Dutch Treats!

I'm having fun going through my pictures, and this morning when I made myself a cup of tea, I thought I needed to share with you what I brought home with me!

Lucy hasn't even seen these.....but these are the tall coffee mugs I found at the AIRPORT! I was trying to find a way to use up all my left over euros.. :cD My only regret is that they didn't have FOUR different designs. They had 3 on the shelf. So I bought 3. I could have bought SIX...then I would have had 2 of each. My family loves them for hot chocolate. They are now my favorite mugs. The designs are based on traditional delft tiles. One of them is the same pattern pretty much to an antique tile that Lucy gave me years ago. I just LOVE these. Maybe I can twist Lucy's arm to bring me more when she comes stateside again?? (6 mugs would have been a pain as a carry on, I had enough as it was)

Limited baggage space, and the cost of things in Europe makes things a challenge. And my favorite thing to do? Thrift shops! So we were able to find some goodies at dutch thrift shops!!

Aren't these tins great? I think the most expensive one was .50 cents SERIOUS! Thrifting is the way to go! I can see the red rectangular one with the hinged lid as a sewing caddy. And it is OLD!

Of course the big thing when shopping in the Netherlands for us Touristas.....DELFT BLUE! This would have been expensive anywhere else,but I found it...at the thrift shop! It is now hanging in my kitchen. And what is more fun is that I have the memory of junk hunting with a good friend to add to the memories. Anyone can shop in a store....but treasure hunting with a friend? Priceless!

One of the funny things while in the thrift shop....hearing "grandma got run over by a reindeer" over the speakers! It was like..what's WRONG with this picture! I wanted to hear Christmas Carols in Dutch :c)

But instead, I found this hand embroidered table cloth! Someone put HOURS into stitching this, it's lovely! I only show 1/4 of it, but the design is repeated all the way around. And it was easy to pack and bring home. I had it on my table for Christmas.

No, they are not minature samurai swords...they are antique wooden ice skates!! These were also at the thrift store. We were headed to Spakenburg, and Lucy knew of this little thrift store. We saw a table of ice skates,but no wooden ones. So she asked the guy...and these were in the back! I guess he thought no one would want these...but I do! Now they are hanging off a rack that also has a quilt on it in my front hall.

Licorice! Or Drop, if you are dutch. I love this stuff....it is AMAZING! And yes, I had twice as much,but Jeff and I have eaten it half gone already (including the Apekoppen that is Jeff's favorite...(Apekoppen means MONKEY HEADS!)

Tonya, the sweetie...found these wonderfully fun BUG dish towels in Amsterdam and gifted one to me. It's shown here hanging on my oven door. I LOVE it! It's just not the normal thing you expect to see in a kitchen. I love textiles, and these are all thread woven into this wonderful pattern. Thanks Ton!

The most touching gift of all:


After the workshops, the shop staff,friends,and others had a small reception upstairs in the classroom area. Treats and everything! I was presented this lovely hard cover book, and it is signed inside by all the shop staff,and the shop owner. I was speechless. Believe me, it isn't often that words fail me,but they did. I love this book of antique dutch quilts SO much. Thank you ladies, I'll treasure it as I treasure all of you!