Latest Forum Posts by: Bastelfan

I’m sneaking back into the forum.

Wow, Ina. What a wonderful place to spend time. Enjoy it while you can, before the cold fall sets in.
You’ve got plenty to do in the garden, too—how do you manage it all?

Marion and Sonja, thank you for your feedback and for keeping your fingers crossed for me. Most of it’s already packed, so there isn’t that much left—which means I still have time to crochet.

Monika, yes, I pack during the day, and at night I work on my crochet projects, and just like that, Part 2 is done


Above all, I’ve figured out that balls of yarn take up more space in the box than finished crocheted pieces *hihi*

Part 3 is in the works. 😍

Thank you for your feedback.

Monika, thank you for making us smile with your funny snapshot.

Just finished—it hopped right off the needle. Mosaic technique (store-bought AL)

Oh, Ina, your words sound like a warm hug offering comfort.
Reading them is even bringing tears to my eyes.

We still have a full four weeks left to pack up the rest. Then we’ll hope everything goes smoothly,


except for the signed lease agreement from the board that’s still missing—which we’re eagerly awaiting. We signed it, sent it back, the letter was returned to us by German customs, we sent it again, and now we’re waiting—waiting—waiting. Nothing has happened since then.

That’s our only concern right now; without the signed contract, we can’t get our household goods into Germany duty-free.

So it really helps to read your kind, comforting words. Thanks again to everyone here.

Interesting, Steffi, all the things you’re trying out.

I first had to Google “nalbinding”. I’d never heard of it before. There really is such a thing as everything.

Mmm, that looks delicious. Enjoy!

Inge, I hope you enjoyed it. Something fresh like that is good for you and healthy.

We eat a lot of salad, too

You're very welcome, Monika.
You can vary it so nicely according to your preferences and taste.
Hope it turns out well. I get about 18 out of this (standard silicone muffin cups)

With this recipe, the muffins always turn out well. I wrote it down back when I was working at a nursing home in Germany. We often baked these for the residents to enjoy with their coffee.

I made two little things again today. (Pattern from here, blog page)
Coasters and a little birdie

It was so much fun—thank you so much for the pattern


Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Oh, you’re all so kind.
Goodbyes are always sad, but it was also a wonderful time.

- learned a new language
- got to know other people and cultures
- the scenery was amazing

In life, there are always pros and cons here and there, and we’re richer for the experiences.
If you’re no longer happy somewhere, you should pack up and move on.

Thank you so much for your touching words

Here you go, Inge. Maybe you can bake with your granddaughter, too—that’s sure to be fun, and homemade muffins taste even better that way.

Have a great weekend, and good luck


P.S. If you stir some cocoa powder into the batter, you’ll have chocolate muffins—top them with white frosting or color the frosting with food coloring.

*smile*. I took these photos early on my way to work—the Norwegians are still asleep then, shortly after 7:00 a.m.
By the time I leave work, it’s bustling there.

That’s true, Monika. But we live on a busy road, plus there are the trains passing by and stopping (the train station is 5 minutes from the house), and the parking lot. So a little peace and quiet like this works wonders, even if only for a short time.

Above all, I’ll miss the clear air and the gorgeous blue sky here when we move, and the fact that there are no mosquitoes to bother us.

I forgot to mention something.

For the mashed banana, I needed a little more flour than indicated. Just give it a try.

Good luck!

Thanks, Monika.

The muffins really are quick to make, and you have something for coffee in no time.
This time I also added 1/2 mashed banana and some chocolate sprinkles right into the batter. My husband said they were really fluffy.

I experiment with baking every now and then.

Here’s the muffin recipe again, if anyone would like it:

150 g soft margarine
150 g sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 egg
250 g plain yogurt or quark
220 g flour
1–2 tsp baking powder

Bake at 180 degrees for about 20–30 min on convection (depending on how brown they get)

You can also stir apple pieces or other fruit of your choice right into the batter.
Or put it on top and then sprinkle with cinnamon, or serve with whipped cream/vanilla sauce and ice cream.

Want more?

Thank you both so much.

I’m also really looking forward to returning to my old home and having my family around me.

I had no issues, except that my arm hurt at the injection site and it was impossible to sleep on that side, plus a slight headache. Otherwise everything was fine.

Warm birthday wishes from me, too. Enjoy some delicious cake, coffee, and time with your family—have a wonderful day!

It smells wonderful in here. That plum cake looks delicious.

I baked my beloved muffins again today. They’ll be ready to go with coffee in a moment.

as smooth as glass, view toward Drammensmall fishAn anglerThis silence is wonderfulStopped for a moment—a magnificent view, such peaceWaiting time before the vaccination

I thought this was kind of funnyNotice the figures on the roofin Oslo, near the train stationThe castle is in the background, the government building is on the leftopposite directionColorful bike rack

Oslo National Theater

One last walk down this hallway
where are they?  Farewell cake with "good luck"  Flowers too


 
 guests forgot them, didn't pick them up, now they're mine. (that's the equivalent of 50 euros)

my Thai colleague

This is roughly what it looks like. You can get a general idea from the
belts on both of them (photo taken by me)

Hello there late at night—

wow, you’ve all been busy again.
Those little finger puppets are so cute.

Marion, your Maxima looks lovely in that pretty dress, perfectly matched with the hat. Great job.
I’m glad you found your other little doll again. I like it. She’s surely happy to have seen the light of day again, too. Is this doll sewn from jersey fabric?
Monika, you’re really quick with your nests. When do you even get any sleep? *:-)* No one can keep up with how fast you knit and crochet. Kudos. The new residents are sure to be delighted.
Steffi, your woven ribbons look great. It sounds complicated, with all those little cards you have to turn. I don’t know anything about it, but hats off to anyone who can do it.

But that’s pretty much how these ribbons and embellishments are woven here in Norway for the bunads (traditional costumes). Every region has its own colors and patterns.
I really like that sort of thing.

I didn’t crochet anything today.

Best regards

Hi Ina,

I agree with Monika.
There is sooooo much to discover in your garden, too. Watering the flowers at Grandma’s with your own little kids’ watering can is definitely fun. I always loved doing that as a child, too.
We also filled old “spray bottles” with water and wrote words on the sidewalk. There was also a chalkboard and chalk (I had one like that to stand up when I was a child).
It’s really interesting when you see and watch a ladybug, or watch bees or butterflies sitting on a flower and sipping nectar.
Watching the fish in the pond, or helping Grandma with the harvest, too.

Children simply love things to be very colorful, and when it flutters so beautifully in the wind, that’s just great, and they’re proud of their homemade creation.

That’s true, children/grandchildren grow up so quickly. Unfortunately, I don’t have any grandchildren (yet).
I used to do lots of crafts with my children, too. We had so much fun.
That also encourages children’s creativity.
My youngest son back then even made up his own dice games (with spaces like miss 1 turn, roll again, ...move forward).
There are so many possibilities.

You could also set up a medium-sized mop bucket a short distance away and try to hit the bucket with a small ball, or get the ball to land in the bucket. Or throw cans, like at the fair.

Have a nice evening, everyone

Hey Steffi, that sounds familiar to us.

Recently, we also had 4 chairs and a dining table listed on a Norwegian platform to give away.
First, people didn’t show up, then the next day they didn’t arrive on time for the agreed-upon appointment.
No idea why that is. But we’ve had that experience too.
So maybe you should ask for a small token after all.

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone.

Today I have another little something to show you.
I used leftover yarn from my crocheted bag to make a doily in the c2c technique. The color gradient looked like this in some places.
Of course, my beloved slides couldn’t be missing either. Here you go

Wow, Inge, you’ve got a great collection there. That bag made from measuring tape strips looks really original. I like it.
bergli, your little bag looks so cute. Judging by the way it looks, it could go well with a dirndl, too. Chic

Do my crocheted bags count too?
Otherwise, I’m currently using a blue leather crossbody bag (medium size).
For work, I have my big blue fabric backpack with lots of compartments (for a T-shirt, water bottle, reading glasses, a puzzle book for the train ride...)

At work, I use my crocheted bags (I switch them out often). I put my breakfast, water bottle, reading glasses, rubber gloves, and charging cable in them. I can also hang them on my trolley; the backpack stays in my locker.

For walks, I use either my two small leather backpacks or a crocheted shoulder bag.
For the evening, I have my little disco bag that I crocheted/designed myself, with a chain handle, matching my “little black dress.”

It’s all still pretty manageable. I think I have more crocheted bags than regular bags.

Saturday is almost over, so I’d like to wish you all a wonderful Sunday.

We—that is, my husband and I—are going to rest and relax. No packing boxes. Just taking it easy for a change.

We had fruit tart again. The rest will be served tomorrow for Sunday coffee.

I used up some leftover yarn from my crochet bag. Pictures are coming soon.

The other yarn is actually already packed, but since the box is sitting on top of it, I snagged a few more skeins. I just can’t do completely without crocheting a little here and there.

But next week, I’ll get back to packing.

Until then, take it easy and let those needles or hooks clatter away.

Warm regards

Mmm, it smells so good in here.

Monika, your rolls look absolutely delicious. I love poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Then enjoy them.

Petra, your sheep's cheese rolls look delicious too - they make you want to take a bite right away. I haven't tried them yet.

Yes, Gabi, everything is numbered and listed. We’ll need that list for customs anyway.

That’s true. I think the anticipation outweighs the packing.

Homesickness, looking forward to seeing my family, finally getting back home, being able to speak German again, visiting my friends, drinking cappuccino together, and talking about the good old days—oh, it’s going to be so nice.

Time is flying by pretty fast now. Before we know it, the day will be here.
Of course, I’ll keep you posted.

It’s just a shame that most of my yarn and craft supplies are already packed, and I only have scraps left for my projects. That just makes me look forward to later even more.

See you then

Thank you so much, Ina and Monika. The cake was delicious. The only thing missing was the whipped cream.
We’ll have the other half tomorrow.

Oh yes, plum cake—I love that too. Good luck with it.

Thanks, Josefa, and Ina—I wish the same for you both, and for all the other readers.

Unfortunately, I have to work this weekend. By the way, this is my last weekend on the job.
Then I’ll have to work eight more times. August 10 is my last day at the hotel. Finally.

After that, I can take my time packing, tidying up, and cleaning the apartment—my husband’s going to repaint it.

Ina, enjoy your weekend at your new favorite spot. I’d love to relax there right now, too.
Mmm, delicious braised cucumbers—I love those, too.
We’ll catch up on all that once we’re back in Germany. We’re already looking forward to it—if only we were there already.
But time is just flying by now—that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Warm regards

Have a nice afternoon, everyone

I baked again today too: a delicious apple cake with crumble topping, which we'll have with coffee shortly.

The boxes are slowly piling up.
They’re now lined up in rows of two. We still have a month to go

Have a wonderful afternoon, everyone.

I baked again today—apple cake with crumble topping.
We’ll be having it with coffee in a bit, and the sun is shining again today after yesterday’s downpour.

Hey Josefa,

I can only tell you what “RV” stands for. Zipper

My peace lily is blooming—it even has two flowers—and the patio outside is a sea of blossoms




Have a great week, everyone

Hello everyone,

You’ve all been busy again.
I can finally show you something again despite all the packing I’ve been doing.

My crochet bag is mostly finished—I just need to sew on the handles.

I learned a new crochet technique from a video: double-face crochet. It’s so much fun now that I’ve got the hang of it.

Of course, I used this technique right away to make the handles—they’re nice and thick and sturdy.

Here it is

Thanks, Josefa and Monika —I wish the same for you.

Monika , congratulations—29 years is quite a long time. We probably won’t live to see that. So have a nice time—maybe in the garden with coffee and cake, along with a glass of sparkling wine, and then, as evening falls, gaze at the starry sky and wait for a shooting star.

We’re going to empty out our bed boxes and break them down for the recycling center (here we call it a “gjenvinningsstasjon”), maybe pack up another 1 or 2 boxes, and then it’s time to relax.
Maybe I’ll bake another fruit tart and keep crocheting the handles for my bags.
I haven’t packed all the yarn yet *hihi*

To all of you who are stopping by here, have a wonderful weekend, too. It’s getting very warm here again.

Warm regards

Have a lovely rest of the evening, everyone,

thank you Josefa, apart from the stress of moving and all the paperwork, we’re doing fine so far.

Weather-wise, we don’t have any flooding here, but it’s changeable.

When I see the pictures online of the whole natural disaster, it really affects me that so many people have lost their belongings and are dependent on financial help, while others are looting shops.
One woman even had to spend days sleeping in the car with her 80-year-old neighbor because there was no emergency shelter available, but apparently they’ve now got a hotel room somewhere.

It’s really sad what’s going on in the world right now.

Ouch Marlene, I hope you get well soon, and that everything goes well if you need surgery.
That makes me a little nervous, since I also take the bus almost every day (currently rail replacement service).

Anyway, I hope you all still have a pleasant week

best regards

Fan to cool off

Paddleboat

It’s me again,

ruthk— your embroidery turned out absolutely amazing. Hats off to you, especially for your perseverance. It’s definitely something “personal,” which makes it all the more special and something to cherish.

Thanks to everyone who’s wishing us all the best for our new apartment. I’ll definitely post some pictures from my hometown.

Monika, we’re moving into an apartment building without a garden, but with a balcony. That was important to us. It’s on the 3rd floor, though. Never mind that for now.

The lowest floors are so in demand—there are more and more older people, after all. There wasn’t anything left there. A little exercise can’t hurt.
It’s not even a 5-minute walk to my parents’ place. We’re really looking forward to setting everything up—it’ll all smell so new—and we’ll be able to have breakfast on the balcony, drink coffee, or even have a barbecue in the evening (with an electric grill), along with a glass of sparkling wine, sitting together with my parents, or having the kids come visit us anytime. That’s our biggest wish—to experience all of that again. The neighborhood, speaking German again, and so on.

I’m sure I’ll find a job, too. They’re always looking for people in nursing, and everything’s close by—I could even ride my bike there or take the streetcar.

Not like here, where it takes 1 1/2 hours to get home, with rail replacement service, stress...etc.

I think it’s time for us to be more on the “sunny side” now *hihi*

Have a nice rest of the evening
—tomorrow it’s back to work.

Best regards

Good evening

I was just really in the mood to crochet after all that packing.

I discovered this cute little radish here on the blog page and crocheted one right away. It was finished in 2 days. I had such a huge amount of fun crocheting it.

And ta-da, here it is.

 

Deck chair

go to a jazz evening

lounging around

Good morning everyone,

you have all been so busy again. One handmade piece more beautiful than the next.
Sonja’s "Venice" placemat, Christina’s dino elephant potholders, Ines’s top—I absolutely love all of it.
Monika, it’s lovely that you were able to enjoy the time with your granddaughters and family.

I still have the joy of being with family ahead of me, and I’m already looking forward to it so much.

Unfortunately I can’t show you anything at the moment, as much as I’d love to crochet, but today we emptied my glass cabinet and packed everything into moving boxes. The apartment is slowly getting emptier, but there’s still too much here.
We still have some time.
Somehow I wasn’t feeling so well today, though; I’m constantly tired, and I felt so woozy. So I lay down in bed for a bit and was totally out, asleep. Now I’m okay again.
Maybe it’s the stress of the last few days, excitement and joy at the same time because of the move. A lot of emotions come together.
I have a total of 4 days off, which I really need, and we’ll get quite a bit done then. With breaks, of course.

Well, about the apartment—as things look right now, we might get our lease sent to us in the next few weeks. If the mail doesn’t take too long to get here. That means waiting a little longer, and then we can be happy. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Your crossed fingers helped, thank you so much.

I wish you all a lovely weekend

rain is forecast here, just right for clearing things out.

best wishes

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