Happy Valentine

 

My heartbeat collection might go well with Valentine...

About cross stitches

The first stitches I have ever made were at kindergarten. My Mum still has a book cover I have embroidered there. A little bit later, I got quite addicted to cross stitches. But there came the point where I didn't want to follow any patterns. That was the moment when I started "free" embroidery, about 25 years ago. But from time to time, I still do some cross stitches.

This model is from a kit. I can't even remember where and when I found it, but it's based on the work of the German illustrator Janosch. I added some finishing touches by putting the name, birth date and some borders and it became a present for a friend's baby boy.

When I came across this free pattern offered by Les Brodeuses Parisiennes, I couldn't resist, I had to stitch it for my friend Becky and her Vintage Fairy Tale Cottage. I adore her and her work.

This is the first real big one I made. I started it in maternity hospital, after having given birth to my son Jonas, who will turn 28 this summer, and I finished it right away.

This model and all the others below are from an old German magazine called Für Sie. Many years ago Für Sie published a special edition filled with patterns for babies and small kids. There were jumpers, pullovers, toys, these embroideries and much more.

This one has been been sleeping for years in a wardrobe. I also made it for my son. 

Well, and then there is always unfinished stuff, but I'll finish it once, promise...

An apple a day...

Some years ago, I found this knitted apple in a Japanese magazine.

I added some embroidery on a litte piece of fabric.

You may put in your paper handkerchief.

hatschi, achis, bless you, an apple a day, Gesundheit....

I forgot, whom I already made one.

So, if you would like to have one, please write. First come, first serve. Some orders are still on my list. Maybe there will be more of them...

The Flat Swap 2015

My friend Giova organised this swap and as I always feel bad about not blogging enough (it has been a year now...), not writing enough, not being online enough, not doing enough, I thought it might be a good idea to participate.

And in I put:

• something handmade with a pinch of fairy
• something old
• something to think about
• something pretty smart
• something I already loved as a child
• something Swiss (a chocolate apple ring a day keeps the doctor away)
• something scampering around
• something sweet

 

 I hope Jaci loves her swap.

Thank you Gio for organising!

Just Eggs - Einfach Eier

I still love eggs as decoration for Easter. The black ones are just coloured with ink and afterwards I scraped the colour off. I often use illustrated natural history books as inspiration.

I destroyed more than ten eggs, just to make this one.

Ich habe bestimmt mehr als zehn Eier kaputt gemacht, nur um dieses eine zu machen.

Eier als Osterdekoration finde ich einfach immer noch schön. Die schwarzen Eier sind mit Tinte gefärbt, anschliessend wird diese einfach wieder weggekratzt. Illustrierte Naturkundebücher sind eine gute Inspirationsquelle.

I call this one Inca egg.

Mein Inkaei

Children's book are also good for inspiration. 

Auch Kinderbücher sind eine tolle Inspirationsquelle.

I love Mama: I adore this egg. My son made for me when he was a child.

I love Mama: Ich liebe dieses Ei, das mein Sohn als Kind für mich gemacht hat.

These eggs are from Poland, where my Mum grew up.

Diese Eier kommen aus Polen, wo meine Mutter aufgewachsen ist.

Le petit prince

Der kleine Prinz

Traditional Swiss egg: Put herbs on the egg, wrap it into panty hose and cook it in onion skins. 

Traditionelles Schweizer Ei: Kräuter drauflegen, mit Feinstrumpfhosen umwickeln und in Zwiebelschalen kochen.

Über Phantasie - About Phantasy

Phantasie passiert im Kopf und lässt Blumen am Himmel wachsen oder auch nicht...

It's about phantasy. In our heads anything is possible and flowers may grow in the sky. But there is also this scary side. The moment when you are going to the cellar and you do fear to look behind the door...

Das Autogramm ist von John Howe, einem der bedeutendsten Illustratoren der Werke Tolkiens. Vor ein paar Jahren bin ich ihm auf einer Veranstaltung begegnet. Seine Illustrationen sind unglaublich, er selbst aber ganz bescheiden.

Some years ago, this autograph was given to me from John Howe. He is best known for illustrating Tolkien's work. His illustrations are incredible, but he himself was a very modest person.

Für Astrid, den anderen Hobbit...

Lilly got mail

Lilly Pauline loved rose. Even grey days didn't make her lose heart.