Friday, January 02, 2009

Amsterdam Bricks with Cheddar

Happy 2009 to everyone. I'm not going to list resolutions or what I want to accomplish this next year because I am nearing freak out trying to decide what has to go back to the states with me on the plane, what should be mailed, what can wait until whenever it is that my husband gets moved out. eeeek.

So instead I give you more pics from my trip to Amsterdam last month. I love the brick combined with cheddar-colored details:







I adore this in particular: the lavendar bike parked in front of a canal house:




I just wish I'd had sunnier weather and more time.

In tv watching, I marathoned the first season of 30 Rock and absolutely adored it. I don't know (and don't want to know) what happens next but I love the relationship between Liz Lemon and Jack. They are both such great characters and remind me of Mary Richards and Mr Grant.

My husband and I just finished with Monk Season Six. It was okay. I wish they'd give the OCD stuff a rest and focus more on the mysteries. We thoroughly enjoyed Jonathon Creek Season Two - that one I can wholeheartedly recommend. Jonathon creates magic tricks for a magician and uses his skills to solve crimes that no one else can.

Yesterday I started basting Raspberry Rumspringa. I shouldn't have - would have been more efficient to pack the backing and top - that would take up far less room. But I really needed something mindless and I have to have something to hand quilt or I'll lose my mind. I'm really noticing the pain in my middle finger - I'm sure it's arthritis.

I have a bunch of links to share with you all. In the last post I showed you how my L-O-V-E Letters Challenge quilt turned out. Thank you all so much for your lovely comments and compliments. It was so much fun to see what Kristin, Karen, and KathieB all came up with for their letters. While you are at Kathie's do check out the link to her inspiration - it's wonderful. Meanwhile, Bonnie lost some of her love and hasn't made a quilt just yet. No wonder since she's probably working on ten other projects not to mention all that travelling...

Brown Dirt Cottage Belinda finished a wonderful quilt for another Bonnie, this one a baby. It's hard to believe this is Belinda's first finished quilt - she did an amazing job.

Speaking of baby quilts, I love this 10 Wishes quilt that California Girl in Oz Dianne just completed. She used the free-pieced letters in the border and it's fabulous.

Finally, I love my friend Siobhan's quilt-related top 10 list for 2008. Go check it out - you may just find some new online resources you didn't know about. What would your number 10 be?

Ya'all take care. I adore you all, thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving me comments. It means a great deal. Have a safe wonderful 2009 full of quilty goodness.

16 comments:

Amanda said...

You've whetted my appetite - Amsterdam is now added to the list of places to visit soon. I watched the Jonathon Creek Christmas special last night - certainly up to standard and well worth looking out for. Can you get the BBC iplayer? 'Cos it might be on there.

Twisted Quilts said...

So nice that we can live vicariously through your travels. I love the pictures of the bike. The first few look so quilt-like. I don't envy your complicated move. Happy New Year.

Funky Kim said...

Just resolve not to loose your mind while moving.

BarbCarol said...

Don't worry about your move. I moved 21 times in 23+ years with my Army officer husband. Two of those moves were to and from Europe with 2 sons, dogs, quilting frames, weaving looms, etc. We have sustained minor damage and losses of possessions, but our experiences of other cultures and peoples have more than made up for the stresses of the moves themselves. Find something or someone lovely in each day of your life. It removes the stress.

YankeeQuilter said...

Moving is not worth losing your mind over....

Love the brick work and the lavender bike!

Julie said...

The architectural details in your photos are beautiful. I wish you luck in figuring out what to move. It sounds complicated!!

Cher said...

who needs quilt books with photos like yours to inspire? keep taking a breath! and you are so right to have something to be able to hand quilt on-we finally started watching season one of Pushing Daisies- loving it so far. safe travels Ton!

Marge said...

Tonya,
Good luck with the packing and move. There are so many details to attend to, especially with your pets. (You don't have to worry about your husband.)
Thank you for sharing the mini-quilt challenge that you had with the love letters. What fun to see different interpretations!
Marge

sewprimitive karen said...

Oh, love love the buildings. The brick! Aren't you going to miss Europe...hope the move goes very smoothly.

Browndirtcottage said...

Hi Tonya....Happy New Year to ya!!...I love these old buildings..aren't the designs great!....Hey, and thanks for the shout out....I was wondering why I was getting so many hits from your place!!...I've been meaning to ask...is your hubby in the service?..I guess this has been my assumption.....?? Later Gator!!

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

Wow. great pics Tonya. They seem to have built a lot during the Deco period! Love it! Fabulous typefaces, and great detail.

Thanks for being such an inspiration! I've tried new things and had great tips from you.
thanks!

I'm thrilled you be in the U.S. soon!


Happy 2009

(I hit 2008, three times in a row, do you think I'm ready to let go of another year yet?)
Why does it go so fast!!!!

jovaliquilts said...

Love your photos from teh Netherlands! When I was a kid and we lived overseas (my dad was in the military), one family accidentally took with them everything meant for storage, and stored everything they meant to take! And they survived, so don't worry.

Colleen and Jason said...

In the past 5 minutes, I've read two blogs and both you and the other lady are having hand, wrist or arm pain. She is 34 and I know you are not much older. Considering what is coming up for you (moving, ick!) PLEASE take care of yourself. If you need to see a doctor, please do so, there are many things to be done for pain these days, you don't have to live with it. I will send you some virtual Advil and hope it helps with your pain. Good luck with everything, I'm rooting for you.

Robyn said...

Great pics!! reminds me of my "baby moon" trip there and to Norway a couple of years ago!! I can't wait to go back.

We just finished watching all of 30 Rock on DVD, and then catching up with the current season online!! What a great show... I can't believe I missed it when it came out!

Kristin L said...

Dutch architecture is WAY more fun than that pre-move organizational stuff!

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

I love your architectural photos...you have such a GREAT EYE for photo ops!

Too bad it was dark the evening we came to meet you and joes in amsterdam...I didn't get ANY pics outdoors..because it was pitch black outside!

Travel safe..can't wait to have you stateside again!

Bonnie