For Benjamin

Today is our nephew's 12th birthday. He and his family came round for a couple hours yesterday, but today is a normal school day for everyone. From all of us congratulations! I created this card for him:

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Bella Blvd + Pebbles Inc., ribbon, Foam Alphabet Stickers: AdornIt, Border Punch: Fiskars Uppercrest, Star Punch: Fiskars

Until next time!

Photo Shoot

I'll keep it short but sweet today and show pictures I took of my brother and sister-in-law and their beautiful girls.

Annalise was a real trooper today. I got some lovely shots of her.

Amelia wasn't a 100% today, but I still managed to get a few good ones.

This one is not all in focus, but I just loved how Amelia was clinging onto Annalise.

I had to resort to my 24-105mm to get all of them in the frame. I love this one!

Leaving the leaves behind, we headed for the tall grass. The girls really didn't want any more pictures taken, they'd rather play with their cousins (and who can blame them). But here's a few more.

My only willing child today was Ruben. He really struggles to keep his eyes open when he looks up to the sky and ends up squinting. I just love his new shirt that we bought in Holland during our holiday.

That's all from me today!

Girls Day Out + Brother-in-Law's birthday

Rebecca and I had a very busy day. After a failed attempt of Ruben and Rebecca's swimming lesson this morning, as a little baby had been sick in the pool which forced the pool to be closed, the two of us went to Alexandra Palace in London where the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show was being held this weekend. The journey took an hour and a half and we had to travel by train, two tubes and another train to get there. I can tell you it was extremely busy and very disappointing. Not to be repeated. Besides the disappointment the view over the city from Alexandra Palace was amazing, and the weather was beautiful. On the way back we took the bus back to Finsbury Park, hopped on the tube to Piccadilly Circus and did a little bit of retail therapy along Regent Street. When we got to Oxford Circus we got back on the underground and headed home.

David was already busy preparing dinner when we got in. Rebecca and I were only stopping off for a short while, as we were off to see 'Fame'. I must say, not a great movie. I personally prefer the old version. We were finally home again at 8.45 p.m. Just in time to watch this evening's results of Strictly Come Dancing. Rebecca was pretty beat after all the excitement today and decided not even to read before going to sleep.

Today is also David's eldest brother's birthday. Of course I made Paul a card. I'm a strong believer that when something works you shouldn't be afraid to use it again. I've done something like this before, and I liked it, so here's the encore:

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Pebbles Inc., ribbon, Alphabet sticker: American Crafts, Button: SEI, Circle Punch: Fiskars, Circle Die: Spellbinder Nestabilities, Marker: ZIG (Brown), Corner Rounder: Woodware

A few weeks ago we spent the day at my brother-in-law's house, where most of the Gibbons' cousins were together. I took the opportunity to take some pictures as the weather conditions were excellent for it. I used my 50mm lens for all the shots. Besides the card I made for Paul, I also created a little mini album of all four of his daughters. It was a surprise, but I had my sister-in-law as an accomplice to provide me with a short list to describe each of his girls and their relationships to add to the album. Besides 5 of their characteristics he also thought they were all very beautiful. That's what became the title:

On the next pages are Louise's children. Even though they are not Paul's daugthers (!) I felt they needed to be included. And who wouldn't they are gorgeous:

Supplies - Chipboard mini album: Basic Grey, Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, Alphabet stickers: American Crafts Foam + Chipboard Thickers, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Pearls: KaiserCraft, Die-Cut flowers: Quickutz, Butterfly Punch: Martha Stewart, Clear Stamps: Autumn Leaves + Inkadinkado + Little Yellow Bicycle + Technique Tuesday, Markers: ZIG + Stabilo + Kikki.K, Ink: Staz'On (Jet Black) + Stampin'Up (Turquoise), Buttons: SEI + various, Ribbon: Haberdashery, Clear sheet: Shortcut Sheetloads

It's almost 11 p.m.... time for me to rest my head as well. Tomorrow's another sunny day. Enjoy!

Jillibean Soup Guest Designer + Scrapbook Inspirations 58

This morning I received an email from Ingrid congratulating me on being chosen as one of the guest designers for Jillibean Soup. I was excited to read her email as I had not yet discovered that I had been chosen. Congratulations to all the other girls as well of course! Here's the full list:



The deadline to send in your creations was last Friday. It wasn't until the day before that I sat down and created a layout and two cards. I created two cards using Jillibean's Grandma's Christmas Soup.

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Jillibean Soup 'Grandma's Christmas Soup', Clear Stamp: Hero Arts + Autumn Leaves + Basic Grey, Ink: Staz'On (Timber Brown) + Stampin'Up (Real Red) + Rangers Distress (Linen) + VersaColor (Umber), ribbon: John Lewis + haberdashery, Embossing folder: Cuttlebug, Labels Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities Labels Four + Labels One, Pointsetta: Making Memories, Border Punches: Fiskars, Corner Rounder: Woodware, EK Success, button, twine, pin.

Then I created a layout using Jillibean's Lentil Soup. The tag underneath the picture slides out and has the following journaling on it: Today you are celebrating your eleventh birthday. Not quite a teenager yet, but hormones are most definitely raging. You're having mood swings, you transpire more & little lumps are starting to appear in your breasts. Brace yourself for more and bigger changes. Live life to the full!!

Supplies - Patterned Paper: Jillibean Soup 'Lentil Soup', Chipboard Alphas: Basic Grey, Paint: Making Memories, buttons, ribbon, machine sewing, Border Punch: Fiskars, Label Die: Spellbinder Nestabilities Labels One.

Not all the projects needed to be new or created using Jillibean Soup products, so I chose to send in a layout I did for Scrapbook Inspirations 58, which was out last Friday. The assignment was to make a layout using lace.

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Basic Grey + Collage Press + Creative Imaginations, Alphabet + Number stickers: American Crafts, Clear Stamp: Collage Press, Lace: John Lewis, Label sticker: Fontwerks, Adobe Photoshop to make the text strips.

I thought this was pretty good news just before the weekend starts. Enjoy!

Laura's Sketch 35

It has been way too long the last time I played along with one of the sketch sites. Besides having a little less time, as I put exercising higher on the priority list, I haven't really been in the mood to do a lot. I have some fantastic ideas in my head, but I'm afraid that's where it's staying at the moment. We are having some big changes ahead of us again, as we've decided to move back to Australia. One of the things I would like to achieve before we go again, is make another mini album recording this house. We want to let our house, so we won't be getting rid of it, but all the furniture will be coming with us.

Anyway, today I decided that it was time to play. I chose Laura's Sketch 35. The papers I chose for this card are probably the oldest ones in my stash, but I still like them.



Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Scenic Route, Flower: American Crafts, Clear Stamp: Hero Arts, Ink: Staz'On (Timber Brown), Chipboard Butterfly: Cherry Arte, Glitter: Stampin'Up, Paint: Making Memories, Chipboard frame: Maya Road, Rhinestone: Kaisercraft, Border Punches: EK Success + Fiskars, ribbon

It felt good playing again.

Confessions of a 5 Year Old

I was going to do this quick post, as I'm beat and wanted to chill and watch a DVD, but as I went onto my computer I noticed that Photobooth was open and that Renee had recorded several videos. She's so cute, I had to share this one with you (and you get to see my messy scrap room). You might have to turn up your volume a little, as she's got a cold and sounds as she puts it 'a bit croaky'.



The actual reason why I was blogging today is to show you another card that I made for my friends daugther:

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: American Crafts, Crate Paper, Buttons: Basic Grey, Spotlight, Clear Stamp: Papertrey Ink, black marker, ribbon, Border Punch: Fiskars Uppercrest.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Ella's Birthday Party

Today straight after school Renee was having a birthday party over at Ella's house. Lynne (Ella's mum) picked her up for me as I needed to go to the orthodontist with Ruben. Yesterday I made a card for her and I tell you I've never fretted so much over a card. It just didn't feel right. I'm quite surprised that I actually managed to finish it.

Supplies - Bazzill Basics Cardstock, Patterned Paper: 'Lil Davis, Clear Stamps: Papertrey Ink, Ink: Staz'On (Jet Black), Stampin'Up (Real Red), button, ribbon, twine, Border Punch: Fiskars, Alphabet stickers: American Crafts (Rainboots).

Only one more day, and it will be weekend again. Yeah!

For Rob and Jess

Today my friend Jessica is celebrating her 5th anniversary. I still remember the day that she and Rob announced their wedding. We (Nike friends) were at a get together on a camping in Zeeland (which is in the South of Holland) enjoying a fun day out.

Rob and Jessica were about to embark on a big adventure and move to Portland, OR to work at Nike's Headquarters. As they were both applying for a green card, they didn't need to get married for that reason, but despite that, they wanted to tie the knot before they left their families. They announced it after our dinner, and they brought along champagne to toast to the occassion. Congratulations to you both, and enjoy your sabbatical at the end of the month.

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Yellow Little Bicycle, Clear Stamps: Papertrey Ink, Ink: Staz'On (Jet Black), Stampin'Up (Real Red), white, Ribbon.

That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday to my BIL + Thank You Notes

Today my one of my brother-in-law's celebrating his birthday. Congratulations Glen, I hope you have a great day. Here's the card I made for him:



Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye + Crate Paper, Cork: Karen Foster, Border Punch: Fiskars Uppercrest, ribbon, Clear stamp: Papertrey Ink, Brad: Making Memories, Ink: Staz'On (Timber Brown), Buttons: Basic Grey, Marker: Stabilo, machine sewing.

My sewing machine was giving me a hard time, so the stitching is all messy, but I think it fits the card, so I wasn't too upset about it.

I also created some Thank You notes. Rather than me typing the thank you messages I had Rebecca write them by hand. I initially had green in my head, but as blue is Rebecca's (and my) favourite colour I choose blue.

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: American Crafts, Clear Stamps: Papertrey Ink, Autumn Leaves, Melissa Frances, Ink: Staz'On (Jet Black, Stampin'Up (Turquoise), Rhinestones: Kaisercraft, Ribbon: John Lewis, Spotlight, tags, Border Punch: Martha Stewart

That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow with another card.

My Cards in Cards Only #8

As I mentioned in a previous post, Cards Only #8 will be the last issue featuring some of my cards... and here they are:







Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Papers + die-cuts: Pebbles Inc., Border Punches: Martha Stewart, Fiskars, Flower punch: EK Success, chipboard alphas: Stampin'Up, buttons, ribbon, Clear stamp: Autumn Leaves, Melissa Frances, Ink: Staz'On (Timber Brown), Paperfrill: Doodlebug Designs, Photo Corner Punch: EK Success.

Happy Monday!

How I edit my photos

Hanneke asked whether I edit my photos and what software I use to do this. To edit my pictures I use Adobe Photoshop CS3. Since I didn't do too much tweaking to last nights pictures, I'll show you one example.

Here's the shot I took of Renee SOOC (that's short for straight out of camera). I took the picture in RAW, which means that when you first open the image in Photoshop it will come up in the RAW Editor, where you can adjust a lot of settings before opening the actual photo in Photoshop itself. You can also do this JPEG files, read about it here.



In the RAW editor I changed the exposure to +20 (standard is 0) and the black to 10 (standard is 5).



I then ran the following actions: Soft Color Pop, Yin/Yang (to brighten the eyes at 40%) and KPD Magic Sharp. And finally I cropped the image to a 4"x6"portrait.



Once I'm done editing, I save the file as a JPEG, which ultimately means that information gets lost and the colours will change slightly, but at least the size of the file will be far less then when you save it as a PSD.



I hope this explains it a little.

Play date with my 50mm lens

The last couple of days I've been experimenting with my 50mm lens wide open. These were from today at f/1.2:

This one's from today as well at f/1.6

And this one I took on Friday at f/1.2 as well:

Only downside... the pictures from today I shot at 400 ISO, which made them not as sharp.

I started off with a sketch...

Today Evelyn is celebrating her 9th birthday. Congratulations, Evelyn! I started creating the card using CPS's sketch 131, but then drifted away from it. Anyway, it was my initial inspiration, so I thought I should give it at least credit, however I won't be submitting my card on their blog.

Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper + Ribbon: Imaginisce, Chipboard elements: KI Memories, Buttons: Sassafras Lass, Alphabet Thickers: American Crafts, Border Punch: Martha Stewart, machine stitching

I wish everyone a very happy weekend.

Back to School

Yesterday was the kids first day back at school. Don't they all look smart in their school uniforms.



It was Renee's first day at her new school. She went in with her friend Julliette and she seemed fine. They normally line up before going in with their teacher, but as it was raining they could come in as they arrived. When she got out of school in the afternoon I asked her how her first day of school was. She was a bit indifferent about it, but she definitely was not jumping for joy. This morning when she had to line up she was a bit tearful and said she wanted to go back to her old school. It really broke my heart. Hopefully she'll be fine when she comes home.

Off to make a card right now.