ATELIER SOED IDEE

Today I received the Spring exchange from Claudia . My year long partner for the Seasonal Exchange group (that no longer exists), from Italy. Claudia surprised me with yet another wonderful exchange! She stitched a Blackbird Design from the newest book and finished it into a pinwheel. And look at the cute little birdie attached to it! She also added some nice extra's: DS immediately confiscated the Eastern things for his bed room ;) Such a coincidence.... Claudia also received my Spring exchange today! Design: freebee from Danybrod Fabric: 32 ct. linen Floss: Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Finish: Primitive heart I added a small extra touch on the backside of the heart... Claudia, the Spring round of this exchange was wonderful again. I'm looking forward to the last one.... Hugs, Simone

A looooong time ago, I saw this cute little Key-house on a French blog "Le Chalet des Pérelles" . But there was only this pic... Not a pattern or anything. I've printed out the pic and it was on my sewing table for months. And this afternoon I decided to finally give it a try! So, I drawed a little house, did some digging in my fabbies, started cutting and sewing..... ... ... And ended up with something that looks like a Key-house! I'm rather happy with the end-result. Although... the house is pretty big for my keys. Maybe, in many, many months, I'll decide to make a smaller one ;) Hugs, Simone

I was still eating breakfast this morning when the doorbell rings. It was the mailman to deliver this wonderful chart from Renato Parolin ! (sorry, terrible website!) Renato Parolin is an Italian, male designer. When I saw this design "Nell' aria", it was love at first sight! I've added it to my wish list and forgot it a bit. Untill someone on the BAPXS yahoo-group mentioned Renato Parolin again. This time I couldn't resist it any longer! So I ordered it right away at Casa Cenina . It's a large design (388 x 233 stitches). Larger than I thought it would be... But I'm gonna enjoy every stitch of it! And when I came home from my doctors appointment (she removed 4 moles from my back), I found this at my door mat: It's "Earth Sampler" from The Primitive Needle. I saw the finished piece on Vonna's blog and asked her if she wanted to trade the chart. And she did! I think it's a great way to comfort myself after the "surgery" ;) So...

I also did the finishing of BBD's "Buttons & Pins" and I really like how it turned out! And the best thing is.... I'll keep it myself! :) Design: "Buttons & Pins" by Blackbird Designs Fabric: 32 ct Belfast linen Vintage beige Floss: GAST and WDW Finish: pynpillow This morning the mailman brought me block 3 from the Snowman & Reindeer quilt. So guess what I'll be stitching tonight? Hugs, Simone

I did have some time to finish my stitched items! So here's the Christmas ornament for March: Design: Reindeer freebee by Daffycat Designs Fabric: 28 ct. Jobelan Sand Floss: Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Finish: ornament

First of all; let me see thank you! I had so much wonderful comments on my craft room! And yes... I'm over-organised... Yesterday I had the most wonderful time since ages! Marne (from the US)was visiting the Netherlands, so we had a meeting with some Crazy exchange members; Caroline , Jacqueline , Joke and Bianca came to my house, so that we could chat, laugh, eat and stitch (but we didn't have time for that). From left to right: Joke, Caroline, Bianca, Marne, me and Jacqueline I didn't take pictures myself, but Caroline made a lot so please take a look into her album . The good thing was that we had the most beautiful Spring weather you could imagine, so we spent the whole time in our back yard! Girls, I hope we can do this again in the near future... With so much positive energy my needles were flying. So I have some finishes to show you. A few days ago I finished the stitching on my March ornament. It's a freebee from Daffy . Friday night I finished "Buttons...

Whoohoo! I've been awarded by Mathilda for the Kreativ Blogger Award! Here's what to do: Copy the logo of the Kreativ Blogger Award in to your blog Make a link to the person's blog who nominated you Nominate 8 other blogs Add their links to your blog Leave a comment on the blogs, that they have been awarded. These are the 8 blogs I'm nominating for the Award: Janaina Willeke Wendy Jo Vonna Ingrid Hester Cindy Willeke Hugs, Simone

Yesterday I cleaned my stitching room. It always get very dusty, because of the sewing and the fabric cutting. But I thought this was a good moment to show you some pictures of it. Welcome in my little craft room! On the left, behind the door, is our computer. Here's where I email, blog and chat with you guys! And ofcourse get a lot of inspiration by surfing the net. My harddisk is full of charts and ideas that I should make once... The cutting corner ;) This cupboard used to hang in our old kitchen from our previous house. My dad repainted it, and now it's in good use again. In it are some pretty things I received in exchanges or made myself. This is the Stitchers tray from Maryse. It's filled with pinkeeps, pincushions, biscornu's, needlebooks, a hornbook and a needleroll. All of them were received in exchanges. It's my treasurebox! This is my view when I'm sewing... My sewing table... ...with my bobbin collection. A little wall space with some wallhangings th...

Today I finished these chickens! They're also a design of Bep . Aren't they funny? Hugs, Simone

Last Wednesday I went to Bep's with some friends from my quiltbee, for a surprisemorning. We had a little workshop to make this cute Eastern wallhanging. I finished mine Friday. Woensdag ging ik met de meiden van de quiltbee naar Bep , voor de verrassingsochtend. Wat was het gezellig druk in Bep d'r keuken! Bep had dit paasquiltje voor ons bedacht. Sinds vrijdag hangt ie te pronken aan m'n kast. Heb ik ook eindelijk een "mandjesquilt";) Hugs, Simone

We finally have some nice weather, so the crocusses are bursting out of the ground! The Dutch name for Helleborus is "Kerstroos (Christmas Rose)", but in my garden they always wait 'till March... Happy Spring!

I had the honour to stitch the first heart on Ann's Friendship RR! Ann only stitched the border herself, so I had a lot of choice! I've chosen the heart in the topleft corner. Ann asked to stitch the heart in your own favourite color, as long as it's DMC. I used DMC 4130 and 4150. I also made a page on my website for the RR. I'll add a pic of each Friendship RR that I've stitched on. Hugs, Simone

Yesterday I bought the heart shaped scissors from Stacy Nash Primitives at Bep's . I think it's too cute! I received several scissors in exchanges before, so I thought it was nice to display them together. I did a Google search on "Collection des Ciseaux", but my collection is still very tiny! I saw the most wonderful scissors... The tray I've got once from Iris in an exchange. Now, that are HUDGE scissors! They belonged to my grandfather (who already passed away before I was born), who was a tailor. He used to cut his fabric with them. Hugs, Simone

On the "Make a Wish" exchange forum I wished for a Prairie Schooler design, because I didn't have any of them. Karen volunteerd to fulfill my wish. This mornings mail brought me this beautifully stitched and finished tin. Gorgeous isn't it? I really like the design Karen chose for me and the 1 over 1 stitching is perfect! Thank you so much Karen! Hugs, Simone

When DS saw this bunny-tutorial he immediatly want one! So I let him choose the fabric and made one for him. He also made the pic himself! Toen Tijmen dit konijntje zag, wilde hij er ook één! Dus hij heeft zelf lekkere flanelletjes uitgezocht en ik heb er een voor hem gemaakt. De foto heeft hij ook zelf gemaakt! I did some stitching for my friend Bep . I've stitched her this blackbird from Homespun Elegance: And this sampler from Stacy Nash Primitives, from the book "From me to Thee". She's going to finish them herself. The sampler is actually a sewing pouch. I'll show pics of them, when they're finished. Bep heeft mij gevraagd wat dingetjes voor haar te borduren. Het vogeltje is van Homespun Elegance en de sampler van Stacy Nash Primitives. De Sampler komt uit het boekje "From me to Thee" en is eigenlijk een naaitasje. Bep gaat de borduurtjes zelf nog afwerken. De patroontjes van Stacy Nash staan nu ook in haar webwinkel ! Hugs, Simone

I'm not sure what this is.... But since the hen is taking care of our chocolate eggs, I think it's an "egg cozy" ;) Hugs, Simone

This afternoon I finished the LHN Hen party, into a little tray. I like the way it turned out! Hugs, Simone

In December I sent a Christmas ornament and some goodies to Robyn in Australia, for the HOE exchange. Robyn was travelling the globe around that time and my ornament never came... I was just about to start a new ornament, when I got the message today from Robyn that the package arrived on her doorstep! It's amazing! It was still in one piece, with everything in it. Such a relief! This is the ornament that I've made for her: Design: Starry Night - Shepherds Bush, JCS Christmas Ornaments 2008 Fabric: 28 ct Zweigart Lugana Pewter grey Floss: DMC Finish: ornament Enjoy your Christmas in March, Robyn! Hugs, Simone

Do you know what this is???? It's a full set of Gentle Art Sampler Threads!!!! Today I received another Monthly Bits from SB&B and now I have my GAST collection complete. I'm going to continue the Monthly Bits club and hoping to complete my Weeks Dye Works also, once. Hugs, Simone