Say It With Flowers Bloghop!

Today it's time for me to show what I made for this fun bloghop Say it with flowers! Finally! This fun bloghop is organized by the lovely Madam Samm at Sew We Quilt , and Carol from Just let Me Quilt is our lovely cheerleader.

I have been stitching and sewing two, actually three items. 

The first one I sewed is a Knitting Needle Roll. I used a tutorial from Handknits by Susan

As I wasn't quite satisfied I sewed another one. I have several kinds of needles, so I'm sure I can use them both. This piece of fabric brings up sweet memories, as it is brought to me by friends, who, seeing this fabric, knew I would love it!

The third item took some more time. I stitched tulips, lots of small tulips, as I wanted to show I am a crafter from the Netherlands. I used part of a chart designed by Nicole Dostal that appeared in Just Cross Stitch March/April 2012. 

I finished it as a purse, in which I can take my stitch accessories.

And then there is something else I wanted to show. I just finished it yesterday, as a gift to DD who is going to visit the USA. She will be away for at least seven weeks. I know, it doesn't shout: flowers, but the flowers are added in the picture. And, there is a stitched flower in it!

It was such a fun to be involved in this bloghop. Thanks for visiting my blog and you are happily invited to visit the other bloggers. Here's the schedule for today:

May 28^th

Secretly Stitching

Anolisl’s Kreative Seite

I Like To Quilt Blog

Hill Valley Quilter

InGa

Coto Patchwork

Stitching & Stuff (that's this place)

De Quiltborch

Jatajomi’s Stoff-nadel-fadenwelt

Gingini’s Crafts & Quilts

Debby Kratovil Qults

And for the whole blog hop schedule just look HERE

An Exchange and two finishes

On the HoE blog I am involved in an exchange, stitcher's choice. And today a small envelope from America arrived! In it a lovely surprise, wrapped in thin paper and closed with a sweet bow tie.
After unwrapping ( I always unwrap with a sort of regret) I found a lovely ornament, together with a sweet note from Marie P. Thank you!

I myself finished two items. My pair of socks are done. May I present: Strawberry Fields!

And I also finished the drawstring bag for youngest DD. The stitching is a design by Lizzie Kate. I will take it to NY with me and when our ways seperates (me returning home and she on her way to Dallas) I will slip it into her baggage.
I took several pictures. Front, back, inside. In this drawstring bag I put all my love for her and my wishes for a safe return after a great trip!

Cold feet

How lucky we were, having such wonderful weather in Berlin! Now it is cold again, the sun is hidden behind grey clouds. All I can think of is knitting shawls and warm socks. So, that is what I do. Luckily I love to knit LOL.
Clue four of Three times a Lady is finished now, only one clue to go. I hope to have this shawl finished by the end of May.

Another pair of socks is on the needles. I'm involved in a Dutch group, where they run a KAL. Clue one is done, so all I can do is wait for clue 2. Clues are given every two weeks, so I have to be patient.

Sock number two of Strawberry Fields has rounded the heel.

And for those of you who are interested, summer arrived at our backyard :) 

And in our home too!

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: Summer Floss Give-away-enter now!!

Mostly I don't get involved in give-aways or in sharing them, but this one is special to me. My first ordered special threads on ebay came from this shop and I have to say the owner is very trustworthy, and besides that, very kind. So if you want some special dyed floss, don't hesitate and take your chance, follow the link!
 Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe: Summer Floss Give-away-enter now!!

Back to normal ...

After a vacation I always wonder what it is that people are back to normal again so soon after coming home. This week I only had to work three days, but in those three days memories of Berlin faded away already. Luckily I know that in a while they come back and give me that relaxed feeling again.

This week I have been stitching on two projects. One is meant to be an entry for a bloghop, so I can't show that yet. The other is Plantation Sampler. A house is under construction. and the yard in front of it becomes greener and greener. Filling in the green is kind of relaxing. I don't have to count any crosses, don't have to look for the right colour, just stitch my stitches....

Of course there was some knitting too, this week. I finished clue 3 of Three Times a Lady. This is going to be a beauty, in fact it already is!

And sock number two of a pair is casted on and is coming along nicely. I have to hurry on this, because next  Monday a Dutch KAL is starting. Another pair of socks it will be, Galileo. 

Back in town ;)

Last week DH and I went for a trip to Berlin. We have been there before (and before....and before...) but it's a city you never get tired of visiting. As you like seeing pictures, just go to the bottom of this post, I'll show you some. 

As the weather was great, we were outside all day and in the evening the feet were tired and the eyes had seen enough. so we spent most of the evening at our appartment, reading (DH and me)and knitting (only me).
So I have one finished sock, Strawberry Fields. Not very easy, there are hearts knitted in the leg, and as it is only the second pair I am knitting I am (again) proud of myself ;) It is one of a pair (LOL), so the other one is yet to be done.

I also finished clue one and two of the Anniversary Mystery Shawl of Renee Leverington, or, as I name it, Three Times a Lady.

And now some pictures of Berlin. Not many of the highlights of the city, because, as I told you, we have been there before, so we visited other things. As we are highly interested in history (and Berlin has a history of being divided in East-Berlin and West-Berlin for many years) there are quite some pictures that refer to its history from the 1920's to 1990's. But wherever you go, Berlin is wonderful!