Crochet school

For all those who always wanted to but never attempted in fear of failure, there is hope...

Pip from the lovely blog 'meet me at mikes' started 'a granny a day' last year and it inspired me to start my own blanket. Not a granny square one but still...
Since again I have no progress to show on my Babette blanket, I thought I'd share this with you.
It might be just the push you need to start crocheting your own blanket...She set up a crochet shool where she posts step to step video's on how to crochet a granny square. She's aiming to learn to crochet a granny square by graduation!
You can sign up to participate here!
And there is this fabulous Flickr pool called 'a granny a day' which you can browse & get inspired and happy.
Happy, that is what crochet does for me! :)

Frame magazine

Somewhere in September, I got contacted by Frame magazine to ask if they could publish some of my work. I had never heard about Frame magazine before but apparently it's an international trade magazine for interior architecture and design focused on retail, exhibition, leisure and workplace design. It is published in the January/February issue of 2010.
Of course I didn't say no as it is as far as I know my first printed & published feature of the '99-feelings'-project. Yay! Thank you Frame Magazine! :)

Handmade Olympics

Holy moly, I was super surprised when sweet RikRak asked me to be a judge for the Handmade Olympics she's running on her blog.
My first thought was: 'If anyone would come up with an idea like this, it would be Krystal'
She's little miss sunshine or you can call her a nicey. I think we all know who we're talking about then! LOL :)
She not only has a super RikRak shop on Etsy but she also runs a very vibrant and energetic blog. Her blog is a happy place with lots happening all the time so it looks like a non-stop party in there. I would follow her blog if you don't already.
Besides all that she's a mommy and a wife, not neccesarily in that order, too.
So, jip, it's one of those superwomen who can juggle it all!

The Handmade Olympics is the event were the handmade world comes together to celebrate making things. It is easy as pie to participate: just nominate someone you think deserves to be nominated in one of the 8 events that take place. Read all about it here!

I'm a judge for event number 5 and I'm mighty happy for that as I get to choose my favorite nicey/nicies that forwards kindness through handmaking..
So if you can think of individuals or groups that make a difference in our world through handmaking, folks who handmake kindness, nicies whose craftivism create change,... then please do NOT hesitate to nominate that person.

I'm not judging on the number of nominations a person gets.
I find the content, act, kindnessness (new word that I made up) that I can see, hear, feel through the nomination far more important then the number of nominations.
And of course, I'll be checking out the nominated person's whereabouts to see if he/she really deserves the prize! :)
Too bad I can't nominate anyone myself as there are at least a handfull people I would like to nominate...

There's also a superbig prize pack involved, look at that! :)
There is an equal amount of prizes per event - only the people who give these prizes differ in each category. What an awesome lot is that to support the Handmade Olympics! Thank you!
And there is also a draw for the fan prize so if you nominate, you automatically enter the draw.So, after all this, please go and nominate someone, you know you want to! :)

Flickr Favorites

1. Ring-A-Day #1, 01/06/2010, 2. Ring A Day- Jan 6th, 2010 6/365, 3. Ring a Day, 2/365, 01.02.10, 4. RAD3PlasticSpoon

When I was browsing Flick the other day, my eye fell on this absolutely wonderful artistic project: 'ring a day'
I hardly ever wear jewellery and my interest for it is somehow limited. But this project really appealed to me as it is very inspirational seeing all these creations pop up in my contact stream!
Check out the 'Ring a Day'-pool - it's super! :)

Check out my favorite mosaic from last week. I hope to find more time for that this year...

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).

Poor postman... lucky me!

I feel really happy to have met so many amazing people in the virtual world. And I'm superhappy that I had a chance to meet some of them in real life too already.
For some people it's hard to understand, but the friendships bonded through the internet are for me just as real as in real life. The only trouble I have is using their real name as I'm so used to their nicknames. :)

I have met Greet from FleurFatale last August on the Craftparking fair in Maastricht. We had tables next to each other but unfortunately little time to chat as it was superbusy.
Fleur lives in Gent, Belgium which is about 1,5 hour away from me. She's an amazing woman, mother and artist. Not neccesarily in that order. Sometimes I just don't understand how she all juggles it but she does and never fails to amaze me with her new creations and ideas.
Here are some of her lovely designs:
As a complete surprise, she send me a 'spoil-yourself' package the other day. Her wrapping is always downright gorgeous & she has a keen eye for detail & color combinations.
In the package she put a pack of greeting cards she designed herself, a facial mask & a bar of sexy chocolate. ???? SEXY chocolate ???? Well, it's chocolate which is made with ginger and apparently that works his magic. Better wait to eat it when my partner is home! LOL
Fleur told me that 'every hard working woman needs a break'
Thanks for being so considerate, Fleur! You sure made me laugh out loud with your surprise gift!
Apol from LaPomme is another sweet friend. She always makes me laugh as her witty sense of humor is right up my alley. She lives in France with her husband and the most beautiful girl in the world, Lilou. I love that name!
I have not had the chance to meet Apol yet, but I'm sure that at one point we will meet. Her shop is filled with gorgeous, embroidered and handprinted goodies. I always smile when I go into her Etsy shop. The intricate designs and enchanted stories she often writes in her descriptions make it superfun to snoop around.
Here is some of her work:
And she also takes pride in wrapping her items beautifully. I will actually re-use this giftbag to wrap in goodies for someone else. I think it's a great idea to have gifbags like these! Clever Pomme! She send me a salesfaiy. It's absolutely gorgeous and holds the cutest things in the box: a paper boat (I love paper boats), a clove, a spoon, a knotted piece of lace and a little vintage toy doll.
It has of course a nice spot in my studio. Thanks so much, Apol! :) Just because packages are the best... :)

How to make spicy hot chocolate?

Perhaps you have seen the movie 'chocolat' with Juliette Binoche & Johnny Depp. It is a very sweet film, and not only for the gobs and gobs of luscious, mouthwatering, little morsels. I love the fact that a woman tries to set up her business in a little French village where none of the inhabitants believe in her or her business. She fights back with style, reason and sweetness and of course succeeds! 'Chocolat' is a mouthwatering piece of movie magic.
It's a movie I'd like to watch today as it's cold outside. There's lots of snow and I just want to cuddle up on the couch with some hot chocolate and crochet my Babette blanket.

Well, why not do so? Here's what you need to make 2 cups of spicy chocolate:

400ml milk, 10g pure chocolate, cinnamon canes or powder,
vanilla stick or vanilla sugar, chili powderWeigh 10g of pure chocolate.
I use 72% pure chocolate to get the maximum effect.

Put the milk in a pan.

Add the cinnamon cane or some cinnamon powder to the milk.

Add the vanilla stick (cut open with knife before) or vanilla sugar.

Add some chili powder.

Stir until it boils. If you use cinnamon canes and a vanilla stick,
then remove them now. Add the chocolate.
Keep stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour the chocolate in a cup.
Hmm... looks good hey?

I think adding some whipped cream and
a pinch of cinnamon looks and tastes even better! :)

What is your plan for today?

Dream in progress... part 18

I'm snuggled in under my Babette blanket on the couch and I started edging my blanket with red thread. I've only done 1,5 of the 4 edges so far and I plan to make it 3 stitches wide.
With the little time I seem to have these days, I 'm glad to have actually started it.
It will probably be ready when all the snow and cold is gone...*sigh*