You've got to hear this!

There was a Handwork Fair in Zwolle today!

So, on a stormy Sunday, 4 women in an empty car went with

"to buy or not to buy"in there heads , to check it out!

A bit of everything there to do with quilting, emboidery,

sewing, knitting, felt making and creative handwork ideas!

Floral Reign

"The book 'Bella Bella' (full with Italian floor tiles) inspired me

to make this quilt. I used the "Hoffman" fabric range.

I have to find that book!

There was a lot to see and photograph!

Love the fabrics in this quilt!

This looks very familiar, but with a twist!

Blue and Yellow!
If you want some great ideas maybe this book is for you!
Quilt "I live here"

We all had a great time and left with fine things!

What did I buy? Embroidery floss for the BOM quilt,

and two pieces of fabric for future projects!

And at the end of the day my feet were

still happy in their new walking/work boots!

Next stop for these is the garden!

Then it's good bye til next year!

They're doing really well...

...but on the other side of town, at the allotment...

...it's a different story!

After all the snow we had there is now a lot of rain!

This is the "back 40". Behind me is a ditch that runs the

length of the allotments. The green houses are the neighbours!

Gardening tools on sale! Must be gardening season!

Love the colours! Should be easy to spot in the garden!

Combine a well used serving tray, a sack of potting soil

a few plants, bulbs, oil lamp, mosses and wood shavings

and then you have a lovely Spring table centre piece!

Happy Thinking Day!

Today Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world celebrate the Birthday's of Lord and Lady Baden Powell. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Scouting and Guiding in many countries!
At International Scout Centre Buitenzorg in Baarn, The Netherlands, we enjoyed cake and coffee as we chatted about the new Dutch Scout song "Hello World" and looked at photos of Scouting/Guiding in other countries!

With a high of 7C today most of the snow has melted away, or maybe I should say has been washed away! Rain. Lots of rain.

Spring is on the way!

Snow Drops!

The Dahlia Quilt! Remember this?

If you can't plant them, make one!

Second Flower

Looking a lot like Spring inside!

Ammarylis standing tall...

...and then, as if they heard me think,

they got top heavy and ended up in a vase!

A light dusting of snow or was that hail this morning!

High of 3C! A day to work on a few creative things!

This also caught my eye! Lead flower? No!

Bycicle inner tubes and a styrofoam egg!

So after learning the tricks I gave it a go!

We start by cutting shapes out of bycicle inner tubes and pinning them, overlapping in a roof shingle way, to a styrofoam egg with its bigger side up, pointy side down. The first few rounds have the inside of the tube facing outwards.

Then the leaves get longer and less pointy

pinning them with the inside of the tube

facing towards the styrofoam egg.

A good length of tube is cut into thin strips then

pinned to the bottom to finish off the flower.

Looks great outside...

...or inside!

I'll stop for lunch, giving my thumb a rest,

then get on with making the second one size larger!

17 December, we awoke to snow! Now it's 18 Feb. and I have the feeling that it has been a full two months of winter! There are still signs of snow but today we have a high of 3C! 2C tonight and maybe a high of 4C tomorrow! Ice is melting! Have already been on the bike to Soest today!

The Ammarylis is now blooming indoors.

Planted two bulbs two months ago!

Dry today so filled the garbage containers( klikos to the Dutch and wheely bins as the English call them )with hedge trimmings and bits of old rotten wood. A few more weeks of this activity and I think we're there! The ground might then be thawed out enough to be able to dig the remaining roots out! Time and inspiration also today to check out http://www.kastanjehout.nl/ for sizes and lengths of English Chestnut Fencing. I think 140 cm tall, with a 8 to 10 cm spacing and a few 9.15 meter rolls should be sufficient for the job at hand!

Then we'll have to see if the grasses

we bought last year made it through the winter!

Have to get a few of these plants too!

Great self seeding!

Great for Butterflies!

Will soon be all over the garden!

Easter Chocolates are in the shops!

Spotted these!

Weeding.nl is now indoor gardening!

Tuesday in the Eem Polder