the Cristmas cards I made this year for friends.

only started in October, and that is too late, I

wanted to do some more but alas.................

http://cross-stitchers-club.com/?code_avantage=ffdltp



This is THE side for cross stitchers,

with every day a free down load pattern !!!

back again and........... healthy again !!

Yes people, it doesn't happen very often but even I have days that I don't feel well,
very bad cold was the start of it all, "I was under the weather" could not tell what made me feel so awful, and then one day, I started coughing, got a running nose, was running a temperature, so............. a bad cold, that has been going on for about 2 weeks, then there were all the Christmas cards wich had to be made, cards had to be written, just my name is not for me, there has to be a bit of a wish. but my brains weren't working properly,
the cards for abroad had all to be weight in the postoffice,I bought stamps for an absolute fortune, but the cards were done and have been posted on Dec. 1st.
I was still ill, a Christmas parcel had to be made up, to go to a friend, again abroad, again a fortune on stamps,
then on one of my wednesday hobby group get togethers, one of my friends said, Why are you so quiet ? I told them that I didn't feel well again, that day I started with an infection in my bladder, painful and very uncomfortable.
The doc gave me antibiotics which made me feel sick, dizzy, headachy, just horrible 4 times a day !!!!
I have done no stitching, only
some cards, but last night I've started again and really enjoyed it.I'm doing a fractal pattern from Cross Stitch collectables. (88 colours only !!!)my friend Coby has already started before I became ill and I'll show you her progress.


I'm going to get ready now for my birthday,Christmas and weddinganniversary.
all the first time without my lovely husband, It will be sad days,but on my birthday
I'm being taken out to a Chinese wok restaurant by some of my friends, I'm looking forward to the SUSHI, Coby will be here on Christmasday, we're going to get all sorts of snack food we both like,wine etc.
and I'll make an oven dish with as meat fried rabbit.
Our wedding anniversary I'll celebrate with friends at my appartment and I think I'll make chicken Tandori with naanbread ,white rice and Currysauce hot and mild.
so, that was the explanation why I have been away so long, not that you'll find it very interesting but there you go !!!
I think I'll be back before Christmas,

to my visitors.......................

here is what just arrived from 123stitch, my present from The girls from Cross Stitch Crazy !

1 compleet kit by Janlyn "The Four seasons"

1 compleet kit by Bucilla "the Cottage garden"

1 piece of Aida 18ct white with a gold thread woven in. 30x36"

a booklet with the day and night butterfly fairy pattern in Colour.

2 round crystal disks we need for a pink fairy.

Our friend Ali, is 83 today 12-11-08

from left to right,

Steffie, Henny, Cobi, Coby, and Ali.

we've fallen in love

Yes, my friend Coby and I have fallen in Love , head over heels !!

http://xs-collectibles.com/Free.aspx

open link and have a look under the following buttons.
$5 bookmarks,
$15 large patterns from page 32-48.
$20 larger patterns still !
not everyones cup of tea, I know, but we see this as a challenge.
Oh and BTW, we ONLY need 88 coulors DMC for the free pattern !!
I let you know how we get on with it.

My dear Mum

It would have been my Mum's birthday today,

she woul have been 100 years old !!

bless you Mum and happy birthday.

so, everyone who celebrated Halloween, are now going to get ready for Christmas, we don't have Halloween in Holland although the shopkeepers are trying very hard to get the people interested, we do have something simular though, St. Maarten on Nov. 11. kids go round with lampions and come to your door singing St.Maarten songs and when they have finished singing, they get sweets, there can be groups of 10 to 15 children ,always with adults , lovely those little faces all expecting to get something nice and they always get a tangerine, but don't be surprised when one or two tell you ,thye don't want that, rather have an extra bag of sweets. !!!

and then of course there is the St Nicolaas eve that's on Dec.5th.,

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/santa/dutch_tradition.htm

St Nicolaas arrives in Amsterdam by boat from Spain with his d'apple horse and his black Peter helpers., he'll be in Lelystad on Nov. 22nd.

St.Nicolaas and his Black Pieten !!!

also in December is my birthday and 3 of my friends, (11 Monica, 13 mine , 14 Marga ,16 Tilly.).

and then at long last, there is Christmas, first one without my Ken, I'll be on my own for one day, but I don't mind that, and one day i'll spend with my friend Coby.

now I'll have to get on with my card making
speak to you soon again.
Henny

I'm sorry that I did not tell you before, but I am busy with my own and helping others to make Christmas cards,

I did get the key for Nantucket rose and will try to finish it at Christmas.

hope you're all well ,

Henny.

I started this Lady about 10 years ago,

I want to finish her but lost my symbol and

floss colour key,

can anyone help please ? and send it to me

by email ?

my email address is

henkenhob@upcmail.nl

this is Autumn in Vermont

My update of the Pink fairy . 3/4 done !!

we, Paul, Henny, Coby and Tilly, went to the Zoo in Amsterdam , ARTIS

here are 2 photos of old warehouses in Amsterdam from the time Amsterdam was a very thriving city, now made into VERY expensive apartments

I think most people like butterflies, but why don't they like the caterpillars, without them we wouldn't have butterflies !!

Ok, they are not so nice looking but they are the parents of the beautiful looking insects you'll see in a minute

This butterfly fancied Tilly, it must be her perfume or.... he just preferes blonds !


feeding time, they are well looked after .






and breeding time !

This one would not sit still for the photoghrafer !!

beautiful to look at, but when he opened his wings he was bright blue, but not for me !!

see through beauties, Gossamar wings.

first something to eat before we go to the big animals.

and then there are the monkeys, I told Paul that his brother had changed since the last time I had seen him, (old joke, but still what can you expect from an old lady ?)

Mother and baby

Mom and Daddy

The Dutch Niagara falls !

Flamingos



A funny bird is a Pelican, His beak can hold more than his belly can !



waiting for a part in the new Harry Potter film.

The guards, nothing will escape their little eyes.


Man was he hammering those big tires, I woul'n't like to come accross him in the dark, he was a very big Lad !!

The Queen of the Jungle in a small area.

Here w saw the reptiles, I was lucky to get these pictures, they were all behind glass.

his breakfast is waiting next to him to be eaten !!

this Adder had very dull eyes !


Sit down for 5 min. My Goodness, do you feel your back and legs after 3 hours walking !!

This little gekko,was jumping up and down, I think he wanted to come home with me !!

we've had a lovely day and what Coby and I didn't know, it was Tillies treat for Paul's 67th

birthday

Thanks Tilly and Paul, we've had lovely day !!