Saturday, October 24, 2009

In between project...

I'm not trying to ignore the boring sewing bit on my Babette blanket, I just haven't picked it up since I returned from Portugal. I'll be continuing it this week though as I do need a blanket to keep me nice and warm at night. I felt like crocheting a little scarflette as a smal in between project. Quick, easy and fun.
I did 160 chain stitches and added 5 rows of double crochet onto that. Then I made a ruffled edge by making 5 chain stitches and a single crochet into each double crochet. I used 'scheepjeswol' with a mixture of 50% merino and 50% acryl and it's mighty soft! I love it!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Secret Santa wants to know...

... what the European Streetteam dreams of getting from Santa at night ...

Someone dreams of something that will make her go 'YES YES YES'!
A few dream of a new wardrobe...
A few dream of a new camera...
Someone dreams of getting the lottery winning dust thrown at her...
Someone dreams of a big colorful package...

Someone dreams of something she can't do/make herself...
Some dream of a funky neckwarmer
(from EvaForeva)
Some dream of handmade soap...
Some dream of cute stuff...
Lots of them dream of creative supplies...
Someone dreams of a kitchen aid.
Not sure if she meant this...
... or this:
Someone dreams of fiorentine & baker boots
Someone said this would depend on what Santa looked like...
Someone wants a campervan to cruise while on holidays...
Some dream of meters and meters of fabric...
(stash from the Purl Bee)
A few dream of a new studio...
(this amazing studio is from Loopsies on Etsy)
A few dream of a new house
Many dream of Peace, Love and Happiness
All images found via Flickr or Google pictures

Secret Santa is a game played by the European Streetteam on Etsy. The idea behind the Secret Santa is that you make something for a teammember and also receive a gift yourself.
Since I try to organise the game for our team, I get a lovely reward: reading all the questionnaires and knowing all the teammember's secrets! :)
What I also know is that lots of people of the team would like to read them all too... That's why I share part of the answers on the questions in my blog. And even though it's anonymous, it's still fun to read what other people wrote... Hope you enjoyed to have a peek in our team.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

My creative space

Today's creative space looks like yesterday's space as I'll finish what I started doing yesterday: glazing sample tiles, big big buttons & some flowers.
When I first started glazing I kind of disliked it as it takes up so much time. Now I don't mind doing it anymore and it is actually kind of fun to get all the colors out. The anticipation of opening the kiln and seeing all the colors is just making me giddy. This will be the colorchart of all of the glazes I have at the moment. Most of them are bought ready-made but I also mixed some myself.
Want to show your creative space? Hop over to Kootoyoo's to play! It's fun! :)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Secret Squirrel

Since a few weeks, I have been a secret squirrel. Only because it's kind of contagious when someone else is a secret squirrel... That secret squirrel is Lisa Tilse from one of my very favorite blogs: 'The Red Thread'. Whenever I see in my reader she has posted a new post, I try to pop in and read it. Sometimes I don't manage to go there and then I just have to catch up whenever I have a chance 'cause I would not want to miss one of her posts.
I 'met' Lisa earlier this year when she purchased three of my mini-art-feelings. I checked out her blog and shop and fell in love right away. She creates unique one-off and limited edition art, hand crafted cards, chalkboard eggs and Sweetie Petites doll kits. Her work is whimsical and unique and it makes me smile to pieces. We chat via e-mail from time to time and visit each other's blogs. We have become virtual friends. So when I popped in her blog a bit more then a month ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find out she had been secret squirreling on her blog comments. She had a give-away for the most frequent commenters on her blog. I squeeled a bit when I saw I was one of them. And I also smiled big time of course...

When I arrived back in Belgium from my little Portugal get-away, I found this huge envelope from Lisa. Want to see what beautiful gifts she send me?
This beautiful Furoshiki wrapping is a joy to open.

I could not resist oh'ing and ah'ing with everything she sent.
She spoiled me to pieces!
Sweetie Petites doll kits
Beautiful Ginger and a wonderful set of 4 quality postcards.
These are my absolute favorite since I first saw them.
Ha, I will need to purchase a sewing machine now.
I know I can do it by hand but it's a good excuse! :)
You can purchase these beauties also in her on line shop.
Printed fabric embroidery/patchwork/applique panels
A great opportunity to learn how to embroider which is dangerous for me.
What if I get addicted?
A spectacular handembroidered ornament, a beautiful booklet of 20 birdie postcards, yellow cloud tape and a very unique postcard with Lisa's beautiful handwriting on the back. Just have to show you a little detail picture of this intricate embroidery.
THANK YOU, Lisa, I love all of the surprises you sent me!
You made me smile BIG time! :)

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet,
regardless of time, place, or circumstance.
The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.
Ancient Chinese Belief

I loved the idea of being a secret squirrel so I asked Lisa if it was OK if I did the same thing and luckily she did not mind at all!
So since then, I have been tallying the blog comments and decided to spread the love and surprise 3 people who left the most comments on my blog since the beginning of september.
I have been surprised by the amount of comments that are left on my blog. During 5 weeks of tallying, no less than 191 people commented on my blog and in total, 778 comments were left.
These numbers make for a lot of tallying - haha - you guys kept me busy! :)
But, I heart comments and I would love to thank you all for taking the time to write something.
The three people who can expect a surprise package in their mailbox are:
Inger from Ingermaaike
Estella from StaroftheEast
Kylie from 3sheets
Inger and Estella are part of the European Streetteam and although we never met, I feel I have known them since a long time.
I 'met' Kylie through the blogging world and her blog is among my favorites! Make sure to check it out. Besides that, she is supersweet and makes lovely and unique items.
These three will get a personalised special package so they will all be different. I will need some time to make 'em so please be patient girls! :)

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Flickr Favorites

1. In my next life, I'd like to be a cat in a bookstore, 2. cloud chamber, 3. Very old book from 1752 . . . . . . . HAR! Nothing scandalous, no puppies, babies, babes, bikinis or snazzy cars, but > 10,000 views anyway, 4. I Love Books

I have several books I bought which are still unread. I love reading but I never make time for it anymore. While being away for a couple of days I promised myself I would pick up my love for reading again. I'll start off with reading the first book of the millenium series of Stieg Larsson.
But I'll have to find it first in one of the boxes all of my books are in at the moment as we still have to buy cabinets and a bookcase...

Don't forget to check out my favorite mosaic from last week!

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture).
I'll pop over to have a look at yours. Can't wait to see your creations and find new favorites! :)

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Flickr favorites

1. Nose, 2. Barcelona: mosaics at Parc Guell, 3. Retro rustic brown vase, 4. Krakau Café

Tommorrow I'll be taking a little break for a few days. I'm going to Nariz, Portugal to visit my friend Kerrin from Sigmosaics on Etsy. She's moving back to New Zealand in 2 weeks and I just had to go and see her before she left. We met through Etsy and this is the 3rd time we see each other in real life. I find it amazing how virtual life can bond friendships for life.
She's living in a village called 'Nariz' which translates to 'Nose-village', just in case you're wondering what that dogs nose is doing in my mosaic. :)
It's a mosaic about mosaic really as Portugal is the mosaic country and Kerrin makes the most wonderful creations with ceramic & resin tiles. I hope we will have a chance to meet up with Nanouke too. And when we do, I'm certain that coffee is involved... Will I be able to sleep tonight?
Oh, and that also means that I'll be taking a blog-break too! Will be back next Tuesday. :)

Don't forget to look at my favorite from last week... and while you're busy doing nothing, snoop around in the other mosaics too! Don't be shy to leave a comment at those blogs you don't know, everyone loves comments! :)

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture).
I'll pop over to have a look at yours. Can't wait to see your creations and find new favorites! :)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Monday Moodboard

Happybee , LouisbyAmanda, PALEOLOCHICHomeDecor, DeepIndigo, MoietMoa, NinaJudinBooks

The monday moodboard is a feature by the European Streetteam. It wants to show blogreaders which talented artists are part of our team.
Look at all this talent! Besides all that, they are supersweet people too! :)

You can find more moodboards on Fleur's blog so hop over here to see more goodies! :)