Unfinished works

This two unfinished works which I stitch alternating my secret garden and other work projects that I have has to wait 'til I come back from my vacation to the Philippines. The truth is: I ran out of threads already and considering , it is cheaper there. It had to wait a little longer. I may be a cross stitch fanatic but I also have to keep up with my budget. Its not a priority, so to speak. So everybody can guess what stuff there is that may never be absent in my shopping list.

Whats up with my secret Garden 3

here it is, just a few finishing touches, I reckon, I will finished it before January 25.

Christmas Spirits is uplifting

I think it is the upcoming 'fiesta' that lifts my spirits a little bit, that is why I sit nowadays back in front of the computer. In fact I bought a new hard disk,

Trying to pick-up and move on

Its been months since I posted here in my blog, although I'd never did stopped in what I do. In fact I did a lot of progress in my works. I was constant dissapointed and sick lately, not really bad but, I was listless and not so much in the mood to sit in front of the computer. I am still not in the mood actually. I have a diepje , so as we says in dutch. Its all about something personal like losing a friend literally. Having a lot to think about just like problems which are not my own but, from the people I dear most. Thinking and pondering how could I make everybody happy when I also have shortcomings.

It all began when somebody asks my help to edit a manuscript of a book sometimes in May, my friend and I had a little mis-understanding about the use of copywrited materials, and using name of people in a journal which is supposed to be published. Perhaps it is right what she accused me of, that I have never been changed. I am still the self-opinionated, feeling always right as I always am before. And she was right in a way. I am always righteous, and it is something that I can probably hard to change because I don't want to change. Avoiding trouble is for me better than taking chances and looking for the best possible solutions to the consequences afterwards.

So I lost a friend, because I am a self-opinionated, feeling always right. And if she ever did read about this. My message is: I have nothing to lose but, gain a respect for myself.

I also have another friend who late July this year receives a shock of her life when her daughter was diagnosed with mental disorder. It was also a hard clap. Something nobody would ever expected.

There were also a lot of things, one after another that had bother me so much like all the calamities in the past few months in our country. Specifically in our town in Laguna. Where the house of my brother was affected. It was not destroyed luckily, but all the materials and appliances in his house was destroyed.

And I constantly receives emails, letters and text from acquaintances who in one way or another needed my help. It was for me too much. Nevertheless I am thankful that I am good. I am okay, I have no mountains of problems and incurable sickness like others. But, it makes me psychologically and physically vulnerable nonethelss.

My husbands hobby garden

We have lots of vegetable and fruits this year: prunes, peach, apple, strawberry, grapes, blackberries, we have eikeblad sla, squash, courgette, green beans, sugar peas. Its really full, not to mention the asparagus last June. They are really nice and delicious, but there are also lots of works to be done. that is why we don't even have time to go anywhere. Some plants has to be watered everyday, sometimes 2 times a day. Actually this is my husband's hobby. gardening, he love it and he do it always with love and contentment. It amazes me all the time who can he possibly grows anything he likes. He really have a green fingers which I don't have :) . I always need the help of chemical products to grow things. Even my flowers outside are not so beautiful as it is as he does not lay his hands on them. His plants are really gorgeous and they smell nice too.

Green beans

These are green beans

muscat grapes

grapes

our strawberries

strawberries

Enjoying our small garden and everything in it

This is one of the reason why my husband and I spends more time in our backyard lately. There are plenty of things to do this summer. We have a bountiful garden, small yet everything that we planted this year are full of neither flowers or fruit.

'puppy'

This is what I did this week a small pup for the mother -in law of my friend Riza. I actually wanted to stitch it with DMC next time I got a little cloth.

Secret garden 3 in d making

I haven't much time to post lately because since the summer begins, it is getting too warm inside, thus, I spend more and more time at the back garden. Meanwhile this is what I currently been stitching. This is the secret garden pattern number 3. As I have said before I did skip number 2.

I am also getting more attached into sewing, as I have bought a new sewing machine and my husband gave me an edging machine for my birthday. So I sew and sew everyday.

So I'm pretty sure I have plenty to write about next time.

Welcome to my secret garden 1

After 6 months is my secret garden 1 finally finished. I am quite happy with the result. Here and there is some mistakes but it is hardly noticeable.

I can't hardly wait to start number 3.

Amazing prices

I received a package today from a friend in the Philippines who sells crafts materials for all sorts of cross stitch.

It is interesting to note that the prices from there in comparison here in Belgium is really un-imaginable.

one piece of DMC cost here 1.30€ in the Philippines it cost 15 pesos. 1€ is about 60 pesos. thus, for every 1 euro I can buy there 4 pieces. 

I send 150 euro to my friend to buy me 200 pieces. I said if the money is enough just double some of the colors. Hence, I got 4 hundred pieces. If I am going to buy it here, It will cost me 520 euro. Its amazing, I mean its hard to imagine, really. then my friend sent me a text saying I still have some changes left. I told her to treat herself mcdonald or something cheesy. Sometimes its really hard to understand, why does it have to be different, but then sometimes I get the picture clearly and I thought. yeah, that's the way it is in third world country.

Mijn vriendin en haar zoontje

Here Prisana's foto is beginning to get a shape already. although because of 2 bloks fout, I had to redo it over and over. I hope to be able to finish before christmas.

Secret garden 3

I have a plan to skip secret garden 2 because the changes in color scheme is better for my eyes and my mood.

I noticed lately that I become easily bored whenever I stitches continously with the same color scheme. Especially in big designs. That is why , I stopped and stitched small things from time to time.

A few finishing touches for my secret garden 1

At last my secret garden 1 is almost finished, just a few finishing touches and voila.

I'm back on track

I took a long absence in my blog due to some un-expected fiasco in my homeland. My house in the Philippines was robbed 3 weeks ago. It put me in a stressful situation that it was impossible for me to be able to happily chatter while I worries from here and there.

It can happen to everybody but knowing I cannot control the situation and I cannot do anything about it makes me really mad. It makes me mad that sometimes I let it affect my motivation in everything that I do. My self control and sense of decision making tends to be compulsive and radical. I guess its human nature. I hope to be able to be more calmer as I go older.

I did a lot of sewing and stitching 'though to re-direct my attention, otherwise I can easily get sick and depressive whenever I think about it. My secret garden cross stitch is almost finished. I'll give it a month and its ready for framing.

Time for General Cleaning

The weather is lovely lately that's why I took the opportunity to do some cleaning outside. The cupboards and all the cabinets are done. I did wash winter clothes and washable jackets and mantels. Marcel is now 3 days busy cleaning and repairing the fireplace. All I have to do is put away all winter clothes and do lots of ironing. Then I can go back to sewing etc.

I am excited because I bought a new gas fornuis so I can fry fish outside whenever the weather permits. Its really fine to be able to sit outside in the afternoon. Drinking cool kriek

Taking up driving lessons

I am significantly busy nowadays, not only for my nik-naks but also learning everyday on how to be a responsible and defensive driver. Anyone can say its easy, but for me its not. When you have a phobia for anything, I'll tell you its like tomorrow is the end of the day. Especially in a country like ours, I mean where I now reside is very important to be really cautious. It is almost everyday in the news that people died of accident here in there.

Sometimes I thought I could better take public transport out of anxiousness, but more often than not I changed my mind easily because shopping spree and trips to the groceries is a part of daily life and it is not pleasant to bicycle here in there all the time. Although most of the people here in Belgium are used to it. I still think that my husband could possibly sick at any time and I have to bring him to the doctor. So I decided that I really need to take it seriously and I need to do it pretty soon.

Learning to sew

I was the last three weeks busy with everything and anything all at the same time, typical me. Here is the result a series of what somebody might called a product of my eccentric taste. I said somebody because I know someone who finds my style cheap. But I don't mind, because as I always say: I am not me if I am others. although I am not even sure if I'm gonna wear them all I am happy with my works. I'm pretty sure that there will come a time when I can sew something nice and pretty for somebody else. As for my own, I like to create something colorful, I don't mind if people thinking that I am nuts. The truth is I hate to see young people here in Belgium wearing, black or dark colors, they look 10 years older than their age. But of course these are really cheap fabrics, good enough to throw it away when something goes wrong. Yeah if I cannot really sew it right then I don't have to get too frustrated. I still have a lot to learn yet.

Small stiches work

Whenever I get bored of my big cross stitch projects, I set it aside for awhile and stitch something small. This is what I have done for the last three days.

Something to share

Man and Woman

V.H

Man is the most elevated of creatures, Woman the most sublime of ideals.
God made for man a throne; for woman an altar.
The throne exalts, the altar sanctifies.
Man is the brain, Woman, the heart.
The brain creates light, the heart, Love. Light engenders, Love resurrects.
Because of reason Man is strong, because of tears Woman is invincible.
Reason is convincing, tears moving.
Man is capable of all heroism, Woman of all martyrdom.
Heroism ennobles, martyrdom sublimates.
Man has supremacy, Woman, preference.
Supremacy is strength, preference is the right.
Man is a genius, Woman, an angel.
Genius is immeasurable, the angel undefinable.
The aspiration of man is supreme glory,
The aspiration of woman is extreme virtue.
Glory creates all that is great; virtue, all that is divine.
Man is a code, Woman a gospel.
A code corrects, the gospel perfects.
Man thinks, Woman dreams.
To think is to have a worm in the brain,
to dream is to have a halo on the brow.
Man is an ocean, Woman a lake.
The ocean has the adorning pearl, the lake, dazzling poetry.
Man is the flying eagle, Woman, the singing nightingale.
To fly is to conquer space. To sing is to conquer the Soul.
Man is a temple, Woman a shrine.
Before the temple we discover ourselves, before the shrine we kneel.
In short, man is found where earth finishes, woman where heaven begins.

For Arriane

I have stitched this beautiful beertjes for my new born niece. Her mother has to do the name and date of her birthday. I think its cute when framed already.

Something for Aaron

I'm getting bored of winter

Its getting a little bit boring this winter, its always dark and cloudy. Although its not my character to complain for nothing, its getting a bit too somber everyday. Not to mention my husband is too eager to begin cleaning up our glass house so he can start planting. I miss flowers in the garden. I plant every year yellow and orange flowers in our front yard. This year we are planning to mix colors. I am curious how the krokus bollen going to look like. I have asked Marcel to plant it in a form of a fish. Its a way of us showing passersby that Christian people live in this house.

sewing a bolero vest

At last I have found a wikkelvestje pattern that I have seen on somebody. I bought a bolero pattern a week ago but it didn't go wel, I was hoping that I could do better this time.

My gadgets

groetjes Frouwkje vanuit Zomergem!

Ik veronderstel dat uw naam Frouwke is, yes I don't mind you sending me mails as long as geen porno flik. trouwens we kunnnen via comments communiceren.

Anyway these are the only gadgets that I have. I made it by hand. I don't have a special machine. I don't think that it is fun cross stitching with a machine.

these are the only things that you need: a pattern, DMC, scissors, cloth (aida cloth, or zweigart whatever). The only thing that is very important is patience my dearest. (enorm geduld) Patience, lots and lots of it. voila!

Madonna & Child

I have completely forgotten this brown madonna that I have stitched two years ago. Beautiful and chic. I plan to bring it in laguna, framed and hang it there. But i forgot it last year.

My very first cross stitch Photo

This is the very first photo that I cross stitched. One of the best I ever did. Not because its mine, but because it turns out to be beautiful than the picture itself. And I mean the finished product not me. My only fault is I stitched it using anchor instead of DMC. When I washed it before letting it framed. most of the color faded away. Maybe, just maybe I could do it once again, although stitching my own picture is not so interesting as stitching others. It is kind of predictable and I hate it. I always love the challenge of making something new and different. My husband even joked a week ago that it is a question of time when I am going to stop what I do now and go mountain climbing instead. Who knows!

Latest

I didn't have much progress with this pic but it is beginning to get a shape already. So I presume i can finish this before Christmas along with one thousand and one plan that I have made. So help me God.

Integrating myself in my new land

An old friend of mine have asked me via email. What on earth keeps me busy here in Belgium. Why I am not working. It is also interesting to note that lots of people who haven't seen me awhile ask the same question whenever they see me.

People just don't understand why I have so much to do all the time. The truth is whenever I am not busy with my own world. I tried to mingle with the people around here. Especially with the women whom I believe that I can learn a lot. There is nothing as interesting for me as learning new things, new culture, and meeting interesting people. Here with me are the lovely ladies of Sport and Steun Cycling club, where my husband is also a member.

Thanks to the 'Obamania'

Courtesy of the 'Obamania' and all the exciting TV marathon regarding the inaguration of the new american president, I got a chance to sit before the television longer than I did in the whole year.But I also had more time browsing the mode magazine that I have in possession for quite sometime already. And guess what.... I've found a pattern of a tunic that I have long ago wanted to sew, which i did. And I did sew it in record time. I love tunic's blouses, its my kind of casual ready to go outfit.

My projects for this year

1. Finishing secret garden
(at least 2 patterns)
2. Finishing Prisana's foto

3. stitching a pattern for a wall clock

4. remaking my wedding pictures

5. Continue blogging

How in God's name can I finish all of them this year is a challenge. But somehow, I am often times surprised by my own guts. What scares me to death is the fact that my husband is already putting me in stress. He likes me to begin driving this summer. Yes! that's what I am scared to the bones. I don't can pretend that I am sick all the time you know.

My classmate Prisana & her beloved son.

This is one of my projects this year, stitching a foto of my friend Prisana and her son. I am kind of experementing on how long or how fast I could be able to finish a pattern with a size of 252 x 196 stitch count in a 14 count aida cloth.

I stitch this foto 4 hours per week.

Something I am not satisfied

It doesn't have to be perfect all the time. But sometimes it is also frustrating if you don't get it right the way you wanted it. I was not able to stitch my own wedding foto the way I wanted it. This is one of my works that I am not really proud of. My husband finds it ok, and says why don't post my foto in your blogger? (uw vriendinnen zal mij knap vinden).

Actually I am planning to redo it, maybe next year when I go vacation in the Philippines, I let a new pattern be done.

My wedding foto

It doesn't have to be perfect all the time but, I am terribly unsatisfied with the result of my wedding foto when I stitched it. That 's why I decided not to let it framed already. I am planning to do it again in colors or maybe in sepia. I find it not really good but I post it anyway.

Cape ( pattern from burda)

This is the cool cape that I sewed last December. I got the pattern from Burda. It is really beautiful and the color is really chic.

Finished product

This is a corduroy A line skirt that I have recently sewed. ideal for between seasons. I can wear it with a leggings in the winter. It is also good with ballerina shoes in the summer.

Ginette Poelmans-Helsen

This is a perfect choice of black and white cross stitch. Very economical because there are not so much color, thus, not so much different DMC to buy. Colors that I normally buy randomly.

By the way, the lady in the picture is the first wife of my husband. She died young from cancer. I find her very pretty and content in this pic. that's why I did it.

kleine geordi & geofri

This is one of my finished works a picture of my husbands klein kinderen. It is originally colored but I dare to make a difference so I decided to stitch it in sepia.

It is absolutely a perfect choice.

something to do

Doing nothing often leads to nothing, the tendency is to think too much, eat too much, spend too much and get bored of course. For those who are not the type who can spend hours home, its another story. That is something I dont can talk about. I am a homebody type, that's why I can make the most exciting nothing to something as long as I have the necesarry energy, guts and patience. Thank God, most of the time I did have all of it (lol).

I always have a new years resolution and contrary to what my horoscope says that gimini's do things all at the same time and not finish all the time. I am an exception to the rule. I did finish what I started always and that includes my new hobby which is sewing.

In fact it is almost half semester and I have had a few projects ready to show of. But right now I am still busy with my latest cross stitch project which I have started late november. as you can see I have almost finished 1/3 of the pattern.