new backgrounds

At the moment I am experimenting with these wonderful FREE backgrounds from the Cutest blog on the block - fab fun! There are so many to choose from - this is one from the shabby collection today. Since I am fairly useless with the computer I was so happy t odiscover this easy peasy way to dress up my blog! Hope you don't mind if it changes a bit until I find 'the one' I like the most! Going to be over 30C here today - already so hot and sticky outside and I have to do the ironing.. but I am getting through a lot of my new books!! Being off sick means I get free reading time and I am loving it! It took only 2 days to read the last one " This book will save your life" and I am currently into 'Constance' with another one already delved into......and STILL there is Atonement which I have had since Christmas and still haven't gotten around to! Why? That is what I want to know...is it a book for serious weather in the autumn maybe??? These ones I am reading are light and jolly and require no stress on the old grey cells which is precisely what I need right now! Last night we had a super BB! with Ann and Alicia joining us. Peter went to the local butchers and bought really tasty meats and salads. It was so easy for me, as I had to do nothing!!!! This is the life for now, and thanks Peter for taking over the cooking like this!!! xx

photographing teenagers!

We are trying to sell out rubber boat on marktplaats so we got Tim and Patrick to pump it up and demonstrate the size etc by sitting in it for a photo. Patrick covered his face so that he wasn't on it, and Tim wasn't prepared so I got him in one! I stood above Patrick and took this one without him knowing! Ok, no more photos mam!! Eyes closed, no see camera coming!! So I am relaxed, take the pic quickly!!! Its a nice boat so I hope we sell it soon. We bought it by the Italian Lakes and have barely used it really so it is time to sell it on. We have had all 4 of us in it when the children were younger and last year, me, Peter and Tim got in and we went on the Ijsselmeer where we swim. So it is roomy enough!! So far the only bid is too low, so that is no good. Patience............................

current state of my scraproom!!!

All this has to be moved so that the cupboard can go in this area - hide the red wall at last!! This is the one spot where I can scrap right now! It isn't much, but is is functional if I restrict myself to only using what is near to hand! Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith are on the chair where the cats tend to sleep when they work their way into the mess!! My tools are on the yellow table at the moment so that I can get to them easily enough. Ah, yes, my craft books are neatly lined up next to my desk! Always look after my books, I do!!! I bought this trolley in Lidl recently as it has got my stamps and items I am currently using for the mini albums I'm busy with. It is extremely handy I can tell you! So tomorrow Tim can help moving stuff out so that the construction can start. He is having cables pulled into his room first; can't live without the TV!! Heaven forbid, Tim!! I think he actually resorted to tidying out his wardrobe last night with Alicia as there was no internet or television available!! I think it did him good, personally. This afternoon we are going to the GP together as he is complaining about his knees again. He has got Osgood Slatters in his knee due to growing too fast, and there is a lare bump under the patella right now that hurts him. He over- exaggerates the problem being a delightful teenager right now, but I am sure there is nothing wrong that needs treating, time and a bit less of the growthspurts and he will recover. I was surfing the blogs yesterday and had a lovely look at the one A year of Mornings - and now also Evenings. I even ordered the book in advance as it is released this autumn and I love looking at the photos! I recommend it to you too. I ordered 2 as I am still in christmas present mode, and this was a great offer from Amazon. I think this type of book is great for artistic inspiration and simply as an insight into what someone else thought to photograph every day for a year. Two friends take the photos and they live miles apart, so it is wonderful. Visit the blog and see for yourselves!!

So hard to sleep with all this thunder..........

so I had to get up this morning around 6am since it was hot and sticky in the bedroom and Peter was snoring and I was thinking and dreaming and planning........... I came down and fed the cats and started blog-gazing!! It is a really great thing to find the time for when no-one is up and there is no pressure to be doing other daily chores etc ( though I did put the washing on first). I enjoyed looking and reading Ali Edwards blog as always and promptly ordered Keri Smiths latest book since it is on pre-order at AMAZON. Not out until November but it is a book for me and Becci for sure: "How to be a life explorer". First thought of a christmas present idea this year!!!! Then I went onto Melodee Langworthy whom I also like, and then to all the sneakpeeks over at Catsies on the move blog by Natasha. WONDERFUL!!!! All that gorgeous new paper and stickers and albums and, and, and - my urge to scrap just felt so over-whelming at that moment! But the GOOD NEWS is that we went to IKEA yesterday and bought the huge 'wardrobe/cupboard' for my new room so that I can finally start thinking about how Iwant to store all my materials now I have moved rooms with Tim. It is going to have lots of wonderful drawers and shelves and hangers and little stamp boxes etc in it, amazing! But first there is the problem of moving everything out of the way............and I have no space to do that really, or the health at the moment to do it either, so I am going to have to bribe my teen son into helping this week I think. It will fit one wall I hope, almost, but then Peter will add the 'wall' around it, and it will be possible later on to move the existing wall between mine and the guestroom, so that they too can have a wardrobe or wash area in there in the future. Told you I was planning in my head this morning! It has to be the first thing I do in there as then I can store everything out of the way before papering the sloping wall on the window side, and touching up the paintwork on the other walls,adding lights and shelves and my desks etc. I have to take some photos for you to see exactly what I am up to I think! It is far easier to imagine how I see it then. In fact I will take my camera up there now and get started! bye, hope the sun stays out today, though more rain and thunderis on its way I just heard on the news........................

feeling stronger daily

it is amazing how quickly I am feeling better after the operation! I think it has to do with having perfect pain control - that makes a huge difference I'm sure. I am taking the pain killers still, and starting to only take one when necessary instead of regularly etc. It is working to date! We had a lovely restful day in the garden yesterday but then, during the night there was an horrendous thunderstorm right overhead. It went on for a couple of hours and of course I didn't sleep through it so am very tired this morning!! Now it is just hot and sticky weather with the promise of more rain to come. Ah well, it was nice whilst it lasted!! I am the only one up right now - the chaps are still snoring in bed. Even the cats have gone up to join Peter on our bed!! the sun is out but it is in a threatening sky, so no joy I think. I will have to scrap instead!! Life is so hard, isn't it?!!!! Enjoy your weekend where ever and what ever the weather!!! bye.

off now.........

In about 10 minutes time I will set off for the hospital for my op!!! Have to admit to being rather apprehensive about it but that is only natural I think! I hope I have done all the things I wanted to do before going in.......sure to have forgotten something! But anyway, hopefully I will be back here on my blog before you can say Jack Robinson!!! Finally, the sun is shining and the weather will be truly summery as of today; enjoy it for me too! bye, Suzannex

Having the operation soon...

so, I am going into hospital for my Gall Bladder removal on 23rd July. At the moment I am busy trying to get everything done, as one does I suppose...but it is wearing me out!! I get very tired right now, which is only to be expected, but I need the satisfaction of knowing everything is in order for when I come home again...........and can't do it!! So washing and ironing and cleaning etc and the garden are all being systematically sorted out! Tim and I are exchanging rooms too, so I have painted one side already and he has moved his bed in and now we are shuffling the other furniture and ALL MY SCRAP STUFF from one room to the other!!!!! Did I mention I was tired yet?! He has invited a friend from Zoetermeer to spend a few days here next week so there has to be more moving done before the end of the weekend, which is a drag, but at least Tim is now motivated to get it all done. The extra painting will have to wait I think. Then I want to sort out my new craft room, which although much smaller, will be cosier of course! I am planning to get a large wardrobe from Ikea that I can fit out with all the pull-out drawers and little compartments etc so that the majority of my clutter can find a home in there. That is the expensive part of the move! The whole room needs re-decorating and apart from one wall which needs wallpapering I think it will be me painting it once I am fit again. And in the meantime, we are having lots more visitors!!!! Oh boy, do I know how to fill my days!!! Actually I love having people to stay - I should have a B&B I guess, that would be nice. My cousin and his wife are coming on 22th August until the 18th, and then as they leave for home, my friend Althea and her daughter Naomi will be arriving at Schiphol! As soon as they leave, Lindsey arrives and then when she goes, I am off to Gillys and then bringing her back with me for a week! It is all happening here folks! So, do you know when I will get my scraproom decorated and all nicely fitted out???? Probably October!!

New cards!

I used some of the stuff out of the AMM kit that I received this weekend. A more vintage style card which I really liked making! I love the piled up flowers especially!! It has a holiday theme so all I need now is someone to send it to!! I adore the colour combination of these two cards, using All my Memories papers - super! The insides are also decorated as I wanted to do something special for my 2 aunts. These Creative Cafe stamps are to die for! So many different uses too. At the moment it is fairly cheap to order directly from the states so I am eagerly awaiting some more!!! Just couldn't resist them I am afraid............... Just getting ready for our short vacation tomorrow and my trip to the hospital. I hope to get the operation really soon now as I am feeling extremely tired and worn out by mid-afternoon. I seem to be able to work one day and then collapse the next!!! Not ideal and very frustrating for everyone, but it is just the way it is right now and I need to have more patience with myself. The rain is not helping the situation either!! What downpours we are having this week! There was incredibly hard rain and hailstones during the night and it keeps coming down every so often today. Cooler too, just hope it is better for the party on Saturday night!! I have taken everything I possess as I have NO IDEA what I want to wear...............heading into that 'time of the month' when looking in the mirror serves no purpose at all, and only depresses me!! Not only do I have bad hair days then, but also ' I have nothing to wear' days too!!! So of course Peter will be wondering what I have got in the suitcase tomorrow, imagining that we are going for a month or longer!!! Just girlie problems, darling! You will look fine!!

Images from our garden this weekend.

The weather has been wonderful so I was lying on my sun lounger a lot; Xander thought it seemed a good idea too!!!Xander and Genghis curled up together on the bed...aah!! Brotherly love!!! Peter fighting the good fight against the algae!!! Not winning yet, but he keeps trying! Tim and Alicia. This is my son and his girlfriend who finally I pursuaded to allow me to take their photos!!! It is actually a very nice one I think. We went out on the boat as well, later in the afternoon, around the 8,000 hectares called De Grootslag here in West Friesland. It was incredibly relaxing and Ann and I were 'steered' by Capt. Peter very successfully for over 4 hours!!! The weather went a little cloudy later on in the day but we stayed dry and it was a super day. Now, today, it is dull and overcast so I am glad we got Ann to agree to enjoy the sunshine instead of working on her stairs - plenty of time for that today I fear!!!!

and the last card....

I am having problems reducing the size of my cards at the moment so I apologise if they are not all yet on the forum, ladies at Scrapfever! Chantal is busy with it and it will happen! This is a recent stamp I received, and it is nice to do something other than a Magnolia for a change! I used the ribbon from the cutie kit, Scrapfever, as well as the flowers. The paper is Basic Grey I think.. and then cardstock etc all from my cardkit this month.

Right now I am absolutely shattered having worked a few hours today, first time in ages. I started a little later and I left a little earlier as I was exhausted. Apparently it happens with the gall stone problem, so I think it is another early night for me. I am slowly getting on with the mini album for my cousin. So far, so good! I am loving it! I'm using a Melodee Langworthy idea, which means I can virtually make the entire album before I have the photos!!!! By sticking to one series of papers and using the labels as pages with some stickers etc, I can built the album to my design so easily. Having a theme is the best possible aid, and the new stamps are terrific, dead pleased about them! Will start taking the photos of it soon, and then the finished article so you can see how easy it is to create in advance of the event!!!!

Time for dinner - 2 hungry boys to feed if I can tear them away from their computer that is!

bye, bye.

blog address

here it is: www.simpelscrappen.blogspot.com Enjoy!!

new cards

I've made these cards this week, in between enjoying the sunshine and getting a tan!! Early in the morning, so as now - it is 6.30am - or later on at night are perfect times to catch up with my scrapping!!! I love using my nesties for the circles - so easy! I get the CARDKIT from SIMPEL SCRAPPEN everymonth, and so these wonderful kits arrive with all you need to make the perfect cards! I also get the bi-monthly SCRAPCARDS magazine which should be dropping through my postbox any time now, and that is super. the first 2 cards are using this months selection. You can go to the site for the kit, which I will look up for you in a mo. and find examples of cards using the kit, but I prefer to make my own first and then I look what others have done. It is so easy to just lift someone else's ideas, and we all do it, but I find it takes me away from using my own designs as well, and that is the real challenge!!! Over at SCRAPFEVER we are choosing a new DT member for the cardteam, and it is proving difficult to decide 'cos there are so many super entries! Right now I am trying to stack up my card stash so that I have got them done before I go in for my operation this month!!! Oh yes, they are removing my Gall Bladder which is a little scary but necessary as I hate having such painful attacks. It is a dreadful pain that lasts HOURS!!!!!!! Anyway, I am sticking to a really low-fat diet to try and avoid them as much as possible, and hoping that it will all be over once I have had it. The sun is shining and it is already warm outside. I lay out in my cossie yesterday afternoon to top up my tan, but I think it needs more!! We are going to England next week to my cousins 25th wedding anniversary 'do' and I want to look like I live abroad!!!! I am in a dither about what to wear of course.........especially as I will see loads of people I haven't seen for about 23 years or more!!!! Wish I was 10 stone and divine, but like that can happen in 6 days............duh!! So I am going to the hairdressers for a proper colour and highlights, hide all the grey etc. and I will pack the suitcase with as many outfits as I can squeeze in! I am so trying to avoid being ill; it would be just my luck to have an attack on the evening of the party, or certainly afterwards, hence the food avoidance tactics! I have learnt that eating in the car is not possible, and that anything sweet is a potential danger so all those wonderful desserts Jeanette will make are taboo! I sent for a lovely long dress/pinafore yesterday so am hoping that will arrive in time - usually very slimming, right??!!! 'Am I bovver'd? I'm not bovver'd.!!'