More everyday newsy bits.

I have had a super birthday day out in Haarlem! The weather was perfect and we gently meandered around the city centre taking in the sights! We went in to the huge church to listen to the organ playing but only briefly as it was almost closing time. We got a CD anyway, with my favourite piece on - THE WIDOR TOCCATA. It is a triumphant and ringing piece that I have also chosen for my funeral, as everyone leaves the church. This is in keeping with my 'no black, I want this to reflect my life' service that I have got ready to go ( hopefully not for many years yet!!). It is a long story which I don't want to go into here, but I have strong feelings about what I want my friends and family to remember about me, and this needs to be told for the last time, in the way I have imagined and planned. Enough said!! I received 4 gorgeous necklaces for my birthday; Peters and one from Ann in Poland, and 2 others which I chose myself. So I have one for every occasion now! I also got a great bag by TULA from Clare today in the mail, which was one I chose when I saw hers last year. It is ideal for a day out, being small enough for all the essentials, and easily hidden under a coat etc, or for riding my bike etc. I love it! Great colours too - very 'in' this season it seems. Lots of flowers and a wonderful huge dish with olives decorated on it from Loes, and a garden centre voucher, and finally the new JAMES BLUNT CD from Tim, which is SUPERB. I love it! Especially tracks 4 and 5....great music. If I were a technically minded soul I would add it to the blog like so many others do, but I have no idea how!!! Anyway, it is now the no. 1 favourite scrapping CD in this house!!! Last night was also the grand final of MASTERCHEF which we have faithfully followed for several years now. JAMES NATHAN won it this year, and deservedly so, although Iam sure Jonny and Emily will go on to great things as well. A good series every year in my mind. And I am still loving Lark Rise to Candleford every Sunday. Way to go BBC!!!!! I adore all that stuff anyway and sit religiously to watch any costume drama that I can find. 'The other Boyleyn Girl' looks mighty tempting too......................I have to give Becci some ideas for my present from Amazon.co.uk so I am going to see what I can find there now and tell her this evening. Too little time, too much choice maybe...once I start looking that is........................... final word: my 85 year old friend Doris told me in her birthday card to me that " I think I have a toyboy, he is 10 years younger than me'!!! How great to be so alive at that ripe age!!!!!

storage for ribbon

I have finally found a solution I like for my ribbon storage. I got the idea from another blog, but by accident came across the DOLLY PEGS at the Zinkenviool and have started winding them all up! It keeps them nice and flat but no fold lines so it is perfect. I am currently storing them in plastic pots that I have had yogurt in etc. but I want to get enough to be able to sort them out into colours, and in nice pots from Ikea maybe....Jayne will sell them to you for 14,95euro for 50 dollies, which is wonderful. In the shop you need to tell them what you want them for, or that you are a scrapper etc, and Jayne will know what you want!! I bought the first lot nicely wrapped in ribbon and paper for 2.50 euro for 5 pegs, but today I heard that it was so much better to buy the 50 and get more for my money!!! I think they are far easier to find and buy in the UK or the USA, but here they are seldom seen, so this is SUPER!!!! I am spreading the word and already know of a few other folk who are wending their way towards BovenKarspel and DE ZINKENVIOOL!!!!!!!

Thank you one and all.

I have had so many lovely cards already that it is a real feast for my eyes just looking at them above my computer right now! Ineke, what a beautiful creation you sent me!! It is really incredible what you do. I love it! And Ann sent me a hand-stitched cat, which is very colourful and sweet, and the greyhound card from Ann and Max is just great!! I will have to take a better look at it and save it for future reference...........it is so cute! They have greyhounds, well, just one at the moment, which they rescue once they are abandoned after their racing careers are over. They are such gentle and sweet animals, with great temperaments, and such gorgeous eyes........I once had Lurchers when I lived on the farm, and they are wonderful animals too. But now it is Siamese cats who rule the roost here!!!!! Weather is ok for a day out in Haarlem. We are going by train since that is easiest re. parking and prices, and we are booked for dinner at Luca and Lucas's Italian Restuarant which looks wonderful. The diet will be kept to however, so no pasta I am afraid!!! I am doing well now, 5 kilos almost so that is worthwhile. My clothes are starting to feel a little looser; I think it is 7 kils before you go down a dress size (one stone), and I am not quite there yet. I DID manage to completely button up my favourite blouse this morning that I haven't been able to do for years!!!!!! I used to swan around in quite chic clothes in my 'management days' I feel......and so you can count how long ago that was! So, encouraging stuff. I have got a pair of M&S trousers that I am aiming to get into as my first target, plus my pinafore jeans dress as that is also a favourite from ages ago...... but for now, cheerio and for everyone else celebrating today: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

3 more little beauties!!!

As you see, I have got the card-making bug right now! I am not doing much scrapping but mainly due to a lack of photos rather than inspiration. I am looking forward to my DT package from Chantal at Scrapfever this week with the new Dream Street papers in, and hopefully also one with the new Basic Grey once it arrives - yippee!! And with going to HAARLEM tomorrow with Peter, for my birthday, I am sure there is a photo opportunity in the offing! Pete really surprised me last night when he came home from England. He had bought me a birthday present!! A very pretty necklace with a teeny tiny diamond set in a gold heart inside a little silver and glass circle. Thank goodness for shops at ariports!!!!!! It is really my style which is amazing as he is usually at a loss to know exactly what my taste will be, so I am suitably impressed! Still waiting for my other necklace to arrive from the states though...that is more of an everyday one, and this is more special but for now I will wear it all the time, darling! xxxxx I am so relaxed! I think it is that I really love being creative and what I have found from scrapping and card-making is a great outlet for what is in my head. I have always painted and drawn since I was little; my mother used to pack my suitcase when I went to my grandmas etc, and in the bottom there was always crayons and a sketchbook. I took art at school and my teacher - Mr. Croucher - used to try his best to persuade me to go to artschool in Canterbury, but without success. Sorry sir!!! I felt that I was good enough for graphics but I suppose not for a real career or to earn a living doing it, so I stuck with the Occupational Therapy which also involved plenty of creative work especially since I was keen to do psychiatry anyway. So it is a life-long passion and activity that has been passed on to me by my creative genes - my mother and aunt have always been ace in making all kinds of things. Mum would make the christmas decorations straight out of the BLUE PETER programme, tinsel and glitter and 'stickyback paper' galore!!!! My aunt make incredible cakes, with icing that was life-like; beyond description, you had to see it to appreciate her skill and patience. My mother has made lace, spun, crotcheted, knit, gardened, all kinds of things, but now she is into crosswords!!! Ah well, I remember it all so well.............................

2 extra cards!

These are the other 2 cards ( first it was only one but I made another today), so as you can see I really DO love these mice!!! And the text stamp 'young, old, just words' is also from Happy Stampers. I will be 50 next year but I have quite a few friends who are reaching this milestone in the coming months so I am getting prepared! Making their cards well in advance so that I have enough! The largeflower on the second one I cut out of the design paper I was using and then added a paper centre and a pink button. There are fantastic new sets around now that have got various flowers, including felt ones, and buttons in one pack and cost 10euros. There is so much in the set that it is well worth buying instead of all the individual ones that add up to more money.

Anyway, I got interupted as our new oven arrived just now, and is now residing next to the new dishwasher and microwave, at the end of our diningtable!!! They will remain there for a few weeks I fear but after that, joy of joys, the brand new kitchen!!!!!

New cards with new stamps!!

These are 3 cards I have made over the weekend with the new stamps from Happy Stampers. I have got one more but something went wrong with the uploading so that is still to appear! I love these mice. They are so cute and using the terpentine technique and my Derwent crayons relatively easy to colour in etc. The correspondence cards make ideal white card for the stamps, and I buy mine from the Bruna for 1,75euro so for 50 cards it is ok. And the papers I bought on Friday so yes, used immediately! I am so happy with the lovely colours especially green and blue which are my current favourites. I know there is housework to do BUT! this is much more fun!!

The mice stamps are Penny Black by the way..I am going to make a lot of stamped images ready for the card day at the end of March so that I have got plenty to swop for others. I am looking for the MAGNOLIA HOUSE stamp if anyone can send me 2 images please???? I have got 2 friends moving house this week and want to make cards with the house on them. I can send some stamped cards by return of course.

I was reading Ali edwards blog yesterday and it seems we are all in the mood for a 'spring clean' in our scraprooms. Like Ali I am busy sorting out old layouts and deciding what I want to keep etc and what I am missing re. persons and topics. What I notice is that I make a lot of examples for the workshops and not enough about my family. The cats are heavily featured but my 14 year old son refuses to be photographed and my daughter I only see every so often as she is studying in England, and my DH doesn't do a lot that I can call interesting to photograph!!! That sounds bad but he is always working or away so the best times to snap him are in the summer or on holiday and we haven't had one for a while now...............ah!! (last year)....but maybe with the kitchen there will be chances to take more of him in action! I am not very good at all, about scrapping myself, like so many of us scrappers we are quite anonymous, and that ought to change. I am making a little scrapbook about my diet but that is secret at the moment (hush, hush). So there it is: I need to get out and about and take more photos and try to improve my techniques with my Lumix camera. It takes great photos but I am not very adept at getting the best out of it I am afraid. Maybe I need to take a course this year.........................

luvverly jubbley!!

I am really impressed with the speedy delivery I have had this week! I ordered the Art Specially Cards book and within one day I had received it, and also my beautiful stamps from Pauline at Happy Stampers; took 2 days which from Scotland is pretty impressive! Thanks guys! The book is so inspirational, and so many wonderful card designs in it, I have got to really sit and take it all in properly before I start trying my own ideas out. And the stamps are the ones I wanted for making my cards with - cute mice and hedgehogs from Penny Black designs etc. Pauline always includes a small gift and this time it was the pastel coloured dragonfly brads that I had thought about ordering anyway, so good guess!!! So what have I been doing? Sitting down and colouring in the stamps and making cards - yes!!!!! I also went to Simpel Scrappen in Den Helder with Amienke on Friday afternoon and got some new cardstock and papers all in spring colours etc. Whilst there we saw Tiets and decided we would go to the card-day on 29th March after all. It is the first time we have been so it is all very nerve-wracking; a day spent amongst experienced card-makers....nail-biting! There is a workshop with Tiets in the afternoon and a competition (of course) and then the shopping at Carla's. Enough good reasons to go I think, don't you?! Yesterday Hillie and Kemal were here and we went out to the D'Oude Veiling Restaurant in Zwaag. It was a sort of pre-birthday/post-birthday meal for me and Peter but we didn't mention it at the restaurant, but FIVE others had, so it was a case of singing 'Lang zal ze Leven' time after time all evening! Amazing that everyone was celebrating their birthdays in february. The place was full too, but then it is a very popular and good restaurant here in our area. I resisted as best I could and was the 'bob' so no alcohol for me (good girl), and stayed on the water all evening, and tried as best I could to stick to my eating plan. It is going slowly but surely so I am happy. And I know Loes has made wonderful food for this evening but she has also got a plate specially for me - thank you Loes!xx And that is where we are headed right now!x

Mini Album in a box

Since the workshop isn't happening now, I can at least show you what I had designed for everyone to make!!! The first photo is of the top of the box I made; the second is the front of the mini album, and the others are from in the album itself. The gorgeous papers are from Websters Pages which I adore. They were great to work with as they are such good quality and weight. I made the album and the box from the new cardstock which is perfect for this sort of thing. All in all, I think it would have been a lovely workshop..........................

Cheerful Birdhouse!

I spent yesterday making this birdhouse just for the fun of it!! I actually bought the birdhouse for 7euros from a local garden centre because it was in a light pink colour and made in MDF; so the paper sticks very easily to the frame! I have used more of the SEI papers I love at the moment, and added a frilly piece of gingham ribbon around the bottom. The photos show it all the way round to give you an idea of how it looks. It took a day but I am delighted with my efforts! Hope to hear what you think too.

Recent scraps!

This is the layout for the Scrapfever challenge which was a LO which included the word CRAZY.

Becci is well known for her beautiful smile so this was an easy one! I have called it 'delightful laughter; crazy smiles'. Next to that is a close up from the birthday card I have made for my friend Loes. I tried to use the colours and design that I think she likes the most, and adding the grunge swirl was great. I also used artists wire to actually give the butterfly its antennae!!! So lots of details but still simple overall I hope. I have been busy reducing the size of a lot of photos but the rest I have mailed to a magazine for consideration. If nothing comes of it then you will be the first to see them!!! Bye for now!

more cards!

Here are some sweet spring cards to show you, plus the one I have made for Rebeccas 21st birthday. I have used papers from SEI which are adorable and excellent quality, for the Magnolias, and the one for Becci is made from several layers of paper and stamps etc. Enjoy!!! Oh and a very BIG THANKS to everyone who is visiting my blog. I have made it past the first 1000 hits and that makes me very happy indeed!!!! xxxxx

reasons to be cheerful.....as the song goes!!

one, two, three!!!! Well, I am busy trying to think of some as I feel kinda let down at the moment on more than one front. I have spent the night thinking about what to say, and trying not to allow all my anger and frustrations to spill out, as that won't change anything anyway...(.wow, I am getting tolerant in my old age!!) BUT! I was due to give a workshop on 1st March in Ermelo, and sadly that has had to be cancelled due to too many people changing their plans. I feel very badly for the person who organised it all, and for myself as well, as I was really looking forward to it! However, the most frustrating part of it is that it will be my birthday on 28 February and I had planned to hold my party on the 1st since it is the nearest Saturday, and due to the crop, I have not arranged anything at all. D and B!!!!! I am in two minds now as to what to do, but I have not reached a conclusion as yet. I am toying with the idea of suggesting that anyone who still wants to do the workshop can come to me, but I cannot accommodate too many people in my atelier, and frankly, do I want to go out and celebrate my birthday instead?!!!!! So the discussion is between my generous and forgiving angel and the one who sits on the other shoulder who is still feeling rather p....d off!!!! Neither has won as yet.The jury is still out I fear. But I am cheerful in as much as I have made my surprise for a magazine which I hope to send in, so cannot as yet show here, and my friends birthday is tomorrow and she is lovely so that is great that we can share her party this Sunday, and we are having friends over this Saturday for the day etc which I am looking forward to....that's 2 reasons isn't it? Oh and the third is that it finally said in my sons school book that he had had a great day yesterday. WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Just to read that once is a great happiness for us, so I really hope he keeps getting more and more of them. What I do notice is that he has no problems when it is the sport or the creative sessions. Here he shines, but the actual academic struggle remains a problem. Ah well, I know it will be ok in the end but that light at the end of the tunnel is still very small and dim. C'mon Tim, you can do it!!!! So today I am going to do some housework and then try and create a christmas card - yes, you heard it right! - for the competition over at Tiets cards. It is quite difficult getting in the mood for it really, but I will search out my papers and see what I can come up with!! I have sent off my package for the card chain already so only await mine in the post before I can do that one too. If I were Pooh Bear, I would now eat a large jar of hunny, but I am me, so I am going to drown my sorrows by ordering some new stamps at www.happystampers.co.uk !!!!! (semi-cheered now!)

Xander, our Blue Point Siamese

This is now framed and hanging in our downstairs loo!!! I had got some gorgeous blue paper from somewhere....not sure which shop.........and it matched the blue reflected on Xanders chest so it was perfect for this photo. Xander was sitting in my room in the only sunlit patch on the floor but there was a blue shoebox next to him which meant that this was reflected on his chest when I took the photo! I have been quite romantic with this layout and used the paper to add to the decoration, keeping it in one piece. I have added some grunge swirl in silver ink and the odd flower which I glimmermisted first etc and then rub-ins and ribbons etc.This isn't a great shot of it as the light is reflected into the layout, but it is here and I will take a better one before I add it to my album over at scrapfever. Talking about that...I am having tremendous difficulty with the paper in the scrapkit this month as it refuses to stick well enough. It is pretty paper but I hate using it! Sorry and all that, but is anyone else having this problem or not?! I have got really great glue that sticks anything solid, but it just dries on this paper and before I am done it is already loose again. Incredibly frustrating I can tell you!!! Let me know if you have experienced this too and what the solution is please!!! Going off to work now so bye bye.x

Happy Valentines Day

http://mb.lifetimemoments.com/index.php?s=5eb9f9e5f4c0450a04b938540ec88033&showtopic=161626 This made ME happy anyway; check out this link to the sneak peaks at the CHA show in Anaheim. Wonderful stuff, and several lines that I really hope come to our shops here in Holland! There are too many to name but I saw some fantastic ideas coming into the market and need to save up hard! Where is that lottery win when you need it?!!! I had a great time last night scrapping with Sylvia, although there was more Chat than Scrap! And this morning I had a card workshop so I have had no time to blog until now. And I am so excited as I think I may be going to a 'preview' of new products later on this month, at one of the wholesalers, which would be the perfect birthday present don't you think?! I am SO hoping that it happens and I can go. Wish me luck! Now I need to really go and tidy up upstairs and think about my advertising campaign and how I want to do it. I am being bombarded by advertisers at the moment to do this or that but it is all way too expensive for my budget and I have to pass once again. It is so hard to know which the best option is, and as yet, I haven't found it, apart from people passing my name on to others once they have been here. Thank you to all my kind friends who do this for me! xxxxxx

I love this!!!

REASONS WHY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS HARD TO LEARN: 1. The bandage was wound around the wound. 2. The farm was used to produce produce. 3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse 4. We must polish the Polish furniture 5. He could lead if he would get the lead out. 6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert 7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present 8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum. 9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. 10. I did not object to the object. 11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid. 12. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. 13. They were too close to the door to close it. 14. The buck does funny things when the does are present. 15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. 16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. 17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail. 18. After a number of injections my jaw got number 19. Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear. 20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests. 21. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend? Lets’ face it – English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hambuger; neither pine nor apple in pineapple. English muffins weren’t invented in England, and French fries aren’t French. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea, nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth beeth? One goose, two geese; so, one moose, two meese? One index, two indices? Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends, but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends, and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? In what language do people recite at a play, and play at a recital? We ship by truck and send cargo by ship; We have noses that run and feet that smell! You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which an alarm goes off by going on. Thanks Yvonne for sending this to me! It is not easy even for us English, and there are so many more anomalies - wait until you get started on Malapropisms and Oxymorons!!!!!

Good morning world!

Another Monday starts with a chill in the air, James Blunt on Sky Radio and the guy to service our boiler - and it is just turned 8am!!! Been up for a while of course, but this is the first chance I have had to sit at the computer and say Hello. What I have already decided today is that I am going to use the small album I bought in a sale, as a design book so that I can save all the sketches I make for cards etc. I think they work for Layouts as well, so it will be interesting. I will alter the front cover and make the sketches and hey presto! a handy little 'aide du memoire'! Here is the find I bought at the garden centre friday: It was just a white plant rack which I saw for a few euros only, and I thought, perfect for my pots! But these pots are full of flowers and buttons etc and now in handy reach from my desk! Amienke brings us these pots which she can get a hold off .....don't ask where, just know they are FABULOUS for storage and travelling. I have never been so organised! Anyway I have just painted it in two making memories paintcolours, added a rub-on, some large brads through the chicken wire and small knots of spring-like ribbons. Peter hung it yesterday and it is super. I added the frilly ribbon too for a bit of fun! I used tacks to ensure it would stay in place after having stuck it on. Should I get some more I wonder?..... Wonderful as a letter rack; kitchen storage if you like vintage/shabby chic/country-style; paper pieces; scissors; glue dots...yes, I think the answer probably is! Actually I also added a sticker once it was up but by then I had taken the photo so sorry! It reads LOVE LAUGH LIFE or something like that! I also bought a sheep with that on it from the garden centre and have got Shaun the sheep ( get it 'shorn sheep' = Shaun the name, from Wallace and Gromit, always tickled me that play on word sounds) in my room. I tend to find space for all the various presents and wacky gifts I receive from my friends in my room as I like to feel surrounded by them even when I don't see them very often. It adds to the lovely feel of my personal space in our house....wonder what Peters would look like if he had one too?...............how many electronic items and remotes can one man get in a room?!!!!! Having said that I am always happy when he has made beautiful photos and I can use them, or a video of the kids etc so I hope he gets the room one day. He is as happy as a sandboy at the moment because Becci gave him the DVD of Ewan Mcgregors round the world motorbike trip for Christmas and we have now succeeded in watching it all the way through!! It is a great trip and a real live journal, which he and his best friend made in 2004. It has rekindled Peters desire to own a motorbike again....thought it would.........and ride the open road!!! The DVD is called 'The Long Way Round" by the way. As Ewan says in the film it is essentially two blokes on their bikes enjoying themselves, but it gives a wonderful insight into the sameness of mankind all around the world - the generosity extended to them and the kindness of people even when they had absolutely nothing. You see the hardships they faced but also their sadness when it was almost over and the fact that this megatrip was coming to an end. What they were going to do once they got home..................and the joke to turn around and ride back to London! If you like motorbikes, buy it and savour their adventure for yourselves. And now to other things like getting the shopping in! The sun is shining and God is in his heaven; all is right with the world. I think that is how the saying goes.

happy sunday

I was planning to say something completely different and then I saw that there are only another 45 to go until I reach my first 1000 visits on this blog! Thank you everyone who is stopping by and reading a little snippet or two, I really appreciate it. xxxx It is a glorious weekend here with sunny weather and a temp of 11C which is fine actually as there is no wind. My DH is already thinking about the pergola we are trying to decide on...want one or not...how big....what sort of roof....can it get the table and chairs in...do we lose the Silver Birch ....but he is a definite sun worshipper and loves sitting out in the garden with his beer and BBQ, so I think it is just a matter of WHEN we get one rather than IF. He would love a bubblebath too................but first we need the en-suite in our bedroom and a whole lot of other stuff too! We have decided on the tiles for the kitchen now. Peter was strongly for 'matt' tiles and I fell in love with the most expensive hand-made Portuguese ones natually - I can sense which are the dearest ones without having to see a price 'cos the quality is so obvious! But we took the sample to the kitchen shop and laid it next to the cupboard and worktop, and then came home and did the same with the floor tiles etc and I had to agree that the ones Peter liked best were the nicest in our house. So we are having those! They have a textured look to them, very peaceful and unobtrusive too, but we are also having some of the decor ones with little leaves etc on to sprinkle in between, and I think they will be beautiful actually. With the new blinds which are being made from material I have got as curtains from my house before we got married but which has huge sentimental value to me, I think it will be as we want it to be which is a magical thought. I have dug out the most perfect paper for that great photo of Xander and have started the LO yesterday. The BLUE is gorgeous and picks up the light that was falling on his chest perfectly. I also did a collage LO for Becci's birthday present which I am semi-happy with. I have tried the technique as Sanderijn outlined in the magazine and put my 30x30cm onto a canvas for her as she is very vintage in her taste. She will love it I know, and practise makes perfect so I will keep on trying it out! Check out this blog for more inspiration: http://www.lazarstudiowerx.typepad.com/ Christina Lazar is a fabulous artist and her transfer technique is amazing. I have also noted the RUBY DOG'S ART HOUSE in Vancouver as a possible visit when we go to Canada next year. If anyone has visited it and can tell me about it, please let me know! I am trying to make a list of great scrapstores (don't tell Peter!) so that when we plan our holiday I will know what is where and schedule a little time there!! Well, I am going to need all the paper and embellishments for the album, right?!!! Pete has bought some computer program for being making great videos so that is HIS preparation! It's a good job the cats will have to stay home as I am in danger of wanting to stay in Canada - I can fell the pull there already which is quite amazing. I see many places in the world and just have no desire or connection with them at all but for some reason, there is a link to that beautiful part of the world that I need to explore and see for myself. Who knows?......... The sun is up, my tummy is rumbling and it is time to get the day started. I have had a glorious hour to myself which I adore, and now it is time for some activity. Tim is going swimming with his classmates I believe, and maybe we will just chill out and relax in the sun, do a little gardening etc and have a restful Sunday. Hope you do too!!!!

trying something new.

I came across a blog where someone had made a card using a transparent sheet, and I thought; 'that looks innovative, I'll have a go too'! So this is my first attempt at it which is ok, 'cos you learn as you go. I used a sheet of perfect Basic Grey and added a rub-on to the transparency. I was worried that it would be too flexible for a card but it is actually great. I used double-sided tape to adher it to the cardstock but I also added the ribbon to ensure that it stayed neatly folded along the edge. This really helped. I then did a bit more to the paper and added a button with the greeting on two tiny tags, and that was it! It is a very quick and effective way of making a greetings card, wouldn't you agree?!

And my second new thing today is printing photos onto transparencies..........because my copy of Scrapbook Magazine came last night and I loved Sanderijn's layouts and her explanation was too much to resist trying for myself!! So far I have printed a photo of the kids and some text and will attempt my own thing later this evening or over the weekend. If it is lovely weather our poor neglected garden is crying out for some long overdue attention, and there is always the garage which is a constant nightmare re. rubbish and paper strewn everywhere..........and not one of us gets stuck in voluntarily to tidy it up!!! All guilty as charged sadly but it needs to be done so that we can get 'the hole' bored. Hmm...............................

Don't you just love him!!

I went into my scraproom around lunchtime after having done the shopping and finally got to the garden centre ( bought nice goodies there!) and there lay Xander, on the floor, in the only sunny spot in the room! I had got the blinds down low as it was quite sunny today and it protects the paper etc. and he had rejected his lovely comfortable basket for a place in the sun!! It made for beautiful photos and I did get his cushion and lay it there for him in the end...moving it around as the sun moved....for his lordship's enjoyment!!!! They say if you want to know where the best seat in the house is, move the cat!! But this time he can have the sunny spot, I prefer my chair anyday.

Big Letter Layout!

So it isn't my usual style but it sort of happened with the photo! And I think it is ok. I have used paper which has an old map of England on it and another with all old advertising pictures etc. The C is in harlequin grunge and embossed in gold. I have tried to emphasise the wonderful colour and sparkle of the cider by using mirror pieces around the photo; see-through letters; little gems and embossing powder. The text just says that is is one of my favourite drinks and sadly missed over here! We were in Yorkshire last autumn for a weekend and this was at the pub we used to haunt when we were out on the moors: THE STRINES . Fabulous weather that weekend so we were sitting outside with our neighbours enjoying a CIDER.....................

my scrap table mess!

Ok, I know it doesn't look tidied...but it is! I have got my heart shelf finally out of storage and on the wall, and there is just room for a few stamps I always use and my brads etc. And then surrounding my cutting mat I have got all the little pots etc with various essentials in! I am getting the fabulous 'lazy susan' organiser for my birthday so it will take up less space -and therefore I can add more pots to the table!! I do keep everything in the same place on the table, it is true, because that way I notice if something is missing or I have used it up etc, and I can lay my hands on things much more easily this way. What do you think? Organised chaos??!!

(have made my large letter layout for the challenge this morning, after the ironing...aren't I good?!). Garden Centre here I come!

Phew, that's done! ( or is it?!)

Actually, it hasn't taken me as long as I had thought, but as promised there is an up-dated list of othe blogs and sites where I take a look regularly. A bit of a mixture I suppose and not all of them are listed yet, but as I come across more I will try to add them at the time. Makes more sense to be efficient though never my strong-point! But now I have to face the ironing or it will never get done, and as a reward I will take myself to the garden centre for some new plants for our bathroom window. The pots look kinda empty without anything in them...................shame! And then I will concentrate on completing my Large Letter Layout for the challenge at Scrapfever......I have taken a huge photo of a pint of cider - one of my favourite drinks and only available in England as far as I know here????? Haven't found it in any supermarkets here anyway. I've got until the 12th february to get it done but that is rapidly approaching isn't it?!! bye for now, the sun is shining,Tim cycled to school without complaining, Peter is working and the cats are haunting me as usual!! They are waiting for me to get settled in my room so they can snuggle down by me in their basket I suspect!

This moved me and it is only the trailer!

I read this book quite some years ago now, and found it an utterly amazing and incredible story. That it is true, makes it even more special. THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY trailer can be seen here : it will make you cry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69Zh7YIg8c This is the official one for the film and I have no idea when it will be released here but GO AND SEE IT. It is touching and inspirational, and if it is anything like the book, take a box of tissues with you!!!

I SO need to update my...

I really DO need to update my list of favourite blogs and sites! The ones I regularly visit are not even on yet - apart from Inekes as I check that practically daily! And I adore Ali Edwards and Monique Verbeek....2 very inspiring ladies. And Monique has such great 'sneal peaks' from the CHA's and ...and...there are fantastic things to see out there! Just been browsing some from Canada - with somewhat added interest as I am hoping that our holiday will be to that part of the world next year, and I need to know where the stores are of course!!! I will get a real list made and see what I can alter this week or next; not promisinga deadline!! And maybe I will add some 'how to' photos if I remember. I think the tutorials on line are very helpful and sometimes I wish I had saved them or thought to write down my own. What do you think - interesting? But just for this evening I am going to do nothing except sit on the settee with the DH and see i we can get a bit warmer - both of us heading for the 'flu??????? He has more aches and pains than I do of course ( he is the man!), but I am suffering in silence here..............sniffle, sniffle!!!!

New cards

These 3 cards are ones I have made for my next workshop. Some of the inspiration f0r them came from the paper itself this time as they are so gorgeous! Very spring-like and fresh, all the reds and blues and greens. I usually make 3 different styled cards for workshops as I think this is a good way to get participants into new ways of cardmaking. And I find it so hard to want to make the same one over and over again!!! I adore the new cardstock as it is perfect for the blank card itself - feels great! I think I am in love with it!! Still trying to navigate my way around all those delightful blogs out there! I click on so many links from the one to the other and find all kinds of interesting people creating WONDERFUL things! So, re-charge your creative energies ladies and make 2008 the best yet!! xx

It's going to be interesting...

Tim will start his PEP course this evening which is short for Perceptual Enrichment Program. It is about 12 weeks of playing various brain games which are designed to weave together the functioning parts of the brain and connect then correctly. Because Tim is under-achieving at school this is a way to help him get into a more positive frame of mind to learn properly and actually enjoy school! The developers of the course believe that in the first few years of life, where we learn motor control, emotional intelligence and language skills, that these lay the correct foundation for all our future development. Sometimes this gets disturbed for what ever reason, and things go wrong. For example, Tim was faced with a move to a foreign country at age 6, at an age when he was unable to verbalise his real feelings about leaving his friends and familiar surroundings. We don't know for sure what effect this had on him, but the very idea that it might have played a part in his developmental phases and disturbed their evolvment encourages us to try PEP. The games are specifically designed to train the brain to develop the correct pathways and improve such things as; attention & concentration; organisation & planning; making choices and indexing; clarity and peace in thought processes; emotion & behaviour; taking in, retaining and saving information; co-ordination and dexterity; writing and spatial awareness; language skills and facilitation for intelligence that one knows is there but can't be got at!!!!! WOW! If this all happens it will be amazing!!! So watch this space and hear how he gets on! For more information check out www.pepnederland.nl

Treat in store!!!

Tim came into my scraproom last night and stood by my desk ....usually a sign that he wants something!! Eventually he said that the HAARLEM GLOBETROTTERS were coming to Holland and he wanted to know whether we could go and see them; his all-time heros!!! Anyway, once he had gone off to basketball training I went onto the Hoppers site (where he plays in Hoorn) and found all the details etc and went ahead and booked 3 tickets for 3 May in Almere. One happy child!!!! Actually it will be a wonderful event as there is such razzmatazz attached to their show and it is great fun to be there. Tim is planning to wear his HG top and outfit and is smiling constantly at the moment! Since Almere is not so far away from us it seemed a terrific birthday present for our soon to be 15 year old son. I will have something new to scrap too!! I have already asked Chantal for the basketball brads she has got in stock, now to ask Sylvia what paper she can lay her hands on for me.......and at the same time I am getting ready for Peters birthday this evening. He is 56 - WOW!!!! Can't believe it yet! He had bought a new TOMTOM so I got him the leather case for it which he was pleased with I think.....and Tim had got him wine, nuts and chocolate - 3 of his favourite things!!! So that was ok. And tomorrow I start my secret campaign to change myself in time for my 50th next year.................no more about that here but maybe later. Happy birthday to all other Aquarians who are celebrating today!

This weeks efforts so far!

The first picture is of some of my paper flowers that I have 'glimmer-misted'!! Love the results! I use 2 colours and then leave them to dry over night or if I am in a hurry I use my heat tool...

they are super on cards and add a real touch of glamour!

Then I have made a card from a sketch on the clubsite that Tiets runs. This is my first go at the challenge so I hope I know how to get it uploaded and submitted. Then I was sitting designing cards for the workshop I am giving next week at Kreatief, and ended up with this vintage-style card for my daughters 21st birthday ( don't look Becci!). I was really happy with it as she loves all things vintage and this fits her perfectly. The second magnolia card was just for a birthday coming up this month; I am snowed under with them at the moment!!!! Enjoy.x

Remembrance

Eleven years ago today my father died from cancer. We knew that he was sick for only the last 6 months, when it was too late to really change anything for him, but he was obviously ill longer. He just went un-noticed by his GP and the fact that we didn't see him regularly only made it more difficult to see. He was being treated for Sciatica and had pain in his leg but that was what we all thought it was! Anyway, for him it was a blessing not to have to be in pain for longer but it was over quickly and I still miss him incredibly. So this is for my dad, whom I love very much.

February birthdays

..just a few! Let me list them and wish everyone a very happy birthday! Gerard: 1st Feb. Peter: 5 feb. Saskia: 9 feb. Sally: 14 Feb. Oma: 18 feb. Leonie: 19 feb. Loes: 22 feb. John: 24 feb. ME!: 28 feb. It may be a shortish month but there are many birthdays in my world - all aquarians and fish!!! So as you can tell I am kept very busy making cards this month! My problem is that when I have made one I REALLY like, I don't want to send it at all!! Solution: give the cards to people who will let you see them for longer! And I have got the perfect stamp which says: 'it look me a long time to make this card; act impressed!' Can't wait to start stamping that on my work!!!!!

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS

Here is the first layout that I have made with the beautiful paper from the scrapkit I received from SCRAPFEVER yesterday. It is the Daisy D's line and quite sweet and romantic. With the red in the glasses on Peter's chest, it was easy to pick out which paper to use, and as Xander is a Blue Point Siamese that made it even easier!! I have chosen 'follow your bliss' as the title as it is something my daughter is always saying. And a cats 'bliss' is finding the perfect place to sleep!!!! Peter has got the ideal tummy for a pillow and Xander knows exactly how to place himself to the the best advantage, the two of them snoring together! Ahhh...................