Santas Visit

The Santa Invasion of Paris:

Lookout, here they all come:

I was Santa's helper while visiting the Netherlands and found myself some wonderful gifts. I love this insect kitchen towel - I gave one to Bonnie too. The label indicates it's from the Textile Museum in Tilburg, Netherlands.

Some great woven fabric. I probably spent too much but I wanted this lime green plaid. And the cheddar stripes and that gorgeous royal blue stripe...

These are reproduction Dutch plaids from the shop Den Haan & Wagenmakers

I bought these from a vendor at the Albert Cuyp Market. (If you check out the link, look at the chocolates of mens' privates. I didn't take a photo myself, but definitely got a giggle. Only in Amsterdam). The four batiks here have a very different texture from the kind we get in the states - they're softer.

More traditional dutch fabric:

I've kind of got a Halloween/Christmas decorating theme going here. Not by design, I just never got myself organized this year. The gorgeous Lily and my Christmas goodies:

I also bought an herbal tea blend called Spicy. It's fantastic and I wish I could figure out what's in it. Definitely big chunks of dried ginger. Some coriander seeds, cinnamon bark and licorice flavoring - maybe anise? Possibly fennel seeds.... No actual tea though so perhaps it should be called an infusion. I'll have to keep on the lookout for something similar in the States because I love it.

So Christmas went well here. My husband got a bunch of boring books that he's thrilled with. We got the DVD of Raiders of the Lost Ark which is finally sold separately - I so did not want the other two movies. We watched that yesterday and I can't stop humming the theme music. I alternate between that and Who songs from the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

I forgot to mention, I finished up the hand quilting on Rumspringa. Woohoo!!! No pics yet though.

I'm finishing up some projects here - getting borders put on and backings sewn together - to take with me to Florida. Will.Not.Stress.About.Move. Aiyeeeee.