Tweet I'm always somewhat excited when the barbeque season starts. We don't have a garden of  our own, but we have a couple of friends that invite us over - and I bring food. I make a mean potato salad, and my stuffed mushrooms are  delicious :-) Anyone want to invite us?

Last year, we really ambushed a friend with our first bbq of the year. He lives in a little village outside of vienna and we where in the general area looking at a really cool underground lake. When we got out we called him up to see if we could visit him to finally see his house he told us so much about - and we decided on the phone that we would start the season by tossing some stuff on the grill right away. We went to the supermarket while he started the fire....

This year, we planned things a bit more carefully - we called in the morning and actually had time to get the food before we got there. Our friend was preparing the fire when we arrived, and while I went to prepare some food (a bowl of mixed salad, stuffed mushrooms, bell pepper and zucchini slices and some delicious aluminum foil wrapped little packages with feta cheese), Mister Gray (new nickname for our son! Yay!) played catch with his daddy. My husband got so excited because he finally had someone to play again...
We had an absolutely beautiful day. I'm so glad the season has once again, started!

Greetings from beautiful and sunny Vienna,
Vee

15 day "five a day" challenge, day six

Tweet I've been extremely bad with blogging regularly for a couple of weeks now, so in a desperate attempt to change that, I decided to jump on the 15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE - Bandwagon. I ran across this HERE. My goal is to post something every day - it's going to be a post like this unless I post something else.  Enjoy!

15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE
5 basic facts about you

5 not-so-basic facts about you

5 ways you break the ice

5 signs that you’re into someone

5 signs that you’re NOT into someone

5 things you do when you’re bored

5 things that make you hyper

5 things you’re known for

5 things you want to do

5 things you’ll never do

5 good things about you

5 bad things about you

5 ways to make you cry

5 ways to win your heart

5 things you need to say

That's easy!
I eat
I play games on facebook
I read fanfiction
I read books
...and you know I REALY bored when
I start cleaning and re-arranging the apartment


Thats that from me right now - feel free to do the challenge yourself! If you do, drop me a link, please, I will link you up. This should be a fun way to get to know eachother!

Vee

PS: I added a really cool new doll to my store - my kids think she's the coolest ever! Her hair is soooo soft!

PPS: Still looking for more people to feature on mondays!

I see you - Oe-l nga-ti kam‹ei›e

Tweet Did you like James Cameron's "Avatar"? I sure did - what really stuck with me where the gorgeous colors in the forest at night. At the time I didn't know what to do with it - I was inspired, sure, but I had no idea what to make. When I saw the blue doll skin fabric I immediately knew what I wanted to do.


So, here he is. It took me a long time to finish this one - I actually started him when I made my second bunch of dolls for sale - but I somehow never had the nerve to actually paint his face and body with the blue color. I was so scared I'd ruin all of my work...
Well, I finally did it, and finished his hair and clothing too (the breading and beading was a lot of work - the beads just barely got on the little braids...), so now you get to see him.

My son loves him, too. But that's not really much of a surprise, he loves all my dolls and wants his picture taken with them :-)


Nerdy greetings from cold but sunny Vienna,
Vee


PS. I will, from now on, refrain from using my kids real names on my blog. I don't mind doing it and I don't really see any danger involved - but my husband pointed out that using their names makes them easier to find on google, and that they might not appreciate all the little stories I tell about them once they are older and easily embarrassed :-D


I have yet to find cool pseudonyms - I'll just use son and daughter for now. Do you have any cool ideas?

tuesday Treasury

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Some lovely cherry blossom inspired treasures made by my Daily Sweets etsy Teammates!

Silent saturday

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Behind the scenes: the making of a bunting baby

I thought you all might enjoy a look behind the scenes - I recently made a whole bunch of bunting babies for my etsy shop, but a nice customer decided they wanted a baby with open eyes instead of my usual sleeping babies. I was delighted to make a baby like that - and I have to say that I have NO IDEA what I prefer. What do you think?

To the cutting board... errr ...table! After that, I sew the body and hat with a special, non ripping thread - not the same as the one I use for the shaping of the head, though.
The customer wanted a purple body and hat, blue eyes and brown hair. I love doing custom work because I don't have to come up with all the possible variations - and I always hope that a custom doll will end up being something really special to a customer.

The head is filled with fiber fill to make the doll washable since it is for a little baby and shaped with non ripping thread into the typical waldorf head shape. The nose gets stitched on right after this step.

After the head has been covered with skin fabric, I mark the  face with pins. I had a lot more pictures - but I didn't want to give away all of my little secrets ;-)
Also, this blogpost would  get really, really long!



Once I like what I see, I have another use for the pins - I use one to paint the doll's face. The eyes are painted in several steps with lots of drying time in between - and I love adding the final touches like freckles and the highlights in the eyes. It makes the come alive!


I fill the body and attach the head and the hands. Hair is added to the head and the little hat is stitched on - this may sound like a quick step, but it actually takes quite a long time to get everything right - especially the hair!

At the end, the doll gets a haircut and is ready for shipping! I take a last picture so I can add the doll to my gallery (I promise! I'm working on it!), the doll gets a last hug and a kiss for good luck and it's on her way to the USA.

I hope you'll arrive soon at your new home!

Hugs,
Vee
Want a custom doll, too? check out my etsy shop!

15 day "five a day" challenge, day five

Tweet I've been extremely bad with blogging regularly for a couple of weeks now, so in a desperate attempt to change that, I decided to jump on the 15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE - Bandwagon. I ran across this HERE. My goal is to post something every day - it's going to be a post like this unless I post something else.  Enjoy!

15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE
5 basic facts about you

5 not-so-basic facts about you

5 ways you break the ice

5 signs that you’re into someone

5 signs that you’re NOT into someone

5 things you do when you’re bored

5 things that make you hyper

5 things you’re known for

5 things you want to do

5 things you’ll never do

5 good things about you

5 bad things about you

5 ways to make you cry

5 ways to win your heart

5 things you need to say

Last time  I interpreted "into someone" to include people I'd like to have as friends, not just sexual partners. Same goes for this post.

I stop talking to you
If I have to talk to you, I keep things short
I start talking really slowly - if I treat you like you're stupid, RUN!
I don't invite you over anymore
I tell you so

Thats that from me right now - feel free to do the challenge yourself! If you do, drop me a link, please, I will link you up. This should be a fun way to get to know eachother!

Vee

PS: I added a really cool new doll to my store - my kids think she's the coolest ever! Her hair is soooo soft!

PPS: Still looking for more people to feature on mondays!

Really, Photobucket?

Tweet I posted this picture with my last blog post - not exactly the same, I had to re-crop it because the other one got deleted - and today I got this message:

This image or video violated our terms of use

Really, Photobucket? *shakes head*

What do you think? Is this a "bad" picture or just a cute one?

Sunday Scrapbook: Moments in time I want to preserve: Free-range Vacation on a Farm

Tweet I came across this almost two year old photo when I was sorting some pictures - and this is DEFINITELY a moment in time I want to preserve. Its from the first day of our 2009 vacation on the Kerndlerhof, and Dorian went wild within a couple of hours of getting there.

The Kerndlerhof is a great big Farm where families can take a vacation, play with the animals, be involved in some farm activities like feeding the animals or getting your own egg for breakfast, ride ponies and chill out under some trees while the kids have fun. Its a great way for those city kids to get a bit closer to nature and to let loose.

Dorian did this within a couple of hours. He got rid of all of his clothes, drank water from the hose, played with the bunnies - our job as parents was simply to feed him a couple of times a day and put him in the shower at night before bed - he was almost three years old and he didn't really need us. He drank some water when he was thirsty, asked Gaby the farmlady when he wanted to know something about the animals (and sometimes for a snack). We had a blanket in the shade of a tree where we played with Lilith, and while one of us took a nap, the other listened for cries for help or other alarming sounds. They never came :-)


And yes, I've cropped that picture. I didn't want to post a naked picture of my son,  not because I'm scared grown ups could look at it - because really, there is NOTHING SEXUAL about a little kid running around in his birthday suit - but because I'm not sure he could ever forgive me for this when hes sixteen and one of his friends discovers this picture...

Keep living,
Vee

PS: and while I do not pray for Japan, my thoughts go out to everyone who lives there.

Silent saturday

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15 day "five a day" challenge, day four

Tweet I've been extremely bad with blogging regularly for a couple of weeks now, so in a desperate attempt to change that, I decided to jump on the 15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE - Bandwagon. I ran across this HERE. My goal is to post something every day - it's going to be a post like this unless I post something else.  Enjoy!

15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE
5 basic facts about you

5 not-so-basic facts about you

5 ways you break the ice

5 signs that you’re into someone

5 signs that you’re NOT into someone

5 things you do when you’re bored

5 things that make you hyper

5 things you’re known for

5 things you want to do

5 things you’ll never do

5 good things about you

5 bad things about you

5 ways to make you cry

5 ways to win your heart

5 things you need to say

Just to clear things up: I interpret "into someone" to include people I'd like to have as friends, not just sexual partners - or I would just talk about my husband :-)
I talk a lot A LOT when I'm into someone.
See "5 ways you break the ice"
I touch people I like (no, APRORIATELY, get your mind out of the gutter *grins*) I like hugs :-)
I invite them over, usually for dinner or a boardgame night
I turn up the "mean charm" - if you can take it (or even better, give as good as you get), you're probably going to end up being one of our close friends!

Thats that from me right now - feel free to do the challenge yourself! If you do, drop me a link, please, I will link you up. This should be a fun way to get to know eachother!

Vee

PS: I just finished a very cute custom baby - you can order one, too - they have an official turnaround time of about 10days to two weeks, but I got this one done in a couple of days.

PPS: Still looking for more people to feature on mondays!

15 day "five a day" challenge, day three

Tweet I've been extremely bad with blogging regularly for a couple of weeks now, so in a desperate attempt to change that, I decided to jump on the 15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE - Bandwagon. I ran across this HERE. My goal is to post something every day - it's going to be a post like this unless I post something else.  Enjoy!

15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE
5 basic facts about you

5 not-so-basic facts about you

5 ways you break the ice

5 signs that you’re into someone

5 signs that you’re NOT into someone

5 things you do when you’re bored

5 things that make you hyper

5 things you’re known for

5 things you want to do

5 things you’ll never do

5 good things about you

5 bad things about you

5 ways to make you cry

5 ways to win your heart

5 things you need to say

I talk about my kids
I tell jokes
I talk about Religion and politics and other "inapropriate" topics
When I'm around, there's usually very little ice to break - I'm very outgoing 
I can be really mean but witty to people once in a while - and that includes everyone, even my husband and myself. But I can usually take as good as I give :-)

Thats that from me right now - feel free to do the challenge yourself! If you do, drop me a link, please, I will link you up. This should be a fun way to get to know eachother!

Vee

PS: I have a bunch of bunting babies in my store - they are sooo totally cute!

PPS: Still looking for more people to feature on mondays!

15 day "five a day" challenge

Tweet I've been extremely bad with blogging regularly for a couple of weeks now, so in a desperate attempt to change that, I decided to jump on the 15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE - Bandwagon. I ran across this HERE. My goal is to post something every day - it's going to be a post like this unless I post something else.  Enjoy!

15-DAY 5 CHALLENGE
5 basic facts about you

5 not-so-basic facts about you

5 ways you break the ice

5 signs that you’re into someone

5 signs that you’re NOT into someone

5 things you do when you’re bored

5 things that make you hyper

5 things you’re known for

5 things you want to do

5 things you’ll never do

5 good things about you

5 bad things about you

5 ways to make you cry

5 ways to win your heart

5 things you need to say

I could totally survive on green tea, lemon sorbet and greek salad - at least in summer
I used to play left guard in an all girls american football team until I hurt my ankle and spent all summer in a  cast...
I hate being late
I'm 5'4"
My Middle name is Verena, not Veelana - but it's where the "Vee" comes from

Thats that from me right now - feel free to do the challenge yourself! If you do, drop me a link, please, I will link you up. This should be a fun way to get to know eachother!

Vee

PS: I finally have a new doll at my store - I have no idea why it took me so long...

Team Umizoomi, ready for action!

When we heard about the "Faschingsfeier" (= Mardi Gras Party) in Dorians Kindergarden, Dorian and I ran into a bit of a problem. Toy weapons where not allowed, and he didn't want to be a knight without a sword or Darth Vader without his lightsaber. Tthat left us with a somewhat limited selection of boy costumes...
After a lot of thinking it over, we finally agreed on "Geo". He's a tiny superhero in one of Dorians favourite TV shows, Team Umizoomi. Its on Nickelodeon and really cute - look it up!
Anyway, I thought I'd post about the making of this costume :-)

Tweet this is what I'm trying to make. Cute little superhero, right?

I started with some very soft velour fabric in blue and cut the parts that I need for the costume. I used a pair of well fitting pants and just traced it onto the fabric. The sweater was a bit harder, but not much. I again used a sweater to trace the parts I needed onto my fabric.
I sewed it up real quick - there are only straight and easy seams...
The only trouble I ran into was when I tried to hem the Arms and legs and forgot to remember to swtitch to a zig-zag stitch to keep the seams stretchy...
I finished the hood with a double layer of orange fabric.all the way around the opening.

After a bit of thinking I came up with a fairly simple way to make the belt:
I cut the parts out of very sturdy cardboard (a box that Pampers came in) and painted them with acrylic paint. Here's what they looked like after aplying the first coat of paint - I painted it twice more.
I cut out some shapes (squares, triangles and circles) and assembled the belt with adhesive film to protect the paint and to smoothe over any rough edges.

I stuck the shapes on with regular tape afterwards.

Dorian loves his costume - and the pants I made fit so nicely, he'll wear them as lounge pants :-)


If I had the time I would totally make a matching Milli costume for Lilith!