Made in 2012

Reading  blogs and talking to people it seems that everybody is in agreement that 2012 has just flown by. Like many others, I too like to reflect on the highs and lows of the passed year at this point of time. That of course also includes what has been going on in my sewing room.

Lots and lots of small projects (I haven't got pictures of all of them), made mostly for our charity bazaar, but not many finished quilts to show for. I did however finish two hand pieced tops:

This one I've quilted in the ditch already, now I want to add a bit of hand quilting with perle cotton.

and this one I'm planning to free motion quilt by machine. 

Regarding New Year's resolutions: I have a dismal track record with those, so I don't even go there anymore. I just try to live life as it's presented to me and make the most of it and that includes sewing and quilting. If I see a new project that takes my fancy, why not go for it?? Life is too short to worry about too many UFOs! With that little insight, I would like to wish all my friends out there a very good start into the New Year and may 2013 be your best year yet. 

With Love

Vreni x

I should have known better!

Since the world didn't come to and end on Friday (just kidding) , I have no more excuses not to tackle some of my UFOs.

Do you remember these blocks?

Well, I had very good intentions at the beginning of the year when I decided  to join the quilt along "Building Houses from Scraps". As I know my limits, I thought, that instead of making one house every day, I would make one a week. I was able to keep up for the first five weeks, but that was the end of it.

Since I have lost interest in this project, but on the other hand don't want to have to take these "orphan blocks" into the new year, I decided to use them to make a cushion. And since it's Christmas time, I made it into a Christmas cushion!

With the Christmas tree up and decorated, the gifts wrapped and under the tree, all I have left to do is wishing you all a wonderful Christmas.

Cheers
Vreni x

Have you decked the halls yet?

I have, everything but the Christmas tree. I'm waiting with that until just before Christmas as with our climate, it won't last very long. And we don't want just the skeleton of a tree at Christmas, do we? But since I like a a few little lights I always decorate my corkscrew hazel branches. 

with the pottery angels underneath

as well as my Scandinavian winter village

but my favorite is this little nativity scene by the same artist who made my angels above

and the back of it.

I decorated this fresh pine wreath and the fragrance is wonderful. 

There was even time for a bit of crafting. I made this little Christmas gnome for the quilt group gift exchange today. 

With all that done, the baking finished, the gifts bought or made and wrapped as well as the cards and packages sent I can sit back and relax. Other than entertaining guests, I'm planning to start this quilt "Scandinavian Christmas by Lynette Anderson".  Bliss!

I hope you are also taking some time out to enjoy this special time.

Vreni x

Swiss style Santa

Click here for more information. 

Today is Santa Clause day in Switzerland. Our Santa comes on the 6th of December and not at Christmas, like in most parts of the world. Another difference is that he doesn't come from the North Pole either but from the Black Forest! He brings nuts, oranges and sweets for the children who have been good and a broom (or a bunch of twigs) for those who have been bad. 

In view of this and since I hosted the quilt group today I decided to have a bit of a Swiss Santa lunch. Traditionally we make and eat "Grättimaa" (meaning old man in Swiss German), made from a sweet bread dough, brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with sugar.

 The "Graettimaenner"  (and one lady) before baking

The table ready for my guests 

A plate of Christmas cookies. I still have to make two more batches.

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well too and that you are enjoying the season.

Cheers

Vreni x

Three times lucky!

Just when I thought that my luck had run out - as I hadn't won a single give away in ages - it seems the dry spell is finally over.

First I won Jess' three years blog anniversary give away and was lucky to get this lovely tote bag. It can be rolled up and tucked into the handbag; very clever and handy. She also sent me a packet of Wonder Clips, as I was wondering what they were when she showed them on her blog a while ago.

Then, only a few days later, I struck "gold" again with this lovely Twirl charm pack
coming from Sheila. She had a give away to celebrate her 200th blog post.

And that still wasn't the end. Farah had a give away to celebrate her 150th follower and guess what, I won that too. Another lovely charm pack came my way (Chicopee) and she too tucked in a little extra, a half a meter of Kona cotton.

Thanks so much Jess, Sheila and Farah. My faith in "lady luck" is now restored!

Cheers
Vreni x

Last minute preparations

In preparation for this week's charity fair, I did a bit of last minute crafting.

A Christmas box, covered with a lovely old fashioned fabric.

And aren't these fabric stars fun? I found the tutorial here and after a bit of fiddling around, I understood the process and was ready to go.

I see more of these in my future.

Keep your fingers crossed for our bazaar so we'll be able to make lots of money for a good cause.

Cheers

Vreni x

Done and dusted!

It seems that lately I'm constantly trying to catch my tail, due to my procrastinating, I suspect.  But I've pulled up my socks on the weekend and finally made the overdue bee blocks.

I have also organised my own blocks as it's my turn for the bee this month and the envelopes are all ready to be posted. I can't wait for the blocks to come back and see what everybody has made. 

It feels good to have at least a couple of things ticked off my to do list, which is - by the way -  a long as my arm.

Vreni x

Nepal and India

Hi, I'm back from what has been a short, but interesting trip. I loved Nepal; the people are very friendly and I even got to see a gimps of the Himalayas. Unfortunately they were mostly hiding behind clouds. Luckily I was able to see Mount Everest from the airplane. Between you and me, it doesn't look much different from our Matterhorn!

Entrance to the old city of Bhaktapur, which is situated in the Kathmandu Valley. It is listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, wood, metal and stone artwork.

 

Beautiful countryside on the way to Nagarkot. 

As there is a big community of Tibetan refuges their influence is visible everywhere. 

Inside a Tibetan monastery 

Young Tibetan nuns

Paintings on a monastery 

From Nepal we flew to Bombay for a few days. Here's a picture of the "Gate to India" taken from our hotel window.  We stayed at the Taj Mahal, the hotel with was attacked four years ago by terrorist. As it happened, my husband was staying at that hotel on that day, but luckily checked out a few hours before the attack. The hotel with its wonderful history has been totally renovated and is back to its former glory.

4

On a little tour around town we saw the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly known as Victoria Station) which was another scene of the shooting on that fateful day! 

 

                           

Markets

Dhoby Ghaut, which means washing place in Hindi, where thousands and thousands of pieces of laundry are washed and dried everyday, and all by hand!

The Tiffin wallahs, another Bombay institution. Around 200'000 tiffins (lunch boxes) are picked up every day from their respective homes, delivered to the owners at their offices and then later in the afternoon picked up again and brought back home. Apparently with absolutely no mistakes or lost boxes. Supply chain at its finest!

And lastly the Mahatma Gandhi museum

And now it's back with the nose to the grindstone. I can't believe how fast Christmas is approaching. I'm not yet in the right mood; are you?

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Vreni x