Sandra's Corner

Here it is

2011-12-30T11:58:00.002+01:00

Well, folks, here is another big piece of the puzzle.

Like I wrote in my last post, I was walking through a nice area of Leiden with Rune early September when I noticed the house next to the chapel by the cemetary was vacant. You can see the cemetary and the chapel at the top of the photo. The house is right next to the chapel but it's hidden by the trees. I walked to the cemetary office and asked spontaneously if they were looking for a new caretaker, for the cemetary but also for the house.

The answer was short but sweet: "Yes"

I never even blinked and asked where I could apply... Well, to cut a very long story short, my friends, as of March 1st, 2012 I will be the new caretaker of the cemetary for 20 hours per week. The churchcouncil is going to renovate the house, as a matter of fact, they will start next week.

Our old sweet little house is up for sale already, and I have good hopes it will be sold soon.

I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to get more family time and have an income at the same time! I realise I am very lucky, and it is what I wish for all my friends. Happy 2012!

Hurry...

2011-12-21T16:20:00.005+01:00

The dream house is very near this old city gate ...

I've been in a hurry for as long as I can remember. In a hurry to finish school, to move, to get to places.... and you know what? It's not working. I should add that it is not working for ME. For other people perhaps it is fine, but me... no.

Oh I suppose it was -sort of- working when we were still just 'us' but now that Rune is in our life I need to take it slow. It's better for me, but it is also better for the entire family. Again, I am not preaching here, this is how I feel and works best for me :)

Not too long ago I passed along a beautiful place, very close to my house. I will not tell you exactly what place it is just yet. But I realised it was what we needed: a good place to settle this family down, in a good harmonious way.

Keep an eye on this blog, my friends: we are going to sell the house, move to the beautiful place I just mentioned, work less hours and have more family-time. And I just can't tell you HOW MUCH we are looking forward to this!!!

Update on the birth sampler

2011-07-29T17:19:00.002+02:00

Here's a little bit of an update on Rune's birth sampler, I've almost finished the top corner. If you take a look at the original you can see I've used another 'beam' at the top, I think this one is a nice finish but doesn't take away any of the attention from Rune's info.

Leids Hofje

2011-07-15T11:56:00.003+02:00

Many towns in Holland have 'Hofjes': almshouses for the poor. Most were created by the church to support poor parish members, or rich folk leaving the poor housing and food. Leiden has about 14 and here are a few photos of one Hofje very close to my house. Believe it or not, but it's actually called "Rye bread Hofje", because the inhabitants of this Hofje got their rye bread for free!

Rune's birth sampler

2011-07-14T11:38:00.002+02:00

Unemployment is by no means bliss when you look at the financial side of it all, but having more than plenty of time to work on my crafts is great. I finally have enough time to work on Rune's birth sampler!
This is what I have done so far, I really like how it's turning out

Father's day

2011-06-25T14:09:00.003+02:00

June 19th was Father's day over here in the Low Lands and since June 20th is Renz' birthday we had a double party.
Rune and I got up really early to bake Renz a cake. Rune made the decorations herself, with a little help from Mum of course.

For Father's day she made him this bookmark! I made Renz a silly kitchen apron and for his 43rd b-day we bought him some cologne. He's a happy camper as you can see!

Just killing time

2011-04-10T08:22:00.002+02:00

I was a little bored last night. Hubby was away for a meeting and the little one was asleep. And of course there was nothing on TV. So with some thick cotton I made 2 potholders :)

Pattern found and some more mothers

2011-03-18T21:08:00.001+01:00

The search for more mothers is still continuing of course. After Petronella born in 1740 I hit a brick wall, I couldn't find her baptism record nor the name of her mother. I decided to give this project a bit of a rest, and just recently I've started looking again.

The birth year of 1740 wasn't entirely right, it was more likely 1741 or even 1742. Petronella passed away on April 4th 1813 at the age of 72. This makes 1740 an unlikely date, so back to the 'drawing board' as they say. Of course, there is always the possibility she didn't even know herself what her exact age was... but at the moment I'm going to trust the information I found on the death certificate, i.e. the age of 72.

I did find Petronella's parents, who got married on 11 December 1740: Antony Wallon and Regina Heins. So, yayay!!! A new mother can be added to my list: Regina.

Furthermore, a possible mother of Regina could be Cornelia. Given the tons of varieties in lastnames, I found a possible baptism date for Regina in 1709. If Cornelia is indeed her mother, then her wedding date is in 1700. If I can find more on Cornelia, it means I've entered the 17th century!

Okay, so we have 11 names right now, if Regina and Cornelia are indeed ancestors

16?? Cornelia
1709 Regina

I found this fabulous sampler at Moira Blackburn's website, I will use most of it for my mother tree. It's not as boring as the other one :)

A Good Year

2011-02-14T15:37:00.000+01:00

I absolutely adore this movie!
I watched it over a million times when I was at home with a slipped disc after having Rune. And these days it is good to see again how a change in focus can change your life :)

The story is about a British investment broker who inherits his uncle's chateau and vineyard in Provence, where he spent much of his childhood. He discovers a new laid-back lifestyle as he tries to renovate the estate to be sold.

Happy Holidays!!

2010-12-19T19:58:00.004+01:00

Progress on the birth sampler

2010-12-14T14:53:00.002+01:00

After finishing Rune's blanket and her pink cardigan, it's time to finish Rune's birth sampler this winter.
This is what I've done so far and with snow and Christmas around the corner I look forward to working on this again!

Cardigan in action

2010-11-28T20:02:00.003+01:00

Finally, a photo of Rune wearing her bright pink cardigan. She particularly loves the buttons!
With temperatures already being below zero this week, this garment will keep her warm all winter.

Happy Cardigan

2010-09-25T10:21:00.005+02:00

Hello my friends,

Some time has passed and I wanted to tell you about a great website I discovered recently: Drops Design

They have fabulous patterns for free and you can order yarn and needles as well! I noticed this cardigan a while ago and with some happy PINK yarn a friend of mine sent me from the USA I got to work

When I say PINK... I mean PINK!! It's great material for a mini-cardi :)

Daddy Renz bought a few grey onesies and they will fit nicely with this new garment for Her Majesty

Blanket is done!

2010-08-31T10:33:00.003+02:00

Well, my dear friends, I finished this baby blanket for Rune a while ago but I know I owed you the photos! Hereabove you see the blanket finished, the finished knitting that is.

I wanted to give the blanket a nice finish so I embellished it with a crocheted trim. Hey, presto, here it is now!

Heatwave and birth sampler

2010-07-12T14:30:00.005+02:00

Yes, it's true: there is a heatwave in Holland and for that reason I've left my knitting for a bit. A big blanket like Rune's is just too hot to have on your lap to work on in the evenings, when it is still a big 30 degrees Celsius!!!

But since my hands need to have something to do (and you can't bake cake 7 days a week...) I've started on Rune's birth sampler. This was actually going to be one of my 2011 projects but the temperatures have "forced" me to an alternative decision. In truth, the temperatures didn't exactly have to twist my arm.... hehehehe

The sampler you see here, was my starting point. I don't like the Emerson quote, but it's useful to make a nice birth sampler out of it.
This is what I've done so far:

It's a fun project and not very big. Hopefully I can finish it before the year ends.

More blanket

2010-06-25T21:17:00.004+02:00

Now that her name is there, it's time to go back with the pattern and knit a row of hearts again, then green again etc until I finish with the dark blue.
It's fun to do this and hopefully Rune will enjoy this blanket for a long time!

Bob is finished!

2010-06-24T21:14:00.001+02:00

Here she is, folks!

Finished Celtic style sampler

2010-06-15T13:30:00.004+02:00

It's been a while since I finished this one. Ah, you know what it's like when you're busy :)

I've been debating with myself about some decorative border but I've decided to leave it as it is.

Pattern for Bob

2010-06-12T09:52:00.003+02:00

Here's the pattern for the doll, enjoy it!
The arms are easy: cast on 20 stitches, knit 22 rows, cast off

4 more mothers

2010-06-10T11:27:00.007+02:00

Well, I found several more mothers!! It's going fast and I hope to get as many mums as I can find.
The last (or first, depends how you look at it) in the previous Genealogy message was Jantien, born in 1888.

Here are the four that takes the Mother Tree as far back as 1740:
1740 Petronella, mother of
1771 Maria Elisabeth, mother of
1811 Johanna, mother of
1847 Petronella, mother of Jantien

The mother of the 1740s Petronella was Regina. I'm trying to get her birthdate now, I did find her marriage certificate of 26 November 1740.

The history of this family line is quite intruiging, I must say. I work in education and I'm doing quite well if I say so myself. But these mothers before me had to work incredibly hard to escape poverty and I seriously wonder if they managed to overcome it. On their marriage certificates I find their professions to be knitters, spinners etc. In that day and age it was a sign of poverty if the women in the family had to work as well.

18th C poor family

This family tracing is quite a humbling experience, let me tell you...

Meet Bob

2010-06-09T11:14:00.003+02:00

I found a cute doll knit pattern in an old 1970s crafts book and ofcourse I just had to make it for Rune. Some cream coloured wool and a few strands of blue for the eyes did the trick. The mouth is embroidered with some left over red wool.

The Dutch word for doll is POP. It was a difficult word for Rune to pronounce but after a few practice rounds she managed to say BOB. The triumphant look on her face was priceless when she discovered she almost got it right!

So, meet Bob, folks, the girl doll for my daughter! Bob will get an orange dress sometime later this week and long blond hair.

The head is a bit too square so I rounded that a bit. I suppose square heads were popular in the 1970s......

The free pattern will follow soon!!

Progress on the blanket

2010-06-08T11:03:00.001+02:00

It's been ages since I worked on this! I finished the Celtic sampler first (photo will follow soon) and for a while I just wasn't inspired to continue this blanket. Runa was still comfortably sleeping with another knitted blanket in her car seat and there was really no emergency to finish this one.

But, little girls grow up and the blanket she uses in the car is getting too small, so back to the knitting patterns and intarsia hearts!

A bit further back in time

2010-05-26T13:09:00.007+02:00

I'm continuing my search on the rest of the mothers. My mother's mother, my grandmother of course, was also called Petronella. She was born in Odoorn, in 1915.

Here's what Odoorn, a small hamlet in the province of Drenthe looked like in the 1920s

Petronella's mother was called Jantien, and she was born in Sleen in 1888. Sleen is also in Drenthe. This is an old photo of the Sleen Town Hall, not bad huh?

I am almost ready to start stitching! I bought nice linen and thread and now all I need is a decent pattern for the tree.
Hints and tips are welcome peeps!

This is the mother tree up to now:
1888 Jantien, mother of
1915 Petronella, mother of
1940 Petronella, mother of
1969 Sandra, mother of
2009 Rune Gjilke

I hope to add some photos of the ladies involved soon :)

Here's my mum Petronella with Rune, just 2 days old

Lesson 5

2010-05-25T11:46:00.000+02:00

Lesson 5: There's nothing like pasta....

Mary Bryant

2010-05-16T11:03:00.001+02:00

Once in a while you see or hear something that changes your perspective on the world. Take the mini-series "The incredible journey of Mary Bryant" for instance.
The series is about a British female convict being transported to the Australian colonies in the 18th century and I have to say it is quite moving.

After watching this you wonder why we complain so much about everything in our lives really: the crisis, the jobmarket, our (lack of) finances, our clubs, pubs, our shops....

I'm not complaining anymore, thanks to Mary!

Genealogy project

2010-04-01T15:05:00.006+02:00

The sampler you see hereunder inspired me not only to do some needlework but also to trace back my own line of Mothers!

I haven't started the needlework yet, because I want to do a lot of research on names and such. Besides, the colours of this sampler are a bit too boring for me and I don't think Rune is going to appreciate boring colours either....

I suppose I should start with myself... Here goes: I was born in 1969 in Alkmaar. The streetname was Camphuysenstraat and this is the apartment building where I was born. This photo dates from 1975 :). I found the picture online and nope, it's not me in this picture. I do remember this playground though! Our apartment, at no. 128 was a bit more to the left and you can't see it on this photo.
Later, in my twenties, I myself owned the flat at no. 10, on the far right corner and not visible in this photo either.

Two years ago, the building was demolished so I can no longer visit my old house.

My mum Nellie (Petronella) was born 5 October 1940 in Emmen. This is an old photo I found, if the website is correct this photo actually dates from 1940! From stories I remember that my grandmother was with her sister in Emmen, while my grandfather stayed in their house in Wieringen. Wieringen was a strategic place during World War II so grandma had to go away to a safer place to to have my mum.

So this is what we have so far:
1940 Petronella, mother of
1969 Sandra, mother of
2009 Rune Gjilke

Lorentz house

2010-03-31T13:38:00.001+02:00

I pass this house regularly and I love the green of the wood and the stepgable. This house was once owned by the Lorentz family. The slab above the window says "Lorentz" as well.

The house was owned by famous physicist Hendrik Lorentz, see here:
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hendrik_Lorentz

Getting some more hang of it...

2010-03-09T07:30:00.004+01:00

Well, here's another small chapter in my knitting adventures. A friend from the USA sent me some lovely yarn in the fall and with the winter being dreadfully long with heaps of snow, I wanted to knit myself a hat. Only the brim is knitted, as you can probably see, and I decided to crochet the rest of the hat! Knitting with a circular needle is no small task, but fun and works really quick.

The scarf is crocheted as well. It makes the scarf a bit too sturdy, so next time I'll stick to knitting but I must say I like how it all turned out.

On Daddy day we...

2010-02-06T13:10:00.003+01:00

On Fridays when I go to work, Renz stays at home to take care of Rune. This is fun for both of them!! Here's a few photos to show you what they're up to...

A lot of reading. Miffy is by far the most favourite

Try out the new shoes... even dance in them

Do a bit of bonding with 'emergency dad' Johan

Get dressed to go outside...

Shop for groceries... reading the labels is important yes ;)

Lesson 4

2009-12-31T10:46:00.001+01:00

Lesson 4: Kiddy guards may be important and safe and all... but really no fun at all!

So true...

2009-12-29T16:47:00.001+01:00

SNOW!!!

2009-12-20T18:40:00.002+01:00

It started snowing on Thursday and it hasn't stopped really. This is the first snow in this area in a very very long time! Rune was curious about the snow so after 'studying' it fall from the safety of our kitchen counter and hearing her oo's and aa's the entire morning, we went outside this afternoon to let her play :)

Even our garden buddha was wearing a snow hat and blanket!

Enjoy the photos folks!

Short break

2009-12-15T07:32:00.005+01:00

Well, we just got back for a short break in Xanten, Germany. I love that town! We went there first about 5 years ago and we vowed to come back when we discovered that the 14th century city tower had 3 apartments inside. I really really wanted to spend some time in that tower and luckily we were able to go last week. It was great!

This is the tower, the Tower of Kleve and our apartment was on the 2nd floor. The spiral stairs were horrible but really worth the climb in the end. Rune had a great time too!

Sadly, the weather wasn't so great and it rained all week but that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. Two museums we wanted to visit were not open so we have to come back again.... terrible.... ;)

Flu shot

2009-11-26T12:46:00.003+01:00

Today was the big day: Rune had to go to the health services for her flu shot. The swine flu, or Mexican flu as we call it, has hit the country and the world and so little people under the age of 4 get two shots to protect them.

Today was her first shot. Guess who was nervous? Yup... me! I dropped my coffee while having breakfast and you know how sacred my morning coffee is. I took a long shower and for the first time in weeks I didn't know what to wear. I'm nervous alright.

It all went quickly; we were in and out of the building in 5 minutes, probably less. The lady who gave Rune her shot was friendly and of course the tough little cookie that our daughter is didn't even blink. The needle in her leg didn't hurt her a bit, in fact, she looked at the nurse with her famous f** you look.

Guess who was crying? Hormones are crazy things, I'm telling you!

Lesson 3

2009-11-23T10:06:00.001+01:00

Lesson 3: Bread sticks are cool

Oh well...

2009-11-17T13:27:00.002+01:00

It's the flu-season!! And YAY, the three of us have all been hit by it. It's not so bad for us adults, but Rune feels like a wreck, poor minigirl.

Oh well, luckily, this is just the simple flu, not the bad Mexican. We'll be fine in a few days.

Lesson 2

2009-11-09T19:19:00.002+01:00

2: People who wear glasses are SEXY

Lesson 1

2009-11-07T12:37:00.003+01:00

You cannot start early enough with teaching your kid about the important things in life...

Lesson nr 1: Italian coffee....

Great gift

2009-10-21T10:16:00.003+02:00

If you are looking for a great gift for a small child or baby, look here: www.kriations.mysites.nl

This lady makes great bracelets, look at the one we ordered for Rune for Christmas! The silver beads are real silver and the green beads are a special light weight glass, perfect for little people ;). The site is in Dutch, so drop me a line if you need help navigating through it.

Winter is coming

2009-10-12T15:18:00.001+02:00

It's getting colder and our little old cat Sensei is using the modem to sleep. Comfy and warm!

Fun with Dad

2009-09-28T14:28:00.001+02:00

It's my job to make coffee in the morning and this past Sunday Renz was blowing kisses on Rune's back... she had a ball!

Blanket

2009-09-26T20:40:00.005+02:00

I have so much left over wool that I decided to knit a large blanket for Rune's new bed. I started at the bottom with dark blue and used a lighter blue for my initials and the year.

It felt kinda silly to start with the initials... usually you finish with those but ok ;)

I've done quite a bit now and I also want to use a victorian type pattern for her name and a row of butterflies.
This is what it looks like now, after 3 weeks.

The flowers were fun to knit. The pattern is below.

Use what you like, I hope this inspires you!
cheerio, S.

Josh Groban

2009-09-16T09:30:00.004+02:00

I love this guy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u7eH0llrb0

Bath time

2009-09-12T10:34:00.002+02:00

Of course we know to NEVER EVER disturb a lady during her bath ritual...
Rune wasn't very amused when Renz took this photo the other day and the f*** you look on her face is priceless!

The life and times of a 7-month old

2009-09-02T14:39:00.004+02:00

Hello my dear friends,

We're fine, doing great and such! Renz is in France now for work but that will be his last international trip since he'll start in his new job October 1st. I'm doing ok too, I am taking it slow though.
Here are some photos again:

Explore the great outdoors... or rather being sound asleep in the garden during our trip to my parents' summer cottage

I've got two teeth, yay!

Carrots are yummy...

I can sit on my knees.....

Might as well stand up too...

Life begins at 40

2009-08-04T12:40:00.001+02:00

It's my birthday today and I'm turning 40.
Yup, I've made it! I'm still alive :)

Thanks to all you guys for a terrific party on Sunday; you folks are the best!

Me likes carrots... maybe...

2009-07-29T10:48:00.000+02:00

the picture says it all folks ;)

What dreams may come

2009-07-24T10:51:00.003+02:00

I absolutely loved this movie! The story itself is really not that spectacular, it's about a man who dies, goes to heaven leaving his beloved wife behind.

What I found truly amazing were the graphics, the first bit of heaven that consisted of paint, the road to hell by boat and the depths of hell where he finally ended up finding his wife again.

Okay, I admit, a sappy love story but if you like art and fantasy, this is one to watch

Not much news...

2009-06-22T13:58:00.003+02:00

photo by A. Kouwenberg

It's almost summer and so the weather is fab. My company is doing great, Rune has started to learn how to move on all fours :) ... too soon really, since she's not even 5 months old.

We're fine.

The life and times of a 4-month old...

2009-06-09T12:21:00.004+02:00

Well, folks, here are some random photos of the past three weeks. Enjoy!!!

Being chuffed to bits that she can finally roll over on her tummy all by herself....

Checking those ever so important e-mails with dad....

Finding the time to watch Miffy (Nijntje) on YouTube....

And she's finally big enough to fit into the sweater mum crocheted...

Cute!!

2009-05-15T15:14:00.001+02:00

Folks, if you want to make a nice present for a new baby use this fabulously cute pattern!!

http://www.heatherbaileydesign.com/Booties.html

14th Century pouch

2009-05-12T13:26:00.004+02:00

Surely you didn't think that becoming a mother would make me move away from my hobbies? Nah, never!

The Victoria and Albert museum in London has a fabulous collection of medieval fabrics, clothes and accessories and I fell in love with this pouch. It is approx. 3,5 inch x 3,5 inch and made with silk thread on linen.

Here's my version of the pouch. Although I no longer do 14th century re-enactment, I decided to finish this bag anyway and give it to my friend Martine. I can part with this easily since both thread and fabric are not authentic enough :). I've decided to make a better version in the future.

You can download the free pattern here

First Mother's day...

2009-05-10T12:26:00.005+02:00

It's my first Mother's Day today. And apart from not knowing what to expect, I woke up with an unusual feeling. Rune has a severe cold and last night at 10 pm we ended up in hospital to see the emergency doctor. She had a fever and was really feeling awful. To be on the safe side we went to get her examined. It is a simple and harmless cold, her ears and lungs were clean.... she was just sneezing like crazy and had a temperature.
Reassured, we went home again. She slept all through the night. But like I said, I woke up with a silly sense of weirdness. Last night hospital, this morning a small party. Life can be full of surprises.

Rune and Renz spoilt me rotten. Roses, chocolate and a book by Salman Rushdie. Check out the unwrapping of one of the gifts ;). Well, I never thought this would be so much fun!

At the daycare centre, where Rune spends two afternoons when I have my students, they made a really cute gift too. I need to find a nice place at home to put it up.

Life is precious

2009-04-24T09:09:00.002+02:00

I'm a great movie fan and if there's a movie worth watching, I'm usually the first to spread the word. I saw a great movie yesterday: The Notebook.

This is not your average sappy love story, folks, although that is how it starts. An older gentleman (James Garner) reads a love story to an elderly lady (Gena Rowlands). As the story progresses you find out how two young people find love, lose it and win it back again. The end is sad but refreshing, and a wake-up call really: Live your life, my friends, and take care of those you love. You never know how long they'll be here.

Have a great weekend!

Oh well...

2009-04-19T14:02:00.004+02:00

Well, I believe the shit has really hit the fan right now. I'm lying on the sofa typing this, since my arms are the only body parts I can move in a normal fashion from the belly-button up...

Remember that fabulous cargobike I was going to buy? Well, it is bought and paid for and it is actually indeed a great bike BUT since yours truly is an enthusiastic idiot I started using this bike too early... leastways before my back had properly cured....

Ah, you've guessed it, the hernia is back and bigger than ever. I can barely move and Renz went to the hospital this morning (yes on Sunday) to get me some heavy duty painkillers and I'm not allowed to work for a while.

SOOOOOOOOOO... I'll be on Skype a lot, folks, log on please and keep me company!

Having fun with dad

2009-04-08T14:51:00.005+02:00

Friday is Daddy's day, meaning that Renz no longer works on Fridays but spends the day at home. He's busy with bottles, diaper duty and of course he...

... has a good conversation with his daughter....
I think they have the same sense of humour judging from her giggles....

Happy Easter my dear friends!!!

Cool...

2009-03-22T20:08:00.000+01:00

Canzone per lei...

2009-03-17T11:44:00.006+01:00

You know how much of a fan I am of the Italian language and I listen to a lot of Italian music, also during my pregnancy. The minute I knew we were going to have a girl; which was from day 1 really... my favourite song became 'Canzone per lei' (Song for her) by Eros Ramazzotti...

Listen to that song here

Anyway, I played an Eros cd this morning... guess who was 'singing' too... It really made my hernia pains disappear like snow in the sun!

Freak out...

2009-03-09T11:42:00.003+01:00

Ok, ok, I may be a mum now but I'm also just a person and the past few weeks weren't so hot.

Here's great music that cools my temper ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPn_kVPjpeU

Play this song LOUD folks!

Stop talking woman, gimme food....

2009-03-06T12:13:00.003+01:00

Hello my friends,
Thanks for all the "well wishes", and the good news that the infection is now over. It's only my back now that needs to recover.
Here's a funny photo to start your weekend with a smile!
best, Sandra

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball...

2009-02-26T16:19:00.004+01:00

Dear Folks,

There is good news and bad news. The good news is that Rune is doing fabulously! "What a pretty girl" the doctor said this morning at the monthly check-up. I was so proud I was about to explode!

The bad news... Over the past few days I myself wasn't feeling so great so a quick visit to the doctor would easily and rapidly fix me... or so I thought. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.

The diagnosis hit me like a bomb: a hernia (slipped disc in my spine) and a bad infection in my breasts. Yup, not one, but two serious problems a new mum could do without. So now what...?

After feeling very inadequate as a woman and mother because my breastfeeding days are definitely over... (boy, you really don't want to know how much I cried over the past two days...) I decided to just take it one step at the time. After all, what else can I do? Rune's two grandmothers, Nellie and Ria, are here to help us out and for the rest all I can do is take my medication regularly and do the exercises for my back.

Rune likes the milk in bottles so that is not a problem and she is sleeping fine too, so nothing to worry about there. As a matter of fact, she is drinking better from a bottle than from me. Do you think she knew already? Those little ones are so clever you know.

All I need to do is shift into another gear and get my hormones/emotions in check. And take lots of photos.... Here the little diva is enjoying bath time with daddy :).

We'll be alright!

Just some random info...

2009-02-21T16:37:00.004+01:00

Life these days is pretty good for the three of us. Apart from learning to speak eachothers "language", Rune is doing very very well. Sometimes it's not so easy to figure out what she means when she cries but we are slowly but surely getting the hang of it!
Here's a photo of our house, by the way, the sun is shining today and although it is still a bit cold, we look very forward to spring!
The roses are beginning to grow flowers again, the red climber is ours and has been decorating our outside wall since we first moved here 7 years ago. I sold the pink bike in September because we are going to order a cargo-bike, which will be more convenient to transport Rune in our medieval city centre where no cars are allowed.

Here she is!

2009-02-03T16:05:00.003+01:00

Well, folks, 9 days after the due date, on January 29th at 06.37am, our daughter Rune Gjilke was born. Rune comes from Old Norse and means 'magic spell' and Gjilke is Frisian and means 'happy'. She is our Happy Magic Spell!!

Due today...

2009-01-20T12:57:00.002+01:00

Well, dear folks, although I'm due today there's not much news... I'm still enormous lol!
If this little brat is anything like me, she'll be 3 weeks late and if she's like her dad she'll be on time but there's no sign of that...yet.

In the meantime our Sensei has tried and tested the car seat, it's comfy I guess!

More great music...

2009-01-16T12:55:00.002+01:00

Hiya folks,
No baby yet, so here's a bit of great music to keep ya'll busy

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=0rqSMjkFfYo

Happy little sweater

2009-01-09T12:16:00.004+01:00

I'm starting to sound like the famous Bob Ross! But I really do think this has become a happy little sweater. According to dad Renz, this wool is very seventies... well I don't know, I bought it last year...ha!

I can send you the pattern if you like, so drop me a line :)

Warm feet

2009-01-07T12:02:00.004+01:00

Look at these kick-arse slippers my mother knitted a few weeks ago! These days it is freezing cold in Holland and our little one has picked a fine time to be born... it was -12C last night.... This way her feet won't be cold!

Happy New Year & new photo

2009-01-02T11:12:00.003+01:00

Dear Folks,

Happy 2009!! We hope it'll be a fabulous year for you all :)

For us a few things will change.... but only a few harr! Here's another photo of the nursery, including the blue slippers I knitted and some tough grey ones my mum, soon to be grandmother, made.

We'll keep ya'll posted of course and check back here when/if you can.

Warm hat for dad-to-be

2008-12-23T08:16:00.006+01:00

This hat from Giftig Weblog (which is a GREAT site by the way!) inspired me to make something warm for the winter for Renz. He's been working so hard at his job and in the nursery so it's about time this dad-to-be gets a bit spoiled ;)

Now that knitting has proven to be not so difficult I decided to give intarsia a few more tries and I guess the hat has turned out great! This is the first half, and I am trying to finish the second half before Christmas... don't know if that will happen but it's worth a try.

Here's the pattern, please feel free to use it!

It's not always fun

2008-12-22T10:45:00.004+01:00

Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our cat Hippo, at the age of 17. He was becoming too sickly and weak and we had reached the point where treatment was not helping him anymore. And keeping him alive for selfish reasons simply is never an option.
We will always remember him as a little guy with a GREAT personality. Rest in peace buddy, say Hi to everybody 'up there', you'll be in good company.

This photo was taken last summer and this is how we prefer to remember him: happily snoring the day away...

Countdown has begun

2008-12-17T06:54:00.002+01:00

35 weeks this week and the countdown has begun. I still feel great too.
The green thingy on my right is actually a lettuce plant :)

Thanks to my friend Simone B. for taking this photo.

Sneak preview...

2008-12-16T17:25:00.002+01:00

Well, folks, the room for the baby is almost done, save for a few finishing touches. I thought I'd post this one here for you to enjoy a sneak preview!

The teddy in the crib was given to me on my last day at work by one of my students, Mark. At first one of the most difficult kids but now, at the age of 17 turning into a great guy :)

Pilgrim Musuem

2008-12-12T10:55:00.003+01:00

The Pilgrims, fleeing from religious persecution in England, found refuge in Leiden in The Netherlands before they emigrated in 1620 on the "MayfIower" to America, where they established Plymouth Colony, the first sustained English settlement in New England.

Located in a beautifully preserved house built ca 1365-1370 near the clock tower of the Hoogelandsekerk, the Leiden American Pilgrim museum tells the stories of the founders of New England, the Pilgrims. Furnishings from Pilgrim times show aspects of daily life, while events involving the Pilgrims themselves are illustrated with a collection of sixteenth and seventeenth-century maps and engravings by artists of that time.

This is probably the smallest museum you will ever visit, it is just one room! This building is supposedly the former office where settlers could sign up for their trip on the Mayflower.

Just trying...

2008-12-11T10:16:00.004+01:00

I'm trying to do some more knitting. Just regular knits are too boring for me so the other day I tried intarsia knitting. This little heart pattern was done in about 15 minutes and it was actually the first time I managed to do it without mistakes!

I guess using a new book with a different and better explanation did the trick for me. Up till now I had used books from the 70s and that just didn't work. I plan to make a cute sweater for the little one with some nice patterns of course :)

Free pattern: happy bag

2008-12-02T07:40:00.012+01:00

This bag is so easy to make, it would be a crime not to share the pattern with you.

This is what you need: two pieces sized 22cm x 20cm. Make sure you 'round' the bottom. For the shoulder strap you can decide on the length of the strap yourself but make sure it is wide enough otherwise your bag will become too narrow and nothing will fit in!

Cut this from two different kinds of fabric of your choice; the outside and the lining.

This red one is made of a sturdy canvas and red linen lining. It is very small with a short strap but big enough to fit your everyday needs.

Like I said, it fits everything I need, even the biggest day planner I've ever bought... Don't forget to add a button on one side of the bag before you attach the lining! Also, make a loop to fasten the button and close your bag. The loop is fastened between the lining and outside fabric!

This black one is made of a polka dot fabric (which had been lying around for years because I couldn't find a decent destination for it....) and lined with black wool of a heavy quality.

This one is slightly bigger than the red one, needless to say you can make the bag bigger or smaller to your taste! The black one also has three extra pockets for tissues, pens and other stuff.

One of the extra outside pockets has a zipper, so that I don't lose my keys... ;)

Enjoy the pattern!

Orange bag

2008-12-01T11:52:00.003+01:00

I'm always in awe when I see tribes and indegenous people and their traditional products. Take the Mongolians and the way they use felt for everything: clothes, housing, bags. It's just amazing. Next to that for me personally I like having my own style and having things which aren't so ordinary.

Look at this beautiful girls' bag! It is embroidered with many different colours of wool. You can find this bag at Kazakh Crafts.

These two things combined usually inspire me enough to make something for myself. I bought a very simple white felt bag a few months ago. I bought this bag at the Leids Textiel Centrum

I left it a few weeks to let the inspirational juices flow and to make sure I would make something worth my while. In the meantime I watched several documentaries on Mongolia and traditional felt products from the Kazakh tribes as well.

Later, a friend at the Open Air museum in Eindhoven dyed the bag with madder, a plant which was used from the Iron Age on to get a vibrant red colour.

Another friend from the re-enactment group Muninn provided me with some red madder wool to make a shoulder strap. I made the shoulder strap myself, it is simple to weave.

And so, here's the bag now! I use it a lot, not only for re-enactment but also during the week. I haven't decided yet on a pattern to embroider on it....

Silly cat

2008-11-29T13:40:00.002+01:00

The other day, while having breakfast, one of our cats Hippo decided to join me. Now this little guy is 17 years old right now, has lost the sight in his left eye and is, truly, slowly but surely losing his marbles.

I thought cats were supposed to eat MEAT. I was having breakfast with a sandwich with Heinz Sandwich Spread... now, I don't know if you folks across the pond have heard of this product, and I don't know of any other breakfast product that is like it but the taste of the 'regular' spread is fresh and sour, so nothing like meat.

Here's the jar....

Anyway, our lovely old Hippo wanted a taste and then went for it! He loved it!

I seriously wonder what good old Charles Darwin would say about this....

Nikki

2008-11-24T09:18:00.004+01:00

I usually don't watch Idols, Popstars, X-factor or all those other shows on new musical talent. It's mostly about the rough and insulting comments by the jury and boy what a hoot that is... not!

I don't think breaking down someone's ego will get them places, but hey I'm just a simple teacher.

So, why am I writing this? The last Idols winner actually ROCKS! I love this chick, she can SING!

Watch the video on You Tube folks: http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=t3NYfmWo0Qg

First knitting project

2008-11-23T13:01:00.004+01:00

Hormones are crazy things, trust me, they make you do things you swear you never would... take knitting for example.
I've never had the patience to knit anything, until now. I saw these baby booties in a very old (1970s) crafts book and wanted to make them... yep, it's the hormones I tell ya!

But hey, these are CUTE aren't they ;)

Leiden in november

2008-11-22T13:32:00.001+01:00

Guess what the street looked like after the rain we had yesterday?

Getting bigger

2008-11-09T15:23:00.002+01:00

29 weeks and finally it shows :)
Daddy Renz is checking his messages after the strenuous task of taking this photo, lol!

Little cardigan

2008-11-07T14:11:00.004+01:00

Yup, I'm making baby stuff these days, the little one is due January 20th. I really enjoyed making this cardi with the folklore clasp!

More Celtic stuff

2008-11-04T13:53:00.006+01:00

After months of doing no cross stitch at all, I finally picked this sampler up again! I realised I wasn't inspired to continue because I was making it too big and so I removed several patterns and 'downsized' this sampler to a much friendlier size. And it proved to be the right move, since now I'm very inspired to finish it :)

A bit more to see

2008-09-28T15:17:00.001+02:00

23 weeks and a bit more to see!
One of my colleagues complained about this... "I can't see anything!" he exclaimed. It was hilarious :)

2008-09-09T14:03:00.002+02:00

I remember vividly falling in love with Leiden at the age of 16 during a field trip. I promised myself I would live here one day.
In fact, now that we've been living here for 7 years now, Renz and I both still LOVE this city.
Here's photo of the Leiden Town Hall, not bad eh?

Here's the two of us at the entrance of that same Town Hall, on our wedding day August 15th 2006.

Nothing to see yet...

2008-08-06T15:13:00.002+02:00

Of course I have no experience with pregnancies, but if I have to rely on the stories other women tell me, this pregnancy is easy and in fact a tad bit boring. I feel, and have been feeling, absolutely great, no morning sickness nothing.
And also, there is not much to see! No big bump, perhaps that will change soon; 16 weeks today.

Progress on the Celtic sampler

2008-06-07T13:45:00.004+02:00

I don't have a lot of time these days, with school closing for the summer and there is a lot of paperwork to be done. So by the time I'm home I'm usually too pooped to do anything but eat and watch tv. But I managed to finish a few small pieces on the Celtic sampler. Above you see a finished guirlande, don't know if that's Celtic but I liked the design.

The orange number look nice above the blue alphabet on the top right. I've removed the border that was there first, it looked too 'busy'.

I'll probably do more next month :D

Yippee!

2008-05-22T13:42:00.003+02:00

Nope, this is not my belly, but it will be soon I guess :D
The little one is due 20-01-2009, can't wait...

Socks

2008-05-18T11:30:00.008+02:00

I've always had a fondness of "old" crafts. Take naalbinding, this is basically the older sister of crochet and a niece of knitting, albeit that this technique of naalbinding has been around since the Stone Age and knitting dates from the 15th century and crochet from the 17th century.

Larry Schmitt wrote several books on Naalbinding, one of them is called A Lot of Socks and I when I got a hold of this booklet I immediately tried it out. And you know what? Naalbinding is GREAT!

The idea is that you use just one needle for your work and you cut off pieces of strand to knot through the previous row of stitches. Schmitt's book has a pattern called the Simple Sock and it is just that. Simple.

Here are my humble beginnings. Contrary to knitting or crochet, you can start at the ankle part of the sock, not a the toe. There are patterns with a toe-start, but not this Simple Sock.

After the ankle bit you move on to the rest of the foot, leaving you with a heelless sock. The heel is what you make last.

These are the 'tools' I've used: one simple bone needle and medieval style scissors. You can use normal scissors of course, this just made a cute photo. Because this is such an ancient craft, I decided to 'honour' it with real wool, not the supermarket stuff, but real homespun and hand-dyed wool. So, the creamy colour is how it came straight from the sheep and the red is the same wool dyed with madder!

The finished socks! Enjoy this folks, and mail me if you have questions about this superb craft!

Celtic sampler

2008-05-15T07:55:00.006+02:00

I've always wanted to make a Celtic sampler but I was never really able to find a pattern I liked, so using the idea of the Dutch folkore sampler I decided to put together Celtic designs and alphabets I liked. This is what it looks like now.

The bird turned out really well, I was slightly hesitant about the light blue, but it looks 'sweet'.

Enjoy the patterns and copy them if you like!

Dutch folkore sampler

2008-05-06T20:41:00.006+02:00

I found this sampler on the cover of a book a few years ago and I immediately fell in love with it. Being Dutch, many patterns are familiar to me and I just loved how the author had pieced this together so beautifully.

Here are some details

Many of the designs were used to embellish collars, aprons, blouses and especially children's clothing.

Darker colours were used when people were in mourning, flowers and other happy designs were often used for young girls and brides.

University party

2007-11-22T15:59:00.002+01:00

At the end of 2006 I left the International Office of Leiden University to work with the kids I still work with today. At the same time, the International Office celebrated it's 5th anniversary and since the office is housed in an old medieval fortified house in the Leiden city centre, the party naturally was set in a medieval setting. It was also my going-away party and I couldn't complain about this great atmosphere and decor!

2007-03-17T15:52:00.003+01:00

Exactly one year ago, 17th March 2006, friends of ours got married on St. Patrick's Day. Here are two photos of the costumes we wore on that day. Apart from Renz' coat, which my mother made, we made everything ourselves. Believe me, it's fun to be creative!