Lets talk about Home Offices

People assume that working at home involves lots of TV programmes and wearing PJ's all day. Sure I chat more with my friends or my sister, I can take breaks at less conventional times but there is also a lot of working involved.

A challenge of working at home is having a space, whether a room, office or working nook where you are "at work". 

I moved last month and took over the second bedroom in the house. In the beginning we though it would be 'our' office (that plan didn't last long..) 

Next step decorate: I want a light and bright office that is warm and inviting, and creatively conducive. I want it all - on a budget. Enter Pinterest...and a lot of inspiration home offices and diy projects.

Here are a few:

Gold white and light from Justbellablog

Black white and wood from amerrymishapblog

Cozy by Alissa_the goods

Black wall (pinned) via madefromscratch

Of course I have to adapt the feeling of lightness and design to my space, and to the type of light the space has...for example, I love the black wall, but the Netherlands lack of light...it would look so depressing.Plus I don't want to stare at a black wall when I gaze up from my computer.

 And I need more furniture, small space, everything has to be functional.

Spring Fever!

So, a lot has happened since the last post...as you can imagine since that was December (eeeeps!). But I have been quite busy...moving! In the next couple of posts I will be showing my new house and diy ideas and solutions. Hope you enjoy it!

I leave you with a random picture of the Netherlands....the highway in the typical Dutch bright light and dark skies.

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Getting ready for the market, making new products such as tree decorations and gift tags in felt, or crochet!
BC-Crafts will be at the museumplein in Amsterdam Sunday December the 8th! Visit us!

Hand crochet Christmas tree decoration or to hang at the window.

 Little hearts for tree decoration or great to add a certain je ne sais quoi to your presents as a gift tag.

 Tree decoration in several shapes!

Decorate your house for the holidays with handmade decorations!

The Holidays- Simple gifts

The season of joy and over eating is here! Soon we will all be sharing gifts and stuffing our faces with some delicious turkey. In Holland this season celebrates a double holiday - Sinterklaas (already Thursday!) and Christmas.
Chocolate letters are almost sold out, people are starting to get stressed about writing witty sarcastic poems for their loved ones and shopping in the center will drive you mad in 1 hour.
This year I am going to make christmas shaped cookies put them in jars add some cute decoration en voilá! Gift!

Today was the test trial for my cookie presser I got for my birthday (and only recently realised what it was...)

The recipe is from Martha Stewart cookie press dough

Tips, mild the dough well in your hands before putting it into the presser..like that it is more malleable and the press works better.

DIY Pimp your curtains

Tired of your curtains? I finally put curtains in the living room. The problem was that as soon as you want anything other then simple monotone curtains you need to break the bank. Most of the times they are expensive and you still feel like you are compromising on quality, design or colour. So why not buy simple curtains in the the exact colour and design and then add a little je ne sais quoi?

I decided to add navy stripes to a simple white curtains from IKEA. The idea I got from Pinterest.







I bought the Merete from IKEA (I changed the curtains hanging system),  added the satin stripes with gutter man textile glue. Make the exact measures you want, glue and voila! Unique curtains!

With a ruler and the glue I applied the stripes to the curtain. The result, unique curtains for much less!

New Curtains!

Market day in Amsterdam

Not only its raining, its pouring and horribly windy. The market was canceled, all our things were flying away so we couldn't even set up! It was so cold! We warmed up by keeping close and having to run after our things that blew away with the wind...Its one of those dark grey autumn days that seem to be mass produced specially for Holland.

So anyway, I leave you with some of the things I made for the museumplein market in Amsterdam.. 

Pencil cases

Little cases for makeup or tampons and ST's

Textile and leather Tote bags

All sold with some cute tags and put into a nice bag stamped with the blog's address

Perhaps we will go to the market on the 8th of December!

Gourmet Night

Yesterday I was at home all day so I decided to make something different for dinner and also something I had never done before. The chosen recipes were:

Shortbread Parmesan biscuits with salad
Ricota and spinach cannelloni

Parmesan shortbread biscuits

 

I used a recipe from Nigella Lawson as it had a shorter chill time than the Kitchenaid recipe

150 flour

100butter
75 parmesan
1 egg yolk

Mix all ingredients in a mixer, knead the ball of dough for 3 min. Divide into two and roll into cylinder shape. Chill for 45 min. When chilled cut into 1cm slices and bake in the oven at 180C for 15 min.

Cannelloni stuffed with Ricotta and Spinach

I read several recipes and made my own version...but there are a lot of nice and easy recipes out there!

Spinach and Ricotta stuffing

700g frozen spinach
300g ricotta
one handful grated Picorino cheese
pinenuts
cannelloni
small can of diced tomatoes
basil and garlic

White sauce

White wine

flour
parmesan cheese
butter
milk
cream

Drain as much water as possible from the spinach and mix it with the ricotta and cheese and add salt and pepper. Put the mixture into a piping bag (or a sandwich bag with a corner cut out). Chill while you do the tomatoe sauce.
Pour some olive oil into a frying pan and add the cut up garlic and basil. When hot add the a can of sliced tomatoes. Stir and add half a can of water. Let it simmer for a while.
Meanwhile make your white sauce.
Pour the tomato sauce on an oven tray, arrange the stuffed cannelloni on it leaving a little space between each cannelloni. Pour the white sauce on top and add a few handfuls of parmesan to the top.
Bake at 180C for around 30 min or until the pasta is cooked.

Bon Appétit!