been camping...

...sort of

another one of his godmother's brilliant presents

(Sunday was his name-day)

xxx

PS.Because some of you are asking, let me explain the living/working situation: the school I belong to is the one I worked at this past school year, faraway from home. The years before, I asked for a temporary transfer to a school near home, which I got, that's why I wasn't away. The school year that has just ended though, I'd decided to go to my appointed school because I had to do that in order to be eligible for a permanent transfer in case there was an opening near home - but there wasn't one, that's why I have applied for another temporary transfer (as have many many other teachers). We'll know who goes where at the end of August (schools start in September). If I get the transfer I'll either be here at home or at my village ( I applied for both areas; my village is 85km away from home, my school is 450!) If I don't get it...I may have to leave again or I may ask for a sabbatical (which means no income). Hope this makes sense. I know it's confusing and it's frustrating for us not knowing where we'll be in a few weeks.

PPS. Today's post: 13 words / Postscript: a gazillion words!

;)

yarn + fabric

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited to be talking to you!

My laptop has been dealing with some malfunction issues - viruses and the like- lately and I thought it went dead for good last night. I tried to switch it on this morning but I was greeted with a black screen. It's almost midnight now and while waiting for tomorrow's lunch to cook I thought I might give it another try before putting it in the bag, ready to take home.

But miracles do happen, so here we are again, my little blog and I, for a 'ta-daaaah' post!

~~~~ So, do you remember me mentioning a secret crochet project?

Well, now that it has safely found its recepient, I can let the cat out of the bag (boy, I love english idioms! they're hilarious!)

Look at this mosaic: do you see a colour scheme... kind of? do you?

It all started when I saw the blue yarn on etsy and thought of the perfect project for it; then I spotted the brown yarn and decided on a two-colour project.

Then, one evening, I was looking at bags on etsy and saw this one... the colours were quite similar. Finally, I decided the crochet part wasn't warm enough; I needed some 'back-up'.

Do you want to see what I've made?

Do you?

It was made with lots of love; lots and lots of love!

Here it is then:

a crochet baby blanket!!!

I added a couple of fabric details to make it more cheerful and the flannel backing for extra warmth ( because as my son says for our blanket:' cold manages to get in through the holes'!)

Of course, I used the best model for the photo shoot...

... and his best friend! The bag is, of course, for the baby's daipers, bottles, little toys...

Hope you're all keeping well!

Until we meet again,

Take Care!

xxx

my son's new 'toy'

Hello lovely people!

How are you all feeling today?

I hope you're all happy and cheerful like me!

My trip back home did me good, oh, so good!

I've returned revived and in a great mood.

Having my little family together was just what I needed to lift my spirits~

well, a visit to the hairdresser's for a long-overdue haircut and some highlights and some new clothes and make-up did play a teeny tiny (huge!) part in it, I have to admit!

There was a slight change of plans though, as my poor baby was ill; he had a temperature on the night before we left, which kept on till Saturday.

Poor thing, he didn't get to go anywhere but, on the bright side, he spent lots of time with daddy who was always with him (giving mummy time to spoil herself!).

Now, to this 'toy' I mention in my title.

One of the plans we'd made was to get together with his godmother's family for lunch; we had to cancel it though since they have a baby and we didn't want him to get sick, too. My boy was very disappointed when he heard we couldn't go. Why? Because there was a birthday present for him and he knew what it was: a fantastic birthday present! My friend (his godmother) did pay us a short visit when the fever 'had left the building' though and brought him.... his first 'real' camera!!!

The first photo below is one of the first he took

and of course - like a good mummy I am- I had to check his new toy to see if it's...hmmm.... safe? ;)

Happy Wednesday!

xxx

December 18th - grateful for ..

{ Christmas ornaments }

(from my ornament swap partner, Connie; literally, the only ornaments on our tree we haven't made ourselves!)

~~~~~

Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.

~Author Unknown

from the weekend

the village is full of this yellow bliss

riding across the river - well, just a little bit (photo taken by hubby with his cell phone - I've got them all working for me!)

lunch here on a wet, misty Saturday afternoon

(I took the photos with my cell; excuse the poor quality)

comfort food (recipe here)

cosying up the house - new rug for the kitchen

~~~~~~
the new week greeted me with two parcels full of birthday wishes and... BOOKS!!!!! Thank you Feline and Sarah!
(more on this next time)

~~~~~~~

Have a lovely rest of the week!

xxx

you're full of flaws, but I love you! (2)

If you've read this post,

you know I learned to crochet this year.

I love it and have a crochet project in progress;

but summers in Greece are too hot to work with yarn.

Meanwhile, I've been drooling over several sewing projects I've seen in blogland, quilts included.

So, how do I quench my creative thirst?

Well,

ta-daaaah!

my first ever (apart from the lining for the crochet bag, that is) sewing project:

a baby quilt!!!

I loved, loved, loved making it,

even more because it's for a special baby-to-come (not mine, by the way)...

well, all babies are special, but you know what I mean.

Now I need to ask: how do you call these boards I've seen around for cutting the fabric properly? I really need to get one of these

(look at the picture below and you'll know what I mean)






So, what do you think?
Should I invest in this 'board', some fabric and , hmm, some pins?
Do I have a future in quilting?

basket case

an early name-day present from my best friend~

oh, she knows me so well!

~ surprise ~ mail

from Christina...

I was expecting a note

and she sent me a gorgeous photo together with other goodies.

I love her photography and I love tulips.

The sight of the parcel alone made me skippey-happy!

Can you imagine how I felt when I saw the contents?

'swoon' as Christina would say!

~~~~~~~

from Jane...

Jane had told me she would sent me a thank you letter
because she'd won my giveaway.
It turned out, I was the lucky one.
Look what she's made for me!
It's all handmade!
Do enlarge these pictures to see all the details:
stamps, buttons, snippets of maps;
and all the flowery fabrics!
But that's not all!
There were surprises in all the little pockets!


My favourite one is the little sachet with a photo of a rose I had posted here on one side and one of her roses on the other, printed on ... fabric!
I love it all!

~~~~~~~
I'm touched and overwhelmed by your generosity ladies.
I feel I can't thank you enough.
Blogging is one thing that I enjoy but real mail that I can touch and carry around with me is happiness smiling at me!

xxx

Generation Gap?

Lucy is a teenager.

Regarding age, she could be my daughter.

I'd love to have a teenage daughter, especially if she were like Lucy.

But she's not my daughter; not even my niece, student or my best friend's daughter.

She's my friend.

She's my blog-buddy.

She leaves sweet, thoughtful comments on my blog

and either I don't remember how it is to be 14

or she's a very mature teenager.

* * * * *

On the other hand,

there are some lovely women here in blogland

who could be my teachers or my mum's friends.

I always read what they have to say carefully,

whether on their own blogs or on mine,

and they're my friends, too.

* * * * *

In this wonderful community,

where everyone is friendly and supportive,

there are no generation gaps;

we're all on the same side.

* * * * *

The picture shows the contents of a parcel Lucy has sent me.

Thank you my youngest friend!

Being spoiled...

Lately, I've been feeling much loved, even spoiled sometimes.

I've won two giveaways (I've yet to blog about the second one), got birthday presents in the mail and a surprise present by my dearest, closest to my heart friend and I'm expecting another book from a blogger friend (details in due time).

=====================================================================

A couple of days after my birthday my best friend came over after work and not at all empty-handed! She brought treats for little one/her godson, two little herb pots (see previous post) and this parcel.

Do you like how it looks? I was speechless! You see, my dear friend is not a crafts person and she would always admire the way I presented my gifts to her -from homemade tomato sauce to a little trunk with all sorts of goodies.

So in order to please me she sat down and transformed this box (of ? I don't really now what) into a girlie, lovely box for me.

Do you want to take a pick inside?

...matching wrapping paper...

...and..Ta-dah! A gorgeous, feminine, tight-waisted (I know that's not a word but you get the picture)red (much brighter than in the picture) shirt (blouse??)!!!!

=================================================
Last Friday I received my birthday present from my pen-friend in Malaysia. I sort of guessed part of the contents; you see, when we met in London in April we were talking about books and told her I didn't have time to find a second-hand copy of The Shell Seekers and she said she would find it for me. She's sent me other books since then but not this one. So (clever me!) I suspected she was saving it for my birthday. I've read the book a hundred times (almost) but always in Greek; I can't wait to read the original.

There was also another book which she says is very good (and if she says it's good then it is), two more bookmarks (I need to take a picture of all the bookmarks she's sent me and show you, they're endless!) and ...


... a silk caftan with a hand-painted peacock on it!!! It's gorgeous (if I may say so myself)

Thank you my friends for spoiling me! I need it and I appreciate it so much.



Take Care everyone!
xxx

November

Hello ladies!

I just got back from work, prepared little one a snack -he's always hungry when we come home although he's had lunch at school- and sat at my desk to wish you all a wonderful, sweet, cosy November and show you a few of the things we did over our stay-at-home weekend.

Soooo, ...

...there was changing pots to some newly acquired herbs (thyme and oregano); I know this sounds more like a spring task but the little plants were a gift

... there was a ♥ precious ♥ family breakfast


... there were beautiful colours in the sky (please ignore the rooftops)


... there was a delicious, warm meal on Sunday



...there was lego-playing while mum was ironing (imagine whole mountains of clothes)

...and 'pic-nicking' on the living-room floor (the piles of clothes you see is the 'food')

...and of course, there was coffee, home-made biscuits and a good book

...and, needless to say, more coffee, cake and the same good book.

How was your weekend?


While thinking about November, these two ideas sprung to mind:

film: Sweet November (listen to this song by Enya-gorgeous!)

and

song: November Rain

Can you suggest anything else relating to this month?

Enjoy what's left of autumn and be prepared to welcome winter (scarves and gloves all ready here)

Take Care

xxx