A girls trip to London and new bag,

Just finished this new bag,



I'm pleased with the result, and love the warmth of the colors and look of the bag.



The checked fabric and the wide band are also doing well together, don't you think?

A GIRLS TRIP TO LONDON,

Yes, my daughter and me are going to Londen for a few days in October, just the two of us, the girls in the house!



It was her idea to ask this as a gift for het 14th birthday.. she's saving money for this trip to do a lot of shopping. (me too of course)

We booked our flight but have to book our hotel or BB.

If any of you have great London ideas for us, it can be anything, a nice BB or hotel, lovely shops, vintage shops, places to lunch, etc....

We'll love it and be greatful!

This is it for now... groetjes,

Zakdoekje leggen,

Look what I found while nosing about in the thrift shop!



Sweet old handkerchiefs to embroider, the box and the handkerchiefs it is al so pretty!





Have a nice sunday,

Thrift shopping,

Oh how time passes by so quickly! before you know another week has started.

This mornig we went thriftshopping and found this,



And a lovely book from 1957 with all kind of nice carpenter ideas,



(I don't think anyone is ever going to make a thing, but I love the 50s pictures!)



And who is making all thes lovely ideas...



Yes the handy father while smoking a pipe!

And since I'm not a carpenter I'll stick to do some quilting



Have a good start of the week everyone,

More 'Zeeland' inspiration,

We are still enjoying our time in Zeeland.
We went to the flea market and found this lovely bleu tea cup and embroidered linnen,



This book from the sixties, I just fell in love with the cover,



and I scored these cute cards with on the back of one a sweet poem from a child for mothersday,



In a small village Zoutelande there is a lovely quiltshop. We always have to hop in for a quick look... She sells crockery,



fabrics and some other gifts. I hopped out with these lovely fabrics..



Being here has inspired me to start a little new quilt.. for..my secret swap partner!



But beside quilting and visiting quiltshops and fleamarkets we visit the lighttower from West Kapelle,



we enjoy the beach every time of the day,



make long walks look at the beautifull horses and sun goning down.



Wish you all some wonderfull days!

Valentine cards

Thank you all, now I know the Englisch word for 'kartelschaar' it's 'pinking shears'! I'll try not to forget.



This give away valentine sweetheart is for Kathryn from Our shabby cottage.

Valentine cards, we do not have the tradition to send them.
But when I was in the Hema I fell in love with this box with lovely cards,



So I might send some this year..



Than I thought about this old vintage card I ones bought on a market.



I love the way they painted the pictures in those days.
Have a good start of the week everyone!

Project Improv

Today I was at a flea market and bought this magazine from 1963. A cover like this, who can resist it!



Dad is wearing mom's apron and is doing the dishes, while his two little girls wolk by giggling about their well behaving daddie. How things changed! (project improve? I hope)

But now, Project Improve,

I thought, peace of cake! make a block, leave the rules and improvise!
But I did not like my result... so I thought 'hup, het mes erin!'
I'll cut it in peaces.



Then I made an enormous mess...



let all boundaries go... and sew!





And that's what I did.

Have a good start of the week everyone,

Aprons,

I have been planning to make a post about aprons for a long time.
So now here it is!

The Dutch word for apron is, ‘schort’ and just today I discovered another old Dutch word, ‘boezelaar’.



When I think back in time, my grandmothers both wore aprons all the time except on Sunday and in the evenings. When my grand mother died I always kept one apron as a sweet memory to her.

Than there is this sweetie,



I always thought it was mine, but no, it's from my sister. She got it for her birthday when she was 4. We treasure it!

And this morning I was going through some old books in search for aprons.
In this book, from 1924, I found the new (old) word, "Boezelaar".





"apron for the servant" and "Reform apron" (1924)







And this week I finished restyling these two aprons for children.





We put one in the shop.

Well I'm off now to my mothers attic.... she just called, she has some old aprons...

Have a great day,

Tea cozy treasure,

End fifties my aunt and uncle imigrated to the U.S.A., as a lot of people imigrated in those tough years. The world was huge in those years, and my grandparents thought they would never see their dougther again. When they left, my mom made her this teacozy,



I love how she made and finished it with the band and lining.



As time passed by the world seems a lot smaller, and there have been many visits and warm contacts. On one of those last visits my aunt brought the teacozy back to the Netherlands and gave it to me.
I love and treasure it and it will stay in our family like one of those sweet family pieces.