felting exchange

I got an email

that the little felted piece arrived safely

(it was a bit of a puzzle to get it 

in an envelope)

So here it is

(20 x 20 cm)

(+/-  8 x 8 ")

When we friends of the felting exchange

came together last October

at Margriet's house, she gave each of us a little present :

a small plastic bag with some wool, silk paper,

a bit of lace, fluffy yarn, silver thread,

all in dark blue and white.

(Her own theme for the year was

"lace, ribbon, glitter stone")

We didn't have to use it for her felted piece,

but I just thought it was fun that I did !

And the "spikes" ... they just popped into my mind

when I was thinking what to make for her ...

the making of

drying

and stitching

(beads for the "glitter")

*

I just realized I didn't show my piece for April

(that arrived just in time there)

That theme was "flutter beast"

Since I made already a butterfly for someone else

I made a bird instead

a seagull

(ha ... and it was not 20 x 20 cm)

Though we do not really live near the sea

these gracious birds are often flying here

with their bigger gray "nephews"

*

Some more pictures of daughter's beautifully knitted

"Buurman en Buurman"

I spare you delicate souls the totally naked picture :

they come as Mother Nature makes boys

(only their hats have to stay on) 

little mom

I was so lucky

that I went out in the garden this morning

with my cup of coffee.

(when the sun is out, I like to sit on the little steps

near the water that runs along our garden)

I also wanted to check

on the duck nest in our garden.

I did so many times before

and often saw the four eggs, almost hidden under down,

when mom was away to stretch her wings and feet ...

By this morning

I was assuming that the eggs must be infertile

because she was on the nest for such a long time

(but I should have looked it up :

28 days is normal, I know now !)

So when I looked ...

there they were !

They must have jumped from the garden just then

(the water is 70 cm deeper !)

I rushed for my camera

and took pictures

while they crossed the little stream

to the more shallow part of the water

(I moved the big Phlomis russiliana leaves aside)

... and then they were gone.

They had a good start,

hope they have a happy life

(and will not be snacks for heron or pike)

And next to the duckboards

the water lily is starting to bloom

Mmmmmm ... love my garden !

May

Oh my

where did May go

.....

We went to the market

and had an (unexpected) SUNNY day !

(with some generous friends)

*

There was a little birthday boy ...

who got a BIG present

(that had to be assembled first)

Here he's on his first test drive !!!!!

I can tell you : happy !!!

(and a big brother who wanted to test-drive too.

but unfortunately is too big ...)

Hmmmm ...

these two little guys ?????

"Buurman en Buurman"

("neighbours")

heroes in a animated movie

and knitted by daughter

!!!!!

Remember the little naked guy in the garden ???

YES

he was one of them

(then, without anything to wear yet !)

*

The sheep in the petting zoo lost their coat

(daughter and a friend were there 

with their spinning wheel)

*

In May the garden is at its best

After the Bluebells came lots and lots of Allium roseum.

This lovely Thalictrum aguilegifolium I got in return

from a friend that I gave some seedlings and cuttings
I had collected for her
since last year.

(some of these Irises will follow the other plants to her garden,
that are all doing well !)

*

Pictures of my just finished piece for the felting exchange 

have to wait a bit :

it's just gone away in the mail !

So they come later

Canadian connection

Sometimes there are small miracles

that appear out of the blue !

You might remember

that I posted about a scarf I was knitting

with an intricate pattern.

(the "petalcowl")

Originally it was knit in the round

(which I managed to do)

but I wanted to do it again, but now flat.

I had this wonderful yarn for a long time in my stash
and started right away,

thinking I would have enough

to finish the scarf.

But oh dear ...

I soon realized 2 balls weren't nearly enough !!!

I found out right away 

that this particular colour was discontinued !

So WHO could help me ?

I tried several people on "RAVELRY"

who said they had this yarn in their stash .....

After a few days, and negative answers .....

there was this sweet lady, all the way in Canada,

who said I could have her yarn !!!

She posted it right away !

Very special was that she remembered her father telling

he loved Holland, which he (as a young soldier)

had helped liberate in WW II

(I made her a sweet return package 

with some postcards and other goodies)

Last Wednesday Janie's package finally arrived YIPPIIIIIEEEE

(she was already worried and had told me

the Canadian post was slow ...)

YES ! two balls wonderful Mini Mochi  !!!

Mmmmmm knitting again !

Lucky me

THANK  YOU  SOOOOO  MUCH  JANIE !

*

For the market I finished the two new

necklaces

"Droplets"

One side of the "drops" is blue,

the other side purple

(I stitched the edge with cotton perlé)

"Rainbow"

*

And ohhhh ....

what this little naked guy is doing in my garden ...

I will explain later

;-)

the last bits before the market

Because daughter and I 

are going to a market this Monday
May 16

there were a lot of "last bits"

to finish off this week :

felting bits

and a lot of painting
(the flowers that I drew some days ago)

But between all that

I had to keep track of the nest !

Nest ?

What nest !

Well this little snow white lady decided

that our garden was just THE perfect place for her nest :

a safe high spot next to the timbering at the edge of the water !

From time to time she flies away to take a swim

and ruffle her feathers.

(then it's my turn to take a look : four greenish white eggs,

there were five at first

but after some days there were only four)

We're waiting
and counting the days.

You can see the lovely Bluebells right next to her,

I love to draw / paint these.

The finished Bluebells portrait !

And in the flowers I got on Mother's day

was a Calla lily in beautiful pink,

which became into this :

Calla Lily

(Zantedeschia)

And this was one of the felting "bits"
(not quite finished yet !)

(this will be a necklace, no "end" picture)

Still things to do ...

But

...............

we hope the weather won't be TOO bad on Monday :

there will be a turn in the good weather of these last two weeks  

:-(

Ahhhhh

it just needs to be dry

(we can put on a sweater for the cold)

But it will be just fun with all the

GOODIES

that will be there !

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE 

(if you live near here)

mother's day

In fact we're not really

"Mother's Day" people

but daughter surprised me !

Some lovely flowers

(and a big HUG of course)

Tomorrow I will be drawing them,

just like I did yesterday with some flowers from the garden.

I picked some spring flowers 

and put them in a tiny glass on my table.

First with pencil and later with pen on A5 heavy drawing paper

Then came the watercolour 

and after that ... came a LOT more !

This Veronica chamaedrys

(Ereprijs)

is the first one finished of this series

(they will go with me to the market)

(in the garden)

(and this was the start on paper)

*

So I hope all mothers 

(in fact all women, mother or no mother)

had a lovely day today !

;-)

A cold

It's still a rather cold Spring,

and now ... I've got A "cold"

(got it from Man : he waited a week to pass it on ...)

But stitching and knitting goes on as usual,

so I was in R'dam today.

(uhhhhm ... it's late now : so I must say yesterday)

(my petal scarf is still growing

and the second ball of yarn is almost done)

A lot of scissor pouches and jewels

are finished now.

 (it was a bit of a problem to find big enough snaps)

I mounted some of my little quilts on canvas too.

I painted the canvas so it matches the cloth.

I made two more biscornu,

looooove that shape !

*

Earlier this week we had a celebration 

for some special occasion with daughter and the kids.

We went to "Hotel New York" for it in Rotterdam.

That is the old building from where the big 

ocean liners went with passengers to America 

from 1871 for almost a hundred years.

(now only cruise ships)

(the building on the left, with the two green towers, is Hotel New York)

Mmmmmmmmmmm !

That was GOOD  !