A very quick stitch last night!

Wish you all a very.....

busy...busy over here,,,

Hello everyone...thought i'd share what's keeping me busy the last days. First of...i am working on these few small designs, i really wanted to finish these off before christmas as i wanted a couple of these will be given as gifts to friends. I still have a few days before leaving for a very short leave to the southern part of Holland with friends. Finally potted these plants that we've bought at the garden center nearly a week ago. I wanted something different but couldn't find the right plants to be added for the pot so...this is it, plain and simple. I've so wanted chicken wings which tasted hot and did try a few before but not really what i had expected...yesterday, did another try out and marinated a few...seen a recipe at pinterest hot wings and hmmmm these does taste good! i am sure going to use these often. Coming home from work last friday evening and unexpectedly Chris and his friends are in and playing games said they might stay here instead of going out as it's a bit of party weekend in town...spur of the moment, i made a cake and some snacks. Was ready bringing the cake to the game room when they suddenly appeared ready for chilling outside but seeing the cake they sat down and had a piece of cake. Since the snacks where too much for me and hubby, i quickly put it in a box and one of the boys took to his parents...ah, youth so unpredictable!! This chicken stew tasted delicious too as well as the apple crumb cake. The last few days had been a very good winter weather, so taking advantage of it spending time outdoors. So lovely walking along the beach. Added some other items for the Christmas tree...i think it turned out pretty well! Many thanks for stopping by and the lovely comments. Happy week to all!!

A day out with friends...

...to a garden center! Arriving at the ferry early this morning saw the sun coming out but we had to wait till we can drive into the ferry and can get a good view of the sun. After parking i ran to the farfront of the ferry to get a good picture and i wasn't the only one...we had a good laugh at it as we are acting like tourist! I was'nt planning to buy much as we had booked a mid-week vacation first week of school christmas vacation. I really wanted to get out of the island during my birthday on the 24th. I joined my friends for the fun and catching up on news as i haven't seen them in a while being hubby home and had worked much lately...but can't resist all the lovely things out there so i did bought quite some lovely things. Came home in time for dinner so had to prepare that...still enough energy in me and i just discovered that i had an appointment with the dentist early tomorrow morning and afterwards to work... prompted me to start on the items i had bought. ...especially this arrangement i had in mind. Kind of happy how it turns out. Not all were done but atleast i had a start.. Wishing you all friends a happy week.

A really quick finish!

Saw this freebie posted at one of the Facebook cross stitch group yesterday and thought to stitched it up with one of the DMC varigated reds...stitched it quite quickly. Can't decide how to finish it off last night so i waited till this afternoon, still i wasn't happy with how it turned out. Oh well, just need to keep trying... This one was stitched up last year and finally finished it off into a flatfold...Again, it is a freebie and i don't know who was the designer. Years ago, after stitching up a design i noted it all in a booklet but lately just don't bother it anymore. After a grey and stormy week, the sun shows up finally this morning. Glad a friend called up to go out for a walk, she've like it nearby my place along the dyke but it was quite windy so we opted out to the forest instead. Was always lovely to walk out there and so engrossed with chatting that we were lost a couple of times, even her dog had lost sight of us so we've been yelling at somepoint. Luckily, it isn't a big forest. Tried this mini apple tarts last sunday morning and quite delicious. Took some to work for during coffee break but i think these are goods for as desserts as well, with cream or ice cream. Hope everyone's having a good week.

Our Christmas tree

While it's stormy outside i've kept myself busy decorating our Christmas Tree...I was supposed to go and watch the football game of our son as it is here in town instead of at the mainland but it was too strong winds and cold. Here's a pic of the tree with only the ornaments...noticed the Prairie Schooler ornaments? I have quite a collection of them. Thought i had lots of Little House Needleworks too but quite some were sent out either for exchanges or gifts. Here is a picture of the tree with other ornaments. Might add a few more here and there later. Didn't want to stay long in the kitchen for preparation so we opted out for hot plate grilling this evening as our daughter from uni came home this weekend and a niece joined us too for dinner. Saw this recipe sometime last week and i know our daughter loves chicory with ham cheese so prepared it especially for her before i left for work last friday, our son doesn't like chicory much but with that combination of the creamy potatoes he loves it too. Last weekend, i was invited by friends at the mainland for an early christmas party celebration with lots of dancing and we did dance a lot...had difficulty walking back to the car after midnight due to the high heels i had...but we sure had lots of fun! I am struggling stitching this motive, i find the fabric i've chosen isn't an easy one to work with especially in the evening. This taking me a long time and i nearly gave up but i do like the design so i am going to finish it off. Happy Weekend to everyone!

How quickly time flies....

Our youngest turn 16 today. In spare of the moment had quickly open up albums for some pics and realised i am way behind of more than 10 years that i haven't made a proper album as i had done since their birth. Besides stitching, i hope to work on that this winter too. Since, he didn't want to celebrate it at home we decided to go out for dinner and at the last minute he wanted to take a couple of his friends, was fun and the food's yummy. Happy week everyone!

Mattress Pincushion...foodies...

Hello everyone...i am keeping myself busy here though with different activities, stitching...working...trying out new recipes, workouts...walking with friends...time isn't enough in a day to fulfill all that i want or planned...haven't read any books lately and i miss that too. Anyway....stitch this design a long time ago and just finish it off into a mattress pincushion this evening. Was searching on the net who the designer is but haven't found out yet...It is a freebie, sorry...can't remember who! We had a furry friend to take care today but the weather was aweful, typical Dutch autumn weather...Gloomy, strong winds and rainy and this friend isn't fun of the rain, we took him at the dyke and he relieves himself and wants to get back home at once...we really can't get him to walk further away...silly dog. Yesterday, was a lovely fall weather...though only in the morning so i'm glad i'd texted a friend to join me for a walk at the beach...think we had spent about 2 hours just walking along the beach, it was cold but on and off sunshine and no winds..so it was a lovely morning. Tried this menu for dinner today, Tagliatelle Carbonara with chicken and bacon... quite a succes. So glad the boys like it, so i don't need to use the bottled ones. Made this typical dutch pea soup last weekend and was yummy too. And this Cauliflower Casserole before the weekend was a good one too. Many many thanks to all who stopped by and take the time to leave me a comment. Really, appreciate them all. Happy week to all!!

Nasty weather the last days...

...and don't know for how long. Strongs winds, wet and grey so staying indoors and keeping myself busy...either stitching, searching for recipes on the net and trying a few. And i do try to note down which recipe afterwards and all the right ingredients and maybe a few changes for next time. Here's another christmas ornament finish. From one of the JCS mags and the designer: Plum Pudding NeedleArt. Started a few designs from a couple of the JCS magazines. The LHN piece i have to frog the one stitch on the right, had picked up the wrong colour, was too in a hurry to stitch i was looking at a different design for thread colours. I made Taco's yesterday with grated cheese and in the oven and with Guacamole sauce as our son prefer's that instead of sour cream. If our daughter is home, she prefer's sour cream so we will have both. She likes guacamole too but then have to be self-made...hmmm, our children are really spoiled when it comes to foodies. Just like this filipino recipe "Pancit" Vermicelli with chicken and lots of veggies. It's not for their taste but i love it so i do make it once in a while. Pasta recipe with bolognese sauce...minced beef, veggies and topped with cheese and in the oven. They love it! Baked chicken was quite good, wasn't tasty as i had expected but it was too short with the marinade, was about an hour before i had prepared it. Should be overnight. The potatoes in the oven wasn't perfect either...i should have used young ones instead of the old potatoes...so that's all lessons for me next time... After posting this i am off to try another recipe for evening's meal. Have to start work at 5pm so i would like to prepare a dish that they can warm up... Thanks to all who stopped by and the lovely comments. Hope everyone have a good weekend.

...another ornament done!

This is my first time to do this kind of finishing and all by hand as i don't have a sewing machine and can't sew. It took me the whole evening last night to finish it off. I can say, it came out alright i am just not satisfied with what i had chosen for the color fabric that i had attached. The picture isn't that too good as well, taken right after last night and had been out and about today so haven't thought to make another sets in daylight. Wanted so much to sleep in this morning but i had agreed to join friends going out to the mainland for some shopping today so ...rain and strong winds still off to the ferry and off with friends and had so much fun together. Probably because one of the the ladies is going home in a couple of days and will be back in Spring and sure we'll miss her company and especially that she's a very good cook... Back home at mid-afternoon as i need to do some grocery shopping cause we are all home including our eldest coming home from the university...she doesn't home come often as she has work during weekends in the city. But this weekend she's home and one of her friends come over for dinner too. While i was preparing for the stuffed Zucchini, father and son preparing for the Pizza. Both came out good and yummy so we had eaten lots and lots. I mentioned on my last post about Taebo...i did tried the last couple of nights and whew quite a heavy to follow but i made it. Had sure feeling sore the next day and still so i opted for a short work out of Pilates this evening. Thanks to all who stop by and left me comments. Really appreciate them. Happy weekend to all!

Getting back into blogland!

Hello everyone....it's been more than 2 months since i last posted. I can hardly believe it, days are passing so quickly. Honestly though, i am more updated at facebook and quicker to post news out there than here on my blog but those were mainly not crafted ones. More on daily routines, activities, social gatherings and it's for my family and friends around the world so they have an idea what or how we are over here. Lately, going through my stitching things and wanted to get back to do some finishing...and here is one of them, design from Little House Needleworks into a flat ornament. Also finish this design from JCS 2015. Thinking of finishing into a small pillow, hopefully will not take long before i'll post a next update... Taken last week during our walk at the woods. Love the fall colours all around...though with the strong winds we are having lately, no chance for the leaves to change colour and they are all on the ground. One of my favorite, catching up with friends over lots of different dishes at lunch... and so i have to do one kind of exercise daily, either zumba, Pilates and just the other day i found out about Taebo through youtube...gonna try that one too! Hope everyone's having a good week!

"My Heartstrings design" into flatfold!

Hello everyone....been a while since my last post again. The usual reason, too busy at work and if not at work then it is at home or socially. Weather isn't that good coming days so having an extra off days. might be good for catching up on crafting i hope. Stitched this design a while back and just finish it off into a flatfold recently. Took a pic with the Dahlia's i took from my garden. My blooming Dahlia's taken earlier this week. Finally, an off day that weather's sunny so sat outside, feet up and with a cup of coffee admiring my flowers. Previous off days usually rainy and windy. Happy weekend to all!