I finished this painting over the weekend. Although I am not happy with the photograph (damn that dark winter light!!), I am pleased with the result. I like toying around with shapes.

Alternative title: "Springoraptor" ;-)

Top1 has a volume of Sjors, a Dutch comic magazine from his
youth. His favorite comic was Distel, drawn by Børge Ring
and his wife Joanika, and written by Patty Klein.

(In 1985, Mr Ring won an Oscar for his animation Anna & Bella.
Also, Ms Klein is a very gifted poet, publishing as Patty Scholten.)

One of the famous sidekicks in Distel is the "Moppenknol"
(a.k.a. "Wag Nag", a horse telling stupid old jokes).

Now that Top3 is reading the old volume of Sjorses,
this is what you get when you ask him to tell a joke:

This is what is referred to as the "frog eye perspective" - right?
Start the CV tour at Theresa's site!

(This is part of Mr Skeleton, as arranged on top of our television by Top1)

When we heard about this project, initiated by this guy, we immediately thought of Top3 and his Warhammer stuff. After all, Top3 is an engaging little fellow worth filming (all children are) and we both have fontd memories of the Super 8 movies our fathers shot when we were young.

Although digitial age is here to stay, there is something to be said for the era of Super 8 movies. A shot better be good - you only had 2.5 minutes per cartridge.

Today, Mr Kramer was here to shoot a movie about Top3. Along with the other movies, it will be on display in the Kunsthal in Rotterdam towards the end of January.

We had fun!

Here is a shot of the director, assistant and movie star at work:

Because sometimes, after a looong day, this is all you've got left:

Top3 is a Big Boy, so he does not believe in Sinterklaas (the Dutch Santa Claus) anymore. No, he believes in Horror Claus, and he has the following items on his wish list:

• warhemmer (Warhammer)
• kilakan (Killer Cam)
• def dret (Death Dread)
• mekboiz + een bik mek (Mek Boyz + Big Mek)
• gas gul traca (Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka)

I thank my lucky stars that I am not Sinterklaas/Santa Claus. As I have no clue what this all means, I'd have to look it all up in some Big Book or other. Possibly an Online Catalogue. Whatever. Anything goes!

Added late at night:


Now, which item to pick? I'm sure "Anything goes" will not be the correct answer...

Remember The Sketchbook Project I mentioned some time ago? I finished the design for 6 (!!!) pages. Also, I've got two paintings in the pipeline, jotted down a couple of lines for a few poems I've been working on and am toying with an idea for a short story.

The Procrastination Beast has been slain - for now...

We already miss summer...

The family is away this weekend, and so I had big plans: Drawing, painting, writing. Art, with a capital A.

But alas, it seems I've caught Ian's procrastination bug (forget the clever comment I made on his blog).

This is what I have been doing so far:

• learn how to make miter joints
  (am so proud)
• apply trims with said miter joints
  (upside down at first)
• sand, fill and coat three doors and said trims
  (future visitors will feel so welcome in our hall)
• replaster the toilet
  (to cover the hole I made earlier for a coat rack)
• install a proper window sill in the toilet
  (again, am so proud)
• sand, fill and coat said window sill
  (oh, Alabastine, how I love thee)
• watch a late night movie whilst eating like a pig
  (what's hunger when you're on a DIY roll)

 Now, where will procrastination lead me today?

Heads must roll occasionally, otherwise the gateway would collapse...

I was going to post about St Martin's Day and how the rain and the wind spoiled it all (as usual).

But as it turns out, it is Bonfire Night. Our neighbours just lost their shed in a fire (and possibly their car, I can't tell).

The irony is, it has stopped raining, but the wind is picking up...

I wonder what kind of animal will come out of the egg One-Eyed Rabbit is hatching out in Top4's autumn display? Guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

It better not be a wintersaur - I hate winter, and haven't got nearly enough food in the house for a -saur.

How much cat is there? Just count the whiskers.
Gently pet their owner and then lightly
Turn on the sound that ever so sprightly
Launches your trip down the Mighty River.

So much claw is needed for listeners
Insisting on words spoken forthrightly.
So much fur is harnessed to slay mighty
Adversaries prone to wintry rigours.

If - heaven forbid - feline fun does end
One should tactfully place an ad or two:
"Is there perchance a soul who can commend

Creatures specializing in small breakthroughs.
A loyal companion in replacement
Of a cat who did more than mew and poo.

An attempt at writing a sonnet. I am not quite happy with the rhyme (as English is not my native language, I find this rather difficult), but I liked the exercise.

What do you think, should I work on it a bit more?

Top3's version of this mythic (?) tale.


Interestingly, Top4 substituted the plane for a witch on her broomstick.

After all, he IS an artist.

With my infamous photographing skills, I took this shaky photo of a picture of a famous couple. Can you guess who they are?


Last month, I witnessed the start of a record attempt for Kilometer Stone Squatting. This dude is the world famous record holder. He probably still is out there, squatting away.


And here is a snapshot of a world famous toy adjusting just fine to famous Dutch tradition.


Earlier this year, we visited Germany, Friesoythe and surroundings to be exact. I found this to be a pretty tedious place. The only exciting thing I came across, was an adorable pooch with a pink bow on, sticking its head out of a pink carrier bag. To me, Friesoythe will always be famous for The Pooch.


CV host still is Theresa.

... matching ears, smiles and suspenders!

This is a fibula with a diameter of 1.77 inch - it apparently took Top1 just 15 minutes to make it.