Happy Birthday to a very dear friend.
Wish big Eliz.  Hope you have a
wonderful day.

We have a new favourite toy or should I say toys.  Jenna and I have discovered Copic Markers and have rediscovered some of our neglected stamps sets as well.  The alchohol markers come in over 300 colours and blend really nicely.  Makes colouring fun again.   We are also using our Cricut digital cutter and Sure Cuts a Lot Software to make custom mats for the images.  Will share some cards we have made when completed.

Almost finished my Bernat Mystery Afghan

Decided to join the 2012 Bernat Mystery Afghan Knit along.

We were given a different clue each week. I decided to vary my top and bottom borders from the pattern.

I liked the side borders so much I did them on top and bottom instead of the moss stitch borders suggested.

Great blog for scrapbook sketches and layouts

A wonderful blog with sketches and fabulous layouts

Check it out.

http://sketchsavvy.blogspot.com/

Have to recreate a skating dress

Jenna is in a beginner synchronized skating team and is so much taller than her team mates. So of course it stands to reason their costume department does not have a dress to fit 5' 9" Jenna so. Oma is coming to the rescue and helping us recreate the dress. The only part I was not able to match was the silver/black part around the bodice and the neck so I bought silver fabric.

Will post a photo of Jenna in her dress when it has been completed but here is the dress we have to recreate. She'll look just fabulous in her made to measure dress. Thanks so much Oma.

Its all about quick projects

My life is a little complicated right now so its all about quick projects I can do without too much thought. I saw an interlocking ring granny square on Pinterest and tried my hand with Bernat's Pink Ribbon cotton handcraft yarn. I did the original granny square and then added 2 more circles for another look.

Jenna's birthday

My baby turned 14 this week. Last week she celebrated with a sleepover party and this weekend we will celebrate with Oma and Opa at Parkwood Hospital so her celebration stretched out over a week.

Better late than never

Who said Gingerbread Houses are just for Christmas. We think they are fun any time of year.

My kids had a couple of their cousins stay overnight and they had fun decorating their houses.

Happy New Year

We are celebrating New Years with a Dutch tradition. My mom and dad usually make these but this year we have taken on the challenge and will bring them tomorrow. Here is the recipe.

Oliebollen

Ollie-bollen, or (Oliebollen) is a dutch pastry similar to a doughnut. It typically is a deep fried pastry filled with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar. Some modern variations serve them topped with berry filling, but this is a traditional recipe. Oliebollen are a traditional treat on New Year's"

Ingredients
1 (0.6 ounce) cake compressed fresh yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
3/4 cup dried currants
3/4 cup raisins
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
Directions
Break up the compressed yeast, and stir into the warm milk. Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir the yeast mixture and egg into the flour and mix into a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, raisins and apple. Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. This will take about 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
Fry the balls until golden brown, about 8 minutes. The doughnuts should be soft and not greasy. If the oil is not hot enough, the outside will be tough and the insides greasy. Drain finished doughnuts on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve them piled on a dish with more confectioners' sugar dusted over them. Eat them hot if possible.

Christmas Day lunch

Since Dad was not able to be home for Christmas we brought a little Christmas to the hospital.

A couple more pages from the Rietdyk Christmas

Christmas 2011

Did a couple of digital layouts while sitting by my dad's hospital bed overnight.

Merry Christmas to one and all

Where ever you are, how ever you spend

the time, remember the ones you love because we never know what life has in store for us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year