About Me

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Antwerp, Belgium
Welcome to the new, and improved version of Heaven in Belgium. I am Jientje. "Jientje", like the boys name Gene, followed by "chu"? "Gene-chu", that's how you pronounce my name. Yes!!!!That's it!! So now you know huh? I am an addicted blogger. I was born and raised and am still living in Belgium. Yeah, the "this-is- Tuesday-so-this-must-be-Brussels" kind of Belgium .. There, you see? Maybe you couldn't find it on the map, but at least I'm trying to change that a little by sharing lots of pictures. I really love to cook and create new things, like this blog for instance. I am a mother,a grandmothe and a wife too! They say I'm a traveler, and a photographer. Well that's just what they say, I love to make pictures, but I am far from professional ... If my English is not perfect, that would be because it's my second language. I do hope you'll forgive me any possible misspellings or strange vocabulary ... Now, as a result of all of the above, I get way too little sleep and my days are always much too short!

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Heaven is in Belgium

Friday, January 8, 2010

Friday’s Fave Five, First Week of 2010

FFF snowflakes-1.JPG

It’s Friday again, the first week of 2010 is almost over. Friday’s Fave Five hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story is a great meme making us look back at the week that has passed and count our blessings.

It’s been a wonderful week. Most important item this week is …
1.The new challenge I got myself into. My husband’s Canon D40 has hardly been used since he got it, so I’m going to be the one using it. I’ve challenged myself to work with this big guy at least an hour a day trying to get to know him and understand how he works. At the end of the day, I pick one photo a day and post it on my new blog. That way I’m hoping to grow into it a little and to be able to see the progress I’m likely (or should I say hopefully) going to make. I photograph everything and anything now, even while peeling potatoes! ROFL!

Fiday's fave five 1Creativity and photography are the main key words this week I guess.
2. Last Saturday my husband and I went on a photo walk around the castle of Horst. It’s a place he knows well since he spent a lot of his school holidays there with his aunt who lived nearby. We took a long walk around the castle, and something magical happened. The sun came out, making the clouds part which changed the light all the time. It was as if somebody “up there” was playing with the light switches, illuminating the castle and the frozen pond. The castle was bathing in warm sunlight and all the colors started to pop. It was photography heaven. More pictures are to come within the next few days.

Friday's Fave Five  33. Snow and cold weather. I never thought I would ever hear myself say this, but I’m actually enjoying the snow and the cold Winter weather we’re getting here the last couple of days. It makes me want to go out for a walk in the cold crisp air. Coming home to real old fashioned cold weather comfort food after that is just wonderful.
4. Isn’t it great when you can find a great bargain, especially when you were not even looking for it? I went to the supermarket to buy bread baking flour when I stumbled upon this book. It’s a real baking “bible”, with old fashioned recipes and newer ones, a book I always wanted to have but somehow never bought. It was on sale yesterday! I paid 5€ instead of 25€ normal price. It was the next to last one, the last one still wrapped in plastic! I’m so happy with it!

Friday's Fave Five 2
5. I packed all the Christmas stuff and redecorated the living room yesterday, and I’m VERY happy how it looks. I made little arrangements with a snowy theme .
I’ll tell you how I did it: I used dried leaves and Hydrangea flowers - leftovers from my fall decoration - and silk roses. I sprayed them with snow spray. I sprinkled some artificial snow on while the paint was still wet and left them to dry. I used these ingredients to create flower arrangements and decorations throughout the living room. A little more snow here and there, an art book, Boyds Bears all dressed up for Winter … ( They even have skies and a sprinkle of snow on their noses! ) I had fun!

It’s been a great week, how was yours?

More Fave Five posts at Susanne’s Living to Tell the Story.
More pictures of me on my new blog Heavenin365.

18 comments:

moneythoughts said...

I like your photos. They have a warm glow to them. Good luck with the "big guy" as you call him. Hope you have a nice weekend too.

Christie, Describe Happy said...

I am totally enamored by your photos!! So much so.. that I can't pick a favorite. I am sure I'll be back to look at them again. And is that your dining room table? It's gorgeous!?! I adore that long farm country table look ... and your decorations came out wonderfully!! Thank you so much for sharing!! Inspired me to put snowy deco on my mantle! It will be fun!

Unknown said...

Love the pictures - I love the new blog, too, where you post the pictures you take with the 40D.

Momisodes said...

That is a lovely camera. Glad to hear you're giving it a whirl :)

Looks like it was a nice week indeed. I love all of the shots. It definitely looks as chilly and wintry there as it does here :)

Barbara H. said...

You make even peeling potatoes look artsy! And I would so love to stroll around a castle. I love the frosted snow on the flowers.

Carrie said...

You aren't just having a LITTLE fun with that camera now, are you? ;D

Happy Friday to you!

Avril said...

Just LOVE your photos!!!!

kayerj said...

very nice--I love the roses with a dusting of snow.

ellen b said...

I always enjoy your photos Jientje! You have such a great eye for seeing things worthy of photographing. Your home looks so cozy and nice! That food you show is calling out to me...yummy.
I love that kind of bargain and how great that it was something you really wanted!!
Happy FF and have a great weekend...

Susanne said...

I love your decorating and enjoy seeing how you change things up for the seasons.

Great deal on that cookbook. I'm sure we'll see some great pictures of the delicious dishes you'll be making out of there!

That is one huge camera. I've been wanting to learn how to work my hubby's canon rebel but I think I'll have to take classes or join some kind of group for that.

The Retired One said...

Loved all of these shots, and I can't wait to see your castle in the sun photos too.
And, a new blog?? I will be RIGHT OVER!

Brenda said...

I do love it when I get a good bargain, but I can't say I like the snow! As usual, I love all of your pics.

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

Beautiful pictures!!

And I love a bargain, too.

Come see how my week was.

Melli said...

The castle walk looks like it was great fun! I would love to visit a real castle...

Wanda..... said...

Now I see the artificial snow ROFL...I took a long walk in the snow this morning, winter is a faorite of mine!

Heidi said...

Now, that's a camera! Your week looks wonderful. I would say mine just got wonderful, which is good. I'm emerging from my slump. Thanks for visiting me recently.

The pics here are just great. I didn't think yours could get any better. Wow!

Kathy said...

Awesome shots around the castle, bargain books, pretty decorations, you did have a lovely week and I can see you are enjoying the "new to you" lol camera.

Jientje said...

@ moneythoughts : I always love your comments fred. I hope you're having a great weekend too!
@ DescribeHappy : That's my dining room table, yes. I'm looking forward to see your decorations, almlost as much as I look forward to reading your next post. I love your blog.
@ LceeL : Thanks Lou, I'm having fun, can you tell?
@ Momisodes : It is a nice camera, I'm totally in love with the Big Guy!
@ Barbara H.: Lots of castle here in Belgium!
@ Carrie : I'm having a blast!
@ Avril : Awww, thanks!
@ kaye : Thanks.
@ ellen b : I hope you had a great weekend too! Loved the book, made a new recipe from it and it's delicious!
@ Susanne : It's how to get the feeling of the seasons, even inside. I love to decorate.
@ The Retired One : Thanks for following the new blog!
@ Brenda : I prefer Spring and Summer too, but so far I had fun with the snow!
@ Laura : Have a great weekend!
@ Melli : Lots of castles in Belgium you know. Who knows, maybe someday?
@ Wanda : I imagine any season is pretty where you are.
@ 2Thinks : I want to do better every day, so ...
@ Kathy : The new to me camera is just awesome, I love that guy!

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