Hooray it's Friday....Petit Four Crochet Along day!

Today Grietje has posted her 6th petit four and it's yummy again. The 'moorkop', which this weeks petit four is a miniature version of,  is a special Dutch treat: puffy pastry filled with whipped cream and covered in thick, rich chocolate icing. The petit four has some extra whipped cream and a chocolate biscuit roll on top. So this is what my petit four collection looks like now:

I really admire Grietjes creativity to think of a new petit four every week. Thanks again for such a lovely pattern! On Grietje's blog you will find both the Dutch and the English version.

Wishing you all a very happy weekend,
Hasta luego!

Cherry Petit Four with cream

I just couldn't wait making this weeks Petit Four from Grietje Karwietjes blog....it's soooo cute and yummy! So I started right away and now my tray is filled with five crocheted petit fours:

For all of you wanting to join in, you will find the pattern here (both in Dutch and in English), have fun!

Wishing you all a very happy weekend,

Hasta luego!

Banana Petit Four with....chocolate treat!

Just in time for the new pattern, I finished the fourth Petit Four in Grietje Karwietjes Petit Four Crochet Along....just a lack of time, because it was yummy again: a Banana Chocolate Petit Four with chocolate sprinkles on top. Because I wanted to make all my petit fours from yarn only, I altered the topping (I didn't want to make the same sprinkles as last week...) and added a bit of cream and a little chocolate:

I used to love these little lacy chocolates when I was a little girl and was always hoping that my piece of the cake would have one....

I'm off now...crocheting this weeks petit four!

Hasta luego!

Mint Quark Petit Four

A lot of hooky people are looking forward to friday more than ever since Grietjes 'Petit Four Crochet Along' and I'm defenitely one of them! It's always a very pleasant surprise to see what she came up with. This week she gives us the recipe...eeeeh.....pattern for a Mint Quark Petit Four with little candy sprinkles on top. In the original pattern there are a felt tag and sprinkles made from little beads, but I always prefer to crochet everything. And I have to say I'm quite happy how it turned out:

Wishing you all a very happy weekend! I'm off to prepare the Landrover for the next guests.....can't crochet all day...:(

Hasta luego!

Work in progress, a book and a finished order...

Living in the South of Spain where the sun is shining most of the days throughout the year, you can come upon a 'strange' scene like this in october:

While the sun is still dropping her last rays (at 19.15!), I found myself crocheting outside on my patio with warm Merino wool on my 'Dotty blanket in vintage colours' and dreaming away in Mollie Makes Christmas book, that had just arrived. I love this book, the nostalgic look, the wonderful projects, very Mollie Makes indeed, and I love Mollie makes.

When I was a little toddler, my parents used to call me Mollie... So when I first found out about this magazine I thought it was made especially for me...well sort of... it could have been.... It is obvious that I'm a 'maker'. And I'm a real collector too....my house could be featured in Mollie Makes without the use of a stylist I guess...that is: she/he wouldn't know where to begin rearranging puppets, animal figurines, crocheted goodies, flowery cups, jars-full-of-buttons-and-ribbons etc. etc.!

This is a 'Granny tissuebox cover' I have just finished as the last piece in an order. The colours aren't very true in this picture, but I have already send it of to it's new owner:

I used Michelle Kludas' pattern that is available for free on her lovely blog The Royal Sisters. And added some free style flowers to it and a clean and simple edging.

Hasta luego!

Another yummy piece of crochet

Today the second pattern in Grietje's 'Petit Four Crochet Along' was published and I made it instantly again. Another easy to follow pattern with a very cute result:

So now I have two of these sweeties on my dish, I can't wait until next week!

Hasta luego!

Yummie post...chocolate petit four with strawberry cream and nut

I have very little crochet time at the moment, so this morning, I decided to treat myself to some when I saw the first pattern of Petit-Four-crochet-along on Grietje Karwietjes blog. It's an easy to follow pattern, now only in Dutch, but the Englisch version will follow soon. Here's my version of it, isn't it cute? It's only 5 cms high...

But the best thing is yet to come: Grietje will post a new pattern every friday, so at the end we'll have a platter full of yummy petit fours!

Hasta luego!

Doily bunting and some baskets

I found this cute doily bunting on Sascha's blog and just couldn't resist! She has a free pattern on her blog in both Dutch and English. It's very easy to follow and look at the fabulous result:

I have had a really nice summer meeting lots of lovely people on our land, where we rent out caravans and our Landrover with roofshelter. I have a little souvenirshop there with my own creations, mainly my jewelry, but also some crochet. One of our guests ordered these baskets in colours matching her home, which I made specially for her:

The design is my own, I've already made lots of these baskets, they're everywhere around my house containing little bits and bobs...very handy! 

Hasta luego!

African Flower Bag

Although I have very little 'hooky-time' right now, since we're in the middle of the tourist season, I have done a little crochet here and there. I even finished a bag, because I wanted to use it with my new dress:

I don't have an actual pattern for it. I just used a basic African Flower pattern and joined them as I went, until it was the size right for a bag. I lined it with red fabric and off I went to Málaga...

Hasta luego!

Crocheted sea life

"Can you crochet me some starfish, Mrs. Crochet?" asked my dear friend, Mrs. Felt. "Well, of course I can Mrs. Felt", I replied, "but can you felt me some stones to put them on then?" So I started crocheting starfish....it was so much fun! Then some fish followed, a crab, and some shells. And being a very impatient girl....some crocheted stones too....

So now I'll crochet some more sea creatures to put on the felted stones soon.....to be continued!

Hasta luego!

Bunting Alice style

Recently I came across a wonderful idea: to have your own Alice in wonderland Mad Tea party... Linda was planning to have one for her birthday and I was totaly inspired by her preparations which I could follow through Pinterest and our Facebook 'Dutch Crochet' group. I started by collecting some things around my house, like the crocheted cupcake and flowery box, a nice teapot, an old clock... Then I made a garland from ribbon and some playcards. Of course I wanted to make something especially for this 'cause' so I made this bunting. The blue ones stand for Alice, the pink/purple ones for the Cheshire cat (and if you're not at all interested in the Alice in Wonderland theme....I hope you just like it for it's cuteness...):

You can find the pattern over here. Of course I made it a bit 'mine': I crocheted the parts together and made a picot edging on it.

What's next? Suggestions are always welcome...

Hasta luego!

Flower explosion!

I have been working with this colour combination for quite some time now (working on a big Granny Square blanket for a dear friend) and it's still inspiring. So every once in a while I come up with something else to do with these colours and immediately have to give in to that inspiration.... So I put aside the Granny's for a bit and started to crochet flowers, hooked them together with a simple crocheted strand et voila:

Bunting in sea colours...quite refreshing when you have to deal with 40 degrees C, coming over us through a very hot wind...

Hasta luego!

Barefoot sandals

Living in a warm climate means walking around barefoot a lot and I love that! But when I came across this pattern, I knew walking around barefoot could be done in a much more stylish way:

I'ts a really easy to follow pattern by Julie. You can find the pattern here. This one is for free, but in her Ravelry store you can find a lot of wonderful barefoot sandal patterns too...

Hasta luego!

Spanish style crochet

We have just moved to another location with lots of new possibilities for our work. Apart from renting out a Landrover Defender with roofshelter, we also have a small campsite now. On it is a large caravan (sleeps 4) which I have pimped Spanish style. Of course I wanted to crochet something for it. I came up with a pillow, a tissuebox cover and a clothes hanger. I designed them all myself. 

The dots are very easy to make. All the stiches are double crochets, the dots are 4 double crochets made in one. Like this: yarn over hook, insert into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch, yarn over hook, pull through 2 loops. Repeat until you have 5 loops on your hook (4 double crochets made halfway), yarn over hook and then pull through all 5 loops.

The lovely Spanish Dachshunds, Pablo & Juanita, are made by my dear friend Erica, a.k.a mrs. Felt...

Just to get an impression of the Spanish caravan, this is one of the beds:

Hasta luego!

Cupcake time!

This cute cupcake was waiting for quite some time now, for me to embroider de seeds on the strawberry and then assemble all the pieces...a forgotten w.i.p...... I'm really happy to have finally finished it! I'm very much short of crochet time at the moment, so this was a very good way to have a 'new' piece in the house in no time...

I did make some time to make these special little cupcake keychains though. They are for the 'Make it for Maud' cause I'm happy to contribute to. Little 2-year old Maud is fighting cancer. She can go to the United States for a special treatment and creative people can donate something handmade, which will be sold to contribute to the costs of the stay of Maud's family during her treatment.

If you want to contribute too (before the 1st of july), you can find more information on Lotte's blog.

Hasta luego!

Isn't she lovely?

I can't help, but feeling very proud.....I got this beautiful postcard, sort of, named after me! It is designed by Kris. I love her work and have bought many of her postcards already. Then we started e-mailing about a Spanish design and look what Kris came up with:

You can buy this card from her wonderful shop By Kris and there is also an applique with the same design. And if you happen to be in the south of Spain this summer, maybe even for a stop on my little campsite or a trip in my Landrovers...you can soon buy them in my souvenirshop too!

Hasta luego!

Maak het voor Maud

Deze prachtige actie kwam ik tegen in blogland.De aanleiding is helaas dramatisch, een klein meisje heeft een agressieve vorm van kanker en kan voor een behandeling die haar overlevingskans aanzienlijk vergroot naar Amerika. Lot van het blog Door Lotjes roze bril vraagt creatievelingen om een eigen creatie te doneren die Lot dan kan verkopen op een braderie. De opbrengst daarvan gaat naar de Stichting Maud voor leven, die geld inzamelt voor de verblijfskosten tijdens deze behandeling. Doen jullie mee?

Hasta luego!

Flowers

In between everything else....moving in, other crochet projects etc. etc. I got this crochet assignment: crocheting 20 roses for a name day, which is still celebrated by a lot of the Spanish people. You not only celebrate the day of your birth, but also the day which is associated with your given name (since Spain is a catolic country, people are mainly named after saints). A very loyal client of mine ordered the roses in his companies brand colour to give to his family and clients and here they are:

I tried various patterns for the roses/rosebuds and stems, but eventually came up with this pattern myself, because all the others weren't just quite right....

Hasta luego!

Nostalgia

I'm affraid I'm a very unconsistent blogger....and when I'm moving house it's of course worse...!

But I'm pretty much settled and even have been creative again, so it's about time to blog too!
This blanket and matching cushion, I made before the move. I call it my Holly Hobbie blanket, because the colours remind me of this Sarah Kay doll I had when I was a little girl. This is the first really big project I have ever made. I am working on two other blankets, but this is the first one finished. The Granny's with roses in the middle are from the Grandma's Garden Cushion pattern from Michelle, that I have used so often now.

The colours are pastels, but are looking a bit more pale in this picture than in real life because of the sun....can't have it all in life...now can you.....;)

Hasta luego!

Happy Valentines!

I wanted to work some more with Michelle's Grandma Rosie's Ring tutorial, the roses are so cute and romantic...! Perfect for some more Valentine crochet. I made three roses with the small leaves from the tutorial, but I was 'missing' something. So I made these really easy leaves et voilá:

I made a cover for a woodchip box and sewed the roses on top. Really easy peasy, but Oh! how I love the result.....happy valentines everyone!

Hasta luego!

Valentine bunting

I was totally inspired by Ivonne's post in which she showed the latest garlands she made to brighten up the grey Dutch winter days. She couldn't remember where she found the pattern, but to help me out anyway (isn't that sweet!) she sent me the link to these romantic ones by Hayley and o how I love these! On her Pinkfluffywarrior blog she has the pattern all written out. So when the romantic fool in me combined these triangles with Valentines....this is what I got:

Hasta luego!

Sweet Stuff

For a custom order I created these Valentine's cupcakes...and I loved them so much, I found it hard to ship them! So as soon as I returned from the postoffice, I made myself a new pair and a Valentine's donut as well:

 It's so addictive to crochet sweeties! So I also made a 'Tompoes" which is a typical Dutch treat. I got the pattern for the little one through the kindness of Margaret. Thanks again! It's a pattern from the "Hema" the famous Dutch store that sells loads of good stuff, including the real edible tompoes. But since I did not like the way the filling was made, I altered that. And designed the big one (which is an actual size tompoes) too.

And now I have this yummy collection of sweet stuff (to drool over without gaining weight!) standing on my diningroom table:

Hasta luego!

February

Today is the first day of february, the month of St. Valentines. Although I always thought of it as commercial nonsense...I am a romantic fool, so I'll post lots of hearts, pinks and reds this month. 

This heart (officially it's a potholder, but I find it way too pretty to actually use it as such) was a lot of work. I added an extra pink layer in between the layers in the pattern, but I love the romantic (and slightly old fashioned) look of it!

I found the pattern at the Dutch version of the Drops/Garn studio site.

Hasta luego!

Winterwarm cushion

Although we're having a wonderful, warm and sunny winter here in Andalusia, the nights are quite cold, so then it's really nice to cuddle up on the couch, fire burning and a soft woolen cushion behind you:

Again I used a pattern by Michelle: Grandma's Sweet As Pie cushion.
It's so comfortable to work with wool during a cold winters night! So I'm using the same colours for a Granny blanket, joining as I go, so the more I crochet....the warmer I get...

Hasta luego!

Baby pink

My dear friend Debby gave birth to a beautiful baby girl...what a great excuse to get out all my pinks and create a girly gift! I made a garland using Michelle's Grandma hearts tutorial and a babyowl with Matawi's pattern (I altered it a bit though, crocheted little hearts for wings and added little plumes for extra cuteness):

Hasta luego!