Monday, June 29, 2009

sweet dessert


Here's another delicious recipe with the red currants from our garden

First I made some red currant compote ,
( Simply boiled some currants with a little sugar ,
and let it simmer for 10 minutes )

when cold , I put the compote in a 'fancy' glass,

added some cold custard ( gele vla )

topped it up with yoghurt

and finally added some fruit to decorate.
Yes, of course.........I made more than just one !
We all loved it :)

Saturday, June 27, 2009

cheerful ballerina





Today, whilst looking through the photo's on my computer,
my eyes caught this little cutie that I made a few years ago.
I don't remember ever showing her on my Blog.
My youngest daughter loves piglets so I made it for her.
And making up the pattern while crochetting,
she turned out a cheerful ballerina .

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Roedjak Rode Bes


Here is one thing I made from the Red currant I showed you yesterday.
It's a fruit-compote from the Javanese kitchen called ' Roedjak Rode Bes ' .
These are the ingredients I used :
500 grams red currants (rode bessen)
2 spoons of ketjap manis

2 spoons of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of sambal
trassi
I put in the currants first with the sugar , brought it to the boil ,
added the ketjap and the sambal and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
I have to say it was delicious with the meat we ate.
Luckely we have some compote left .........:)

the fruit that grows in our garden


What to do with all the fruit in our garden ?
( to be continued )

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

I heart crochet



Just want to show you my latest creation.
I crocheted this heart and made up the pattern as I went along.
I am planning to sell these hearts in my Etsy shop soon.

Monday, June 22, 2009

herbal 'tea'


I have a real passion for herbs ,
so as you can imagine we have lots of different herbs in our garden.
For me there is nothing more relaxing than a glass of home made 'tea',
with herbs freshly picked from the garden.

Herbal tea can be made with fresh flowers and leaves,
by simply pouring boiling water over the plant parts
and letting them rest for a few minutes.
This time I used, lady's mantle, lemon balm, and mint,
these herbs will produce a delicious cup of tea, and they're good for you too.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

sweet - sweeter- sweetest


Our sweet Miss Amy guarding the sweet-strawberries.
Who's the sweetest ?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

makeover


One of the spare rooms upstairs is undergoing a makeover.
It's a small room ,
but still a lot to do to make it a real 'wow factor' room.
Here's a sneak preview of the colors and materials I am using.
When it's all finished I'll show you the whole room.

Monday, June 15, 2009

our cherry tree


Last year we had only three tiny cherries on the tree,
but look what we 've got this year !
Aren't they beautiful ?

Thursday, June 11, 2009

color pencil



As long as I can remember I love working with color pencils.
The reason I like to work with pencil is several-fold:
the freedom to work from a table or easy-chair
without the mess of liquids,
the freedom to render pieces outdoors,
like sitting in my garden.
Another reason for my passion are the details,
and the way you can blend the colors together to form new colors.
I love the soft pastel look that can be achieved .
This little piece I made yesterday, and I had a lot of fun making it.
The original is for sale in my Etsy Shop , right here

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

the simplest things




This beautiful champagne glass,
filled with a creamy-white jasmine flower,
is what I found on the breakfast table
with a lovely note from my husband.

What can I say..........
it's the simplest things that make me the happiest !

Monday, June 8, 2009

Featured


I am featured on Getting to know you by the lovely Pat.
She sells textile art, but also beautiful jewelry.
Isn't this bag just beautiful ?
Why not have a look in her Etsy shop to see more of her
wonderful creations ?

Saturday, June 6, 2009

'the Lemonade Stand award'


I have been given 'the Lemonade Stand award' by the lovely Shirley of Nannieflash
Thank you so much Shirley !
Shirley makes really adorable cards, the one below is one of hers.


The general rule for this award is to pass them on to other bloggers that inspire and delight you.
I am nominating the following blogs :

Each Blog is very inspiring in it's own unique way, really worth visiting !

Friday, June 5, 2009

this bud of love


'This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
William Shakespeare

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Zeeman, cheerful and cheap




When I feel like buying some new kitchen goodies without spending too much money,
I pop into 'de Zeeman' .
Today I couldn't resist these colorful and cheerful cousions, papernapkins , dish cloths and pegs.

Thank you Zeeman , you brightened up my day :)

Monday, June 1, 2009

The "scrap-craft" of our ancestors.


Crochet has given me a lot of pleasure and relaxation over the years.
I have had a lot of happy moments, creating handmade items for myself and others.

When I give a crocheted gift, a part of me goes into it,
selecting the yarn, the pleasure of creating,
the thoughts and feelings I have as I work, it's all part of the fun.

Crocheting granny squares is one of my favourite crochetting jobs.
I like the history behind these squares,

they were the "scrap-craft" of our ancestors.
In years gone by, there was no such thing as throwaways,

yarn scraps became granny squares.
These days , it's all about creating the little squares,

the nostalgic feeling the squares represent
and the cosy feeling that goes with it.
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