Crazy things.

This is my crazy home made cake stand. I bought a box of old cups and plates on a cat boot sale and it was standing in my cub board for weeks without using it, because there where never enough plates for a whole table setting. I don't lite it if things are standing there and you never use it so this was my idea.
I put it all together with super glue and my cake stand was born.
It looks great with home made chocolate cookies. But you can also use it with all sorts of things. With a Little vase of flowers on top and cookies and cakes on the other plate you serve a great high tea.

Last year we started to renovate the kitchen. But then it became summer and we stoped working on this project. We had visitors over for the whole summer and with the great weather we love to spend our time outside. But the winter is back again so we started in the kitchen again.

Lat Sunday we made plans for the kitchen doors, so we replace them for new ones. Lieke had a friend over and we ask them to decorate the old doors with felt. They were really surprised and started the same minute. We told the friend: Not to do this at home!!

You imagine they had great fun!

I'll keep you updated with the renovation. We ordered a new range hood and the lady form the shop already told us that there was a delay, so we have to wait a few more weeks, there is always something.

Quilt tree.

Today I went to my quilt class and the teacher ask me if I was interested in a quilt tree. I love the idea to get pieces of material from all over the world to make a great quilt.
You have to send the first person in the row 2 pieces (6" each) of material. It have to be PURPLE and 100% cotton. Then you make 4 copies of the letter and send them to 4 friends who quilt, along with two 6" squares of your purple fabric.
There is no money involved. It should be a lot of fun for those of us who like to quilt.

I can send it to 4 random friend but I really like to send it to people who are interested so no one breaks the chain. All together you should receive 72 squares in return. That should be enough to make a quilt. It will be fun to see where the squares come from, and what they will look like when you put them together.

If you like the idea and like to receive a letter with two 6" squares leave a comment or e-mail me. I'll send the first 4 the quilt tree info and the squares.
I already have to send my first one from the list to Ireland. So it will be very international. Great fun!

Home sweet home.

In a previous post I told you about my new project. I've made a lot of cushion covers for the settee in the living room.
I took all the cushions from the outside daybed , washed the covers and stored them for the next summer. And with the winter coming up I like it to make my house nice and cosy. The best way to do that is with cushions and candles I think.


In the local op shop I saw a great big blanket made out of wool and knew directly that I could make cushion covers out of it. I took it home, washed it, appliqued some love hearts and letters on it and the new cushion covers are finished.

Let it snow , let it snow. I think that will never happen over here but we are ready for a long "warm" winter.

Lots of things done !!

Do you know the feeling when you have done lots of things and they are all finished. It gives me a great and satisfied feeling.
There was a bag with shells in the garage for months , I had my plan but still no time and idea how to do. But I did it , I made a great framed artwork with all the little shells from our last holiday. I glued them all on a piece of canvas that I bought in a shop and painted in my favorite colour lavender.

And the chair is finished. With some fresh white paint and a new fabric cover it is e new chair for me. We bought a little desk that I put in the spear bedroom and with this chair it will give me some great working space. I already used it quite a bit this week.

And I made some more friends. The pink one found already a new home and the others are for a shop. I put some in my Etsy shop a well.

And last but not least this is the last project where I'm working on. It is still work in progress but I tell you later all about it.

Wild animal.

Lieke came home from school on Friday and asked me: " Mum can you make me a tiger outfit for the animal disco, I'll need it on Tuesday.
She made the drawing and I made the costume.

Recycling.

I was tiding up the table, it was full with a lot of little items that I use everyday. Like measuring tape, scissors , treats etc. I had it in my hand to put it somewhere else and on that moment I thought I need a litlle basket to put it in. I could put an old ice ream container out of the drawer but I don't like plastic so it had to be something else. I went true my pile of fabrics and found an old pillowcase. And the basket was born.

I teared the pillowcase in strips from 1 cm. Made a nice ball and started to crochet. After an hour I had my little recycling basket and the table looks nice and tidy again.

Have a great weekend!

Happy days !

Today was one of my lucky days!
It was raining cats and dogs and it was really cold and I didn't want to go to the mailbox because it is at the beginning of our drive way. But I went and there was a big surprise waiting for me. A parcel from The Netherlands from Marian (vuurvlindertje).
She told me a while ago that she loved receiving real post from the postman so we send each other our addresses and I send her a card. But she send me a great parcel. Thanks!!!!!


I couldn't wait to open it and was really happy. She also send something for the girls. That is so kind. They love it!!

1000 times thanks , hope you like coffee. I made this especially for you. Enjoy!!!

On her blog she wrote about a project to make dolls for kids in Nicaragua. I think it is a fantastic project. So if you have some spare time please go to here and make a doll. You will make a little boy or girl very happy.

And what is better than make somebody happy.

You made me happy, Marian, Thanks!!

Bath-room make over

Before.

Cleaning, sanding painting, last weekend I did it all. I gave the girls bathroom a little make over. Every house in New-Zealand has two or more bathrooms. In the beginning I thought that's a bit over the top but now we are having our own en-suite and the girls have there own bathroom I think it is wonderful.
When we moved into the house two years ago we already did the walls and the ceiling but never did the rest. So now it was the time to do it.
You can tell me what you think about it. It think it looks much better!


After.

I love the new door knobs. Bought them in a great shop in Wellington called Magnolia.

Of course I made a little flower arrangement from fresh flowers out of the garden.

Flowers make the house a real home.

And I bought the girls a range of new bath products. But now we have the problem that they won't come out of the bathroom anymore.

And last but not least I want to show you the best breakfast ever. Sunday it was mothers-day and we don't really celebrate it because my birthday is a week before, but my little 10 year old made me this lovely breakfast and a great painting. The other two girls where off to there weekend job and daddy was biking, so we had a great time together. Thanks darling I love you!!!

xxx Mum.

Warm feet.

I'm back home from work, had already one of my lovely bowls of coffee and have a great weekend feeling. No work for two days.
That doesn't mean there is nothing to do. I have a lot of things on my to do list for this weekend. First of all garage sailing tomorrow morning. I'm always a bit up sad if there isn't one. But we already looked in the news paper and we are lucky. One of the girls is in a ballet show for 2 days so that means a lot of driving in mums taxi. Up and down and up and down the theater. The weather forecast is rainy so I planed to do a lot of painting. The girls bathroom needs a lot of white paint and I bought a chair on a garage sale that needs a bit of white paint as well and a new cover. So lots to do for me.
I finished my bathmat and like to show you. When the weather is cooler now it is really nice to put your feet on a great warm bathmat.

Here a sneak peek, my garage sale chair that is waiting for a make over.

Have a great creative weekend all !!!

Just a quick post before I have to pick up one of the girls form school. This is on my table today. I'm making another bath mat from scraps. This are all left overs from a previous quilt.

I use an and old towel as backing like I did with the other bath mat. You can wash them over and over again.

Have a great day !!!

My moment.

After work I always make myself a nice cup of coffee. That's my moment. I enjoy every minute.
And what is better than a great bowl of nice coffee with a good fluff on top and some chocolate.
I bought the bowl on a garage sale and use it now every day.
This is the coffee I like , Lazy Sunday, but o so nice during the week to give you a lazy Sunday feeling.

The plunger and the milk-foam maker are also garage sale founds.

I enjoyed my coffee today with home made mixed spice cake with sultanas (kruidkoek).

Here the recipe if you want to make it;

400 gram self raising flour

200 gram soft brown sugar

1/2 packet mixed spice

1 table spoon cinnamon

black pepper and salt

approx. 300 ml. water to make a soft dough.

handful sultanas, sun flour seeds, pumpkin seed, dried apricots, oats .

bake for 1 hour on 170 degrees Celsius.

ENJOY!!