Klosjes Saturday once more!

It has been a few months since a Klosje got made around here. At times it was so hot this summer (even inside with the AC on) that I couldn't even hold the tiny pieces and the tiny needles and pins. I have an embarrassing problem with sweaty palms which... well.

Anyway, I took my Klosjes to Provence after being super inspired by Tineke and Marieke's work.

Nadine wanted some help with hers, and seeing her beauties coming together into sections.... THAT WAS IT! :)  Klosjes got made on our last day there, on the plane, and ever since! So after 30-plus new ones, I have reached 351 Klosjes from the intended 500.

I think I will continue making these strips for now,
until I am sure my colour distribution is somewhat even...
but they are looking nice, right?
 Tineke and Nadine can you spot your Klosjes?
:)

And the best news for me is that I started putting some rows together and it was delightful! I was pleasantly surprised how fairly easy it goes.
So Bring On Klosjes-Saturdays again!
:)

And being Saturday morning I can imagine The Arles Fresh Market will be looking something like this.... Shall we go get some fresh produce together?

Enjoy!

Lovely Herbs...

And Spices

A variety of Garlics and Onions

Any Olive your heart desires

Some cheese, perhaps?

:)
And have a lovely Weekend wherever you are!
Valentina

Then we stroll back home

Enjoying a lovely juicy peach
 as we plan a simple lunch and what we will stitching later on...

Hexies on the go!

View from the bridge of Fontvieille.
Can you spot the hexies?

Nadine and I had some stitching fun while in Provence. Mostly in the late afternoons and evenings or while our husbands took their naps. 

"Shall we have a snack while we stitch?"
Never in my life did I know there was such a thing as a Raspberry Grape,
or a Pineapple heirloom tomato!
and the taste? HEAVENLY!

But Oh-- how I loved the melons!

Delicious, fragrant, sweet Melon de Cavaillon

So...

It might not be surprising that these fresh slices inspired a Charm Hexi-diamond.

 Nadine had found this lady who was willing to sell us her provence fabric scraps, 

and I was so happy to be able to include some here:

Can you spot the olives on the far left and the little crickets
 "Les Cigales de Provence" third down from the Right?

By the way, I will be sharing these scraps with you in our little souvenir giveaway! I thought you might enjoy that... :)

And, in case you are wondering what inspired this diamond...

I don't think you'd be surprised it was these: agh, I am so predictable!

don't they make a lovely pair?

I have to admit that I am counting the days for the boys to be back in school. I can tell that the level of crankiness is reaching critical levels. But we had a wonderful summer. And at the end of it all,  as I look back and see that despite of it all, it was indeed pretty Fantastic!

a moment of bliss over the eastern Mediterranean
July 2010

and  somehow, I did manage to squeeze in a hexi-flower this afternoon...

so please excuse me as I go and collapse for a bit...
:)

Looking forward to replying to your lovely comments and catching up with you and your blogs!

Thinking of you, as always,
Valentina

Clamshell Club Report August

The Clams made it to Provence and it was such a delight to be able to infuse those memories into the stitches (and considering I started it with my little niece in Holland, it makes this a little treasure already!) I didn't do much, but I am so happy with how it is progressing.
I have been having such fun with this little project. With each row it seems to be getting easier.

I am liking the colours more and more each time another clam joins the gang.
I have found sewing from right to left much easier, and Ria, Look who made it to Provence:
 Piep,  the mouse thumb-pincushion!

 I had 'foil-pressed' my clams before leaving and am happy to say that they kept their fold until I had the chance to work on them. This is great news for me, as now I know this can become another take-along project.

Here are a few more pictures from the open-air market in Arles. Arles is a fortified city on the river Rhone which had considerable importance in the Roman Empire. Vincent van Gogh lived and worked in Arles. (if you are interested you can read more here.)

the colourful enameled handmade platters and bowls

lovely Old Lace



Sorry, but I was experiencing a lot of difficulty since this morning posting. My internet has been down and Blogger has been doing funny things.
I decided to post at least this much, now that I have a small window of opportunity.
Please, don't forget to sign up for my little Souvenir giveaway in the previous post if you haven't done so already. And I hope I get a chance to visit my fellow Clammer-girls today, if not as soon as possible.
:)
Thinking of you!
Valentina


I spoke to Nadine this morning, she sends her love. They are leaving early in the morning driving back to Belgium tomorrow.
She misses all of you and can't wait to catch up.
Have a safe trip, dear friends!
:)

Home Sweet Home

It's so good to be home with a head and heart full of memories and wonderful experiences.

We have been back a few days and have been so happy to be spending these last few days of Summer holidays with the boys. I could not believe how they grew in just the one week that we were away! They had a lovely vacation of their own, which made ours so much sweeter.

I thought of you a lot. I did. I am not kidding. If I had had my computer you would have gotten a blow by blow account! LOL

 I was so happy to be sharing this special time with my Sweetheart and yet I kept thinking: ooh, I need to take a picture of this for the Girls!

Now, don't you agree these colours would be lovely in a quilt?

I know, I am silly... but I thought of all of you fondly, and even got you little souvenirs...

:)

It was my first time tasting Black tomatoes ' a la Ancienne' and yellow  'Ananas' tomatoes...
(and yes, I did collect the seeds for next years veggie garden!)
:)

Couldn't believe my eyes at the open air Farmer's Market in Arles
And of course they let you taste E-VE-RY-THING!
Can you see those pale raspberries: they taste like : OMG! and I nearly keeled over after the first one --- 

The Streets of Gordes

A Light Lunch in the company of wonderful friends.

Arles and surroundings

Provence was delicious in every sense of the word. It was a dream come true...

I was so overwhelmed by all the beautiful things....

 

 

The Fragrance of Lavender

The fragrance of Lavender and fresh herbs in the air, the cool breezes and the delicious Quiet. 

 Castle in Tarascon 

But nothing like coming home and seeing the boys again. :) We have been trying to hold on to the last few lazy days of Summer vacation as they will be starting kindergarden in another week. It is still insanely hot during the day, but we are starting to enjoy cooler evenings. Which makes everything so much more enjoyable.

Streets of Tarascon

I really have so much to share with you, and will be taking a few days to do so.  I brought little somethings to share with you as a "wish you were here, thinking of you" souvenir. So, leave me a comment and 'Bonne Chance"! And as a ThankYou I will include as entries your wishes from last post.

:)

Pinching myself and thinking of you!

and yes, in case you are wondering, there are Hexies and Klosjes in that bag!
:)

"Your misty valley,

your hills, bare or clothed

with magnificent trees,

your meadow,

the wonder of Provence..."

Honore de Balzac, "Letters of Two Brides"

My dear friends, I have been in a swoon anticipating our first ever trip to Provence and finally the suitcase is packed and My Love and I are ready to go celebrate our Sweet Sixteen Anniversary.

The boys are in the mountains with their grandparents being spoiled to an inch of their lives.

They did makes sure we memorized the wash-list of toys we need to remember to bring them

(Are there toys in France, Mama?)

:)

I am so excited that we will be meeting up with Nadine and her lovely husband and are looking to some unforgettable days together. As you can imagine, if Nadine and I are together this automatically means there will be loads of foolishness, laughter and stitching going on. My hexies and Klosjes are already packed.

I promise to take loads of pictures and will be updating Nadine with all the things you have been up to since she's been away from blogland.

Take care, happy stitching and I will be back in a week!

Je t'embrasse, Gros Bissous!

Valentina

Wednesday's Hexi-report

Three more Hexi-flowers for the sea-side garden.

I really love how they are turning out...

and looking forward to seeing visiting more garden-parties later today!

Can't wait to see what my Fellow Gardeners have been up to!

:)

It seems that these Rainbows of Charm Hexies are the only project truly thriving and slowly multiplying in the Summer Heat...

I love how these Yummy Candy Colours...

... are becoming deliciously cool Charm Diamonds!

I still have not stopped long enough to count how many 1" hexies I have prepped so far. But when I ran out of papers a few days ago, I decided it was time to take plunge. And guess what... Fresh never looked so Cool!

I am so happy with this project, and so far no repeats!

Ahhhh, life is Good!

:)

Thanks for helping me get through the heat. Your perspective, lovely wishes and wise advice is really making a difference and helping me cope. Thank you, guys...

xox

Valentina

ps my boys thank you, too!

When it's this hot...

not much get's done.

We are looking forward to another heatwave coming in this weekend.

And, well...

August in Nicosia is like this...

life going on at a much slower pace...

Most Citizens of Nicosia leave the city to go to the coast, mountains or abroad.

There are is a big advantage for those of us left behind: less cars on the road, but then you just don't feel like getting out. Unless you have bored kids who NEEEEED to get out.

So we have been going on 'adventures' to the air-conditioned mall, supermarkets and the odd outdoors outing

very early in the morning...

Not much get's done.

Ofcourse we also VEG-- lying still like broccoli -- in front of the TV, working our way through our extensive kiddie dvd collection... (this is when I manage to sneak in a stitch or two...)

Until it's nap time, snack time or nighty-night time...

Pathetic!

I know.

... but only for another week.

:)

Looking forward to sharing with you what I have been working on-- tomorrow!

V.