My stitching plans for the next week!

Tomorrow I will be on a short holiday for one week and what will I bring with me:

1. Mary Margaret from Carriage House Samplings;

this is my progress so far:

(click on picture to enlarge)

2. Baubles April from SamSarah (almost forgotten and April is almost over);
3. A Needlework Garden and Needlebook SAL.

I will only be stitching in the evenings, so I hope I have a good light there. We are planning to do a lot of little trips and spending a lot of time in the swimming pool with our kids.

Yesterday Emma had her first running experience; it's the Week of Sports in Holland and she had to run two kilometers. She did it in 15 minutes, so that's good for a first time though. She's wearing the schoolshirts, which I sponsored with my own company. My company name is on the back, which you can't see on the picture unfortunately.


As you can see, she's smiling, so she had a great time doing it.

Till next week...

PS Don't forget to sign in on my "special" PIF (see my earlier post)!

PIF (Pay It Forward) part 2!

I tried a PIF and just Patti signed in. So this is what I decided to do:

Everybody who likes something made/stitched by me can sign in. Just put a comment under this message with your intrests about almost everything. Maybe you like candy, chocolate, books or old samplers, you name it. Do you have favorite designers, also put it in the message. It's also a kind of way to know all of you wonderful bloggers.

You can sign in for 2 weeks from now. When I'm back from my short holiday (May 1st), I will pick two more names besides Patti and they are gonna get something stitched by me, in the next year, related to there interests, in no particular order.

Have a great stitching weekend!

OMG, the postman brings me a huge package!

Terri wants to sent me a small treat, to cheer me up! I was very surprised when the postman brings me a huge package from her today. And look what I found:

* two heart shaped boxes
* a kit from Blackbird Designs called Keepsake Box & Pinkeep incl. linen and thread
* Christmas Ornaments issue 2006 from Just Cross Stitch
* Sampler & Antique Needlework issue Spring 2009
* Premier Halloween Issue from Just Cross Stitch
* a Lunch-Pack (!) with original potato chips.

and... a very sweet personal note!



And that was not all of it. She even sent my two girls a sweet bag (one for each), filled with candy and a very cute Teddybear named Fuzz.

Look closely at this handsome bear
His texture is really quite rare
With golden highlights in his hair
He has class, style and flair!



"Thank you, mrs Terri from America!"


Terri, you made me speachless! I really don't know what to say and my thanks will never be enough. You made my day very sunny! I will never forget it, and so won't Emma and Dorine! Lots of love and hugs I'm sending to you.

Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!

As promised some pictures!

Here's going Dorine to start with clothes on. She was very nervous, and she didn't give us a smile the whole time.

After swimming with clothes on, it was time to swim on her back:

And then, very exiting, swimming under water for 3 meters and then further. You see her look at me with asking eyes: Did I do it right, mam?:


After this she had to do (front)crawl, (back)crawl, float on her back for 10 seconds and float on her belly for 10 seconds.
And yes! She made it! Here first swimmingcertificate! (still not smiling!)


We are very proud ofcourse!

Please feel free to look for my first progress picture on the A Needlework and Garden SAL. You will found the link at the right!

Till next time....

It's been awhile!

Sorry to you all, that it took so long for a new message.

I have a lot on my mind at the moment: my father and mother, lots and lots of work, and lots of headaches.

First, my father is since last Friday in a nursinghome. He doesn't like it all and is very lonely there. So I visit him every (!) day. My mother got sick two weeks ago, so my brother had to take time off from work. She couldn't be alone at that moment! She is know recovering from a eye surgery (did I spell that right?).

My own accountancy business is so busy, I even did some work in the Easter Weekend. :(

All this stress gives me a headache daily.

But also good news: Dorine got her first swimmingcertificate on April 4th. Yeah, the first one, two to go.
I did some stitching on the A Needlewerk and Garden SAL on Sunday. But I didn't had the time to put the pictures from my camera to the computer.

I hope I can do that very quickly, so I can share them with you.

We are going away for a week on Friday April 24th; just a little vacation. I need some rest.

Thank you all for your patience with me. And ofcourse for the very lovely emails!