6 weeks to go and then Jan will be 1 year

Jan likes to be photographed, but Beau just sneeks away, but now yes 1 good picture.

Homemade, Gehaakte bloemen

Lovely to make this flowers like I used to when I was younger.

But crochetting is coming back.

Another day just enjoying our grandchildren

Party of the year 1969

My son in law had his birthday on saturday and for he is born in 1969 every gast was invited to dress like we did that year. Here are the results of a lovely evening.

Do I like eating what grandma cooked?????

Mammy know.s how grandma.s cooking taste and she is smiling..................................

Babysitting

Yesterday we had our grandparentsday with Beau and Jan. . Beau received her winterclothes that her mother had ordered for her and inspite of the warmth she had to put them on. Jan had that special smile on his face, normally he smiles that way just before he pulls of your glasses or pull your hair.

Trying to paint today........

How bad can life be????

Janet and Ann Graham Johnstone

My greatest treasure I bought a couple of years ago in an old bookstore. Dean.s giftbook of nursery rhymes with drawings of Janet and Graham Johnstone. Still I.m addicted to old childrenbooks and I like to visit fleamarkets to find new treasures.

Dutch landscape with cows

No painting today, but instead two jewels......

Today and tomorrow Beau and Jan staying with their grandparents. Beau, uncle Martijn en grandpa Barend were out crab fishing. And afterwards, yes then you are tired.

Holiday feeling in our own IJmuiden

In summer we don.t have to go away for a holiday for our town is so beautiful to be in summer. Beach, dunes, sitting on a terras in the early evening and see the sun go down.... what more can you want.

It.s nice to make a painting of our place...but still in progress

Visiting our great grandmother and father

Painting almost finished

A walk through the old city Enkhuizen

Diner at the beach

After taking care of our grandson for two days we treated ourselves with a diner at the beach. It seems the wetter is not so nice, but the temperature was fine for me.

Staying the night at my grandparents house

My moms and dads holiday is over now and they had to work again. Grandma Carla and Grandpa Barend are looking after me for two days and yes that.s like a party. I can stay up late, eat everything I like, pull the cats tail and with my weth cookie I make everything dirty. And when I pretend to cry they take me on their arm en kiss me, brrrrrrrrrrrrr

Very bad influenze

Marlijn Poppendijn

Now for two years ago I saw Marlijn and her paintings at a exhibition. And then you know at once, this is great and we will hear from her more. Marlijn makes the most wonderfull paintings for childrenrooms now for a couple of years. Now she also creates dolls, cards and homedecorations like bedstuff. Also she has a webshop and her own blog now (in dutch). Her blog Marlijn poppendijn and her webshop Marlijn poppendijn

New painting first stage

3rd stage of oilportrait

Art of Carla Stey

Art of Carla Stey

Oilpainting, second stage

Portraitpainting again , in progress......

I haven.t been painting portraits for a year now. But since a week I have started again, yeahh

My beautiful daughter is married now

The Rwandan Children's Choir

A young and vibrant group telling the story of Rwanda in traditional Music and Dance.

Rwanda has overcome incredible challenges to be where it is today. Now 24 children are traveling the world telling this story.The Rwandan Children’s choir is made up 24 very talented children ages 9-12 . Most of the children in the choir are orphans. Some come from homes devastated by HIV/AIDS. The choir presentations are a great source of healing and encouragement for the children. The children perform in churches, schools, and other public places raising awareness about the issues that Rwanda has faced and how it is working towards bringing unity, healing, and prosperity after the 1994 genocide that claimed more than one million people.

Join this group at Facebook and also join Africa Mission Alliance at Facebook

At YOUTUBE you can also visit a small film of the choir

Lovely felt of Atelier Sterre

Atelier Sterre

These lovely creations can be bought at Atelier Sterre.

Creative packages from felt and muslin

Beau.s birthday

De Zaanstreek

Het Weefhuis te Zaandijk en Zaanse Schans

This is the area I was raised for the first 9 years of my life. Now I have my first exhibition of oilpaintings here. It feels so good. The Zaanse Schans fameus around the world.

And then I see my own oilpainting on this website and the website of Het Weefhuis

Route to Het Weefhuis:

MET DE AUTO
Vanuit richting Amsterdam:
Ringweg A10 volgen richting Zaanstad
Door Zeeburgertunnel of Coentunnel
A8 volgen richting Zaanstad
Richting Beverwijk/Alkmaar A8 aanhouden
Bij de afslag Zaandijk/Koog aan de Zaan richting Zaandijk N203 aanhouden
Bij eerste verkeerslicht rechtsaf richting Zaanse Schans
Bij eerste verkeerslicht vlak voor de brug linksaf (Lagedijk)
Na ongeveer 250 meter aan de linkerhand Lagedijk 39, achter in de beeldentuin.

And here I will welcome you at my exposition

Location Lagedijk 39

1544 BB Zaandijk

16th of may 2009 from 12.00 till 17.00

17th of may 2009 from 12.00 till 17.00

Dutch Glory

Our garden today

My first exposition of oilpaintings

This beautiful old Zaans building, called HET WEEFHUIS is the place for my first exhibition of oilpaintings. I love this building, most of all because I grow up in this area.

In my teenyears I visited art expositions myself here and now I.m able to have my own exposition in this building. Lucky me!!! Date: saturday 16 and sunday 17th of may 2009. Time 12.00 till 17.00

Everyone is welcome!!

It.s nearby the Zaanse Schans, a place a lot of tourist will know of or have been visited in the past. Typical Dutch wooden houses and windmills can be visited there.

Summer feeling

It was such a lovely sunny day and therefore we spend a lot of time working in our garden. Our cat Ducky joined us by sleeping in a pot.

Wendy.s Bears

Looking for something else I came on the website Wendy.s Bears. The bears, elephants, dogs and other animals are so gorgeous.

Captain Rupert.s new friend

This gorgeous little boy is the newborn baby for Joanna Twin of Higglety Pigglety. Joanna also gave him a copy of Captain Rupert to play with. Please visit her blog or website to see what a pleasant and creative person Joanna is.

Inspired by my grandson

Staying for the night with Grandma and Grandpa

For my parents are building me my own sleepingroom I have to stay over for the night with my grandparents. And they are so excited!!!!!!!! My mammy brought me and all of my stuff today.
Yes, just having fun and going to bed later than at home I heard from my sister Beau, hahahaha.
Next week Beau and I are going to sleep at grandma.s place together. Jippieeeeeee

Yvonne Zomerdijk, Dutch painter

Yvonne Zomerdijk, painter of beautiful acryl paintings that make you smile.

Take a look at her site to see the most lovely paintings, cards etc.

Little bears

Cute bears for cute little babys, hopefully the babys will like this paintings like I do.
It.s so fun to paint this kind of paintings. With acrylic.

Susie MacMahon dolls

Susie McMahon instruction for dollmaking 25 pics - Follow her step-by-step instructions for making a doll using her techniques.

New faeries of Kat Soto

The New Kat Soto Faeries have arrived and are up at Shreve & Company. The beneficiary this Spring season is The Mbinga Children's Organization providing schools, shelter, food and clothing for children orphaned by AIDS in Tanzania. The price of each Fairy is $800.00 during the event from March 16th to April 23rd and $1,200.00 thereafter. Each Fairy will come mounted on an ostrich egg in a twig nest. Each handpainted, Artist original fairy is signed, numbered and limited to this collection of nine pieces.

Kleine Jan

Babyroom paintings

Babyroom paintings

After my first attempt making paintings for nursery.s with duckies I started this three paintings this week.

Hopefully people will like them.

Kate Church puppetry

Lovely work inspired by Cirque du Soleil

An artist of delicacy and detail Kate's work mirrors the varied experiences of life in her offbeat quirky method of recognition. Details embroidered with movement and grace, her figures speak of curiosity, delight, tenderness and humor... expressions of some of the exquisitely charming characteristics of life. The pieces she builds somehow defy conventional interpretation. They are not dolls, nor are they formal sculptures. Kate refers to her work as "sculptural puppetry", combining the line and form of sculpture with the playful anima of puppetry.

Kate also has a blog worth visiting

Baby Ice Skating????? Heather.s treasurebox

Aren.t these the cutest baby booties this winter? And afterwards walking in these cute cowboy booties. The cowboybooties seen at Heather Treasure Box for US dollar 24.00, Mahar Drygoods for US dollar 30,00 and for the Netherlands at Jippiejajee for euro 21,00

Marilyn Scott-Waters the toymaker

Marilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper. Her popular website, http://www.thetoymaker.com/, receives 3,000 to 7,000 visitors each day, who have downloaded more than four million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things, which she herself does with her own child every week. (Monday model night) Marilyn is the author of The Toymaker: Paper Toys That You Can Make Yourself, the best selling paper toy book on Amazon.com. To read about the quirky life of a children's book illustrator and paper engineer, visit her blog

Also this amazing puppet theater is free to download

Elaine Thomas of Artful Spirit

My dear Blogger friend Elaine Thomas of Artful Spirit has a share the love Valentine Give away. Everyone is invited to join this give away, so please go visit her blog and you will find the most lovely items

Typical Dutch, ice skating......

Jan 2 months old now

Painting again.......

After a few months of not painting at all I finally start painting again and now for childrenrooms.
I have used the same colors as the jesters are, so it looks like they belong together. My own little duckies.
I have lot of duckies in design already to add to canvas.

Visiting Grandma

Yesterday a day like there has to be more of , a day that that fills your heart with love

Cupcakes again........

You know how I love to see all kind of creations of cupcakes. Aren.t these adorable?

http://www.bumblebeedesignsboutique.com/

Humpty Dumpty cookiejar

http://www.janicewise.com/humpty_dumpty_cookie_jars2.html

Humpty Dumpty and nutcracker

http://www.brierrose.com/prod04.htm

Humpty Dumpty

http://www.mechanicalbanksonline.com/humptydumpty.html

Humpty Dumpty
Riddle
Humpty Dumpty Sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty Had a great fall.

All the King's horses,And all the King's men

Couldn't put HumptyTogether again.

or

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

Three score men, and three score more,

Cannot make Humpty Dumpty as before again

or

Humpty Dumpty sate on a wall;

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

Three score men and three score more

Cannot place Humpty Dumpty as he was before.

Christmas and nutcracker story

Every year round Christmas I look around for nice nutcracker pictures. The Nutcracker story is one of my favorite Christmas story.s. This one is an oilpainting from Ana Bagayan

Happy Christmas to all of you

My own made christmas memoboard

Kat Soto and Christmas 2008

The nice thing abouth blogging is meeting other people from all over the world with the same intrests. One of these is Kat Soto. Jim Cordosa en Bruce Henderson created a Santa Fair with handcrafted santas from Kat Soto. These fabulous windows will be available for your viewing at San Francisco's Shreve & Company until January 15, 2009.

Partial proceeds from the sale of these Santa's will benefitThe San Francisco AIDS Memorial Grove. A nice initiative.

Also look at Flickr for the lovely Commedia del Arte dolls of Kat Soto also at Shreve & Company in San Fransisco

Everything Dutch...........................

Jan, two weeks old now

Danna Banana

These lovely dolls are made from sanded muslin. http://dannabananadollies.blogspot.com/

HUgs, hugs and hugs.............................

Three day.s old and already so wise

Beau and Jan

My newborn grandson

Hello little wonder, welcome to this world and in my heart.

My first halloween party

Christmas items

Christmas is still 2 month.s away now, but when you are a creative person you deal with Christmas all year round. My sister hasn.t been doing a lot of creative things the last couple of months, but now she is coming back and how..........................

For years we made Christmas ornaments together, but the last two years we hardly had time to do these kind of things together and also the painting virus took all my spare free time.

But oh, how I love this star ornament. I.m so proud of my sister. Go visit her blogs

Art of Marjon Stey and Santa Claus Art

Halloween pumpkin

My first Halloween pumpkin made for a party with friends tomorrow.

Cupcake art

Chocolate cupcake by artist Michael Naples
If you like to see more cupcake painting go to Daily painters website




Eatable Art of Nanda Palmieri

baby.s and cupcakes part 2

From Etsy this adorable baby cupcake for sale
Not the baby ofcourse, but the hat





If you are looking for a lookalike pattern I found one here


How many cupcakes can you find? These at sugar plumtree

pink babyshoes Tiny Toetsies

So sweet, I can hardly wait till my daughter will give birth to my second grandchild. So now I.m allowed to surf over internet for the cutest stuff. Found these cuties at Tiny Toetsies





Or will it be these little ones from jellybabys. Designed by British Footwear Designer, are handmade in England with materials sourced from the UK.

Baby shoe

Dandelion Filz handwerke

Sandra Evertson

Some creative blogs I love to visit over and over again. One of those blogs I visited today. In her profile Sandra Evertson writes: There was a single specific moment in time when it struck me, " I just might be an artist!" And I must admit it was quite a relief for me. This explains everything, it all makes perfect sense now!
And indeed, she really is an artist pur sang. Go visit her blog and read her version of the amazing Grimm storys. You won.t regret it.

Casseroles Le Creuset

Cooking is fun to do, especially when you have time, but these cute casseroles makes cooking even more fun to do. Found at Amazon.com

Donna May Robinson

Another website worth visiting of Donna May Robinson. Look for yourself.

Suzanne Urban of Smirkin Goddess Studio

Needle felt creations that are amazing beautifull on the blog of Suzanne Urban. Not only felt, but also very special paintings/prints.

My Prides Marijke, Beau and ??????

Blog of Duda Deze

Diana Duda.s blog Duda Deze is a very lovely blog with sweet paintings. Also for her blogger friends this lovely card.

Pretty doll

Always looking for nice and for me new blogs on the internet. This doll is from
Cotton Pickin Ranch by Karen D. Millstein.

Johanna Parker Design and Halloween

Johanna Parker, creator and maker of one-of-a-kind papermache pieces of art. I have visited her site now for years, but still keep coming back.

More halloween...

These cute painting is from Tascha, an artist from Toronto Canada which I admire for some time for her paintings. On Flickr you can see all of her work.

Halloween is coming.................

How cute are these Halloween prints. Especially the one of Humpty Dumpty looks so nice.

Grim Prim Studio is home to grinning black cats, dancing witches, strange creatures on mysterious errands, all of them part of the eerie and unique Halloween folk art by contemporary folk artist D. A. Sweigart!

Cats and frogs

Our dear friends Ron and Harma have a cat named Harry. Harma collects frogs and so I think this is a marvelous combination.

I found this Japanese site were you can buy all kind of outfits for your cat.

They also ask you only to use the clothes to take special photo.s and then remove the clothes from the cat. They then will hate you for the rest of your life.

Victorian Punch and Judy print

On this site more of wonderful Victorian prints

Punch and Judy

I love this Punch and Judy theatre. This is a free download example.

Grandparents and baby.s

After searching on the internet for Halloween idea.s I just kept thinking of cupcakes. What a wonderfull pictures you can find. So different from the Halloween things.

In a couple of weeks I will become grandmother for the second time. I hardly can wait to hold that little wonder in my arms. That.s why I.m looking for idea.s to make some presents for my daughter. It.s that I.m to old to have baby.s, otherwise...........................

Cupcakes

These lovely cupcakes found on http://lollishops.wordpress.com/

So different then I was looking for. Me and my partner were invited for a Halloweenparty and for it.s my first time to visit such a party I was looking around for idea.s.

Crocheted animals

Crocheted cuties I found in a shop.

Holiday in Denmark on the island Langeland

After two years staying at home we took a holiday in Denmark for two weeks. We booked a holidayhouse at the island Langeland. A beautiful island were we had such a beautiful time that we have decided to go back there next year. The house was lovely with a big garden and less then 100 mtrs. from the sea. During our holiday we have been looking for nice places to stay next year and yes we found a place with a wauw factor. Doesn.t look cute?

Maggie Taylor and Alice in Wonderland

Once and a while you find intresting and for me new websites. Today I found the website of Maggie Taylor and her lovely digital images/prints. A website worth visiting. http://www.maggietaylor.com/flash.html

Denmark

Long time ago I wrote on my blog. It.s was a very busy time for me but the last two weeks me and me partner spend a holiday in Denmark on the Island Langeland. It were two wonderfull weeks in which we walked, bycked and enjoyed the wonderfull natur. On our way to our holidayhouse we drove through Germany and took the ferry from Puttgarden to Rodby in Denmark. From there we drove to Tars and again took a ferry to Spodsberg. And from there we were amazed of the beauty of our place to be for the coming two weeks. At first we had to get the keys from the Novasol Agency in Rudkobing. Very nice people wo helped us there. We were one hour to early for the key so we spend this time to walk through Rudkobing.

On our tour through Rudkoning we found this lovely shop.
Website: www.galleri-lang-sommer.dk
The lady inside gave me also an adress: http://www.filtning.dk were you can find the most lovely creatures made of felt.

The website for the paintings I adore from Susanne Strange: http://www.susanne-strange.com.

When I was home and look at this internetadresses myself I found out that the lady in the shop who helped me was Susanne Strange herself. Susanne again my compliments for the lovely paintings and also the other stuff.

Geinspireerd door de PIZ-cursus

Ons verblijf tijdens de PIZ-cursus op kasteel Vaeshartelt heeft mij zeker weer enorm veel inspiratie gegeven.

Prachtig landschap rondom het kasteel heeft mooie plaatjes opgeleverd , maar ook onze leidster Hetty heeft mij weer geinspireerd tot het maken van een nieuw portret. Hetty, hier is de eerste fase van jouw portret. Ik ga proberen er een mooi schilderij van te maken.

PIZ cursus bij Kasteel Vaeshartelt te Maastricht

Vorige week hebben we een heerlijke week aangeboden gekregen van de werkgever van Barend.

De locatie was snel bepaald, Maastricht. Kasteel Vaeshartelt. De cursus PIZ, wat staat voor Pensioen in Zicht. Odyssee is de organisatie die deze cursus aanbied. Eigenlijk wisten we niet zo goed wat we van deze week moesten verwachten. Tenslotte hebben Barend en ik beide geen probleem met het invullen van onze vrije tijd. Echter de week heeft ons meer gebracht dan we hadden kunnen vermoeden. Gastvrijheid staat hoog in het vaandel van Odyssee en ook van kasteel Vaeshartelt, waar Odyssee tevens de eigenaar van is. Een prachtig kasteel, aangepast aan de moderne tijd, zonder aan het verleden voorbij te gaan. Maandagmiddag werden wij en de andere 10 stellen verwelkomt in het kasteel met een heerlijke kop koffie. Dit was het begin van een op culinair gebied enorme verwenweek. Uitgebreid ontbijtbuffet, heerlijke themalunches en als klapstuk een heerlijk 3-gangen diner iedere dag. En als echte snoeper was ik aangenaam verrast met de overal aanwezig snoeppotten waarvan iedereen dankbaar gebruik maakte.

En nu denkt iedereen, dus mooie locatie en lekker eten allah, maar de cursus?

Ook daarvoor alleen maar lovende woorden. Hetty Bruls, onze vaste cursusleidster heeft ons een week bezorgd waar iedereen nog wel eens aan terug zal denken. Op een heel ontspannen en gezellige wijze zijn wij door de week heen een aardige stap verder gekomen wat we van onze pensionering kunnen verwachten. Valkuilen zullen dus bij deze deelnemers niet zo snel voorkomen. Mochten we er toch invallen, dan hebben we een ieder geval nu een touwladdertje aangeboden gekregen om er weer snel uit te krabbelen. Wat te denken van interessante uitleg over testamenten en schenkingen door een notaris, een arts die ons even met beide op de grond zette ten aanzien van gezondheid en hoe wij zelf verantwoordelijk zijn ervoor. Zeer praktische informatie ook over prostaatklachten, botontkalking, overgewicht etc. Ook de yogales was heel leerzaam en werd gepresenteerd door een ontzettend aardige vrouw.
Je denkt alles al te weten, maar op deze cursus hebben we dus aardig wat bijgeleerd. Ook het uitwisselen van allerlei bezigheden als vrijwilligerswerk, hobby.s etc. zijn zeer uitgebreid aan bod gekomen. Al met al een week die zeker is aan te raden voor iedereen, ongeacht of je denkt geen valkuilen te kunnen verwachten, want ze zijn er.........

Mocht iemand verdere informatie ove deze cursus willen hebben, kijk dan eens op de site van Odyssee waar alle info en brochures aan te vragen zijn. En de cursus kan in principe door iedere werkgever worden aangeboden aan personeel die de pensioengerechtige leeftijd bijna bereikt heeft.

Website Odyssee groep: http://www2.odyssee.nl/

Paintings

These paintings are not finished yet.

New painting,

Spring

I.m so looking forward to the spring now. So now we have to put fresh flowers in our garden.

Weekend

This weekend I have working on my Herman brood painting. Friday I had my granddaughter at my home and together with my friend she was sending e-cards to her mother.

The late Dutch King of rock and roll

Herman Brood, the late Dutch king of rock and roll inspires me to paint a second painting. Herman, not only a painter himself but also king of rock and roll.

This weekend I will work on the details of this painting.

African girl

This weekend I took time to paint. I.m now busy with the details. For me a painting starts living when I have painted the eyes. The photo is not great for I made it with bad light, but it shows what I have done today. The whole day it was raining and it will be raining the coming week. Hopefully Eastertime brings sun.

Baking our own bread

Today we went to a windmill called De Zandhaas. It.s still working and they sell complete packages to bake your own bread. It was nice to walk in their store that looks like it looked 100 years ago. I took some pictures of the mill and the store. So tomorrowmorning, yeah!! fresh bread.

2th stage of painting african boy

My new started painting

Today I started a new painting of an african boy.

HAPPY NEWYEAR

I want to wish all my bloggerfriends a very happy and healthy newyear.

New painting

Today I started a new painting. It.s not finished yet, but there is a beginning again. I love paintings the eyes. That.s when a portrait starts living for me. Now the paint has to dry a bit and then I can work on it again. Is.t she adorable. It breaks your heart to know that she is an orphan. And there are so many of them.
Children without a future. Next year I hope to be able to paint a lot of portraits and then organize an exhibition. Then I hope to sell a lot of my paintings and a part of the money I will donate to an organization who can help to give these children hope and a better future.

Christmasfeeling

Kat Soto and her new creations

Kat Soto for me is a very inspiring artist. Her dolls are so perfectly made. I received an email from her that se added new items to her website. Her website is really worth visiting.

Blogger Friends

Tonight I received an email from one of my bloggerfriends. Her blog is one of the blogs I visit almost every week. It.s so nice to find out how creative friends are living and thinking abouth life. Shelby has a new post abouth Christmas and wants all of her bloggerfriends to link to this post. Ofcourse I will do that. For my heart also goes out to those in the world who are not so lucky to live the way we are able to. Ofcourse we have to think of them all year round, but to start with Christmas is a beginning. So visit Shelby ( keeper of the chocolates) blog and read her latest post.

Our Sint Nicolas party!!

We had a great Sint Nicolas party on wednesdaynight. The pictures shows you how we celibrate the fifth of decembre. And yes, I now have my choclatletter C.

Our house

Corner of our little garden.

Can you imagine how this will look at Christmas. I cann.t wait till we can decorate this. In our room with have two of this.

The party of Saint Nicolas

Today Beau is going to THE party of the year. The big party of Saint Nicolas. She was so excited. She is gone ask him if her grandmother can recieve a choclat letter. I have to put my shoe by the chimney and sing some songs. Ofcourse I know a lot of them. I will do this evening. The fifth of december we will have our party at my daughters place. So now we have to buy little gifts, create some poems with it and make some surpriseboxes. With children this is so lovely.

Tableware and how you can also use it.......

On a show a couple of weeks ago I found this great creative stuff. Birds made of spoons, knives and forks. Can you believe it. The picture is not so well made, but you get an idea what this creative person did with it.

Saint Nicolas and Christmas

The Christmasfeeling has started late this year for me. For several years my sister and I made christmas ornaments and dolls and then before Christmas we joined a Christmasfair somewhere to sell our stuff. It was.nt always easy, for we live not so close to each other. Internet connected us. What are you making now? And then hup a photo with MSN. This year we didn.t create together att all. I really miss it. The first Christmasvisits has planned now and now I can look through all (many) cookingbooks. I love that. Sitting on the couch with all my books, hot chocolate and a little cream on top. I love it when people come over to my house. I.m so blessed with a lovely partner. He enjoyes Christmas also. But at first there is Saint Nicolaas at the fifth of december this nice, very old, men has his birthday. In Holland the children receive then present instead of given them to him ( like Christmas). Together with his helpers he rides on his white horse with black spots and brings the present in the night. I love this time when children are small. Yeasterday he came through our street. We live near the harbour and he comes by boat from spain. A steamboat. As soon as he has arrived in Holland the children can put one of their shoes at the chimney. With an apple for the horse and a drawing and wishlist for the Saint Nicolaas. I love this time of winter, especially now when I have my granddaughter who still really believes in Saint Nicolaas.

Hitchhiking

Living by the sea sometimes you have a hitchhiker, not in your car, but on top of it.

Weekend!!!! Time to paint.....

I.m so happy. Weekend again. I picked up my granddaughter from school and she will stay over for a night here. Beau also enjoyes drawing and painting, so now we both are painting in my room. This little boy is from a picture from the Carf site.

My sister did it again....

My sister Marjon again made some wonderfull dolls.

My two prides: Marijke and Beau

This painting a gave away to my daughter. I never made a picture of it, but today we went visiting her and ofcourse.... a picture now. It was painted half a year ago.

My little dutch granddaughter

Looking for pictures I found this picture of my granddaughter 3 years ago. We went to a Dutch museum called Zuiderzeemuseum. Children can dress in original dutch clothes and play with old toys. It.s really worth visiting.

Painting...... my passion

One year ago I didn.t know I would ever like or could paint. Now I.m addicted to it. It.s my passion.

Still have to learn a lot abouth mixing colours and other techniques. Now I know that I like painting portraits the most. For I have a job for 5 days a week, painting I have to do in my spare time. My partner is so sweet, never complains when I.m sitting in my room and paint, he brings me coffee, makes dinner and stimulates me to keep on painting. He is the best.

Step by step....

Is not ready yet, but it.s getting better step by step

Lovely art for childrenrooms

Today I visited a creative market. Always nice to wander and look what other creative people shows. Marjolijn Colijn makes beautiful paintings for childrenrooms. And believe me, they look even much nicer in real then on her blog. She started painting 2 years ago and there is now a lot of intrest from all over the world for her art. She is worth it, the paintings give you a happy feeling and are nice presents to give away.

Progresssssss

second stage of painting

Every stap it will look better! I hope

New painting

This morning I came out of bed to early. Was thinking it was time to go to work, but I was wrong. So I had extra time to do some painting. I started this portrait. It is in a very early stage.

After work it took me two and a half hours to come home. There was so many traffic, brrrr

My friend had diner ready, so I could work tonight at this painting. The Chevy has to wait again.

Chevrolet (CHEVY) 1953

Next project: Finishing my painting of a Chevrolet 1953

I never went to Cuba, but since internet I can imagine how that country looks like. Especially I love the pictures with the old Cuban taxi.s. How in the world were they able to collect all these beautifull old memories of cars. But I love them for the way they still caring for these cars.
Otherwise all those cars have.nt been excisting anymore. This painting of a Chevrolet of 1953 I started half a year ago. I did not paint the last 6 months, but now, after my surgery, I started again and yes, I still love it. Backgrounds are not my piece of cake, but I have to praxis over and over again to also enjoy painting backgrounds. There is still so much to learn. But these lessons I like, it only costs time.

Old toys

This cute toy was found back in a box at the attic. He now has his own place in my room, so I can watch it every day. It must be fifty years old. Just love the piece.

Herman Brood finished

Nice feeling to finish the painting of Herman Brood. Put my name on it and ready. In a couple of months adding a little varnish and than he can decorate someones wall. Where, I don.t no yet. And now up to a new painting....

Almost ready Herman Brood

I just have to add a vieuw details to this painting. I.m looking forward to start a new painting after I finished this one. There are so many nice faces to paint.

This was Herman Brood for today!

Punch likes Herman Brood painting

Punch is a little bit jealous, he still has some missings at his body, but he likes watching me painting. Still a lot of work te be doing, but the beginning is here.

Don.t think the eyes are wrong, Herman squinted.

New painting of Herman Brood

It.s a few months ago that I have beeing painting. Today I started again with a portrait of a very famous Dutch Artist/singer who died in 2001. Herman Brood, a dutch legend. It.s a very intresting face to paint.

Clown, by my sister Marjon

I.m impressed how my sister is able to create all kind of figurines. Her latest creation is of Joseph Grimaldi, the famous clown. He is made of viscose and painted with acryl. It.s so nice to see how a piece of viscose can become a lovely doll. Go visit her blog to see her other creations.

Marjon, I.m proud of you.

Alice in Wonderland

What a lovely drawings of Alice in Wonderland made by the twins Janet and Anne Grahame Johnston. Always searching in secondhand bookstores for books with nursery rhymes and fairytales. The drawings brings back memories to my childhood and gives me a lot of inspiration to create. Just looking at the drawings gives me fun.

Nursery Rhymes and Humpty Dumpty

Today I found my old Nursery Rhymes book back after I had moved in with my friend.

It.s a 42 year old book I bought in a secondhand bookstore. Illustrations by Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone. The twin sisters Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone were born June 1, 1928. Janet died in 1979 and Anne died in 1998.

Punch with arms

Last days were busy, so I didn.t had much time for my friend Punch. But at least I managed to get him his arms. Now Punch, I will try to make your outfit look a little bit nicer. And despite of what some people say abouth you, I don.t think you are scary. You are my friend.

My own Punch in progress...

Poor Punch, without arms he cann.t hold his Judy. I promise you I will work on your arms and clothes the coming days.

Punch and Judy Theatre

This old print of a Punch and Judy theatre inspires me to make my own Punch.

Punch and Judy

These lovely prints come from the site "De Luikerwaal"
a dutch site with intresting information abouth old
Magic Lanterns.

3 Old ladys on a bench

This painting is not ready yet, the hands of the old lady at the right I have to do better.

TheaterFigurenMuseum Luebeck Germany

Last year we visited Theatre Figuren Museum in Luebeck Germany by accident. We didn.t know it acsisted till we passed by. The history of the TheaterFigurenMuseum Luebeck is closely connected to the biographies of their owners: Fritz and Saraswathi Fey. Without them this extraordinary museum would never have existed. As a cameraman Fritz travelled around the world, and wherever he had a minute to spare he indulged in his hobby: He collected theatre puppets wherever he could get them enthralled by their manifold uses and their varying expressiveness in different theatre traditions. His collection grew year by year, about 90 p. c. of what he has collected is still waiting to be revealed to the public. Fritz and Saraswathi gives you the feeling to be on a familyvisit and do take time to tell you abouth all the figures. I love to visit this theatre museum again.

Oilpainting made by my mother Aty Stey-Taanman

Christmas Greetings from the Animal World

Somebody mentioned sausage,
’ Twas a cruel thing to do,
Just when we're gay and festive,
And wishing to sing to you;
They might have talked of turkey
Of pudding or goose or pie,
- No matter ! We'll sing to cheer us:-
“Wail 'till the clouds roll by.”

I really love these piggies I found at:
The Scrapalbum from Malcolm Warrington.

A beautiful site which looks at the albums, greeting cards and printed ephemera that became popular during the Victorian period.This unusual resource provides a wonderful insight into the customs and the times. Also a lot of lovely links to other sites and Ephemera Events, News & Exhibitions.

"Thanks Malcolm, for your quick response"

Art of Marjon Stey

Another beautiful figurine in mixed media.

Art of Marjon Stey

OH DEAR.......OH DEAR The White Rabbit

Everyone has his favorite childhood storys. Mine are Alice in Wonderland with the lovely White Rabbit and Humpty Dumpty and Pinocchio.

And so I found the most lovely website I have seen. Handcrafted Fantastic Toys, the website of Timothy Haugen, a site to feel a little bit child again. His original illustrations of dancing monkey pantins, lovely Kitty paper dolls, Alice in Wonderland paperdolls and mice finger puppets are just some of the papertoys available to download for free (for privat use). Also a lovely paper puppet theatre can be downloaded (for privat use only).

Beautiful circus prints

Drawings from the private Stey collection

Artist Familie Stey

The oldest artistfamilie in the world is the familie Stey. From 1437 they have always been related to the circus. Nice to be a part of that familiedynastie. This book released not so long ago and most of the pictures are also in our privat collection.

Chickadoo

These creations I have made a few years ago and not in my house anymore. Perhaps I have to make new ones again and keep them myself. I love chickens in all kind of materials/

Harlequin

Harlequin

These harlequins were so fun fun to create.

Jester mixed media

I love jesters and this one I made for myself. Made of canvas and painted afterwards.

My canvas dyed doll

Sandra Evertson

Isn.t this lovely? Also to be seeing on Sandra Evertson.s blog.

Her profile: She has currentlly working as a contributor for Romantic Homes Magazine, a Directors Circle Artist for Somerset Studio Magazine, and contribute regularly to all of Stampington & Company's various publications. She has authored several books including Fanciful Paper Projects and the most recent, Fanciful Paper Flowers. And this year Stampington & Company has just released her first two rubber stamp lines.


She really is an amazing creative person.

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the Kings horses and all the Kings men
couldn.t put Humpty Dumpty together again



So cute, these collection of Humpty Dumptys made by Sandra Evertson. She has been fascinated with all things Humpty Dumpty her whole life and so am I. It.s also on my list to create my own Humpty Dumpty. Go and visit her blog to see all the other things she creates.

87 years old and stil going strong!

My dad is now 87 years old and still intrested in internet. He just started with his own blog and likes it very much. I am very proud of what he is doing. He wants to add photo.s of all the cars he has driven in over the past years and write abouth his life. I am looking forward to the result.
Dad, go for it....

Silkpainting

My sister Marjon is creative in all kind of art. This silkpainting is one of my favorites. More of these silkpaintings on her blog.

My own Fernando Botero diary

A few years ago I was given a diary with paintings of Fernando Botero. Today, I like the paintings even more.

Fernando Botero

Last year me and my partner had a holiday in Germany. The first week we stayed in Goslar, a very beautifull old town in the area Harz. Walking through the streets of Goslar we suddenly stood for two lovely statues. Because I love the paintings and sculptures of Fernando Botero I knew at the same time that these two sculptures belonged to Botero.
It made my day.



Botero, born as the son of a Colombian travelling salesman was trained as a matador from the age of twelve. The bullfighting ring was his inspiration to his early drawings. After his study in Madrid at the Academia San Fernando and the Prado-Museum Botero went to Italy where he began studying art history in Florence in 1953. Two years later he returned to Columbia , moved to Mexico in 1956 and settled in New York in 1960. Here he was awarded the Guggenheim National Prize for Columbia. Botero's very refined paintings show grotesquely fat beings, monsters, unable to move, with gigantic heads, which represent the degenerate colonial bourgeoisie in his country. He developed a naïve, almost child-like figurative style in the 1950s, which is associated with the New York Pop-Art. Botero's highly valued works are technically perfect and have pale colours. He lives and works in New York and Paris.

Friday, 17th of august 2007

"Life's A Beach"

This week new at American Folk Art made by Elaine Thomas.

Elaine creates artwork you have to see.

She makes unique, one of a kind pieces, in a whimsical folk art style and in several mediums. Elaine has also designed a special line of pieces that have been licensed by a leading manufacturer of gift and home décor products. These licensed designs can be found in many retail and specialty shops around the country. Additionally, several of her designs have also been featured in home decorating and craft publications

Sister Art

Every day I take a look of my sisters blog to see if she added new items to her blog. And yes, today I found this lovely doll, called Magnolia.

Kat Soto

Allways surfing on internet for prints of the Commedia dell.arte I found the site of Kat Soto, a site with lovely figurines based on Fairytales and Commedia del.arte.

Commedia dell.Arte Pantalone

The figurines from Comedia dell.Arte keeps intresting me. On the Site of Kat Soto you can also find some based on the figurines from Commedia dell.Arte. For some years I received the most lovely present in years from my dear sister Marjon. The book Figures from Commedia dell.Arte translated into Dutch from an original titled book Maschere della Commedia dell árte by Gianfresco Malipiero. In this book discriptions of the masked figures. But the most intresting at this books are his reproductions of drawings of Maurice Sand.

Julie Paschkis

I love Christmas and normally this time of the year I am already very busy creating new items.

Internet is a very nice media to look for inspiration. Looking for the item Nutcracker I came on the site of Julie Paschkis, an illustrator of books. She illustrated the book THE NUTCRACKER by E.T.A. Hoffmann, Chronicle Books, 2001.

Also she has lovely Liberty Notes and these cards are a way for Julie to raise money for good organizations. All proceeds from the Liberty Notes will go to benefit the ACLU.

Chomick and Meder

Chomick and Meder, a marvellous site, not for just one visit, but to return again and again. There is so much to see. Dolls, automata, illustrations and graphic art. Also a lot of fun links to go.

Kresta King Cutcher

Kresta King Cutcher, American born photographer currently studying for a masters of photography at The Arts Institute at Bournemouth, UK. Kresta's passion is people, and her photography supports humanitarian organizations such as Sisters of Rwanda, CARE, UNICEF, The United States Holocaust Museum, The United Nations, and The International Children's Aid Network. Kresta's work is included in the touring youth curated exhibition, "We Said Never Again: The Silent Voices of Rwanda" (Markham Museum, Ontario, and McGill University, Montreal).At present, Kresta is working on a personal project that explores Faith.

You can see her work Flickr under the name Camera_Rwanda

She is the one who inspired me to start painting oilportrets.

Sister Rose from Rwanda

Sister Rose. I made this painting from a photo made by Kresta King Cutcher. See also the website of Sisters of Rwanda. So many work is still to been done overthere.






















Foto made by Kresta King Cutcher and with her permission I used the photo to make this painting.

More paintings...

My Partner

My oil paintings...

Mysterieus eyes..

A spanish lady with such a friendly face

A painting of my lovely granddaughter when she was almost 1 year old.

My own little studio

Behind this I create.....































And her I can relax








After two very busy days a little bit of relaxation in my own room. I made a few pictures of my surrounding at the moment, the place where I can relax, inspire myself en create.

Alice in Wonderland

Alice In Wonderland is one of my favorite Fairytales. So I created these two figures .

They are made of cotton, clay and other materials and painted with acrylic paint.

It gives so much fun to create them. Days should have 48 hours for me.

Creations of Elaine Thomas

Elaine Thomas makes creations in a whimsical folk art style and I love them. Her creations can be found at her lovely website Alfabet Studio . I also visited her blog Artful-Spirit wer on the 13th of august will be shown new items. So please go and visite her site and blog.
This picture shows one of her creations I adore.

Blog of my sister Marjon

My sister Marjon Stey loves to create all her life and has made lovely things. This week she started her own blog to show others also her world of creations. I adore her dolls and silkpaintings.
She is the one who inspired me the last 4 years.
And I not only adore her creations, but also herself. She is my greatest friend.

Ima Naroditskaya

Af en toe heb je het geluk een site tegen te komen die prachtig is van opbouw, maar waar ook nog eens prachtige creaties opstaan. De onderstaande foto is van de site van Ima Naroditskaya, een site die een bezoek meer dan waard is.

Mooie site om te bezoeken

Ima Naroditskaya dolls are worth visiting her dollsite