Thank you house!

Whom i shared so much with
laughter and joy
sadness and tears
goodtimes and bad

the friends
the creativity
the kitchenfire
goodbye's and welcome homes
the seasons
the okura and rembrandt building
Anne Frank's original home around the corner
Creaking sloping part in the middle of my hallway
the gorgeous broad treelined street
the love
and so much more

When i left Amsterdam there were still some pieces of furniture and so on in my apartment. Those were picked up by my relatives after i left. Weird that i haven't seen the place emptied out. So my father sent me some pictures from after they were done. I wonder if there is already someone else living in 'my' apartment. If so, hope they have a wonderful time there, it has been a good home to me.

Where's my playground?

Finally i'm sitting down to actually update my blog. Sorry for my absence. But i'm here again.
Here and in New York! Pfffff.... can't believe i actually made it! Feels good to be back.
A lot has happened already in the week that i'm here.

My arrival at JFK was aaight (notice me talking like a new yorker already) The guy at customs asked some questions and started out giving me somewhat of a hard time. Which i could barely handle after the emotional goodbye's at Amsterdam airport, the 7,5 hour flight and the waiting in line for another hour and a half. But i managed to stay calm and keep composure. He and Love talked about music a bit while i tried to keep quiet and only answer when asked. I know not to take changes with those who have the power of the stamp! And i wanted that stamp. By the end of it, the man was actually very kind, even mentioning some job openings at Port Authority. And ending with putting the long-awaited stamp over my visa and scribbling a date in my passport by which i have to have my conditional status removed (Love and i aren't married for two years yet, thus the temp status).

But i wasn't in the clear yet. Had to walk through a hallway which seemed to last forever. Or was it the adrenaline and nerves that made it look that way? ;) There were three ladies sitting behind a desk talking and laughing, telling me to take a seat. Soon after which they motioned for me to come over. Had to sign some paperwork and have my fingerprints taken, this time not the high-tech way, but old fashioned ink. Yukk. The ladies were sweet and before i knew it, i heard one of them say "That's it. Welcome to the United States." I was like, for real?! This is it? Wheeeew! A big smile appeared on my face and an honest 'thank you so much' before i turned around to give Love a big hug. The ladies were like, ooooh... how cute! hihi.
So now i'm here. Slept off my yet lag. Enjoyed some of New York sun. Walked around a bit through the neighbourhood running in to people i haven't seen in a long time. I'm still trying to get all of my things in place. Unpacking, settling in. All the things i still had waiting for me over here were a great discovery. How wonderful to find bags full of clothes, perfumes and crafty items. It almost felt like shopping without having to pay. Lovely.

I'm now anxiously waiting to receive my Social Security Number. They said it would take up to two or three weeks. You need your SSN for almost anything here. So actually setting up a back account (and paypal after that), a phone/internet connection, a PO box, anything, will have to wait. Isn't that my story for a long time already? Waiting. Hey, my patience has been tested so much already, i can handle this too.

I'm very excited that this weekend is the Renegade Craft Fair here in Brooklyn! So you know where i'm gonna be!

See you in New York!

Guess this will be my last post before i fly off to New York tomorrow.

Not sure if i'll have internet access straight away, but there are plenty of wireless internet spots around town. I will have to sleep off my jetlag first when i arrive.
So it could be that you don't see a new post in the next couple of days, but i'll be back asap from NYC!

Packing & Painting

I'm finally getting the feeling my apartment is getting "emigration-ready". Suitcases are being packed, boxes stacked.

Many thoughts go through my mind. Future plans, current things to do. I try to keep calm in the chaos of my thoughts. And my home. Everything is in boxes or piles to sort through.
Not much creativeness happening right now. Well, maybe creative packing.

I threw out or gave away a lot of things. I sold a couple of things online. Feels nice to get rid of lots of material things you don't really need. I'm keeping some things i'm really attached to in storage to take with me next time and next time, no hurry.
I have to decide which things to take with me on the flight. My luck is that my Love always travels light. Real light. So i can use most of his luggage space. 2 items each, so i can pack like 3,5 suitcase. Lots of crafty and sewing related items are going with me.

I did go through my fabric stash with a very critical eye. Just can't take everything with me right now. And New York does have fabric stores. duh. Made a selection of my favorites and those have already found a place in one of the suitcases.
With all the piles everywhere is sometimes get the feeling i'm only moving around items. from pile to pile. ohoh. not good.
Another thing about moving out of my apartment is that the contract says i have to hand over the property with all plain white walls. (How unoriginal) My luck since i have certain walls in red, in pink or in purple. And then there is the purple Buddha on the wall of my office space.

There really was no time to be creative and paint cute characters on the wall before the full white layers, just for the fun of it.
But there was a little bit of time for love.
How to make painting fun.

The day after

June 3rd 2007 was a wonderful day for me. I feel so blessed, loved and spoiled. Very much grateful too.

The sun was shining from early morning on. I was nervous about all of my family coming for my birthday/going away party, hoping everyone would have a good time. I was nervous for the lingering goodbyes which were coming closer.

A lot of the fam helped out organizing the party. It was held in a space in a pretty church. (Good karma!) They had given the party a three-way theme; USA-Dutch-Indonesian. To be recognized in the decorations and the food that was served. And my cousins were so sweet to take over the bar during the day and help serve the snacks and drinks. Thank you girls!

The whole day flew by and was filled with great moments. There were laughs, hugs and kisses, singing, and some tears mixed with lots of love. There even was a little bit excitement when there happened to be a little vandalism fire close to the church (some bad kids put fire to a basketball pole. not of my relatives!)

Saying goodbye to everyone was hard. I will see some at the airport on Thursday, but not everyone will be there. Many tears were shed and sweet words were said. I will so much miss everyone. My grandmothers, my parents and brother, my uncles and aunts, my cousins, the kids of my cousins, my friends. But like a friend wrote in her goodbye card, don't go to NY and sit there missing us over here, focus on your thing why you're there.
Wise words.

And the family made me booklets filled with pictures, stories, poems and well wishes. I have flipped through them once now and i felt i had to cry. I think i will have to wait with reading them. I'll save them for the day that i really long for everyone over here.

By the way, don't you love the so retro bathroom tiling the church had? Ismoyo likes!

Going away party

No time to design my own invitation cards... But i did find a pack with these stylish cards to invite my family to my birthday & going away party.

I'll be leaving for NYC on June 7th and my birthday is on June 3rd, so it all comes together like that. I hope it will be a wonderful Sunday with my lovely large family (around 60 people!). I will miss them so when i'm gone, but i'm also so excited to go!
More on this and the rest of my journey soon!

Today's biorhythm

This is what my biorhythm told me about today:

Physical: Give yourself a rest. It may be useful to save some energy for the next few days.
Emotional: You're nervous or unsure, or feeling an inner emptiness - that's just the way it is for now.
Intellectual: You are irresolute and don't know where to start. Just start - Anywhere!

It might have a point there. ;)
But no need to worry 'bout me. I'm doing fine, but moving overseas is just a lot of work and emotions. That's a plain fact. Like the biorhythm said, just the way it is for now. I wonder what it will say on the day of the actual move.

Photos: Some of my Ewos sightings around Amsterdam. Famous for his one liner "So much anger built inside" i thought it would be fitting to post now. Not that i have that much anger built up inside. Really not. The simply drawn, out of one line Ewos figures just look like they fit the biorhythm description.
More Ewos pictures on Ekosystem.

A good mail day

It was a good mail day. Even though the mailman was late. No time to stay home and wait for him all day, so decided to just go out. i saw the mailman in my street going towards my door.
I decided to walk back, following the mail to my home when i saw him ringing my bell. (me turning around and following him must have looked very suspicious to him)
"You got some mail for #75?"
"yep!"
"That's for me, I'm expecting an important signed delivery."
"Hm." Now he's seizing me up. If it's really for me.
"From whom do you expect to receive something lady?"
"The US consulate, sir."
A smile appears on his face as he pulls out a large envelope from his bag and has me sign for it.
"Thank you for probably the most important mail delivery of my life!"

I went back inside and opened the envelop. Found my passport inside, with my official visa in it! Woohoo! It's really real now. Inside was also a letter explaining me how to enter the US next time and another large envelop with DO NOT OPEN on it. That's just plain cruel. You know now i do want to open it. I won't. But i do want to. Because it says not to.

illustration draft and some good news

Thanks for the kind comments and emails i have received on my last nervousness post.

So many things go through my mind the last couple of days, i feel like I'm bouncing around like an energizer bunny.
I'm in a constant adrenaline rush.

I've went to the consulate for my final visa interview. After waiting in line and going through multiple security checks, I've waited till they called my name. They checked all my final paperwork, took my passport and again two photos (now they have 6 in total. why?), gave me my vaccination records and x-ray photo made at the medical check (never saw my ribcage before!), and asked me to take a seat and wait some more.

After not too long my name was called again, now by another person and i had my fingerprints taken, no ink, it was a tiny scanner i had to put my fingers on, and i had to officially swear everything I'd stated in my files was true and to the best of my knowledge. Raise your right hand please, ma'am.

The person went through my entire file front to back, checking it again. In the meanwhile asking me questions about me and my Love and our relationship. The man asking the questions was kind and didn't give me the feeling he doubted anything i said. It was a pleasant conversation, but i kept being nervous until i heard him say it was all looking good and gave me a compliment on a good job filling in all the papers myself. Thank you sir. He started telling about what would happen next, with my passport, the stamps, entering the US, my social security number. I had researched all these things already, but hearing him tell me it was like giving me approval. And well, he did. Approve me. First wait some more and pay the final fees, second the approval to move to NY!

I had such a large smile on my face i think everyone could see something wonderful had just happened to me.

Later that day there was champagne.

There is a good change i might be talking about some move related things on here in the next couple of weeks. If you're a visitor coming here for crafty stories or vintage pictures and other ismoyo favorite things, i will definitely try to keep posting those too. And there of course are craft related move topics too. Like, what to do with my craft supplies? How to select what to throw out, what to move right away, what to store and send over later? A million things going through my mind right now. I'm gonna make me a cup of tea, sit down and update my todo list, then try to relax a bit.

Oh yeah, the illustration. Since i will be making a big move, a fresh start for the blog and the rest of the site at the same time, is appropriate don't you think? Drafting some illustrations for the layout. Sneak preview.

New retro doll and sooooo nervous

One of my greatest Queensday thrift finds was this new addition to my retro doll collection. I think she is so lovely holding her little puppy!
She is making new friends already.

Why the nervous part?
Tomorrow is the big day in regard to my visa application. Got to go to the consulate for my final interview! Oooh, so many butterflies in my stomach. Already did my yoga excersices but still an overload of adrenaline. Just one more day and i will know if i can really start packing.

One Step Closer

Listening to Michael Franti
One step closer to you

Phew. I got through my medical exam for my visa journey. Had an chest X-ray done, blood taken, first was complimented on my veins, well, thank you doctor, but then the first try didn't work and i had another one in my other arm, brought my vaccination records but the US required me to have two more, so both my arms were really sore, that feeling afterwards is worse than the shot itself. A number of general checks, answered questions about my medical history, handed over passport pictures and enough money that could have instead bought me a couple of great new outfits and i was done.

Next is more waiting, no call about the results of the xray and bloodtest until final interview is a good thing. We're one step closer.

Butterflies and smiles

Butterflies in my stomach and a smile on my face. I'm so excited... lala... and i just can't hide it... lala... Ooohhh...
I think the butterflies are having a dancing party.

What is going on? Well, my blogreaders who have been following me for some time now, might know i've been planning to move to NY officially. I have applied for a visa, but due to certain circumstances we had to wait longer than planned to proceed with the whole process. But this week the papers came in that i have been waiting on for a loooong time. My patience has been tested to the limit. I kept faith. And it all worked out in the end.

No i'm not there yet. I don't have my visa yet. Still got some things to take care of. But there is progress.
I'll send my final paperworks to the consulate tomorrow and then i'll have to wait for my invitation for a medical check and a final interview. After that it's waiting for the needed stamps in my passport and book a planeticket!
I'm not popping any champagne bottles yet. I'm still having faith and some more patience.

I won't be able to sew for 3,5 weeks!

Oh my... oh my...
I just realized that this is the bad side to some very joyful news...

I BOUGHT A TICKET TO NEW YORK!!! Whoohoo! I'm gonna be with my man again!! Whoohoo! Ok, it might not be the permanent move over the ocean yet, but this is good too. This way i can already move over some stuff too. I still need to wait a couple of days but then I'm on that plane!

My blog will still be updated with new adventures because I will bring my laptop. Of course. This girl can't live without her computer. A couple of weeks without my sewing machine is difficult. Without the computer is impossible. Hihi. I might need to take up handsewing again. Because you know i will bring some of my craft supplies! Ah well, not sewing does give me more time to work on my illustrations, so it's not a totally bad thing.

Anybody knows anything about common sewing withdrawal symptoms?

Moving overseas - an update

I have been receiving some sweet emails of blog visitors inquiring about the progress of my big move overseas. Thanks for the interest. Well, progress, not really, unfortunately. It has to be put on hold for a couple of more months... (I'm not a happy puppy due to this)
It's not that me or my hubby don't want to have it happen asap, but with some things in the visa process we're depending on other people. And we're grateful that they are willing to help us out so you can't just shake them around and scream "Please fill out those forms!!!"
Nope. We have to be patient. Patient. And have some more patience.
Ohoh. Not something I'm normally very good at..
If all goes well, or should i say as well as can be, the whole process will be picked up in August again. Then I'll get the final forms which i need to proceed. After that, it's all on me, i have to go for a medical exam and a final interview and if that works out positive I'll be able to move. But it does mean that i probably won't be moving this summer. More likely Fall/Winter.
It makes me sad 'cause i miss my LOVE very much.
Hopefully I'll be able to fly over somewhere in July for a quick visit.

I'm Moving to New York!

Well, that's the plan we're working on at least. I'm not yet screaming from the rooftops dancing in ecstasy. I don't want to jinx anything. But this is the plan: Moving from Amsterdam to New York.
Scary. Fun. Exciting. Dream. Wow. What to do. So much to arrange take care of fill in. Oh you don't want to know about all the visa forms!
How did this came about?
Me and my man have been together for more than six years already. With apartments in Brooklyn, NY and Amsterdam we've spent our years traveling back and forth between the two awesome cities. But there's a time for everything. So we decided to make the plunge and apply for a visa for me to stay in the States for longer than the three months period a tourist visa gives you.
We got secretly married at the end of January. Just us, my parents and brother and 3 friends of us who were our witnesses. We had a small ceremony, didn't want to make a big deal out of it, because for us the wedding wasn't the final stage at all. It was a step in our process of getting to be together. The real time to celebrate is when i get my approval in and I'm ready to go! We had a nice day. Did enjoy a nice dinner that evening in our favorite Greek restaurant.
So now my man is back in the States. All part of the visa process. Yukkie. I miss him. Want to walk outside in the sun with him. But now i believe our time will come.

All though i can think of a million things that can still go wrong and interfere with our plans, i still see us making progress. We will be able to celebrate one day.

That's the reason why i have been slacking on my blog and my creative adventures. Moving overseas takes a lot of preparation/organization time. Unfortunately. I wish i could just pick up some stuff and go. This is testing me. How much do i want it. You know, how harder the road traveled, the greater the reward?
It's also the reason why i have to put myself on a financial budget and a shopping limit. I need every penny i have and i have to get rid of stuff, not add extra items to move!

Let me get back to doing something creative now. So i have some new things to show in my next post.
Oh and i'm meeting my girls for wine in the park later today!