If... (a little story about fate)

If I hadn't called city hall *again* yesterday to ask if there was any way to speed up my kids getting their BSN #'s*

If they hadn't changed their tune and said come on in, don't wait for your appointment weeks from now we can do kids documentations on the spot.

If we hadn't decided to take our bikes downtown while it was sunny.

If it hadn't started to pour rain 5 minutes after we headed off.

If my tire hadn't gone completely flat half way there after passing a bike shop that I didn't want to double back to in the aforementioned rain.

...did I mention I had my 9 year old riding on the backrack? 

If that hadn't been the last bike shop we would see before hitting the Gemeente** downtown.

If my husband hasn't check his smartphone for a nearby bikeshop which turned out to be a rental place across the street.

We wouldn't have noticed they had for sale the most perfect second hand bike for my daughter sitting for sale right by the air pump.

And I wouldn't have this....

....The most perfect picture of my most happy little big girl on her new bike!

Hope your day was a great as ours!

B

*BSN = the Dutch equivalent of a SIN number (this gets your kids in school and cheap transit passes)

**Gemeente = City Hall (where you get every bureaucratic document you could need if you ask in just the right way)

Mid-Week at My Place: Tie Dye Eggs

We've been in the Easter spirit this week over here. The kids decorated the house and I've been trying too remember to blow out the eggs rather than crack them each time we use eggs to collect a few for dying. Truth is, I don't remember very often and I'm not the kind of mum who turns round and bakes a cake or something when she finds herself in need of a bowl full of eggshells. And while I love getting crafty I'm a lazy mum I try to gear the craft to the abilities of my young kids so we don't all get frustrated.

So last year I found a few people talking about how to dye eggs with old silk ties and I began to experiment with it. I was hooked. The kids too. And the bonus, no one is getting their fingers covered in dyes that last for days. We love this craft so much the kids both asked me to make kits to share with their friends and since that was easy enough I happily obliged.


This year we have done a bunch already and we plan to more still and since I did remember to blow a few eggs out we might even try a few more traditionally dyed eggs.

If you want to know how to tie dye your own eggs here is a little how to. It's real easy and you gotta just love how they turn out.

Tie Dye Easter Eggs

Cut apart old silk ties and cut out squares big enough to cover an average egg.  

 

 Wrap a raw egg with a piece of the patterned silk, making sure the printed side of the material is facing the egg. Silk can still be used if it doesn't fit perfectly around egg and you can wrap the egg with 2 swatches of silk too if you like. 

 

Place the silk-wrapped egg in the piece of white sheet and secure tightly with a twist-tie. Make sure it is good and snug.

Place the egg(s) in an enamel or glass pot.* Fill pot with water to cover eggs completely. Then, add three tablespoons of white vinegar. Do not overcrowd the eggs. 

*do not use a metal pot, it may react with the vinegar.

 Bring water to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 20 minutes.Remove eggs from water with tongs or spoon and let cool.Remove silk from cooled egg.

 Additional Ideas:

• For shiny eggs, wipe with vegetable oil
• Silk squares can be reused.
• Any silk goods such as ties, blouses, and boxers can be used to make more squares but the heaviest silk and brighter/more intense patterns tend to have more ink and that seems to work better.
• The white squares are sheets and tablecloths. 
• Make gift sets to share with friends. Tie the bundles together with a strip of the white fabric. 

BHappy and have fun!
Barb