White, everything is white!

Thank you all for your nice comments on the previous post, and thank you to all the new visitors whose blogs I like to discover! :)

Answering to Jennifer/OH: I still haven't unpacked all the stash I had with me in Norway - because of the dirt around. But it was a piece of R&R fabrics, so I would guess it was 30ct; the difficulty about working over one on it was the dark color and the bad lighting....

I'm sitting here in a cloud of white dust that elevates from I don't know where. I've just finished washing the floors, but the dust settles again. Who created dust, heh?

Okay, so I'm home since last Sunday but everything around me evolves at high speed these times, so I don't have time to update much... Things should settle down in a couple of weeks :)

Visiting my family was a real treat, I so enjoyed being with them. You can't make everyone happy at all times, so my father wasn't happy I didn't visit him, and I have bad conscience, so I've promised myself that once again, I'll spend Christmas with him and his wife, and not choose the two other more pleasant options. Again that will mean that I and H. won't spend this special time together, because his mother is over 76 years old and neither I or him want her to be alone at Christmas... I'm a big girl, I will be a bit sad, but I'll cope. That's not a *big* problem.

While visiting my family, I also spent some nice time with both my cousins, their wives and kids. Now... One of the wives has had melanoma detected in April. She was operated and hopefully, she will be fine, though it was detected a bit late. She's just turned 39.
Two days after I returned home, my other cousin called me... his wife has a possibly bad tumor and will be operated next week. She's 36. Hey, what's the world becoming these days? For my delightful aunt, that means that both her DILs are in a dangerous situation simultaneously, at an early age... We worry.
Please, friends, think of yourselves.... do that check you've been postponing... a long wait is a big risk.

The works in my apartment are underway... The dust is overwhelming, the noise unbearable, but in some days it will all have been a bad dream. Till next year... another wave of works is planned... and the year after, another one. Noone has mercy on us, poor tenants :)

So here's where I'm writing from... mind you, this is after the workers leave in the evening. Till then, I'm sitting half crawled on my couch with the laptop. It wouldn't survive there ;-)


And here was my kitchen (note the past tense, LOL!):

Stitching? Yup, I am... one of this year's Blackbird Designs... I should be working on my HOE PS exchange, but inspiration has left me today.... needed something easy :)

H. arrives on Wednesday with cat and dog, I already feel sorry for them, the change from big house plus garden to tiny apartment in a big polluted town is nothing funny, especially for a cat. But H. tells me on the phone that with his long working hours and other obligations, days seem long for both of them... they're normally used to having me all day with them, since I work from home.

Thank you all for visiting, and have a relaxing week-end!

Prairie Schooler Small Santa exchange

Joke in Holland received my *small* Prairie Schooler Santa exchange... it wasn't bigger than a finger. I've had fun making it but with bad lighting in H's living-room, it was hard to work over one on high count R&R 18th Century Blackbird linen (was that the name? anyway, something like that, I don't have it here with me). The finishing is very unorthodox for a Prairie Schooler piece, too. I chose this Santa because it had reindeers on its robe and I wanted to give my exchange a Scandinavian flair. It is stitched with WDW and GAST - the red is Turkish red, a shade I like a lot. I'm so glad you like it, Joke!

You can see a few more picture on Joke's blog HERE.

Family time...

It was so warm outside yesterday, with a gorgeous sun. I I decided against returning to Warsaw (well, my cousin making an error getting me a ticket for one day later helped too... LOL!) so I'm sitting on my aunt's terrace, sipping a glass of ice-cold water and enjoying life... Real life (read: hell with the pipe works) will start on Monday then. I will survive :)
Both my cousins with respective wives and kids live nearby and have been visiting regularly, we're having a super good time together. After another summer in Norway in the big house with garden, I'm having a hard time adapting to the idea of living again some months in my (very, very) tiny apartment in downtown Warsaw, so it is nice to be able to postpone the return a bit.

One of my cousins loves picking mushroom and here's just a tiny part of what they brought today (exhibited by one of my cousins' wife):
The mushrooms, of course, were taken care of by the wonderful hands of my aunt...


During my stay here, I made 764 (see, I can be precise!) pierogis - with white cheese and potatoes (which are called ruskie), with cabbage and mushrooms, with meat and cabbage. When I chatted with Ela on Skype earlier this week, she asked whether we're aiming at the Asian market... major ROTFL!
I also made some Norwegian boller yesterday, yummy, yummy!


Cats and dogs are loved here... here's just a couple of them... (with my other cousin's wife)...

Oh, by the way, have you seen the new designs by Kathy Barrick? Click HERE if you haven't.

Back home...

... unfortunately :(

Right from the plane, I drove home, unpacked, packed and took the train to visit my family... I need to return to Warsaw as early as Friday to have my made-to-size kitchen unmounted (mind you, the only person I can ask to do, that was... seriously drunk!... this week-end so I really hope he is fit enough by the end of the week to do the work or else I'll be in trouble, because that has to be done before the destroying troops enter the apartment to do the pipe works lol!) and to pack half of my apartment in boxes, because the central heating pipes are in all the rooms... aaaaah, I seriously panicked seeing the size of the place and visualized all the furniture that need to be taken down, all the stuff that needs to be packed... and the dust that will cover all... Anyway... The works will take place from Sept 12th to 16th and H. will arrive for just a few days on the 17th, so I'll have *one* day to clean... I don't think the kitchen will be mounted again so we might have to camp indoors :) I didn't like the boss in charge of the works either, not a very polite person, to say the least, but what, I need to survive that and there are many neighbors in my house who are older and probably even less happy about it all. Hopefully the building administration won't plan any more works, it's just been 8 months since they did the water pipes. Cross your fingers for me!
Work is slow, so I'm enjoying time with my family... My grandma will (?) be 100 in January, but the closest neighbors decided to celebrate early... can't blame them for that! ;-) They brought 100 roses, champagne, cakes... a good time was had. I took the picture a few days after the event so the roses had faded a bit.
I'm feeling sorry for myself to be back home... won't extend on that. I terribly miss H. and I know that after his visit in two weeks we might have to wait 2 months or so before we see each other [...]. His autumn will be very busy with work and I have to earn some too :).
My 3,5 summer months in Norway were absolutely great, we got a lot done at home (I knew I could work hard, but I learned a lot more about my capacities, LOL!), traveled, saw friends, had a good time... even though the weather was just plain awful. Of course, when I was leaving Norway, it was so gorgeous... We biked several times in the woods with Happy... ooooh I'll miss my home there. H.'s mother was sorry to see me go as well... Hopefully she'll stay in good health for long, she's 76,5.

Here's a short update about our cross-stitch too...

I received the most lovely Prairie Schooler Small Santa exchange from Mylene... it's so soft and so beautifully finished... Mylene does splendid work and I knew I would receive something cute but this just fell so much in my tastes.... Thank you so much, Mylene!! (so sorry I forgot to take a picture of the bookmark from Texel... I love it! I didn't know you have seals there!)


See for yourself: (sorry for the bad quality of all pictures I post nowadays, my camera just won't cooperate)

My HOE Needleroll exchange is on its way as well....

My HOE Prairie Schooler exchange is being worked on... :)

My Prairie Schooler Small Santa exchange should reach Joke in Holland today or tomorrow... hopefully.

Oh, I was about to forget...! See the beautiful card Ela made for my namesday... using Tilda supplies... My favorite chocolate goodies from Lyon (the famous "coussin") *were* enclosed... they fast disappeared and, I'm ashamed to say, H. didn't even get *one* this time... Shame, shame on me! :)

Two more gifties...

Ah, these pictures are not good at all (why did they look so on my camera's tiny screen, heh?), but this is the first pinkeep I made, for my friend Linda H.'s birthday who doesn't keep a blog, unfortunately, but I hope she will soon...


And here are some summer goodies for my friend Ela:

First, a "pendibule", after a French tutorial.

Ela likes Tilda goodies, so here were some... Ela does gorgeous work so I know she'll put them to good use!

Prairie Schooler pinkeep exchange for Marie

I celebrated my namesday today by painting all day... We found a moment though to share some nachos and salsa on the deck... but that was all. Painting in this extreme heat is no fun, we were almost collapsing. It was a lovely day though, we got a lot done while cat and dog found shady spots to lay and observe us lazily. We've just decided though to not paint the living-room before our guests come. Paiting the house required 3-4 layers in most places to cover the dark color that was there before and to get the lovely result we wanted. We've added small work ere and there, on the older house and on the new garage, and we just ran out of time. Too bad, but it has to be that way. Now I have 4 days to finish the paiting outdoor, clean the house thouroughly, plan my brothers'+++ visit, do food shopping, cook and whatever else is needed to make this a nice stay for them.
I have more regular work to do also but now deadlines are more realistic till August 11 so in total it means we're starting the better part of the summer now :)

My day was sweetened by hearing that my exchange PS pinkeep reached Marie and that she loved it :)
Here is what I stitched for her, a fragment of the fall samplers (if I remember well) on 40 ct Lakeside Linens fabric, with my personal choice of GAST and WDW. I used Gloriana silk ribbon for the finishing and golden pins. If you haven't tried those ribbons, you just have to! I got some in a bit-end-ends pack recently and I soooo love them.

Look at the ribbon, how the color changes and shines...

The back...
I think I chose right colors, don't you think?

I also made a very little pinkeep for Marie, following a great tutorial my friend Ela directed me to. I've yet to show photos of the *wonderful* birthday gifts she sent me, but I swear I took pictures at several occasions and none show the gifties right, so I'll keep trying and then I'll show them to you!
The pinkeep is normally bigger, but for Marie, I experimented with just a soda bottle cap.... see how small it is! :)

Here are some goddies I enclosed for Marie..



I've had fun participating in this exchange and it was pure pleasure to make something for Marie!

A funny book

I got this book recently, and I'm dead decided on getting all supplies and learning to make these fun Norwegian "nisser" and angels. Here's how wikipedia describes them:

A tomte ['tɔ`m:tɛ] or nisse ['nìs:ɛ] is a mythical creature of Scandinavian folklore originating from Norse paganism. Tomte or Nisse were believed to take care of a farmer's home and children and protect them from misfortune, in particular at night, when the housefolk were asleep. Tomte is the common Swedish name, derived from his place of residence and area of influence: the house lot or tomt.
Despite his smallness, the tomte/nisse possessed an immense strength. Even though he was protective and caring he was easy to offend, and his retributions ranged from a stout box on the ears to the killing of livestock or ruining of the farm's fortune. The tomte/nisse was a traditionalist who did not like changes in the way things were done at the farm. Another easy way to offend him was rudeness: farm workers swearing, urinating in the barns, or not treating the creatures well would be soundly thrashed. If anyone spilled something on the floor in the house it was wise to shout a warning to the tomte below.

To read more, click HERE.



It's a great book that describes in a very easy way how to make such figures. Even with my not-perfect Norwegian, I understand most of it :)

Today....

Men worked hard... painting. Me worked hard on my texts. Me fed men at regular intervals :)


The weather was just gorgeous after so many weeks of rain... Waiving hands to Tracy, my friend at the other side of the Oslofjord - I'm sure you enjoy the nice days too! :)

Sometimes, a small breeze passed, otherwise it was really SO hot... After working since 8 am, H. and friend called it quits in the late afternoon... Yesterday they worked till 9 pm!


That wall (above) only received the first layer... more work to do...

H.'s mother's house, next to ours... it's a small house built three years ago, she enjoys it very much and has her garden to take care of behind.

Toska had been out all night hunting... guess what she did all day :)


Happy enjoyed the day a bit less... it was too hot. But I'll bike in the woods with him tomorrow, promised!

Afterwards it was time to deliver the hired lift back... it was of huge help for painting the highest parts of the house... but it took a couple of hours to secure it in place each time it was moved...

Told you it was hard work...


I'll leave you with a photo of a wooden figure I got for hanging my necklaces... Waiving both hands to Nicole and Kara this time! Oh Tracy, you'll recognize the necklace with the little sparrow.... I custom ordered earrings for it too! :) I'll promise not to wear it when we meet! LOL
I just adore this torso... The shop had three more models, small and big, and I think I just have to get another one! Isn't it a splendid idea? I got this one with some parts prepainted in white, but it is also available in bare wood to be painted to one's liking.

While shopping, i didn't resist to some goodies on sale... I also thought of someone who likes... oh I can't say what and who it is, but something is on its way.... to somewhere :)


In the evening I just suggested we drive to our fav' restaurant at the lake.... We deserved to relax a bit... Our guests arrive in just a week and we are soooooo late with work... Will we manage to empty, prepare and paint the living-room in just three days? I'll keep you updated!

Well, it's more or less me today! :)

Little visitor

And just as I was painting, H. who was working beside me called me to look... I hadn't noticed this poor scared creature shivering right at my feet!

Middle of the week update..

Wooo-hah! I didn't expect this summer to be such a busy, hard-working period! I'm not complaining though, we're getting loads of things accomplished. This is basically the first year after H.'s heart operation when (knock wood!) he has no health issues to handle and everything is super fine health-wise.
This little fellow , my only nephew, is going to visit me with his dad and mom on his way back home to Switzerland after a short vacation at grand-father in Poland, aka my own father. Can't wait to see him again!! It's such a sad thing I only get to see him twice a year or so. He's a wonderful, bright, happy little guy, already fully bilingual and learning his third language, English, since a year. Hopefully H. will be able to have discussions with him one day :)

It's been raining and cold to moderately warm since early June, which ruined some plans we have to adapt daily. Basically, we should have painted the house from the outside two weeks ago with the help of a friend and his son. Some works happened, but the weather is so unstable that we're painting in every free moment when it also doesn't rain. Ah, but it's a delight to see the result, the old ugly brown house has already partly turned into a much nicier light cream version. It's my first time painting the outside of a house and I've yet to decide whether I like it or not. Could be almost called funny, but then since the house is big, the work never seems to end...
Our guests arrive in just over two weeks and we have a long way to go. We also need to start and finish painting the big living-room downstairs... ah, we had ambitious plans we need to revise a bit.
Not only the weather plays tricks on me, but also the huge amount of regular work I got to do this month... For the three past weeks, I worked way beyond human capabilities... and it goes on and on.
Cross-stitch, well... I manage to put a stitch here and there sometimes... but I've already decided that yes, I will put that big order (craft supplies) from Panduro very soon, we're tough on money but I just need to reward myself for this insane period! It *is* insane... Just a moment ago I was smiling to H. who looks rather poor today and told him we just need to go through the next two weeks... and once our guests leave, we can sleep in and watch the birds fly and whatever else we'll feel for doing! Our favorite place in the wilderness is almost fully booked in August excepted for 5 days but we've decided to drive the 600 km (on way) there and relax, it is worth it. A long way to drive for such a short time, I know, but it's a magical place. And I'll think of a place where we could stop over for a night or two additionally. One possibility could be Lillehammer, a place very dear to us both, but we haven't managed to go there for the past couple of years, at least. Lots of great shops on its long pedestrian street and so many lovely memories... :)
I'm now hooked to etsy and I've decided to show some beautiful items I've been getting this year, from wonderfully skilled ladies. Maybe I'll inspire you to visit them... I'm sure they would love you to see their work, and they deserve your oooohs and aaahs! :)

Today I got such a lovely surprise... totally unexpected! Dear Irene sent me a belated birthday gift, actually many of them - a piece of lovely pink Lugana, a pink skein, two pink ribbon rolls (soooo adorable, just my style!!) and a box of birthday chocolates (ooooh how yummy!! H. didn't get even one this time! LOL) and two cards... for Happy and Toska, can you believe! Irene, you had me in tears when I discovered them... I laughed so much! How lovely of you... and how funny!!!
The dog card is 100% edible but for the moment I am saving it... just to look at it more. I'll take shots when I give it to him!
The cat card is with catnip... I'll have fun presenting it to Toska (who got her nails shortened today after ruining a new cream leather couch... and is *offended* now for the rest of the day, I guess, as much as a cat can be and show it to the world).

Also, Donna received her birthday giftie...