Christmas in July #2

There is something awkward in thinking about Christmas when it's 34°C outside and I can't get my apartment to cool down under 28° no matter what.
No wonder I'm totally not thinking about Christmas yet. I'll just show a card I prepared for the Fadengrafik Challenge where we want to see your Christmas projects with some stitching. There's still plenty of time toplay along and we can't wait to see what you've been up to.

The card is basically very simple, it consists of corners I stitched with shimmering yarn and a 3D sticker in the middle. For the embellishments I used a couple of pearls, transparent paper with snowflakes and a golden sticker for the border.

The sticker serves both as decoration and fixation of the starry paper as I didn't feel confident using other forms of glue for it. Last time I tried, the sticky stripes were shining through the transparent layer, giving a pretty bad result. This time, I only used the stripes in places that are covered by the white cardboard, meaning the golden sticker had to go a bit off the edge to have an adhesive effect.

I'm not sure whether I like it, I'd preferr to have more of the red order side, but that was the only way for me to use the transparent stars.

I didn't really need a background paper though, as the red paper of the card shines through the transparent layer, which gives an interesting result.

 

challenges:

- PINspirational challenges: Christmas
- inspiration destination: ATG
- ABC Christmas: O for Off the edge
- Pennys challenges: Christmas in July
- scrapping4fun: summer or winter (winter)
- deep ocean: Christmas in July
- crafty calendar: Christmas in July
- cardz4guyz: Christmas in July 
- tuesday throwdown: Christmas in July 
- ooh la la challengeblog: Christmas in July 
- craft-alnica: glitter
- fairytale challengeblog: bling bling
- my time to craft: Christmas in July
- pile it on: Christmas/winter in July
- Morgan's art world: Christmas in July

One for mom

When there are questions all over and nothing makes sense... All you can do is just be there... And bring a card that lies somewhere between "sympathy" and "I love you".
For the main motif I used a red cross-stitch rose that I made quite a while ago. As it doesn't need much addings alltogether, I only used two kinds of silver stickers and a couple of rhinestones.

challenges:

- 613 avenue create: ATG

- alphabet challengeblog: K for kind words

- as you like it: favourite colour (red) and why (it's the colour of love and passion, the colour of life (blood), and obviously the colour of red roses ;))

- inspiration destination: ATG

- sister act: ATG
- wordartwednesday: ATG
- crafting from the heart: ATG

Antwerp Old Town

Old Town of Antwerp...

Impressive outside of the cathedral, by far the most prominent building of the city.

And even though it was quite chilling all week long (I even had to buy myself shawl as I was freezing), good music ("The Absout Orchestra") is what makes you stop in the drizzle, puts a smile on your face, and a song in your heart :)

Rubens overlooking the Groenplaats

GroteMarkt with the City hall and its colourful flags...

...Brabo, the giants' defeater...

...and the typical guildhalls...

...as well as one of the Marian statues you can find on every corner.
People used to avoid paying taxes for illumination of their houses by placing a statue of Mary on the facade. This way, the lantern that was shining was considered as illumination of the statue, which was tax-free.

Old town by night

 

P.S. If you ever happen to be hungry in Antwerp, Lucy Chang is a fantastic Asian restaurant with super delicious food and pretty huge plates. In need for a tasty pizza? Da Giovanni next to the cathedral will do. Quite fancy and super good, too: Bizie Lizie.

 

~ to be continued ~

Antwerpen Centraal & sunset at the MAS

Lovely Antwerp...
For the start, a few impressions of Antwerpen Centraal, the first thing you might see when coming to the city. I love how the interior looks more like a palace than a train station.

 I love how the station comes in four levels.

 And I love how the palace-like part is combined with the skeleton made of red steel.

Needless to say the station is clean as it should be - no smell and no strange people. Except of a bunch of med students going to summer school :)

Second part of the starter: a sunny evening by the Scheldt. 

Walking past past Het Steen, the first stone fortress of the city...

...past the Pilotage building...

...and past the yacht harbour at the MAS. Even though the museum is closed in the evening, the viewing terrace is accessable till late at night, and offers wonderful views of the city.

The only bummer of the day: banners and decorations that said Antwerp would host a stage of the Tour de France just as I'd be having letures. Blah. My Tour experience therefore consisted only of listening to helicopters from far away, and walking past race remains in the harbour area.

 

~ to be continued ~