last) gorgeous piece of art... we think it's wonderful! This photo does it no justice at all, unfortunately. It is proudly hung in the livingroom. The children like it too, for the subtle details.

So we were invited to his birthday party. Coming up with an appropriate gift wasn't easy. Michel found a book that he thought would be appreciated, but I really wanted to make something myself. However, I found the thought of making something for an artist rather intimidating! Still, I put those feelings aside and started sewing.

I thought I would make a cushion for the sofa in his workshop. As a startingpoint I took Michiel's very own painting and picked out fabrics in the same colour tones as the painting. Then I cut small and wider strips and "randomly" started sewing. I did have some idea how I wanted it to turn out and I made sure the colours were spread the way I liked it.

When it was finished... I liked it! How I love a project that simply turns out the way I planned it!
But even better was that Michiel liked it as well. He was touched that I had taken the trouble to make something myself. And really that's all that matters, right?! As I've heard, it's now being used/displayed in his workshop.

Simple things that make me smile

Isn't it the small, simple things in life that make you most happy? I'm glad it works that way for me.

My dear son dismantling his babybed with his own toolbox.

Beautiful cards from Tiel.

At long last some progress organising my craftroom; I'm able to locate some of the pretty things from under the mess. Still quite a bit to go, but I'm on the right track.

Jack is back :))
Harry Potter is nice and all, but I secretly prefer my annual dose of Jack Reacher. Anyone else a fan? It's shameless entertainment; perfect for summery days! I'm half way through the book, so I'd better get back to it!

And if you'd still like to be included in the drawing then leave a comment on the post below.

Brilliant book

The other day Michel came home with this funny book.
It has a hilarious ABC in it that's full of irony.

(A little essential info here: Quote is a business magazine. Every year this magazine publishes the Quote 500, which is a list of the 500 wealthiest people in The Netherlands. There is always a lot of controversy around this list)

I think it's funny that children simply see this as a book with nice pictures in it. Simon was telling me all about it today. They don't notice the double meaning of course.

Don't these pages have a vintage feel to it?

You can listen to the ABC here.

Praise for the man who got me reading again

As promised a little something on the lecture by Ian McEwan Michel and I went to last week (seven days ago already... where did they all go?!).
It was a bit of a hassle to actually get us there (embarrassingly late of course), but we were both so glad that we went.

Since the state of my brains is a bit of a theme for me right now, it felt so good to be in a grown-up, intellectual, English-spoken environment again... it was almost as if I was back at university.

Ian McEwan turned out to be a very witty, intelligent and well-spoken man. Listening to him speak was a pure joy... I have a soft spot for anyone who knows how to speak, not just talk.

He read from his latest novel On Chesil Beach and then discussed it with the interviewer and told a bit more about his writing in general. Michel -as an aspiring writer- had his ears sharpened and came away with lots of handy ideas for his own writing.

I discovered McEwan's work while I was studying. For me he immediately fell into the same category as Graham Swift, the writer I admired most at the time and on whose novels I wrote my dissertation. It was one of the rare occasions that I decided that I wanted to read everything that this writer had written. And although I made a good start, I never accomplished this task. But now, after having seen and heard him in person, I'm super motivated to get reading again and tackle his oeuvre.

Here is my little list of writers that I truly love and want to read all of:

• Graham Swift
• Ian McEwan
• Philip Roth
• Toby Litt

I'm very curious whether you have a similar list?!

Now I just need to get in the reading-rhythm again... probably that's what I should be doing when I enjoy the wonderful weather outside instead of sneaking back in to sew :)

And finally, just look where my sister will be teaching next year... congratulations!!