Miss Charlotte

Thank you...

2008-08-24T10:24:00.003+02:00

... for being so patient with me! I know it's been a while since I last updated my blog. So sorry for that. Guess I have a lot to explain.

Well... here it goes: First of all: I'm doing fine right now. But my life is a rollercoaster at the moment. Scrapping is not on my mind right now, but I sincerely hope that I will be 'back in business' within a few weeks/months.

About 5 months ago I've made a huge decision for the rest of my life. I left my boyfriend, the father of my child... A difficult decision, but also a good one. The last few months I haven't had a place of my own... I lived at several places. Not an ideal situation. But I took control over my life and I bought a house!!! Isn't that awesome? I just did it! Girlpower, whoohoo! This friday (29th of August) I will get the keys of my own place... I really can't wait! It's a nice place with enough space for me, Julian ánd a real scrapstudio (a small one, but hey: it's a scrapstudio...).

As soon as I'm moved, I will take some pictures to share my place with you all... I promise. Until then, you have to do it with this tiny update. But I'll be back!

Julian is doing fine by the way. It was (and sometimes it still is) a confusing situation for him as well, but he seems to handle it very well... That is our main concern at the moment.

Well... now you all know why I was such a bad blogger. Hope you all do well. Thanks for all the sweet comments and for your concern. It makes me feel good to know that you care!

So...

2008-03-23T19:54:00.005+01:00

... it's been a while... AGAIN! Hehe... I guess bloggin' is a bit too much for me right now. But everything is going fine. I really really really love being back to work. I'm too busy to scrap right now. But I made two cards today. Can show you only one, because the other one is for my sister's birthday (on April 2nd). So you have to wait until then...
Made this card for my mom with the Dahlia Folding Technique. It's very easy and I think it looks very beautiful.

Oh... I told you I had a little toot to share, huh? Well... I can reveal the secret now: I'm one of the new Dutch Quickutz DT-members! Isn't that awesome?

Did you see the new Scrap! Magazine? It's in stores right now!!! Here's a little sneak of my work:

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Finally...

2008-03-05T12:34:00.007+01:00

... here I am again. Oh my... I don't know where to start, but life is so hectic around here lately.

I will start with the news about my voice. Well... what can I say: it's still not ok, but slowly it's improving. So I guess I need to be a very very very patient (and quiet) girl. Yesterday I went to school for a meeting with my boss... I was a little bit scared to go back there, because it's been 4 months since I was there. I'm really happy that I took the step, it was really nice to see all of my colleagues and students. The students really missed me (off course I knew that already, they wrote me lots of cards and sweet notes), so that gave me a good feeling.
Now I will be back in the school for two days a week, but not as a teacher. My voice won't let me do what I love most, so now I'm going to write a new teaching method for my classes (I teach Dutch). I think this is a nice challenge too and I can honestly say thay I'm looking forward to get back to work.

The weekend at my mother's place was great! I really needed that! My mom is such a sweetheart! And Julian adores her (and she adores him ;)). Here's my favorite pic of that week:

I didn't do a lot of scrapping lately, but I can show you something. I made a little quotebook (4"x4") with my new Bind It All. I really LOVE this tool!!!

I also have a nice TOOT to share... but you have to wait a little bit longer for that one...

Finally I will leave you with a picture of me and my adorable little boy, taken last weekend. We spent the weekend with my father's family. It was a great weekend, but also a little bit sad, because my father died almost 4 years ago... but it was so good to see my aunt, uncle, nieces and nephews. We live very far from each other and we do not see each other very often. Some of them never even met Julian in real life. They were in love, that's for sure! ;)

I've been a bad bad blogger...

2008-02-11T10:41:00.000+01:00

... I'm so sorry! But I really didn't feel well the last couple of weeks... my voice still lets me down and I really need a break! So tomorrow I will be off to Den Helder. Julian and I are going to stay with my mom for a little week. Sunday we'll be back... I promise to visit your blogs next week!

Too bad I'm not home on Valentines Day, but I made Otto a card (off course!). The scan is really not doing justice to the card, but I couldn't get it any better. I used a Pink Cat Studio stamp (Sweet Treats)... doesn't it looks yummie?

supplies used: cardstock, stamps (Pink Cat Studio, Technique Tuesday), craft foam, ribbon (The Ribbon Spool), Edding markers, Stickles, Stazon

Have a great Valentines Day!

Bella Bella Bella!

2008-01-24T11:04:00.001+01:00

I really am a Stamping Bella addict at the moment! I love the Bella's, Fella's and Baby's. But I also LOOOOOOOOOOVE the Sentiments that go with the images! Last week I finished two Bella cards and a Bella bookmark:

Ladies Day workshop

2008-01-18T10:29:00.000+01:00

This sunday Boukje and I will give a workshop cardmaking to the woman of Otto's family. Last year we had a Ladies Day also, then we made a paperbag mini album. Boukje and I were very busy making examples for the woman. Here are a few of them:

Off to make some more examples now... I will show you the rest of the cards later. Have a good weekend!

Happy (belated) birthday Daphne!

2008-01-15T14:56:00.000+01:00

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry... a day too late. But I still love you sweetie! (hope you still love me too... ;)).

Scrap! 10

2008-01-09T15:28:00.000+01:00

Today the new Scrap! magazine came out! I wrote three articles and I also made a minibook, a layout, 2 cards and a bookmark.

Here are the pics of my projects:

TFL!

30!

2008-01-06T13:32:00.000+01:00

Today is the big day: the day that I turn 30! In my opinion 30 sounds sooooo good. This is gonna be my year! This is how a happy 30 year old looks like:

Friday I threw a big party for all my good friends and I had a blast! It felt so good to have all my friends around me. I really felt rich!
I'm really spoiled by my family and friends. Julian made me two beautiful paintings. They are my best gifts ever! :) Don't you think he's a talented boy?

Otto gave me my second Pandora bracelet:

And Iris bought me a beautiful spacer for my new Pandora bracelet:

My colleagues also gave me a few spacers and a bead for my bracelet:

And I also received books, a silver vase, chocolate Scrabble and coupons for books and perfume. Ok... I'm off now. Otto's family will stop by for coffe and a homemade cupcake.

Happy 2008!!!

2008-01-01T11:48:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year to all my bloggin' friends!!! I hope your year will be filled with love and creativity! Thank you all for visiting my blog and thank you for the inspiration on your blogs!

Tomorrow, the new Scrap! Magazine will be in store... I wrote three of the articles in this one. Isn't that amazing? here's a little sneak of one of my projects for the Magazine: TFL!

*Edited* Scrap! is a Dutch Scrapmagazine and I'm afraid it's not available in the US...

Quickutz cards and tagged

2007-12-29T00:39:00.000+01:00

Hello my dear bloggin' friends!

Finally I can reveal these two cards. I used them for a call for the first Dutch Quickutz DT. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the DT, but I'm the first runner up and I will be a guest designer a few times... well thats great, huh?
I was very pleased with my cards. What do you think?

I was tagged by Jany and Julie to tell 7 random facts about me... Well... here it goes:

1. I LOVE breakfast! It's my favourite meal of the day. And the most important thing is my cup of tea: 20 herbs by Zonnatura... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
2. I love to eat a sandwich with cheese and a biscuit (beschuit) on top. A lot of people think that's strange, but let me tell you: it's delicious!
3. I'm a vegetarian for almost 20 years now! I was 10 years old when I saw a documentary about the meatindustry. That's when I decided to never eat meat again. :)
4. I never had difficulties with being a vegetarian, accept when I was pregnant... I really wanted a 'rookworst' from the HEMA (but eventually I didn't!)
5. I've got a little birthmark in my neck (under my hair) and Julian has got a birthmark on the same spot! :)
6. When I was a little girl, Madonna was my hero... and when I'm really honest, she still is!
7. I think David Beckham is one of the sexiest men alive! Otto doesn't agree... LOL

Ok... enough facts about me. If you read this: consider yourself tagged! I would love to read about your habits! :)

I'm going to visit my sweet friend Daphne and her little babygirl Bincke tomorrow. What are your plans? Hope you all have a great weekend!

Merry Christmas!!!

2007-12-25T15:53:00.000+01:00

I hope your Christmas days will be bright and merry!
We have no plans and that is sooooooo relaxed! :) So today we stay in our pj's all day! Hehehe... are you jealous already? LOL

Today I finally got to open my Secret Santa Gift Box, which I received a few weeks ago... I've put it away, far out of sight, because otherwise I definetely couldn't leave it unopened...

Here's how it looked when I received it:

And when I opened it... WOW:

My SSS also made me a card:

This is the handmade gift my Secret Santa Sister made for me. It's a transparancy album and I LOVE it!!! What do you think?

And my beautiful gifts (Julian was very delighted too! ;)):

Thank you Secret Santa Sister for my beautiful presents!!! And thank you Birgit for hosting! :) Hope you liked your presents too! ;)

Cupcake anyone?

2007-12-22T10:05:00.000+01:00

I'm soooooo in love with Cupcakeabella. Isn't she the cutest? I used this tutorial by my SBS-5 sista Lindsay. Love this way to add ribbon. Now I finally have found myself a way to get rid of my ribbon stash! LOL

Only 3 more days until Christmas... time flies, huh? Can't wait to open my Secret Santa presents!!!
Now tell me: what are your plans for the weekend?

Enjoy your weekend!!! TFL

Welcome sweet little Bincke!

2007-12-19T12:51:00.001+01:00

Finally my dear friend Daphne gave birth to her babygirl Bincke last week! Congratulations Daphne and Michiel! See you soon!!! -x-

Q&A about Christmas

2007-12-19T08:04:00.000+01:00

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate with some whipped cream on top... mmmmmmm!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa is a wrapper.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored lights - white, lots of them!
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No
5. When do you put up your decorations? As soon as 'Sinterklaas' took off...
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Simple everyday food, like soup
or 'boerenkool' (cabbage with mashed potatoes). No meat for me, I'm a vegetarian for
almost 20 years.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? My mom has a great talent for decorating, so I really loved all the lights and so in our house... I still love it when I'm at my mom's place in this time of year (oh well... I actually always love to be with her!)
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What's to know? ;)
9. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? White lights with brown and orange balls in it... next year I want white balls and colored birdies! :)
10. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it for one day (to take pictures, hehehe)
11. Can you ice skate? A little, but it's a long time ago that I did it!
12. Do you remember your favorite gift? My first Pandora bracelet
13. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Share time with my
family!
14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cinnamon icecream
15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Stay in our pj's one day and watch movies and stuff, with some yummie snacks... that's what I did when I visited my 'second mom' Milja (she was my best friends mother) at Christmas. I always stayed there for a night and I really loved it! I took this tradition with me to my own family!
16. What tops your tree? An orange 'piek'
17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving! I love to make other people happy!
18. What is your favorite Christmas Song? That's an easy one: O holy night!!! I absolutely LOVE that song... here are a few version. Let me know which one you like most!
Celtic Woman
Aretha Franklin and Billy Preston awesome, huh? :)
Kelly Clarkson
*NSync
Mariah Carey (this is the only song I like by Mariah... LOL)
Mahalia Jackson
Eric Cartman this one is really killing me, LOL! South Park rules!
I also love Silent Night by the way. Don't you just love this version by Enya?
19. Candy Canes-as decorations or to eat? To eat!

Ok, if you have read all this, you can consider yourself tagged! I would love to read all your christmas facts! Have a great wednesday!

Finally finished my Christmas cards!

2007-12-15T11:42:00.000+01:00

Glad to be done with that, to be honest. I can't wait to make some regular Birthdaycards or so, hehehe... I made four cards with one of the latest lines by K&Company: Charlotte. Isn't that awesome? It is the second scrapbook line with my name on it (Scenic Route had a Charlotte line also). :) I also used some Bella Baubles on those cards, I think they look super, just like waterdrops!

This one is made of a transparancy. Too bad the scan doesn't show it that good...

This one is with a Magnolia stamp:

These ones are with Hanglar stamps:

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers-5

2007-12-12T21:22:00.000+01:00

I found myself a great blog and I joined a group of 20 stampers there: the Sisterhood of Blogging Stampers group number 5! These groups are for giving feedback and sharing friendship. Don't you think that's great? Group 5 is full now, but if you're interested: a new group has started, so join in the fun!

And now for my Sisters, some information about me:
My name is Charlotte, I'm a 29 years old (on the 6th of January I will turn 30!) mother of a beautiful son: Julian (may 5 2005) and I'm a High School teacher. I live in Drachten, a little town in the Netherlands, together with my BF Otto and his 14 year old daughter.

In 2004 discovered scrapbooking and I became a true addict. After a few years, I made my first card. At first, I thought it wouldn't be my 'thing', but now I have to admit: I'm addicted! LOL I love to make cards with stamps (Magnolia, Hanglar Stanglar, etc.), but I also love to use quickutz dies on my cards.

I'm a DT member of Scrap! Magazine, a Dutch scrapbookmagazine. This is something I'm very proud of. :)

Well... I guess this is all for now. I can't wait to meet you all!

Goodbye Sinterklaas... hello Santa Claus! :)

2007-12-09T10:16:00.000+01:00

Hello everybody!

How are you all doing? Don't you just love all those lights and candles everywhere...? I LOVE Christmas!

I joined the girls of Papertake Weekly and made a Christmascard in white... sorry for the bad scan. In real life, it looks much better! ;)

Last wednesday we celebrated Sinterklaas' birthday. That means looooooooooots of presents for those who were good and sweet last year... in our case: a lot of presents for Julian and Iris... and a few for Otto and me LOL...
Here are a few pics:

Yesterday I decorated the house with the Christmas tree, lights and lots of little angels (I'm in love with angels :)).

Ok, I'm off to bake some cupcakes with Julian. Have a great sunday!

A looooooooooooot to share

2007-12-05T13:30:00.001+01:00

Hi everybody!

Long time no bloggin'... well, It's kinda busy over here. But here's a little update. I'm very busy making Christmas cards. Here are a few:

This one is made with the latest sketch on Sketch This Cards:

I also made a 'Just because...' card with a Hanglar stamp:

Last week I bought some Christmas postmarks and when you buy 3 sheets, you get an agenda for free. I really didn't like the cover, so I 'pimped' it a little with some K&Company papers and loooooooooooooots of bling bling (I love my bling-tool!):

And finally: my Gratitude Journal. Francine came up with the idea to start a GJ for december... and I really liked that idea! I'm in a special time of my life... I really think a lot about my future and my job these days. Not the most positive thoughts, I can say... So this journal will be about positive things, that's just what I need most right now! I will not show my thoughts, because they are too personal, but I can show you a peek of the album. I used a cd-album (HEMA, I just love that store!) and some bright and happy MME papers, Creative Imaginations (Creative Café) polka dot felt and Quickutz dies:

Well... that's it for now. I have to do some preparations for the 'Sinterklaasfeest' party tonight. Have a great week!!!

TFL

Sketch This: Cards

2007-11-25T21:18:00.000+01:00

Hi Everybody!!!

Yesterday I discovered this sketch blog, especially for cardsketches. And I love them all!!! Made 6 (!) cards by these sketches. Mostly christmascards, which I will probably show later...

But here's my take on sketch 33:

Hope you all had a good weekend!? TFL!

OLW and a new look for my blog!

2007-11-21T18:21:00.000+01:00

Today I finally did some scrappin'... Made the OLW-challenge with the word Full (VOL = Full in Dutch)...

I also made a banner with winterblue and warm red! And Daphne did some photoshop trics with it... don't you just love it? Thanks sweetie! :)

More cards and my sweet little angel...

2007-11-18T21:01:00.000+01:00

I have to admit it: I'm hooked... on cardmaking! :) I made a few cards this last week.
This one is made with the CPS sketch:

Look at those awesome silver leaves (I love kitsch!):

Another christmascard, with Presentahbella... don't you just love her?

And my last card, a 'Hello' card, with a Magnolia stamp:

Finally I will leave you with a picture of my little cutiepie... he got a chocolate 'zwarte piet' in his shoe this morning, because 'Sinterklaas' is in the country again!

Card challenge and published layouts

2007-11-13T21:30:00.000+01:00

Well... my voice is still not working properly, so that means I'm still at home and do a loooooooooooooooooooooot of scrappin'! Still working on my Christmas cards... Nancy published a great cardworkshop on her blog, so I had to make one myself! Here's the result. I painted the stars with Ranger crackle paint. Love that stuff! The puffy paint-result is not really great, but hey: you can't have it all, right? Ali Edwards once said to me (at a workshop that she was teaching): embrace imperfection! Those words are so very true, I think I will never forget them...

Also can show you a few of my entries for Scrap! Magazine. Sorry for the bad flash, but I had to make the photo real quick...

Have a great week!

Ho Ho Ho

2007-11-11T11:30:00.000+01:00

It's almost December and that means that I have to send some Christmas Cards... I love to get a lot of cards and I also love to make cards myself for the people who are special for me... so last week I made some cards with Magnolia stamps, Doodlebug Christmas Clear Stamps ánd the beautiful K&Company Christmas papers: Peppermint Twist. Here are a few examples:

Happy (first) Birthday...

2007-11-08T11:11:00.000+01:00

... Dutch Dares! Here's my take on the dare:

I also made a card last week, for a person who just needed it... The title says: A fresh new start (in Dutch):

TFL