Welcome to the world....

Hello everyone,

How are you?

After a wonderful weekend I have a few very busy days and I hope to be back on Friday with another card.

In the meantime I'll be squeezing in some time for comments on your blogs. I started to catch up but still haven't visit all your blogs. And I'll do my stinkin' best to catch up.......

Time is running short for this weeks'challenge at the City Crafter Challenge Blog. This weeks it 's all about baby's, buttons and bows!

Here is the photo inspiration:

.

I also want to enter this card in this weeks'challenge at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge; based upon this sketch:

I made a non traditional baby card in patriottic colors; red, white and blue. The colors of the Dutch Flag :)

A label made with Vintage Labels 4, stamped in Lady Bug.

The sentiment is from the Fancy Phrases set , stamped in London Fog.

The edges are inked with Paris Dusk. Some pom pom trim. a checkered bow and some checkered brads. And a button!

I cut the banner out of blue cardstock and added two borders; punched with a Martha Stewart border punch.

Here is my card:

That's all for now....

Till soon!

Stella

The Shabby Tea Room # 54 "Bingo"

Hello everyone,

Here I am again; tax forms...argh!!!!

This is my second post for today and I want to show you a card that I made for this weeks challlenge at The Shabby Tea Room

This weeks you have to use 3 items in a row and you can find them in this inspiration board:

I already finished my card. Yes I do have three things in a row but it's in an oblique row.....

I am such a deer.........forgive me.....

I have a gem, flowers and some puched out embellishments......

I did a lot of shopping in the last few days and I fell in love with the Botanical papers from Prima; and their journaling notes and their flowers..... The flowers were a bit pricey but I HAD TO HAVE THEM.

I am seriously thinking about hoarding these papers....

Well; over to the first card made by a "deer"!!!!

Roses from Mulberry and I punched a butterfly out of cream cardstock; the edges are inked with Antique Linen.  The gem is silver but in daylight it's reflecting and you can also see other colors reflecting.

I stamped a sentiment from Waltzingmouse stamps (Rescue Remedies additions) on the journaling note

with Memento Tuxedo Black.

All the patterned papers and this gorgeous cream flower are from Prima. I punched out a doily with my MS vintage doily punch.

The edges of all the papers are inked with Antique Linen distress ink

And here is my card; I am in love with the result. Maybe not spot on the challenge but I hope you like it...

And now time for some blogging :)

Enjoy your weekend! Tomorrow we're leaving around 12.00 AM to spend the afternoon at my sisters' house. We're having dinner together and after that we'll drive our son to the boat he has to catch. He's going to do research for his study Biology for the next three weeks on one of the Dutch islands.

Till soon!

Stella

Happy mail and spoilt ...thank you Monique and Joanne!

Hello everyone!

How are you? Are you enjoying your weekend?

I am almost finished with my tax forms and I decided to take a second break :)

Last week Monique sent me a gorgeous and fun card. She referred to a post that I wrote on February, 6th about a day that started not so great....You can read about it here. When I read it again it's really funny but at that very moment...my oh my...a lot of stress....

Anyway here is the card she sent; I love it! Monique; you are amazingly talented did you know that? :)

And yesterday I received a package and again; it took my breath away.

It came from Joanne; she makes the kind of cards that makes sigh....breathtaking!

She sent me some handmade - crocheted - flowers...sigh..... and a card that I already added to my favorites folder  the moment she posted it on her blog.

Here is her card:

And here are her stunning flowers:

my apologies for the blurry pictures but I couldn't get them any better and really wanted to post this happy mail :)

I'll be back soon with a card; I made it during my first break this afternoon :)

Till then!

Stella



CR84FN20

Hello everyone!

How are you ? It's Friday evening here in Holland and that means...weekend!

First of all I want to thank you all for the sweet and heartfelt comments on my previous post. You really know how to make me smile and happy. I am privileged......and thankful!

We are back in the swing of things and yesterday and today were busy. We helped our youngest son preparing for his trip.. The next 3 weeks he will stay at one of the Dutch islands for research for his study. I did his laundry; he had quite some favorite clothes which he'd really needed to take along:) and Sunday we will drive him to the harbor of Den Helder to catch the boat to Texel. Texel is one of the Dutch islands above Holland. And a perfect chance to visit one of my sisters who lives an hour drive from Den Helder. A great combo for a wonderful Sunday!



And today I spent the day with 2 of my sisters; they are both fabulous quilters and we spent the afternoon crafting; I made some gift wrappings made from fabric and paper. I'll post some pictures soon :) They are gorgeous, easy to make but it took us hours because we talked and laughed too much....

I made Tagliatelle Carbonara and a salad ( with small cubes of cheese, baked and chopped bacon,  boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumber and pine nuts) for dinner and Tiramisu with whipped cream for dessert. And now I am thinking of a way to get rid of this awful amount of calories:)

After the whirlwind of the last week I didn't have enough time to join all of my favorite challenges so I made a choice. I really had to play along in this weeks'challenge at CR84FN!!

This is the gorgeous color inspiration:

I had a bit of a struggle with the green but it all worked out well!

The label is made with my Waltzingmouse Vintage Labels nr. 1; stamped in Tuxedo Black and the sentiment (Waltzingmouse Fancy Phrases) is stamped with Lulu Lavender from Memento. I also inked a white Mulberry rose with lavender ink. The edges are inked with Sky Grey from ColorBox.

The background stamp is from Viva Deco stamped with Sweet Plum; also from Memento.

The border die is from Creatables and the green paper is from Papermania; it's from a paper pad that Ros sent me a while ago.

The doily stamp is from Maya Road; stamped with Sweet Plum and I inked the edges with white ink from Maya Road. Finally I added some adhesive pearls from Papermania.

Here is my card:

Time to go to bed......My plans for tomorrow are finishing my tax forms, blogging and crafting.  I have to do these things in this particular order because when I start with blogging  I won't fill in my tax forms.....

What are your plans for this weekend? I'd love to hear from you!

Till soon!

Stella

Daily life and a card

Hello everyone,

How are you?

We are going back to the daily routine; after an emotional church service and funeral of the father of one of our very dear and closest friends.

And when death, grief, loss and pain are in your own "circle" than you stand still for a moment. And being there for each other.

It was a beautiful church service and a wonderful farewell; his eldest granddaughter read a poem that she herself had written for her grandfather and his son spoke of him with love and pride....

A wonderful farewell; with respect and so much love....

And now; back home and we just had dinner with both our sons. Quite a contrast with the afternoon.

And I am ok. On our way back home. I realised how privileged I am with a beautiful life.

And I am grateful for everything I have.  

I made a card yesterday; not for a challenge...

This card is based on my thoughts; no color inspiration and no sketch.

The gorgeous botanical image is from the Graphics Fairy and stands for spring. Yesterday I have been working for 4 hours in my front yard. Spring is here and I started removing all the old branches and so on.. I feel all my muscles; never knew I had so much of them :)

The grey embossed part is made with Color Core paper. I embossed and sanded it. Grey stands for today; so sad....

The roses are perfect for expressing the power of love. And the green leafs mean spring....

I inked the edges of the vanilla cardstock with white ink; it's hard to see but looks gorgeous. I also inked the grey lace with a bit of white ink. Lace stands for beauty; the beauty of life.

This card is based on my personal thoughts. And I am ok. And there is nothing wrong with some reflection from time to time....

And the sentiment?

I'm back in the swing of things and just wanted to say hi....

And maybe it sounds boring but a year ago I didn't  blog at all and now? It's a wonderful world.....thank you so so much for being there......

Till soon; I have some blogs to catch up with. But first a double espresso :)

With love,

Stella

CCCB # 48 "The King and I"

Hello!

How are you?

The week has just started and after a few days without being in the mood for crafting I realised that time is running short for one of my favorite challenges at the City Crafter Challenge Blog

And I wanted to submit a card.....

This week you have to add a crown(s) to your project.

Here is the photo inspiration:

image from - http://www.clipartof.com/

I made a card with my favorite embellishments and colors...:)

The sentiment is a bit "pale" but you can read the sentiment in the close up:

A labelstamp from Waltzingmouse stamps ( Rescue Remedies) stamped with pink and after cutting and embossing I inked the edges with baby blue. Flowers from Mulberry, pin from me :) and  the crown, button and ribbon are from my stash.

The paper on the bottom of my card is stamped with my "Floral" stamp from Darkroom Door. The pink polka dotted paper is from Tilda and that gorgeous blue paper is from a paper pad from Papermania that Ros sent me. I used two different border punches and added a few stitches and some white ink on the edges.

Here is my card:

I hope you like it........

And now it's time for some blogging; I still have a lot of blogs to visit so I am on my way to you.....

Till soon!

Stella

Party time at The Shabby Tea Room

Hello everyone!

How are you?

Sometimes there are not enough hours in a day to do all the things I want to do.

The last few days days were very busy and the last time I was in blogland was Thursday. Gosh; I have some serious catching up to do :)

Days filled with fun but also with mixed emotions. The father of one of my closest friend died from cancer; within 14 days after she got married (and he walked her down the aisle...) She's is thankful for the fact that he was able to attend the wedding but loosing one of your parents...I think we all know what it means.

We will attend the memorial service and funeral on Wednesday.

Not a happy start of my post but my blog is not only for my cards.

This blog is also a bit about me, what I do besides card making and who I am. And sometimes...what's on my mind......

That's why it took me a few days before I made another card. But I made one :)

I made card for the one year challenge anniversary at the Shabby Tea Room and that means party time!

 I had to come up with a card, banner and/or gift with a birthday or celebration theme. 

Here is the photo inspiration:

I made a card in very soft and pale colors. Some scraps from Melissa Frances and Tilda papers.

A few roses from Mulberry, a handmade pin, seambinding from Pixie Dust Paperie and that gorgeous little ticket is from June's online shop. And I hope you don't get tired of my pins because I made a lot of them and I had to add one to this card too :)

The sentiment is from Flourishes stamped with London Fog from Memento

A few stiches and some inking. And a doily.....

Here is my card:

I hope to catch up with all your blogs.....

Till soon; enjoy your Sunday!

Stella

Waltzingmouse sketch challenge # 38

Hello......!

How are you?

After a few days without inspiration I came up with an idea for this weeks'

Waltzingmouse sketch challenge

This is the sketch

A circle card is a challenge of its own but I came up with one:)

I made a circle card with  my Spellbinder scalloped circle dies and covered it with pink cardstock . On top of that a circle made of scraps  I ordered some new papers so I wanted to use some scraps... I need a bit more storage space  :) !!!

I cut a border with a new Creatables die; it looks like lace and I love it.

All the pieces of my card were cut and embossed. I made this label  ( Rescue Remedies additions) a while ago. I found it yesterday between my scraps and my card started from there.....

The pin is made by me; I bought some heart shaped pearls and I think it looks sweet on this card.

I slightly inked the edges of my card and label with Antique Linen distress ink, added a few roses,some seam binding from Memrie Mare and an adhesive pearl.

Here is my card: 

That's all for now! Í'm off....I have to go to the supermarket, cleaning up and I want to make chicken soup for dinner. With some fresh baked ciabatta's  ( Italian bread) and tuna salad.....

Enjy your day!

Stella

CR84FN19

Hello!

How are you? Just fine and enjoying your weekend?

It's Sunday and that means time for a new challenge at CR84FN!

Just take a look at the gorgeous colors for this week:

When there is blue involved you can count me in :)

I used a few of my scraps for this card and added an inked frame from Tattered Angels.

On the right side of my card I stamped with one of "Text it" stamps from Waltzingmouse stamps. The sentiment is also from Waltzingmouse ( Rescue Remedies additions)

No card without a flower :) and a pin made by me.

I added a  few stitches; here is a close up:

I used one of my MS punches, added some lace and on the left side of my card some grey/white gingham ribbon. I inked the edges and....ready!

Here is my card:

Till soon!

Stella



CCCB # 47 "In my pocket"

Hello!

Yes. it's weekend and that means more time for crafting :)

One of my sisters came here on Thursday and we went to the city for some shopping, lunch and had a wonderful time. Thursday evening I cooked her favorite dinner and we spent the evening talking, laughing and crafting . My sister creates breathtaking quilts and all kinds of other quilt project.

It's fun to be crafting together; especially with one of my sisters! She went home yesterday and after she left I finished my project for this weeks' challenge at the City Crafters Challenge Blog. This week you have to create a card, project or tag with a pocket.

Here is a gorgeous picture with pockets:

The last few weeks I made a lot of pins and I have been looking for a sort of wrapping to send them to others. This challenge is a perfect opportunity to create something for that purpose.

Tags are great way to add some pins and put them in a pocket. And a great way to use some scraps; I have a lot of paper scraps. Like the most of us :)

I used cream, kraft and pink cardstock from my stash.

I stitched a piece of linen (IKEA) on a piece of cream cardstock and added some lace and trim.

I cut out a label and stamped a sentiment ( Waltzingmouse Rescue Remedies additions) on it.

On top a tag with a sweet sentiment( Waltzingmouse Rescue Remedies additions) some twine and an adhesive pearl. The edges of my card are distressed with Antique Linen distress ink:

The tags were made from scraps of papers from Tilda and Marianne Design (Eline's huis)

I put the pins on a piece of felt, glued it on my tag and covered it with a piece of paper.

I addded some trim and a button. On the other tag I added a crocheted flower and a sweet sentiment ( Waltzingmouse Fancy Phrases).

A close up of the pins and the flower:

And this is my card; ready to send it to someone:

It's my first attempt to add some fabric on a card and I think it turned out quite well.

I am pleased with the result and I hope you like it too.

And now I have to go to the supermarket and after that I have an appointment with my washing machine :)

Till soon!

Stella





I just love this flower........

Hello!

Yesterday I found an image of a flower that I love and...perfect for a card.

And this card is perfect for this weeks' challenge at the Waltzingmouse sketch challenge blog.It does not happen often that I submit a second card but occasionally :)

This is the sketch:

I made a card with a piece of paper from Melissa Frances; an image from the Graphics Fairy, a tag and seam binding from June, a sentiment from Waltzingmouse Fancy Phrases, pom pom trim from Maya Road and a pin which is handmade by me :) White card, brown cardstock and a doily from my stash:

And here is my card:

I didn't add too much; this image speaks for itself....

Till soon!

Stella

Waltzingmouse #37 and The Shabby Tea Room # 52

Hello everyone!

How are you?

It's Tuesday and today everything is going just as planned. Including my card :)

My house is clean; after posting my card I have to go to the supermarket ( crafting makes hungry; I'd better take a shoppinglist with me or I will buy all kinds of things that I love to eat :)

But first; one card for two challenges!

This card is based upon the sketch from the Waltzingmouse sketch challenge:

and this weeks'challenge at The Shabby Tea Room.. This week you have to use green on your card or project. This is the photo inspiration:

I covered a card with cream cardstock from Papicolor and added two different papers from Melissa Frances. On top of that an image from The Graphics Fairy.

The seam binding is from June, rose from Prima and the pin is made by me. The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse ( Fancy Phrases) stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black

And some ink on the edges from Color Box ( Smokey Blue)

Here is a close up:

And here is my card:

I coudn't stamp my sentiment on the image; so I stamped it underneath the image.

Time to get my groceries and tonight....time for to visit your blog!

Till soon!

Stella

CR84FN18; Orange, Yellow and Kraft

Hello everyone,

How are you?

This week just started and I'm already a bit frustrated........:)

Just kidding but.... sometimes  my card doesn't turn out the way I had in mind; is anyone recognising this?????

Maybe I'm the only one but I created a card and the colors are not looking as gorgeous as they did yesterday.

I made this card for the new challenge at CR84FN.

Here is the the color/photo inspiration:



I don't use a lot of yellow and orange and this challenge stretched my creativity a bit. And sometimes it's good to create a card that's out of my comfort zone......

I also had to make a sort of CAS card; one of my sisters asked me to make one....

I created a card made from papers  that I had for ages (I don't know who the manufacturer is) and some cream and kraft cardstock.

The stamp with the butterfly is from Viva Deco and the sentiment from Waltzingmouse stamps. Both stamped with Potter's Clay from Memento.

Ribbon and gem from my stash.

A close look:

And here is my card:

I hope it's good enough for the challenge :)

Till soon!

Stella

Color Splash with....pink!

Hello everyone,

Sunday...weekend...I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do :)

After a few very busy weeks I finally have the chance to join a few - of my favorite - challenges.

The first challenge I want to join is this weeks'challenge at The Play Date Cafe..

This weeks' theme is about "color splash".

Here is the photo inspiration:

That means; only black and white and a "splash" of one color.

I rarely use black on my cards; in fact only for sentiments. But it's good to step out of your comfort zone once in a while and adding a color makes it fun!

Everything on my card is created with a stamp. I used my some favorite stamps to create the background and that circle label::

Darkroom Door "Floral"

Waltzingmouse stamps "Victorian Frippery"

Waltzingmouse stamps "Text it"

The butterfly is stamped with a stamp from Marianne Design "Eline's huis". After I stamped it I cut it out.

I used ink from Memento "Tuxedo Black" and Color Box "Rosebud". And a bit of white ink for the edges.

Silk ribbon from my stash.

Some details of my stamping :)

And here is my card; I am pleased with the result :)

Till soon! Enjoy your day!

Stella

Wedding and CCCB # 46 "Spring Fling"

Hello everyone!

Are you all having a great weekend?

Our weekend started yesterday; one of our very best friends got married yesterday

and I had the privilege to be one of the witnesses for the bride!

It started yesterday morning with a lot of stress. I bought a black velvet skirt (gorgeous; length just

above my knees) and guess what; the zipper broke after I'd put it on. I dressed up on Thursday

 to check if everything was ok..You know; are all the buttons ok and so on.. and there was nothing

 wrong with that zipper. But it broke. And it was 8.30 AM and we had to leave at 8.45 AM. Get

the picture; all dressed up,  panties, high heels and makeup and you find out that there is something

very wrong wth your skirt....argh!!!! Thank God there was one other skirt I could wear and off we

went.... And to say it in a well mannered way; I was NOT amused.......

Without furhter delay we arrived and we had a fabulous and spectacular day. The bride was breathtaking...I'll post a picture as sonn as I get one.....

The bride is one of my very best friends and she already lived together with her man before

 she got married. ( Quite usual here in Holland to live together before you get married)

After years of waiting and hoping she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on October 27th, 2010.

There were already plans to get married but everything happened sooner as expected due to a very

sad cause....January 2011 her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The doctors told him that

there were only a few months left;  radiaton and chemo were not an option....... the cancer was already fully spread throughout his body...

Her father had one last wish......To be able to join the wedding of his youngest daughter and walk

 her down the aisle.

Within 6 weeks they planned and organised the whole wedding and yesterday was the BIG DAY.

I'm still impressed.... That very moment in church; walking down the aisle with her father...

There was no dry eye in that church.

After the ceremony there was a huge wedding cake, champagne and after the wedding reception

 a lovely wedding dinner. Being there, joining this very special and emotional occasion; I will remember

this day the rest of my life.

And now something completely different; a card :)

This week at City Crafter Challenge Blog  it's all about spring colors; cream, blue, green and pink.

Here is the gorgeous photo inspiration:

I finsished my card at Thursday but it was already too late to take a decent picture. But today I finally had the chance to take them and here it is:

Some layering with patterned Paper from Tilda and that blue strip of paper is a tiny piece of a gorgeous paper pad that Ros sent me a few weeks ago. I ran that strip through one of my MS border punches and inked the edges with a shade of aqua ink from Color Box. The butterfly is stamped with Versamark on Vellum and I heat-embossed it with white embossing powder. The pin is made by me :).

Ruffled trim from Maya Road, lace from my stash and the rose is from Prima. Underneath the rose I

stamped a doily with Versamark and heat-embossed it with white embossing powder ( stamp from Maya Road). The sentiment ( Watlzingmouse Fancy Phrases) is also heat-embossed.

You could say that I am in a kind of heat-embossing mood :)

I used a kraft card and inked the edges with white ink.

It's a bit hard to read the sentiment but IRL it looks gorgeous. These soft shades of colors make me think of spring and I am ready for some nice weather and sunshine. We had a sunny day and the weatherforecast for the next few days is very promising!

Ooops; off track.I'm sorry :)

Here is my card!

I just checked and I know now that I can spend a few hours visiting you. You all have been very creative the last two days!

Till soon; have a lovely weekend!

Stella