Wild Berries

These are the fruit of a very common and often beautifully hemispherically shaped tree called Myrica Rubra or Yama Momo. Not known to many people, the fruits are delicious, transformed into jam or liqueur or just as they are, picked from the tree. The taste is sugary sour, depends on how ripe they are, and I really like them a lot. Back in Germany I loved those wild berries like the Elderberry or Blackthorn. Both fruits have fantastic possibilities. Elderberry Jam for instance is, like everything that is made of this fruit, uncomparably to any other taste I know and one of my all time favourites. Or take Blackthorn Liqueur... and it's such a fun to go out and collect the fruits, what you have to, since they are not being sold at the groceries. The same with  the little berries of Yama Momo which are just about to be ready to be collected.

If you like to see what can be done with the blossoms of Elderberry bushes check out the Off Topic section naehblogger PeRu. It's all in German but there are nice pictures to get the idea.

I absolutely fell in love with that cute guy my master used to play with when he was a child. The design is remarkably simple and it is such a pleasing doll. Dagny was patiently waiting for it to be finished as I was knitting it and even told me where to attach the eyes and the rest of the face. That was so cute of her. To refer to his roots I called him Hans, which was a common name back in the old days in Germany.
Some of you told me that you had quite similar toys when you were a child, usually made by your mother in sometimes nice colours, sometimes rather seventies like colour combos which could be very special...
If I weren't so shy I would love to ask you all to do your version of this familiar looking, once so popular toy and bring him back into the children's rooms - which he really would deserve.
As our children would, since he is a really pleasing one.

My Friday's WIP, traditionally being late, would be this here...

Some time ago I stumbeled over wonderful smocked dresses for girls on Flickr (here, here, here and here) and immediately put Smocking on the list of things I want to do. Before I even thought of actually do some steps into that direction, my neighbour and fellow crafter Kagemusyan-san did make her first attempts to smock keeps on telling it wouldn't be too difficult... So this week she gave me a book with detailed descriptions and many pictures, showing the different patterns for smocking, and I will finally give it a try, though it already reminds me very much on cruel crocheting adventure, just by looking at the  instructions...  (What might be  not the best omen for  Hillary, who would like to  learn  how to smock, too and who, as we all know, isn't on too friendly  tones with crocheting herself).

But I will try.

Before I forget: To show you the 'refreshing' style of the summer issue of Craft Cafe I uploaded two photos on my Flickr account. Please take a look here.

Meine Lieben, ich bin heute leider zu faul fuers Deutsche, ich bitte um Entschuldigung. Ich moechte heute etwas backen und verziehe mich nun lieber in die Kueche, als weiter hier am Rechner sitzenzubleiben.

PS: Sagt eigentlich irgendjemand ausser mir zu seinem Rechner Rechner oder habt Ihr alle PCs oder gar Computer?!

Comments

[Julie]

The picture of the fruit is vibrant and pretty. Is that doll a finger puppet? very sweet..

[corinna]

also ich sage auch meistens "rechner" - ist durchaus geläufig hier in deutschland! ;)
dein neuer blog gefällt mir sehr sehr gut, und deine fotos alleine sind schon immer ein echter augenschmaus (auch wenn nichts essbares drauf ist *hihi*)!
lg,
corinna

PS ich komme momentan zu nix, aber ich hoffe, meinen blog auch bald wieder füllen zu können!

[Alexandra]

Hallo Alex,

ich sage neben PC und Computer auch oft Rechner.

Die Beeren sehen wirklich sehr sehr lecker aus. Ich könnte glatt in den Bildschirm reinbeißen ;-) Zur Zeit esse ich viel Erdbeeren, Kirschen und Himbeeren. Eine gute Alternative zum Monitor *gggg*

Das du dein Püppchen nach dem Namen meiner besseren Hälfte nennst, finde ich sehr nett von dir ;-) Sieht wirklich knuffig aus.

Viel Spaß und vor allem viel Erfolg beim Smoken.

LG Alex

[jessica]

what a beautiful berry.

[mariannealice]

those berries are so beautiful...I would love to try to embroider one with lots of tiny french knots...I am going to start on my little doll tomorrow and will send a photo as soon as he is done ( he is such a he isn't he)

[katrin]

hmmmmm.... holunderbeersaft! oder (vorher schon) holunderblütenküchlein *hrrrrrch* ^.^
ich hab einen im garten, der blüht gerade...

meine wenigkeit hat weder rechner noch pc noch computer. ich hab hier nur einen schlepptop, den ich mein eigen nennen darf - aber dazu sag ich halt auch nicht "rechner" oder so. SO groß isser ja nicht *g*

oh, und DANKE für die fotos! ^.^

[valentina]

Hmm. Dann sind's die Schweizer die nicht Rechner sagen. Oh, und was ist denn das nun? Die Deutsche Leserschaft ist nun zweitranging? ;-)

[Elke]

Bei mir rechnet auch ein Rechner... PC nenne ich ihn aber sicher nicht, sonst würde mein Apple vor Schreck womöglich abstürzen (falls er das kann!).
An die Pueppchen erinnere ich mich gut, sie waren wirklich eine zeitlang sehr beliebt. Von dieser Variante habe ich allerdings keine mehr. Mir fehlten damals schon Arme und Beine, um Kleidung zu tragen und wechseln zu koennen...mal wuehlen, ob die erweiterte Version die vielen Umzuege ueberlebt hat.
Die Beeren schreien wirklich nach Knoetchenstich! So huebsch...

[Vera]

Hi, wir haben hier auch nur "Rechner" rumstehen (2 Laptops, 2 PC`s). Computer sagen höchstens die Kinder, für alle anderen in der Familie heißt es einfach der Rechner.
Übrigens, dein neuer Blog gefällt mir sehr gut, die Bilder sind einfach immer wieder klasse, einfach nur schön zum gucken.

[Kelli]

Loving those berries! Too pretty.

[Simone]

Alex, Ich hab immer noch die Brigitte Anleitung fuer die Puppen Anno 1980. Die ist von Hamburg nach Ohio, San Francisco und jetzt New York mit mir gereist.

[het lieveheersbeestje]

Hi,
I just dicovered your blog, and I loved the little owls that you made! Tomorrow, I will try to make a few too! Would be so nice to have a few.. but I will make them with cotton, well see..
The doll you called Hans (by the way, a common name overhere in the Netherlands too) I also made for my children. And when I was a little girl, I had a few too! It is such a nice little project to make.
Good luck with your lovely blog!
Greatings from het lieveheersbeestje.