It has to be done ...

You know, there are things that just have to be done. And one of those things is sorting - and mostly deleting - photographs. Even back in the old days, when I was still shooting film, I came back from New Zealand with over 40 rolls of film (roughly 1600 photos). When switching to digital, the number increased even more.

So this means that the most important part of the "post-production" is to delete about 90 % of all the photos I shoot and keep only the really good ones. Sometimes the decision is not so easy:

See what I mean?

Tiger cake

Two of my friends were celebrating their birthdays meaning that a present had to be made. A bunch of us gathered, baked a cake and decorated it accordingly. Mind you, this was the first time any of us worked with fondant - or sculptured a cake, but we're all very very happy with the result: a tiger cake.

Photo not by me. I hope the author allows me to share it.

Still reading Agatha Christie

63. A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY (Miss Marple)
Miss Marple travels to the Caribbean and someone almost shows her a photo of a murderer. The next day, he's found dead and the photograph gone. But he isn't the only victim! Miss Marple uses the only weapon she has - gossip - to solve the case. Very predictable novel but at the same time a very enjoyable one.

Memorable quotes:
-"Adventures always seem to happen to other people."
-"Actually, you've got a logical mind. Very few women have."
-"Having brains, you can get most things you want without having recourse to murder. Murder is stupid."
-"One really knows so little about the people one meets when one is travelling ... one only knows, doesn't one, what they choose to tell you about themselves."
-"One should never take exception to one's children's objectionable friends. Usually they
grow out of them naturally."
-"Don't distrust all men because you've met one bad lot." 

Favourite Guest Character: Mr. Rafiel
Mystery: ****
Final Solution: **
Entertainment: *****
11/15


62. PROBLEM AT POLLENSA BAY
A collection of short stories, including:  Parker Pyne on Mallorca does what he does best, colourful tea cups solve a family mystery, a diamond disappears on a ship and a woman knows when it's time to go.

Memorable quotes:
-"No man or woman is actually himself (or herself) till after forty-five."
-"... the law's one thing, and right and wrong are quite another."
-"It isn't a dog's business to think."
-"I'm so tired of being brave."

Favourite Guest Character: Mr Quinn and his questions
Favourite Story: The Regatta Mystery
Mystery: **
Final Solution: ***
Entertainment: ***
8/15

I couldn't find a good photo of Pollenca, so Palma should do.

61. WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS?
Bobby, a son of a vicar, and Lady Frances try to solve the mystery behind a photograph, stage an accident, spy around a local sanatorium, get kidnapped, try not to get poisoned and of course answer the question who Evans was. Although part of the question lies half around the world, the final answer is much closer than anyone thinks.

Memorable quotes:
-"On principle I distrust people who have alibis."
-"It's extraordinary how men like helpless women."
-"He must have out-Houdini'd Houdini."
-"But if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again."

Favourite Guest Character: Frances, of course.
Mystery: *****
Final Solution: ***
Entertainment: ****
12/15

A bag for spare clothes

When you have so much work to do that you don't even know where to start - you start another project. I'm surely not the only one who does this...

So I made a bag for spare kids' clothes. You know, a bag that is always packed and includes trousers, T-shirt, socks and underwear for MiniMojcek Nr1. and all this plus diapers, tissues etc for MiniMojcek Nr.2. So when you want to go out with the kids, all you have to do is grab this bag and you're sure you're not forgetting anything. 

I used  the "O, boy!" fabrics by David Walker:

I did struggle a bit with the execution. You know, the lining, the pockets, the zipper etc.

But I'm pretty happy with the final result. It even has two inner pockets:

 

And it opens flat :-)

Now I only have to fill it and it will be ready.

Not intentionally

In case you're wondering - no, this is not a new design of my blog. This is just me inadvertently clicking on one of the templates and trying to get my old design back.

Then again, this may be a good opportunity to make something new - something I wanted to do for a while but I never got around of actually doing it. But since I have absolutely no spare time at the moment, this too will have to wait. Till then...

Tiger penguin

I've been extremely busy recently so I needed to dig up a project from the past. And what could be better than a penguin :-)

Here it is, a huge Tux (the Linux penguin) that I made a while ago for a friend of mine.

Work in progress:


Still on the operating table:


And the finished Tux!


Unfortunately, when he moved in with his (now) wife, he was given an ultimatum - the girlfriend or the penguin. He chose the girlfriend and the penguin is now at his parents' house. Oh well...

He later got a smaller but hairier one instead :-)

PS: I hate the new blogger. The images should be centered but for some reason they were always aligned to the left. I had to copy the source from the old posts to get them centered and remove all the class rubbish. Me not happy.

Hah, I cracked it. The trick is to add a caption!

Happy Easter

I'm officially losing sense of time: there are Easter bunnies in the shops but I still have Christmas decorations at home. Where did the four months go?!?

Anyway, it's time for Easter eggs and potica.


I found an interesting motive in the used gloves:


Following last year's success with potica I decided to make another one this year. A chocolate-coconut potica:


Unfortunately I fell very sick and could not really enjoy the holidays. Or potica. Oh well.