The last day of 2007!!

Received this wonderful box of goodies from
Lillie, this is really a big big surprise for me. See all these goodies and the yummy donut..i am so happy to have one of your creations Lillie. Always admired it at your blog when you started making them. Thank you so much!!

And here's a picture of the christmas stitched gift exchange of Jayne's Attic. I just LOVE it!! Thank you so much, i don't know yet who had made this beautiful ornament. Still have to catch up on groups...




A picture of the stitched cards i received for my birthday. This is from a birthday stitched card exchange on one of the yahoo groups i am in.





And this is my last finish for this year, also the sampler i had posted on my last post but i haven't taken a picture yet, i thought i did but i can't find it on the disk so will take it other times.






I have try and note a kind of goals for 2008, i haven't done it before. Lets see how far i can get..!
1. 5 PIF that i offered on my blog earlier this month.
2. scissor fob for January exchange
3. x'mas ornamnets & cards(atleast one each month)
4. 3 Joan Elliott's charts for the kitchen
5. start on Sarah Spence 1806 Ackworth Sampler
6. birthday cards
7. a couple of LHN charts
8. atleast 5 prairie schooler for pinkeeps
9. work on Quilt sampler (quilting)
10. a few quilt blocks for ILCS
11. work on a few UFO's Hardanger
12. ...and for a few exchanges as i am sure will join some too.

So far for the year 2007 i've completed:
= birthday + x'mas cards== 46
= blocks== 6
= pincushions== 6
= pinkeeps== 5
= scissor fobs== 9
= x'mas ornaments== 25
= others(small to bigger pieces)== 16
...in all 113!! WOW! can't believe it myself too.


As this is my last post for this year, i would like to thank everyone who come visit my blog and also for leaving comments. I wish you all a Happy New Year.
Here's hoping that everyone has a happy, healthy and prosperous 2008!

We're home!

First of all, thank you all so much for all the best wishes for our trip and my birthday, also for all the nice comments with the completed ornaments.
Here are a few pictures taken during our stay in Tossens, Germany.
Not much though, as we didn't really explored the place, except when we went to Bremershaven on my birthday and thought to go to a museum and a bit of shopping but the museum we wanted to visit was closed on mondays and since it is just a day before x'mas the shops were opened until 2PM and we arrived at 1pm.
The first picture was the scenery when we just arrived, so white on the background, a pity it didn't last long. The next day was gone! Temperature went up unfortunately. The picture next to it, was the house we stayed in for the week.













Before booking this trip and we know it is winter time and most children's park are closed we had really looked for a place where they have a good swimming place.
And yes they have, we spent almost everyday here. So the children had really enjoyed. That's father and son climbing the stairs for the slide...one of the few slides they have...









Here's a couple of picture of our day in Bremershaven during my birthday. One where we are standing at the museum we wanted to visit and the other one at the Ice Coffee shop. Hmmmm, that was delicious...diet forgotten!!!
Oh, before we leave the house, Dh and kids handed there gifts: Channel parfum, a gift cheque for beauty salon for more than an hour and special cup with some fun sayings on it. I forgot to take pictures of them.


By the way, we don't give gifts during christmas as we've done that during the 5th of december, Sinterklaas.

In all, this was a lovely and quiet christmas for us, no stress in preparing or going for a visit or going to work!
We've been out to dinner everyday! Mostly at the park self where they have buffet every night, except the 24th, 25th and 26th where we had booked weeks before our leave, to one of the restaurant which is in the park too.



With stitching?? I did took some charts with fabrics but i forgot to take the needed threads, only this sampler but the thread wasn't enough to finish it off either.

Also forgot to take books and magazines that i had planned to take especially the last serie on Harry Potter. DH took his laptop but there was no connection on that area which was really a pity..but oh well we had enjoyed our quiet evenings..!

Away for a week!!

We are leaving tomorrow at midday later than we had actually planned. It's because Grace can't get off for school, while they have only morning school and sports day too. They are really very strict!
Anyway, we are going to Germany, the noordern part. Staying at Center Parcs Butjadinger Küste. Here's a link of the park, just hope it works: Butjadinger Küste

Here's a picture of most of the ornaments i've made till the end of November when i had to part with most of them either for exchanges or for gifts. Still there are a few that was sent out the beginning of November and the beginning of this month that were not on the picture.
I do hope i can be productive next year too!

Here's another picture of the cards, mostly crafted that i've received for my birthday, i've opened them up as we are not home then. Aren't they all beautiful!!
There should be more and stitched cards then from one of the yahoo groups here in Holland as part of the b-day exchange. I just hope it wasn't forgotten as i am the last on the list, the last one before me was in october.

May you all have a wonderful Christmas wherever you are and whatever you are doing!!

The packages!!

I will start with the package from Barbara J. for the Stitching Bloggers Birthday/X'mas Club The first picture is for my b-day and she stitched this lovely heart and finished it into a bag. It's very pretty and neatly done as well as the card, oh yes i LOVE blue colours! Enclosed are a couple of charts, fabric and threads too.

The next picture is the x'mas package and WOW more great things. The cute ornament and the beautiful tatted bookmark. You are very creative Barbara! and you really have consider my favorite colour. Also enclosed were a couple of charts, red and green hardanger fabrics and also inculded gifts for Grace & Chris, the pencils and DH a butterfly on a leaf magnet.
I do love all of it. Thank you so much, Barbara.


The next picture is from Dawn for the birthday exchange on Robin's Nest group. As you can see on the picture it's another great package, see the lovely fabric and ohh the Cat's Whiskers chart, my first ever of their designs. It's on my wishlist for a long time and so happy to have one now, sure will start it early next year.

Dawn stitched and finished this lovely pinkeep.
You and Barbara are very generous with your gifts and all are very much appreciated. Many many thanks!!






This package is from Jayne's Attic group for the x'mas stitched card exchange, but i received an ornament instead. There was a mix up with the signed up as there was a x'mas ornament exchange on going too that time, so my partner got confused, but i feel so LUCKY to received this gorgeous ornament. Thanks so much, Dusty.


Lastly is the christmas exchange on one of the Dutch yahoo group. Ingrid from Belgium stitched these beautiful bow and card. I really feel spoiled with all these great things and i am running out of words how to voice out how or what i feel.

There's still another package unopened but will wait for that for another day...





Once again, Thanks so much for visiting and all the nice comments about my first flatfolds finishes. Will surely make more of it next year.

Flatfolds!!

I know you are wondering where are the pictures of the packages instead but honestly since it is more for my birthday i am trying to wait till nearer my b-day though i think i have to open them up very soon...
For a while now i really want to try flatfold as there are a couple from the x'mas msal that was completed earlier this year and i want to finish it into a flatfold instead of framing them. These msal pieces were quite big and i'd rather try it on a small piece first.
In between stitching x'mas designs lately i am stitching this 'welcome' chart of Prairie schooler and it's a perfect size(for me atleast) to try flatfold.
Whew! I can say it is not so difficult but it takes quite a lot of time or maybe because it is my first time. BUT i do love how it turn out.



Now, here is one of the x'mas msal, i think from ILCS yahoo group and yeah finish it quicker than the first one but noticed the back of this one compare to the first one. .
Many many thanks for visiting and all comments are very much appreciated.
Off to catch up on groups and then have to hung up the x'mas cards and b-day cards that are aleady piled up here...
Have a nice week to everyone.

Quilt spannen?? & cards

You might be wondering what that means but i am not sure how can i translate that in english, quilt stretching?? I tried to find a quilting term for it and i am not sure if it is the Batting word...
Anyway, a week ago i heard that my group( for the sampler we had taken before) were coming together last thursday evening for stretching their sampler. I haven't seen the others since summer, just too busy to join them in other course they had taken after the sampler. Actually the evening(tuesdays) they meet up were my work day so it is not really appropriate for me.
When i heard about the meet up i said to join and take my sampler with me as it has done quite a while back but didn't make any appointments for stretching and now is my chance to join them as it needed more people to assemble the pieces.
The stretching, were the bottom fabric, the fiber fill in middle and the on top the finished sampler and then we had used a tacking gun to inserts a plastic piece into the quilt to hold all three layers together.
Enclosed were the pictures of the three samplers that were done that evening, mine is the blue one. We are six in all in the group, two were already done with the stretching and one wasn't done yet with her sampler, i don't even know if she's finish with all the blocks she needed.
These three are now ready for quilting but we need to get back probably later next month to ask advice on how or where to start.

These cards were done last month and most were already received so i can show a pic.



More pictures will be coming soon as there are quite some packages came in yesterday and today. Dawn, i think yours came in today as well as one from Jayne's attic and one from Belgium. Haven't had the time to open them yet.
Yesterday afternoon, we've been to watch the show of her Grace with her 'street dance', was actually unexpected as we thought it will be next week. And this morning all in a hurry for Chris football as we had to drive early than usual, leaving here after eight AM and arriving at the place, the building wasn't even opened for the kids to change so they had to do it outside and it's about 2 degrees celcius. For us parents watching them is too cold and it was about an hour. Well, back home midday after a detour to get some groceries i had a splitting headache. After lunch i went to bed and slept for an hour and had to get up as I had promised to take Grace to go shopping for shoes in this afternoon. Glad when i woke up i felt better, i think it was from staying outside with this cold weather.

Christmas tree & Max

A picture of our x'mas tree, still need to add a few more deco's here and there. And that's me and Grace with Max last night before the owner came to pick him up. We didn't expected it as when we had called at his work last monday & we were told that he came home last weekend but left last monday to Egypt and be back today(thursday), but after dinner last night he called that he's home and come to pick Max. I think he do miss him too. And now we miss him......

Hardanger and prairie schooler pinkeep

Just wanted to show these ornaments, both were stitched a long time ago but haven't made it into something until recently. The Prairie Schooler cabin pinkeep was from the JCS Christmas Ornaments 2002.

I don't know but i am having problems with the comments, i had arranged that comments comes into my mail box but with my last two posting there was only three out of eight that came through to my in box. Glad i've noticed it and read all the nice coments. Thanks so much everyone for visiting.

Ornaments

Here they are, the completed ornaments! Actually they are six in all but i didn't stitched one. The charts were from the World Of Cross Stitching magazine, christmas 2006 issue, designed by Helen Philipps. Eversince i've seen it last year i've wanted to stitch them and kitted it up, work on it every now and then this year. I did change the metallic threads except the gold one. A couple will be sent away but the rest i will keep it for myself.











Many thanks to all who signed up for the PIF. I deeply appreciated it and thanks so much for all the info that were already sent.

The snacks i've made for Chris treat last monday at his class. Kind of of a bit plain but i was in a hurry in time before their break in the morning and i wanted that it is still warm when i delivered it at ten am. Glad dh was home as it's been very windy otherwise i had to bring it with the bike.


Took this picture of Chris and Mels who just woked up yesterday morning. Chris friend Mels had stayed here for a couple of days since monday. His father is in the city and was operated yesterday. His older sister and younger sister were taken care by their grandma.

Pay it forward....

I do feel guilty about this PIF thing, as i completely forgot all about it. I had seen it going end of last year and thought not to sign in as it was a busy months ahead of us then, what with our vacation to Asia and all, but when i've seen it on
Anna's blog i've signed in, that was the month of february this year, (just before we leave to Asia, i know it should not be an excuse...) yes i had to tracked it down when i heard from Anna about sending my PIF and ohhhhhh, i felt so ashamed! I have truly forgot about it. Please do forgive me ANNA.

Now i want to rectify and continue this kind of gifts.
The first five people to respond to this post via the comments section will get some form of needlework made by me. After you comment, please email me your
snail mail address (mboekel@yahoo.com). There will be a 365 day or sooner deadline.

The rules? If you sign up to receive from me, you must post the same Pay it forward offer in your blog so the idea goes on! :)
I know its a busy time of the year now but please remember that you have a year to complete it so i hope this will not withhold anyone on signing in.



I finally opened Anna's package and see this wonderful ornament she made for me for the PIF. The next picture where all the goodies enclosed for my b-day and x'mas present. Aren't i spoiled?? I LOVE all of them, Anna. You sure know my favorites! Many many thanks. I am sorry the picture isn't that good though, evening light.

Pictures...where shall i start...?

But before that, i want to thank you all for taking the time to come visit and leave comments on my blog. Chris birthday went well yesterday, he's sure very happy with all the attentions and gifts. I haven't had the chance to take pictures for the rest of the recipes i've made, Chris should have been for his football game in the morning but it was cancelled because of the bad weather. So visitors started coming in the morning instead of in the afternoon, so i have to rush all my plans and in between making coffee. A couple of friends who came from the mainland and both from Asia too made something and brought with them, one was a vegetable spring roll and the other one 'creme brulee'. We had a feast!
But ohh, it's the first time in a while that i went to bed so early(10:30pm), i was really tired!

Okey, this first picture was what i've made for the X'mas Ornie Exchange that Simone organized. It went to
Monique and heard that she received it. We don't know who is sending to us so it's quite a surprise when you received the package. I didn't know Monique before i got her name so i have to find out a bit what's her favorite and i came across that she likes pink colours which makes a bit easier to decide what to make.


And these pictures were what i received from Nic. Such a cute ornament and all the goodies enclosed. Love them all and surely will all be use and treasured. Thanks so much, Nic.
This was stitched early this year and just made it into a pinkeep. This one is for me, though at first it was intended for somebody but i really really like it so i will keep this one, but i can say all the items that i've sent for exchanges were very difficult to part with. So I am happy when the reciever says they like it!


And lastly, these simple crafted cards i've made lately. Much as i like making these cards i decided to stop with this hobby, though i have quite lots of materials and other items for this hobby, might do once in a while till most of them were use but i won't buy anymore new items.

Cooking!!

I am halfway through my cooking tonight, or rather started it mid afternoon with cutting and all the preparations. I am just finished for now and having a glass of red wine before turning in as it's nearly midnight. DH have to go out with Max, but have to wait till it's a bit dry as i hear its stormy outside. We ussually go together late at night and mostly it's quite good weather, we sure lucky we live so close the dyke for taking a stroll for Max.
Just taken a couple of pics of what i've made... meatballs(beef) in cream tomato sauce, spicy pork though a little bit sweet because of the mango chutney, boiled eggs filled with cheese,yolks and spice and baked an apple and pineapple cake.
I said i am half way as i have to prepare more tomorrow morning like fried rice, fried noddles and boiled or fried plain vegestables. Aside from that, i wanted to make a couple of snacks too and a little bit of tidying after MIL takes Max to her place for the afternoon.
I am not sure if i can take a few pictures tomorrow, it depends how busy it is. The meat recipes i've just made were new to me, i do like to try new recipes whenever i get the chance, as I love and enjoy cooking but because of dieting i have to restrain in doing so.
I ussually prepare lots of food during our birthdays, that if i haven't had much time in one of the birthdays and didn't prepare much, i got comments like we are coming for the food and you haven't made our favorites...
Did mentioned to all previously that i am not going to celebrate my birthday as we are away on vactaion and hmmm..yes they'll miss my cooking!!!

Before i sign off, many many thanks for taking the time to visit and read my blog and also for leaving comments. Very much appreciated!!

Not much of a good news...

Not so much of a good news with this post, though i've finished stitching the name of Chris with the football alphabet which i wanted to make it into a pillow but couln't find a fabric that will match the theme. I've been to a craft shop and a quilt shop here on the island but they don't have any with sports theme on it. I think i have to find a plain colour to use but i am afraid i don't have time anymore to complete it before saturday, his birthday. Atleast i've finished a card for him and will give the pillow when it's finish.

Another down moment for me is my cholesterol. For years now i am taking medicine to lower my cholesterol so have to be check every now and then. It was nearly a year since the last time i've been for blood test and now i've lost weight and been for a blood test expecting 'my cholesterol is near to the normal but unfortunately it went up compare to my last check up. Now, i am adviced to consult a dieticien but i said i will try first to really see what i can do with my food intake. Í did it with the dieting but didn't really consider the cholesterol.

YES, i lost 4 kilos after seven weeks and reach my ideal weight for my size. Atleast i am very happy for that! My weight 53 kilos and height of 152cm, now to maintain it...............!!!!!!!!!
Now about the cholesterol, i've mentioned to our family doctor a few of my favorites food which are shrimps, squid, fish, beef...and he said shrimp and squid are quite bad for my cholesterol and oh i do love those. Oh well better lessen that one then!!

It's been pretty busy here, what with the dog to take care and doing some preparations for Chris Birthday. Been for groceries today but haven't got all what i need so have to go for more tomorrow. Will be doing some cooking as well as cleaning too. Whew, theres so much to do...

I remember a comment earlier about how can i let the pakages unopened, it's just that i really don't have much time and if i will open them atleast i feel a bit rested to enjoy...but i will do it soon!

The birthday boy who has been to the barber this week. A pity the colours had only stayed for a few of hours and had to be washed!


Lastly, thank you all so much for visiting and leaving comments. They are very much appreciated.