Catch up: Trellis

I had this exciting plan for a winter flowering clematis at the bottom of the garden... But, a climber needs something to climb up.

Again, Arjan has provided, using wood left behind by the previous owners of the house - since it was perfectly aged to match our existing trellis!

Catch up: Cass' Christmas Stocking

Since being made part of Arjan's Dutch family I have managed to sneak in the odd British tradition. One of these is Christmas stockings.

As a new addition last year, Cass the black Labrador puppy was the only one without his own stocking. So he had to have one... right?

Catch up: Clothes shelf

In our bedroom in the flat, we had less wardrobe space, but I had a chair where I could dump clothes that weren't clean, or ready for washing.

Our current bedroom doesn't have space for a chair, so instead Arjan has made me a shelf for clothes to hang from, and bits and pieces to sit on.

Catch up: Christmas ornaments

Yes, this is about 6 months late! some of the following posts will be even more so.

For Sinterklaas last year, Arjan made his parents, sister and brother each a set of wooden Christmas tree ornaments. Also done by cutting, drilling and filing.

TV Riser

Ever since we got our current TV, it has been lifted up off the TV bench by an ugly plastic monitor stand. This was partly to add height, as we generally watch TV whilst also using laptops, but also because we have a surround sound system where the voice speaker is best placed centrally over or under the TV. We also have a kinect that we still haven't unpacked.

I've always wanted to have the riser made of wood, but haven't been able to find one. And so, Arjan to the rescue!

He designed something to echo the TV bench we're using - a Benno from Ikea.

Obviously, first he cut the pieces out.

Then assembled it (using just dowels and glue, no screws allowed!).

And finally, a couple of coats of varnish, and then put in place.

Sinterklaas gifts: Sackboy.

A while back, Arjan's brother and a couple of their friends came to stay, and whilst they were playing games, I was busy making the presents for Ellena's baby shower.

Dennis was so impressed with my (just learning) knitting skills, that he said "Oooh, cool, you could knit me a Sackboy!". Given how new I was to knitting, I said that was way beyond me.

But Sinterklaas approached and I went online and found that someone had of course created a knitting pattern for the cute character from Little Big Planet, and had made it freely available here.

Following the pattern was definitely beyond my skills when I started, given I'd never done purl, increase, decrease or turn - but Steve, the knitting expert from work was a great help in translating for me!

Definitely knitting fingers was the trickiest bit...

But eventually, he came together well!

And now he's part of Dennis' Christmas decorations.

Sinterklaas gifts: Wooden box.

Now that we've had a lovely weekend celebrating Sinterklaas, I can add posts about the two presents which were surprises. 

First up is the box which Arjan made for his Oma (grandmother). I found and adapted a pattern from the internet, which we drew onto a thin piece of plywood.

Arjan then began (very patiently) drilling and filing out the pattern.

And then more...

Until the entire pattern was done.

After that, the rest of the box was made, including comb joint corners.

Finally, it was varnished, before being filled with biscuits and wrapped with a ribbon!