Au Fil du Jardin

Shoes addict? Maybe...

2012-01-15T19:00:00.000+01:00

Hello to all!

How was your week?
I did not make any progress on the abstract front, but the next challenge easier to play with.
Alisa challenged us to take pictures of our feet...
While I wear comfortable plain shoes to run between home and the bus station, and between the bus station and the office, I'm more creative inside the building. It is even my pleasure to choose the shoes I'll be wearing. And the clothes to go with them.

Those Converse are the first fancy shoes I bought. Until then, comfort was the main criterium. Because money was a tight. Then life became easier, and more fun. They mark the turning point.
My shoes express my mood, and also remind me that I'm blessed to have a good life.

I hope yours is as good.
Take care!

Abstract, me ?

2012-01-10T20:18:00.000+01:00

you must be kidding!
Alisa Burke invited us to go abstract. Starting with ramdom patches of colors, adding doodles, highlights, etc.
I find it very, very hard. The first four pictures are the four stages of my abstraction. In as many days. And I'm going nowhere! To the point that I ended emptying and cleaning a closet tonight, instead of going abstract... When you know my dislike of cleaning, you realize how bad my abstraction is... I really can't let go. Sigh...

However, when I look at the last current stage, I have flashes from Uluru. So maybe I'll end with something after all...

Another challenge was to let the paint drip. Much more comfortable and fun. On Sunday, I had this.

On Monday, while walking to work, I saw that bird flying over me. Right in the middle of the city. It inspired this little sketch. I'm not satisfied with the result, too dark, too heavy, but I like it anyway. I'll use that technique again, for sure.

What are you doing right now? I hope that it makes you happy, whatever it is.

P.S. Drop by Susan. She is writing about her Christmas in Paris, and you'll love her posts.

Create Daily - machine doodling

2012-01-04T19:37:00.001+01:00

For those who may wonder, this is my glass feather:

On the first day, Alisa made us gather ordinary objects that can be turned into something creative. Just to realize that you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy creating.
I had been cleaning my drawers, and was going to throw away a lot of old papers, broken pens, etc...You get the idea.
Instead, I kept those treasures, in particular an old metro map from Paris.
Perfect background for a doodling.
I "glued" it to a fabric using bondaweb, added some Angelina fiber.
My sewing machine was threaded, ready to be used. I could not resist the urge, and here it is:A Tour Eiffel.

I hope your evening has been as creative as mine...

Create Daily with Alisa Burke

2012-01-03T19:22:00.000+01:00

Alisa Burke proposes a new "light" online class: Create Daily. This is my first class with Alisa, and I think I'll like it.
The class aims at showing us, busy women, that there is always a few minutes to be creative, with everyday objects.

In her last post, Alisa proposed to use a pen ball to do some doodling. Well, great idea.
I'm sending some item to my daughter, and thought the enveloppe was a bit blank. What about some doodling? But why make it simple when you can add some zest? I've been given a beautiful glass feather for my birthday, and inks for Xmas, so I grabbed my feather and my inks, and here is the result.

What a good feeling to have spent a few minutes "creating"!
I wish you evening is as happy as mine.
Take care.

Birthday card

2011-12-30T16:44:00.000+01:00

Recently, I needed a birthday card.
Good opportunity to upcycle some leftovers.

Needle felted to make the background

Then I added some white batting (two layers, neddle felted too), and a few stitches, and here it is:

Joyeux Noel

2011-12-24T19:23:00.000+01:00

Joyeux Noel, or Merry Christmas,

or whatever you are celebrating tonight!

By all means, enjoy your family, and your friends.

If you travel, have a safe trip.

Have the most beautiful evening with the ones you love.

Vienna by night

2011-12-18T11:24:00.000+01:00

I think the pictures speak for themselves...
Enjoy this tour.

Naschmarkt

2011-12-11T16:36:00.000+01:00

I love food markets. This one is a good one, believe me. You can find any ingredient you could dream of. Yummy.

You can eat them on the spot too

And bring lovely flowers back home

But before leaving, you must have a glass of Glühwein... Prosit

Have a nice week all!

Vienna in Austria

2011-12-05T18:08:00.001+01:00

Hi to all,

A little explanation first: I went over to comment moderation, because it was brought to my attention that entering the random characters can be tricky. I've experienced it myself, so I could have figured it...
And I revert to the classic layout, for a very selfish reason: I can't read my own blog properly on Ipad...

Now, let's go to business.

This weekend, I took a plane to Vienna, and spent three days with my niece, her significant other and their baby. I had not met my niece for about 20 years, had not met her significant other, nor her baby. So you can imagine that we spent those three days catching up, and playing with the baby. Sightseing was not my priority, although we managed to do some (anyway, I wanted a good excuse to return soon :-).
We have spoken a mix of French and German, spiced with some English. So don't be surprised if I still mix those three languages :-) (I wrote several sentences before realizing they were in German...)
The weather was not very good, mostly overcast, as you can see from the pictures.

I don't know what it is, but I liked it.

Bibliothek (library) - Technische Universität

Along Naschmarkt (more soon)

Staatsoper

Stephansdom

In a next post, I'll try to show you more about Xmas markets.
Take care!

XMas mood

2011-11-30T17:46:00.001+01:00

Let's go into XMas mood.
I rather like this time of the year, with the lights shining in the streets, the joy of anticipating the visit of my daughters, trying to find the perfect gift for the ones I love... Regarding December, I did not grow up, I'm still a child deep inside :-)
December begins with parcels in my mail box. I love unwrapping parcels, whatever their contents. It is so much fun to tear the paper away, to try to find out what could be inside, etc... And I've been very lucky recently:

Aren't those stock lovely?

And this tea towel. My sister has embroidered it for me. She is the best sister I could dream of!

Remember the child part in me? I love the manga spirit of this dress.

and the shoes...

I feel very blessed to have a family who knows how to make me smile.

To end with more cuteness, pay Tales and Tails a visit. Carrie has written a good post about the Joy of the Holiday. Besides, the advent there is going to be ... adventurous.

Or go and see Remington's count down.

Take all great care!

Thank you

2011-11-30T17:32:00.001+01:00

Thank you all, from all over the world, for your kind messages.
They have meant a lot to me, and to my daughters.
Everyday, I hear and read bad news, I know people are suffering. It feels inappropriate to grieve for "just a pet". We are all responsible adults, caring for the ones we love, doing our best, and still, we grieve when one of our pets must go. Because they gave us all their unconditional love, they have eased our sorrows, they have shared our joys too. They have entertained us with their antics. They have always been there when we needed them, never asking much in return. Just happy to be part of our life. I know most of you have been through the same tough decision and that you understand how I felt this weekend. You have all been of a great comfort, and you made those hours much easier.
Thank you again.

Farewell...

2011-11-26T09:25:00.001+01:00

My lovely Choupette is no more.
She has been part of our life for 16 years. 16 years of inconditionnal love, even though she did not hesitate to express her mind. Until a couple of years ago, she would wait for us from the top of the roof. When she was no longer able to climb there, she was waiting in the entrance. Somehow, she always knew we were there before we hit the door. She was my shadow, following me anywhere from my very first step in the morning, cuddling with me whenever possible.

This is one of her last pictures, taken yesterday.

Her heart had started to fail one week ago. Despite the meds she was put on, it was clear the end was nearing, and nearing quick.
I took the difficult decision to let her cross the bridge this morning, while she had still her dignity. The vet and her assistant were very kind, and made it as good as possible. Their kindness helped me a lot. I stayed with her until her last breath, stroking her head like she liked me to do, telling her how much I loved her. I already miss her, a lot.

Just saying hello

2011-11-20T17:34:00.001+01:00

Thank you for the comments on the baby sweater. This is for my grand-nephew, whom I'm going to visit in a couple of weeks. Can't wait.

Not much happening here, just autumn arriving. Xmas lights being installed, but the temperatures are still so mild I'm not yet in the mood :-)

Here are some sculptures I saw around the Spanish village. Enjoy!

Baby Sweater

2011-11-13T11:46:00.000+01:00

I've just finished this one. Doesn't it look like sky and earth?

It was fun to do, because the variegated yarn makes an unique design as I knit.
It is also very smooth, ideal for baby skin.

Guess what?

2011-11-11T16:42:00.001+01:00

I made two more scarves!

In fact I made three, the third one with the fat needles as Susan calls them, but I did not take the picture.
Indeed, I was booked for a two-days training near Paris at the beginning of the week. I took advantage of it to spend the weekend with my family up there. I just had the time to finish the second fat scarf before taking off.

I had a lovely shopping session with my eldest daughter. The weather was mild and dry, and the Xmas shopping had not yet started. Her significant other had the good idea to treat us to a nice restaurant in the evening. He thought we would be too exhausted to do any cooking (he would have cooked with us, mind you).
On the next day, we went to see my sister and brother in law. Thanks to Skype, we "had lunch" with our respective daughters from abroad, one in Vienna, one in Barcelona. :-) How nice is that?

I hope you had as nice a weekend as I did (and also a week, by the way).
Take care!

Another Scarf

2011-10-30T10:46:00.000+01:00

Hello to all,

The answer to Neki's question about the mold can be found here.
In short, the glass is inflated into the mold. But do go and read the details.

This week has been rainy and windy, calling for some knitting.
For lazy knitting in fact:
This yarn is Plassard Tricotine, suggested needles are 20+, I used 25.

To give you an idea of the needles size...

About one hour later:

2 ball of yarns make a 6 stitches wide and 115 cm long scarf.

This is a long weekend in France, with the sun shining here.
I hope your weekend will be a good as mine...

Glass blower

2011-10-25T19:08:00.003+02:00

Still in El Poble Espanyol, I saw these strange molds on a wall:

I suppose they are used to mold glass.
While we were there, this gentleman was demonstrating his craft.
He could make a horse in just a few seconds from a glowing drop of glass. Amazing. It looks so easy, but I'm sure it is hard work.

Have all a nice week!

El Poble Espanyol

2011-10-22T11:40:00.000+02:00

I'm glad you liked the graffitis from Barcelona. Thank you for your comments.

The day after, we went to El Poble Espanyol, an open air museum that gives a glimpse to the architecture found through Spain. It is also a craft village, and a place with restaurant and shows.

This is what the TripAdvisor says

The Pueblo Español is an enchanting village on Montjuic that was built in 1929 and that contains architecture that represents each province of Spain. Every single building is a copy of a real building. There is no traffic inside the village, as it is really a theme park. And the stores here are very entertaining because they feature crafts that one would not normally see, done by artists and craftsmen. There are many restaurants where one can have lunch.

The Pueblo Español was built for the 1929 International Exhibition to showcase Spain. It was supposed to be demolished after the Exhibition, but there was wide popular support to keep it intact because it was so charming and a good tourist attraction. The builders of the village were the architects Ramon Reventos and Francesc Folguera, while the artists were Xavier Nogues and Miquel Utrillo. Before the building of the village, the four made may trips around Spain to take photographs and get ideas. They took many notes and made many drawings. The four visited 1600 towns and villages in Spain!

I leave you wander through the village:

Graffiti in Barcelona

2011-10-11T20:01:00.002+02:00

To answer Houndstoot's comment about

this is a graffiti, Dali painted on a shutter. In real, it is quite amazing.

Until recently, street artists were allowed to paint on shop shutters. Apparently, this is no longer the case, see this article. Too bad, because those shutters were protected from wild art, and were fun to search for.
Neki, maybe you can tell us more about graffiti in Barcelona? As a visitor, I like them, but as a resident, you may have another opinion?

Here are a few more pictures from previous trips:

Where has the week gone?

2011-10-10T18:45:00.002+02:00

Hello ladies,

Thanks for your comment on the Slutwalk. The vision of that man has been bothering me all week. We were at least two grown up women listening to what he said, without reacting. How could that be? I'm rather short-tempered, you know. I think I have an answer. Soft-operator could be what he is. His body language was very different from what he said. From a few steps away, he looked calm, educated, nice. He chose his words very carefully. I'm sure that he is manipulative, making you believe he never said what you "think" he said. Sigh...

Autumn seems to be there, the strong wind making the temperatures drop in a few hours.
What is a girl to do? Catch the last bites of holidays.
There is this brand new hotel in Barcelona, direct on the beach, shaped like a sail. You can see it here.
I am very curious about it, because my daughter told me it is beautiful inside, and because W means Largo Winch to me :-). So we went for a drink, this time at the outdoor bar at the bottom of the tower, next time we'll try the one upstairs, with the view over the town. It was cosy, with very nice staff.

More pictures of Barcelona, soon! In the meantime, take care! Somebody is watching...

Slutwalk in Aix en Provence

2011-10-01T17:36:00.000+02:00

I just finished lunch, making me comfortable for a little nap, when I saw a status on FaceBook: Slutwalk starting in Aix en Provence in less than two hours...
Since May 14th, I've been following several feminist blogs, and looking at the French seduction with another point of view. This was an occasion to meet other people with the same concern, and to do something more concrete.
It is the first time ever I take part to a walk, so I did not know what to expect. And I liked what I saw.

This one was organized by Slutwalk Aix. Apparently, it was a first for them too. And they did very well.

While we were gathering, people came to ask what this meant, and to discuss with us. One senior man, very polite, talked to some of us. It was rather a monologue, because we did not know what to answer: he agrees rape is a crime. But what can you expect if you dress to arouse men (he was careful not to call us sluts :-)).
He went on by explaining that two decision makers in one family is one too much. Guess who that can be. Finally (because the walk started) he explained that feminism was pure evil (his words), main reason for single parenthood, destruction of family, and frustration of husbands that could only revert to killing their feminist wives after a divorce. The guy was not joking...
Anyway, it was the time to keep moving.
Below is one shot during the walk, and at the end.

Most people were surprised, then smiling and welcoming. All very cheerful.
However, someone poured a bucket of (hopefully) water on our heads... and when we prepared to part, we were told to be careful, since aggressions were likely to occur at that moment... I guess this is the reason why the walk ended in the middle of people shopping and walking.Sigh...

There was a bonus for me: among the walkers, I recognized a fellow blogger, owner of C'que mes pauvres mains racontent, who lives in Aix. We have been following each other for about three years, but had never met in person. Her solo on No means No would have made the deads dance, Passers by did. We agreed to meet again for a knitting tea.

Emilie, this one is for you. Enlarge and look at the window in the middle...

Now, it's time for a nap. Have a good weekend!

Froufrou

2011-09-25T18:14:00.000+02:00

Thank you all for the comments on the scarf. The second is already progressing nicely.
Remington, have you ever considered knitting your hair???
Houndstooth, too bad we live so far apart, I'm sure we had a lot to share. I would trade some knitting with the pleasure of walking one of your furkids :-)

Speaking of knitting, on Friday, I went to purchase some ready-made binding, and came back with those skeins (in addition to the binding.)

On Satturday, I had made this

So I went back to purchase those

and now I've made this

You can find the pattern and explanation here. It is a really quick project, fun to knit.

Update on the drinking problem:

This is Billy, the latest addition to the family, whom Choupette is training. Isn't he cute? (but frankly, I hope he won't develop all the obessions Choupette has about drinking).

I wish you all a fantastic week.As for me, I must go: those are waiting for me...

Poncho, jacket or scarf?

2011-09-21T14:01:00.001+02:00

In fact, the three in one!
I've just finished the first of a possible long series.
You can wear it as a poncho, or you can form two arms and wear it as a jacket, or just wrap it around you.
I'm sure there are even more ways to wear it.
It weights almost nothing, and it is warm.

I have already started another one, orange/pink, for my second daughter. And I think I deserve one too, don't you think?

Have all a very nice day!

9/11...

2011-09-11T08:15:00.001+02:00

Thank you all for your comments on my last post. I'm surprised some of you have never eaten figs, I thought they were going all around the world. I wish I could share mine with you. For me, eating a fig is the symbol of how good life can be.

9/11 is the symbol of how quick a disaster can happen, and how sudden death and sorrow can appear. I hardly can watch the images on TV, and cannot imagine the feelings of the persons all around the world who suffered of the consequences, and still do. All my thoughts are with them.

Take care!

Rainy Sunday

2011-09-04T18:40:00.000+02:00

Honey, Houndstooth, some people say Eve did not tempt Adam with an apple but with a fig. When you eat a purple one, you must agree with this statement, And you understand Adam could only give in...My figs are not the best ever, but Eating them direct from the tree, in the evening, when they are full of the day's sun is like heaven!Nikki, I'm not sure there are still enough figs for a,other batch, we may have to wait for spring....

I'm please to inform you that Choupette and I are best friends again...Maybe because I've purchased some kitty milk, just for her. She seems to love it, a drink with some texture...

You are all right, our pets deserve to get spoiled, for all the love they give us.

Houndstooth, Choupette reminds me a lot of your senior hound dog. We have the same kind of conversations...

The weekend has been hot, with a lot of moisture in the air. I've finished painting the entrance. Between the paint and the wet air, one door has swollen so much I can't close it... It was already difficult before the painting, now it is impossible. I'll let things dry a little before looking into other options... Although it did not turn out like I imagined (never trust a seller who does not show you the actual texture of the paint), I like the result. I expected a sandy, smooth paint, I have a sandy irregular paint. But it does add interest to the walls. It is calling for some more work before I show you pictures. In fact, there are two patchworks I've been longing to do for ages, and they would be great on those walls. As soon as I have the time, I'll make one of them.

In the meantime, I looked into the last issue of Saveurs. Yummy as usual. One recipe was very appealing, because I have a fig tree, and it reaches the end of its season, and I have a daughter who loves goat cheese and figs.

If I were smart, I'd taken the pictures with the actual ingredients, at the beginning of the recipe, but well... In truth, you take a bottle of Gewurztraminer (not an empty one as in the pic), you add sugar and spices and bring it to a boil, then you add about 15 small green figs, and you let then cook for one hour, at a very low temperature. Your home feels like Xmas...

at the end you get that:

Figs ready to be eaten with goat cheese (even without the cheese, they taste good!). They can be kept for several weeks.

I wish you a very good week. Take care!

Drinking problem, comments

2011-09-02T07:39:00.001+02:00

Yes ladies, you are right:
She is spoiled,
She wants me to just cooperate,
She makes me laugh,
I love her, and she loves me, no doubt of that,
And although I long for a day without all the drinking drama starting at the second I leave my bed, I also dread that day, because she would have crossed the bridge...

Drinking problem

2011-09-01T13:09:00.001+02:00

It's not me, but my cat Choupette, who has a drinking problem. She always had. She just can't drink simply. She must make it a drama. She'll disregard any dish with fresh water, and will insist to drink from the faucet of her choice. Not always the same. Possibly, from all the faucets in a row. She is also picky. At some times, the vet and I put her on med during the summer to make sure she'd be thirsty enough to drink enough. That was after she was very sick from not drinking... she'd drink from other weird places too, so I've learnt not to leave my glass unattended...

Since she is 16, I do my best to cope with that. From the moment I put a foot in the bathroom, I knew this was going to be one drama day. She drank from the faucet upstairs, from the water remaining from my shower (I made sure it was clean and soapfree), I filled her upstairs dish, the one that looks like a swimming pool. Then we went downstairs to the kitchen. She had her wet food, another dish of fresh water, one of milk. All that before preparing my own breakfast.

I was in my couch, almost finished with said breakfast when I needed to fetch something from the kitchen. When I came back, she had tried to drink from my high and narrow glass. Of course, her face did not fit in it, and she could not reach the water. Instead, she poured that half empty glass directly into the paper bag where I keep my alpaga yarns and wip scarf... Amazing how much water a half empty glass contains. While I tried to save the contents, she was quite happy to lick the droplets that fell on the floor. Was very excited when I emptied the paper bag outside, and drank from the puddle there. And when I told her how annoyed I was, she answered with very rude meows. Silly beast!

When I finally left she was still trying to make me feel guilty... After all, it was only water, not soda, and yarns, not my Ipad, so why should I complain?...

I hope that you and I won't have worst things to deal with today! Be appy and take care!

Vacations are over...

2011-08-28T11:34:00.001+02:00

For once, Amandine was home with us for a birthday. We had a gorgeous lunch in Aix, complete with both parents and boyfriends.

This is an exceptional year, I went to the beach twice! Once in Barcelona, and this time in Marseille...

While in Marseille, I could not resist the yarns in La Droguerie. How could I? The first sight when you enter the shop is a rainblow of all possible colors. Mostly silk, mohair, linen, you've got the idea. And they prepare the ball of yarns in front of you, weighting exactly the quantity you need for your project. I've purchased the yarns to make a transformer scarf for each of my girls, black and purple for Emilie, and pink and orange for Amandine. Tthe yarn is made of two threads, one alpaga, the other a very thin mohair. I had to choose from various colors in both qualities, the lady was very helpful, letting me see all possible combinations as often as necessary to decide (and that was not an easy choice, believe me!) Soft and light and warm, yummy!. There are buttons and button holes on both ends of the scarf, so that it can be worn as a poncho, a jacket, a scarf. You'll see better when it is finished.

I hope that Irene (I mean the storm, not my friend) will leave you unharmed (I mean, those of you on the east coast). Take good care, and let us know you are OK as soon as you can...

Lunck kit, part two

2011-08-18T18:13:00.002+02:00

Do you remember the lunch kit I made for Emilie a while ago? You can see it here: http://aufildujardin.blogspot.com/2011/06/lunch-kit.html She uses it not only to bring her lunch to work, but also when hiking with her boyfriend. That's were my troubles begin: her boyfriend was upset because there was only one place mat... Sigh...
As you can imagine, I was quite happy to make a second one, but I did not take notes, and Emilie forgot to send me the dimensions.
This afternoon, I started counting the stripes to find out the length... Then I checked whether I still had enough fabric left, and, oh joy, I still could see the shapes I cut for the first place mat. Yeah! And I had enough fabric left!
Here is the second one, finished.

I called the workshop about my PC. It is ready. Now the question is: when can the man deliver it? If you have read "a year in Provence" you know that it may take some time...

Rosemary has commented about the entrance. I do agree, it must me nice, not depressing. But I have a love/hate relationship with my house (it is a divorce house). My love for it grows as I revamp it to my taste. I started it about five years ago, by having a new front door installed. Since I prefer avoiding credits, and prefer travels to hard works, revamping is not going fast. But once a room has been done, I love it. This entrance won't be something special. There is only room to open the doors, and for a cupboard. No windows. But at least, it will be clean and as light catching as possible. And I did not imagine I would enjoy that work that much...

Wallpaper ...

2011-08-18T08:36:00.001+02:00

Hello everybody,

I'm still enjoying my vacations. For the moment, I' m home on my own, Emilie took my car to go camping for a few days. On my own is not the exact truth, her cat has joined mine for a few days too:

This is her favorite place and quilt. Whenever she can, she sleeps on it.

On Monday, I was considering my options: xstitch, secret project, vegging on the couch watching stupid TV, ... And then a pulsion: how about revamping the entrance? It needs a revamping, really. It depresses me everytime I go home. What about the heat? I decided to give it a try, I could stop if it was too hot. In fact, the weather was perfect: the front door in on the North, so this part of the house is always cooler. Besides, there was only a mild wind, that let me keep both the front door and the living room door open, so, despite the steam I was quite comfortable. I spent two whole days ripping the wallpaper and washing the walls. There is not a big surface, but the wallpaper was a tough one! I'm very pleased with myself. Now, I'll head to the DIY shop to see what my next step will be. I only know it won't be wallpaper, but some kind of paint, preferably in the white range, since the lack of windows makes it so dark. And first of all, I need to smooth the walls. I'm sure it won't be finished before I go back to work, but the hardest part will be done.

Oh, and by the end of the week, both daugthers should be there, with their boyfriends. That would be the first time in ages that Amandine would be home for her birthday! ... If she does not change her plans... I'm quite excited.

I hope your week is as pleasant as mine. Take care!

Renegade Quilter giveaway

2011-08-15T08:00:00.000+02:00

The Renegade Quilter has a blog well worth a visit.
As she hasvnow reached aver 100 followers, The Renegade Quilter has a lovely giveaway. Click on the link and enter!

UFO hunting

2011-08-12T08:38:00.001+02:00

Hello to all!
I'm glad you liked the lunch box. I'm sure Debbie is glad too: let's not forget the pattern is hers.

Vacations are ideal to complete WIP, aren't they?
The Japanese dolls are just finished. I made a very simpe quilting, just quilting in the seams of the appliques.

My PC is out of order again, it just can't find Windows... We tried anything, even my ex-husband came to try and repair it. We started re-installing Windows, but we were requested a key that only the seller has... So the PC is at the seller's again... Sigh...

The good news is that summer seems to be here, at last. Probably not for long though... August 15th always come with several days of rain and thunder. However, we enjoyed two nice days in a row. Emilie who arrived on Tuesday from the cold and wet Paris is thrilled.

Time to go and feed birds and cats! Have a nice day!

Vacations and lunch bags

2011-08-08T11:30:00.000+02:00

Hello to all! How good it feels to be home on a Monday, even though the weather doesn't look like summer... But really, I don't mind: the temperatures are nice.

While purchasing a fabrics the other day, I was told I could choose some free fabrics too. So I came home with some hearty fabric, and its matching strippy one, without any project in mind. They were just pretty.

You may also know that I like bento boxes. When I saw this book Lunch Bags on Amazon, I just had to have it. It features 25 projects related with taking lunch away from home, by several quilters. You'll find lunch bags for kids, but mostly for adults, and some smaller projects like sandwich wraps. I would not say it is a must have book, but it is nice to have.

Here is my version of one of them, proposed by Debbie Hogan. You can find her here and here

There is a drink pouch on the back, a pocket inside, for an ice pack, it is the perfect size (7"x10"x31/2") for my three levels bentobox. And there is still room for a fruit, fork and knife, or a dessert.

However, it is the closure/handle pair that I love best.

There might be some more in the future.

Misc

2011-08-03T07:12:00.001+02:00

Hello to all!
Thank you for your wishes regarding my PC, they worked fine, it was fixed within an hour, yeah!
I hope you are all doing well. I miss blogging more, but I'm confindent I'll be more present next week, since I'll be on vacations. Friday won't come too soon.
In the meantime, tae care and enjoy life.

Gordes

2011-07-28T20:39:00.001+02:00

Hello to all,

I know, I'm a bit quiet. First, I don't have much to show, working on a secret project, then I spent last weekend with Amandine and one of her friend. Among other things, we went to Gordes this weekend.

This one of the prettiest village in the South of France, and a fashionable one too. You can find out more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordes

A few miles away, there is an old village of little stone houses. They are called "bories". Until Sunday, I thought a borie was only a shelter for sherpherd, but apparently, they were also houses on their own. In this village, you have dwellings, an oven, shelters for goats, pigs, poultry, food, etc...

Another reason for my silence is the sudden death of my PC. I had to find out how to upload pictures and blog from my Ipad. I don't master it completely yet, ...

I hope you are all well and enjoying life.
Take care!

Long lazy weekend

2011-07-17T18:37:00.000+02:00

It was Bastille day on the 14th, that is our French National Day. I took a day off on Friday, so I enjoyed a long weekend.

Bastille day, and the day my grand-nephew was born. As his Austrian father put it, that baby is a true Frenchy:-) and a big baby too, 4.600kg ...

The first two days have been very windy, forbidding fireworks wherever there was a danger of bush fires. The temperature dropped a little, which is fine with me. The wind made the cats very nervous. Billy, the shy feral cat, wanted to play and snuggle with Osiris. But she did her Drama Queen act, hissed, groaned and run away all the time. After two days, they were all exhausted. Billy reverted to plan B. And came to snuggle with me for the first time in daylight. The red strips are my leg... Not bad for a shy cat...

Osiris relaxing

Choupette helping on some patch project. She wanted to nap on the patches, or near the iron. I disagreed, so she made the project bag hers... I'm surprised she did not try the purple box...

Now is that time again: time to prepare the clothes and food for Monday. I confess I'm not thrilled...
I hope you are, and that you'll enjoy the coming week.
Take care!

Leviathan - Anish Kapoor

2011-07-05T18:56:00.000+02:00

Hello to all,

Thank you for your comments. George, I'm sure you would look great in a sweater, modeling on steps.
Honey, I guess it would take some time to make you a sweater too. But didn't I see you in jammies?

Right now, I've put my knitting needles away, and I'm quilting the Japanese dolls quilt. No fancy quilting, just quilting in the ditch. I needed some quilting needles, and ended buying Black Bold Needles by Clover. I swear they make a difference. I must check if there are other kinds of Black Gold Needles... but I digress.

I almost forgot to tell you about the Leviathan by Anish Kapoor, exhibited in the Grand Palais in Paris. I like this building very much, with this glass roof, and its size. So I was a bit curious to see that sculpture made specifically for the building.

First, you go into the sculpture:

It is a strange feeling. There is some pressure to keep it inflated, the light is red, as you can see, it is hot and moist, and I don't think anybody can see to the end of those tunnels (I'm not a good judge for that since I'm vertically compressed, as someone told me once). The shadows are quite amazing, showing the iron structure of the roof through the red skin.
Then you leave this space and enter the big hall of the Grand Palais. It is somehow a relief to be back in the fresh air :-). But this strange thing has taken possession of almost all the space. I could not get one picture of the whole.

Have you seen how perfect the reflection of the iron is. Good quality surface...

You can learn more here.

I found the whole a bit frightening... What do you think?

PS: I don't know if Blogger is playing tricks and dating Amandine's last post back in January, or if she did actually post in January, and Blogger told me this morning only. Anyway, you can see her top list pictures of her trip on her blog. Perfect if you need a break :-)

Take care!

Misc

2011-06-26T17:40:00.001+02:00

Hello to all!

The sarong skirt and top have been received, and she likes them.
The bento kit has been received, and she likes it too.
My blog had the visits from two and four-leggers who left such nice comments.
Life is good... :-)

Here is what should be the last baby item for some time (but who knows). It can be worn either with the buttons in the front or in the back, depending of the mother's mood.

Summer is here. The sun and the heat are here too.
I saw this post by Vicki, of Field Trips in Fiber. And I had to give it a try:

It is a rather quick project. Note the "rather" because it requires a little care, but it is really fun, may be just because of that. Anyway, if you don't know Vicki's blog yet, do pay her a visit. She is a great fiber artist, as well as a bird watcher.

This a a three-days weekend again, I love those weekends, one day to rest, two days for fun.
The next one will be even more fun, but more on that later.
Have all a great week and take care!

Rosemary has a giveaway

2011-06-20T19:03:00.000+02:00

Rosemary makes lovely cards and is giving a set away. So do visit her and leave a comment!

Fighting UFO

2011-06-20T18:11:00.001+02:00

Thank you all for your comments on the bento kit. I hope my daughter will like it too! it was fun to make.
Now I just need to make one for me...
Have you noticed that I have many doggies visitors? They are most welcome. Visiting their blog is my way of coping with not having one dog...

Nothing much to share this week.
Windows has updated my PC this weekend, with the result that it was almost impossible to start any program on it. Especially if it implied going on the web. By luck I still had a working backup and lost nothing. But it took me quite a few hours to sort. Arghhh.
I was a bit nervous as I saw that Windows was installing some updates again, but this time, they worked fine. Relief!

No more UFO, that's the mood I'm in.
Technically, this was not an UFO, since the baby is not yet here. Officially, still one month to go. But those items have been on my table for several weeks, and it was time that they were put away.
A last picture before going to the post office.

I'm working on a jacket for another baby. Then I'll start quilting the Japanese dolls.
It is always a pleasure to see an item disappearing from the to do list :-)

Another reason that I don't have much to show is that I'm reading a wonderful book. I open it whenever I can, like I do with a novel or a thriller. I needed a sewing techniques book, but which one?
Erica of Erica B'S - DIY Style made a review of Couture Sewing Techniques , by Claire B. Shaeffer.
I'm very impressed by Erica's work, its high quality and style. Since her review on the book was very good, I decided to buy it.
Not only I'm glad I did, but I highly recommend it.
First, this is not about sewing, this is about couture, explained to the average seamstress.
Secondly, it is well written. Did I mention I find myself reading it from beginning to end, just as I would do with a thriller?
It is really a pleasure, and it is full of good techniques. The explanations are easy to understand. I mean, they are precise, with drawings. I read the words, look at the drawing, and I understand what they mean. This is not always the case with patterns explanations...
I really love that book so I wanted to share it with you. Before leaving you and jumping back to my couch and my book :-)

Lunch kit

2011-06-12T17:34:00.000+02:00

I'm converting my daughters to the bento box pleasure.
Daughter #1 chose one picnic bento box, that is a rather large one, because she loves salad for her lunch.
So I thought she could need a lunch kit.

Thanks to the knots on the side, the bag can expand as necessary.

I made a little bottle holder, like the ones I saw in Australia.
Both items are interfaced with some insulating material, upcycled from some package I received.

I found the insipiration for the place mat in the Summer 2011 Stitch special issue.
The leaf is in fact a pocket to hold the fork and knive. It can be wrapped around itself.

All items are made with upcycled material from my stash.

Sarong

2011-06-07T17:38:00.000+02:00

Amandine left a sarong with me, for me to sew a wrap skirt, ideally a circle wrap skirt. Since the sarong had a rectangular print, it was not to be. But still, I wanted to make her wrap skirt, preferably with some zest.
I reviewed all my patterns, and I found one by Parfum du Ciel. If you browse (click Feuilleter) the book on Amazon, this is the skirt of page 6. Here is my version:

There were some fabric left, either too much, or not enough. Too much to just put it away, not enough for a sophisticated top. More thinking, and then, I remembered this

I don't know who made it, my grand-mother, my mother, my sister??? While the embroidery is beautiful, the construction is quite simple. And here it is:

Now I only have tiny bits left...

Amandine, you father came to fetch your things a bit too early to take the skirt and the top with him, but I'll mail them to you asap.

Stripped baby

2011-05-24T18:21:00.002+02:00

Yes Lisa, I agree with you, those cats know where they are coming. That is very clear. It looks like a plot. Most of them have a home, even next door. But apparently, the grass is friendlier on my side of the wall :-)
Nikkipolani, this cat has something of Cinderella. He is friendly as long as the night stays. When the sun rises, he becomes shy again. Amazing.
Priscilla, Rosemary, Mac, yes, even in her old age, she knows how to look sweet and cute :-)
Kerri, you may say that you are not lucky with roses (though I doubt that), but what a galore of tulips you have. And lilacs, I always regret they don't bloom all summer long.
To all, thank you for the baby sleeping bag. I think it is going to be a favorite gift from now on.

Speaking of which, spring brings its load of babies. I've knitted a little something for another baby boy this weekend. Quick and fun.

The weather has turn really hot over the weekend, and France is already lacking water.
I've heard some of you have been under storms and tornadoes. I hope you are all safe.

Take care, and have a great week!

Choupette

2011-05-19T17:39:00.000+02:00

Nothing original here, just my old crabby lady in her now favorite activity.
but I liked the way she has her paws. And also how her white patches match.

Life has been a bit hectic for cats in the recent past.
One of my neighbors has got a second, not cat-friendly dog.
Besides, works have been on for one year now at this house, noisy works.
So cats don't go to this garden anymore.
On the other hand, I try to do organics gardening, and I think the cats too love it. More bugs to jump at, grass to hide, etc...
As a consequence, all the cats come and gather in my garden for a nice chat and some napping/sunning.
My own cats are not thrilled. Osiris has even been in a fight, ending at the vet, with a wound at her throat.

On top of that, a nice feral cat thinks this would be a good forever home.
My old ladies are still a bit hesitant.
Osiris tolerates him, barely (she'd love to be a single cat...).
Depending on the day, Choupette welcomes him and teaches him how to train me, or chases him...
He is still shy with me, at least during daylight.
When it is dark, he is no longer afraid, sleeping at my feet, purring and requesting snuggles...
Anyway, he spends more and more time with us, bringing the energy of the youth with him.

More baby stuff

2011-05-19T17:23:00.000+02:00

I don't know how you call this in English...

I made it to match the baby quilt
(the lining is in the same fabric as the border of the baby quilt).
I'll keep the pattern, since it is so easy to make.

I hope you are all well, and enjoying life. Take care!

It is supposed

2011-05-08T12:04:00.000+02:00

to be a rose bush, not a climbing one, at least, it is what the label said. It does not seem to care...

neither do I... unless it grows so much it takes all the width of the path.
This happens twice a year. I either trim it, or move the containers across it.

Thank you for your comments on baby items.
As you can imagine, my sister and I are quite thrilled :-) This little boy will be the first of the next generation.
I know she is knitting and embroidering, while I'm sewing and knitting as well.

baby quilt - top

2011-05-06T17:00:00.000+02:00

This has kept me busy these last two afternoons

Now I'll have to piece a back as well :-)

I like making baby stuff by hand, sewing or knitting.
I have the feeling to give him (yes, I'm expecting a grand-nephew) more than an object. Of course I put a lot of love in every stitch, but also, it makes him part of the chain of life. I give him part of my experience, gathered from many women before me, and one day, he'll give that experience to the next generation.

Potentially addictive...

2011-05-04T10:46:00.000+02:00

I was looking for patterns for babies, and I get there: I Think Sew.
The patterns are lovely, and easy to purchase online. And two days later, here they are:

I still need snaps for the lats two pairs, this why I used a pin on the pictures.
They are great to reduce your stash and to make a last minute gift.
The pattern comes in sizes 1 to 5. I made Size 5, 4 and 1.

Easter lovebirds and chicken

2011-04-25T18:44:00.000+02:00

Look at what the Easter bunny brought from my sister:

In turn, he went back to my sister with this:

Misc

2011-04-24T19:46:00.001+02:00

I hope you are all having a great Easter weekend. I'm enjoying mine, although the weather could be better. I went downtown on Friday night, and it was gloomy. It was raining, windy and cold. Many upset tourists, and even more upset bar tenders. Sigh. Yesterday was as rainy. We had a little sunshine today, but clouds are coming again...

I worked all afternoon yesterday on the skirt by Dona Karan, sewing the lining and trying to attach the skirt to it. Reached a dead-end this morning. I just could not figure what to do next. So I try to unmount what I did yesterday, ruining the lining in the process... sigh... I put the skirt away for the moment. I'll make a new lining and bring it with me when I visit Emilie in June, because the lining must be adjusted to the person before attaching the skirt. And then, I'll re-check all the markings and give it another try. That'll work or that'll go into the bin! In short, so far it is a disaster :-)

But I'm proud to report that the dresses for Amandine do fit. Here is one proof:

Taken last weekend in Barcelona.

Frist strawberry!

2011-04-14T18:05:00.000+02:00

and several others are coming, yummy!

Misc

2011-04-11T19:31:00.000+02:00

Where did the time fly? Two weeks without posting! Well, I've been busy cutting this:

No, it is not a pant for a giant, but the skirt V1202 by Donna Karan. I've started sewing it. So far, so good, but keep fingers crossed that it turns out right. I'm not that confident...

Then, I've been busy with this. Very difficult to get a decent picture of that color :-). It is for my niece's baby, due by mid-July. I wanted something with a vintage look in it. She wants red. I'd always wanted to knit lambwool, so there it is:

And I've been busy with the garden too, and I'm rewarded with these very first roses:

You see my hand, because the rose bush is far taller than me :-)

The weather is already very sunny and hot. And I can't resist the temptation to go and walk in the hill when I reach home at night. Tonight, I saw many Easter bunnies getting ready :-)

This week will be a quick one too, with a trip to Barcelona on Friday night. Can't wait!
In the meantime, have a wonderful week!

V1089

2011-03-28T18:56:00.000+02:00

V1089 is a pattern by Badgley Mischka. Here is my version for Amandine.

It was fun to make, many pieces to sew together, by the pattern is so well done that they fit perfectly together.

It is lined. I've used a light cotton lining, since Amandine will probably face hot summers.

I did some garden cleaning on Saturday. The weather was gorgeous. Then on Sunday, it turned to rain, very wet rain. As I reached home tonight, this I found :-)

Enjoy the week and take care!

Pattern V 1151 by Cinthia Steffe

2011-03-19T19:05:00.000+01:00

The original pattern can be seen here.
My version made for Amandine:

(my dummy is bigger than Amandine...)

This is my added detail to finish the facing and the hem too.
The highlights of this pattern are the visible zipper, and the collar, as well as the slim shape, perfect for a young lady.
It is a pleasure to sew, with the exception of the bottom of the zipper, which I did not completely master. I'm sure their is a trick I did not understand, but the result is good, nevertheless.
The fabric is a stretch jeans, of good quality, which made sewing even more pleasant.

Knitting for a baby

2011-03-13T19:42:00.000+01:00

I've been working on this. I wanted to knit it because of the lace pattern. Where I live, the main supplier of yarn is Phildar, a company that tries to make knitting attractive and easy for new adepts. Which I find very smart. However I regret they do not propose more "advanced" pattern. When I saw this one, I had to make it. When Amandine saw it, she asked to have it for a friend expecting a little girl in late spring. :-)

Now I have to find another pattern, for a boy...

Take all good care, and cherish your blessings.

Busy Weekend

2011-03-06T18:58:00.000+01:00

My two daughters came to visit, and we have been blessed with a sunny weekend:

With some shopping

a tour in Marseille:

a lazy Sunday lunch

You see only two of us since the third one is taking the pictures.

Give away at the Plaid Scottie

2011-03-04T06:30:00.000+01:00

Visit The Plaid Scottie for a nice give away and some pictures of Mardi Gras in New Orleans

dessert

2011-02-24T17:38:00.000+01:00

OK, OK, I'll tell you how I made my dessert!
Heat 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp sugar in a pan, for about 5mn until starting to get brown.
Take away from the heat and drip the slices of pineapple. I had 6 thin slices of fresh pineapple.
Put two slices in each oven dish (individual ones), with a little bit of caramel.
Then I took one sheet of filo, fold in 4, and covered the pineapple with it, sliding the edges of the filo sheet under the pineaplle.
30 mn in the oven, until brown.
Like Neki, I'd be tempted to add a little dab of rum.
The true recipe goes with puff dough (ready made) and they suggest you eat them with some ice cream.

Look at my flap jack plant...

I wonder what happens next. Is it going to die?

Misc

2011-02-20T12:26:00.001+01:00

Hello to all,

Thanks for visiting my blog, it always make my week!
It has been a rather quiet week as far as textile is concerned. I'm a bit overloaded with work and a bit lazy when I come home. Besides, I decided this week was a "me" week, with an appointment for a manicure, another with the hair dresser. And since I was getting obsessed with my work, I have decided to go and see a movie once a week, whatever they are playing, just to change my mind.
This week, I went to see Holy Rollers. In French "Jewish Connection" (yes, the French title is in English), certainly in relation with "French Connection" :-). Amazing to see that a loving and caring family, a good education are not enough to keep a young man in the right path.
Yesterday, the weather was nice, blue sky and mild temperatures, ideal to go on with gardening. I'm still into cleaning, it is a bit boring and tiring, but I know I'll be glad to have done it. And it starts to show. I even found a small almond tree I did not plant, that was developing under the wicked rose. It is blooming right now, as if it was happy I have freed him from the wicked rose. And look at the dwarf jonquils.

Sunday is the day when I do most of the cooking for the week. I'm a weight watcher and love my food. So I try to make it fun and keep it light. My dessert for today will be a pineapple tatin, made from fresh pineapple, dropped in sugar/butter caramel, and filo dough. They look good, don't they? Let's hope they taste the same.

I wish you all a good week take care!

Giveaway at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

2011-02-20T10:13:00.000+01:00

Go and visit Confessions of a Fabric Addict who is giving away two patterns of Chasing Cottons. I'm sure you'll enjoy both visits.

Spring?

2011-02-13T17:52:00.000+01:00

Thank you ladies for your comments. I'm always so happy to read them.
Nikkipolani, the embroidered part is about 15cmx15cm.

Magpie and Sarah, I'm glad you liked The King's Speech too.
This week, I went to see Black Swan. Another atmosphere indeed...

The weather has been nice yesterday again. I did a lot of cleaning. Now I have to get rid of the wastes. Among them, a wicked, mean, running rose. With stem several meters long. And since I don't have a direct access from most of my garden to the street, without going though my house, I'm not that thrilled. Let's hope the weather remains my friend, and I can use the chopper next weekend. And take my revenge on that rose (for the moment, my arms and fingers are rather bloody...).

To end on a nicer note:

Viola odorata, they seem to like the front garden and welcome me with their scent.

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora. This is the first time I have one, and find it so funny.

I wish you a wondeful week!

Blooming!

2011-02-09T06:14:00.000+01:00

Here it is!

In fact, it is finished since Thursday night, but the weather was gorgeous this weekend, and I did a lot of cleaning in the garden. Then it was time to go back to work...
Just like now, by the way.
Take care and have a wonderful week.

PS: if you can, go and see The King's Speech...

Roses not yet fully in bloom

2011-02-02T20:46:00.000+01:00

but they will soon be!

This weekend I had hopes to finish it, but well, I had a book to finish too...
And a scarf to finish too.
I'd love to work on the last rows tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

Thank you for your comments on the mittens. Amandine told me to keep them for her, until her next visit. I don't know how cold it is in Spain, but here, it is cold again. And in the North of France, even more. But nothing to compare with the snow some of you are experiencing right now, nor with the cyclone hitting Australia! My thoughts go to all of you under bad weather.
Take good care!

Roses are Blooming, ctd

2011-01-24T18:47:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone!

So, after a beautiful hot weekend, we are back to freezing temperatures. -8°C this morning. Brrrrrr!
Fifiquilter, if you are coming in May, you should have nice temperatures. I'd say it is the ideal month to visit.

The weekend has been quite.
The mittens are finished:

The rosettes are finished too:
Now it is the turn of the center. While I was reading the instructions this morning, I'm wondering if I'm sane... This is going to be quite a job...

I hope you will all have a nice week.
Take good care!

Roses are Blooming, ctd

2011-01-17T18:47:00.000+01:00

The week went by like a dream, and the weekend even more. After several weeks of not so good weather, we had a hot and sunny weekend.
I spent Saturday in the garden, doing some weeding. The cats were happy to share the outdoor, but we were all tired at the end of the day:

Earlier in the week, I managed to do this. I hope I'll finish the second one before the weekend, since the forecast says the temperatures are dropping again. However, it is not a big deal if they are not finished, after all, the recipient is away, enjoying herself in Barcelona :-)

Sundays are "ME" day. And I wanted to work on the roses. I'm glad all the threads of the outer border are cut. Next step: making the rosettes of the outer border! That will be fun!

I hope you had a nice Monday, and that your week will be a great one! Take care!

Misc

2011-01-11T18:13:00.000+01:00

Hello to all,

I had hoped to take a picture of the roses this weekend, but I was not far enough to do so. I'm sure I'll have some progress to report next weekend. I've started cutting the threads, and I like it.

Priscilla, thank you for the compliment. Rosie is such a nice young lady :-)

Iowa Gardening Woman, the roses are bullion stitches. They are always spectacular.
Thank you neki for your support.
Sarah, it is true that bullion stitches are not used much right now. It is a pity, because they are not difficult, and look so glorious. It is almost cheating ;-)

Magpie and Lisa, if you have a good pair of sharp scissors, it is rather easy. But I agree I have counted my threads more than once :-)

If you like embroidery, go and visit Sharon B. One day I decided to do some embroidery, after all I'd learnt some at school. I soon realized I had no idea of what embroidery is. So I made some research. At the end, I've learnt most basics from Sharon, either from her website, or from her on-line courses. You can enroll at Joggles.Believe me, you won't regret it. Sharon is very generous and shares a lot on her website too.

Giveaway at from other blogs

2011-01-08T08:52:00.000+01:00

The plaid scottie celebrates 10 000 hits with a giveaway.
The Renegade Quilter celebrates her bloganniversary with a giveaway.

Roses are Blooming, ctd

2011-01-05T18:42:00.000+01:00

If I'd ever needed motivation for this project, you are all giving me some with your kind comments! Thanks to you all!

The roses are done.

I've even started cutting the threads, but as they say in Stitch, you need to relax and concentrate on the work, so I don't think I'll be able to cut some more before next weekend. :-)

Giveaway at Fabric Fascination

2011-01-03T15:29:00.000+01:00

Kimbuktu organizes giveaways during the whole month of January...

Finished and In Work

2011-01-02T11:38:00.000+01:00

After several gray days, the sun is back, and I can make a decent picture:

In the meantime, a project from Stitch insisted to be done. It is Roses are Blooming.
Here it is so far:

Let's hope I've counted the threads right... I have to make the roses bloom before cutting any thread, but I just can't wait :-)

2011-01-01T11:30:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year to all of you !

Full of health and happiness...

For a good start, go and visit a brand new blog:

Creative Women of a Certain Age

when I say brand new, I mean it, it has just started.

Camden Stables Market

2010-12-28T10:48:00.000+01:00

We spent a lovely time in Camden, especially in the Stables Market.

You can read more here.

If I were living in London, I think I'd go in Camden quite often. The shops are very inspiring, and the people were friendly. The snow added a touch of magic. And so did the horses. See by yourselves:

2010-12-25T13:03:00.002+01:00

Merry Christmas to all of you!

London, the fun part 1

2010-12-23T17:49:00.000+01:00

The trip to London was far from bad, on the whole.
And I still consider we were very lucky to come home so quickly.

I met Amandine at the airport, and Emilie met us at Saint Pancras, since she took the Eurostar to come from Paris. Aren't they lovely?

It was already cold, and snowy. But in fact, I loved that, I miss the bad weather of the North of France, as weird as it can sound :-)

Our main problem on that day was to find a place for lunch. We saw several nice pubs, but they were all holding corporate XMas parties! But at the end, we found one table.

Look what I found in Carnaby Street! You can't see them, but they have heels.

Frankly, I could not resist those either (but I did not buy the matching bag due to Ryanair luggage restrictions... sigh...)

I think it is Picadilly Circus, not sure though...

We made the most of our first day. Our hotel was at Saint Pancras, just across the road, in Argyle Square. Very nice and cosy, and warm. Amandine and I felt asleep before our head touched the pillow :-) Emilie lasted a bit longer.

My horoscope said

2010-12-21T20:33:00.000+01:00

You may decide that this is the perfect day to spend hibernating -- all cuddled up with a good friend or a sweetheart. Well, why not? Rent some videos, cook some comfort food and make the world go away. You've certainly earned it.

That is what we did on Saturday. Kind of...
This is Amandine, my daughter coming home from a 13-months trip in Australia and Asia. I went to London to welcome her, and bring her a coat and shoes.

This is me. Cuddled...

Yes, this is the floor, the floor of Stansted airport from where we were supposed to fly home that evening.
The good part is that it was nicely warm in the airport, with no video, but live show all the night through.

We were lucky, with the help of Amandine's father, we managed to climb into a Eurostar to Paris. I was rather eager to see the tunnel but I did not. I don't know why. Amandine thinks this is the reason why...

To make a long story short, it took us two days instead of two hours to reach home. And I think we did it in good conditions. And quickly...

Let's brag...

2010-12-16T18:59:00.000+01:00

This is the time of year when the company gathers to share all their achievements.

This always starts by honoring the long-time employees. I was one of those. Here is my diploma by the French Ministry of Work, with my medal, and the flowers I received. Add two kisses on the cheeks by the big boss, and some nice vouchers to spend on Hight-tech or videos.

A Fine Romance

2010-12-13T19:13:00.001+01:00

Your comments on the doll have been very appreciated. Thank you!

Although the snow did not reach my place, this has been a cold weekend. I was almost ready to go for a walk, though, when I heard the hunters shooting, so I decided to stay home instead.

I had received the Dec 2012/Jan 2011 issue of Stitch, and found this nice little project by Janet Humphrey.

It was fun finding the right laces for the background, and the matching beads or sequins. And preparing a nice cup of tea, for me to drink and for the Noel motif to dye.

No dyeing for this one.

Below the grumpy heart-shaped cat, you can see an example of the original project.

This look means "Stop playing on Internet, woman, go to the kitchen and fill my plate!"

I wish you all a good week. Take care!

Cloth dolls

2010-12-07T19:15:00.000+01:00

I had hoped to take pictures in the natural light, but that was not to be, too much rain.

I think I found the pattern in Quilting Arts, Xmas special issue.

They are fun to make, and can be made from tiny bits of fabrics.

Frost

2010-12-03T16:00:00.000+01:00

As I was driving home yesterday, I heard the night was going to be really cold.
Yes indeed. It is rare to see the garden all white, but this is the second time this week.

Choupette's answer to the frozen birds bath:

Osiris's answer to the cold outside

and this is the update from the amaryllis.

Keep all warm for the weekend!

Amaryllis and WIP

2010-12-01T17:56:00.000+01:00

Its been a long time since I found the time to blog in the middle of the week, isn't it?
The amaryllis deserve this post: Look at them.
I know the leaves usually come after the stems, but it is the first time the stems and flowers are so developped, without any leaf at all. Besides, the one on the right has 3 stems. But I won't complain about that!

Not only did I find the time to blog, but even to do some applique:

I hope your week is as good as mine. Take care.

Wrapping gift

2010-11-28T16:01:00.000+01:00

As usual, you made my week great by visiting and leaving a comment. Thank you all!

Again, the week went by very quickly.
We are under a wave of cold, almost all France is under snow, and we have rain and low temperature. The perfect weather to stay in my sewing room.

I recently revamped this sewing room. Not only is it looking nicer and bigger, but I'm also more stash-conscious.

With Xmas in a few weeks, I'm facing a recurrent problem: I'm not good at wrapping gifts, sigh...
As I said above, I've had a good look at my stash, and at those lovely bits just waiting the opportunity to step into the light. There are even orphan blocks waiting for their day. So I decided to try another method: bags.
I made them very simple, raw edges, quick seams, and here they are:

Now is the time for a nice cup of hot cocoa!

I wish you a very good week! Take care!

Amaryllis

2010-11-28T15:41:00.001+01:00

They don't have leaves, but surely they will bloom. Two buds on one, three on the second!

Sunday

2010-11-21T18:35:00.000+01:00

Hello to all!
It has been a 3-days weekend, since I had some overtime to convert into free time. I was lucky on Friday, the weather was gorgeous and I went for a walk in the hill:

A bright blue sky over a still green hill, with almond, fig and olive trees

Eh wait, those are supposed to bloom in spring!

Red Valerian found in the hill

and spent the rest of the day gardening.
Yesterday was completely different, heavy with rain, and today was a mix of the two. This did not upset me since I wanted to play with needles. Indeed, when I saw Etta's Santa in Quiltmania by Sandy Gervais, I just wanted to make my own. And here it is:

Naive Santa appliqued on a dark background, with destructured house

I saw another Santa by Sandy Gervais in the winter issue of Quiltmania, I'm just as eager to make it...sigh...

Let's get prepared for the coming week. I hope yours will be good.

Long weekend

2010-11-14T09:32:00.000+01:00

Thank you all for your comments on my last two posts.

Regarding the photo book, if you are tempted to make one, don't hesitate. I'm sure you can find one company near your place, and they are really fun to do. I have my pictures showing on my PC as a screen saver, so I can enjoy them without printing them. But I also like the book, it has a "heirloom" feel...

Regarding the scarves, Emilie was glad to receive her, but even glader that the weather here did not allow her to try it yet :-) But, I'm sure she'll enjoy it once she is back in Paris tonight... For those interested, they are easy to make. You knit a long scarf (about 6 feet), fold it in two, and make a seam from the fold, for about 1 foot. It is that easy.

You may remember I won a charm pack from Confessions of a Fabric Addict? It arrived safely at the end of the week. Aren't those fabrics gorgeous? Now I need to find a project, not necessarily for this XMas, though...

It was a long weekend in France, so I had the pleasure to have Emilie with me, and as usual, we went for a shopping day to Marseille. Then she went to see some friends of her. And I went on with my Xmas sewing:

This is a gardening set.
I still have a few stitches to make, but the sky is getting dark, and it was my last chance to get a decent picture!

Let me finish with a give away notice, at Live a Colorful Life.

Progress of the week

2010-11-10T06:10:00.000+01:00

Last week, I've been working on the jeans appliqué. I'm out of my zone of comfort regarding colors, but I think I like them.

and finished those two hooded scarves. Just in time for the cold...

Take care!

CEWE - livre photo - photo book

2010-11-07T11:36:00.000+01:00

For once, this post is meant to my French friends...
I've had the opportunity to test a photo book, and here is a report about this test.
I was not paid to make this test, I was only given a voucher to pay for the cost of the book and the postage.

Pour une fois, un billet plutôt destiné à mes amis français.
Un peu par hasard, j'ai eu l'occasion de tester le livre photo CEWE http://www.livrephoto-cewe.fr/ pour le compte de TRND http://www.trnd.com.
TRND pratique le marketing participatif, via des tests et aussi un blog qui annonce des nouveautés diverses et variées.
Pour le test du livre photo CEWE, j'ai reçu un bon couvrant les frais de fabrication du livre et les frais de ports, pas d'autre rémunération, et je n'ai pas d'intérêt particulier à vous faire acheter ce livre photo plutôt qu'un autre.

En revanche, si l'expérience vous intéresse, je peux répondre à vos questions, et j'ai quelques bons de réduction à distribuer (dans la limite du stock disponible, bien sûr) . N'hésitez pas à me contacter!

Le livre photo CEWE présente plusieurs avantages:

disponibilité sur plusieurs enseignes, soit par Internet, soit par des magasins tels que Super U, FNAC, etc, ce qui permet de le commander de chez soi, ou en "vrai", sans passez ses coordonnées bancaires sur internet, par exemple.
plusieurs possibilités de livraisons, retrait dans les enseignes, ou livraison par la poste.
on télécharge le logiciel sur son ordinateur, ce qui est à mon avis le plus pratique : cela permet un accès facile aux photos. (Bon, c'est vrai, j'ai essayé aussi d'autres marques, dont une qui propose l'inverse: on télécharge les photos sur le site, et on utilise le logiciel sur le site. C'est galère quand on s'aperçoit qu'on a oublié de télécharger une photo.) Ici, c'est facile, les répertoires photos apparaissent sur la gauche, et on navigue facilement de l'un à l'autre.
Les photos utilisées sont repérées par un petit sigle, bien pratique.
Toujours sur la gauche se trouvent les outils de mise en page, habillage, etc. Tout se fait à la souris, c'est facile, clair et rapide.
Les mises en pages sont bien pensées, les plus fantaisistes ne le sont pas trop.On peut mélanger texte et photo.
La navigation d'une page à l'autre est rapide.
On peut même sélectionner un nombre de photos, choisir un nombre de pages, et laisser le logiciel faire la mise en page tout seul.
Bon choix de fond de page.
Bref, facile et agréable d'emploi.

On peut sauvegarder le projet en cours et le reprendre quand on veut.
Passer commande est facile également. J'ai choisi de le faire directement par internet, mais on peut aussi graver un cd et l'amener en magasin. Par internet, la transmission des images a été rapide.
Le suivi de commande est bon, accusé de réception de la commande, avertissement de l'expédition du livre, emballage discret et parfait.

Et voici le résultat quelques jours plus tard:

A noter qu'il existe plusieurs formats avec plusieurs options chacun, de quoi satisfaire tout le monde!

Am I developping a new addiction?...

2010-11-01T18:42:00.002+01:00

This has been a long weekend, with Friday afternoon off, and Monday a holiday.

On Friday, I had a quick lunch at home, and rushed to enjoy a long walk in the hunter-free hill, under a beautiful sun. Then I made myself and Choupette comfortable in the couch, with a nice tea pot, and woke up two hours later (I had not slept too well during the week...).
As promised, the weather changed to gloomy and rainy on Satturday. I mangaged to walk to the market, and to have a short walk on Sunday, eagerly waiting for the weather improvement forecast for today. Only to find that it was still raining... And I, the couch potatoe, decided to ignore the rain, took my umbrella and switched my Ipod to an album by the Wolfe Tones, and went for another long walk early in the morning. The Irish songs matched the wet and green hill perfectly. The landscape did feel very Irish, indeed.
Clearly, this walking thing is become addictive :-)
At some point, I saw a blue dot in the sky, but it did not last, and rain prevailed for the rest of the day. Perfect to do some applique, comfortable in the couch, with Choupette on my lap, watching Jurassic Park, with the teapot nearby.
I took some pictures with my phone, but eek, are they ugly! I've deleted them right away.

On the whole, it was a good weekend, I did some gardening, mounted the embroidered XMas postcard, prepared the Kokeshi quilt sandwich, and started the applique on the next quilt. And I read Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane.

I must remember that they are working on the heating at the office this week, so it will be moist and cold. Argh.

I hope that you had as nice a weekend as I did, and that your week will be a good one.

I'm a winner!

2010-10-29T19:31:00.000+02:00

Yes ladies, I'm a winner.
Sarah of Confessions of a Fabric Addict had a giveaway for her birthday, and I'm one of the winners. Her little elf picked my number :-)

Doesn't this pack look fabulous?

You may remember I did not know what to do for the back of my Kokeshi, and Sarah helped me answers my questions.

Go and visit her blog, the quilts she makes are beautiful and full of energy. Her elf helps quite a lot too :-) The next generation is full of promise, believe me.

Red weekend!

2010-10-24T20:26:00.001+02:00

Hello to all!
Although I've been busy this week, I don't have pictures of my work to show you.

At the beginning of the week, the weather was windy, but still nice for a walk. And I learnt that hunters are not allowed on the hill on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So I walked on Monday and Wednesday, over 90 mn each day, meaning I did not have much time left for textiles. On Friday, I walked too, but to do some errands. Hard to believe there were so many people doing just the same! I saw they were hanging the XMas lights in the streets (I like XMas lights, even though I think it is a bit early...)

On the other evenings, I cut the appliqué pieces, and prepared them yesterday. I've learnt a few things from the Kokeshi appliqué, regarding needle turn, and I think the quality of this appliqué will be better. For the moment, they are little pieces of fabrics waiting in a box. I'm glad I did all the preparation, I "just" have to position them and sew them.

I've been selected to test a photo book software on Internet. So I've been sorting pictures, and have started building my book today. For those who are interested, this is a photo book proposed by cewe. My subject for this book: the apples of my eyes, aka my daughters! So far, the creation of the book is fun, the page layouts are nice, with a good choice re the number of photos and their positions and sizes.

You may ask "why is the title of this post Red Weekend?" Because this is the opportunity to report of the event that took place two weeks ago in our little village. One of the main street was red:

This is an older fire rescue truck, announcing the annual gathering of the local firemen

This one is old, with a showel attached in front:

old Jeep, with showels and spare wheel attached wherever possible

again rather old truck, very short one, probably to go in the forests

modern SUV, with a snow device in front

a boat, with a fan, just like in the Everglades

a kind of golf car

small truck with trailer and caterpillars

group photo, the red trucks with the green hill in the background

This one is not of a local fire truck. It was taken in Alice Spring, and is part of a large truck. Unfortunately, I could not take a good picture of the whole. But I was very impressed by all the plugs.

A little part of an Australian fire truck, with many plugs of all sizes and counters.

Fire rescue is important everywhere. I think we live in a very exposed area, with a large population, therefore a lot of traffic by road, rail or air, many high-risk industries, tourism entailing sea and mountain accidents, and wild fires. This weekend was for "traditional" firemen, but the fire rescue airplanes are also based at the local airport.

Let's hope we don't need to call them!

In the meantime, take care, and enjoy the week ahead.

PS: Becky from Cruisin' with Criket mentions she finds captions useful when reading blogs. So I've tried to add some, and will try not to forget in the future. Maybe you will like to do the same. I found the menu "add caption" by right-clicking the picture.

Autumn is here...

2010-10-17T11:23:00.002+02:00

It is official: I've put my summer clothes away and have retrieved the winter ones from the cabinet... There won't be any heating in my office before November 5th... that is, if the men can fix it as scheduled...

Anyway, there are other signs Autumn is here: I'm preparing myself for the hibernation.
I have a hudge stash of yarns from my mother, and a nice way to reduce it is to crochet an afghan. For this year, I found a CAL at Bernat. With my yarns, it will be a bit smaller, but I don't mind, I enjoy the crocheting.

I did not find the time to purchase the batting for the Kokeshi, but have great hopes I will this week. At the same time I found the Kokeshi patterns, I was attracted by this one, the red one at the bottom left (click on the image to have a better view). It is by Helen Stubbings. I was given some pairs of jeans to be recycled, and they just screamed to be part of this quilt! I've been cutting them last week, and piecing them yesterday and the day before.

I found some more fabrics in my stash to do the appliqué. Hopefully I'll have enough...

I also continued the Stitch embroidery

The small trees were fun, the star at the top right was less fun, all my fault. The vertical and horizontal branches were easy, but I had a hard time figuring out how to do the other ones. After struggling with them, and finishing them, I turned the page of the magazine to find the grid on the other side...

I wish you all a nice week. Take care!

Kokeshi, thank you!

2010-10-12T19:17:00.000+02:00

Thank you all for your kind comments, it is such a pleasure to read you!

Vicki, a compliment from you is always welcome! Somehow, you are part of this quilt: I've got a lot of inspiration from visiting your blog, and the links you share with us.
Merci Laurence et Solange. C'était un plaisir d'assembler ce quilt, les couleurs gagnaient en intensité au fil du montage. Devant ou au dos, d'ailleurs.
Sarah, thank you again for your help!
Lisa, those fabrics are so versatile! And flowers are always a hit.

Kerri, you are right, this season is beautiful and very enjoyable. Sorry that you have had your first frost. It is not yet here, but it could change all of sudden...
Thank you Priscilla, Neki and Rosemary!

PS: while I'm trying to write, there is a cat between me and the computer, trying to drink from my glass. Which is totally impossible due to the size of the glass and my disapproval, but still...

I hope you are all well and enjoying a good day.
Take care!

Kokeshi - borders and back

2010-10-09T15:26:00.000+02:00

Thank you for the comments on the embroidery! Once I was started, it was easy to go on and quite enjoyable. I think I'll do some more tomorrow.

In the meantime, I found the time to add borders to the Kokeshi. I try to cut borders before anything else, but I forgot this time. Of course, I ended with little fabric left, so I add to do come computation and sewing to add those borders. And an error while cutting was not an option, believe me! But here it is.

I mentioned I was tempted by a pieced back. I still had some doubts, but a visit to Stash Manicure, and the kind answer of Sarah, of Confessions of a Fabric Addict to my question convinced me that a pieced back was what I needed and wanted to do. I had earned me a free Friday afternoon and was very motivated. I've used the floral leftovers from the front, together with a pale lavender leftover from a previous quilt. And here it is.

Money saved for a future quilt, and a stash manincure. Isn't it great? I even have quilting thread left from the same pale lavender quilt... Now I need to purchase some batting and find the time to quilt, but that is another story.

I was very motivated indeed: I went to my sewing room at 3 pm, it was almost 8 pm when I reached to my patchwork bag to put my finished work away. Suprise: the bag moved. A very bored cat had found herself a nice place to sleep...Note, this is not the one from last week.

Quiet weekend

2010-10-03T20:13:00.000+02:00

Hello to all!

Thank you all for your kind comments on the Kokeshi. If you like it, this is a pattern by Susan Claire, and she has some more!

My plan for the weekend was to continue piecing the this quilt, and starting the back too. But... the temperatures went down suddenly, and my office at work is gray and cold. On Satturday, the weather was gorgeous, and I wznt for a tour in my garden. Started to pull some weeds, and then, fetched the shredder and started shredding the weeds. In short, I spent most of the day outside in the sun.

A few days ago, I'd received the new issue of Stitch from the Guild of Embroiderers, full of nice Xmas projects. I started working on one, presented on a dark even fabric. I tried working on a dark blue one, but I needed more light than I can have in the evening. So this morning, I took all my stuff outside. As you can see or hear, it was rather windy. You can imagine that this cat is a good weight, in fact not really. If you look carefully, she is throwing my stuff away...

Until she can sun herself as she likes.

Anyway, even with plenty of light, the fabric did not work, it was not even enough. So I switched to plan B, i.e. to a white, even fabric, and then, I had fun. The fabric looks blueish because I took the picture at the end of the afternoon. In fact, it is really white, with a bit of glitter.

They are going to be XMas cards...

I wish you all a nice week. Take care!

Pieceful weekend

2010-09-26T16:04:00.000+02:00

I had finished the appliqued part last weekend, and was a bit nervous about assembling all those blocks. My main concern was the seams. Of course. Until now, I pieced my patchworks with the standard foot, but was not over enthusiastic. In particular, I found it difficult to keep a regular seam allowance. I new that special feet exist, but never bothered to check on my machine. Until yesterday. And yes, I have such a foot. I've used it to overcast seams. It does wonders for overcast. Out of lazyness (not wanting to change the foot), I tried to make a straight point seam with that foot, and it was rather a disaster. So I had doubts about using it for piecing. But I was wrong. It does make piecing easier, with better visibility and better grip of the fabrics. All my seams had the same width, all along, even at the ends.This foot is designed to work at the edges of fabrics, not at a distance over 1/4" inch, that's all. I enjoyed the piecing part and did not encounter the matching problems I usually met. You can imagine that I am a bit more relaxed now.

Now I have to think about further borders. The first interdemiate ones are cut in the green fabric and waiting. I think I'll add some purple and that'll be it. And I have to think of the back. Either make one from my leftovers, or buy a piece of floral fabrics. Not sure yet which way I'll go.

In the meantime, I whish you all a great week!

PS: Go and have a look at Amandine's blog!

ANZAC

2010-09-17T20:07:00.001+02:00

In every town/village in France, there is a memorial to those who died in World Wars. No surprise, since France had been in the middle of the battles.

I was very moved to find as many memorials downunder, some of them quoting names of places familiar to me. So many men, and some women too, left their peaceful homes to fight and often die in Europe. I know they did so because they felt British, but still... They died away from home, away from the ones who loved them, and they suffered to help us. This post is a little "thank you" to them.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The memorials deal with WWI, and Gallipoli. But not only.

Many memorials refer to Gallipoli, but obviously, they went to other places too

The pictures below are from the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.

There are 4,000 medals, each representing 100 Victorians

Statues

2010-09-17T19:29:00.000+02:00

Tulips or Anchors?

Kangaroos

Deer!

If I remember well, dedicated to the first migrants

Commuters

Creepy!

I don't remember what it is

Stargate?

I let this one wish you a wondeful weekend!

Birds met in Australlia

2010-09-13T11:23:00.000+02:00

My favorites, they are so friendly and funny

the sugar thief: this little guy landed on my table, took a bag of sugar from my saucer, made a hole in it with its bill and ate all the sugar inside...

On the street in Alice Spring

At a farm

He was free to go where it wanted but clearly loved a good chat

they too were funny to watch

this guy pooed on my head...

Ibises seem to be a nuisance in Australia, like pigeons for us

Kokeshi - blocks 5 and 6

2010-09-10T17:03:00.000+02:00

Two more blocks:

Only three left...

Alice Spring - comments

2010-09-06T08:43:00.000+02:00

Thanks all for your visit and comments.

Doreen, I planned the whole trip on my own, from France. It took me from early January to the early April. With Internet, and the Lonely Planet guide, it is rather easy. But still, I spent hours comparing flights, searching for the best deals for the trips, etc...
I booked most of the accomodations myself, except when they were included in a tour.
Transportation was done mainly by low cost flights, with one trip on bus from Airlee beach to Cairns, and a tour in minibus from Darwin to Alice Spring.
I booked the boat trip and the tour on Fraser Island through Peterpans Adventure Travels, and the tour from Darwin to Alice Spring from Adventure Tours. Both were very friendly and helpful.
I'm very proud that this travel went smoothly and that we enjoyed it.

Regarding the meats, I had to try them, and I liked them all. Of course, they have their own taste, mainly like beef and duck, but of course not quite.
I put on a couple of lbs while in Australia, I think mainly because we had drinks almost every night, which I don't do at home, and also because portions are hudge. And I love fish&chips, which I don't eat in France. It is a bit hard to get rid of those pounds, but I'll do it, and it was worth it.

I'm not working today, the weather is gorgeous, life is good. I hope it is the same for you!

Alice Spring

2010-09-05T11:54:00.000+02:00

The main street:

It is very quiet, with several art galleries selling aborigene art.

One of the oldest building in Alice Spring, its first hospital,

Dot painting

Chamels played a big role in the construction of the railway. If I remember well, this painting is on the police station wall...

The river. We saw pictures of it after rains, it was full of water.

A meat sampler: chamel, emu, crocodile and kangoroo.

Our hostel was a tiny one, very charming. It is run by one nice man, who wants to make it very friendly. When we arrived, he greeted us by our names (OK, he was expecting us, but still, ...). The hostel has only 14 rooms, and we felt as at grandma's. Our room was in the main building, next to the bathroom that looked exatcly like the one at my parent's, and next to a real family kitchen. All with a 70's look, very cosy. This is the backyard.