Story Bowl: 18 ladies, 1 man and a wheelbarrow

Custom story bowl for a man. He was saying goodbye to the company. The bowl was commissioned by the 18 women he trained and worked with during his career. And oh, ...there had to be a wheelbarrow too....

It was challenge and a pleasure making so many figures, of course none are the same, some are carrying books or a bag, some sit, some stand some are closer to the wheelbarrow, some aren't.... sometimes it nice not to know the full story so one can wonder why.

Going back to my roots: 't Paeremes part 2

Since I wrote part 1, back in 2010, I have moved back to my roots. Well nearly, I'm back in the same county but on a different island.

Ossenisse is the lovely village were I now live. You find it on the coast of the Westerschelde in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. It's an island in the sense that it is surrounded by Belgium and water. If I had a boat I could easily go see my parents, cross the Westerschelde and through the channel to Wemeldinge. But since the ferry was replaced by tunnel I have to go the long way around until I get a boat. (Which I don't plan to get in case you were wondering.)

Anyway back to the "paeremes" or "knife with horses". I kept on making knives inspired by these, but most ended in the bin, here's one worth sharing though:

 I made a sheath in leather with felt lining to finish it.  

Since I perfected the hilt making I'm now happy to take custom orders for a knife made to your specifications. The blade is ceramic, factory made and will stay sharp. These knifes are dishwasher proof.

Story Bowl: Networker

As the name suggest this bowl is for a net-worker. It's a custom request for a corporate going away gift for very social person who loves to play tennis and basketball in his spare time and have a nice cold beer. He is very good at bringing people together both in his work and his private life.
After some brooding on these elements, this bowl appeared.
Now it seems strange it took me so long to come to this:

Ireland August 2013

Usually I visit Ireland at least once a year to catch up with friends. I lived there for tree years moving back just before the millennium. I did not get around to visiting Ireland in 2012, a trip was long overdue.

Walk in the forest near Maynooth

 Wise words

Visiting a crafts fair in Castletown House, Celbridge

Castletown House in Celbridge

                

One of the gate lodges of Castletown House which can be rented as a holiday home :)

The Liffey running through the grounds of Castletown house, on it's way to Dublin.

 Picking black berries for a lovely pudding

View over the Shannon at Clonmacnoise

           

The pelgrims path on the left and 1 of the 3 high crosses on the right at Clonmacnoise 

Clonmacnoise Castle

Birr castle and garden

The telescope at Birr castle is credited with discovering the spiral nature of the Whirlpool Galaxy

As you see, I didn't even make it to Dublin, so a good reason to return to Ireland soon.

Plum Season

Plum season is here, so I thought I'd gather all my plum recipe's for you in this one blog post. Cause besides eating them just like that or making jam with them you can do a lot more with plums:

Pruimenseizoen is weer gearriveerd, dus dacht ik laat ik alle pruimenrecepten hier voor jullie bij elkaar zetten. Je kan pruimen zo uit het vuistje eten of jam van maken, maar je kan er nog zo veel meer mee:

• Lavender Plums (lavendel pruimen)
• Plums in puff pastry (pruimen in bladerdeeg)
• Plum cake (pruimen cake)
• Spicy plum sauce (pittge pruimen saus)

You want to know were I get my plums, (re) read these blog posts:
Nieuwsgierig waar ik mijn pruimen vandaan haal, (her)lees dan deze blogs:

• Plums 
• Dutch plums 

Sweet Saturday: Bread pudding with cherries

Bread Pudding with Cherries

• 3 eggs
• 600 ml  milk
• 180 gr of brown sugar
• 1 sachet of vanilla sugar
• teaspoon of biscuit spices (mix of cinnamon 40%, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger and glove) 
• 400 gr old bread
• pinch of baking soda (1/2 teaspoon)
• 120 gr cherries (from a can)

Mix the eggs, milk and sugar. Add the bread torn into little pieces. Mix with a soon and add the baking soda and cherries, add some of the juice of the cherries too. Leave to rest and soak for at least an hour. 

Butter a baking tin. Pour the mix into the tin and bake for 45-60 minutes in a oven of 150-175°C.

Enjoy your Sweet Saturday!

Story Bowl: Alice in the Fifties

This bowl was made to commission; the input was: Make a bowl for someone who adores Alice in Wonderland and is a great fan of the fifties era too.

So a bowl in fifties green with the white rabbit, tea-party and playing cards it became. The teacups and the lid of the teapot are loose, removable. The watch is the interior taken from an old ladies watch.

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