Mama Bird

For Me!

St. Nick will bring these for the children.

I think they are very cute! Hopefully they will fit the bill, Kiefer is asking for a blue 'Knuffeldraak' (stuffed dragon for bed) for quite some time now. Their imagination can be very specific, so I'll keep my fingers crossed December 5th. The green one is for Roemer.

What's cooking?

Work in Progress

I'm seriously in love with all kinds of mobiles.

In a couple of months our house will double in size,

guess what will be hanging in every room?

I'm knitting my very first sweater for Roemer, he's the only one in the house that likes wearing them. Wish me luck on this one.

So, That's cooking in our house.

Can't show you the Sinterklaas presents yet,

will do later.....

What's cooking in yours???

Corner View: Menu al dia!

The sad truth is: I don't have a clue what's cooking in restaurants right now....

And I won't find out soon. I don't mind. I would love to have a cook around though. Anyone?

If I had a hour to myself I'd rather do this instead of eating out. But I don't believe we had an option, did we?
Ah well, there's nothing wrong with a bit of 'make your own happiness on your blog', is there?



Lots of love, People around the world!

A rainy greet from Holland.

On Sick Leave.

Be back soon!

Cheers Jane!

I'm sure we will all like it.

Up the wall....

....I'll reconsider the blanket....

St. Martin's Day

St. Martin's Day (or Martinstag or Martinmas) is November 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me." (Thank you Wiki)

St. Kiefer

With an apple corer, I hollowed a carrot.

With my lino cutters, I decorated the carrots with stars and moons.

I also pinched a few holes in the carrot to let some air in.

We melted some tea lights.

Hung in a cord (a mini beewax candle we still had from past Christmas)

The lanterns are working! (You can't see the stars and moons, but they were really beautiful to look at).

Parents made the most beautiful lanterns, all from root vegetables.

The children sit in a ring, listening to the teacher. She's telling the the story of Sterntaler.

While the children were singing in front of the houses, the classroom was waiting for the cold children to arrive.

The teacher made these beautiful lantern-lights (paintings on paper, oiled and decorated, carefully put around a glass with a tea light).

The children arrive and are warmed with hot chocolate and fruits and snacks.

(A blurry photo to keep the children anonymous).

Really tired but happy, the five of us returned home and went straight to bed.
Thank you, parents and teacher for organizing this feast

Corner View: favorite dish

I crochet you the finest cup of tea!

Both my favorites!

Steiner strikes back!

I love Waldorf/ Steiner toys.

My kids love them too,

except when there're other toys around ;-)

I much prefer the look of it in the living room.

Better then plastics, don't you think?

lucky for me, I never allowed noisy toys in the house.

I'm neurotic about that.

Sound sensitive, more friendly put.

When Kiefer was born,

some people tried to bring happy noisy things,

but there was me, guardian of

'Keep the adults sane and contented' master plan.

With baby nr. 2 and 3, 'they' knew

(hopefully I didn't scare family and friends to much, on the other hand it turned out very successfully).

I convinced myself and my whole family,

it's also much better for the kids.

Natural, right?

So, I came up with a sneaky routines and a bit of manipulation,

after I found us surrounded by Playmobile paradise.

I make incredible fun things for them when they are at school.

An example is this farm/ zoo:

And earlier this week, we endlessly built with our logs,

Kiefer played with them for days.

Voila, the plastic dinosaur is built in.

Who can see his ugliness now?

Right!

He even came up with the idea to give him pure merino wool for dinner, HA!

Pops and I enjoyed it very much,

she even started smiling this week!

It must have been because of our very, very handsome wooden dino.

She is a classy lady!

Have a great weekend!

Autumn Swap

READY FOR SOME SWAP TALK?

Press 'Happy Apple Talk' on the left.

Note: the 'Happy Apple Talk' blog will be a place where fun things are organized by Daan and myself. The blog is 'under construction' so check what's happening once in a while.

See you soon!

Corner View: Contrast

It's amazing what a bunch of contrasting colors can add to this world!

(picture made on holiday while we lived in England)

My kids played hairdresser this sunday morning.....

How was yours?

I Love

autumn in a pot

that some people a much better crafters than me

logs that are ready to be burnt

trees in every shape or form

these anemone looking spar branches

making blankets

to have a fridge full with these meals

this color

Have a great weekend everyone!

Corner View: Water

Shall I tell you, honestly.....

First

Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

second

Include their Honest Truths, and here are hers.

Thank you, Juniper!

I always find your blog a warm and surprising place, I love your thoughts and the way you're able to express yourself. Your blog inspires me and I am a lucky bird to be your friend. Big Kiss!

The truths of Jupe:

• I think I may like brownie batter better then the cooked final thing.
• I somehow find putting the children's books all in place calming, even if the rest of the room still has toys and pillow strewn around, somehow its the books being cared for that brings a kind of odd satisfaction.
• I think Northern Exposure and Mad Men may well be the best two series I have seen thus far.
• I am an oatmeal fan .
• I am a maple syrup snob, I just don't see the point in eating a good waffle or pancake with out the real thing, would rather go yogurt and honey if there is no proper maple syrup on hand.
• I long to return to Nepal one day.
• I love almonds, lemons, and very dark chocolate (not all together).
• It irritates me to no end when my husband farts (loudly) next to me in the morning (how can a person enjoy their latte and toast after that)??! I mean really.
• I can get sucked into a book or a film almost to the point where if the phone rings I can forget who and where I actually am.
• I love the smell of a carpenters shop, wood shavings and so on (not the varnish sprays).

Now it's time to share some of mine:

• If the weather would allow, I'd never wear shoes or boots.
• People often think I'm an very open person, the truth is that I'm not really. I keep a lot to myself and I love to be on my own.
• I believe in true soul mates. I've met a few in my life. Thank you, mates, for being there.
• I'm a dreamer, I can be away with the fairies for days.
• I love to bake far more than I like to cook.
• I've read more cookbooks in the past years than novels (gosh, I miss reading on a sunday morning in bed with a hot latte and dito husband).
• I wear dresses nineteen out of twenty days.
• I think Blogland is awesome, I find little surprises everyday, look at interesting people and become inspired by beautiful Arts and Crafts.
• I wish I would go to the most luxurious Hamam, one can think of, every week, soak in hot tubs and meditate. Then, practice Yoga with a wonderful teacher, in a peaceful space with warm lights and natural interior
• I'd love to be a health food nutritionist / therapist one day, but eat far to much rubbish these days, so probably I'm kidding myself to the max.

Now it's my turn to give the award to four people.

fuoriborgo : I truly enjoy reading your blog. I love the little bake activities and admire your crafts. I like the family factor on your blog.

picnic : I believe we could have been friends in real life! Love your blog!

Malo: The interiors you collect are amazing. Dito for your photography. Keep on going!

Modsquad: Always a pleasure to have a look on your blog. I just adore the Super Rice Girl! Yeah, she rocks!

Yellow Seven

Nina gave me the challenge to find 7 yellow objects in my house that I like.

I found out that I don't have much yellow things around.

But what I found, I truly love.

This little guy was in my bathtub forever when I grew up.

The Moomins just look hilarious!

Boxes from IODRINE make me instantly happy

We found this retro Lion in England. Don't we all love carbooties?

A month in Spain: dip your churros in hot chocolate!

Love the Yellow/green color in my bag from my favorite bag designer Orla Kiely

And as I write this post the doorbell rings

a Huge Yellow Envelope

from Malta!!

I'll make myself a cuppa and will open it now, loving it already!

Thanks Jupe.

Look What We Found on our morning stroll....

Poppy finds it a very serious moment in her life, I believe....

Corner View

DREAMS

My big dream, apart from growing old in good health with my family and to be a good friend to loved ones, is to become the artist who I would like to be.

But dear, oh dear, are we still a long way from that......

I would love to write children's books

made with beautiful drawings and pictures.

I would love to feel confident enough to make textile stuff

you actually can sell.

I would love to be able to have access to a print studio

I would love to master more complicated knitting machines

I would love to....

I would love to.....

Gosh,

a lot of loves!

Love

Guusje

30 days of happiness

HAPPY

TO

BE

A

DOMESTIC

GODDESS

;-)

Strawberries in pan with a bit of water

Simmer until mushy

Add fair amount of marshmallows

Allow to melt

Let cool

Have a bowl with your favorite organic thick yoghurt

Add strawberry sauce

and some crunched almond cookies or other favorites.

Jum

30 days of happiness

HAPPY GETTING ORGANIZED DAY!

I'm not organized, seriously not.

I'm from a long line of NO-housewives

And now, I'm paying the price.

Nothing really bad,

but things could be far better in this matter.

Why are babies restless

when you need to cook!

Do you all cook in the morning, I wonder?

And how on earth do you keep your house clean?

At 4 p.m. this house looks like a war zone.

Do you clear up in between or just once a day?

Do you girls shop once a week or every couple of days?

So time to ask for organize wonders.

Any tips????

Or are you as bad as I am?

Do share your family favorite meals!

Freezer or fresh?

I do really appreciate your stories!

Love, Guusje

30 days of happiness

HAPPY 70'S

Since we go to our little Waldorf school,

I experience some flashbacks to my childhood.

Happy memories.

I remember my mom wearing her famous purple dungarees.

We, making sculptures from real clay

or

baking breads.

At one time we even had a Macramé design hanging on our wall.

One of the first days going to school,

I asked my mother to join us to bring the boys.

We had good fun,

it brought us back some time.

People rapped in tied-dyed clothes,

children with 'home cut' fringes,

wait, could we even smell some

beautiful home made bread?

I swear those wooden toys are at least my age.

We love our new school!

So in honor of the old,

here in the present!

Wouldn't it be great if I could tell you that the paint is made from blueberries!

I can't, but see me in a few years!!!!