a cold Saturday

We think it is Spring

but oh my

today it feels like winter again !

Though the sun was out,

the wind was freezing

and made my trip to the R'dam Stitch

an icy enterprise !

We were only a small group because some ladies

were visiting "De Brei- en Haakdagen" in Rijswijk
(Knitting and Crochet Fair)

A very dear friend went there yésterday

and brought me this wonderful

birthday gift 

A very big skein of hand dyed thin silk thread

WOW :  a LOT to embroider

(thanks again Rina)

Though the temperature is rather low

the flowers, especially the trees in bloom, don't seem to mind that much.

Sparks of colour between the juicy greens.

Later this afternoon I said "so long"

to my two sided quilt "I want to break free" and brought

it to a stitch friend who collects all the art quilts

that will go to Edinburgh for a few days next week,

to a small Dutch Art Quilt exhibition in

"The Knitting & Stitching Show"

Ahhhhhhh

hate that empty space on our wall !!!

The last few days I was busy stitching again

on some new felted jewels for the market

Also earlier this week, I FINALLY sent off

my piece for March (!) of the felting exchange

pfffffffffffffft

(luckily the receiver was kind and patient)

"family"

(must hurry, so the next one will be on time !!!)

birthday was fun !

Well, I said I would be busy didn't I ?
Yesterday
(with a High Tea at our home)
I celebrated with some dear family and friends
my 70th birthday.
Years come and go :
you just have to enjoy them !

Daughter brought me this wonderful big bunch of flowers !

Man made (and bought) some yummy things
for our High Tea

and I must confess :
I totally forgot to take a picture
when all the plates were still full
(some stuff didn't last very long  ;-)  !)

It was a wonderful happy celebration
on a bright and SUNNY day !

You know that you get sweet postcards
on a day like this,
but there was also a package
(right on time)
;-)

My dear Blogging-friend Birgit sent it !
(she heard about my birthday when we met in Arnhem)

In it was a wonderful stitched card in Jude-style :
(we both are very fond
of Jude's stitching)

Some delightful yarns, something sweet
and some of the vintage pieces she dyed for me
in her indigo vat !
An unexpected but very sweet present !

*

The day before my birthday
we had our monthly mandala group evening

"Pele"
(the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire)

spring is in the air !

O yes !

After a (too) mild winter

spring is definitely here.

Though there was a real thunderstorm tonight,

the last few days were sunny and warm

so I could sit outside

(that is : in the doorway)

The garden is a delight !

*

In the meantime I'm busy felting again :

at Pentecost daughter and I

will go to a market

in Ouwerkerk ( in Zeeland) 

Here are, halfway done, some scissor pouches

and

some of the yummy thick silk hand dyed yarn

that I bought from Adrian at the VILTEXPO

(unfortunately for you this is not in her web shop ...)

And much more

is now waiting for my embroidery needle !

(I'll continue with that at the end of this week

.....

because there are other things first !)

super fun day

I had looked forward to this day

for a long time !

Today (and also again tomorrow)

there is a felting exhibition and fair

VILT EXPO

in the Eusebiuskerk in Arnhem.

It was not only fun meeting again 

with felting friends and suppliers,

but daughter went with me and 

I would meet my Blogging-friend Birgit again !!!

(we tried to arrange a meeting before, but that never worked out)

So we arrived from the "west" and the "east"

and met in Arnhem

interior design (Ellen van der Wiel) and needle felt (Caroline van Noord)

One of our favorite suppliers : Adrian Salomé

So many yummy colours !

           Linda Lammerts            and              Ina Singeling                

Carla Louwes

and the delicate fantasy work of Fransje Smit

(and there were many others)

We admired, talked with all kind of people (known or unknown)

bought stuff,  drank tea and coffee, and talked together

and went to "Dudok"

(yes : there is one, and it looks just the same as the one in R'dam  !)

and drank more tea and coffee

and talked a lot more !

What a super fun day,

thanks Birgit ! 

*

Some days ago I received a sweet present from

another far-away friend in Germany :

a tiny bit of sleeping spring !

Thanks Delia !