Châtelaine's Dreams

Online 92 - The SERENGETI Mandala

2012-02-02T17:08:00.002+01:00

Serengeti -- that was a magic and alluring word for me since early childhood !

It was Bernhard Grzimek's Film "Serengeti darf nicht sterben" (1959)

Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael

which was often in my mind. More or less it stood for Africa for me. This man and his son were the first ones to put a focal point on the animal world and the importance to save it for coming generations.
To honor these two dedicated natural scientists and film authors, I include a tiny picture of their zebra aeroplane somewhere in the design... you will have to search it whilst stitching this piece :-))))

So the theme of an African nature Mandala obviously was influenced by this nature resort: the landscapes, the plants, the animals.... So here now is my newest design:
"Serengeti Mandala" <== click to go to the Yahoo Group !

- a large Mandala with lots of details and intricacies.

The medaillons are different on each side - but the soaring Eagle is the same. Over one...!!

Baobab Tree

Animals in their landscapes - mamals as well as birds - flowers, trees....typical color combinations and patterns of tribal arts.

All is there to stitch for you in cross stitch as well as many Special Stitches, normal floss as well as braids and textured threads for dimension.

Beads and crystals will add to the beauty, especially in the center which displays a pond after the rain....Enjoy the pictures of the "real" Serengeti - and the previews of my design !

Bildunterschrift hinzufügen

....the Lion sleeps tonight......

And the African sunset and the twinkling stars at night shine above each landscape panel !

Online Class 96 - "Place des Vosges" design SET

2012-01-19T14:16:00.001+01:00

As you know I have been playing with "PARIS" as a theme for a while, and I had planned to visit this lovely city some day in May 2012.

This will now not happen this year, as I am sort of home bound due to the illness of my old mother, so I will have to delay trips and travels for a while. But I wanted to share this design with you which had been planned as an exclusive "Paris" special... now it will be available to ALL who want to stitch it in the Châtelaine Online Group 96 <==click to see the Yahoo Group + description

The "Place des Vosges" is a very special place inmidst Paris, which more or less is still in the state it was planned and built in the years around 1605, initiated by King Henry IV.

All 4 sides' houses and archways have been built in the same manner, so this place is a true architectural Mandala. Many famous people have lived in one of the appartments there, among them the Cardinal de Richelieu and Victor Hugo.....The houses are in beautiful shades of different sandstones, with shingles on the roofs, detailed windows and lots of special features. I tried to "mimick" as many of these details in minute backstitching so you will really have some "work" if you stitch these designs....

With the formal garden in the center, the rows of cut trees, the fountain and the pavement you have all elements there - and of course I was intrigued to use this "layout" for one of my designs.

With this set of designs you now will receive one large and one small "Place des Vosges Mandala" - each with a scrolled border of the lovely lanterns which grace this place. You can stitch them without this border of course! And you can exchange the center squares - they do have the same size so you can use either for whatever "buildings Mandala" you prefer.

Additionally I changed the two centers in such a matter, that the beaders among you can run crazy - each of them keeps the main features, but is heavily beaded and crystallized.

Both work as a small design of it's own of course too. So there is a lot to play for a stitcher and the result will be a bit different, depending on how and what you exchange. And which color background you will use.....

ANNIVERSARY Design - 15 years of Châtelaine Online Class 95

2012-01-15T16:43:00.001+01:00

Yes, it is true. I can hardly believe it myself - but in 2012 I am in business since 15 years. Designing, painting and creating my gardens and my dreams.

And every 5th year I celebrate my (still) being in business with something special - this year this is a new design for a limited SPECIAL PRICE - it is Online Class 95 - Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/online-95/

It is a Mandala again, but picking up the age-old fariytale theme of the bewitched castle, where roses grow after the evil fairy's curse.

You see the castle getting hidden more and more by the growing rose bushes until on the left side they are all abloom, when the Price has entered the castle and kissed Sleeping Beauty awake again....

This old fairy tale was one of my most-loved stories in my childhood, I had picture books and later small records to listen to.

Later I watched a play in the theater at Christmas time - and so in my mind a certain "setting" was built which I now have freed and transformed into a picture of a fairy tale garden.

There are lots of special stitches to give texture, and some elements and threads will be kind of layered to create dimension.

And beads galore, as well as crystals. Golden braids. All things a true Princess would love as well ....

There will be a Tapestry-like center of cut bushes and a crystally pond... and delicate waterplays in the corner. And I assume that the one or other "small" will find it's way into this design during the time I "file" it to publication.... wait and see
Fairytale pictures found at Wikipedia

Micro Medaillon 2 - A dream of Tulip pastels....

2012-01-14T10:46:00.002+01:00

After the Holiday season there is an intense urge to have Spring around the corner. Seems I am not the only person world-wide, as I find lots of already flowering bulb plants in flower shops, Tulips for a vase as well as tiny Snowbells in pots etc.

Which gives kind of hope that soon....soon.....

So I felt a desire to use some light and "juicy" colors to design the 2nd of the Micro Medaillons and here it is for you as a preview - fast to stitch, but with lots of "tiny" and intricate extras and details..... two colorways as always - and pretty on different shades and lightnesses...

Here is a link to the Yahoo Group for this small design with more info: Micro Medaillon 2

(My favorite would be the light pastel blue background this time... to mimick the sunlit Springtime sky....)

Online Class 94 - The Arabian Walled Garden

2012-01-10T09:44:00.000+01:00

The last „Walled Garden“ was located in western Europe, in theses areas, where frequent rain lends to lush greens, abundant growth and soft foliage…. Wisterias can only grow and bloom under these circumstances.

This new “Walled Garden” grows in the arid and hot areas of Arabia, where rain is scarce and hot and sandy winds blow out the last bit of humidity, if there is any.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chatelaineonline-94/

Desert is all around with it’s hard, frugal and survivor plants – but inside the walls from clay and rock stones the costly water can be hold back inside the soil.

So exotic plants can grow, bloom and fruit !

Throughout centuries gardeners have refined the Arabian walled garden, creating a space of dreamy lushness, abundance and whispering waters. A true little paradise to walk through and forget the hardness of the outside area’s circumstances.

Of course palmtrees were planted and the sweet and sugary dates were an added bonus !

Often you could find a rectangular pool in the center, holding a reservoir of water for enjoyment as well as for watering the plants around. The base of this pool was covered with innumerous tiny glazed tiles in cool colors to emphasize the freshness of that water area – a true luxury in these latitudes !

Pomegranate and Lemon Trees added now.....

By the large surface a lot of water could evaporate and allow more tender plants to have leafs and flowers grow which otherwise would have immediately dried out from the hot winds.

Foutains added to the cooler and fresher atmosphere.

Earthen pots with brightly colored plants were placed on the green lawn and on both sides of the pool glazed tiles in Arabian patterns provided a footpath to walk along.

When soil and climate where generous, rich and juicy grapes were grown on walls and stems and provided delicious fruit. You could find Pomegranates as well as herbs and smaller bushes which were cut just to please the eye.

In my new design now you can find these garden features, combined to shape a tiny paradise garden to stitch. Again I will use many differently textured thread and stitches to give this piece a dimension and “feel” – you will wish to pluck the grapes (beads!) and feed them to the Peacock who proudly walks in front of the lawn area…. The colors will be vibrant and vivid, and lots of layered stitches will allow for a dimensional “needlepoint” look.

Christmas Greetings 2011

2011-12-19T07:04:00.000+01:00

This last week will be full of errands, hassles, preparations.
Cleaning house, cooking for the Holidays, rushing to the laundry and what else.
The peace of mind is something which mostly lacks in the last days, especially for the "lady of the house or castle" who is in charge of most of the stuff.....

This picture was taken in a Winter night 2010 when snowfall started and we took the car inmidst the night to just drive around and cherish the magic....

I would like to take this early opportunity to wish you all :

May you have as well silent as vivid moments !
May you have lots of loved and loving people around you!
May you think of Christmases past with only a small teardrop in your eyes !
Most of all - May you have a Merry Christmas !
And - a healthy New Year to come, with lots of time for...stitching and all things
you love to do !

Thank you for stitching with me - "around the world" !
Warmest regards,
your Châtelaine - Martina Rosenberg

Wanna bake with me ?? Florentinchen Recipe !

2011-12-18T18:14:00.002+01:00

Today is the 4th Advent Sunday. Only a few days til Christmas and though I did not bake and prepare much this year I could not slip it by without at least making "Florentinchen" - a caramellized cookie of Almonds, Cream, Sugar and some semi-sweet chocolate couverture on the back. Yumm. Yummmmmmm !

Try it yourself - they are easy and over-the-top-delicious !

I inherited this recipe from my late Aunt Marianne van Grimbergen, who got it from a professional baker in the early 1950’s

What you need:

350g Almonds, cut in long stripes

100g Orangeade – candied Orange peel cut into tiny cubes

250g fine Sugar

¼ Teaspoon of Salt

60g Wheat flour

35 g Butter

¼ l sweet cream, liquid

Red candied cherries , cut into pieces – just to add “color” to the cookie! That is -for me- the yucky part as I hate hate hate the sticky feeling on my fingers and want to wash them every cherry or so. Sigh.

Half-bitter chocolate couverture

What do do....

Mix all ingredients without the cherries and chocolate in a pot, cook whilst stirring carefully, until the mix gets a glassy appearance and starts sticking to the pot’s bottom.

Continue to stir and scratch the bottom of the pot, as the stuff tends to stick and burn. Allow for a light caramel touch only. Only use a wooden spoon !

Take from fire when the bottom skin in the pot starts to get a light beige color.

Let cool down a bit, then form tiny lumps with your teaspoon on a baking plat, which you covered with non-stick baking paper. Make the lumps in the size of 1 small teaspoon full only and give them a gentle tap on the “hill” to flatten them a bit

Leave enough space between the little lumps, as they will run even more flat when heated in the oven.Use a small piece of the red cherries on top of each cookie.

Bake at 200° ( upper and bottom heat, no convection !!) about 11 Minutes.

The edges of each cookie must be a bit brown/caramellized – then take them out of the oven. Let cool thoroughly ! before removing them from the paper and put them on a grid to entirely cool and get hard.

Cover the base from the back with molten couverture, which you did heat in a "Bain Marie" at low temperature.

Download the recipe here: => click click

Teapot warmer - a very special piece

2011-12-15T12:04:00.000+01:00

I would bet we all have -at least- one of those. A teapot warmer! During all times these gadgets have been made, pottered, formed, painted or made from various metals - in all shapes form Meissen china, handpainted for several 100 Euros to the cheap and wiggely plastic stands for tea candles which hardly bear a filled tea pot...
As I kind of "found" my love for tea back (I was an avid tea consumer in my younger years, but then switched to coffee and espresso for years) I was in urgent need of a tea warmer - in German : "Stoevchen"
Seeking high and low I did not find a single one which fitted my taste. Too expensive ( I love Meissen china...) or too modern looking - to bold and clumsy or not stable enough. Then some day there was an all-white piece for auction, from the very early 1910 or so.

It does not at all look spectacular, if not lit... but wait a bit.....

In mint state, no chips, no cracks - and with the so-called "Lithophanie" pictures. Lithophanie is a technique used to press pictures into unglazed chinaware, so the light can shine through the differently thick porcellain and by this create a shaded picture.

You know these typical Japanese tea cups with the "geisha lady" in the bottom of the tea cup ? Which shines through when you hold your cup up to the light? This is a very basic Lithophanie.
Around the 1890 - 1920 there was a huge industry in eastern Germany who specialized on all things from unglazed china, which could be lit : lamps, tea warmers, tiny lanterns....

Often it were religious themes, or souvenirs from travels, showing landscapes or buildings.
Nowadays you find modern Lithophanie with quite simple motvies, not as detailed as the antique items.

To make a long story short now - I could win this tea warmer, which has 4 panels of romantic pictures, displaying mother, grandmother, children, reading books , telling tales and playing with the children. It arrived in good shape as the seller had packed it carefully and I am a very happy owner of this treasure now, which is sort of 100 years old.

When lit in a dark room, this is a very cosy view, which reminds me a lot of the old childrens' books, my mother showed me when I was a little girl - which she had inherited from her mother. These were drawn and painted around 1900 and were exactly in that style.

So this tea warmer not only holds my tea warm, but as well has a lot of good vibes to send out with it's warm light. To take pictures was a chore though, as obviously no flash could be used - and without a tripod I blurred the pictures a bit. But I think it gives you an impression.

Christmas RAFFLE WINNERS !!!

2011-12-12T15:07:00.001+01:00

Hi all,

I have drawn the WINNERS for this Raffle now --

First Prize goes to :

LINDA (http://www.blogger.com/profile/11118106887979425386)

Second Prize goes to:

JANE (http://www.blogger.com/profile/13651495016849228263)

Third Prize goes to:
ROBINDEFENDER (http://www.blogger.com/profile/05140286415434476326)

I hope all enjoyed this free Raffle for Xmas -- and wish the winners a Happy Stitching and you ALL a merry, peaceful and wonderful Christmas !

Online 88 - Castle Moyland - a moated castle Mandala

2011-12-12T07:13:00.000+01:00

Now- finally this one is a smaller one !
Here is a link to the group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chatelaineonline-88/

With a size of 243 x 243 stitches, this design is a lot smaller then my BIG Mandalas, without lacking the detail, motives and intricacy of used Special Stitches... Let me tell you a bit about this particular castle and show you some pictures of the "real thing" as well as my adaptation into cross stitch.

The moated castle "Moyland" (which means: Beautiful land) is about 1,5 hours from Duisburg in the Kleve area. This is an area where lots of castles were built, and many of them have been kept alive and restaurated during the centuries.First mentioning of this place is about 1300 - when Moyland was nothing but a fortified farmhouse. But the coming centuries every and each proprietor added buildings, made the fortress stronger.

About 1662 the castle came into possession of Alexander von Spaen, and in the coming decades and centuries it was used as a hunting seat and "love nest" for various more or less noble men or sovereigns.

You can easily light your imagination looking at those romantic pictures here, and think of ladies on horseback and their cavalier, secretly approaching the building for an amorous assignation....

Today this castle is often the setting for marriages as well as country fairs - and the gardens and vast landscape parks are maintained in the state of the late 18th century .

In this design I tried to capture some of the romantic attitude of the setting - the beautiful stonework, the intricate window embellishments in gothic shape - the weeping willows as well as the formal garden elements.

I added some new Special Stitches for the pathways - and the beading and colors will be different for all 4 corners of the inner garden design.The ducks are still lacking on this preview - but be sure: They will be there once you start stitching.....

Today it is a museum which contains a lot of contemporary and modern art, of which you can see some floating on the moat.

Spreading light, lighting candles....

2011-12-07T10:45:00.000+01:00

This is the yuckiest time of the year. No, January - after all the Holidays, is still more unfriendly. Darkness is falling on early afternoon. If the skies are cloudy, even sooner. Rain pours. Storms shake on windows and all things loose. No leaf is on a tree anymore. Christmas is still 2,5 weeks away.
Advent - from Latin: advenire - to come, to approach. The time when the Christian Holiday approaches. A time of darkness, which can be made into a time of comfort, solace and cosyness.

With my daughter moving to her own life and appartment two years ago, I really force myself now to get some Advent atmosphere into the rooms. I am not such a "jingle bells" person, you know - no wiggeling fat santa dolls which "sing" a song when you approach - no overboards of lights and electricity in each corner. No garlands of cheerful angels, and no piles of cookies, for sake of my waistline.

But what I appreciate so much is the glow of a single candle - or a few. When darkness falls.... ( why do I always think of "Bridge over Troubled Water"? ) there is nothing which transfers the spirit of the season better.
Well - here are the lyrics - I bet you ALL know the song...

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all
I'm on your side
Oh when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you
I'll take your part
Oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Sail on silver girl, sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

For the case you don't :

Have a warm and bright time !

Christmas 2011 : Free Design Raffle

2011-12-04T13:45:00.001+01:00

Hi all,

my this year's Christmas Gift to my stitchers near and far will be a free RAFFLE for these three prizes:

1.) Prize is a free membership for the 2012 Christmas Mystery

2.) Prize is a free membership for the Online Class 87 - Russian Winter Church Sampler

3.) Prize is a free membership for the Xmas Mystery 2011 (which ends on Dec. 31 !)

You can take part in this RAFFLE only on this Blog here.

You need not to purchase anything from me, though I of course enjoy it, if you do, smile....

What you must do is post a comment under this Post -

and you must be a READER of this BLOG by GOOGLE Friend Connect. IF you are not yet a reader, you can easily join by using the clickable button up there on the right side of this BLOG....

Make sure that your reachability through your Google Identity is granted - I will NOT try to contact winners, who have disabled the email function in their profiles....So if your name wins, and I can't reach you by clicking on your ID/account - I will not try a 2nd time but choose the next one on my list !!

Don't complain later ;-)

From all the comments I will pull the three winners in the week after the 3rd Advent and post their IDENTITY names here - as well as contact them personally via normal email.

The time frame in which the comments are valid for the drawing is exactly (!!!!) from

Sunday December 4th,2011 (today) to Sunday December 11, 2011 (23:59 German Time)

Time stamps of later comments will not be considered.

Small print: No price can be changed into funds,or changed into an other design, or given to an other person.

If you win, and you already have a membership for these designs, contact me privately for a "work-around" - I won't spoil your Christmas by stubborness ;-))

Busy Advent times...

2011-12-02T18:20:00.000+01:00

Basically there is no "free" time for any blogging right now, with the Châtelaine year growing near the end, many new classes to start in January, Holidays approaching, family stuff and what not !
But I did not want to miss out to let you see some of the pictures of how I decorated the first hints of "Advent" in my home - putting on more deco this weekend then.

And even more towards Advent 3 and 4... thus trying to force myself into a Christmas-y mood.
Which really seems to be hard work this year.

I just can't feel it as in former years. And this lack of Xmas Spirit is really like loosing an old friend. I feel betrayed, robbed of these sentiments of excitement. Of baking fun, of enjoyment to plan Holiday meals.
Yes, I put on some lights. Pretty.

I have a scented candle burning. Delicious !

It is all together shaping a nice setting at home, "contra"-November - but not at all Christmas-invoking.

Where are all these tender feelings lost ? When did I let them fall between the hassles of daily chores, the difficulties in family life and partnership, the weariness of November ? I do not know.

Visiting a Christmas market did not help - the too-loud, too-cutesy music they play,( I just can't stand "Jingle Bells" any longer !!) the poorly decorated huts, the industrially crafted stuff, the yucky folks with bad manners, the sticky counters, the scents of cheap mulled wine and fatty pancakes ... all makes me sick.
I am sick of a mailbox filled with beggins letters for this and that "good" cause.
Sick of all the catalgues which want to promote worth-less "gifts" nobody wants.
Sick of the commercialism which gets more and more intense each year.
But - what I am looing foward to is the arrival home of my daugther this year.
Her eyes on the 24th at night - when she unwraps the XXX and unpacks the ???. Hihi. Big eyes with joy and surprise, I hope.
And DH's eyes when he unfolds his envelope. With a major surprise- music related.Concert -related. May 2012.... I only say: THE BOSS.... B.S.
And I found my mother's favorite Perfume (again) which she had some XX years ago.

So this will most probably be some nice moments and I truly hope that the excitement will just pop up on the 24th, all of a sudden....


This is a glass fiber "star" I found at Ikea. Works with a set of small batteries and can be hung everywhere... nice !

Thanksgiving 2011 - a Freebie for you

2011-11-22T16:41:00.000+01:00

My Thank-You to all stitchers near and far.
I hope you will enjoy some hours of leisure and pleasure whilst stitching this little picture.
It is mostly cross stitch with some backstitching, a leafy Blackwork pattern for the border, a few beads and some easy Special Stitches.

You can further personalize it with a date if you wish... or initials....

For a download of the PDF file ==>> click here <<==

Knitting and spinning and reading and and and place. For my cat and me !

2011-11-17T13:03:00.001+01:00

Finally!
The "Malm" drawer chests had been living in the house (unassembled inside their cardboard boxes) since two weeks now. Now no weak excuse was in reach any longer so tackled the assembly last night. When they were at their new place - just under the window sill behind my cosy chair, I had a blast sorting my STASH inside.

All was hidden in no time, and there is still a bit of room left for this and that.
As I know that you are a curious bunch I made not only a few piccies from the area itself (do NOT look at the clearness or better: non-clearness of my windows - they are due next week...) but as well a peek inside the drawers.

knitting stuff, needles, hand spindles and needle cases. and the big ball winder !

Spinning stuff, distaff, niddy-noddies, spools, a small yarn winder, carders etc.

Stash. Squish - stash, so the drawer will close....

Unspun handdyed fibers

unspun raw fibers,mostly - and anti-moth paper sheets... just for the case !

unspun silks, diverse

This little cute baggie is my newest achievement : "Drecksack" meaning "scumbag".

For all things orts, remnants, this and that.

Drecksack in use....

Or for storing a ball of wool during knitting. This ingeniously sewn baggie is lined with a slippery fabric inside, so nothing can snag !! and has a stay-open rim with something sturdy inside. There is a velcro fastening available, attached with a snapper to fasten it to armrests or spinning wheel etc. OR there is a band with a little sand sack, which weights heavy enough to keep this little bag on place whilst sitting on the sofa. Just toss it over that arm rest there... and voilá ! you have a pleasant bag available in reach. For whatever.
For those who are curios - I bought it here: click =>> Dornröschen Wolle and here is the Blog of the Lady who creates and sews them click =>> Lehmi's Blog

And a last glimpse on my pre-Advently decorated window sill - some antiqued Ladies' silhouettes from rusty iron sheets, already hung snowflake lights (from Ikea, again) and dried Hydrangeas with the lazy frog from cast iron. A place to burn my incense so it disperes in the warm air. That tiny lamp is from the 60s...

Spindle-Day... drop / top-whorl/ support and what else....

2011-11-16T21:50:00.000+01:00

Today is my official Spindle Day. Besides the three good (?) old (!) spindles which I have used on and off in the last 22 years (no, not that one with the blunt end - this was a no-go-spindle, the very first experiment in DIY)

The bottom one is a professionally made one, the upper - clearly visible - a sort of home-sawed something.....

Does not work, because the "tip" is not a tip...

This one is a fun spindle which really works. A Japanese Bamboo chop stick and an English coin with a centered hole - this is a nice little support spindle for thin yarn

I lusted for the nowadays available array of different models, different woods, different shapes etc.
After starting to read a German Spinning Group I was of course "infected" by links and pictures....and it is now a few weeks that I gave in and ordered a few spindles. Which stuck in mail and customs partiall - and funny is, today they all arrived simultaneously. Not all yet, but the most of them, regardless if ordered in US or AUS or Germany.Strange.
Now enjoy with me the different woods, grains, shapes and embellishments. I am sure that tonight I will sit there and with a little fine fiber try them out which one will "run" best.....

Beautiful support spindle with a bowl from Kokobolo wood

Turkish Spindle which can be taken apart for storage. The colored wood is named "dymondwood" - it is artificially dyed

This support spindle is my favorite so far - as it is obviously balanced to perfection and spins and spins around in the little bowl with the insert of glazed ceramic.

And these spindles are not all for me ! Beware.... at least one will leave my home towards Xmas.

Don't ask me which one yet :-))

A Band Sampler of Winter Wonders

2011-11-16T13:51:00.000+01:00

I browsed and sorted the many pictures I had taken from Winter scenes throughout the last years.

Noticable is that the Winter gets stronger, colder and more icy and snowy since about 3-4 years then before.

Winter 2010/11

It was in early childhood, that I last saw icicles in your region... and last year we had plenty. And big ones !

What I adore is the sense of quietness, calmness of a snow-covered garden. All sounds are suppressed. You can see some tracks in the snow, from birds, my cat.

Former years we had Rabbits here too... but they moved elsewhere. The birds trample the snow close to the house when searching for their food... other then this, the garden is a region of peace.
Looking out there in dawn makes me all content to be "inside", a candle lit, some tea, some incense and still enough funds to have a decent heating.

I wanted to capture this feeling of joy and fulfillment in a small design and tried to think of a few "scenes" I can see from my window.
Ok, the Doe is mere wishful thinking - but I wanted it so much ! The birds are real, the feeder too with it's hat of bundled straw. It is rotten now, and I will have to replace it...

The small houses will not longer be seen, as one as been taken down and on it's place a huuuuge new house is built, for at least 4 families. Just behind my garden. Yuck ! The other house with it's warm shining windows was the sight out from my workplace here, and at night I always enjoyed the warm and golden lights from there. I will not be able to see this - see above: The new building....
When you stitch this little piece you will have some intricacy by doing "over-ones" for the animals, by adding Special Stitches and Backstitching for detail and... of course, by sewing on beads and crystals for Wintery sparkle...As always a DMC conversion will be given for a very affordable version. And a SPECIAL PRICE is available ONLY til Dec. 24th -- as a small Christmas-y Thank you to my stitchers around the world....
Please look here for details on start date, size and price ==> click and you will come to the Yahoo Group for this design with some more info.
Enjoy these pictures here from my garden, and the world around which I captured in the last Winters....

November garden stroll and Mr. Mole

2011-11-15T13:14:00.000+01:00

The sun shines as I had wished for in Summer - but alas! at least there are blue skies in November and gentle temperatures in sunshine.

Rosehips as big as plums !

Robby loves to sit here, peek around the corner and have the sunshine warm his fur

Whereas the frost has decorated leafs and ground over night already.

Hazelnut buds for Spring 2012 °

Pretty spots on Wisteria leafs

So I felt the urge to "hunt" for pictures again, and the two of us went out into the garden.

Frost on the tiny moss around the pond

My cosy place is now cool and damp

That mushroom there is not larger then the nail of my smallest finger !

Isn't this little one just perfectly beautiful? With a tad of "icing" on top...

To see that Mr. Mole had been working really really hard... lots of hills, and holes - throughout the entire garden.

A fractal of Mr. Mole's work area.

At least one of the portals to his vast homes

I fear that in Spring I will have to sow a new meadow, if he continues to dig and do Mole-stuff.....
Come with me and look at the wonders I found. Some big, some very small. Some sombre, some lit from within. I am full of colors now, and freshly aired too :-)

Ivy fruit "in the making"

Sea Buckthorn berries get soft after the frost -- Thrush' delight...

The last Lonicera are still blooming.... up there towards the Sun

The mix of old ivy and the Rambler's tiny minute rosehips

Updating my needle-addiction and yarn-fascination ...

2011-11-14T20:36:00.000+01:00

Just a short note for those who are with me here, knitting, crocheting and stitching.....
Yesterday I finished an experimental knitting something -a "Fichu" made of Noro Taiyo in a few days.

I went wild with casting on, knitted a few rows and then increased heftily for a "ruche". Knowing how to create holes deliberately, I went ahead and added one row of "holes" to the ending.

Finally I took some silk grosgrain ribbon to thread through the holes of the increase row and bind it to a bow. I can change the width of the collar there from very tight and "clownesque" to wide and flowing.
I was absolutely in love with the color changes of this particular yarn, it is ever so soft due to quite some fluffy cotton,a lot of silk, a bit of wool and a tad of Nylon. Highly to be recommended !

Next project is a Japanese Flower Scarf in "Peacock colors" (what else ?) which I started tonight. I was sleepless, as usual, and besides designing some on the "Castle Moyland Mandala" I went ahead and deciphered the Japanese Booklet, which fortunately has explicite symbol charts - until I succeeded in making my first flower.

And then an other one.. and so on. Just mere joy and fun. A great project to take along.

Screenshot from the "Fadenstille" Blog

And today the first bits and pieces of the "Elfenstille" Project were posted on that Blog, and of course I squished the last drops of black ink out of my printer (all colors were dried in, sigh!) and searched high and low for some smallish needles (3,75 mm) and kind of trembling with "fear" started the knitting.
And shall I tell you : I could read and understand that chart (Thank you for your detailed instructions, Anett !!) and knit the first rows, and then those with "holes" too.
I got it ! I feel quite like an Eliza Doolittle of needlework... I "got it" !!

that is my "achievement" from this afternoon. I must admit that I nearly eyed each single mesh before knitting it, but I am sure I will get accustomed to some more speed later...

I am pretty sure, my late Aunt is sitting up there on some cosy cloud, smiling broadly that finally I gave in and took knitting needles and yarn to follow her legacy of delicate knitting. She was an expert - I am far from this. But I feel so good with this new passion! It calms me on one side, and on the other my mind has the peace to wander around in past and future.

That guy snores and purrs, mostly in my knitting chair or on the matching footstool. Nothing better to relax in the soundscape of a sleeping cat. Yawn.....

Allright - now back to some work, and some pleasure with my threads and needles, and this time NOT stitching :-)))

Starting my first knitted - lace project soon

2011-11-12T19:20:00.000+01:00

Starting, I said. I am very hesitant, that I will manage to knit without errors, or at least to notice them so soon, that frogging does not mean to unravel lots of previously worked rows...
You must know, I am a quite new knitter, just managing increases, and getting accustomed to ribbed edges with two knit, two purl. Sigh. That is enough.
No - I am mad, I am insane, I will try a lace project for a shawl. With a self dyed thread. With more or less small needles, or a size which later allows for blocking the piece into something lacy.
I had dyed the threads a few weeks ago : click here
and today I wound them into balls with my new and wonderful wool winder. Only the last and smallest hank was the hank-of-hell - all tangled, twisted, acting up, inspite of me securing it at a gazillion places prior to dyeing. Finally I triumphed over the misbehaving thread...

On this Blog - "Fadenstille" will the project start. The blog owner is a more then experienced knitter - and she will hold a KAL for this pattern. Many seasoned knitters there will knit along, and I , the just hatched duckling, will try my needles too.
So keep your fingers crossed for me.... I will keep you updated with results or failures.

Finished....

2011-11-03T10:14:00.000+01:00

with my first "larger" knitting project. Yes, yes, I know... the more prolific knitters among you and you.. the lace knitters... you will cringe and bite a smile, but for me, this is the first FINISHED project since about 40 years or so. The history: I was forced to knit. At home - from mother and aunt, who were fast-and-furious-knitters ( and nothing, really nothing fit, all was saggy and baggy...) And I was forced to knit in school, as we, back then, indeed had "Handarbeitsunterricht" with Sister Ruth. The mean one ;-)
So knitting and crochet was connected with constraint and not with fulfillment.
Nobody wanted me to stitch (this was more or less looked at as an unprofitable art). Guess what I loved to do and still do and earn my living with....????

Well, getting older makes people -sometimes- a bit more patient, and so I just was infected by a wool and knit bug by one of my stitchers (Waving to Lenor !) and it worked ! I tackled this rather simple pattern and bit my way through, though I was bored many a time. The colors of the Noro yarn kept me happy, the quality NOT. It is one scratchy and form my view as a hand spinner , highly overtwisted and hence knotting and self-twisting yarn. I have now rinsed the entire piece in a good hair conditioner and blocked it and it IS a bit softer now.

Pondering to add one of the vintage Czech Glass buttons and a loop to be able to close this in the kind of a "Fichu" and most important: not loose it accidentally...

Well, there is an other project I finished but - for obvious Xmas Mystery and Gift-giving reasons I can not show it here, as the recipient may see it. If you look me up at Ravelry you may find me there as LaTanguera .. more I do not say. Grin.

Now I started an other shawl/scarf project, this time with size 4 needles - wow, this goes off like a breeze. Again a Noro yarn, but this time soft and cuddly - (Silk Garden)

Oh.. and before I forget - I finally twisted the two yarns I spun - one from the rose-colored Merino and one from the deeper rose Mulberry Silk - and the twisting was the twisting "of hell", as my Traveller misbehaved and did not want to be treadled left-wise, or pull the thread and wind it onthe spool and other stuff. I ended in twisting standing to have more power and turning the wheel with my hand partially and cursing a lot. Wheel was freshly oiled and spinning ( right wise) worked like a breeze. Twisting - nope !
I assume I will have to buy a second whell...grin grin grin.....

For all who are curios : I am eyeing this here => clickclick OK- this is a dream still, but perhaps. who knows....

Knitting project, thread dyeing and last Autumn colors

2011-11-02T11:05:00.000+01:00

I must be mad. MAD ! I am a very very "basic" knitter. Read:
I can purl and knit. Period.
I can cast on and bind off. Period
I can purchase or spin nice colored wool, which makes pattern or stripes on it's own. I can dye nice colored wool myself. That is all.

All three hanks on the table - from light silver to dark forest.

And now I was bitten by some bug and the infection shows clearly, as I plan to participate in a KAL for a... lacy shawl! Lacy - which obviously means to create a pattern from intentional holes and mesh, with no errors allowed, as otherwise it will look like a mess, and not like a "mesh". Concentration is necessary.
And that for ME !! ??

http://fadenstille.blogspot.com/ - this is the piece I desire so much, that I will dare to try to hopefull knit this.

Well, I think I will tackle it - if all fails, I will have enough yarn to start a more normal (for me) scarf or cowl then anew. Look here - "Elfenstille" - this is the pattern I fell in love, that that lady will have a tutorial on her Blog "how to" stitch this beautiful scarf. Sigh.

Anyway I started winding 1000's of meters of this very thin but very beautiful Wool-Silk (Filisilk) mix from Atelier Zitron on my winder, take it off and start the dyeing. Which was a terrific mess, as I used powder dyes in different shades, and - Murphy's law!! - the little bag with the lilac color burst open and shed it's contents over the oven, the adjacent table, the ground.

You can not imagine how MANY rolls of kitchen tissue (wet!) I needed to eliminate the last traces of pale lilac in the washing water. It was mere horror - just fitting to a Halloween's night. Against all odds I managed to dye three hanks of this yarn in shades from pale to dark - all starting with a silvery grey, then a hint of lavender, a touch of cool blueish green and then a batch of dark forest green with a tad of ochre lights.

I want to use all three hanks (partially, of course) as they go from light to dark. Starting with the dark hank, then after a while using the medium and adding the bottom lace with the lightest hank then. Or vice versa, who knows...

I want to mimick light and shade in a herb patch - going from lavender bushes over dwarf juniper to blue thuja and then to the old ivy.....

More ideas for color combinations...I could dye all dy. Day !

Now only get to a start and manage the knitting of "holes". I will keep you updated. In the meantime here are some last pictures of leafs and flowers in my garden - much to my surprise the tiny Pansies I planted in March have spread and bloom again. Too sweet !

In next Summer this will be one of the abundant Rhododendron flowers...

I did not PLAN to have an oak there - that is the deed of the Squirrel... and I will have to remove the plant in Spring. But for the moment it is just too pretty.....

Golden days and cosy places

2011-10-28T22:03:00.000+02:00

We had the utmost heartwarming, mild and golden October day today. I could stroll the garden in a short sleeved shirt - the air was balmy, the spicy scents of rotten leafs was all over telling me it is really Autumn now! And colors... colors as abundant as flowering Dahlias, red Roses and Sunflowers ... only this time captured in the leafs and withering stems of Summer's flora.

The "ball" you see is an enormous Mistletoe plant high up there...

As you see we have a new guest in the garen, a MOLE ! As opposite is a house building site, the old mole from there, who lived in that age-old garden for years and never ever did touch our lawn, well, this guy was now disturbed by the caterpillars and all that noise and stuff there.. so he thought that we might have a nice fat and soft soil to dig his appartments... and so he did.

Seems he was a bit angry about the pond and the sturdy foil beneath it, as the signs of his building efforts seam the curve of the pond :-)))
Inside I installed a more cosy spinning/knitting and reading corner for myself. I got a Poäng armchair from Ikea and covered the simple fabric with my quilt and a nice cushion, as well as a stole for "cold moments". This is a nice place to spin, lit by a tiny lamp which gives just a spotlight on my working area.

Tomorrow I will get me two drawer chests which will live behind this armchair, and all the stuff and contents of boxes will go inside, minimizing the messy look the entire area still has.

I was not the only one who thought: THIS is my Winter hideaway.... see: As soon as I leave my chair, from any place my Robby comes, and PLOP .... jumps right in. Very reproachful glances are put on me if I dare to wish to sit there. Sigh.
Before I forget: Look... Spring is already in planning stages. This Azalea bush now boasts the most beautiful colors -- but in the very center you can see a fat and well-closed bud for next Spring, all leafs and the flowers neatly packed inside, and well protected against Winter storms, rain and frost.
The wonder of NATURE - the solace for the time when all branches are bare...

Colors of Autumn, colors of fibers

2011-10-20T11:11:00.001+02:00

It has been very long years, since I was a fiber-holic, spinning, carding my own fleeces, dyeing my own battings and such. It is over 22 years since I started to be addicted to all things "fiber" . Then the care for my newborn, average "life" and other duties ate up the peace of mind and free time which I could dedicate to this passion. And - I started my own business with the Châtelaine designs - and kind of forgot about this "basic" passion and satisfaction (!!) of twisting and dyeing a thread....

Hand dyed Mulberry twisted with natural Mulberry

Merino twisted with natural silk

Unknown Sheep in the grease, single

Baby Camel twisted

Wild mix of colors - Mulberry dyed and self-twisted

I am back now, my Spinning Wheel is dusted and freshly oiled and purrs along most evenings. I dug out tons and heaps of "old wool" and fibers from back then - all survived 20+ years without any moth or critter disease as I had stored them away in clear garbage bags, with added lavender essential oil in each - and taped closed with that wide package band.... all safe and sound !

So I find myself sitting in a fiberholic's dream of heaps unspun, undyed woolens + fibers from all over the world, silks and linens - all asking to get a bath in plant materials dyes or the "common" stuff....

Back then - please remember ! - there was NO internet, no Google, no online shops ! It was 1988 and getting extravagant fibers or just wool in the grease was an adventure ! Mouth-to-mouth advertisement was one, hunting down farmers who had some sheep was the other...

Beautiful Mohair, shiny like silk in dusty Autumn morning colros

There was nothing like hand-dyed rowing or batts, hardly a Mulberry silk was to come over. Except - in USA. There was everything available - but oh ! so expensive by postage and customs.

Now I find myself in an overboarding market, opened all day and night, worldwide. Handspindles have morphed into pieces of art and lusting for these petite masterworks will make my savings bank dwindle. My first supported Spindle was made up by my Ex-Hubby back then with a center-drilled English coin and a sanded chopstick - and it still works perfectly well and I can created sewing threads with it easily.
For my wheel from NZ I had to wait m.o.n.t.h.s till it arrived...

Dyeing in my copper cauldron

Setting colors in the Microwave

I had an open ear to my whining fluffs of fibers and spent some hours in the last two days dyeing. Cooking, mordanting, dripping colors on untouched wools and silks, cooking "teas" of diverse plant materials, making spots in easteregg colors everywhere... and I got some pretty results.

Results right after rinsing

It is just mere joy and fun - I was inspired by the dusky morning fog a few days ago, which gave me mild and mellow shades of pale blues, roses, a hint of sunshine yellow and over all a veil of greys.....

I saw my pond wither in shades of autumnal yellows, ochres and greens colors, with fading leafs and yellowing reed....

And I looked at the last roses and Hydrangeas in the garden, which tossed petals, worn out and already pale and fragile, to the ground, together with some last buds in fresh and vivid rose and cream colors.

Mulberry Silk

Merino - Autumn colors

Mulberry silk

Mulberry Silk

Merino

Mulberry silk

Last but not least -this weekend we had a day of sunshine and rich, golden October colors - these resulted in this heap of strong and beaming colors. Blue skies, topless driving (Cabriolet - what did YOU think ??), last greens and first golds on the trees.

Merino

Mulberry Silk, identical colors

Linen, identical colors

Autumn 2011 Piggybank Discount -- Oct. 18 to Nov 3rd 2011

2011-10-18T15:46:00.000+02:00

It is awfully autumn-y here, and being reduced (grin) to stay inside the house, all things needle and thread seem so comfortable and pleasurable now ! So I thought I offer a Piggybank for this time of the year again - go and "grab" your favorites of my designs with a 10% discount, as long as this offer is valid !

I grabbed that tiny piglet some place through google - praise to the person who took the picture of this tiny baby sleeping in the towels... melt melt melt.....

On all classes , running and starting soon you will have a 10% discount from OCTOBER 18thth 2011 to NOVEMBER 3rd 2011 24:00 German time. After this end-date this offer has expired and is not longer valid.

1.) You MUST deduct the 10% yourself before paying with Paypal - and mention the word :PIGGYBANK in your payment through Paypal. It is easier to not go through my website but to pay directly at Paypal using my email address:chatelaine@gmx.com

2.) Please understand that this is valid ONLY for the classes I offer - NOT for anything from European Cross Stitch !

3.) I will not deduct 10% myself or refund amounts if you forget to do it yourself ! If you forgot to deduct the 10%, it is your fault and will not be corrected.

4.) The time of the PAYMENT counts, not the time of "joining" a group...

Button fun... Knöpfle-Glück....2

2011-10-14T11:29:00.000+02:00

New stash of vintage buttons, sitting on my age-old (1900's) velvet Glove-Box. Which contained antique gloves still.

Here now are some more of the vintage Czech Glass Buttons, which just landed on my table here. At a first glance some looked somewhat boring or cutesy - but with the right light and looked on closer, they unveil their beauty and that special "touch" .

I have made some pretty "macro" shots of some, so you can see the detail, sparkle and luminescence of these buttons !

One of the amber Dragonflies will make it to my new sweater - which came with a 100% boring black plastic button of the same size.

This lovely glass jewel will jazz up that sweater and be an eye-catcher indeed.

And all live now happily in their transparent button-"home".... until I will use them for "something" :-))

Fairies throughout the Seasons...

2011-10-13T14:19:00.001+02:00

With the opening of the WINTER Fairy Group I thought I show all three already published Fairies here , so you can judge how pretty they look lined up together...

Here is the WINTER - starting in December (when else ??!!) - shown on different background colors.

SPRING was an online class and can at the moment only be purchased as an "old class file" PDF chart from my distributor ECC (ask Cindy !)

AUTUMN is still running til end of OCTOBER
Yahoo Group <== clickclick

SUMMER will come some day in 2012 !

2012 Mystery 15 - The Deep Blue Sea

2011-10-06T18:29:00.000+02:00

Yes, this is a Mystery - and besides a small preview, hidden in the dungeons of YUKU Board for those, who just can not stand to not see any bits and pieces you will not get large pictures or details etc.
Here and there in this post you may find tiny thumbnails of the coming embroidery design... very small bits to at least give you an "idea"...

...I said "SMALL" and I meant "SMALL" :-)))

I of course understand that stitchers won't dedicate time and much money into a project they do not at least have "an idea" of- so here are the links for some preview pictures (ONLY click if you must see...)
Preview of a MYSTERY ... only click if you MUST !
Other then this - just a compilation of pictures I found in the web, in Pinterest and on other places, which simply depict the wonders, colors, shapes and textures of the underwater world.

Please enjoy the beauty (thank you to all the photographers and posters in the net !) - if you stitch this Mystery you will "find" the one or other of these underwater "persons" in cross and other stitches...
Now - here is the eye candy for you:

Buttons with a clock face...

2011-10-05T13:31:00.000+02:00

I love them !

Today I got them finally, had been waiting quite some time. As I saw these the first times, I knew I would have to have them in my stash. I assume they are post-WWII . Metal with enamel, gilt parts - lovely tiny ones and the larger ones just ask for being used on some sweater or such.

Châtelaine Autumn 2011 Freebie... just stitch, do not eat !

2011-10-05T10:13:00.002+02:00

Autumn is here and colored leafs fall from heaven. The grass is wilting and that particular scent is out there... spicy, rotten, wet but somewhat good....
Here is my Autumn Freebie for you to stitch as a single motif in a frame - or perhaps as a border on a towel...
Enjoy !

Click here to download the PDF pattern ==> clickclick

Preparing for Winter - sewing a jacket...

2011-10-03T19:09:00.000+02:00

Now that this sewing room exists, it is a breeze to step down and have a short sewing session, or a longer.
Since a few weeks I have been working on and off on this jacket. The basic pattern was a so-called "Lagenlook" jacket, much shorter, rectangular. Which is not really appropriate for my figure... so I made it longer. Omitted the pouches which were indicated right on the roundest part of the body ! Made the sleeves longer and wider and added a turn-up part.

I double-sew all seams for added strenght and lovely looks. The fabric is a dark grey wool-felt. Very soft, and stretchy too. And it was too boring. To "discreet". I appreciate to be visible and not the proverbial grey mouse.. so I decided to pick a lovely lovely cotton fabric from my quilting fabbies stash.

Watercolor changes in hues of teal, turquoise and some muted olive greens, with overlay of ferns. From this I cut the back of the collar as well as the parts of the cuffs which shows when they are turned up.

And - I made leaf-shapes to applique on the seam line, like falling leafs. Backed them with some gluey stuff to iron on, which was not pleasant to work with, finally pinned them to the wooly fabric and appliqued them with the machine.

The thread is a bright and shiny turquoise from Madeira. The center vein is a darkish black silver and dark gold metallic on spools, as well from Madeira. This gave me a hell of a time, because the thread was constantly breaking. With change of the tension of the upper thread and much patience I finally managed to have all the veins stitched on.

After some ironing I now feel I have "my" own jacket. I will sew on a large vintage MOP button , most possible with an eye of the same cotton fabric rather then cutting and sewing a stitched buttonhole.

That is an additional way of the collar to be shut - here only with a pin. I think of a tiny hook&eye for this...

I am happy with this - and as there is fabric left, I will make a matching headband with leafs too...

Wooly and silky dreams

2011-10-01T18:50:00.000+02:00

I am a Spinner since years. I am not a knitter, due to my weak wrists.

My stash of "Chatelaine Silks"... will be used in 2012 for an anniversary design.... together with some other to-be-dyed fibers for tender fingertips

Robby is "helping" to sort....

But I love to make some crochet here and there and I was severely re-infected by an online friend (you know who you are....) who introduced me to Ravelry . And ree-whetted my appetite for hand-dyed yarns. Here are some picture of my "old" stash.. acqired last year. Lovely silk-wool mixes and fine Merinos.

I had some help, as you can see... that curious darling cat put his nose into each bag and basket....

I found some more online, where I just ordered for a small fortune. Not that I have nothing to do, no woolens, no yarns.

This is the yummiest 100% silk mix, hand dyed in "my" colors exactly - from Zauberwiese. Such a fat, glossy and soft yarn - I am not yet sure what it will "be" later - but I am happy that I have it sitting here aside me !

This is a buttery soft silk-BFL mix, fine and crisp AND soft and cuddly. Soft off-white with hints of lightest Blues and a touch of watery Turquoise too. This will hopefully be a scarf for MIL for Xmas , crocheted then in Queen Anne's Lace pattern. I will start tonight... :-)))

But this evil evil stash bug has bitten me, and as well the spinning bug is crawling up my legs already. Read: I need new un-spun silk and woll, must wash my Merino fleece and buy new dyes... and such. Oh glorious Autumn + Winter time... with lots of joy of fibers and colors! Ok - enough of excuses - here are some pictures for you to you may enjoy the luster of silk, the variegation of colors and perhaps you can grab an idea of the touch & feel of these yarns.

Kidmohair + Silk - fuzzy fluffy and cosy. A hat/cap something...

Silk in "Lindenblüte" colors... I take this one to bed tonight...


a bit disappointed of the colors which are more "earthy" then I thought from the picture at the website. It is a Baby-Camel and Silk mix, gorgeous to the touch. Perhaps I will like it better when it will transform to many tiny crocheted flowers and leafs... ???

Silk and "Sea Cell" which makes for a soft, heavy and shiny thread. The name "Rosen and Lavendel" is accurate. Delicous shades of wilted rose petals with a hint of crisp and cool Lavender

Merino-Silk and "Stellina" mix - the star blinking stuff is soft, sparkly and very decent. Hard zo capture with the camera though. I like it !

More Button pleasure

2011-09-28T18:27:00.001+02:00

I have been purchasing some old 1930's glass buttons lately - look how pretty they are ! Like Sunflowers !

And wilst sorting my stash I "found" some old friends again...


These are tiny (approx. 0,8 cm) deep red velvet buttons from my late Ex-MIL's 1950s evening dress.

MOP in cream and green and some sort of snail or such - lovely big button, 1 inch !

Very old/vintage/antique Chinese Cloisonnée Buttons

These are from my family's button stash - buttons of MOP form the 1940 - 1960's. My mother could even recall the dresses and suits they had been sewn on (Several garments in series had these buttons on, as it was custom usage back then) All of them will come to my new woll felt jacket I am working on - with appliquée and what else.

And I will use all these different buttons to close it when the icy wind blows :-))

Sewing room - to be continued

2011-09-20T19:32:00.000+02:00

I had planned for a long time to get one of these Ikea drawer-chests which eats up loads of "stuff" as well as a "Billy" for the cardboard boxes - all in the urge to get all the stash down into the sewing/craft room and have it IN ORDER finally. Not as before when much stuff just was assembled in a basket - a wild mix of beads, skeins, broken jewellery, this and that and ... ???.

Don't look into that corner there... that is still "stuff", unsorted...

On top you see some Shaker boxes, my Käthe Kruse doll and the doll my late Aunt dressed for me for my 19th birthday.

So finally I got DH to come with me to Ikea , purchase the heavy heavy heavy stuff and bring it home. Second difficulty then was to assemble the single puzzle parts :-) - and as luck wanted it, I had the "bad joker" with one side panel of the drawers being defective. So again: drive to Ikea... exchange the panel....
Now finally all is assembled, 85% of stuff have been collected from all over the house to re-unite in this one room. Come with me and I will allow you some glimpses in some drawers :-))

A bit of deco - and a bit of old sewing-thread drawer chests from the shops back then in the 1950's...

I am very happy - an additional table (the former Ecritoire of my late Father) now works as table for "everything" - from cutting fabric to painting to assembling jewellery... It is so nice to be able to sit there, and pull out the drawers he has had in use. Nice, but saddening a bit too.

Still looots of "clutter" in boxes on the top of the table. All that tiny stuff: beads, buttons, knicknacks...

I even brought down some of my old and not-so-old dolls... and a few more will follow as soon as I find more space to have them sit down and accompany me.

All silks...

1950 commercial Perle Silk vending vitrine

more buttonhole silks from better times

Home for my colorful Czech Glass buttons: an old vending vitrine for sewing machine needles.The curved lid can be opened and swung to the front to exchange the display.

Theses are two vintage chests of drawers for sewing threads, just put one above the other. Not so very stable yet. I am still pondering how to "put" them together without destroying the wooden sides.

Look... all my sewing pretties....

Beads. Beads. and in the other drawers : More Beads....

I found these antique drawers from an old Pharmacy. They serve as storage for stuff....

To be sorted. Tons of ... small and tiny items.

The doll I love most. My parents gave it to me, when I was so desparate, that my -then little- daugther would not sleep. She was a stay-up baby - only slept about 5 hours in the night, with interruptions for breast feeding. I was worn out - and so I got this darling here, to "show" me , how a sleeping baby looks like :-)) It is a Heidi Ott doll, with a heavy and soft body. Sooo cuddely ! The "Bambi" is back then from "my" times... some 53 years old...

Update Paris Mandala - a 2nd version is available with different views on all 4 sides.

2011-09-15T17:11:00.001+02:00

Last week I showed you my new Paris Mandala - the Online Class 82

It is 99% symmetrical -caleidoscopic. The same view on all 4 sides.

As there were quite some disappointed stitchers I dabbled a bit and came up with more well-known buildings of Paris and assembled them, so there is a comparable design, with many features "just the same" - but with 4 DIFFERENT sides of landmarks....
This design will have an own group, so stitchers can well decide, WHICH design they prefer.
Look here, this is the "other" design of a Paris MANDALA

Online Class 84

So please decide which design is more to your liking !

September Still-Life: Brocante, Fleamarket, Vintage, Antique... all things old and pretty

2011-09-13T14:45:00.000+02:00

Yes. I am guilty. Guilty of rescuing old stuff so it won't land on the dump.

Pair of 1900 cream leather lace boots. My goodness, must the ankles of these Ladies have been tiny. The size is "my" size, but I can only fit my WRIST in , barely. Fitting a fatter stick, so to say. But pretty. And the matching shoe trees too. And very old lace, a collar from about 1880. A box of cigarillos. An old pincushion form 1880

So it won't be forgotten. I cherish old things which have been used before and I love to see traces of their usage. I am constantly on the lookout for pretty old things, the only point is that they do not cost an "arm & leg". It is a hobby, not a passion. Yet.....And here is what I made up for September - enjoy the pretties with me...

Paper label on a find of unused old laces, still pricked in with a rusty needle...

Some rusty antique keys sleeping on a soft hankie-pouch, of rose sateen and a woven ribbon pattern outside. And more vintage and antique lace, of course :-)) - one of my hoarding-passions, admittedly.

And what I collect, find, inherit, assemble is on display on the board of my "blonde" cupboard ( blonde because of the pine tree wood...) and I change this display every month or so, to arrange the findings new and fresh and always enjoyable.

Copper models for cross stitching initials to bedlinen, with their antique box, still filled with some obscure blue powder to stencil the shape and letter on the linen. Some stencils of tin too.Background: old school slate-pen box, and penholders plus an assortment of pens for calligraphy. Yes, I have excercised this back in schooltime a lot. Old watercolor box and wooden case from a boy round 1915, with the name still on it.

A new find: an antique cardboard box, outside marbled paper and brass clips, inside soft pale peach silky fabric "clouds" and a beautiful framing of mirrors, with carved "X" shapes. No idea at all what was meant to be inside. Now a metal painted rose lives in the nest, coming from a French church's chandelier. Beautiful patina of rust and mellowed colors. I love the assemblage !

Vintage comb tray ( the lid is still "alive") with an assortment of pale French sewing threads in shades of cream and rose. Antique scissors and bone rings - and: my old darning egg.. still in use from time to time. I loved the metallic shades when I was little.

Button fun... Knöpfle-Glück....

2011-09-12T11:30:00.000+02:00

I was put with the nose to the fact, that out there ARE buttons to die for... (thank you Lenor !). Well, one or two of this kind I have kept for yeeears, never knowing what to do with them. They were to precious and breakable ( glass !!) to really use them on a garment - and to heavy to sew them on an embroidery. So I just "had" them.

buttons, of course plus a 1910 tulle scarf with Battenberg lace, empty Ladurée boxes for their beautiful colors and a 1950's Murano mirror. The autograph in the center is from 1912, depicting an acress in Dresden at this time. A beautiful woman with a wonderful hairdo. I love to keep such old photos... of unknown-to-me people. They are not totally forgotten an gone....

Then I got a mail with lots of delicious pictures of brightly colored vintage buttons, or better: buttons made as "back then" in the same old vintage moulds for glass as in the 1920s and so.

I was hooked ! It was a tough search in Google to find at least a few dealers in Europe -as ordering them from US forbids because of the weight, the postage and ... yes, the greedy ole customs !

Finding some of these beautiful buttons lightenend my purse remarkably - but now they are here, usually in a special box - but for these pictures I gave them a day out among other stuff , just for display and fun.

BTW - the bright white ones with the AB coating will adorn a knitted linen sweater soon and replace the cheap black plastic roundels which came with it.

Still on the hunt ....maybe I will find more some day.
Enjoy the pictures and soon I will post more from my "button box" which has been filled since the days of my Grandmother ( around 1925 starting...)

Photo impressions of Leiden/Netherlands

2011-09-11T16:21:00.001+02:00

My husband had a job in Leiden yesterday and I thought, why not come with him and stroll the city whilst he was working :-).... so we left early in the morning. It was the most beautiful weaterh, warm in the 30's (Celsius, of course) and sunny. I spent some hours in the town , strolling around, looking and cherishing the atmosphere. There was a huge market with fruit, veggies, fish, fish, and more fish .... and : fabrics... I could not help and buy some meters of exquisite interior deco fabrics and a soft baby-corduroy with a Marie Antoinette pattern.

Waterlilies on the canal

Town Hall

Little Antique Shop in a side walk

All lanes are pittoresquely grown with plants

Old book shop

Nifty "basket" for a bike: An old wine box....

St. Peters Church

Grave of a Baron and his Baroness around 1630 or so

Online 83 - "Les ROSES de PARIS" - The Flanker...

2011-09-08T18:01:00.001+02:00

And here is the "sibling" to the Online 82 - Paris Mandala: It is named "The Roses of Paris" - because I wanted to sing a stitched song to the flowers of Paris' gardens - be they formal as in Versailles or be they casual - just seaming the way through the city....

"LES ROSES DE PARIS"

This piece is utterly romantic, showing the Tour Eiffel lit and blinking in bright golds, as it is to be seen each night for a few moments.

Really a view to behold ! If you stitch this piece on a darker fabric, you will really see it sparkle (all BLACK should then be changed into lighter to light greys to make all the backstitching visible - maybe a tricky job for the stitcher to decide where to exchange into lighter colors and where to leave the black as it is...)

You can see the Arc de Triomphe - and please bear with me: I took the freedom of arranging the beautiful architecture so it fit into MY vision - the real Paris looks different..... But I wanted to capture the "air" of this gorgeous city - and so I added lanterns as well as a Metro entrance, a sign for the subway station, flying doves (over one) and form-cut trees.

A touch of "formal" gardens can be seen and my beloved "Ladurée Green" in the upper garland. Roses adorn the corners and grow tiny and fragile in the bottom fences....

It is a shame, as I still have ideas on and on, WHAT to create in stitches in means of Paris - maybe I will design a few "smalls" too - with windows, balconies... so many gorgeous elements are out there !

Online 82 - "The Gardens of Paris Mandala" -- a Hymn to the city of Love

2011-09-07T18:22:00.000+02:00

I have been in Paris twice. Each time it was a manifestation of grandeur, wonderful architecture, flair, elegance and that certain "air de Paris" which makes this city so irresistible !

Museums, bridges, palaces.... elegant shops far from my purse & wallet, arrogant saleswomen as well as polite taxi drivers... you find it all.

Dirt and grandeur are side by side, whereas you forget about the unpleasant things - memory is a kind filter and looking back the anger in the "mediocre" hotel is nearly forgotten but the wonders and beauties of this city linger on in my mind.

Paris evokes pictures of gold and elegant greys, of "Haute Couture" as well as of clochards.

You think of the Seine and the bridges, from plain to utter elegance.
Think of Roses in soft pinks, of perfumes which sing the song of this city all over the world.

Think of Kinds and Queens long gone and young lovers of today.

All I wanted to capture in this design - choosing colors to depict the green and lushness of the diverse elegant and formal gardens, to show the hues of the stone walls of ancient palaces, to highlight with gold and show the patina of copper roofs.
If you look a little closer into my new design, you can easy see my all-time dedication to the house of Ladurée - the makers of the utmost delicate Macarons as well as seductive little sweets and cakes. A true shop for any woman with taste :-))

http://georgiannalane.blogspot.com/

Beautiful lanterns are lit in the dawn... and a pair of Turtle Doves coo lovingly in early Spring.

This design incorporates some of the most-wellknown landmarks of this city - you can even find a tiny bridge in the corners...A deep blue pond is the center, in which over-one "Fleur de Lys" shape a mosaic pattern, worth a King's pool.

The outer border sings a song of Paris' Roses which add to the feminine flair of this piece.Many Special Stitches will give dimension to the buildings and much Backstitching shapes the lines of the architecture.
Yes, and there will be beads, and crystals in different shapes to add elegance and richness as well as effect braids....

This piece will start in DECEMBER 2011 for 12 months - every 2nd month you will get one piece to stitch.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chatelaineonline-82/

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As some of the buildings had to be made much smaller to fit into this Mandala design, and I have "leftovers" of many more pretty elements á la Paris , I decided to create a sort of "flanker" with a non-Mandala layout.
Soon you will be able to see more... I will post here pictures then as well.

P.S. pictures of Paris from Google, except where otherwise noted.

Color Symphony - Hydrangea Eye Candy

2011-09-04T16:16:00.000+02:00

After hours of rain and thunderstorm I walked carefully through the garden today, getting soaked by the high grass and the overall dripping leafs. I "harvested" my Hydrangeas to have them indoors, let them dry and enjoy throughout the Autumn times....
Here I want to share with you some pictures of the ultimate color -beauty of their petals. All is there, if you look close. All those shades I appreciate, love, hunt for - in one single flower umbel...

Summer's End Raffle 2011

2011-08-28T19:09:00.000+02:00

Hi all,

A new RAFFLE with Châtelaine – a Summer’s End Raffle or an Autumn’s Start…. !

Prizes will be as follows :

1st prize : 3 Memberships to Online Classes to choose ( 2 large designs, 1 small (like Micro or Mini )

2nd prize : 2 Memberships to Online Classes to choose: 1 large design, 1 small (like Micro or Mini )

3rd prize : 1 Membership to one Online Class to choose

(excluded is the Online Class 38 )

The consolation prize will be a lovely FREEBIE ( 63 x 63 stitches) only available to the

participants who did NOT win one of the three main prizes and will be sent out via Email individually.....

You can see that the Medieval THEME still has me in it’s claws J and this small design is crammed full with

Intricate detail, over-one, Special Stitches and backstitching. A true Miniature like an illuminated initial !

-Now for the rules - this raffle will start on

August 29 2011 - 0:00 German time and will last one week til September 5th , 24:00 German time. You can find “German time”

when googling – there are lots of “world time” pages…

Purchases prior to this date or later will NOT PARTICIPATE in the Raffle – no exceptions.

Valid is the time stamp of the Paypal Payment notification I recieve in email, not the moment you clicked the button at Paypal's....

On SUNDAY September 11-2011 I will draw the 3 names/participants from the list of all purchasers of any of my online offered designs/classes and then announce the winners on my BLOG, and in private emails.

Everybody can take part with a purchase of something "Chatelaine-Online" - one of my Mysteries, Online Classes,

ONLY VALID are payments to me, Chatelaine - Martina Rosenberg - for all online projects --nothing purchased from ECC or shops etc is elligible to participate in the Raffle.

When I get your payment by Paypal, I will copy these names onto a list, which will be p ublished in the Support Group (only !) and updated every now and then.

IMPORTANT :

The Raffle prizes can not be changed into funds/ money/ cash/ gold/ silver….

If you win the Raffle and you already HAVE ALL the classes available, you can not get the money. We can perhaps then

work something out with older designs – we will come to terms J

You can NOT give a prize to somebody else.

You can not sell your membership.

You can not print out the contents of the class and pass it on to somebody else.

You are not allowed to “share” the special design you receive here. It is for participants ONLY and not a “Freebie” to be shared !

Most of all this shall be FUN !

Still close to a heart attack - I won a Classicism/Regency Mirror. Phew....

2011-08-28T17:41:00.001+02:00

Come dance with me the Happy Dance "per se". I saw this mirror 10 days ago in Ebay. Where else....
I fell in love. I had visions of Classicism/Regency (remember my Mandala with the Potsdam Teahouse in the center? ) Each day I clicked on the pic and dreamt about owning THIS mirror, to hang it on a wall in my sewing room and just get the feeling of these times back then....

I am such a sucker for laurel swags, white & gold, the mix of straight ornaments and feminine swags and curves... so looking at this offer I drifted away into long-gone times.

Classicism is a period from about 1770 - 1840, starting right after Barock times. After the overboarding opulence of Barock times with too much gold and too much "Roccailles" people tried to design clearer lines and more "simple" ornaments - taking classical columns of Greek and Roman times as a starting point.

The lovely Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma...

Regency fashion featured sheer fabrics and the so-called "Empire" line of gathering the fabrics right under the bust.
Think of historic movies like Jane Austen's Emma... from these times is this mirror.

It came from an old castle and I will have to investigate it's history. Once I do know more about it, I will share it's history here.....

It has lots of "wear" and I will see if (!) it needs to be restaured or gently reinforced - otherwise I will leave all
patina and missing paint as it is...

Days of late Summer and first colours of Autumn

2011-08-24T18:15:00.000+02:00

Snowball berries.....


One of the waterside plants, just a few weeks ago it was abundant with yellow blooms... now see the beautiful seeds !

In a pause between the constant rains and thunderstorms of the last weeks I quickly strolled through the garden to see and feel what has happened...
The Summer went by without many bright days, mostly giving us grey skies, cool days and rain rain rain. Now Autum is just around the corner, berries ripen, seeds pop out of pods and all is on the edge to wilting ... no, not all.

The pods of a Daylily

Some bushes, the Roses already have buds tenderly cuddled between the coloring leafs, which tell about long months of being used, blown by wind and burned by some sun.... tiny buds all nested in the branches angles to wait til Spring.

Look through the Amelanchier towards the wilderness of the Hydrangea corner...

All is packed inside: Fresh leafs, blooms...everything already in tiniest perfection. Good bye Summer ... I will meet you all in Spring again....

Amelanchier has the most be au ti ful coloring of leafs !!!

May I introduce: Leafs for 2012... and blossoms too.... nice to meet you then !

Follow me and bend down to see some real wonders of nature...


This Oak seedling is growing just because of the Squirrel's prevention plans of Autumn 2010.. and some bug or caterpillar have eaten the soft and juicy parts but let the ribs and lines untouched... the fragile skeletton of the leaf is unveiled !

THIS nut is MINE ! Most were already harvested by Squirrle & Co., but I managed to grab about 5 of them which were in reach... they will be yummy !

The Sewing Room is "inaugurated" now...

2011-08-22T17:39:00.000+02:00

... as over the weekend I have sewn a pair of trousers from a light yellow linen , which has a white thin pinstripe.

The pants were too long - I cut off two times. Sigh. They are very - let me say : VERY wide. I had a pattern for a wide pair of trousers . I will have to change the pattern a bit - I find them too wide. I feel like put into a riding skirt in these trousers ! Too much fabric around my legs indeed.

The other item is a sort of tunic or shirt or dress... whatever. I still had some lenghts of a soft and thin viscose fabbie from the days, when my daughter was still little. It slept in the bottom of my cupboard, as I never knew what to sew from it - and I loved the pattern so much, that this fabric never was discarded or put in a "sack" of unused stuff.

I copied a pattern from a Privatsachen shirt - only the upper part for the "bodice" - deepened the cutout for the front neckline - left off the sleeves, elongated the hemline from "Empire" to "hip" and made the side lines A-shaped. Then I had enough fabric left for a generously ruffled "volant" at the bottom.

Ok - next steps where to find and use from my stash of vintage and antique laces... as you see I managed to use some meters of lace, tatting etc. And a doily smack! in the middle of my breast. And some really old brown velvet ribbon ( which I tested on colorfastness first...) I really enjoyed "adorning" this tunic, and I like the looks. On the dress form ( which is a size 38 or so. Tiny, I tell you !)
I am not so happy with the looks on me. Change the 3 for a 4 and you have my size. Sigh. It does not look too good in this size, but there are only two options:
Diet or wear it.
I will wear it, but preferably not with a wide pair of trousers under it, as then it really emphasizes the ummm... hip area - life-buoy...
Something like a tulle or netting skirt, an old white under-skirt with eyelet lace or a narrow pair of pants will be nice to go with this shirt (no, I do NOT wear leggins of any kind ! I am not keen on the "sausage-looks" !!) And I will wear a Tshirt under it or a blouse with some sheer and light sleeves. I do not love to show my upper arms.

All things considered I am quite happy with the outcome of my first sewing session since Y E A R S !
Pattern and fabric for a soft woolen jacked are already on the table....

Vintage, antique, shabby.... come to me !

2011-08-21T20:34:00.001+02:00

Well - I think you all know in the meantime that I am a sucker for all things "vintage" or even better: antique....
So I am always on a lookout for "something" which is then allowed to live with me. The newest additions, of course feeding my love for mint/turquoise and rose/roses you can see here:
A set of vintage French opal glass coffee cups - "Arcopal" in a yummy and lovely shade of greenish light mint. Each morning more or less I have my first cup out of one of these...

The other darling is that vintage timer from the 50's - of course in m i n t again... it works and is perfectly loud, so I can hear the cake's state of being servable throughout half of the house.

And - drumroll - here is my newest "baby" - an antique bread box/casket - white porcellain/stoneware, holes on the backside for air flow, and all adorned with swags of roses.

A small brass handle allows the lid to be opened. Wooden frames hold the porcellain - they have such a beautiful patina, that I most probably will leave them as they are. It would take from the overall appearance, if I sand and re-paint the framework, IMO.

Right now there is not much inside -some slices of rye bread and a package of "FinnCrisp" with Rosemary and Salt (YUMM !)
Some other findings are waiting for the cleansing sponge and caring restauration - I will show them once they are ready for a photo.

A day on a rural manor close to Kempen: "Gut Heimendahl"

2011-08-16T14:48:00.002+02:00

Since the last 25 or so years I visited this manor on and off, first with my newly-wed No 1 back then - then with our little daugther, and again often with her growing up.

The really old gate-house. Moat outside. Inside a beautiful tiny goldsmith shop. Unaffordable beauties to sell....

On Saturdays they sell "soup" out of a hugge kettle there, tasty and nourishing. It all started with a few benches and a collection of age-old chairs - and nowadays it is a widely known event and (sadly) busses filled with elderly tourists swamp the manor on Saturdays, killing the feeling of finding a special treasure, lost between old trees and farmland.Once these herds tromp around ahhing and ohhing on knitted socks and muddy paths, the fun is over and you can only leave in a hurry...

they do have wagon tours with a pair of beautiful cold bloods here. For that hoards of tourists. Sigh. They get a cup of coffee after the "trip". The tourists, not the horses I mean....

The historical moat is still alive, and with a bit of luck you can see an occasional duck or so...

Here and there you can find tiny shops in the old buildings - this one had that lovely bird cage hanging beneath the rain gutter..... but sadly not "for sale".

The ivy-adorned manor in which the proprietor lives. Nicely shabby and worn-out partially - no idea how it looks inside though: private !

It is pretty much commerical and "touristical" now in 2011 and far from the charm and magic of the place 20+ years ago.When I re-visited this place on last Saturday as a last trip together with my daughter, who left for Rostock again on Sunday, we had the luck of a short period of sunshine (!! really !! Summer feeling in a "Summer of rain and cold!) I had my digicam with me and of course I took some pictures... for me to remember - for you to enjoy, hopefully.
Here is the link to their homepage - stroll around a bit, it is only available in German language...
http://www.gut-heimendahl.de/galerie.html

View into a rabbit hutch from inside the farm's shop

The shop - some woolen stuff, some interior stuff, food and jams from the farm, bees' products etc.

in the background the separat butcher appartment with sausages, hams etc. Yumm

Front of the "Cafe"

View from our table -beautiful super-high ceilings, large windows... a good atmosphere. Cosy...

Super-delicious "Quiche" with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Peppers... in a cheesy surrounding. So YUMM !

Come with me and just look at all that special charm of this place !

Old hut in the farmland behind the manor

Walnuts....

The Pear tree....

Bee skeps


Delicious chestnuts in ouch !! coverings...

And before I forget... the two of us... a little morphed in to Sepia times.....

my lovely daughter, who showed me how to .....

....braid my hair.....

Historical costumes 1 - The Medieval "Houppelande"

2011-08-10T15:36:00.000+02:00

This is the first design in a non-limited series of historical dresses through all times...

I will start with Medieval ages, as just now the "Herbularius - Online Class 72 " is running, and the first "Small Medieval Herb Online Class 80 " is starting soon.So this fits beautifully in these topics.

Herbularius - Online Class 72


Online Class 80

This dress is named a "Houppelande" - it was first mentioned around the 14th century. It was a dress with muliple ways to wear - for men and women ! It could be sleeveless to show pretty extra-sleeves (as shown in my design here) or embroidered and lacy linens.

pic through google

It could have elaborate and "wild" sleeves which were narrow at the upper arms and widened extremely towards the end - partially reaching the floor. Then these sleeves were filled with tasseled under-sleeves, ruches or elaborately enriched and embroidered extra-sleeves, to show the importance and wealth of the wearer. Sometimes the borders of the dress were brimmed with stripes of rare furs... belts to take the width together could be everything from woven stripes to gold metal bands.

Sometimes a Houppelande was laced in front and/or back or left open at the sides (Hell's windows...) and the linen underneath was showing.
As head-dress you can see here a so-called "Gebende" - a bound stripe of finest linen, which went under the chin and was gathered behind a richly embroidered and jewelled band all around the forehead and head. The long hair women wore at these times as sign of their femininity was gathered into a modest (more or less...) net of gold threads, with interspered balls of gold and Pearls. No limit was given to the head dresses, except the class and wealth of the wearer....

A 2nd design will come soon to depict the rich and ultra-elaborate Houppelande too. Each design will have an own and extra group, so stitchers can decide, which one(s) to stitch. All will have the same size of the outer frame - but of course colors etc will change from design to design....

Soon more here about the 2nd design and the classes /Yahoo groups then.
BTW - these will be "one-time" download.....

Recipe: Potatoes from the oven with Rosemary and Parmesan

2011-08-06T11:48:00.000+02:00

Now I MUST share this recipe here - which is a staple of Saturday-Evening cravings here.....Easy to prepare already in the morning and then just to be backed ... ready.
Add some fresh and sour salads if you like - and a bottle of ice-cold beer...

You will need:
1,5 kg potatoes with peel
Veggies to taste, like Peppers, Zucchini etc.
5 cloves of garlic
3 big onions cut into chunky pieces
200 ml olive oil
Rosemary
one piece of Parmesan, FRESHLY grated ! Not the dry stuff from a paper bag, please !
Plenty of salt ( preferably Fleur de Sel)
freshly grated black Pepper

First of all cook potatoes in the whole, with the peel on them. Brush them under water prior to putting them into the pot. Add some salt. Cook until still a "bit" raw.

Take a sheet of non-stick baking paper and put it on the baking tray. Toss all the hot steaming potatoes on the tray and gently part and cut the potatoes with a fork into irregular shapes. Add onion pieces.

Purree the garlic in the olive oil. Add half of the Rosemary needles and purree as well.

Trickle this mix over the open areas of the potatoes so it can soak in well.
Add a few slices of veggies here and there, if you like.
Generously add salt. Really generously !

Grate the pepper and sprinkle the Rosemary.

THEN add the grated Parmesan cheese.

Put in oven with convector heat at about 180° Celsius for 20 - 30 minutes. If not brown enough and if the Parmesan is not crispy on some places at leas, add a few minutes of grill at the highest "speed".

can you smell that scent... ?? YES ! De-li-ci-ous !!

Serve - enjoy ! and do not burn your mouth ;-)

A more or less "crazy" handbag

2011-07-29T19:07:00.000+02:00

Well - DD's birthday was coming closer when I remembered our last trip to Duesseldorf in Winter. She saw a beautifull handbag, assembled from various fabrics, with a few ribbons and a stripe of lace- for some whopping price of - if I remember correctly - far over 400.- €.
This was ridiculous. I kept the "idea" in mind and then sat down in my sewing room, looked through all that stash of old medium-weight Laura-Ashley fabrics and other treasures: Antique laces, ribbons, velvet etc.
Making a pattern for the shape was the easiest part.

Then I sew together irregularly shaped pieces of this and that, keeping an overall color scheme of creme-rose for one side and green-creme for the other. I made a bottom and side from some vintage upholstery mohair plush and added a golden fringe ribbon for "dangle". Over the ironed patchwork I sew various pieces of antique laces, doilies, velvet ribbons and such stuff. I had to stop myself to not go "overboard" with embellishing...

A lining with lots of extra-pouches for lipstick,cellphone and wallet was sewn from a lightweight Laura Ashley cotton sateen, the pouches adorned with some extra lace...

Assembling all was not soooo easy, but it worked out. I caught the upper open edges with a folded jacquard ribbon and had my good sewing machine sew through a gazillion layers without any complaints.

Now came the trickiest part: To sew down the ready-bought green leather handles, who claimed to have already holes. The holes were not cut through though, so I had to use a pair of pliers to push and pull my needle. Sigh.

Finally all was done - I added a "key -snake" at the borrom of the inner lining, so the house/car key could be "found" easily. I myself hate that grabbing panic-filled search in the deepest dungeons of a handbag...

As a last "bit" I added a linen tassle - and then I could admire the gift-to-be for a while.
Yesterday now, at her 22nd birthday (time flies....) it was THE surprise and a well-recieved gift. She was happy - I am happy.

Hanging at the cupboard it looks uneven and crooked, but be assured, once filled, it is absolutely even and symmetric. The different weights of fabrics and the different strenght of the layers of laces etc. cause the weird look as long as not yet "in use".

I can only recommend to search your stashes of old pieces of lovely scraps and fabrics and get yourself towards your sewing machine - once covered with laces and other treasures, each of these bags will be a precious piece and looking lovely !
Be courageous - I was it too - and see the result !

"Herbularius" - Online Class 72 - Herbs finished !

2011-07-26T17:51:00.000+02:00

Update for the coming design "HERBULARIUS" - Online Class 72

Here is a fresh preview for you - you can see the 8 different important herbs, which have been used and are used still in mediactions, pharmacy and well-being.

There are:

chelidonium - "Schöllkraut" - Swallowwort

carduus - "Distel" - Thistle

taraxacum - "Löwenzahn" - Dandelion
malva - "Malve" - Hollyhock

symphytum - "Beinwell" - Comfrey
centaurea - "Kornblume" - Cornflower

calendula - "Ringelblume" - Marigold
salvia - "Salbei" - Sage

You can be sure that it was a difficult choice - each herb is beautiful, each is important - but the space is limited.
Maybe I can not keep myself from designing a few "minis" with herbs as single small designs... it really itches to make more in the "Medieval" ways of painting only the most important lines and shades and thus making the "soul" of a certain plant visible for everybody.