Make it up!

Good morning,

I was thinking, what am I going to write about today after yesterday´s blank post!! 

There is an art market coming up at the social center where I volunteer (Huis van de wijk Lydia) so I need to start working on my projects:

- I have home made soap (does it ring a bell?).
- I am making Christmas cards (hope my taste matches the one of the Dutch).
- I have lots of paint chip cards, maybe I can do one of these projects http://www.brit.co/paint-chip-diy/? Ok, the easy ones.
- I also thought of perfume sachets (made with Christmas prints).
- And maybe some pins with felt.

Plus, we are also having a table with sweets (from the Tuesday baking group) In this case the money will go to the social center. Our carrot cake seems to be selling well, so maybe we can add something like cupcakes or something of that size.

Will post a reminder when the date comes, Saturday the 30th of November, so you can all come!

Saludos,

Irene 

Surprising...

Good evening,

Surprising...that it rains and that I can carry on whatever I am doing (as opposed to staying at home as my southern mentality told me to do not so long ago), that it´s 9 degrees Celsius and I find it to be nice weather (people, I moved from Barcelona where it´s 20 degrees Celsius as we speak), that I go to a work interview (yes, still looking for work) and half of the people working there are Spanish and even from my home town (what are the odds!), that I am looking forward for Sinterklaas (no Santa Claus or Three Kings in Holland but Sinterklaas the 5th of December), that I started a blog and keep up at it and that I am discovering new things about myself (creativity, volunteering, etc.)

Any surprises on your part?

Saludos,

Irene

Sint Maarten

Good evening,

Today is Sint Maarten! for those of you who don´t know this Dutch tradition it´s about the Saint who gave half of his cape to a beggar to keep him warm, though I am not sure how the lanterns come into play. 

This evening children will go from house to house with a lantern (usually with home made decorations) singing songs and getting sweets in exchange. It is not celebrated in all parts of the country but in Amsterdam you can go to the Vondelpark this evening: 

Picture from www.hetvondelpark.net 

Enjoy!!

Saludos,

Irene

Friday

Good evening,

It´s Friday!! What are your plans for the weekend? 

I would like to get to practice on my driving skills (but not in Amsterdam, crazy traffic here!) and relax maybe with a walk in the dunes close to Alkmaar.

Today I discovered this crazy store at the Albert Cuyp market where you can buy lots of things related to sewing and hand made projects...I could spend hours in there! The store is called Jan de Grote Kleinvakman and it is located on the Albert Cuypstraat 203a.

Think of something like this:

Picture from their website.

Saludos,

Irene

Delay

Good morning,

Sorry for the delay but I need to make time for the visitors (no complains here, I am more than glad to show them around!)

I said last Monday that we made soap at home, in case you are wondering we made it based on the recipe my mother learned at a workshop from The Modern Crafters, a store in Alcalá de Henares (Spain). 

The store is really cute, have a look! They sell candles, soap, tea and of course have very interesting workshops.

Picture from their blog.

Here you have the information for the workshops of November, in case you are around:

Saludos,

Irene 

Weekend top 5

Hello,

This is my weekend top 5:

1. Surprise family reunion (I love surprises and didn´t see this one coming!)
2. Catching up with old friends.
3. Enjoying some typical Castilian food (think lamb, potatoes, vegetables... hungry yet?)
4. Making home made soap.
5. And of course, working on my almost none existing tan.

Saludos,

Irene

Movember

Good morning,

The first day of November and that means Movember!!! 

This world wide initiative was started to raise awareness of prostate and testicular cancer. The idea is that you start the month clean shaven and grow a moustache (no beard or goatee!) for the whole month. I know some people might find it difficult, since they don´t have a lot of facial hair!

On the website you can find a lot of information on how to participate, raise money and awareness, etc.

Saludos,

Irene