One of my friends in Prague told me that you could forecast the winter cold by counting the brown skirts of an onion. Few skirts means not a cold winter and many skirts means a cold winter. We were joking about buying onions grown in China so we only could forecast the winter weather in China It would be great to know if the winter will be extremely cold. We are still doubting about getting our car winter tyres.

Yesterday I had to clean a lot of onions for a meal so I remembered this story. I checked the bag and YES: made in Holland! So I started peeling and counting.

This is what I found, all in the same bag:

two onions with 4 brown skirts

one onion with 3 brown skirts

two onions with 2 brown skirts

three onions with 1 brown skirt

A bit confusing. So I guess our winter will be the same as usual: a few cold days, a little bit snow and many gray days. Or, as we say in the Netherlands: `Het kan vriezen, het kan dooien` (It could freeze, it could melt)  meaning we will see what will happen.

I changed myself into an Avatar with Photoshop after finding this tutorial on internet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU31giMd624&NR=1&feature=endscreen

It was meant to do this with my students but I wanted to try it myself first. It is not perfect and it is quite a lot of work but it was fun to do. The tutorial shows step by step how to do this. The tutorial is in English.

At a Doll Show in Prague last weekend I saw those two living dolls. I was told that the girl on the left is dressed in steampunk style. They tried to explain me the concept of steampunk. Something with Jules Verne and industrial revolution. As far as I know the style of the girl on the  right is gothic lolita. Correct me if I am wrong. I like them both.

Left of them my friend Ankie Daanen is just visible in the crowd.

Someone sent me this picture of a street artist making a 3D drawing. Really amazing! I wonder if it only works from one specific point of view.

Manoscar

Please click on “Manoscar” above. This funny Powerpoint presentation was sent to me by Lize Kindt. As you see you never have to get bored.

I am finally getting my first grand child!
It turns out to be a Maine Coon cat by the name of “Koekebakker”. He seems to be named after someone, but not after my husband or me, and we are the grand parents

My son and his girlfriend are going to get this little cat in a few weeks. In the meantime they are gathering everything a cat could possibly need. Of course a small basket, but also a traveling box, a big cat litter box and also a small one for traveling.  They even got him some toys. See picture (and this is no joke).

They know exactly how they are going to feed him and bring him up. They want to train him to travel so they will bring him to us regularly.
Oh well, I guess I can love an adopted grand child as much as a real one.

Finally I have seen Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B7s01DpBTg

What a feast for the eye!  These twins! Johnny Depp’s make up! And his costumes! This rabbit! Alice in her armor! I was there with two of my students and we had a great time.

You don’t want to know how this is made. You just want to enjoy the wonderful and weird world you see.
Although I am not at all interested in making a doll after someone else’s imagination I must say that this movie could be quite an inspiration. And I would like to see it a second time for sure and that is not normal for me.

One of my students, Erica van Noort, made her version of the Mad Hatter that is shown on this picture.

Sometimes you see a commercial that is so funny or so well made that it gets classic. I don’t know if Heineken showed these outside the Netherlands that is why I decided to share. The first one was already very good but they managed to come up with a second one that is even funnier. I am very fond of drinking beer myself and Heineken is not my brand but they sure know how to make a commercial.
Don’t we all want a walk in closet (or a walk in fridge)?

The first one: Heineken walk in fridge

The second one: New Heineken walk in fridge comercial

Have fun!