Lucky girl!

Finally, here I am again! It's been a week since my last post and I have a lot to tell. I'll try to post more often and shorter posts, but one way or the other time flies over here.
Here is the outside of the Zeepaert, I told you about last time. As the street is narrow I couldn't take the photo another way, to show you the front. It's a gothic façade and it dates from about 1495, its probably made in Luik (Liège) Belgium and shipped as a whole over here. Who thought that prefab was a recent invention?


And another façade; here is Mak's auction house. Yep I have spend quite a lot of money here. I always thought this was the oldest auction house in the Netherlands, but last week I read in a magazine that the oldest auction house was in Amsterdam, so I googled. To my surprise the oldest auctionhouse is in The Hague, there is one oldest in Utrecht another one in Amsterdam and of course Dordrecht has the oldest auctionhouse too!

I love to go to the 'show days'. Wouldn't that lamp make a perfect dome?

It's a pity I already have too many suitcases.
I didn't go to the auction as we are cleaning up 'round here. We gave a truckload of stuff to the goodwill and another truck of stuff went to the junk yard. So I thought I'd better stay at home this time. And I'm not the only person who thinks so!

But I did receive some new things. I feel such a lucky girl when Wim, our mail man rings again. We are like old friends now! Last week I received a package from Jeanette from Handmade. Just for fun. Isn't that sweet?

Look at this wonderful treasure box Jeanette has made especially for me.
So beautiful and wait when you see what's inside:

When you click at the picture you can see the goodies she has sent me better!
She made those wrist cuffs herself as she makes felt and crafts about everything. The lace is made by Jeanette's grandmother, isn't it an honour to receive such a gift? The lavender wreath was made by Jeanette too, with lavender from her own garden, the rose buds are from her garden as well. The record is an oldie; I love Paris! The cross was made by her and all other goodies as the buttons and the pictures were carefully chosen and so me. Thanks you so much Jeanette. Don't forget to check her blog Handmade and listen to her and her daughter while they are singing in a complaint choire. Yep Jeanette sure has some talents!

And I'm almost embarrassed to say but Wim delivered another package:


Ladies meet my new friend: Violet:


You won't believe this but Violet was made by Marja, from Rosabeer and Rosabears. Marja is very talented in many ways, and one of her talents is making bears, but she also makes mice and rabbits. Violet was already on her blogs and I really adored her, as I adore everything that Marja makes!

What a surprise to have this sweetie delivered to my house!

Isn't she a cutie?

Every time I look at my presents I get warm inside. I have received so many tokens of friendship already in this wonderful blogging world. Thanks to all of you!
I'm almost embarrased that I have received so many parcels lately, all so beautiful. So now it's time to have a give away myself. Next post I'll tell you all about it, so stay tuned!

Fall has arrived here too, though the woods (the Mastbos near Breda) where we went for a walk were still green last weekend:

But there were other signs of Fall:

Time to decorate for fall and to celebrate, have you already heard of this Halloween Party?

Vanessa is hosting this Halloween Party and you girls are all invited too!
Remember how much fun we all had at the Mad tea party!

And I joined another swap. My partner is the Swap master herself, I just couldn't believe it; the wonderful and super talented Debra Schoch; of Hop Hop Jingle Boo, quite a challenge to me.
I'm still crafting for the Sweet and Sinister Swap, I do hope to send the package after the weekend.
Thanks all for visiting me and I hope to see you next time to join my give away,
xoxo LiLi M.

Nu nog even een Nederlandse vertaling:
De eerste foto is de beloofde foto van de buitenkant van 't Zeepaert. De gevel is gothisch en dateert waarschijnlijk uit 1495. De gevel werd als geheel in Luik gemaakt en naar hier verscheept. Wie dacht dat prefab een recente uitvinding was heeft het dus bij het verkeerde eind.

De volgende foto is van Mak's veilinghuis, bij mijn weten het oudste particuliere veilinghuis van Nederland, maar nu las ik in de Ariadne dat dat oudste veilinghuis in Amsterdam zou zijn. FF googelen dus en tot mijn stomme verbazing is er een oudste veilinghuis van Nederland in Den haag, het venduehuis der Notarissen, er is er één in Utrecht, één in Amsterdam en natuurlijk een in Dordrecht.
Ik vind het altijd leuk om naar de kijkdagen te gaan, maar ik ben dit keer niet naar de veiling geweest omdat ik vond dat ik niets nodig had en ik was niet de enige die dat vond.
Toch kreeg ik afgelopen week nog nieuwe spulletjes, aangereikt door Wim de postbode.
Een prachtige speciaal voor mij gemaakte treasure box van Jeanette van Handmade. Met daarin allerlei geweldige spullen. Een zelfgemaakt kransje met lavendel uit eigen tuin, zelfgemaakte polsbandjes, van zelfgemaakt vilt. Het kant is door de oma van Jeanette gemaakt.
Alles even prachtig! Hartstikke bedankt Jeanette!
En dan nog Violet. Niet te geloven maar deze beer werd door Marja van Rosabeer en Rosabears zelf gemaakt. Is het geen schatje? Vanuit de grond van mijn hart: bedankt Marja! Marja heeft geweldig veel talent, vergeet niet op haar blogs te kijken naar alle andere beren en muizen. Als ik me goed herinner maakt zij ook wel hazen, maar daar is het nu wellicht niet het seizoen voor.
Inmiddels is het hier ook herfst, al is dat nog niet te zien aan de boomkleuren in het Mastbos, bij Breda, waar wij afgelopen weekend een heerlijke wandeling maakten. Wel hebben we al heel veel paddestoelen gezien. Ik vind de herfst heerlijk, eigenlijk alle seizoenen.
Hebben jullie al gehoord dat Vanessa een Halloween party organiseert?
En dat ik aan nóg een swap mee doe?
Ditmaal is Debra Schocher van Hop Hop Jingle Boo mijn swappartner, een hele eer en een hele uitdaging.

Ik heb de laatste tijd zoveel ontzettend leuke pakjes mogen ontvangen, het blijft me verbazen en me een warm gevoel geven. Ik heb het gevoel dat het nu weer eens mijn beurt is, dus tijd voor een give away. In de volgende post zal ik er alles over vertellen, dus hopelijk tot dan!
xoxo LiLi M.

The meaning of the word Zeepaert and another surprise

Wooden painted ceiling in 't Zeepaert

Hi!

As I told you last weekend was 'open monument' weekend over here. I didn't had much time, but I managed to visit a few monuments anyway. I will tell you all my adventures of course, starting with my visit at 't Zeepaert today. Now this is a confusing name in dutch. I'll teach you a little dutch; Zee=Sea (you see the words are related) and paert=horse, a seahorse! Every blogreader can learn dutch! There is one thing though; 't Zeepaert isn't a seahorse but a Zeep=soap, aert=person. This was the house of a soap manufacturer amongst many others. This is the oldest house in Dordrecht. There was already a house at this place around 1300, but the house we are going to see now on the inside and the back was built in the 15th century and is very well kept. I was so eager to get in that I totally forgot to take a photo of the outside. Mmmm next time ok?

On the inside the original architecture is combined with modern design. As in here; the Midsummer Light by Tord Boontje (famous dutch designer, do visit his website!) and a modern carpet too.

Better view of the carpet
Of course many things were found during the restoration (2002-2004). Probably many things from the cesspool or cesspit, I don't know which word you use (if any of those at all).

My feet at the cesspool or -pit which is covered with glass nowadays. Look at the typical antique red floor tiles.

The things that were dug up are exposed in the hallway, precious things like these medieval glasses behind perspex.

Fancy room, restored in the old colors of our town, again a combination of traditional and modern. Look at that perspex chandelier, a little surprising, isn't it?

The garden at the back of the house is traditional

and modern too!
I guess here is a little joke from the artist who made these horses especially for this garden. The bucket upside down probably refers to the soap, the horse of course to the dutch word zeepaert which means, as we already have seen; seahorse as well. Well it's my interpretation. If you know better, you may say so!

I wasn't able to visit any monuments on Sunday, as it was fair at the village were my relatives live in the south of our country.

I think (exactly) this one is at the fair as long as I can remember. Yep that's very long.

I cannot resist to show you what we ate, as almost everybody outside of this part of the world hates it:

It's smoked eel mmmm yummy!
But we eat it like this:

A sandwich with the eel like a kind of flat sausage in between.
Sorry, a little interruption, I have to go to the kitchen now as this photo really makes me hungry.

And of course at a village fair, while the new fashion season just arrived, to see and especially to be seen is most important, as this clever little fellow understood well:

He (she, I told you already I know nothing about dogs) is actually wearing hooded trainers! I don't believe there is a market for these costumes :-D!

After the fair we visited my aunt. I made this little cushion filled with rice and lavender to put the teapot on as a gift for her. In one move she protects her table as well as she creates a lovely smell.

The other day I received a present myself:

Great package, beautiful paper, lovely card and that smell....I had a present before with this lovely rosemary and lavender smell. Yes again a little parcel from Myra, whom we already have met before at the Valentine swap. She has a lovely blog too, Cupcakes

And inside: Oh what is this?

Ooh sorry! Upside down! Look at this lovely bag made by Myra, I love it!

This was inside the bag. Handmade paper, Mary Engelbreit's home companion, Homes and Gardens and a couple of charms to create jewelry with, my next project!

Everybody can see that this bag was made for me!
Thanks a million Myra, you are so sweet!

And I even got another present, but I'll show that next time. Hope to see you then, take care!
hugs LiLi M.

Ik had eigenlijk weer te weinig tijd in het open monumenten weekend. Ik heb toch nog van alles gezien en ik laat jullie hier het interieur van 't Zeepaert zien. Dat is het oudste huis van Dordrecht. Heel goed onderhouden, ook aan de buitenkant, waar jullie een volgende keer een foto van te zien krijgen, om de doodeenvoudige reden dat ik die vergeten ben te nemen :-). 't Zeepaert is overigens geen bekend zeediertje maar verwijst naar de zeepzieder die hier woonde, wij zouden misschien zeggen De Zeperd, of toch niet? Binnen een fraaie combinatie van modern design (o.a. van Tord Boontje) met traditioneel vakmanschap. Zondag was ik bij mijn familie in in het zuiden van het land. Daar was het traditioneel najaarskermis. Volgens mij vindt de gemiddelde dorpeling zijn/haar partner tijdens de kermis of tijdens het carnaval. Bij een vorige feestelijke gelegenheid in mijn blogje bleek mij dat het paling eten door velen maar smerig gevonden wordt, maar wij vinden het heerlijk, echt kermiseten. Wat ik dan weer wel raar vindt is zo'n hondenpakje, maar goed smaken verschillen. Voor mijn tante had ik trouwens een theepot onderzetter gemaakt, gevuld met rijst en lavendel. Last but zeker niet least: dit bracht de postbode mij van Myra! Geweldig hè, tijdschriften, ornamentjes om sieraden te maken (mijn volgende project), handgeschept papier en dan natuurlijk het fraaie zakje dat deze talentvolle jongedame zelfgemaakt heeft. Kijk eens hoe goed dat staat in mijn slaapkamer! Hartstikke bedankt Myra, dikke kus! Vergeten jullie niet ook even bij Cupcakes te gaan kijken?
Voor jullie ook allemaal een kus, tot de volgende keer, ik durf het haast niet meer te zeggen, maar ik heb nog meer door postbode Wim bezorgd gekregen...
Allemaal genieten van onze Indian Summer, ja ja ik heb mijn hoed op!
LiLi M.

The meaning of the word Zeepaert and another surprise

Wooden painted ceiling in 't Zeepaert

Hi!

As I told you last weekend was 'open monument' weekend over here. I didn't had much time, but I managed to visit a few monuments anyway. I will tell you all my adventures of course, starting with my visit at 't Zeepaert today. Now this is a confusing name in dutch. I'll teach you a little dutch; Zee=Sea (you see the words are related) and paert=horse, a seahorse! Every blogreader can learn dutch! There is one thing though; 't Zeepaert isn't a seahorse but a Zeep=soap, aert=person. This was the house of a soap manufacturer amongst many others. This is the oldest house in Dordrecht. There was already a house at this place around 1300, but the house we are going to see now on the inside and the back was built in the 15th century and is very well kept. I was so eager to get in that I totally forgot to take a photo of the outside. Mmmm next time ok?

On the inside the original architecture is combined with modern design. As in here; the Midsummer Light by Tord Boontje (famous dutch designer, do visit his website!) and a modern carpet too.

Better view of the carpet
Of course many things were found during the restoration (2002-2004). Probably many things from the cesspool or cesspit, I don't know which word you use (if any of those at all).

My feet at the cesspool or -pit which is covered with glass nowadays. Look at the typical antique red floor tiles.

The things that were dug up are exposed in the hallway, precious things like these medieval glasses behind perspex.

Fancy room, restored in the old colors of our town, again a combination of traditional and modern. Look at that perspex chandelier, a little surprising, isn't it?

The garden at the back of the house is traditional

and modern too!
I guess here is a little joke from the artist who made these horses especially for this garden. The bucket upside down probably refers to the soap, the horse of course to the dutch word zeepaert which means, as we already have seen; seahorse as well. Well it's my interpretation. If you know better, you may say so!

I wasn't able to visit any monuments on Sunday, as it was fair at the village were my relatives live in the south of our country.

I think (exactly) this one is at the fair as long as I can remember. Yep that's very long.

I cannot resist to show you what we ate, as almost everybody outside of this part of the world hates it:

It's smoked eel mmmm yummy!
But we eat it like this:

A sandwich with the eel like a kind of flat sausage in between.
Sorry, a little interruption, I have to go to the kitchen now as this photo really makes me hungry.

And of course at a village fair, while the new fashion season just arrived, to see and especially to be seen is most important, as this clever little fellow understood well:

He (she, I told you already I know nothing about dogs) is actually wearing hooded trainers! I don't believe there is a market for these costumes :-D!

After the fair we visited my aunt. I made this little cushion filled with rice and lavender to put the teapot on as a gift for her. In one move she protects her table as well as she creates a lovely smell.

The other day I received a present myself:

Great package, beautiful paper, lovely card and that smell....I had a present before with this lovely rosemary and lavender smell. Yes again a little parcel from Myra, whom we already have met before at the Valentine swap. She has a lovely blog too, Cupcakes

And inside: Oh what is this?

Ooh sorry! Upside down! Look at this lovely bag made by Myra, I love it!

This was inside the bag. Handmade paper, Mary Engelbreit's home companion, Homes and Gardens and a couple of charms to create jewelry with, my next project!

Everybody can see that this bag was made for me!
Thanks a million Myra, you are so sweet!

And I even got another present, but I'll show that next time. Hope to see you then, take care!
hugs LiLi M.

Ik had eigenlijk weer te weinig tijd in het open monumenten weekend. Ik heb toch nog van alles gezien en ik laat jullie hier het interieur van 't Zeepaert zien. Dat is het oudste huis van Dordrecht. Heel goed onderhouden, ook aan de buitenkant, waar jullie een volgende keer een foto van te zien krijgen, om de doodeenvoudige reden dat ik die vergeten ben te nemen :-). 't Zeepaert is overigens geen bekend zeediertje maar verwijst naar de zeepzieder die hier woonde, wij zouden misschien zeggen De Zeperd, of toch niet? Binnen een fraaie combinatie van modern design (o.a. van Tord Boontje) met traditioneel vakmanschap. Zondag was ik bij mijn familie in in het zuiden van het land. Daar was het traditioneel najaarskermis. Volgens mij vindt de gemiddelde dorpeling zijn/haar partner tijdens de kermis of tijdens het carnaval. Bij een vorige feestelijke gelegenheid in mijn blogje bleek mij dat het paling eten door velen maar smerig gevonden wordt, maar wij vinden het heerlijk, echt kermiseten. Wat ik dan weer wel raar vindt is zo'n hondenpakje, maar goed smaken verschillen. Voor mijn tante had ik trouwens een theepot onderzetter gemaakt, gevuld met rijst en lavendel. Last but zeker niet least: dit bracht de postbode mij van Myra! Geweldig hè, tijdschriften, ornamentjes om sieraden te maken (mijn volgende project), handgeschept papier en dan natuurlijk het fraaie zakje dat deze talentvolle jongedame zelfgemaakt heeft. Kijk eens hoe goed dat staat in mijn slaapkamer! Hartstikke bedankt Myra, dikke kus! Vergeten jullie niet ook even bij Cupcakes te gaan kijken?
Voor jullie ook allemaal een kus, tot de volgende keer, ik durf het haast niet meer te zeggen, maar ik heb nog meer door postbode Wim bezorgd gekregen...
Allemaal genieten van onze Indian Summer, ja ja ik heb mijn hoed op!
LiLi M.

About Pandora and a box.

Today we had lovely weather and I took my bike to go to my favorite thriftstore; Pandora. Here in the Wijnstraat at nr. 82 in my hometown Dordrecht. Pandora used to be a theatre. It's specteculair on the inside. Jammed full with all kind of stuff and collections.

Nice people to serve you and to talk with you, so I got distracted. I forgot to take photo's of all their merchandising!

And concentrated more on the beautiful interior details hidden by loads and loads books (of course they sell 2nd hand books on every topic too!). Here you can see the mirror and above that the phoenix, which must have been the symbol of the former theatre.

As it is here too!

Big doors to a place..hidden to the public, perhaps with more and more goodies!
This weekend is 'Dordt Monumenteel' and when you are in my town you can visit a lot of the more than 1000 monuments over here. Pandora is always open of course and always worthwhile.
This was my loot:

A lot of costume jewelry to craft with, an enamelware jug (I have a little quite common collection: watch my August banner in the sidebar) and a little weather house. It's kitch, it was cheap and I like it a lot. Especially because the man never gets outside!

The best bargain must be this gnome charm. I see numerous possibilities; first I told my husband that I bought him a little present to wear around his neck, as a symbol; 'you are my little gnome', but he didn't appreciate this present. I just don't understand. :-D

Before Pandora there was The Box:

Yes voor L, that means for L...!!

My friend Z. specializes in 'make you feel good' boxes.
She makes them for ill friends or for friends who are getting through a divorce. Each with appropriate contents. The friend who was having a divorce received a box with the DVD 'Chocolat', chocolates for one, a little cake, a good book, a little bottle of wine, some french cheese and a little bread to bake off. And probably more. Of course I wanted to have one too, but I'm not ill and neither in a divorce (that I know).
So when I promised to take care of the mail while Z. and her family were on a holiday to Italy I received the vacation box!

When I took of the lid of the box this lovely hat was jumping out, like jumping Jack!

When you put on the hat the sun is going to shine immediately. I don't know how Z. has done that. What I do know is that she made the wrapping paper by photocopying a whole bunch of cards. Clever girl that Z!

Two little pots of fake lavender with some real lavender in between, so we do have the smell and the looks, we just don't have to water them.

A little box with chocolates...it was fuller when I opened it.

And lots and lots of other goodies. A card of the swimming suit Z. has bought and a piece of the fabric, some candlelights, some magazines (Italian cooking!) tea, a summer fragrance, another card etc. etc.
Sometimes you are looking everywhere to bring something home as a vacation souvenir for the people who watch your garden or your pets. The vacation box might be a good idea to you too! Hopefully Z. inspires you to make a box for an ill friend or someone who is going through rough times too.
Thanks Z. I'm still enjoying it!

Thanks for all your good wishes after my last post. It was my intention to warn you, how clever those thieves are. Theft is something that we all have to deal with more or less. I always try not to let those people influence my life. As a matter of fact I feel sorry for them. Poor people who have no imagination at all, the only thing they can come up with is to steal and to destroy. Pathetic!
I appreciated your good wishes! My eyes are almost as good as they were before. Maybe I need reading glasses. Perhaps I should visit an eye doctor. But after my latest appointment there I'm not so sure: the doctor told me that it was incredible that my lenses were still so good after 3 + years and I had to tell him that those lenses were 3 weeks old and prescribed to me by his substitute.....
See (?!) all of you in a couple of days!
Warm wishes LiLi M.

Lieve lezers en lezeressen! Vandaag met het mooie weer maar eens de fiets gepakt om naar Pandora te rijden. Pandora is een rommelwinkel hier in Dordrecht in de Wijnstraat. Ze hebben echt van alles en nog wat en ze zitten in een prachtig pand. Eigenlijk komen de mooie details niet uit achter al die collecties.
Van mijn vriendin Z. kreeg ik De Doos. Zij heeft zich gespecialiseerd in het maken van De Doos bij zorgen of verdriet. Mmmm ik wilde ook wel eens zo'n doos, maar ja, was niet zielig genoeg. Totdat ik beloofde voor de plantjes en de post te zorgen, terwijl de Zetjes op vakantie in Italië waren. Toen kreeg ik De Vakantie Doos. Gevuld met potjes lavendel (nep en echt door elkaar, zodat je wel de lekkere lucht hebt). Tijdschriften, een boek, thee bonbons, een lekker zomergeurtje, kaarsjes, kaarten, een bloemenslinger om de kaarten aan op te hangen en een zomerhoed, als je die opzet gaat vanzelf te zon schijnen. Jaja ik had hem op vandaag! Z. heeft De Doos beplakt met zelfgemaakt papier. Hiervoor heeft ze heel veel kaarten gekopieerd.
Ik ben er nog steeds heel blij mee, bedankt Z!

Jullie allemaal ook bedankt voor alle lieve wensen en het medeleven na mijn laatste post.
Ik bedoelde het stukje over diefstal eigenlijk als een waarschuwing. Ik probeer me er zo min mogelijk van aan te trekken, dat gun ik die dieven niet. Eigenlijk heb ik medelijden met ze. Wat is dat nou dat je in dit prachtige leven met zoveel mogelijkheden met niets beters weet te komen dan met diefstal en vernieling? Zielig hoor!

Mijn zicht is bijna weer normaal, maar nu ga ik me afvragen of ik niet een leesbril nodig heb, maar zoiets gaat toch geleidelijk? Ervaringsdeskundigen graag! Ik zou natuurlijk eens naar de oogarts kunnen gaan, maar na mijn laatste bezoek daar, toen hij mij stomverbaasd zei dat hij het geweldig vond dat mijn lenzen er na meer dan 3 jaar nog zo geweldig uitzagen en ik hem toch maar vertelde dat ik ze pas 3 weken had (en dat ze door zijn vervanger waren aangemeten), ...is mijn vertrouwen toch ietsje minder geworden.
Vergeet niet dit weekend ergens van de monumenten te gaan genieten. Dordt monumenteel is altijd zeeeer de moeite waard! Geniet! Ik zie jullie!

Hugs LiLi M.