Memory Box

I have moved

2008-10-21T22:48:00.003+02:00

As from now you can find me over at "Facts and Fairytales" where I will post about the things you were reading here and the things you could find over at "Naald en Draad" I really hope to see you over at my new place real soon. And don't be shy, drop me a line.

Some things never change

2008-10-19T18:49:00.004+02:00

Whenever my df Anita and I go somewhere, something happens, something funny, something silly, something awkward, just something. And yesterday was no exception. We were heading for Bedum, for little workshop from Birgit Koopsen in Marja's Hobbywinkel.
When we drove into the village, the car suddenly started to bleep. She needed oil, badly!!! It kind of took me by suprise, but df apparantly had had this problem before, because she pulled over straight away and got some oil from the boot. I thought this was just hilarious and had to take some pictures of course.

Abou 10 minutes later we reached our destination and made these little beauties. I hadn't seen Birgit for a while so it was great to catch up with her again, she even had the cheek to ask about my lovelife. Well, for all the others girls that might wonder what I've been up to lately..... It's quiet, something is brewing, but it's still quiet.
After the fun time with Birgit and Marja, we went to a beautiful shop for homedecorations, I'll tell you more about that tomorrow.

more Lay-outs

2008-10-09T10:42:00.002+02:00

As promised, 2 more lay-outs

This second one is the quickes LO ever. The paper is already so fantastic that I only added the flowers. The picture of the girls was taken by Anita Mundt

contest LO and Tim Holtz

2008-10-08T09:11:00.003+02:00

A little while ago, I participated in a contest over at Dolls and Decorations. I had to make a lo where purple would be the main colour, it had to have a tree in it, I had to use paint, silver, a bow and the word happy (which I turned into happiness) I didn't win, but I don't mind, I just love this LO

This morning I read Tim Holtz's latest entry on his blog I just love this man, he is sooooo creative with his paints and inks and stamps!!! Just look at the tag he made! I have to get myself that spiderweb stamp, never mind the skeleton, I can just think of all kinds to do with the web. I've also discovered that I stay away from a lot of techniques out of fear of messing it up. But instead of not trying them out I should literally try them out, not straight away on my lo's but on sampling bits. Hmmm, will I have time today???

I also went to a crop yesterday with my df JJ and I acutally finished 2 LO's!!! (you'll see why, tomorrow, when I'll be putting the photo's up) I love going to crops, it's nice meeting up with women who share the same passion, be it scrapbooking, quilting, cross-stitching, whatever. So if you've never done that yet, try it, you might make new friends, get new ideas or just have a chatty evening.

Got my mojo back

2008-09-18T10:27:00.002+02:00

Looks like I've got my mojo back. A LO last week, and this one yesterday. If I keep this up, I've got quite some LO's still coming before the end of the year.

A Layout, a card and some new stuff

2008-09-14T11:40:00.002+02:00

I've got a lot to show today. First of all a new LO, it had been ages since I last did some scrapbooking, but after visiting a scrapbookstore again, I also got some new inspiration. The photograph on this picture was taken by the talented Anita Mundt.
I also made some cards but sofar I've only taken a picture of this one, it's for an internetfriend of mine in the UK, this one is for you Kat!!
For my birthday I got a gifttooken from my df Sandra, who has also started a scrapblog, and I decided to treat myself with a cute little chipboardbook which I'm going to fill with the things I love, I can make this as big or as small as I want, but somehow I think I'm going to ad to this througout the years. I also bought some new paper, I didn't plan to, but this is just too gorgeous, put another colour cardstock underneath the paper on the left and your flowers will look totally different. And last but not least, the RAK I won from Birgit, I've known Birgit now for a couple of years and totally love that woman, she was my first inspiration and she always will be. Winning a RAK from Birgit alway fills me with joy as I know how generous she is. She also know my taste quite well, and it really shows in the RAK I got. Thank you so much!!! Well, I guess that's it for today, maybe I'll upload my other cards tomorrow (and yes, I've already started on my christmascards!!)
Have a lovely Sunday.

First cross-stitch design

2008-09-04T08:53:00.004+02:00

Yesterday I had my first go at designing a cross-stitchpattern. With a little help from my friend Ria (who explained how to work the program) I came up with this little "Scottish design" I've had so many positive comments already (I put it up on my other blog yesterday) that I've decided to make a few more designs in the future.
Hope you like it too.

Bad blogger

2008-08-30T16:22:00.004+02:00

I know, I know, I have been a really bad blogger, but the month of August was a bit of rollercoaster ride for me, and I just couldn't get myself to do any blogging, in fact, I could hardly get myself to do anything.

First there was my birthday on the 10th. Actually, that was the nicest thing this month, in fact, it was the nicest birthday since my divorce in 2002. The people I love and care for all dropped by and some of my friends had really given my gifts some thought. As I live on diasbilitymoney my bankaccount doesn't leave much space for luxury stuff, so my df Anita got me a token for a treatment at a beautysalon and a massage and my my df Jelly-Jetty gave me a coupon for a meal out with her at a great tapasbar in Groningen. They both know how I love and miss these things and they made me really, really happy. And I was spoiled with plenty more goodies.

The weekend after my birthday I had invited a friend over for the weekend. We've known oneanother for quite some years, but lost touch. Last March we reconnected, in fact we reconnected that well, that we thought meeting up together would make everything fall into place. What a disappointment that turned out to be. I think our expectations were way too high. Thankfully we are able to maintain our friendship. But it was a bit sad anyway; we've got so much in common, so many shared interests, but there was no sense of attraction whatsoever on my part.

And if that wasn't enough a voice of the past was heard. Kind of pointing a finger at me for him having caught a little problem. I was shocked, not so much of the fact that I might have caught something of him (and definately not the other way around) but because he had the nerve to half blame me. I went to my GP straight away for some tests and guess what; all the results were negative, so who's been a bad boy??? Still, it really upset me that the guy I once thought to be my big love, accused me after six months since last having seen him, of giving him some kind of sexual disease.

Having to go throught these tests, my GP also so thought it wise to do some other tests as I am rather tired lately and out of breath very quickly, just as well he did, once again I'm retaining too much fluid behind my lungs, so medication is up again.

I'm gonna end my entry with something positive again, last week I had my first afternoon of voluntarywork at the WereldWinkel, I guess you can compare it with an Oxfam shop. I'm pretty sure I can manage one afternoon or morning every week, and who knows maybe one day even more. I love the stuff we sell, the food, the artwork, the jewelry. Next week I'll take my camera so I can show you some pictures of the place.

And I'll try to blog more in September

MAMMA MIA!!!

2008-08-01T10:13:00.002+02:00

Last tuesday dd and I went to the cinema where we watche Mamma Mia!! What a fantastic, entertaining movie. As a young girl a was a big ABBA fan, and it was great to hear those tunes sung by Meryl Streep (what a voice!!) Pierce Brosnan and others. Okay, so sometimes things were a wee bit over the top, but that is what makes this film so much fun!!! One thing is for sure, when this comes out on dvd it's mine, 'cause I already know that this is a great "cheer me up" So if you want to go down memorylane, or want to have a good laugh and a girls' night out, I highly recommend seeing this!!

A bit of this and that

2008-07-22T21:27:00.002+02:00

There's not much going on at the moment, I'm meeting up with friends and family, I'm trying to raise some kittens, I stitch, I knit and just get on with life. I'm not going anywhere for the holidays so no big changes there either. But what I can show you are some more pictures of my girls (all 3 of them LOL)

And this, yes I've finished knitting my first winterscarf. This one is for me, but I've had so many positive reactions that I'm custom knitting now. I'm working on a scarf in sandcolours right now, and that next one will be in rich autumn colours. If you're interested in size and or prize, just mail me.

Celtic Midsummer Festival

2008-07-07T11:49:00.003+02:00

Last Saturday I went with my df Petra to a Celtic Midsummer Festival. I've got a thing for the Celts (escpecially Scotsmen) as long as I can remember and so does Petra.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we had a wonderful day. The music was nice, the food was good, the bands were great and we met some interesting people. Here are some pictures of our day.
A Celtic Family
The Germand band Faun. I'd never heard their music before but I'm hooked.
The Sassenachs, unfortunately their pipemusic came from a keyboard, but the music was fantastic anyway
And how about this young lady? She was kind enough to pose for me and I'm definately going to make a LO with this picture!! Such a nice young girl too!
This bbq was just out of this world, never tasted meat more tender, yummie.

Of course I've got loads more pictures, but this way you get an idea. We also found out there's going to be a Midwinter Festival on 20 and 21 December. Guess who's got one of those dates blocked in her diary ....

MY BABIES

2008-06-29T18:48:00.003+02:00

Maybe you remember that we had to put our dear cat to sleep in May. Well dd and me didn't like the house without a cat, so last monday we went to the animalshelter to look for a new (adult) cat. Well, we ended up with these two

This is my little baby Saartje (Dutch for "little Sarah) she's only 9 weeks old and the cutest little kitten ever. She makes the tiniest little sound when she wants my attention and I'm totally in love with her.
And this little lady is Terror Abby. Yes, you've read that right: Terror, 'cause this little madam (who's 4 months old) most certainly is. She races throuhg the house as if she's lived here always. She "attacks" poor little Saartje who doesn't stand a chance yet and is full of mischief. But she's also very sweet and loving. In fact, this little lady actually picked us when we went over to the shelter. She loves to snuggle up around our neck and giving us little kisses. Still, she is a little terror ;-)

Jessica and Jennifer

2008-06-12T19:18:00.004+02:00

Jessica is my 19 year old neighbour girl. She's really ill, she needs a new kidney, but none of her relatives is compatible, so she'll have to wait for a donor. About 5 weeks she was taken into hospital with an infection, which was hard to fight and she lost her will to fight a little bit too. I felt really helpless and just had to do something, so I asked the ladies from the messageboards to send me a card for Jessica. The response was huge!!!
Yesterday I decided to go up to the hospital and surprise her with the first 61 postcards. Yes, that's what 61 postcards look like.
I decided not just to hand them over to her, but pimped a brown paperbag. First time I did this and I quit like it.

But there was more through the Regenboogboom foundation, I was able to get this beautiful quilt for Jessica as well, it's absolutely gorgeous and is now lying on her hospitalbed. These are so-called dreamblankets. They're being handed out to children and adolescents who are terminally or chronically ill.
I don't know who made this quilt, but I can't thank her enough. Jessica was very surprised and happy with all these tokens of affection of people she doesn't even know. It broke my heart to see such a young girl, lying in that hospitalbed, wanting me to take her home. We kind of made a pact that she's really going to try her best to get better so she can come home in a fortnight and we can celebrate her coming home.
When I drove back home, I drove towards a rainbow and to me that was a symbol that all will turn out well.

My own daughter Jennifer, who will be 19 in October, passed her exams today and I'm afwully proud. This means she'll be going to the University of Groningen in September to study psychology, how proud can a mother be???

a different look at things

2008-06-11T06:49:00.002+02:00

This blogentry is not entirely my own. I came across this post on Kat's blog Secrets of a Butterfly
It's called:
A multitude of Facets

Within ourselves there is a multitude of
facets waiting to be unveiled. On the right
day,the most fortunate of us are able
to loose our inner boundaries,allowing
ourselves to take on a new and refreshing
image. in that state of existence,where old
habits are cast aside and new thoughts are
given a chance,we discover a luscious cross
field where we take in impressions,colours,
and shapes with a completely open mind.
A truly enriching state.
This invigorating process of self-development
is known and described in many cultures and
often praised in ancient,however eternally
young,symbols. The region bordered by the
Caucasian Mountains in Russia is home to the
famous Babushka doll,which with its many
reincarnations is the most inspiring and pre-
cise icon of eternal fertility and self-renewal.
The Babushka invites reflection-and rightfully
asks the eternal question: Do we live well
enough with our old forms and facets,
or do we give our inner, unborn truth
the new chance it really deserves?
(words from a Pilgrim jewellery leaflet, picture from google)

To tell you the truth, I'd never looked upon those little dolls like that, but when I read it, it all made sense. All I want to do now, is to find a really nice set to display, just to remind me of all the layers of me, of layers I need to shed and renew, and of the layers I like and that can stay

The second LO

2008-06-05T22:05:00.002+02:00

This is the second LO I made with photographs taken by Anita Mundt The shots are very different but to me, they both radiate happiness.

my beautiful peonies

2008-06-03T22:10:00.003+02:00

My garden is a mess, a jungle, I'm not fit enough to do it properly myself, and it's hard to find someone who's got the time to help me. Sometimes it annoys me, but most of the time I can live with it. But.... amidst the weeds and the grass there is my beautiful peoniebush, I planted it about 3 years ago and it's getting prettier every year. This time I decided to cut them and put them in a vase for me to enjoy. Boy am I ever happy I did, the smell that comes off these flowers is soooo sweet and every time I look at them my heart fills with joy to see such beauty. I think I'm gonna buy myself a dark variety too.

StM "Perfect Day"

2008-05-30T21:21:00.002+02:00

As always when I enter the Scrapping the Music challenge, a last minute entry. The photographs were taken by Anita Mundt Photography and Design. The photoshoot really was a perfect day for the girls.

HAVE TO MAKE UP

2008-05-30T08:30:00.002+02:00

After yesterday's "goofy" picture of my dd, I have to make up of course, so here are 3 of my favourite pictures of her, taken during the photoshoot with Anita Mundt. Anita also took great shots of her best friend and of the girls together, I might put those up later.

Little changes and Her Space/My Space

2008-05-29T08:04:00.003+02:00

You will have noticed that I haven't been blogging much lately and I certainly haven't been scrapping much. This has made me decide to change the course of this blog a little, yes, I still will be scrapping and showing it here, but I've also discovered I love doing other crafts (which you can see here) and there are so many other things that go on in my life that also fill my memorybox, that I've decided to make this a more general blog. Naald en Draad will continue to be my needlecraftblog, but over here you'll read about all kinds (if you're interested haha)

Soooo onto something else, for quite a while now Anita Mundt and Kirsty Wiseman are running the blog Her Space/My Space which is a daily photochallenge. I do not always participate, but these are two of my latest shots

Beast

Goofy (Jennifer is sooooo going to hate me for this)

I totally missed this

2008-05-18T08:51:00.004+02:00

Somehow I missed some comments lately. One was from my dear friend Leontine she gave me this award
Thank you girl, you're very special to me!!

"All" I have to do, is pass it on to 5 girls that cheer me up, I know so many more girls that do, but here are 5 of them

Rachel (and her fabulous little boy Macs) Rache, your blog really cheers me up and Macs is a great contributor
Birgit Birgit, you've been my scrapbookinspiration since day one. I totally love your work and what's more important, I totally love you as a person. You're one very special lady!!
Beki Girl, just about everything on your blog cheers me up, especially your BAGS!!!!
AmandaJean your quilts are amazing and inspiring
Ria you haven't been part of my life very long yet, but already we're embarking on great creative journeys, thank you so much!!

And the ones I didn't mention here, know who I mean, love you girls!!

for cardmakers

2008-05-18T08:29:00.003+02:00

I discovered Mirkwood Designs a site where you can find great templates for making cards. I printed out this one to make a birthdaycard (I saw some examples at The Paris Salon and really liked them) and this one to make a weddingcard. I'll show them when they're ready. I also hope to do some scrapbooking with this shot I took of my dd

I've been spending a lot of my time on my needlecraft, but obviously I still have the scrapbookingvirus running through my veins too.

She's gone

2008-05-12T23:50:00.002+02:00

Last month she turned 17. Tonight we had to put her to sleep. Her backlegs started to get paralized and when I phoned the vet he said we'd better come over. Considering her age, it was best to let her go. Rationally you know all this, but when an animal has been part of your family for 17 years, it's very sad. The house feels a bit strange tonight. I keep thinking she'll come asking for food, or hide when it's bedtime and she's got to go to the kitchen. I guess it will take some getting used to.

photoshoot

2008-05-10T11:50:00.003+02:00

In an earlier post I wrote about my daughter's prom. Of course I took some shots, but I think she deserved a little bit more than my shots, so yesterday I took her and her best friend for a photoshoot to Anita Mundt in Burum, Friesland.

This morning I found these two pictures in my mailbox

As you can imagine, we're very curious to see the rest now!

2 quick cards

2008-05-01T14:31:00.002+02:00

There are a lot of people moving house at the moment it seems, so I quickly made 2 little cards, playing with watercolours (not my forte yet) I think they're simple but fun. TFL

Koninginnedag (Queensday)

2008-05-01T09:18:00.005+02:00

On 30 April the Dutch celebrate "koninginnedag" it was the birthday of the late queenmother. As our queen celebrates her own birthday in January, it was decided that the celebrations would continue in April. A lot of people are dressed in orange, the colour of our Royal Family, and there are open fleamarkets everywhere. I had a very lucky find, this book on Gustav Klimt, one of my favourite painters

I also found two dvd's "Green fried Tomatoes" and "City of Angels" Hours of fun and all of that for 5 euro's!

There was also an intercultural market in the town I went to, with nice food, music and dance.

Some of the ladies of my voluntarywork

Traditional "horsedance" these children were so serious about this, great to watch!

One of the bands (I've known the boy in red since he was only 5 and my babybrother's best friend)