Christmas

February 24, 2012

Retreat Time!

Are any of you ready for a fun sewing get away? April is right around the corner so that means it's time for the Pie Plate Patterns Super Spring Retreat. This retreat is really well organized, they offer terrific meals all cooked by Bonnie & Brenda themselves and the classes they are offering are plentiful. There is something for everyone. Teaching with me this year will be the one and only Crazy Old Lady herself, Emily Herrick. She will also be doing a trunk show on Friday morning of the retreat.
And Bonnie of course will be teaching too. All three of us have fun classes to offer this year. Come join in on the fun April 18-21, 2012, in Fairview, Ut. This year's theme: Let's Have a Party! So plan on coming to the party. You will be "SEW" glad you did.
Visit Pie Plate Patterns(click on retreats) to check out the classes and to get yourself registered.

Day 7, Feb. 2nd, Some great fun today!

We would have such a variety of things we were doing on this day so we started the morning off with the pork chops we hadn't fix yet. With fruit and eggs it's the perfect breakfast. We're a little dressed up for the day because we would be heading into the LDS Temple in de Haague.
I think my cowboy dresses up real nice.
Yvonne, Stuart and I picked Rennie up in Leiden and off we were headed to the De Quilthouven or in english The Quilt Farm.
The ladies that own this shop have been in business for almost a year and it is right next to the house of one of them. Her name is Ingrid. This is her house pictured below. It's a beautiful home and if it's anything like their shop, you can just imagine the decor' inside.
Let's step inside this amazing shop. I fell in love the minute we stepped through the door. From the decorating to the fabrics and notions I felt like I was in quilt heaven. I'm warning you now that I took a lot of pictures and I couldn't leave any out. If I were to have a shop of my own, it would be something like this. The fat quarter's were pleasantly arranged by colors in these magnificent tables.
Every quilt shop we visited had a table and chairs for chit chatting with tea and cookies.
Like I told you the decorations were adorable. This is a few of their bear and spools collection.


Yvonne and I taking a picture break from all the browsing.
They had the coolest antique sewing boxes and drawers to hold notions.
Look at the detail and all the cute items under the dome.

This shop reminds me a lot of the French countryside and the Moda designer French General.
Every week they highlight a different fabric line and then package a small bundle to sell during the week.
Pooped out already girl's? Thanks for bringing us here, especially me. It probably is my favorite of the whole trip, no not probably, it is!
This is the quaint little classroom where they hold several blocks of the month clubs. Upstairs in the loft is books for your reading pleasure. Books, books, and more books. They are just getting ready to start a class with their feather weights. Can you see them there in the background in the black cases?
Here's a group photo, including Ingrid and Wendy the owners and some of their employee's.
They really liked the cowboy I was traveling with and wanted his picture too.
Goodbye quilt farm, til we meet again. This is one stop I'll make when we come back to Holland.
Rennie and Yvonne dropped us off at the Temple in the town of Zoetermeer just outside de Haag. Zoetermeer means "Sweet Lake City". Reminds me of Salt Lake City where we have another beautiful LDS Temple.
After doing a session there Yvonne picked us up and offered to take our pictures. Of course I had to have one with her too. They really have gone out of their way for us this week, how will we ever repay them.
On our way home we stopped to see Kelly and Rosa because we didn't think we would find the time before we left for home. But first a pit stop at the bakery for almond cookies, cream puffs and croissants. I think I needed a sugar fix. I hadn't had my slagroom for the day! Everything as usual, delicious.
As I mentioned before the van Rijn's take care of the Jewish cemetery. Here are a couple pictures showing it.
Across the street is a beautiful Catholic church. You can see the steeple there in the background. We could hear the chimes ringing in the background. Oh, that was a beautiful sound.
What happened to pictures of supper? Notice though that I did of course get one of our dessert. It reminded me of jello and pudding together. Not a disappointment here either.
I can finally say that I have been to the Thursday night Bee with all 7 of them. It was so much fun seeing what they have been doing without me!
Of course there is chocolate and lot's of it.
Stuart even popped in for a minute to see what everyone was working on. They all were doing some special things.
Yvonne's stitchery is coming along very well. And Rennie is binding a quilt.
Martine is working on this grandmother's flower garden that is stunning all done in blue tone's.
Patricia's quilt is also so beautiful. Reds, tans and taupes, what else could be more gorgeous together.
I had them all sign my reproduction "Tree of Life" panel that was given to me by Elsbeth in the shop in Amsterdam. I will cherish their thoughts always. Now I just have to make a wall hanging or pillow out of it so I will have something to remember this night.
The girl's were all so excited to see who else had made it that night.
It's Stitchin' Shannon of course, and she was glad to get out of the suitcase! She will be gracing their table every Thursday night from here on out.
I had taken them all a small gift sewn by me. Little sewing project bags out of bee fabric of course. Included inside was a chocolate bar with the wrapper looking like money, printed on the outside it said, "Your one in a million!"
Physically, I may not be able to join these special ladies every Thursday night, but when noon comes around on Thursday here in Utah, they are always in my heart and thoughts. And I know they are having so much fun without me. Wait a minute, I am there laughing right along with them!
Goodnight and goodbye Patricia, Martine, Yvonne, Dove, Sepkje, Hilde and Rennie. Til we meet again. Be it here or there in the Netherlands.

February 23, 2012

Day 6, Feb. 1st Heading to Haarlem!

Before we get started out on our journey to Haarlem we had to get our supply of ice cubes made. Our fridge didn't have ice cube trays,because they consume their drinks without. We had to get a little creative on what to use out of the cupboards. Did you know egg holders make great ice trays?Now after the diet coke we are ready to venture out on our first public transportation ride. I don't even know where our bus stops here in Sp. Fork!
This actually wasn't a planned stop but Yvonne had talked to Weikie and she had told the shop ladies that she had attended the blogger's bee. She commented about learning to make posies with a lady from the states. That would be me, just wanted to stop by and introduce myself. Little did we know it would take an hour to get to Haarlem. Stuart is such a sport to trek along with me. De Sampler quilt shop here we come.
Here are a few pictures of what was featured in their shop. First a cute bag from Diawabo fabrics, which they had a good supply.
Sue Spargo is a big hit in the Netherlands just like she is here in America.
And isn't this something?
And they loved Kaffe there too.
The girl's were having afternoon tea and cookies when we arrived. I introduced myself and told them Weike had sent me in. Meet my new friends from there. Karin, Marje, and Yanny.
And more cute bikes, love the bike bags!
Let's start a new club at the Corn Wagon!! Decorate your bike and come to class. We could call it Slimming & Sewing with Shannon! "Stash Out" --- "Pounds Off". The healthy alternative to sewing.
Now wouldn't that be fun!
All right, when do I get my bike, Stuart?

We managed to find the center of town.
This is the Grandcafe Brinkmann.
We had lunch and warmed up with some hot chocolate and of course a pile of slagroom
Check it out!
My first dutch hamburger and fries, served with all the trimmings.
The dutch eat their fries with mayo and lot's of it.
And Stuart had stew. It was a delicious lunch, if he would have been at our house, he would of licked the bowl clean!
This Bentley pulled up to the church with a new bride and groom in it. After they went inside we snuck a picture and were trying to figure out how we could get it back home for a souvenir!
The sun was just starting to set, must be time to head back to Katwijk before it gets dark. We still had an hours ride in head of us and wanted to enjoy the scenery.
This video is of the country side in Holland. Just added it so you can get a idea of how it looks, and the layout of the towns.