I can do it!

Recently I saw these really cool crocheted slippers on Etsy and I ordered a pair of grey ones but the seller never replied after my first message so I still don't have cool slippers.
Then I told my friend Stephanie about it and she told me that she would knit some for me. You must know that she has been spoiling me to pieces with her beautiful knits and I'm a proud owner of a scarf, fingerless gloves, a bag and a cowl already. So sweet of her to offer but somehow I just I have the urge to learn to crochet myself. As a child I was tought how to do it in school but it is definately not like bikeriding, as I completely forgot.
So, yesterday, I searched for crocheting patterns for slippers and I found some which I thought would be quite easy... NOT! I was a bit frustrated not being able to do it...
I shouted on Twitter that I couldn't do it and people suggested that I would start easy so I picked up the hook again this afternoon and crocheted a little flower! :)
Yip, I can do it! Just need a bit more practice before I start on the slippers I think...
Was being a bit ambitious thinking I could do it from scratch! LOL :)
Thanks for the encouragement everyone! :)

I bought this pattern as I just love these slippers! :)

I found what I lost!

I carved this mould myself. It took me days and days and days. I have been looking for this mould for the past months and couldn't find it anywhere in the house. I'm so happy I found it back this morning...This is the result if you press a piece of clay into the mould. It looks fun doesn't it?
It's a great activity to do with children too - just pour a little bit of cast into a small container. Let it sit & dry for a while and then you can let children use nails or needles to carve out pieces out of the cast. If you press clay into it, the result is really neat! :)

99 feelings

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Latest obsession: bowls

Lately I have been obsessed with little bowls. I love shapes, especially round ones as they are soft and give a somehow warm feel.
Today I spent the whole day in Ghent, a fabulous city, with two of my friends and we did a lot of talking, walking and shopping. While walking through all these lovely shops, I just should keep my hands on my back but I just touched every bowl I could get my hands on I think.
I want to cast some bowls so I can make many myself when I get my kiln! :)
I'll show you some of my very favorites on Etsy... if you click on the pictures, it will bring you to the listing...

Finally: holiday pictures

With a little blush on my cheeks, I finally uploaded some holiday pictures from our holiday in the Ardeche, France from September 2008.
It was nice to look back as it actually also was the first time I looked through them.
If you want to have a peek, please click on the picture below and it will bring you to my Flickr set.

Today

A fun but wet walk in nature...
These are wetlands only about 10km from where I live. We have been walking there recently and I love it - it is so quiet and peaceful there.

Tag! You're it!

I was tagged by Ooty, she makes quirky ceramics and seems to be a very enthusiastic person all round. I think it would be fun to have her as a neighbor but it's already nice to have here as a virtual friend! :) Thanks for the fun tag, Ooty! :)
I wonder how many of these I can tick off the list...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

We'll, I guess I won't be bored for some time since there are still lots of things on the list I should do at least once in my life. However, there are some of those on the list that I have no desire of doing at all! ;)
Tag, you're all it! :)
So if you want to know how many of these you can tick off this list, don't hesitate!

Playing with Flickr mosaics

I have been totally obsessed with making mosaics on Flickr lately.
I love looking a beautiful pictures and it gives me so much peace of mind to do this.
Besides, I use this really cool toy that makes it super easy and fun!
You will have to give it a try one day, but be careful for

A.D.D.I.C.T.I.O.N.

Mini feeling 100

I didn't make this one, my partner clayed my head in Photoshop. :)
I can tell you, this one contains many feelings...

Mini feeling: happy

Flowers make me happy.
It's a bit like a little ray of sunshine on your head in spring, fresh herbs in summer, the smell of fall or making a snowsculpture in winter.
I like happy & I'm ready for it!

My journey of 99 feelings has come to an end…

The past few months have not always been easy for me and making these feelings was kind of necessary to be able to move on with my life.

I warmly appreciate all the support, assistance, faith, help, stimulation, trust, cheer and confidence I’ve got from family, friends, opinion makers (people who helped me define a feeling), known strangers and unknown strangers. I find it amazing that you all enjoyed looking at my work & seemed to enjoy it.

There are people who managed to comment on nearly every one of them, which I find astonishing, I appreciate it, thank you for that.

There are people who discussed feelings through looking at the pictures, which I find constructive, I love it, so thank you for that.

There are people who only lurked at the pictures, which I find sweet & cute, I hope it has inspired or moved you, so thank you for that too.

Now I need to move on and try to find out which direction my life needs to go.

I will disappear for a while from virtual life.
I will do the occasional Blogpost , Mosaic on Flickr or Tweet but I'll try to keep all of that limited so that I can focus on 'what next?'

If you care to subscribe to my newsletter to find out how my life is without Etsy, Treasuries, the European Streetteam, Twitter, Blog, Flickr, etc., feel free to do so.

See you peeps, it has been great having you as company on this journey…

Oh, and if you want to see feeling 100, hop over here …

Mini feeling: calm

Sitting in the water surrounded by little waves.
Closing my eyes. It makes me calm and quiet.

Mini feeling: isolated

Like coral.
Exceptional, rare, secluded, remote, solitary.
Set away from all others.
Plain beautiful though.

Mini feeling: satisfied

A nice evening with friends, a fantastic meal, lovely conversations and a great bottle of wine...
It makes me feel satisfied.

Minis feeling: crushed

To be or become crushed from severe pressure.

Mini feeling: giddy

I wanted to make curls and twirls and then I thought: 'how I love ferns - they are kind of giddy...' They seem to dance and when they open up, they must just feel really giddy...
This probably sounds insane to a normal human being, but trust me, this feels super giddy to me! ;)

Mini feeling: scared

Kind of like your skin contracts from being frigthened...

Mini feeling: super

Don't think this one needs much explanation...

Mini feeling: captured

Not free.

9999 views

I LOVE FLICKR!
I turned 'pro' last october and I'll probably will be 'pro' for the rest of my life. Tonight the counter showed 9999 views on my pictures - I have something with numbers apparently.

Thank you all who viewed at what I posted here - be it silly or serious - I'm happy you peeked... :)

Blog award: proximidade

You have to be very fast in blogland otherwise you're handed the same award more then once...
Three friends of the European Streetteam gave me this award!
Thank you ChicChiBoulie, Antigoni & StarOfTheEast.
Proximidade is described as follows:
'This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes for self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!'

This blog award should be sent to your favorite eight bloggers and they, in turn should forward to eight of their favorites. You should include the text for Proximidade (above) in your announcement blog.
I like to pass this award on to the following peeps: TMCphoto, TheRikRakStudio, Sandfibers, Swiedebie, CabbagesandKingsArt, An unpink life, Joeysdreamgarden and GretchenMist

Mini feeling: amazed

Getting goosebumps when you're filled with emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock.

Mini feeling: rough

Not perfected, completed, or fully detailed. Rough is hard for a perfectionist...

Mini feeling: tough

Being able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking.

Happy weekend

Color it fun this weekend!

Mini feeling: blue

Feeling down, sad, depressed...

I finished this with blue engobe which is a mixture of cobalt and kaolin. It is brought onto the feeling before firing and will have a matte finish when fired. The color will remain more or less the same.

Mini feeling: cursed

The expression of a wish that misfortune, evil, doom, etc., befall a person.

Mini feeling: vulnerable

I added this eggshell to the feeling but will remove it before firing 'cause it will just fire away. When it's fired I will glue eggshells onto the feeling again.
I did this just to show you how it will look. I actually cheated because I only did one side! :)

Mini feeling: broken

*ouch*

Mini feeling: brave

I have had lots of people giving an opinion on this one but I do stick with the feeling I originally gave it. For some it looked like a reptile so it had to be something slinky, sneaky.
For me it reminds me of the suit of the knights, kind of chain mail (thank you lillyella for the name), and knights are kind of brave I think...
Whatever you feel, I loved making this one...

16 things about me

I was tagged in Flickr to post 16 things about me...
If you want to know more, please click on the picture to see what's behind them!

Today

More amazing colors today... I so much enjoyed spending time outside this weekend! The weather has been cold but beautiful here and the walks in nature have been amazing. Makes me feel good...

Mini feeling: touched

To affect emotions.

Today

Just a few impressions of being outside today... and I have not edited any of these pictures. These are all true colors... :)