Scoobie - 8

I can't believe my puppy is eight years old - I still remember so well when we drove and picked her up.
Scoobie is born on december 24th, so her breeder name is, not surprisingly, Timanka's Christmas Wonder.

She still has the puppy in her, and she is the most happy, loving dog there is. Here she is:

Papers: Tilda

 Some close up photos:

This layout is my example for the CSI File Case # 51:

Evidence: Metal, filigree, rhinestone/pearls
Testimony: six word memoir

Don't you love this week's colors and challenges?

Celebrating Saint Lucy's Day

... or Saint Lucia's Day as we say in Norway.

From Wikipedia: "For the traditional observance of the day, school children form processions through the hallways of the school building carrying candles, and hand out lussekatt buns. While rarely observed at home, parents often take time off work to watch these school processions in the morning, and if their child should be chosen Lucia it is considered a great honor. Later on in the day, the procession usually visits local retirement homes, hospitals, and nursing homes"
You can read more about this tradition here.

All manufactorers unknown - this a true mix of stuff found in my scrap boxes :-)

Saint Lucy's Day is on December 13th. In our school, it is the fourth graders who do the processions, and last year it was my youngest son's turn.

    As you may know I'm guest designing for CSI this monthe, and this is my example for CSI Case #50  The color combo in this challenge was just perfect for my photos and the theme and it was great to finally have them scrapped!   CSI Case File # 50:  

Colors: OK Evidence: Ribbon, wood, shimmery/shiny items Testimony: Documenting holiday tradition     Do you celebrate Saint Lucy?

It smells like Christmas is here!

One of my favourite months is December. I love the lights we put up everywhere to decorate, and I love the traditional dishes we eat.

One of my absolute favourites is the Norewgian traditional dish Pinnekjøtt.

Here is how Wikipedia describes it:
Pinnekjøtt is a main course dinner dish of lamb or mutton. Pinnekjøtt is a festive dish typical to Western- and Northern Norway, served with puréed turnip and potatoes, beer and akevitt....  ...The preparation of pinnekjøtt uses a traditional method for food preservation utilizing curing, drying and in some regions also smoking as means of inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms. Although lamb is today available fresh or frozen all year round, pinnekjøtt is still prepared both commercially and in private homes due to the flavour and maturing the preservation process gives to the meat.
Before cooking, the racks are separated into individual ribs by cutting a sharp knife between the bones. The ribs must then be soaked in water in order to rinse out the salt and reconstitute the meat. Today pinnekjøtt is available in most supermarkets before Christmas, smoked or unsmoked, ready cut and sometimes also soaked, ready for cooking

If you want to learn more, here is a link.



Journaling: You know it's close to Christmas when you smell Pinnekjøtt in the house.



Some close up photos:

Patterned papers: MME, Studio Calico. Aplha: Websters pages
Buttons, tiles, twine & silver embellies: unknown. Tabs/cards: Chic Tags

My source for inspiration is this CSI case file:

Colors: OK
Evidence: Mosaic, silver metallic accents, border punch
Testimony: Document something kitchen related



What's you favourite dish during this season?

I'm guest designing for CSI in December!

If you have followed me for a while, you may have noticed I really enjoy doing the CSI Case Files (challenges). They push me out of my comfort zone and get me to scrap topics I never had thought of as well as using color combos far from my usual favourites.

So I was beyond thrilled when Debbi Therani asked me to guest design for December *lol*


Today is the day when my first GD layout is up, and here is how I solved case File #49:


Title: The Count down

Journaling: The Advent calendars ar important to the kids - you need to know how many days there are lft to Christmas Eve, right? And one $2 chocolate calendar from the grocery shop isn't enough - oh, no: there need to be one small gift each day.

Some close up photos:

The materials used for this page is a true mix of manufactorers, all taken from my large pile of stuff.

Here is the case to be solved:

 

How I solved it?

• Colors: as shown
• Evidence: numbers, rhinestones, buttons, twine, semi crircle nothes, Chritmas/winter accents
• Testimony: documenting a holiday tradition

What do you say - isn't this case file inspiring?
Why don't you jump right in and give it a try?
And remember, there are printables ("Coordinates"), up for grabs, too, in case you want some new stuff!

Link to case file #49: http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/forum/topics/case-file-no-49-case-closes-on-december-16-2012

Please head over to see the full reveal of Case file #49 and all the inspiring examples from the DT and GDTs!

Not Your Bag! - OUAS November Challenge Reveal

Have you ever been to an air port, waiting for your luggage, and suddenly you realize you are all alone at the luggage pick up? There is one suit case left, going round and round on the luggage belt, but it's not yours. It is the same brand and color as yours, but is still not yours.

This happened to me this summer, in Corfu Greece. Luckily it is a small airport, and the airport staff was very understanding, so I left husband and kids with the strange suitcase at the belt, and ran out to see if I could find anyone with a suitcase belonging to me. And luckily I did, after just a minute or two, lined up in the taxi line.

At first the girl with my suitcase claimed the suitcased she held was hers, but when I asked if her name was what the tag said, she realized she had done a huge mistake. She probably understood how big her mistake was, when I told her I had spent enough time on the airport because of her, and that I had no intention on spending a minute more helping her out getting hers. Oh my, sometimes I can be so rude, but honestly - at least she could had apologized, but all she was interested in was why I hadn't brought her suitcase out. Hello, I'm not stupid - what if she had drugs in it, and I had been stopped at the customs? No, there was a reason why I didn't bring her bag.

Anyway - when we came home I saw this bright pink tag in a shop, and I bought it immidiately.




Patterned papers: Pink Paisley. Badges: ScrapButtons. Alpha: AC.
Wood Veeners: Studio Calicio. Large tag, pucinella, handbag Brads & chipboard: unknown



This layout is my example for team B's reveal for the November sketch at Once Upon A Sketch. This month's theme is "Anything Goes" and here is the lovely sketch which goes with the theme:

Please head over to the OUAS blog to see the rest of the DTs lovely creations, visit our sponsors which have amazing prizes for you, and to play along!


Finally, tell me: have you ever lost your luggage?

Hospitality

I admit it - some times I get tired of having other's kids around all the time (at least it feels like all the time), especially when school is out. During those periods I never know how many there are for dinner, or who is staying over.

But on the other hand - it feels good that the kids like it at our house. They do have house rules to stick to, and they can't stay for weeks: it's like my wise, old father says: fish and guests stinks after three days *lol*
And as oldest son just turned into a teenager, having them around here give me a feeling of having a little more control.

Alpha  and background paper: BG. Other patterned papers and bracket overlay: MME.
Cheese cloth, ribbon & butterfly: unknown

Kids + a friend sleeeping on the porch in May

The inspiration for this layout as found at the CSI blog:

Here is how the challenge blog CSI describes this mont's theme: In November, our thoughts turn to the holidays and getting together with family and cozying up in our homes, so our theme that will tie our Case Files together this month is "Coming Home."

Here is how I solved the Case file #44:
Colors - all five used:
Evidence: Flowers (on patterned papers), transparent element (bracket overlay), something woven (cheese cloth)
Testimony: Document what you love about your home (the hospitality)


CSI Case file #44 closes today, but Case file #45 is open for investigation another week, so please head over to get some ideas on how to scrap your family and home.

Hair Cut Day - CSI Case File #43

My boys needed a hair cut a few weeks ago - here they are at the hair dressers:

Patterned papers: Crate Paper, MME. Cardstock: ClubStamp. Layered Stickers: MME.Ruobons: Jenni Bowlin, Kaiser Craft. Alpha: American Craft. Tab: Chic tags. Chipboard Scissors: Maya Road

Close up photos:


Pager Runners: Charms' Creations



The idea for this page came when I saw the CSI Case File #43:

Colors: all five used.


Evidence: Damask, Rubons (Bottom circle border, botton grid border, small black stains randomly over the layout,

Testimony: Formal letter: Letter of recommendations - I recommend this hair dresser to anyone :-)     Why don't you head over to CSI to check out the newest color challenge, #44?   

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Do you need a fun sketch to get you started? This is the November sketch at Once Upon A Sketch:    

  This month's theme: Anything Goes. Yup, anything :-) As long as there is some journaling involved, and the sketch is used, you are may to link up your creation to the OUAS blog and get a ticket to the lottery with awesome prizes from our sponsors. To read more, and see some stunning examples from the DT, please visit the OUAS blog.

Do we see your creation there?

No Family Secret (CSI Case #41)

As many of you already know, my brother chose to take his own life in June. The family has been open about the cause of his death all the way, hence the title on this layout.

Patterned papers: MME, Cosmo Cricket. Alpha: Basic Grey. The rest: unknown

Translated the journaling says: "It must have been much harder back when suicide was a shame and no one ever talked about it. I still believe going out in public, telling that K killed himself, was the best. People who didn't know he had had tough days, could understand, and we, who was left back, got all the support we needed."




I found the inspiration to this layout from CSI Case #41:

Colors: All colors used - the grey is in my background paper, even if it migh look a bit browner, due to light conditions.

Evidence; Texture (Cheese cloth), gold element (two flowers), ruffles

Testimony: Journaling about something NOT a secret - this might be stretching the criteria a bit too far, but I'm still happy with my page and story.     Thank you for stopping by  - I'm working on paying you a visit, too :-)

I'm guest blogging today :-)

Back in June I won some stamps together with Sherri Funk, made by Close To My Heart (CTMH), sponsored by Elizabeth at Broken Treasures. She also sent me a CTMH Idea Book, with lots of lovely stamps.

Sherri and I did a twin blog post with the stamps we had won, and Sherri was a Guest blogger at Elizabeth's blog at the same time. Elizabeth liked what she saw, and invited me to blog post for her this month.


In the said idea book, I found some stamps which shouted my name, a stamp set with faux stitching: they are so versatile, and just so me.

Stamp Set C1459 Stitched Together (not my card - example from CTMH)

In the guest blog post at Elizabeth's, you will find further details on how I used the stamp set to make these creations:


An altered canvas:

Stamps used with embossing and on shrink film

Button Card

Buttons are made by stamping on shrink film

In spetember I used the stamps while solving CSI File #37:

Stamps are used to create the border, the circles and the stitched stripes under the washi tape stripes.

Please head over to Elizabeth at Broken Treasures check out the tips from me, and to see Elizabeth's lovely creations!


How do you use your stamps?

Lesson learned!

Some times I wonder if we totally have failed as parents, and that our kids haven't learned anything from us. Like last winter when a neighbour called at our door, told us they had flat tires, and that they had reason to belive our kids was involved in putting up a row of nails across our street.

My kids were involved, and so was one of the boys next door. And there was a total of three cars with flat tires. When we asked the kids WHY? they said they just wanted to hear the funny sound from tires beeing penetrated by spikes, like they had seen/heard on films. Obviously it never occured to them that tires got broken from this and that somebody had to pay for it.

Luckily just one of the cars had to have all tires changed, the rest of them could be fixed, but this prank ended up as a $1000 one. Lucky for me the kids had savings, but for them it meant they could kiss new iPads good bye....

I do hope they have learned their lesson...
And I'm going to show them this layout when their first borns are here, just to remind them about what parenthood also is about *lol*

Real nails - the ones they used...

The color combo, and idea for this layout is from CSI Case File #39:

Evidence:

• Rubons (Swirl in right corner under photo, green "stitching" and printed alpha down the left side of the photo, white arrow)
• Map print (under photo)
• Stars

Testimony:

• I have journaled about a lesson learned - a short version of the story on top of this post.

Colors & Sketch

• All five colors are used + white (= neutral according to the rules) and a hint of brown on the journaling spot under the photo (less than 10% accent colors are allowed according to the rules)
• The sketch is used.

What do you say, did I nail this challenge?

OUAS October Sketch Reveal

A new month means a new sketch reveal at Once Upon A Sketch.


In October we're back to normal, without the color inspiration from CSI,
but we do have a a quote to get you started.

The challenge:
We would like you to create a layout based on this quote. You can interpret it ANY way you like. There is no wrong or right way to interpret this quote but your layout must incorporate something from this quote AND the sketch below. Please make sure that we see some sort of journalling on your layouts and please tell us where your journalling is . Hidden journalling is perfectly fine.

Please head over to the OUAS blog to see all the wonderful DT examples, learn how you can be our guest designer for them month of December, and to see our fabolous sponsors and the lovely prizes that are up for grab this month.

As the OUAS challenges are monthly, we have devided the DT into two teams to give you even more inspiration through the month. Team A's layouts are up on the 1th of each month, and Team B's at the 15th. I belong to Team B, so my layout will not be up until later this month, but I can give you a sneak peak.

Are we seeing your take on the sketch/challenge in October?

Biker Chick

The title of the page is impossible to translate into English. The closest I get is Biker Chick, but the kids really aren't biking....

Patterned papers: Basic Grey &v Echo Park. Alpha: AC/Amy Tangerine. Wooden veener: Studio Calico.
Flair: Ormolou. The rest: unknown

DS12 met this swedish girl in Corfu in August - and they still keep in touch via FB, Skype and SMS. I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to his phone bill this month *lol*

The photo was taken in the dark with an iPhone, so the quality isn't the best. But who cares, it's all about recording the memories, right?

This layout was made a while back for a color challenge on an FB group: Use fall colors.
 I just love how this turned out!

Do you ever do color challenges?

Easy like a Sunday Morning

For Septemberthe challenge blogs OUAS and CSI and has teamed up, and this is how this week's challenge look like:

This week I have a layout up at the challenge blogs for inspiration, featuring my darling cat Ponky:

She really is an easy cat: cuddly, fond of people, kind - but may be too fond of little birds and mice.

Woodgrain patterned paper & kraft paper: Harmonie. Blue Patterned paper: Webster's Pages.
Off white/grey patetrned pater: Studio Calico. Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs.
Flair: AFlairForButtons. Bling: memories. Corrugated shapes: Jillibean Soup-
Twine: the Twinery. Bow/flower: Maya Road. Brad: MME

How I solved the case:

Colors & sketch: OK - all used

Evidence: Flowers, branches, birds, woodgrain, newspaper print (on the brad)
Testimony: Documented a pet and used the lyrics from the song as the title of the layout


Do you want to give this challenge a try?
Please visit the blogs below to read more and to see all the fabolous prizes that they offer!

OUAS

CSI