Thursday, February 26, 2009

Enduring Love

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

Oh another favourite page set by Rina Kroes. I KNOW! I have tons of favourites among Rina's kits, but would I CT for Rina and Kimmi if I didn't LOVE their design work? Kinda obvious, right? LOL

Still I have bigger and less big favourites, and Enduring Love is one of those BIG favourites.

I could not say it any more eloquent than Rina does in her product description : " This collection is dedicated to devoted parents and grandparents whose love endures throughout the decades. Take a step backward in time to the not too distant past with these warm earthy colors of gold, green and rust and sprinkle a bit of nostalgia into your creations. Loaded with texture and detail, Rina's "Enduring Love" has gently worn embellishments that will be perfect for anniversary layouts or to celebrate the love of an older generation."



Here is a bragbook page I made using Enduring Love. We were camping, I'm the little one in the front, with the bib (we were having lunch!) and so it must have been in the early 60's. I think the location is the Pienaars River Dam in South Africa, but I'm going to have to verify that with my mom, before adding the info to my page.

I also used a template by Rina. This one is part of her Vacation Bragbook Templates, currently on Close-Out and a STEAL at $1.99 RUN don't walk and grab this one!




Here is another LO where I used these templates as well as some of the wordart that comes with it. (The kit is Passionate Elegance, also by Rina, but no longer available) click the picture for full credits.

and finally another page, this time I used a freebie QP made by Kabra, that is still available on Rina's blog! Zip on over to The Reluctant Recluse and grab yours today! HERE (or click on the LO below)


Thank you Rina and Kabra!
I took my snowy, spring picture of buried crocus earlier today...hope to show you soon!
Later gators!






Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Spring is Coming!

I was very sure of that the last few days, but with the snow coming down today...well maybe soon, right? seriously, I do think we need one more good dump before spring will really be here with us.

In the meantime, I scrapped a picture I took of the crocus last March. Every year these little guys poke their faces through the old maple leaves littering the lawn (is it grass or lawn...hmmm it looks more like just 'grass' to me!). I caught this little in the act, even before the bloom was totally open.



Everything used for this LO can be found in Gypsy Couture's Red Carpet Grab Bag.
Maybe I'll do a snow picture LO next....


Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Feel like doing some ironing?

With this?


I'm sure it must have been a great invention and very helpful for getting those cottons and linens all nice and smooth again, but just think about it! It is like having a work-out ironing with that all day long. It had capacity for some hot coals to be put inside, and once applied to the dampened cloth, I'm sure the creases melted away fairly easily. Still I rather like my lightweight steam iron. Having said that : there are times when I could use one of these babies on some creased-beyond-recognition jeans!
The kit I used for my page is "As The Day Fades" by Gypsy Couture. Beautiful kit with lots of fine items...and good for many pages for sure!

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

Monday, February 16, 2009

The Gift of Love and a Fine Sale!

As the super 'Sweet Sale' continues at Scrapbook-Elements, I thought I'd show you some items I think are well worth investing in!

Always and Forever is one of Rina Kroes's older kits, but it is as pretty and as useful as ever. It is a kit I keep going back to. The rub-ons are super, definately an often used item in my digi stash. Rub-ons are so easy to use/recolour/change blend modes...and even after several uses, nobody would notice that you've used it...again! aaaah and the beauty of digital ; once bought...you never have to buy again (unless your computer crashes and you've not been backing up the files ROFLOL.....hmmm not that that is funny at all!)

take a closer look at the elements


and the papers



and, still along the Love Theme, well Valentines was just a few days ago! there is Rina's Love is a Gift Page Set


taking a closer look at the elements :

and the papers :


and for a Quick and Snappy WOW! Rina has a 12x12 Quick Page Album in the store.

and a LO that I did using 'Love is a Gift' : Sisters are Forever Friends

I used Rina Kroes's ever beautiful Love is a Gift Page set for this. the lace is from Rina's Whispered PromisesThe ribbon brush on the bg is by Kerri Schueller and the little string by Angie Briggs. The quote is from DSP and the 'Under Glass' frame (now retired) by Liz Pike. I used a tutorial 'Porcelain effect' by Janee on the photograph.

Finally I would like to offer you a Bragbook QP and a 12x12 Quick Page, featuring these two products!




Thanks for dropping by today!

New kit : Rina Kroes! and a freebie!

Have you seen Rina Kroes's new kit TeenTude? It is on sale this week, but not only that...rina has a bunch of add-on products for the kit, that you can pick up at rock-bottom prices ($1.00 each) for this week only, after that they will still be available, but at regular prices!

Skip over to Rina's Reluctant Recluse blog to see all the details and to pick up a wonderful freebie 12x12 page, made with TeenTude!

Whatcha waitin' for? LOL

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Your Word is "Think"
You see life as an amazing mix of possibilities, ideas, and fascinations.
And sometimes you feel like you don't have enough time to take it all in.

You love learning. Whether you're in school or not, you're probably immersed in several subjects right now.
When you're not learning, you're busy reflecting. You think a lot about the people you know and the things you've experienced.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Sweet Treats and a Sale : Rina Kroes!

More terrific deals and fun stuff for you! Over in Rina Kroes's store at Scrapbook-Elements

and if you head on over to Rina's blog (The Reluctant Recluse) you can grab this freebie, made for you by Debbie (bragbook pages) and me (the card)!


but before you grab...take time to read the amazing blog post that Rina wrote to go with this! I'm so inspired to do a LO with that concept! Rina YOU ROCK GIRL!

Kimberly Stewart Sale and Freebie!

Kimberly Stewart has a super selection of 'Sweet Treats' for you in her Scrapbook-Elements Store. Kimmi also has a 40% off deal on her store, starting today. so ziiiiip on over to SBE and grab a deal or two!


and if you scoot on over to Kimmi's blog (The Royal Court) you can pick up these bragbook page freebies, that I made for you ;-)



Whoot!





Thursday, February 12, 2009

It is Good to be Young!

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

I have so many heritage pictures and am having so much fun working with them! Black and white photographs have such a charm about them!
I'm not perfectly sure who the young lady in this picture is, but I have a good idea. I shall have to ask my mom about that. And you cannot see it in this small screen version, but she is laughing into the wind..It is GOOD to be Young! I LOVE it!


Gypsy Couture has been very busy! I used her latest kit "Only You" for my page.
Lisamarie (aka Gypsy Couture) opened her new store at the Digichick today. Congrats Lisa!
Now I started watching an amazing version of the ballet 'Sylvia' (not the same as the 2003 movie by that name! The Ballet is based on a poem) last night. Performed by the Royal Opera House at Covent garden. It is sumptious...and I'm off to go finish it.
Catch you later!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Apple of My Eye

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

That is the meaning of the sentiment on the page " my hart se punt" Naturally, as sentiments go, a literal translation would sound as ridiculous as 'apple of my eye'....but that's just it, isn't it? We're talking sentiment. And the heart just simply doesn't 'think' along set logical paths. At least mine doesn't!


The LO features one of our boys, dressed in a little suit sent to him, by a friend from Switzerland. How many memories are locked up in one single picture. I take one look and my mind recalls an endless stream of places, people and things.

It is one of the things I particularly like about scrapbooking : I get a chance to indulge in a favourite past time : daydreaming. It may be more 'memory dreaming' but I sure do a lot of it!

I used a brand new kit by Gypsy Couture : "It Could Happen" for my page. (Isn't that tongue-in-the-cheek-flying-pig cute?)

Till next time...Happy Scrapping!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Taking That First Step

and doing it in style!

I'm so glad my mom always had her camera handy! We have the most wonderful pictures of our family. Thank you Mutschi...you are the BEST!

The pictures in this LO is of me taking my first steps. Being the youngest of 4 kids, by the time I came round, my mom could recognize the 'signs' of a young one wanting to be daring LOL and dashed into the house to grab the camera. She caught these pictures of me taking my first steps. Of course, by the time I let go and braved it entirely on my own, her ever faithful hands were there to catch me, rather than hold a camera!

I used the kit "Springtime Feeling" by Kimberly Stewart for this LO. Since I used it here, Kimberly has revamped the kit and added some really great extras to it. I may even consider re-doing this....this is such a great kit!

I used a letter from each of the 2 matching Alphas as well. (Images are linked to the store)

I need to get to town and do some shopping, snow in the forecast for tonight, but it looks like we'll back into the rain tomorrow. Right now I'm enjoying the SUN!
Till next time!

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Anniversary LO

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

We have a little tradition or 'habit' in our marriage, whereby we take a picture on our anniversary every year. I'm really glad we kept this up! It is fun looking at the changing faces over the years. I thought it would be fun, to start an album with only those LO's in it. Currently the pages are just part of the 'Story of Our Lives' album series.

These -some what goofy, thanks to me- pictures seemed a good place to start. I will journey back in time over the next few months on what will prove to be quite a trip of memories...


For my page I used a page from the "Smitten Quick page Album" brand new in Rina Kroes's Scrapbook-Elements store today. Keep an eye open for the 2 covers to this album, coming in the Scrapbook-Elements monthly newsletter later this month. You can sign up for the newsletter here. Don't miss it! ;-)


See you soon!

Home Learning Memories

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing


Doing this LO this week sure brought back a flood of memories!
Hubby wanted to know what those strange nonsense sentences was all about! LOL. Those are the kinds of sentences you make when you use candy hearts!
I used "Thumbody Loves You" by Cathy Krenek for this LO.



Naturally I have lots of home learning related pictures to scrap. I really enjoy doing them, even if they tend to end up being rather cluttered! There is always so much to 'tell'!

Here Tim is doing a Show-and-Tell with some friends on the discovery of a new solar system. He really got into this idea! I scan, whenever I can, pieces of the boys' actual work to add to their pages. They may never go back to look at their bound 'pages of knowledge' (ha!) but they will look at photo albums! The Valentine Day one above has Tim's bar graph in it (the amounts of different colours of candy in the box of M&M's) and the LO below has the ID information card as well as Tim's paragraph, from his exercise book, giving the basic information about this new system!

I used Kimberly Stewart's "Out of This World" for this and the next 2 pages.



Jonathan telling his friends all about the real Deep Space. Making the posters was a big job, but fortunately we found some discarded National Geographic magazines at the library with these amazing pictures!


and one of the boys, constructing a scale model of our solar system. Messy work, but I personally get a kick out of working with papier maché, and looking at this makes me want to make something....hmmmmm.

Here is one of Tim doing Science...
The goodies I used for this page (I love their quirkiness!) are all by Tracey Monette. Mostly the Quirky Street Page Set (for full credits, click on the image)


and more Science : After I had posted this to the online gallery, I realized that I didn't explain myself well, so I did make changes before actually printing this LO. This is not how topographical maps are made, but rather how they work. duh
The amazing papers for this is by Tracey Monette -Dinosaur Paper Pack- and the drawings of the dinos are also by Tracey. For full credits, click on the image!

And that is probably enough about learning for one day....
Later Gators!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Well you must admit that I'm working on the blogwear! All the stuff used here so far is from Kimmi Stewart's new kit "Somebody For Me" due for release on Sunday February 8th.

I cannot help but know that I could get so much more done if I could get rid of these stupid headaches! I resent the hours, no days of my life I have lost to headaches. grrrrrrrrrrrr


Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Doll's House

Pictures/previews for this page have been removed due to Designers retiring and stores closing


There isn't really a whole lot to say about this play. Now if I had only just seen it, way back in 1923, I would undoubtedly have been as astonised as the rest of the best, LOL, but nowadays it will not cause much more than a tea cup storm I suspect...as far as subject matter goes. It is however a very very well written play and more than worth the small effort to read it!

I expect I shall read it again sometime, and I would dearly love to see a live performance of this play.

On to happier topics (Doll's House is not a happy play)

I did a bit of scrapping last week :

Here is a LO with baby Tim and I, many years ago. He was such a beautiful baby!




I used Rina Kroes's gorgeous new "Smitten" page set, and might I add that this page is one of the pages in a beautiful Quick Page Album (12x12) for Smitten, which is due for release Sunday February 8th. Don't miss it!



The Word art on the LO is also part of Rina's "Smitten Collection"


Visit Rina's Reluctant Recluse blog for a free quick page using 'Smitten' as well as a desktop calendar for February.




I had time to scrap another page...and the great pleasure to complete this in the company of a couple scrapping buddies! I used another kit by Gypsy Couture : "Beyond Measure"

The brush I used for making the lace is by Birgit Kerr. I really enjoy working with these old black-and-white photographs!


Alas no time for new blogwear yet...maybe I'll wait and see what Kimberly Stewart comes up with on her blog next. I got these snowmen from her blog as a freebie download. You can find Kimmi's blog here : The Royal Court

Time for bed...later gators!