Review #3 - April 2014

Time for another review.

I was hoping to get these reviwes done a bit earlier but at least I try to keep myself motivated to document the last year.

April was still the month of our Tokio vacation. As I already told you a few blog posts ago my hubby and I spent two amazing weeks in Tokyo. It's our favourite destination and I would go twice a year if I had the money.

But I'm happy as long as we are able to once a year.

Hubby and I looove it to wander around the city and explore the city while walking. Mostly we skiped the public transportation and walked 3 or for 4 JR stations.

It's the best way to see lots of the city and discover interessting places aside from the tourist areas.

At the end we walked more than 200 km in less than 2 weeks. Both of my good leather shoes didn't survive and I came home with two pairs of broken shoes.

Durring the vacation I worked every night on our travel book. Mostly it took me 2 hours each night to document our adventures. We printed photos around the corner of the hotel and I glued everything We ate, saw and found durring the day.

I have to admit that this book is the best I ever made (and I'm makig these books since a few years now). Getting the pics printed right after each day really makes a difference in the outcome of the final travel book.

Just after our vacation easter was just around the corner.

I visited my sis and dad and stayed a few days in Berlin.

The weather started to get better and I was able to go mountain biking for the first time of my life.

I love riding my bike (which is a very comfy old beach cruiser) but mountain biking is not my cup of tea.

Most of the trip I was just afraid to hurt myself.

But at the end we had a yummy cold beer mix which was so refreshing .

Review 2#

Since I didn't blog a lot last year I will start 2015 with a little review of the past year.

So in my next blog posts I will show you a little bit of my 2014 life.

In the last post (yesterday) I already gave you a little update of my Tokyo vacation in march 2014.

But Tokyo wasn't the only thing in march.

Sadly I don't have lots of pretty pictures (since mostly I just took snap shoots with my moblie phone) for march but at least I will be able to give this post (and some other posts of 2014 -> coming the next days) a little bit of fun and spark.

In march I rediscovered my love for sewing human clothes (the past years I mostly made doll clothes).

It all started with a male friend of mine who told me that he has a sewing machine and that he would love to learn how to sew.

I showed him how to use his machine (and did a pretty good job...untill today) and thought that I might sew something for myself too.

We went to the fabric market which is touring in germany every year and I got some pretty fabrics.

I made a few new fun shirts.

In the past years I found some lovely thrift stores in my city. And when I'm not traveling at the weekend I check the shops every saturday with a friend.

I'm very easy to please in thrift stores. Just give me some cool earclips or tableware and I'm the happiest girl on earth.

The march was also for sewing.

I made a cute little pillow cover for my new vintage chair. I used the fabrics which I got from my friend Wendy as a birthday gift.

So this was my march.

What do you think ?

Still interessted in reading more about my last year ?

Long time no see

Hey folks,

I'm still alive. I can't believe that it's nearly a year since I blogged here the last time.

Last year was a very happy year for me. I wa busy with vacation, friends, summer and of course some crafty things too.

But lets start with march 2014.

It was the first vacation of 2014.

Hubby and I went to Tokyo again.

We spent two amazing weeks in the sunny (and sometimes rainy) Japan.

We saw lots of blooming cherry trees and ate so much yummy food.

We went to Kamakura and found a lovely temple near the beach.

For me it was the most rememberable moment of this vacation.

This temple was hidden in the woods and there were no people beside of us.

We are not sure if we are able to again this year.

But secretly I still hope for another Japan vacation in spring.

By the way...is there still anyone out there reading this little blog.

Or is everybody gone after being away for a year ?

Sewing for kids

This post is about my latest sewing projects for kids.

My biggest kids project this year was the birthday quilt for my niece. She turned 4 in january.

I have to admit I was very lazy and made a really simple quilt for her.

I used the same fabrics which I just bought for her a few years back.

I already made her lots of stuff out of this fabric for a her room like a bunting, a pillow or a little doll quilt.

I finished the quilt in only 3 days (after work). I used some simple wonky crosses and stars.

As always I quilted it free motion. It's still my fave way of quilting. It's fast and I don't need to measure anything or need to keep an eye to match seams.

It's already the second quilt I made for my niece.

In 2010 I made my first quilt and gifted it to her.

This one is bigger than the first one. It's big enough to cover her little bed but has a very comfy and soft batting so she can cuddle under it .

The backing is a vintage duvet cover which I already used on other quilts before.

The binding was made from the left over fabrics from the top.

I still have a little bit of fabric to make more stuff of her. But hopefully with my next project (christmas 2014) I'm able to use all of it.

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of these fabrics anymore. So I'm glad when I finally used every little piece.

Last week I got a mail from an ety customer.

She already bought two soft dolls from me and asked for two more as gifts for friends.

I love making these soft dolls. They are fun and cute.

Little patchwork goods

I have always some small patchwork projects going on my sewing room.

They are quickly made and are perfect gifts for friends and co-workers.

Here is a little coaster for a co-workers birthday. I don't know her so well so I went a little all you need gift.

This pillow cover was a friend of mine. Her living room ist mostly green and blue so the colorpallette on this pillow totally match.

For christmas I was invited for a little dinner at my dad friends home. I already made here a few placemats so I went with potholders this time.

A friend of mine asked for a phone puch for herself and a friend of her.

She asked for sth. green for herself and something pink for her friend.

My dad got some placemats this christmas from me. H is not into bright colors so I went with a save dark blue theme. Since dark blue only is a bit boring I had to add a bit of red.

Another one for him (a round coaster for pots) is on my to do list. I have to keep it in mind.

I never had a handmade placemat for myself. So when I made one for my co-worker I hade to make a quick one for me.

I'm using it daily now ;)

I had an old potholder from my grandma. Sadly the fabric on the top was complely torn.

I recycled the padding and made a fresh new one for my kitchen.

Happy new year

Ohhh my gosh.

The new year is so old already.

And still there was no time to blog about christmas and my birthday which was last saturday.

But big promise I will post about it later.

Life is always so busy.

I have the big goal to blog more but with my new job I'm not that much on the pc anymore.

In last job I wrote my blog posts durring my lunch break but since I have a NONE office job.

So computer time is short.

I'm not reading that much blogs and check all my fave flickr pics like I did before which I completly miss.

But I see lots of people leaving platforms like flickr. They go to instgram or leaving the photo comunity completly.

Last night I talked to mr. artistic how much I miss the times when I put lots of work in every pic because I took it with my DSLR.

I changed the lenses and tryed my best to take a fantastic pic.

Since it's easy to take "solala" pic with the smartphone I rarely touch my cam.

Sad story...right ?!

What about you ?

And if you still want to see my "solala" pics you can find me on instagram under crafting_with_love. (and of course I'm still at flickr but not that often like I used to be before)

christmas schedule

Only less than 2 weeks and christmas is here.

My days untill christmas are completly filled with appointments, work and meeting friends.

Especially when me and mr. artistic leaving for our family visits in one week.

But before I'm rushing to work I would like to share my latest work.

I made this little earstud frame a few weeks ago because I wanted a place to showcase my earstuds and of course to make it easier to choose each day.

These earstud frames where made as little surprise gifts for friends.

After one year half finished in my sewing space these christmas coasters are finally done and in a good use in our home.

Every year a new christmas pillow cover this is my new goal for every year patchwork wise.

Last year I made the dresden pillow cover on the left and this year I tried the deear paper piecing pattern.

Definetly worth all the work but I definetly need a new inlay :)

Christmas without baking is not working for me. I had some reese cups from earlier this year  so I had to use them.

Sadly reese cups are hard to get and super expensive in germany so I treasure my reese cup cookies a lot <3

I'm glad that I finished at least one christmas present already.

It's a big swimming bag for my MIL.

I hope she will like it.

Tissue bags are always a fun and quick gift.

So I made a few more just in case I need a gift.

Sadly I have to stop writing.

I need to rush to work :(