Country Blog Hop Reveal - and more to celebrate...

Time goes by fast and slowly at the same time, a strange feeling. It was about time that I wrote a new blog post, because a lot of things have happened, but it's not as if I hadn't written in ages either. I actually haven't really found time and words...

So the main subject of this post is the Country Blog Hop. I enthusiastically participate in "My Country, of Thee I Bead" organized by Nancy Smith. Canada and USA having national celebrations very close to one another, she had the sweet idea to ask the entire world to bead something related to their country (of origin, or adoption).

I am a Dutch girl living in Switzerland and love both countries, so something for each naturally resulted in this pair of flag-earrings made with little warped squares. They are strung freely on round 15mm sterling hoops, and I can put any warped square on to them.

I call these Hop and Hup - when they encourage their sportspersons, in particular footballers, the Swiss say 'Hop Schweiz or Hop Suisse' and the Dutch say 'Hup, Holland, Hup'. Isn't that funny, knowing that this is a blog HOP???

Hop! Hup!

Having just finished and listed my patterns for nautical flags and pennants ( alphabet and numbers), it seemed natural to try a few flags of nations.

Did you know that Switzerland is the only land to have a square flag, i.e. not a rectangle one? There is a funny anecdote my husband remembers about the new European Parliament in Brussels, a few years ago: all the flags were rectangular, even the Swiss flag... which wasn't much appreciated by the Swiss delegation invited for I donnowhatkind of negociation.

Please take time to visit the rest of the participants. A full list is available at Wired Nan


As I said above, there is more to celebrate.

I am grateful for the many wonderful people in my life. My husband, friends, cyberfriends and fellow beaders.

My BOTB'13 piece has gone up to round 2. I am so very sorry for those who did not go up. To be honest, I didn't really bother about 'winning' any round, I justed hoped for a good welcome... and wow, there are no words to describe how wonderful it is to feel the support from other beaders, to receive so many compliments. Even from my opponents, who are very talented ladies!

I finally got my pattern for the fuchsia flower listed in my Etsy Shop - I am very happy with it and hope to see many other persons making them, too. I am  working on other patterns, so stay tuned!
I am thankful to those who buy my patterns. I so need your support! Being photophobic is really disabling. I don't know what else I could do. Beading keeps me from going insane and the sales allow me to buy beads, thread, and findings... And the online contact with you all is so rewarding, and is nearly the only social contact that I have. You are important for me.

So I offer you a special reduction code OF 33% discount in my shop for the coming 7 days:

CELEBRATION

My private life has also known a few ups. Hubby has developed some kind of allergy to plastics/synthetics of all kinds... Even though this sounds pretty nasty (it is), we are grateful for finally knowing it, because he was often in pain or fell bad for unknown reasons, like sitting on a plastic garden chair... now we know why! His eyeglasses were the big revelation-factor: his face got really swollen, and it started where his glasses rest on the nose. This has been a long errance... For example: swollen anckles due to socks - we thought that it was simply water... Swollen eyes - we thought pollution or pollen... and so on.

We've thrown away a lot of clothes with 'hidden' elastine and ordered new. Yesterday evening he sat on the sofa, smiling, and said that he hadn't felt good like that in ages... And that makes me truly happy.

My lovely flowers

It was great to have a few days of really beautiful, warm, awesome weather, allowing us to sit and eat on the balcony... I am so happy to have an apartment on the shady side of the buidling, my photophobia would kill me if I were on the other side. Today it is raining again. I have to admit that I am very impressed by the bravery of my flowers on my balcony, they are doing impressively well.

And last but not least: a very dear friend  living in the Netherlands and whom I had lost contact with over the years, found me back on Facebook and it is simply fantastic to catch up with her. I think that I was 16 or maybe 17 when I saw her for the last time.

Now even in the bluest skies there are little clouds. I have to buy a new computer - screen and everything included. Because it is simply not possible to continue making illustrations on my portable pc... it still works but is too slow, the screen is too small and some things are broken (like my cd-reader, plus a problem with the ventilation)...

So please, don't forget the reduction code CELEBRATION for 33% discount in my shop for the coming 7 days and please share this information with your friends.

Thank you for reading this very long post. You are wonderful!

Happy celebrations to all

and for my American friends:

Happy Independence Day!