Colder again

Goodmorning everybody!
It's getting colder again here! May be there even will be a little snowing again later this week. Who is waiting for that? Not me! I know in the US they have problems with the snow in a few states, but also here in Europe, for the moment in Rumania and Bulgaria there are loads of snow which causes problems. It seems, winter isn;t over yet!
After the long post of yesterday I think I will keep this one rather short. I must go out today and some other things are waiting to be done too.
Oh my I can sleep these days, terrible! Perhaps it's the kind of weather that does it, but yesterday my eyes kept shutting down already at about 23.30 which is rather early for me. But I went to bed 15 minutes later, it took me just a few minutes to fell asleep and I didn;t woke up till 8.15 this morning! What a blessing! It's a good thing though, because for the coming weeks there will be some "night shifts"to do, because of the Olympics. Yeah, if Dutchies are taking part in an event we are there!
I am just taking mini steps in my new Photoshop Elements 8 program. It will really take time to get along with it. If there is anybody who is using Elements, please tell me, if you don;t mind that I will ask questions. It would be a great help.

Now the freebie for today, another part of the Chamber series, this time the "Magenta Chamber"Nice bright, striking colour you could say LOL. Have fun with it, and have a terrific day!

 

Download  HERE

It's Happy Birthday Séverine!

Goodmorning everybody!

Today is the birthday of teh daughter of Heidi, if I am still counting right she will have 8 years today! Gosh, where does the time flies? So Happy Birthday to Séverine, I will surely call you today an wish you all the best of life!
We had a bit of busy weekend this time! Satuday Jan suggested we should go out to a DIY market and look if there was a nice rack to find. So we did and yes........... we did find one a took it with us. It's a very simple black steel one but oh so practical. Yesterday Jan pulled up his sleeves and put the thing together, then placed back the other one(which was just a tiny bit too big for the kitchen)back in it;s old place, we organized all the stuff on them and I must say it is very handy! Yeah for Jan again!Gosh, he is active lately, but I don;t mind. After a job done I and Jan too, must always laugh or it;s more a hidden chuckle, because we are such a FUN team in those kind of things LOL. At the start we always have discussions of how to do it or when, and we almost always seem to disagree on the way how to do it. So it often ends in both being a bit irritated, I say: okay, you know it so well, so then you do it, leave me in peace and I will let you in peace. Then I go out, or I sit at the computer, or do something else at another part of the house! What a fun couple we sound, don;t we???? But at the end, when all has to be placed back or something, we do that together, discussing nicely where and how it must be done, and when ready, we both are happy. Gee, we NEVER learn, cause this kind of thing is going on almost all the time we are together already(and this year it will be 18 YEARS, I cannot imagine !). But as long as we can smile after a little while again and have a bit of fun, I suppose it's just the way it has to be.

I have other, great news to tell. Just last Friday I did buy myself Photoshop Elements 8!!! Yeah, after talking a long time about it, I have it installed on the computer. But... don;t expect I will have kits done with it already! Oh my, it;s a complicated program, I need to learn A LOT so for the moment I will stick to the simple program I am using I am afraid. In between all I will try to understand how PSE8 works, but it will take lots of time, lots of practise and I am sure lots of deleteing first, before I will have the grasp of it. I am completely lost there, it's soooooooo different from my other program, that I only will learn in very small steps. But I am happy I finally have it, because I think I can do (after months of trying hahahaha) a lot of beautiful things with it. May be I should have a little book at my side, where I should write down how I do certain things, so if I need to do the same I can look it up, because these old brains will not be able to remember it all in one time!!!
So please, have patience with me and know that I am trying to learn it, but that it will take lots of time!

Oh my what a long post this is. I still have something more. I also received an award, this time from Ashley,
http://www.mydreamfulfilled.blogspot.com/
a very nice blog with great stuff , worth to take a look, cause she has a lot of freebies!
This is the award she gave me

I am supposed to give it to some others and here we go:
How could I pass the first one? That really should deserve the name of the award:
http://thestarchildrenproject.blogspot.com/

http://magicalspirit-johannel.blogspot.com/

http://suruha-freespirit.blogspot.com/

http://wishing-onastarr.blogspot.com/

I think all of these blogs have something to offer out of the ordinary, it may be the way they write, it may be the work they offer or whatever. If you have a spare moment, take a look at them!

Well, I think it's time for the freebie now. As Mardi Gras will soon be there I made a kit for it and I am not unhappy about it, LOL. I have to say "Thanks"to http://ladyshannonmemoriesmadeeasy.blogspot.com/
for some of the items I used, especially for making the papers!
Now you all have a great day, I must really do some things around here, but I hope I can progress a tiny little bit with my new toy, the PSE8 program!!!

 

Download     HERE

A wonderful blog is started!

Goodmorning everybody!

Oh whee, it was an exciting day yesterday! First some "down-to earth"news LOL! I felt really so much better yesterday that some energy was back again. I took advantage of it right away and did all the ironing in one shift. In the mean time I heard some funny noises coming out of the kitchen and the storage"room". So i went looking and saw Jan busy getting all the pans and other kitchen stuff off a rack that was standing there. Then he took it all to the kitchen, but not before he thouroughly cleaned up the corner with the heating kettle. Seeing that I rushed back to the ironing, because it's usually better when we don;t work together , any idea how that is???????And now all the pans are near by at hand in the kitchen, neatly organized by him(probably I will change in due time a bit of it hahahaha), but he did a great job. Now we only have to find a small rack for the storage room and then that will be looking much better too!I don;t know what it is, but Jan is more in a "go on let's do it"mood than I am lately. I even have to slow him down a tiny bit, can you imagine?

After this was all done, I had some time on the computer again and I have exciting news. A few days ago I told you that Minky would start a new blog for her Starchildren Project. Well, it's up and running and she worked like crazy and it looks more than terrific! I am proud to say that I made the background layout for it, and it was such fun to do. Oh everybody should take a look at the blog http://thestarchildrenproject.blogspot.com/
because there are soooo much things to download and all soooo beautiful and made with love, it's really a treat for the eyes! And it's all FREE! But...yes, there is the tricky but.......... you know she is raising funds for the project, so if you can, but only if you can it's NO obligation, it would be nice if you could donate a few bucks for this wonderful project. Minky explains it all on the blog and nobody should feel guilty just to download . It's all there for that and to make you feel happy. I really have only one request: if you download something, PLEASE leave a little message on the blog, that isn;t too much to ask, is it?? Minky has uploaded tons of stuff already, I will show you a few pieces of it, so you get an idea:
(click the picture to see it real big!)

 

  

  

 

And here my contributions for the blog, I made some cards and also a little kit that you can download all there

 

I hope these previews make you curious to take a trip to the Starchildren blog, link is also in the sidebar! Have lots of fun, and make all the people of Sulina's sanctuary happy with your comments!  If you feel inspired by seeing all this, Minky also would be very happy with an artistic/creative contribution, you could make a mini kit, or a card or whatever comes up in your mind, and that other people could download there. That would also be great! 

Ooooops, I got carried away a bit in promoting this, but I am nominated the Fairy Godmother so I think it is a bit the task of this "title", so fogive me LOL!

Hmmm. now I better give you the reward for your patience, having to read(I hope you did') all this, and I think I have a nice kit for you. It´s another of the Chambers, but this one you can easily use for a lot of different layouts! It´s the `Grey Chamber`. (and I love the element with the guy in the chair!!).

Now you all have a great weekend, I gave you already enough for looking and downloading and there is still the freebielist to come later today. Enjoy!

Download     HERE

Yeah for yesterday.

Goodmorning everybody!
The longer sleep yesterday and staying in the house did a lot of good. Feeling much, much better today, although the sniffing isn;t gone yet and that will stay for some more time, I am afraid. But..... let's not complain. Yesterday I started with a teasing headache, I took an asperine and it helped marvelous to get rid of it. Looking around in the room I decided I had to hoover it badly, but before I could get to the vacuum cleaner Jan already took it out and did the job. Sweet hey? So I did the right thing......yes.....you guess it right.........nothing else!!! LOL I watched a bit tv and played on the computer and I didn;t feel bad about it.

I was able to do 2 challenges, in fact 3 of them, because in the colour challenge I combined it with the brush challenge. We had this colour pallet to work with

 

and no theme, that was up to us. Then also Snowy gave us a link dor some lovely brushes from deviant art, http://kaiprincess.deviantart.com/art/Flower-Brushes-New-Set-101098975

and from both I made this little kit

 

One of these days or weeks I will offer it as a freebie, okay?

Then I did the template too, this was the template to work with

and I made this layout, with a picture I made somewhere in december, when we had a big snowfall

So I was rather happy about myself. LOL

I even started with a kit for Mardi Gras, that's the 16th of February if I am right, so I will have to hurry up with that!

This morning I received two emails from Minky, with a picture for her starchildren project and also an award. Isn;t she sweet? I am happy as a child with all the awards, even if I may receive some for a second or 3rd time, it still is a token of appreciation for the work and that's always nice.

This was the award

 Oh, I should say to you to visit this blog http://nelimandel.centerblog.net/. 

It's a nice lady, who makes some lovely things and some of it you can also snatch away, like some backgrounds or quickpages. If you visit and take something of her, leave a little comment. 

Now are you slowly getting the Olympic fever????  It starts a bit overhere, but you know what's funny? Normally in Canada there's no problem with snow, but exactly now, when they need it most, they seem to have a bit of a shortage, LOL! They are flying in snow from other parts of the country to Vancouver! And then to know, that in parts of Europe we have lots and lots of snow, far too much in some countries!

Usually it should be the other way round.

Okay, enough rambling, time for a freebie. We make a sidestep today of the Chamber serie and I am offering you a cowmoy/western realted kit, simple title "Howdy". Hope you will like it. I should take my cup of coffee now(the 2nd) and also some paper handkerchiefs, to get rid of the "sniffing"stuff. Oh, not to worry, I am used to that, and some day it will pass away suddenly. Hopefully I will advance a bit on the Mardi Gras kit and may be even do a challenge or two. And even some ironing( there's always HOPE grin..... grin....)

Have a splendid day!

Download    HERE

How nice, the sun is shining!

Goodmorning everybody!

It's 11.15 in the morning here and that is late for me to be at the computer. But today I did have a looong sleep, it was Jan who waked me up at about 10.15, because he knows I hate it to wake up much later. If I do so, I somehow loose my whole day, very funny! But I suppose it was needed and I must say I am feeling much better today. Still the head is a bit "heavy", but I think it's the cold that is still sticking there, already for weeks. Well, I am used to that, especially in winter time, so nothing to worry about, it's just a bit uncomfortable. All it really needs is a warm temperature and lots of sun. Not yet the time of year for it. Although, this morning the sun is shining bright, even the sky is blue! I wonder how long that will last.
I already started yesterday a bit on the challenges for this month, but it's only a start! Lots more to do. I am in a kind of fairy mood the past days, trying to make some nice things for Minky's new blog that will be there soon, concerning the school project. I just hope people will like it that much that they will give a little donation for this wonderful project.
I better be a bit quick with this post because I have some projects I want to do today. It sure does help that the sun is shining, you already feel much more energetic and puts you in a nice mood.
Today another part of the Chamber serie, yes still some more to go! Because today is such a bright looking day(till now) and may be in some other parts of the world you could use a bit of brightness I give you the "Yellow Chamber". You should feel already a bit happy, by looking at the preview LOL.
Now have a great day and hopefully tomorrow I will be there at the "normal"time.

 

Download    HERE

New challenges up and more work

Goodmorning everybody!

This has to be a bit of a short post, if I want to do the things I have in mind today! As you know I often have a "starting"problem LOL!
First to do is do some shopping, and I really chose the right day for it, they are expecting some rain showers today, or may some wet snow. Brrrrr, not the best conditions to do some shopping. Well, may be I get lucky and an do it between some showers, who knows(with my luck?????).
As the new month started, we have new challenges again on the forum, yesterday I picked up two and I will have to see today what Snowy added to them! So work to be done again and in between I am still making freebie kits and also busy for a "donation"to Minky's new blog for the school projext. So you cannot say I am not busy. In between that there are some duller things to do too, like the household, preparing the papers for the taxes, that kind of wonderful stuff! LOL
Yesterday I felt really lazy, but I wasn;t feeling all 100%, nothing extreem or nasty, but just not completely well into the skin. That can happen sometimes, without any reason or warning, oh gosh, that will disappear in the same way too. Just feeling very tired too, so I took a nap in the afternoon and I had a great night of sleep, that helps!! I think it has more to do with the time of year, still wintery, me longing for some better weather with sun and warmth, nothing to do about it so we'll just have to walk on and it will pass as silently as it came( always trying to stay optimistic and positiv, hey??)
Good, that said we hop to the freebie, another part of the serie, yes, I have a few more! Today it's the Teal Chamber.
You all have a great day!

 

Download   HERE

Winter will not go away!

Goodmorning everybody!

First of all I must thank all of you who left a birthday wish for Jan. He was sooooo surprised, that he received a lot of messages from all over the world, he didn;t understand it but it made him happy! So thanks from me and also thanks from him! You are wonderful people!
We passed his birthday in a quiet mood, but it was nice.

Saturday we even went out for a moment to look for a rack, but we didn;t found it yet. That's not a problem, we go to look for it another time in another place and one day suddenly our eye will fall on justthe right one.
The rest of the weekend we stayed nice indoors, because winter isn;t over yet. From time to time snow is coming down, not in large quantities(at least not here on the coast) but that's the most dangerous of all. During day time it melts away but the underfround still is cold so the roads become slippery, but you almost cannot see it. Although some snow is nice in winter time I think I saw enough of it now, but.... they still expect a bit more from time to time.

As you can see I have another bloglayout again. I thought it was time for a soft coloured one again and isn;t it a beautiful one? You should take a look at the link I posted at the side bar, this lady makes real beutiful bloglayouts!
And as a new month started there also is a new daily download at the forum, you can see the slide show on top of the blog. Inventor of the colourscheme and theme was .......... me! And I must say our team did a beautiful job with it.There also is, as usual, an add-on kit in the shop that can become yours for only $ 1.50! And believe me, it is worth the price. So take a look and may be there are some nickels left and you can make this add-on yours. It would help a bit to pay for the costs of the site. Thanks in advance! I can show you the preview of that kit:

 

Looks nice, doesn't it???

Friday evening Heidi called for Jan's birthday and we had a little update with eachother. Last week the little one, Séverine, was home, she caught some nasty virus and wasn;'t feeling all to well. But it was going better already, so Heidi thought she could go back to school again today. Soon Séverine will have her birthday too, it will be the 8th of February, but they decided to celibrate it with family and friends a week later. Her father has to work on different shifts and he cannot take a day off at the moment. In a way it is also nice for her, now she has a birthday twice!! 

Till now, our heating is holding itself as it should, so I have a little hope, that the problems have passed(but cautious as I am in those things, I am not saying this too loud, don;t want to attrack evil forces, LOL).

Okay, I think I covered all the things worth to tell so let's go to the freebie. It will be the next one of the "Chamber"serie. this time we pass some time in the.........."Red Chamber". I think you can also use it for some Valentine layouts! Anyway, you have fun with it and have all a wonderful day!

 

Download      HERE