A quilt and nice weather

First of all I want to answer Brigitte's question about the conversion of HOHRR. It is converted into GAST, WDW and Crescent Colours and I think it will turn out great (in a year or so....)
Second I have to show something. It is so beautiful, that I will post several pictures. Last monday I was at work, talking on the phone with DD, who was ill at home. DD told me: mum, there's this big package waiting for you! From America! I wondered what I'd ordered, but couldn't come up with something that big. All I ordered were some charts and floss, no need to send in a box. So after work I rushed home, and there it was, the biggest box I ever received by mail! Marne sent it to me. My heart was fluttering in my chest, because I know Marne makes beautiful quilts. Did she make one for me? And yes, in it was the most lovely quilt I've ever seen, and it was mine! No talking anymore, here are the pictures. The last picture includes the goodies Marne sent me, a cute red bag, a little yellow purse, a notepad (comes of use always) ,cute blue little buttons and a nice piece of fabric. She really spoilt me!

This sunday we had lovely weather, sunny and fresh. Now and then a chilly wind was blowing, so we took a ride through our province, Groningen. I love those small villages, windmills, and farms in the distance. Remember I am working on MM&IRR, my neighborhood, placing a small village on top of it? You may know them, a small village, surrounded by meadows, cows grazing and larks in the air on a summer day. Only some houses, a church and maybe a bakery or grocer's shop. Well, that's the top of my RR. And here it is for real, called Leens, a small village near the town I live.

I know there are some readers of my blog, who love seeing pictures of my country. So, for them, here are some more. They are all pictures of the northern part of Groningen, driving from Groningen (city) to the most northern part, Lauwersoog. From this point the boat departs to Schiermonnikoog, one of our beautiful islands.

Winterexchange and MM&I RR

The winterexchange I stitched for Carin has arrived, so I can show it to y' all! It's a Nenne Design, but I have to admit I changed it a little bit. First of all I left behind the small hearts that are all over the piece, I only left a border on top and bottom. Second change is done by mistake. One little sheep is stepping out of line, call it the black sheep of the family. She steps out one row, so it is kind of a silent (but strong!) resistance to the rest of the family. A little bit like me, I suppose, LOL

And here is the first picture of my own RR, called 'My Family Town'. On top of the whole RR I decided to stitch an overview of the small villages you can find in our province. All they have is a church, some houses, farms, haystacks and sometimes a bakeryshop. They are surrounded by pastures, typical Dutch, in which cows and sheep are grazing, swallows in the air, a familiar picture to me. My father grew up in such a village, and I spent quite some childhood-holidays at my great-aunt's , living in the country.

I am planning to stitch this huge RR with some Prairie Schooler's, (seasons) in the four corners beneath the top village, and fill the space in with (important!) familyhouse, houses of friends, a bookshop, library, needleworkshop and whatever I like. Ponds, trees, a park are also included. I think this project will take lifetime, but who cares?

I also started with another big one, the Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. Liezbeth, owner of Crownstitches, had done a conversion to GAST, Gentle Art and Crescent Colors. I will get one part of the chart, in addition with the threads, a month. I already know I can't stitch one part a month, but no problem eh?No picture yet, all I did yesterday evening was the cadre of the first house.

SBBC and PIF

Wow, am I heading up to a busy winter! I signed up for several things, all new and exciting to me! First of all there are the exchanges I'm in. Besides that I signed up for a finishing class at the ILCS and I committed myself to do a MM&IRR. The first design is on my blog already, and I see houses everywhere, even when I sleep. I search the www to get ideas for what I can add to my own neighbourhood and I am buying patterns already and looking through my stuff.

I also signed up for the SBBC, you can find it at Edgar's blog. I was involved in a birthday exchange before, and I loved it, preparing a surprise on someone's birthday.

AND I just signed up for a PIF! I was already looking out for a way to join this and today Viv left a nice comment on my blog. If I can find the time I always pay a visit at the people who comment so I went to Viv's blog, and there it was, THE opportunity to get involved in a PIF. I signed up right away, so here is my promise:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

I guess I'm going to quit my job, what else can I do???

Thanks and something new

Time for my weekly update :) First of all I want to thank you all for your friendly comments concerning our Nijn. My DD Karin loves her little bunny as you can see and it look like the little creature has overcome his health problems.

Another thank you for Vicky. She nominated me for an award, being a new blogger :) I have to pass it on, but to be honest, I can't choose between the dedicated friends that follow my blog, so I hope it doesn't mean I am being unsocial, but the only person I pass this reward to a new blogger, Mare . She is from the ILCS group I joined some time ago.

The rules for this award are:

1. Only five people allowed.
2. 4 of them have to be dedicated followers of your blog and 1 has to be new and live in another part of the world.
3. You have to link back to who gave you the award.

No stitching to show this time. I have been busy stitching on a PS meant for an exchange, I sent a PS Exchange last thursday (forgot to take a picture!) and I have been busy thinking about my new project to be: a rrneighborhood, initiative of Me,Myself and I Neighborhood.

I have to put some things in it that cannot lack, think of a familyhouse to llive and laugh in, a library, bookshop, needleworkshop, swimmingpool and a park. Something that revers to my hometown perhaps?

I so love the Blackbird Design houses, so I maybe put one of those in it. And I already decided about the border, in fact I bought the chart this afternoon at my LNS: Neighborhood Row, Bent Creek Design. It will be this border on top and borrom, on the left and right side I will add some smalls referring to my family. Think about a little rabbit, horses (my DD) books, computergames, a small Alpha & Omega (DS studies also Greek and Latin), music and more books (DH). I can think of many, many more...

I can and sure will change this layout, start is in januari 2009, so plenty of time ;)