Bye 2008!

Dit wordt de laatste post voor 2008! Ik wens jullie allen een geweldig einde en een spetterend begin! Al het beste voor 2009! Geluk, gezondheid en dromen die uitkomen!

This will be my last posting for 2008! I wish you all a happy ending and a smashing new beginning! All the best for 2009! Happiness, health and dreams that come true!

kerstkaarten

Enkele kaarten die we deze kerstperiode verstuurd hebben. Here are some of the cards I made for this Christmas season.
Stempel met kerstballen van Aladine werd gestempeld met Adirondack Pigment Ink 'Cranberry'. Het onderste kerstballetje kreeg een beetje rode glitter. Papier 'Bazrah' van 7gypsies.
Stamp with Christmas ornaments from Aladine was stamped with Adirondack Pigment Ink 'Cranberry'. I added some red glitter on the lower ornament. DP 'Bazrah' from 7gypsies.


Stempel 'Happy holidays!' van Stamps Happen werd ingekleurd met m'n nieuwe Copics (het blijft nog even wennen), uitgeknipt en op groen cardstock gemat. Een rode kaart met Schots lint afwerken et voilà!
Stamp 'Happy holidays!' by Stamps Happen was coloured with my new Copics (I still have to get used to them), cut out and matted on green cardstock. A red card was 'dressed' with 'Scottisch ribbon' and that's it!




Het idee voor deze schattige kaart haalde ik bij m'n favoriete hobbywinkel 'Crafts & Things' in Antwerpen. Stempeltje van Aladine.
The idea for this cute card came from my favourite local store 'Crafts & Things'. Stamp from Aladine.

A sketch and a kind thought - I.M. of Joanne

Bij HMM challenge #18 deze week een sketch. Deze week wordt stilgestaan bij het plotse overlijden van een van de regelmatige deelnemers aan de challenge, Joanne. Bedoeling is dat de kaart gestuurd wordt naar iemand die een lief woord kan gebruiken. Stempel 'Holiday Havarti', papier en embellishment uit de Magic Christmas Collection van Little Yellow Bicycle.

At HMM challenge #18 this week a sketch and a kind thought. In memory of Joanne, one of the regular participants of the challenge, we have to send the card to someone in need. Stamp 'Holiday Havarti', DP and embellishment from the Magic Christmas Collection by Little Yellow Bicycle.

Happy Birthday Monique!

Deze kaart is voor m'n vriendin Monique, die vandaag jarig is en gek op haar moto en Betty Boop! Betty Boop stempel van Stampitcrazy.net, tekststempel Stamps Antwerpen, papier K&Company.

This card is for the birthday of my best friend Monique, who loves her bike and Betty Boop! Betty Boop stamp by Stampitcrazy.net, sentiment by Stamps Antwerpen, DP K&Company.

Vanja has some great blog candy!

Vanja has some great St. Nicolas blog candy! You can enter till December 18th 8pm CET and she will draw and announce the winner the following day, December 19th, in the evening.
Check out her blog 'My Crafty Place', she has wonderful creations, and while your there, leave her some sweet comments, she deserves it!

Let it snow!

Bij House Mouse Monday challenge is het thema 'Let it snow'. Stempel is 'Along for the ride', papier 'Alpine Frost' van S.E.I. Veel sneeuwvlokjes op het papier, sneeuwvlokjes als embellishments en het plezantste van al: de sneeuw op de afbeelding, gemaakt met 'Puffy 3D textielverf' van Tulip.

At HMM challenge the theme is 'Let it snow'. Stamp is 'Along for the ride', DP 'Alpine Frost' by S.E.I. A lot of snowflakes on the paper, some snowflake embellishments and the most fun of all: the snow on the image made with 'Puffy Dimensional fabric paint' by Tulip.

More glitter!

Nog meer glitter voor deze Valentijnskaart (Dit jaar ben ik goed voorbereid)! De glitter op het papier en het hartje is weer perfect voor de HMM challenge #16. Bij Cute Card Thursday challenge #39 is het thema 'harten'. Afbeelding 'Monica romances' werd met 3D-blokjes bevestigd. Papier met glitterrozen en hartjes van Best Creations Inc.

More glitter for this Valentine card (This year I'm well prepared). The glitter on the DP and on the little heart is perfect again for HMM challenge #16. At Cute Card Thursday the theme for challenge #39 is 'hearts'. Image 'Monica romances' glued with 3D-foam. DP with glitter roses and hearts by Best Creations Inc.

Glitter

Bij House Mouse Monday challenge #16 willen ze zo veel mogelijk glitter zien! Wel de glitter hangt overal: op m'n gezicht, op de kat en zelfs op de kaart! Stempel is 'Warm tree light', het lampje werd met glitter bestrooid, maar dat is niet echt duidelijk op de scan. Kerstpapier met glitters van K&Company, glitter brad uit de 'Falala' collectie van Making Memories.

At HMM challenge #16 they want to see glitter! Well the glitter is everywhere: on my face, on my cat and even on my card! Image is 'Warm tree light', the lightbulb is covered with glitter, but it's not very clear on the scan. Christmas Cheer Holly Glitter Paper by K&Company, glitter brad from 'Falala' collection by Making Memories.

4 + 4 = 44!

I got this very cute (metal) birthday card from my dearest friends Marc and Monique; they even sang on my answering device! Although that did affect my hearing a little bit, lol!
Well it's official: I'm 44 as from today. I guess that means I still have 44 more years before having to behave a bit like a grown up? But I'll start worrying about that within 44 years. As for today: I'll put this little plate in front of me for the rest of the day and I'll enjoy myself. Tonight Eddy will make dinner and I'll just sit back and relax! Yeehah!

More Polka dots

Meer Polka dots... deze keer voor een kerstkaart. De sketch is van Sketch Saturday challenge #27, waar deze week een prachtige Whiff of Joy stempel te winnen valt! House Mouse stempel 'Joy to the world', tekststempel Stamps Antwerpen, papier en bloem uit de Falala-reeks van Making Memories.

More Polka dots... this time for a Christmas card. Sketch from Sketch Saturday challenge #27, where you can win a gorgeous Whiff of Joy stamp this week!
House Mouse stamp 'Joy to the world', sentiment from Stamps Antwerpen, DP 'Falala' by Making Memories.

Polka dots

Bij House Mouse Monday challenge #15 is het thema Polka dots. Stempel is 'Tweet kisses', papier Provo Craft. Bloempjes Daisy D's.

At HMM challenge #15 it's Polka dots everywhere! Image is 'Tweet kisses', DP Provocraft, flowers from Daisy D's, ribbon from stash.

Music off!

I decided to remove my playlist (for the moment). As Deena wisely mentioned, most people have their own music on. And I also noticed that it's rather chaotic to come on a blog with music, when I still hear the music on my own blog and my radio in the background, and ... So for the moment I removed the music on my blog, till I find a little device that looks like a radio or something and that visitors can easily switch on or off depending on their mood/taste. If you have any suggestions or tips, please let me know!

Wonderful awards

I received this beautiful award from the very sweet and talented Carolyn, who has become a very dear blogging friend.
Here is what accompanies this award: This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time, and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming; and these kind bloggers, aim to find friends and to be friends. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please, give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers, who must choose eight more, and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award.
I find it a bit hard to pass on this award, as I feel it's going to turn around in circles. I don't have a blog that long, but I have made a few wonderful friends. Sadly enough I noticed that once you don't frequently participate in challenges, the number of visitors quickly becomes less. Luckily enough, I noticed that the same 'bunch' of people keep visiting, even when I don't post that often.
I'm sure you all know who you are! Some live nearby, some a little further, some speak the same language, some don't, some pass almost every day, some from time to time: but to ALL of you: Thank you for visiting me, leaving sweet comments and encouraging me!

I received this wonderful award from Mary, an extremely talented lady. I'm really honoured to receive this from her! I also received it from Carolyn, but haven't passed it on yet! Sorry lady's, I've been a bad blogger and an even worse friend!
There are also some rules to follow. These rules are:
(1) Select 5 blogs that you feel deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
(2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.
(3) Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
(4) Link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
(5) Show these rules.
As I feel that most bloggers I know already received this marvellous award, I suggest that you take it and give to someone who hasn't received it yet. I bet there are loads of creative, friendly people out there, but I just can't seem to find the time or links to visit them, so I invite everyone who visits my blog to expand our borders, and please leave me a link to those new blogs!

All about Christmas

Bij House Mouse Monday challenge #14 gaan ze helemaal voor het kerstthema. Stempel is 'Along for the ride', DP van Cosmo Cricket en CreaMotion.

At HMM challenge #14 it's all about Christmas. Image is 'Along for the ride', DP by Cosmo Cricket and CreaMotion.

Home...

Home is ... where the best places are taken by our dog Emurphine (an Hungarian Mudi) and our 4 cats. (Btw: all our pets are adopted). Here you see Opera (a Birman) and Snoopy:



As I live in the city, I try to to put flowers everywhere to get a bit of green instead of bricks and concrete everywhere. And of course we hired this great looking dog to watch over them:


Snoopy who thinks he would love to be (get?) a rabbit:


Piccolina, our American Curl, who loves to help sort out the cardstock and DP and likes to keep an eye on everything:


Opera again, looking beautiful (as always) in the sunshine and Zohra, our Persian cat, who loves to drink from the tap!:

Junk... or not anymore?

House Mouse Monday challenge #13 gaat over het gebruiken van junk! Enkele weken geleden wou ik deze shampoofles weggooien, maar bedacht me omdat ik ze heel handig vond en omdat het pompje zo goed werkte. Vanochtend dacht ik er opeens aan en besloot ze voor de challenge te gebruiken. Omdat ze haar tweede leven ook in de badkamer zal doorbrengen, gebruikte ik de stempel 'Relaxing bubbles'. De zeepbellen zijn met Diamond glaze bewerkt, maar dit is niet zichtbaar op de foto. De tekening werd beschermd met zelfklevende plastic folie alvorens op de fles te kleven. En nu nog iets met een lekker geurtje erin...

HMM challenge #13 is all about using junk. I wanted to throw away this bottle of shampoo some time ago, when I realised that it was a very handy one and the pumping system worked perfectly. It wasn't until this morning that I thought about it again and decided to use it for the challenge. As it will get a second life in our bathroom I decided to use the stamp 'Relaxing bubbles'. The bubbles are highlighted with Diamond glaze, but it's not really visible on the picture. The image was protected with adhesive plastic film before I glued it on the bottle. Now all it takes is something perfumed inside...

The heat is on... finally!

Joepie! Eindelijk terug centrale verwarming! Sedert vorige zaterdag zaten we in de kou. Vandaag is er eindelijk iemand langsgeweest. Voorlopig zitten we toch terug lekker warm!

Yeehaa! Finally it's getting warm again in our house! Our central heating broke down last saturday and today we finally saw a technician! For the moment the heat is back on!

Music On/Off?

I just added a playlist to my blog (I like all different kinds of music), and would like to know if you prefer a blog with or without music! You can see the playlist at the bottom of this blog.
Ik heb net een playlist aan m'n blog toegevoegd (ik heb een heel uiteenlopende smaak van muziek). Laat even weten of je liever wel of geen muziek hoort op een blog! De playlist staat onderaan deze blog.
Bedankt.
Thanks for letting me know.

I love your blog Award!

I received this fabulous 'I love your blog' Award from Heather, who has this magnificent blog: Rica's Haven. Thank you so much Heather, I'm so happy with it! I secretely was a bit envious of everyone who got it! Not anymore thanks to you.
The rule says I have to pass it on to 7 other blogs, but I think I'm keeping it to myself a little more!

I received a truly amazing Award from Carolyn

I received this truly amazing award from my dear and very talented blog friend Carolyn! Thank you Carolyn, for giving me this gorgeous Award! It has something mystical!
I would love to keep this for myself, but that wouldn't be fair, would it?
There are some rules to follow. These rules are:
(1) Select 5 blogs that you feel deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
(2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.
(3) Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
(4) Link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
(5) Show these rules.

I'm going to look around in blogland and leave a message later with the blogs I nominated.

House Mouse: een recept - a recipe

Bij House Mouse Monday Challenge #12 is het de bedoeling 'een recept' te volgen: lint, 2 knopen, vilt en een gekartelde rand. Dit verwerk je met een schattige House Mouse stempel, et voilà! Ik 'bereidde' hiermee deze verjaardagskaart. Stempel 'Donut birthday', papier Craft Provo, bloem en knopen Daisy D. Nog een vilten strikje en dat was het!

At HMM challenge # 12 we had to follow a recipe: you take some ribbon, 2 buttons, some felt, a scalloped edge and add it to a cute HM stamp! I 'prepared' this birthday card. Stamp 'Donut birthday', DP Craft Provo, flower and buttons Daisy D. A small felt bow and that's it!

Helena has great birthday candy!

Helena got 41 today (altough she looks so much younger!). To celebrate this (altough she's not sure about it, lol) she offers some great candy! So please visit her blog, leave her some sweet comments and a big hug for her birthday! Hip hip hoera!

The wall

I just bought a stamp with this wonderful text:

If life and distance
build a wall between us,
please promise that together
we will steal the bricks

I wanted to buy this stamp several months ago to make some cards for my best friends. I truly regret not having bought it earlier, because one of my dearest friends, Edgard (I have a very funny picture of him here), past away in August.

So please take the time to let your friends and family know you care and while you're blogging, take time to leave a kind comment here or there!
(Time to go to sleep, I'm starting to sound like a preacher, or even worse, my mom, lol!)

Candy here, candy there, candy... everywhere!

Wow, it sure feels like Christmas is not far away anymore! There's fabulous blog candy all over creative blogland! (I feel like a child in a toy store!)

Check out the The Craftbugs blog for some great blog candy give away! International bloggers are welcome!

Check out the 'Biggest Blog Candy Evah' at Scrap Bitz for celebrating over 50.000 hits! It's gorgeous! You can enter just by answering the following question 'What is your favorite Holiday song of all time & why?' Sounds like fun! (or like Christmas).

And as I mentioned before, there's also great blog candy at Diane's 'A Pink Sunflower' and Deena's 'A Necessary Creativity'.

Off now, going to check if I left them a message myself, wouldn't want to miss these opportunities to win some great stuff!

An amazing Award!

I got this amazingly beautiful Award from this sweet and creative blogfriend of mine: Diane! Thank you Diane, you are the best!!!

The Rules are :-
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Ok here I go; I 'm passing this award to the following lovely ladies, whose blogs I don't visit frequently enough, so I hope they will forgive me now! (That's the problem with all those challenges; we don't have time for anything else anymore!)
Emilie
Gabi
Helena
Theneon
Vanja
Go have a look, and please leave them a sweet comment, so they know you've visited them!

I would also love to give (giving is different from nominating, isn't it? lol) this to Ann (my fellow witch, but she hates pink, so I'll give her a big hug instead, lol) and to Raisa and her talented kids Eveliina and Valtteri, and to Deena, and to Carolyn, and all those great bloggers out there... . So please visit their blogs, and leave them a kind comment while your there! (I guess this is a bit of cheating, but I'm sure you don't mind)

Diane has some great blog candy!

Diane has some great candy on her lovely blog 'Pink Sunflower' to celebrate 20.000 hits!
Check it out here, and while you're there, leave her some sweet comments; not only is she a lovely person but also an extremely creative one!

One last flew...

Op Deena's mooie blog 'A Necessary Creativity' vond ik een verwijzing naar de Crafty Creations challenge, waar het nog rond 'Halloween' draait! Joepie, eentje om het af te leren dus! Heks is van 'Stamp of Excellence,Inc', achtergrond 'sponged' met Adirondack Butterscotch, Stonewashed & Eggplant. De scene van Peddler's Pack Stampworks werd met Versamagic op zwart papier gestempeld, net zoals de vleermuizen van Stamp Crafter (Ik hoop dat het zichtbaar is op de scan).

At Deena's lovely blog 'A Necessary Creativity' I found a link to the Crafty Creations challenge, where the theme is Halloween! Yeehah, one more to unlearn! The witch is from 'Stamp of Excellence,Inc., background sponged with Adirondack Butterscotch, Stonewashed & Eggplant. The scenery from Peddler's Pack Stampworks is stamped on black paper with Versamark, as are the bats from Stamp Crafter (I hope it shows on the scan).

Deena has some creative blog candy!

Deena has some wonderful creative blog candy! She's in a sharing mood because of Halloween or because of reaching 40 000 hits!!! (yes 40 thousand!!!).
Check out the blog " A Necessary Creativity" of this kind, wonderful, creative and extremely talented lady!

That natural feeling

Bij House Mouse Monday challenge #11 is het thema 'Dat natuurlijk gevoel'. Hmmm, natuurlijk... natuur, moeder aarde, bron van leven - water - yep: regen! Wat is er natuurlijker dan regen, zeker in ons kleine landje! De keuze voor de stempel was vlug gemaakt: 'Sitting in the rain'. Papier 'bamboo' van Basicgrey. Tekststempel van Stamps, bloemetjes van Aladine met Versamark gestempeld op bruine cardstock.

At HMM challenge #11 the theme is 'That natural feeling'. Hmmm, natural... naure, mother earth, source of life - water - yes: rain! What could me more natural than rain, especially in this small country I live in! The choice for the stamp was easy:'Sitting in the rain'. DP 'bamboo' by Basicgrey. Sentiment says:'when the sun is shining, you don't think about rain anymore'. Flowers from Aladine are stamped on brown cardstock with Versamark.

Only 364 days till Halloween...

Only 364 days till the next Halloween, lol.
Next year I'll definitely have a party. Last year I cancelled it because life was to hectic and I'll always regret it because one of my dearest friends ever, Edgard, who loved our Halloween nights, passed away last August 17th, only 61 years old. I miss him so much, although we have only known each other for 6,5 years, he was 'my buddy'.
Here he is 'fooling around' (eating a - fake- spider - Halloween 2005):


Now for this year: I invited our dearest friends and a couple of Portuguese friends we don't know that long, but who have become very dear to us real fast. Guess what happened; our oldest friends were invited only two weeks ago to the wedding of their niece, who's husband to be secretely planned the wedding on 31st of...October! OK, that was a pity, but the party could go one, couldn't it? But last tuesday, Paula stumbled into my office, with horrible news: Carlos got hit by a bus and was in hospital. Luckily he could go home soon, but the poor guy is all bruised and stiff and to be honest, looked more like Frankenstein than himself! I told him he didn't have to go through that much trouble for just a Halloween paty, lol. But without kidding, I'm so glad he's feeling better everyday!
So it was just me a my darling: we had a real nice evening with bread, cheese and wine and our pets (who always take care of the animation on Halloween, and every other day too, lol) and talked about the past parties. We shed a few tears in remembrance of Edgard, but had some good laughs too, talking about all those wonderful memories!
So I guess this weekend was really all about the death and the living, as those days are meant to be!

Some more pictures of our past parties and decorations:

It's Halloween!

Happy Halloween to you all!

One more before Halloween!

Nog een laatste kaart en een laatste nacht voordat het Halloween is. Halloween is ook het thema bij TGIF #56 ! Stempel van Creative Images, papier K&Company.

One more card and one more night before it's Halloween! Halloween is also the theme at TGIF #56! Stempel van Creative Images, DP from K&Company.

What's in that cauldron...

Bij Cute Card Thursday #33 is het thema 'The stars at night' en mag er iets met sterren of spookachtig gebruikt worden. Is deze schattige heks, een afbeelding gekregen van Diane (thank you so much Diane!xxx), niet een echte ster van de nacht?! Ze is geweldig hé! En wie weet wat kookt er in die ketel...

At Cute Card Thursday #33 the theme is 'The Stars at Night' and we can use stars or something spooky. Isn't this adorable witch a real star of the night?! I got this image from Diane (thank you so much Diane!xxx), it's gorgeous isn't it! And who knows what might be boiling in that cauldron...

Awards!

I've been spoiled! I received not just 1 but 2 awards!


I received this beautiful award from Carolyn (who has become a dear blogging friend), because she feels I inspire her (although it's the opposite)! She doesn't find herself inspiring, but believe me: she is! She makes the most beautiful creations and always takes her time to visit everybody's blog and leave the most kind comments you've ever seen! I bet her days are longer than mine, because it's incredible where she finds the time to do all this! Please go check it out at her blog! Thank you Carolyn for making this a nicer world!

Now, I am to pass this award on to 6 inspirational people. There are a so many inspirational people I would like to give this to but unfortunately, I can only choose six. I chose these lovely ladies:
Deena
Raisa and her creative little girl Eveliina
Gisela
Clotilde
Janneke
Carole

Please, do check out their lovely creations!

Now for the next gorgeous award (don't you just adore those splendid fall colours?)
I received this lovely award from Diane, definitely my funniest blog friend when I come to think off it, lol. She makes amazing stuff, don't know where she keeps getting her inspiration! So check out her blog, it's gorgeous!
I give this award to the following 6 lovely blogs I love to visit:
Ann, my fellow witch
Anne
A nostalgic Halloween (I adore Halloween)
Ineke
Jacqueline
Vivienne (I also adore the beautiful music on her blog)

Go have a look at these wonderful blogs and while you're there, please leave them a comment!
As it is so hard to point out only so few special people, because there are so many of you special and inspiring people, I also dedicate this award to everybody who takes time to visit my blog and leave me comment. So please, feel free to put it on your blog! Thanks for your visits, and hope to see you soon!

Love & Marriage

Ik gebruikte de sketch van Ismaki challenge #36 als basis voor deze huwelijkskaart. Hoewel de kaart uiteindelijk heel simpel geworden is, heb ik er uren over gedaan en nog ben ik absoluut niet tevreden! De jurk is een PSX-stempel, tekst van Stamps Antwerpen, parelmoerachtig papier 'Morning meadow' van S.E.I., tekstpapier Creamotion. Het lint had ik nog liggen.

I used the sketch from Ismaki challenge #36 as inspiration for this card. Although it's a quite simple card, it took me hours to make it and I'm not satisfied at all! The dress is a PSX stamp, text by Stamps Antwerpen. The pearlescent paper is 'Morning meadow' by S.E.I., text paper by Creamotion. Ribbon from stash.

Anything but a card! Alles behalve een kaart!

Ik voelde me eindelijk een beetje beter en besloot zaterdagavond toch aan de 10de House Mouse Monday challenge begonnen! Een echte uitdaging, wat alles kon, behalve een kaart. Uiteindelijk heb ik gekozen voor een wijnkistje, een kalender en een theelichthouder om de kerststemming er in te brengen. Rechtstreeks op het hout van het kistje stempelde ik 'Helping hand'; de kolibri die nectar drinkt, leek me perfect om de inhoud weer te geven. Ik stempelde deze afbeelding opnieuw op krimpfolie - ditmaal ingekleurd - en bevestigde dit als label aan het schuifdeksel.
Voor de scheurkalender gebruikte ik een houten snijplankje dat mijn ventje liefdevol schilderde met 'jute wit'. De afbeelding is 'Candlelit dreams'. Hij schilderde ook de theelichthouder van Artemio, waarop ik 'Joy to the World' op rood cardstock bevestigde.

I finally felt a little better and decided to start working on the 10th HMM challenge saturday evening. A real challenge, because we could make anything but a card! I finally decided to make a wine box, a calender and a tea light holder to get into the christmas feeling. I stamped 'Helping hand' directly on the wooden wine box; the humming bird drinking nectar seemed perfect to reflect the content. I stamped the image again on shrinking plastic - coloured this time - and attached it to the sliding lid. For the calendar I used a wooden cutting board, painted lovingly by my honey with 'jute white'. The image is 'Candlelit dreams'. He also painted the tea light holder from Artemio, on which I put 'Joy to the World' matted on red cardstock.

One sketch - two cards!

Bij Just Christmas and Birthday Cards is het alweer de 3de challenge! Voor de verjaardagskaart gebruikte ik deze leuke Betty Boop stempel van Stampitcrazy. Papier 'Ally's wonderland' van S.E.I. Vellum en cardstock uit m'n voorraad.
Voor de kerstkaart gebruikte ik 'Santa Collage' van Rubber Stampede, papier 'Twinkling trees' van Karen Foster Design, op het vellum sterretjes van Stamps Antwerpen.
At Just Christmas and Birthday Cards it's already the 3rd challenge! For the birthday card I used this cute Betty Boop stamp from Stampitcrazy. DP 'Ally's wonderland' by S.E.I. Vellum and cardstock from my stash.
For the christmas card I used my 'Santa Collage' from Rubber Stampede. DP 'Twinkling trees' by Karen Foster Design. On the vellum I stamped stars from Stamps Antwerpen.

Friday Sketchers #24

Ik heb de overschot van de cirkel van de challenge van challenge #23 herbruikt (prijsbewust nietwaar) voor Friday Sketchers challenge #24. Stempel is 'Woman in repose' van Rubber Stampede.
I decided to use the remaining part of the cercle that was left over from the past challenge for Friday Sketchers challenge #24. Stamp 'Woman in repose' by Rubber Stampede.

A bit sick and behind on blogging and challenges!

Ik loop een beetje achter op m'n commentaar op iedereens blogs en op challenges. Mijn excuses hiervoor maar de laatste dagen waren een beetje hectisch! Werk, studies, de begrafenis van de broer van m'n beste vriendin en m'n gezondheid die even wat te wensen overlaat! Naast een nierontsteking ook nog een ontsteking aan m'n heiligbeen (wist zelfs niet dat ik dit had, maar voelt dus allesbehalve heilig aan, auw!). Dat schijnt ervan te komen als je naar de 44 gaat. Pffft, ik vond dat ik nu pas m'n prille jeugd beleefd had en was van plan te volgende 44 jaar een beetje op te groeien om de daaropvolgende 44 jaar pas over kwaaltjes te gaan zagen! Enfin, ik probeer dus de komende dagen jullie berichtjes te beantwoorden en een en ander te posten. Bedankt voor je bezoek en tot binnenkort.

I'm a bit behind with leaving comments on blogs and participating in challenges. I apologize to everyone, but life got a bit hectic these past days. Work, studies, the funeral of my best friends brother, and my health that was not a hundred percent. Next to kidney problems, I also have an inflammation of the sacrum (never knew I possessed one, but ouch - it hurts). That's what happens when one gets close to 44! Pffft, I always thought I was still experiencing my childhood, and had planned to grow up for the next 44 years, and use the 44 years afterwards to complain about minor growing pains and diseases! But anyhow, I plan on answering your messages and post some creations the following days. Thanks for visiting and see you soon!

I've been tagged!

Someone thought about me, and I got tagged! Thanks Deena, that's so kind!

As I've been tagged, I now have to share 7 facts (simple or weird) about myself.
So here I go:
1. I always write with black ink. When I have to sign something important I refuse to sign it with a blue pen. I don't know where this comes from, but for the last 20 years or so, I always carry some black pens with me!
2. I'm proud that my last name is only carried by 2 people in Belgium, my father and me! It's Hungarian, as my dad!
My mother and me always tease him with the fact that there could be more unofficially, if he has been fooling around a bit, lol.
3. I've been buying stamps for about 12 years now, but only started using them about a year and a half ago! I'm much better at collecting than at stamping I guess!
4. I'm terrified by spiders (especially the big, black, hairy ones, uhhh), although they do fascinate me (as long as they don't move).
5. I love to read; especially murder mysteries and detectives. I'm also fascinated by the 'other world': witches, ghosts, etc. I love to see movies and read books about magic. (I admit that I adore Harry Potter). I dream of going to New Orleans once, because they say it's the capital of voodoo. And because of the jazz and cajun food to of course! And I love Halloween, guess I was born in the wrong country!
6. I love to live (it starts to show a bit, lol) and hope I have some lives left: with all I'm still planning to do, I would have to be around for a couple of hundred years or more, lol.
I believe life is great and that the world could be an even much better place if everybody would enjoy life; if people got less egocentric and would be happy with what they have instead of complaining about what they haven't got, and if people would start 'sharing' more. I'm convinced that whenever you 'give', you'll get paid back twice one way or another(and I'm not talking about money now!)! Guess that's why I ended up in social work, lol!
7. I love internet and I love blogs! It's a great way to meet new fascinating people and to share all the beautiful things on this planet and to enjoy other people's creativity!
I always try to leave as many kind comments on other people's blogs as I can, although it takes a lot of time. I'm always a bit sad when I don't get as many visitors back, but... those who do visit my blog and leave all those kind comments make me real happy! Thanks for making my day!

I enjoyed playing this 'tagging game'. But no game without rules of course!
The rules are:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


I tag the following 7 wonderful and creative people:
Raisa, Carolyn, Diane, Ineke, Ann, Mary, Carolann.
Hope they play along, but if they don't... well it's a game and sometimes rules need to be broken, lol!
To everyone who's not in the list above, but visits my blog, feel free to play along!

Have a great day!
Els
x

Bedankt.

Deze 23e sketch van Friday Sketchers inspireerde me om eindelijk m'n mooie tulp van Magenta te gebruiken. Ik was dadelijk verliefd op deze stempel, maar had hem nog nooit gebruikt! Papier van Frances Meyer Inc. Tekst van Stamps Antwerpen. De scan is niet geweldig: de bloem heeft in 't echt namenlijk identieke kleurschakeringen van het papier!
This 23th sketch from Friday Sketchers inspired me to finally use this beautiful tulip from Magenta. I immediately fell in love with this stamp some time ago, but had never used it before! DP from Frances Meyer Inc. Sentiment from Stamps Antwerpen. I'm not satisfied about the scan: the colourscheme on the tulip should look exactly the same as the one of the DP!