intentions are not enough...

I had so many good intentions about writing and showing you what I have made lately but time got the best out of me. I have been busy searching for job and finding an available kindergarten (day care) for Astrid. For a while I thought I was going to have to register as “unemployed” but after a dozen of work interviews I finally landed a good job and negotiated my way to a kindergarten for Astrid. I am happy, exhausted and ready for vacation. This means that until august there will be little if not any action on the blog. I miss reading your blogs, leaving comments and staying in touch. I will find time to do that sooner or later. In the meantime I wish you all a wonderful, wonderful vacation filled with sunshine, relaxation, and relaxed crafting. Hugs here from Yonder!

pink ants

I had big lunch & coffee latte plans today together with my friend T. Unfortunately her son might have gotten the chicken pocks and they are waiting for an appointment with the doctor to get it confirmed. Instead of fun girl time over an aubergine salad and warm coffee I’ll have fun girl time together with you while I post a photo of another napkin that I made. This one is for Astrid’s third cousin Iris who lives in Oviedo, a beautiful city in the region Asturias in northern Spain.

Since I’m staying at home I should be cleaning what will be Astrid’s room (still my office and craft room). But it is raining outside…and I just feel like baking chocolate buns and sew.

napkins and family visit

This coming week will be a one of short posts to show you what I have made in between all the cleaning and nostalgia. First project to be showed off are these napkins that I made before visiting my three cousins MJ, M and D in Madrid. Astrid and I arrived last Friday to stay for the weekend at MJ’s (my oldest cousin) house. Besides being Astrid’s Godmother she is also a super woman and a saint.

She had come home from a business trip in Paris the day before I arrived, her husband was stumbling around on crutches after a painful knee operation and she hadn’t seen her two sons for several days, still she received me with a big smile and lots of energy. And she kept on without a break during the whole weekend. She bought groceries, prepared baby food, showed me her village, whipped up a delicious sea food barbeque and the list goes on and on (…only wish she would have let me helped her a bit). As I already said: super woman and saint.

The napkins were for my cousins’ children in other words Astrid’s second cousins. I met three beautiful boys, Miguel and David the sons of MJ and third, Juan the son of D, MJ’ youngest brother. He became a father to his second son Pablo at six o’clock Sunday afternoon. I missed that by a few hours as my plain left Madrid at seven. Altogether Astrid and I had a wonderful weekend.

treasures and nostalgia

May flew by and I realize I haven’t written a single post. Instead I have done some major spring cleaning. When we moved two years ago I began a new job right away and boxes that should have been looked through, unpacked and ordered were just stowed in the cellar. Do not repeat after me. Unpack right away. If not, those same boxes will hunt you down sooner or later and take a big bite of your... time. It has been quite a journey through forgotten years, some treasures and lots of nostalgia.

I have done some knitting as well but have not had the time, or made the time to upload and post photos. I will soon.

and the winner is...

Thank you so much everyone for stopping by and celebrating my second blog anniversary together with me! It was fun finding out where everyone is reading and writing from and especially fun to know how you found and when you began reading my blog (for those of you who shared that).

Looking forward to share more time and projects together with you but first:

Mr. Yonder helped me pull out a name from the hat (actually it was a salad bowl) and the name on the note that got picked was Di. Congratulations Di!!! Give me you address (through flickr mail) and I will send you your goodies.

How to sew on lining...

I finished the jacket I began knitting in February, but still need to sew on the lining for the inner flab. I have red the instructions over and over again, but still don’t understand how to do it. Does anyone have experience with this or perhaps even have a photo tutorial? A photo tutorial, now that would do wonders! I guess I’ll do and undo it until I get it right.

My window garden has grown these last days and I love watching. I’m a complete amateur at gardening so there is no guarantee they will survive, but I hope they do, because I have so many plans for how to use the herbs. The oregano will be used to make delicious Greek baked chicken with lemon, olive oil and…oregano. If I get enough Basil I will try to make my very own pesto and the chives will be used for my favourite potato salad. I hope they will grow fast… I’m getting hungry.

two years in Yonder

It is celebration time in Yonder! Together with you I have reached the two year anniversary of this blog, and I am so happy that I began writing two years ago. It has been such fun to get to know everyone through this internet based world. You have been there with me through my crafting endeavours, giving me compliments when you liked what you saw, encouragement when I lost faith in a project, and good advice when I got stuck. Thank you!

I’m celebrating by baking cookies and doing my first give away. Sign up for the give away by leaving a comment on the post I wrote on Tuesday the 21st and let me know where you’re writing from. If you win you will get this French book about softies that I used to make the blankie bear (you can see another photo from the book here).

In addition you will get this softie kit from Tilda, which comes with everything you need to make this beautiful vintage angel.

blankie bear done and spring is sprouting

The blankie bear was finished in no time. Even though I ironed it yesterday it’s all curly again today because Astrid has been playing with it since she got it. I put a small bell inside the bears head (together with 100% wool filling) so every time she moves the bears it gives a light tingle. Depending on if your child is a light sleeper or not you might want to consider skipping the bell. Imagine you baby almost asleep and then because she moves the bear: “tingle, tingle”…

For anyone wondering how the tug war between winter and spring went along Rani was right; spring did win and everywhere we go we see sprouts coming out. A couple of days ago I planted different seeds in my mini greenhouse. The thyme and basil has come out with a few sprouts the chives and the flowers are taking it slow. I would tell you name of the flowers if I knew but they came mixed with no specification. The only thing I know about them is that they are supposed to attract butterflies. I can’t wait to see if they will actually attract butterflies to our terrace. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

I still need to take a photo of the give away goodies and I’ll try to have it taken by tomorrow. If you would like a chance to win just read what you need to do in my post from yesterday, nothing complicated, easy, pieasy.

blankie bear for Astrid

I am still on cross stitch break because I continue to find small project I just "need" to do before I continue on the quilt. This time I'm making a blankie bear from a pattern in this French book. I think I have finally decided on the fabric...yes I have. Now it's just a matter of cutting and sewing.

By the way, in a few days my blog will celebrate its second anniversary. I missed the first anniversary, so this year I'm planning to do a giveaway to celebrate the event. If you would like to participate you just have to post a comment (on this post) and tell me what day I celebrate my second anniversary and what country you’re writing from. The 29th is the last day to leave a comment and I will draw and post the winner on Thursday the 30th of this month. I’ll post a photo of what you can win on the giveaway in a few days... For now I can say that the French book with the pattern of the blankie bear is among the things that will be sent to the winner.

easter blues...

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter! We have spent our Easter days together with family and dear friends that we had not seen for more than a year. It’s always good to be surrounded by love.