A Needlework Garden SAL

Patti and I are going to start an SAL for this


We also started a blog for this and you can found the link for the blog on the right. If you want to join in, you can sent us an email, you are more than welcome.

In the meanwhile I stitched some more on my model. It's Fractal 149 Bookmark from Cross Stitch Collectibles. It takes a long time to fill in the middle part. From some colours you have to do only 1 cross stitch each time. So lots of colours changes.


This morning we also had a consultation in the hospital about my father. For now he must stay in the hospital; the catheter is back in again after one day. That's not going well. When there is no medical reason anymore to be there for him, he went to a kind of nursing home, for at least 4 weeks. Yesterday my mother has had an operation on her eye (cataract) and she can't take care of my father. We all think that she can't do it anymore in the future also. Terrible decision.

Also good news: next Saterday my youngest daughter Dorine is going to swim for her first swimmingcertificate. So keep you fingers crossed! We are very proud of her, ofcourse! She will be the youngest there.

Lots of hugs and love!

Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments.

New Mystery SAL!

On the Legacy Board I found the message that Papillon Creations has started a new mystery SAL, Castles in the Air; it's not entirely a freebie as there is participation fee of 1 GBP payable through PayPal.
It is going to be a 24-month long project. Part 1 will be available when you pay the participation fee.

I have decided to participate, although not right away. First things first!
I can assure you, that the first part is very beautiful. You can choose for a cross stitch version, or a special stitches version.
You can see already the first progress pictures on the website.

To access the SAL, you must be registered to receive the newsletter.

I haven't any progress pictures to share right now. Even I'm very busy stitching.
Thank you all so much, for all the comments on my earlier post. I'm going to the hospital every day, and he appreciate it so much.

Till next time....
Lots of hugs!

My dad's struggle!

I just want to let you know that my father is still struggling against different diseases. The Parkinson Disease is getting him hard. He has it almost voor 16 (!) years now and he's getting worse every single day. He can't walk anymore, and they are trying to get him on his feet again. Even speaking for him is hard to do. So last thursday they bring him to the hospital. Last sunday he suddenly got a high fever. Now he's recovering from a urinary tract infection!
It's hard to see a man struggle like this for so many years. He said a few times that it's enough. He doesn't want to live any longer. His words: "This is a martyrdom, why am I still living?" I can't blame him for this feelings and thoughts.
Because of this I can't sleep very well and often I have a good cry during the day. I'm not ready yet to say goodbye to him. Will I ever be, no I don't think so.

So I try to get my mind off a little bit, with working and stitching and spending a lot of time with my two girls.

Thank you all for your sweet comments and prayers. I appreciate them very much.

A finish, a WIP and it's finally springtime!

On Dorine's birthday party Emma and Dorine made two lovely birdhouses. Come on birds, eat some peanuts!

Emma is helping her father with the new plants. Spring is finally coming along! Today the sun is shining again! It couldn't be better.

Yesterday evening I've finished the French Country Bunny from JWB Designs. I've bought this chart on the fair in Zwolle, together with the French Country Dog and others. I'm gonna finish this one as a pinkeep. So I spent the rest of the evening on Ebay and I was shopping the whole time. And I won different auctions: Pearl Head Pins, Assorted Eyelets and 20 (!) coulours of Silk Ribbon. Be patient please, when I finish-finish them, I will show the pictures. Special thanks to Patti from Legacy for the comic book boards and the skirtex. You will be the first one!

And ofcourse I've spent a lot of time on my modelstitching. De middlepart is going very slow, but I'm going there. The last part will be done very quickly.


No news about my father yet. He still spending his time in the hospital bed. His last walking around on his own was a week ago. Today we gonna speak with the doctor. I will keep you posted.

Thank you for coming along and your prayers. I really appreciate them and they give me hope.

Wow, I received my second award!

When I was reading the received comments on my blog, I got my second award from Patti. Thank you so much, Patti. It means a lot to me!


In my turn these are the 8 blogs I'm nominating for the Award in no particular order I hasten to add:

1. Terri
2. Irina
3. Candace
4. Grace
5. Melissa
6. Kajsa
7. Karen
8. Brenda

and now here is what you have to do:

1. Copy the logo of the Kreativ Blogger Award in to your blog
2. Make a link to the person's blog who nominated you
3. Nominate 8 other blogs
4. Add their links to your blog
5. Leave a comment on the blogs, that they have been awarded

I'm sorry that I haven't post any pictures lately. My father is in the hospital again and he isn't doing very well. I tried to stitch every evening, to keep my mind off.

Till next time, thank you for visiting!

PIF (Pay It Forward)!

I signed up for PIF on Irina's blog and this PIF is the second try for me!
The rule of the game (PAY IT FORWARD):
If you would like to receive some stitching gift made by me during one year (until April 2010) please leave a comment on this post before April 1st (for the Dutch people: No, it's not a joke), to say that you are interested, and the first 3 people will be my PIF members.In return, you should post the same offer on your own blog. And the chain goes on! Participants from any country are welcome.
Anyone can sign in, but I pick first three people, who will follow the game in there pages...

In the meanwhile I'm very busy on my modelstitching in the evenings. I will post some pictures but I want to have to stitch a lot first. It also has been a very busy week in my accounting business. Therefore I couldn't post a message earlier this week.

Thank you for stopping by and your comments. I love to receive and read them all.

One finish and two progresses.

Well I can say that I kept my promise (mostly for myself). I've started SamSarah - Baubles March yesterday evening and a half our ago I put the last buttons on.
What a weekend full of birdhouses!


My first progress picture is Doll House. I managed to do the rooftops and a first start on a bedroom. It's going slow (for me, but maybe it's just a feeling) but I never feel sorry about it, that I have started this one.


And least but not least, a progress on my modelstitching. Like the most of you, not really my taste, but I like the way it's turning out with all the bright colours.
I'm going further with this one this evening. With the tv on Medium, Ghost Whisperer and other Unnatural programs, it will be very relaxing.

Thank you for stopping by and your lovely comments and special thanks to Patti for the great opportunity to participate in a SAL. I feel very lucky to know all the great people around here and on Legacy. Lots of hugs!

Dorine's birthday party yesterday!

Sorry, it took so long for a new message. But we had a very busy week with at the end a big birthday party for Dorine. She is now 6 years old (already)!
At 03.30 AM she stood next to my bed, fully dressed up, to told me that there was a little animal in her bedroom. I couldn't find anything, so I took her to bed again, now with her clothes on.
On 07.00 AM we were going downstairs, where she found two big birthday presents.

After school, she had 6 schoolfriends over for a great party: eating pancakes, making (painting) birdhouses and after that, our family came over, so she got her favourite chocolatecake! (sorry Terri for the picture, this is very hard for you!)

These are the tractations for school we made: heartboxes painted red, filled with a heartbox with paint and notebloc and heartcandies.


After a busy week like this, we need a break right now. So I haven't much stitching done, but I have planned a lot of stitches for tomorrow!

Thanks for reading and your lovely comments earlier.