Productivity...

Well, I had quite a productive afternoon yesterday!

I adapted the doll patterns, cut out the fabric (1.), started sewing all the tiny bits together (2.), turned them all right side out (3.) and started stuffing them. (4.) I especially love how the stick legs came out, aren't they funny?  {smile}

Unfortunately though this pattern will not work since it is waaaaaay too much work to make 6 or 7 of them! Such fiddly stuff will drive me crazy! I will finish this one and if my sister likes it I can make her one as well (With different fabrics. Don't worry Carla, these were just some left-overs...) but I think that will be it.

So I guess now I will be looking for a new x-mas present for the neighbors! Good thing I started with this whole x-mas thinking Early!  <wink>

Yesterday the weather was quite lovely, although I must admit I didn't spend a lot of time outside, since I was busy working on the pattern. I did manage to snap some Fall pics...

When I was editing them on PhotoScape I found this feature:

Tadaa: it's an oval!  {smile} I don't why it took me this long to discover this feature but it is FUN! (you can find it underneath the 'crop' feature, just click on the box saying 'circle' on it)

Since it is Friday once again (Yes!) I will be off  to Little Bit, but first I will have some tea-time... (another oval!)

Upon my return this afternoon I will be busy flipping through those Photoshop books because they have arrived in the library! Oh the possibilities....

New Fabric Order #2...

Ohoh, I've just ordered More Fabric, like I haven't got enough fabric projects laying around already!
I drove the 45 minutes to Joann's yesterday (= fabric store) and was, once again, so disappointed in their offerings. Look at what I found on-line instead:

Click! to enlarge

Upper Left: Michael Miller 'Unruly Reindeer Green' -1 yard

Upper Right: Antique Treasures 'Lily Pads Blue' -3 yards
(on sale for $4.49 the yard!)

Lower Left: Robert Kaufman 'Just Dandy Floral Stripes Blue Jay' -1 yard

Lower Right: Robert Kaufman 'Just Dandy Floral Toss Blue Jay' -1 yard

Today I have absolutely nothing planned (no cooking even!) so I'm going to do some fiddling with my x-mas  puppet project. I didn't like the original pattern I was going to use so I am going to try and adapt it with another one. Wish me luck!  <wink>

Letterpost!

I had the inside of my card say the following:

"Let's hope for lots of snow this year!"

Disclaimer: No, I am not getting paid in any way for this blatant advertising!  <wink>

A little while ago one of my best Dutch friends plus a friend of hers, started this card company called Letterpost.

At first you could only send cards from The Netherlands but now you can also send them from The States! In fact, I was the first person ever to do so!  {smile} I ordered the card above and just loved it. Great shiny card stock and lots of possibilities to personalize your card.... (fonts, backgrounds, colors and you can even upload a photo!)

Go check out their site. I thought the price was more than reasonable. Considering it is so difficult to find fun and a bit different looking kind of cards here in the US, this is a great alternative. And it is all in English!

Here some fun examples...

On their blog (which is in Dutch) you can also find this owl book mark which will be fun and easy to make.

I love their assortment and will certainly use them again! So, enough with the blatant advertising already!

A little Photoshop update:

1) I've found the 'step backward' button!

2) I've ordered at least three 'Photoshop for Dummies' kind of books from the library. Hopefully they will arrive soon since I desperately need some basic knowledge of all those little buttons in the sidebar...

And oh yes, I was asked about the background that I have on right now. I found it at Shabby Blogs and it was for free: yay! Now tell me if it takes you an incredibly long time to load my page, because if so, I'll take it off again. For me it loads instantly but apparently that is not the case for everyone...

Alright, it is Tuesday once again which means I'm off to Little Bit to do some volunteering. It is very blustery and wet outside so hopefully the horses won't go crazy on us!

See ya!

PS Dear Annie and Fee: who on earth is 'Lucy Luddite'???  {smile}

First Ever Photoshop Picture!

And here it is, scalloped edges and all....

I didn't do anything to the picture itself, just the edges. It was really 'scary', since I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but the tutorials on Pugly Pixel are obviously fairly easy to follow. I keep on looking for an 'undo' button though... <wink>

Check out my sister's blog, she is way ahead of me. (well, some anyway...)  {smile}

Late October Afternoon...

And just a few more from the back yard, I couldn't resist the late afternoon sun light...

Mid-Day in October...

After all the fog cleared up, this is what we got to see on our way to and from another cross-country race...

Mount Baker

Along the CowRoad...

Love that 'lens-flare-effect'!

And back at home, this is what I found on the kitchen counter...

I am not a big rose-fan but this Champagne colored one is quite pretty don't you think?

Happy rest of the weekend everyone!

PS And thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my photographs. You made me blush!  {smile}



Early October Morning...

Nature's Grave Yard...

Erasure...

None of these pictures were taken by me or anyone I know.

They were blatantly borrowed from the Internet...

Oh boy, so yes, yesterday's You Tube Session was the pre-cursor to the Erasure Concert we went to last night and it was AMAZINGLY GREAT!!!

We sang and danced 90 minutes straight! {super smile} I knew about 3/4 of the songs which wasn't bad at all and the crowd was just so into them. ("Respect", "Sometimes", "I Love To Hate You" etc)

Andy Bell still has an awesome voice and he just belted out the songs one after the other. His dancing was out of this world! (and a little weird to be honest...) <wink>

The concert was at The Moore Theatre in Seattle, apparently the oldest theatre in town! Originally the venue was supposed to be at The Neptune in the U-district, but because of overwhelming interest they moved it to the larger Moore. And it was filled to the rim with very interesting people! We live in such a culturally not-diverse area, so it is extra nice to see so many different kinds of people.

Not the best of quality but fun nevertheless!
I was wearng my 'Talk Talk' hat. (see yesterday's video...)

I must admit that I am a little sore today. Both my body (from all the dancing), my throat (from all the loud singing) and my head (from the 1-2  G&T's I had)... A good thing I have to go to Little Bit today for a large dose of fresh air!  <wink>

It is all good though because we had such a great time! Our friends are already looking at us to find them a new concert to go to, preferably an 80's one of course; we'll have to see what we can do on that front...

Happy Friday everyone!

PS Here some pictures taken by my husband who was a great sport for going to this concert in the first place: it is so not his music!


Made with hubbie's camera/phone...



Back To The 80's...

I've got my yearly allowance (= 1 bag) of Candy Corn on the desk,

My favorite Doc Martens on my feet,

Check out the 'lens flare' I added to my shoe!  {smile}

My own Little Lucky Bunny (found this morning at Value Village) on my lap,

And I'm ready for an afternoon You Tube session 'Back to the 80's'. Please join me for some loud singing and maybe even some dancing..

Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera

Icehouse with Hey Little Girl

Blue Nile with Tinseltown In The Rain

Annie Lenox with Hallelujah

Annie Lenox with A Thousand Beautiful Things

Talk Talk with Such A Shame
China Crisis with Wishful Thinking
Fiat Lux with Commercial Breakdown Part 1

Just found a whole bunch more...
The Kane Gang with The Closest Thing To Heaven
The Lotus Eaters with The First Picture Of You
Propaganda with Duel
Roman Holiday with Motormania
Joboxers with Boxerbeat
Kraftwerk with The Robots  (they remind me of 'Sheldon' in 'The Big Bang Theory')
Japan with Visions of China
Haircut 100 with Favourite Shirts
Fun Boy Three with Our Lips Are Sealed  (Terry Hall yes please!)
Classix Nouveau with Is It A Dream
Blancmange with Don't Tell Me

Tim Hardin with How Can We Hang On To A Dream  (so so sad, but so so beautiful at the same time!)
The Style Council with Speak Like A Child
The Smiths with How Soon Is Now? (especially for Jane)
UB40 with Food For Thought

That should do it for now. Hope you recognized some. (or all!)

Sneak Peak: (sis, don't look!)

... at my sister's Christmas present....

I won't tell you yet what it will become, just that it is embroidered on a grey linen (in the picture it looks beige, but it is grey) that I bought in Paris this summer.

I love it already and want to keep it for myself!  {smile}

PS The grey linen is either from Zweigart or Belfast and has 16-17 cross-stitches per inch. The red embroidery floss is #321 from DMC.

A Stroll Along The River...

On a Sunday afternoon...

We saw lots of beautiful flora...

And fauna...

And fish of course. Some dead...

But many very much alive...

No wind, cloudy and very mild.... just wonderful!