Visit from overseas and, of course, stitching

Last week my friends Marne and Elaine from Seattle visited Groningen. They have been in the Netherlands for over a month now, time to come to the most northern part! We spent some lovely days together, in spite of the rain. It was nice to guide them around in my own town. Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera, but Marne and Elaine did. So pictures are on Marne's blog, here and here.

Saturday we drove to the most northern part of the Netherlands, Noord Kaap Noord. There was not much to see, no tourists (did they all blow away?) only a few sheep. And us.

We also went to Dokkum, the place were Bonifatius was murdered, to give a small lecture on Dutch history ;)

Time for some lunch!

And into the rain again.

On the stitching front there is an update on Call of the Raven. Another page finished, 40 pages done, 29 to go!

And I'm still beading Holland Springtime.

Progress, a workshop and sleigh driving

Last week I had some really nice stitching time and in spite of a huge frog who not only visited my house but was determined to sit on my lap I have some nice progress.
First part of the week I concentrated on the Travelling Stitcher, so I finished the main part (except for my initials) and started the small part, Needles, at the right side of the fabric.

Second part of the week I focused on Needlemania 2 and that is the moment the nasty frog decided he loved me and didn't want to leave my side. All the blue stitches in it were stitched three times before I finally found the mistake I made. But now I am ready to start part three of this SAL.

My new fabric came in, some wonderful colours of Silkweaver, on which I plan to stitch a new Chatelaine Design. It sure will be on one of the greens, but I haven´t decided on which one, as the material list isn´t up yet.

The design isn't out yet, starts in February, so I have some time to finish the one I am working at (Holland Springtime) first LOL.

Yesterday I followed a workshop on Miao patchwork. You can see some of their clothing here. The teacher, Ien Rappoldt, was tought by Miao women to do this patchwork and now she passes this on to Dutch women. I know her for a few years now, due to our shared passion for China. In the morning we were practising the patchwork with paper to learn how to build up this kind of patchwork.

In the afternoon we were allowed to work with the original silk fabric Ien brought from China herself.

While I was busy learning how to do Miao patchwork, DH and DD went to a competition sleigh driving in the park at our hometown. On these pictures you can see some traditional clothing and traditional sleighs. Santa wasn't there with his sleigh and reindeer. You can see more pictures here.

Frogging and a SAL

The New year started with some new starts, but I forgot to mention one : the Needle Mania No. 2 SAL on the Yahoogroup The Sampler Life. It's a quakerish design, a tribute to the founder of this group, who passed away last year. Sabine from the Hamburger Stickladen offered to design it and I think it's a beautiful design. Also it's fun to stitch. I'm stitching with handdyed floss from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.

I have been stiching mostly this week on The Travelling Stitcher and yes Debra, I planned to have it stitched by now, but I have to do some frogging. I just found out I made a tiny mistake between two letters (three instead of two threads open) so the other letters didn't come out well. So I frog .... otherwise I think I'll keep seeing it for the rest of my life and don't take my stitching anywere LOL

About normal life, it has been snowing all day, or should I say: all week. My DH made some lovely pictures of our hometown, so for all of you who like to see them, here they come :)

The pride of our town: the Martinitoren (Martini tower)


The old Korenbeurs, the building where grain auctions took place.
On top of the building a statue of Neptune. Behind it the Aa-kerk.



One of the canals with in the back a storehouse, in former times
used to store grain and other goods.



The statue at the corner of this bridge is referring to the trading tradition
of Groningen. There are four of them, one on each corner of the bridge.


This is something most of the Dutch love to see. Children iceskating on the pond.

Winter in the Netherlands

At first I want to thank you all for your nice comments! I don't say it often, but I read them all and they keep me going! When I come home from work I like to sit down for a while and stitch. DD is sitting next to me and together we watch a movie or comedie on tv. This week I have been working on HOHRH during that hour. Windows are added to the house and some birds are appearing at the bottom.

In the evening I always spend an hour or so at the computer, answering mail, visiting groups and reading blogs. After that I go to the livingroom again and do some stitching again. I always work on something I'm in the mood for and this week I was very tired, so I took something easy. That means Vibrant Vista. No special stitches, no backstitches.

Yesterday evening I joined Becky's SAT with Holland Springtime and I managed to stitch the other tulip ornaments in the corner. I also finished the yellow border.

We noticed it already some time ago, leaves have been fallen and the days are shortening, but today its getting colder. It wasn't freezing cold, but a cold wind blew , the sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. I love this kind of weather! DH and I went for a walk in the fields and at the picture you can see a windmill, typical for the landscape around my hometown.

Ready to see pictures?

Today I have a little finish again. I think I mentioned the Chat SAL in an earlier blogpost. Well, yesterday evening we had another chat, and we received the last part of this cute SAL. Today I finished it.

It was a lovely day today, sunny and warm, but there was a little breeze, so it wasn't too hot. As it was our wedding anniversary (19 years!) we decided to go for a bikeride to Garnwerd, a little village on 15 km from our hometown. We went there together, DH, DS, DD and me. At Garnwerd, we climbed up the mill and took some lovely pictures and we had a cold, delicious milkshake before we went back home again.

Actually, I quite forgot about our wedding anniversary and DH mentioned it to DS, but wasn't sure about the date."Is it June 28? I think it's our weddingday, but I can't get my weddingring off my finger to look at the inscription" DH said LOL

I also took some pictures of my first attempt to make a little quilt. Just for fun, because it's not finished, but I love to see my table covered up with little pieces of fabric :) I have sewn the blocs together, and'I'm almost done with sewing the triangles together, so I can make a border of it. I think that will be the most difficult part, but we'll see....

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.