Monday, August 27, 2012

Time to do an update!!!

It is time I do an update on this blog.  I have several blogs and sometimes I just update the one and not the other.

This card I made in July already and really like the technique.  This was shown by Stamp TV and can be seen on YouTube.
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The shiny paper used for the butterfly and the mask is actually a paper shopping bag.

Next is a card using the wax paper resist method.  You can find on how to do this here.


This is the full version of the card.  I first gave the cardstock 'resist' with the wax paper.  Then I used distress inks to work the card.  I then stamped the stamp with versamark ink and embossed with black embossing powder.  I did forget to 'wipe' my card stock first to get rid of the static cling so next time I know better.

 This is a close up of the 'resist' and the stamp.
Again a close up of the resist but as you can tell it is 'fading' away a bit but I like it.  Most likely because I did not keep the iron on that part long enough.




Monday, June 18, 2012

Quicker than I thought

Yes this is much quicker than I thought for my new card.  But I was experimenting with my new punch and trying to create the 'lacy' border.  I discovered you need a certain punch and a certain size card.

Where I punched the border the card is 5.5 inches long and the punch cut is 2.5 inches.  So 2 cuts with the punch fits really nice.  This is the end result.



 Close up of the 'lacy' border.


 This is the punch I used it is an EK punch.

Please feel free to email me with any of your questions.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

It is about time

I posted a new creation.  I do have to say I have been in a non creative mood the last little while but I got a few new dies and they got me going again.  This is the end result.


Tried out a new technique with my new punch.  The card is a 5 x 5 card and my punch is 2.5" wide so I could not get the small end edges like I wanted but solved it by placing the blue piece of card stock behind it.
The butterfly is a new die by Memory Box and the card itself is a new Sizzix Mover and Shaper die.


Again a Memory Box die for the centre.  

Hope not to stay away this long again.  Thank you for looking at my card.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

My project for this week

This is a golden oldie card and I hope to make another one this week using a dragonfly.  I used peel-offs stickers on acetate and stickles to colour the butterfly in.



Colour is a bit off here but I think it is the flash on the acetate.


Friday, April 6, 2012

Challenge Card

This is a challenge card for the Fetch A Sketch Challenge #21 I also used what I learned in my Tombow technique class which was stamping the background, spritzing it, letting it dry and then stamp the same image with black ink.  I did not stamp with the same image as you can see and my background stamps kind of got washed away but I did like the effect.  I coloured in the flowers and then I covered it with acetate and stamped the flower image on the acetate and embossed it.

The full card.  Hard to see the acetate covering the center piece.

A close up of the embossed flower.  The embossing is done on the acetate cover.

Another close up showing the embossing.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spring Card

Jeanne and I worked on a card together using the TH fall leaves die.  This is my result.



I am really pleases with it.  I lined the inside of the card with CS the same colour as the flowers.  I sprayed the outside of the card with pearl glimmer mist.
After cutting out the leaves I ran some through the Big Shot to give them some texture.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Birthday Celebration

We celebrated my birthday last week by going to the hill to make a snowman and do some sleighing.  The boys and their families came over and we all went to 'the hill' in our winter attire, kids and sleighs to have some fun.  The weather was fantastic with the sun shining and the temperature around 0 degrees.  Nobody else on the hill so we could sleigh in any direction.  It was a lot of fun and the kids just loved the sleighing.


This is an entry for the Fetch and Sketch challenge #20.
Credits:  Dana-Zarling-Frosted-Cranberry-Elements and Jen Allyson Paper


Saturday, March 17, 2012

Speed Scrap

Last week I participated in a SpeedScrap contest by DHD (Design House Digital).  It was my first time so I did not know what I was getting into.  You start at the hour and you get a 'shopping list'.  This is a list of the items needed to do the speedscrap.  Then every 10 minutes you get partial instructions (in order) on how to use the shopping list items and put them on your page.  This is my end result.


I really enjoyed doing this and I learned lots.  I also learned that I am a visual learner and need some idea as to what the end product is suppose to look like.  Oh yes, after the first hour of instructions you get one more hour to finish your scrap and post it to the board.  Hence the word SpeedScrap.
This SpeedScrap is held every month so I know I will participate again in April and I am looking forward to it now that I know what it is all about.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Card #5

My last card for this week of being card captain.  Again a MS stamp of course.  Which I embossed and punched out.  After laying them out on the card I stitched some gold thread on the squares and added a bead in  the middle of each square.


A closer look at the stitching and the bead. 

Hope you enjoyed my cards this week.

I also entered this card for the Fetch A Sketch Challenge #19

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Card #4

My fourth card as the card captain for the MS stamp group.  This is a 'green' card which is also the challenge for March for this group.  It is also a swing card which is not hard to make but challenging and you have to keep your mind to it while you are cutting.  I have to say I did pretty good this time, just my sample card I cut wrong.  You also get to learn how to use your cutting board really well.





It is not an easy card to display but I tried.  For the swing card I have to give Catherine Pooler total credit with her YouTube video here  and the credit for the tulips goes to Valita with her YouTube video here
Enjoy the card.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Card #3

We are midweek now so only 2 more cards to come.  Today's card is also an entry to the March Sketch challenge at Michael Strong's stamp group.



I stamped the flower on clear acetate and then embossed it with ochre yellow to match the background.  The strings of flowers are moss green.
Personally I feel there is something missing in this card so I would love to hear your suggestions.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Card #2 for this week

This time I used the dragonfly stamp from Michael Strong.  The big one and the small one.  The hardest part of making this card, besides cutting out the dragonfly, was stamping the word thinking of you on it.  It is a 4 sided wooden stamp from Just for You and has a tendency to rock smearing the edges.  But I was lucky (or did I have a steady hand that time) and it stamped perfect without any smearing at all.

Hope to see you again tomorrow.

Monday, March 12, 2012

A week of cards

This week I will be posting a card every day.  I am the card captain for the Enjoy Michael Strong stamps where I get to post a card I made using one of Michael Strong's stamps.

Today I picked an oriental theme for my card



I used the fan stamp and die to make the fans.  I stamped on a gold coloured gift bag and used the matching die to cut them out.  The red paper went through the cuttlebug with an embossing folder and the Chinese letters are peel-off stickers.
Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Load #29

I did it!!! I got my 29 Layouts done in 29 days.  So my husband and I went out to celebrate that I am done but also that he got another clean bill of health.
I hope to keep up with doing at least 1 a week now and also make some cards again as I am way behind in my duties on that end.  Looking forward to the next LOAD in May.


Today's prompt was Once in a Blue Moon.  And this is a once in a blue moon picture as this will never happen again to see the 3 boys work on some cross-stitch work.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Load #28

Today's load is about the screen.  The prompt was very open in how we used it.  It could even be a computer screen. But I decided to do our son as a 'Rock Star'.  Who knows he may make the screen yet.
Actually before I read about today's prompt I was looking through our photo albums and came across these pictures of my son performing in a school play.  I really liked them so when I read about the prompt I decided to use these pictures and this is the result.


Monday, February 27, 2012

Load #27

Just 2 more to go and I will be done.  I am ready for a break and then to think I plan on doing this again in May!!! Silly me.  I will see if I will be as dedicated as I am this time.  Time will tell.


The prompt for today was Animal Magnetism.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Load #26

Almost there only 3 more days after today.  It sure has been a very good experience doing these Layouts. Learned lots about PSE and how to digiscrap.
Today's prompt was Girl Crush.  I thought about it a long time and was going to do my singer idol as my crush but decided to honour my Dad instead.  It is true I did have a crush on him like a little girl does on her father and is going to marry her dad no matter what.  I think that is a crush just the same.


I now have to find out when these pictures were taken so I can document that as well.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Load #25

Another priceless photo of Kent when he was trying to pull up the sail of the windsurfer.  I don´t think I can forget his face and anger at us for telling him he could do it.  But as you can tell . . .  He can do it.  Way to go Kent!

Kent was about 9 years old in these pictures.

Load #24

Yes, yes I did do LOAD #24 yesterday but did not upload to my blog as yet so here is Load #24.  This time the prompt was Numbers and what they meant to me.  Well I think 3 is my lucky number.  In more ways then one but I only scrapped about one of my number 3s.  My sons.


I have discovered by doing these layouts that journaling is the hardest part of it all.  Not so much as what I want to say but what I should say.  Am I to journal and explain the pictures?  or should I journal and think about the subject(s) and not so much the pictures themselves?
Personally I feel that pictures speak for themselves.  May be explain as to who is in the photo and then write about the overall feeling of the layout.  Well I have 5 more layouts to do for this month and who knows I may have the answer by then.  Though I am leaning towards writing about the subject(s) not so much as to what is in the photo.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Load #23

Well I did run out of photos from when I was young so now I will start doing some layouts from the time I came to Canada up to now.  Today's prompt was Road Trip and I assure you we have taken many.
This layout shows the way we travelled as a family for many years.  Long trips or short trips.


We always had 1 adult sitting in the back to keep peace.  Luckily we did not have the car seat rules like they have now.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Load #22

Got another one done.  No photos this time just stories about how my holidays went when I was a little girl.  Memories, memories and more memories.  It has been a great experience so far.


See you again tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Load #21

Today another layout featuring my brother Leo.  I guess I have more pictures with him than I have with my other brothers as they were 6 and 8 years older than me and my brother Leo only 2 years.
Today's prompt was My Hometown.  Well my hometown is The Hague so I zoomed in on my neighbourhood for this prompt.  I had a lot of fun googling the internet for pictures from my old neighbourhood as I do not have any myself.  I found lots and many had comments from people who had lived in this neighbourhood as well and talked by the Good Old Time.  At least I had fun doing it.
And now for my Layout.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Load #20

Only 9 more to go and we will have made it to the end.  This was a fun prompt we got today.  Remember our overall Load theme is Past Perfect that is the reason why I am trying to use all my 'old' pictures for these Layouts.  Today had to do with fashion.  What we used to wear, what we favoured in our clothes and so on.
Well this is not really fashion but I am sure at one time it was.


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Load #19

Only 10 more to go and the month is done.  Today was a more difficult prompt as I just do not have the pictures to go with the stories I would like to tell.
But I did find 2 which for me bring back memories to my wedding and my friendship with both of them.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Load #18

Today is my son's birthday.  37 years young they say.  It sure makes me feel older though.
This is just 1 page of the 2 page layout I plan to do on him.  I just have to collect the other photo albums from the house before I can go on.

Load #17

Another LOAD done and another photo out of the album used.  This is about me and what I wanted to be when I grow up!
Again I used my own handwriting font which is harder to read but I thought it appropriate for this LO.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Load #16

Another page done and a day closer to the last one.  Today's prompt was neighbours.  This could be from today or from when I was young.  As I trying to do most of these pages from the time of my youth I had to use some old pictures I got when my Mom past away and I got her pictures.

Enjoy the page.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

LOAD#15

An oldie but a good one.  I wanna hold your hand.  How we all use to 'sing' along in those days.

This time though it is my granddaughter and son doing the hand holding.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Load #14

Today is a special day as it is Valentine's day so I dedicated today's page(s) to my Mom.  We certainly had our differences but I also know that she did the best for me whenever possible.
I made 2 pages this time as I had so many photos I wanted to include.  I started when she was just married and the last photo I used was about 10 years ago.
Hope you enjoy these pages.  If you do please leave a comment.


Yesterday's Load

Load #13 was about hobbies from the past.  No photographs of me doing any of these hobbies but then in those days you did not take too many photographs as it all was too costly.  Not like today with our digital cameras where we take pictures and pictures and pictures and spend hours sorting them.
But here is LO #13

Enjoy this one and make sure you leave a comment as to how it brings back memories for you.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

No I did not forget

No I did not forget to post yesterday but my computer decided it was time for a rest so I turned it off and did not turn it on again until this morning. Which means I get to post 2 pages today instead of one.
First one is my School Days with lots of fun and fond memories.
I remembered my school well.  I remember so many things which happened during those years.  All in all a good time for memories again. 

Now for today's prompt - History Repeats Itself.  I could have done an easy one of my husband and one of my sons but these pages are about me and my memories from my youth so I had to find something different.  I discovered I do not have a lot in-common with my Mom so I decided to do our differences instead.  These are just some or our differences.


The pictures are of my Mom and me.  At birth and at my wedding day.
The text is as follows:
This is not so much about how my Mom and I were alike but more about how we differed.  I guess I was more like my Dad then my Mom.
My Mom wanted me to wear dresses 
I wanted to wear pants
My Mom loved shopping
I hate shopping
My Mom liked to have her hair done every week
I get my hair trimmed 2 times a year
My Mom liked the Motel/Hotel holidays
I like the camping holidays
My Mom liked birthday parties
I do not care much for birthday parties
My Mom used to smoke
I never smoked
My Mom did not get dressed until lunch (wore a housecoat until then)
I get dressed as soon as I get up
My Mom loved jewelry and felt naked without her earrings in.
I forget my jewelry most of the time.
As you can tell not a lot we had in common.



Friday, February 10, 2012

Day #10

Day #10 and this time it was our favourite memory we had to scrapbook about.  My memories went back to the month of December.  It was one of my favourite months when I was a child.  First Sinterklaas en then Christmas but most of all New Year's Eve.  All of these days have different memories.  No layout this time with lots of photos though the small photo on December 5th is my dad at a Sinterklaas party.  The 25th features one of the family trees.  And then the oliebollen picture on the 31st was taken from the Internet.

I tried to tell my kids about my New Year's eve tree hunting stories but of course they did not understand.  Then I found this cookbook Let's Go Dutch Again and the co-author told about his experience as a young boy in Den Haag.  I am sure he use to live in my neighbourhood the next street over or something as he tells the New Year's Eve story just the way I experienced it.


This is the text I used:
"One of my favorite memories is that of New Year's Eve (Oudejaarsavond) in The Hague where I spent my early childhood years. New Year's Eve was, of course, part of the Christmas season. As soon as Christmas was past, everyone geared up for the festivities surrounding this big day.
Some of the people would dismantle their Christmas trees early and put them out for garbage collection. Young neighborhood boys would gather these trees and hide them for a bonfire which was always scheduled for midnight, New Year's Eve. The people on each street competed against each other to have the biggest bonfire.
It was of course inevitable that Christmas trees would be "appropriated" from the competition's cache. It was also inevitable that some clashes would erupt. In fact, "street gangs" of small boys developed. I say "street gangs" with fondness because it was entirely normal to feud over trees in the morning and to engage in a friend­ ly soccer game in the afternoon. With the "tree fights" as well as the soccer matches, it was one street against another. Both events were frequently shut down by a police officer (agent, klabak) who patrolled the streets on his bicycle. Of course, fighting was disallowed as was street soccer.
#2
The evening would be spent with games and listening to the New Year's Eve spe cials on the radio. We would often listen to one of Holland's famous comedians, Wim Kan. Throughout the evening, we would indulge in all of the goodies which Mother had prepared throughout the day. Then, at about 11:00 p.m., we went outside with our fireworks. Christmas trees would be removed from their hiding places. We piled the trees as high as we could on the street, most often at an intersection. At about 5 minutes before midnight, the excitement would start to reach a climax. The bonfire was lit. Fireworks (vuurpijlen, rotjes, zevenklappers, donderbussen) of all sorts were ignited. At midnight, the clock towers would sound their glorious bells and people would hug each other or, if they were more reserved, shake hands. Few people remained in their houses. Everyone was in the streets.
(These excerpt was taken from Let’s go Dutch Again Cookbook by
Johanna (van der Zeijst) Bates and Jan Walrabenstein)
My own text:
December 5 -
Sinterklaas. Exchange of gifts was done on December 5th. As young children we would put out our shoes and have hay and carrots for Sinterklaas his horse to eat. It is like Santa Claus where you had a wish list and you got presents but beside the presents were the special gifts. This is where you made a gift and kind of hid the gift inside a handmade ‘masked gift’ which was usually something to do with the person receiving the gift. With it was a ‘rhyming story’ (verse) explaining the meaning of the masked gift and hints to the real gift. One I remember my mom got was a ball of yarn and 2 knitting needles. My mom use to knit a lot and the giver had wound the yarn around a small gift for my mom and the verse would talk about my mom and her love for knitting. I guess this is hard to explain unless you know the tradition of this kind of gift giving. Lots of thinking, time and effort went into these gifts.
December 25 _
Christmas was all about family. My dad, brothers and I would go out and buy a Christmas tree. Take it home and then time to decorate. Dad would put in the lights first and then the kids were allowed to help with the ornaments and we always had little chocolate wreaths hanging in the tree. Real candles as well but they were not lit. We also had one larger chocolate wreath hanging in the tree and that was a prize for the winner of the candle burning contest. During Christmas dinner we would all get a candle in our ‘own’ candle holder. They were all lit at the same time and the candle which burned the longest the owner would win the large chocolate wreath. I am sure you can imagine the efforts we did as children trying to blow out other peoples candles (once out you were out of the competition) without our parents noticing it. It was also a time of family games. It was a time of mandarin oranges, candy and chocolates, with lots of good baking and snacks. All in all it was a very memorable time. We did not exchange presents at Christmas. This was done on the 5th of December – Sinterklaas.
December 31 -
Just one more thing about New Year’s Eve. Everyone would make appelflappen and oliebollen that day for everyone to eat later in the evening and kind of have a silent competition as to who would have the best oliebollen in the neighbourhood. In our household it was my dad making them and the joke for the longest time was that he used self turning flour. See the oliebollen would turn on their own in the hot oil when they were brown on one side and my dad always told us it was because of the self turning flour he used. I too believed him for the longest time and these are memories you never forget.
Finally my memories are on paper.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Day 9 and still going strong

Day 9 already only 20 more to go.  LOL!  Today our hint was Home Sweet Home.  Now we all have lived in different places at different times.  I hope to make pages of almost all the places I lived at.  But mainly the ones I called HOME.
Starting out with my very first home of course is the house I grew up in.  Unfortunately I do not have a lot of pictures of the house or the surrounding area to show you where I grew up but here are some of the pictures taken during my first 16 years of my life.

This is a place with lots and lots of fond memories.