I mitt pysselrum

Mini book in a box

2012-01-09T20:06:00.001+01:00

Today, I've got a mini book in a box to show you. I made this for Scraplagret, with wonderful papers from Pion Design.

This adorable box is from Graphic 45 (♥), and I immediately associated the shape of the lid with a door. So welcome in!

Inside, there's an accordion album with pictures from our ongoing renovation of the farmhouse.

As you can see, there are quite a few before - photos, and not so many after-photos. We're not quite there yet.

Today, we started working again after a couple of lovely holiday weeks. It felt really great to be back again, and it will be even greater tomorrow, when the students show up. I look forward to that a lot! However, I sure am tired tonight, so I'll leave you with that and go put the kids to bed.

Have a great week, everyone!

The M-house

2012-01-06T11:05:00.002+01:00

Today I'd like to share a little house in the shape of an M that I made a few weeks ago.

It's full of teddybear pirates, and wouldn't it be a blast if one could build a house like this in full size for the kids?

Here's a little pirate on the lookout. I got these little teddybears from KiAs butik. Aren't they the cutest?

Here's another one, on the swing.

That's all I wanted to share today.

The sun is shining, for the first time this year... I really would like to take the opportunity to spend the day outdoors, but I have a mountain of laundry to deal with before I can do that. No fun

Have a great day, everyone!

Just Chillin' with Riddersholm

2012-01-05T16:18:00.002+01:00

Last winter, we had snow, and plenty of it. The kids took advantage of that, of course. We found an old kick-sled in the shed at the farm, and it was tested thoroughly on our driveway. Albin ran back and forth with it, and then, of course, he had to take a break. So here he is, just chillin'.

This year, we've had no snow so far, and it's been really, really warm. That's great if you think about the electrical bills, but it's no fun!

The layout is made with Riddersholm's collection Chantilly Dawn.

The last of Christmas and happy news!

2012-01-04T21:29:00.004+01:00

I guess you are all pretty tired of Christmas now. I know I am, but I have a couple of more Christmas layouts made for Scraplagret to show you before we can forget about Christmas altogether.

I must say that I simply adore this Christmas collection from Pion Design, and I actually made something out of the scraps of it today, even if it isn't Christmas anymore.

Oh, and speaking of Christmas, that's what it felt like today when I got word that I won tickets and ride passes for the whole family to our favourite place - Tivoli in Copenhagen. Albin, of course, was over the moon, because when we were down there in December, he was just about tall enough for the most thrilling (if you're eight and a half) ride ever - Daemonen! So Albin, this is for you, and remember to eat up your vegetables in order to grow to be tall enough for this ride without your thick-soled winter boots:

The end of 2011

2011-12-31T15:17:00.001+01:00

2011...What an amazing year this has been. Just to mention a few great things that has happened: we got our very own LSS (local scrapbook store) in our little village, I've been featured in Inzpira Magazine, we've seen a full year come and go at the farm and its surroundings (I wish I could have added that we had moved out there too, but we're not there just yet) and I got to be mentor for a very sweet class at work. There is so much more to add, but if I did, you would most likely stop reading here, long before we got to the point with this blog post - scrappy 2011.

I normally don't do this - put my ten favourite projects of the year on parade - but since so many others are doing it, I thought why not?

First, a layout I made for Scraplagret, my DT-store. I'm really happy to be on their DT, because Emma, the owner, is the sweetest, and I really love every single DT-kit she's sending. It's also a fabulous store, and I honestly can say that there's nothing I can possibly wish for that isn't in that store.

Next up is a thing I made while on the Graphic 45 DT. Sad as I am that I didn't make it to another round on that team, I still feel blessed for having been on it for one year. That was my ultimate dream come true, and I'm pretty sure G45 forever will be one of my favourite brands.

I also got a new big DT-spot this year, at Riddersholm Design. You know, I'm a big fan of everything Danish, and I try to go to Copenhagen at least once a year, and now I can proudly say that I have added Riddersholm Design to my list of favourite Danish things. Their Chantilly Dawn is one of the prettiest paper lines I've designed with so far, and here is one of my favourite cards with that line.

This layout has found its way in here simply because I adore this little girl, and this photo, which is so "her". Ida is a daughter to a dear friend of mine, and she's as sassy and silly as they get. You just gotta love her, she totally cracks me up. Just this afternoon her mother posted a photo on facebook of her after a close encounter with some mascara. Se sure knew how to use that.

This is the K-house I made for Kristin at KiAs butik, who spoiled us rotten with opening up an LSS, in the middle of our little village. I love spending time on Kristin's loft, scrapping away and chatting with other scrapper girls (and guys too, for that matter).

This layout is here because this is what lazy summer days are all about for me - Albin in the hammock in the shade under the apple trees at the farm, just enjoying the moment. It makes me long for summer again...

This is another project I've made for Scraplagret. It's totally different from everything else I make, and I still like it a lot. Different is good, most of the time.

Here's a layout of my silly girl and her making faces. It's almost impossible getting a decent shot of her some days, so why not doing something fun out of all the crazy shots you do get. This is her, in every little way.

This is another fun project I made for the Petaloo Color Me Crazy contest. I think I won third prize in the altered class.

I'm not sure I've shown this layout before... This is Agnes taking a ride with my sister on her quad. Agnes thinks her aunt is the coolest aunt in the whole world.

That's it. Ten projects, my favourite ones from 2011. It's New Year's Eve, and I'm going to continue the preparations for tonight's dinner with friends.

I wish all of you, blog readers, a very happy new year 2012.

After Christmas

2011-12-27T19:42:00.001+01:00

I hope you all had a very nice Christmas. I had. I was so stressed out right before Christmas that I decided to take it very, very easy over the holidays. So, we have just been hanging out with family, taking the days as they come and just relaxed. And, believe it or not, I haven't scrapped one bit. However, I plan to get my stuff out tonight. I now have two weeks off from work before it's time to start up a new term, and I plan to enjoy every second of it. And perhaps scrap a layout or two.
In the meantime, here is a layout I made for Scraplagret, with wonderful papers from Pion Design.

Have a great Tuesday night, everyone!

Workshop

2011-12-22T21:15:00.000+01:00

I've been invited by Kristin at KiAs Butik to teach a class in how to make birdhouses, like the ones on the photo below. So, if you're interested, follow this link to Kristin's blog for more info.

WORKSHOP

med

Jenny Svensson

hos KiAs Butik på loftet.

Jenny är aktuell i senaste InZpira
som kreativ profil.
http://jejas.blogspot.com/

Kurs i att bygga fågelholkar

lär dig bygga från grunden.

Allt material samt fika ingår.

Antal: sex platser

Tid: Torsdag 29 December 2011
kl. 18.30 - ca 21.30

Pris: 250 kr

Gingerbread

2011-12-18T14:46:00.003+01:00

Twice, we've been baking gingerbread so far this month, and I suppose we will have to make it once more before Christmas Eve, if there's even a slight chance that there will be enough. You see, the three other people of my family all love gingerbread, and for the moment, we are having a "stay-at-home dad", and that's bad. The gingerbread jar gets emptied very fast because of that.

But that's OK. We love making them, so we're happy anyway, the kids and I.

Here's a layout I made with papers from the Nook December kit, using a sketch from the awesome challenge blog Challenge Me Happy. I LOVE that kit, it's so perfect for scrapping photos of all the preparations we make for Christmas.

Oh, and speking of preparations, right now I'm busy preparing a class for after Chistmas, so if you are local, and interested in learning how to make houses like I make them, stay tuned for more info!

A great day!

2011-12-15T20:27:00.002+01:00

Today is a great day. Not only did I have the best of days at work, I've also got some alone time at home, and finally managed to catch up on some photo editing and design team blogging. I still have a pretty hard time with photography, because it's so darn dark all the time! For these photos I've used my external flash, and bounced it against the ceiling. It will have to make do, but I can't wait for brighter times to come. Or, I might just need to get a lightbox of some sort.

Anyway, like I said, it's been a great day at work. I've finished up my grading, and we've wrapped up the courses for this term. Now there is a week of fun stuff ahead, and next Thursday, it's time for a well deserved Christmas break, part of which I will use to scrap, because I've deserved that :)

Speaking of Christmas, here's a few things I've made with my last DT-kit from Scraplagret. First of all, I made a few ornaments from old wooden spools.

And here's a Christmas card.

And now I'm so done blogging for one day! I'm going to dive into my paper piles again and do something creative.

Have a great evening, and a fabulous weekend.

How about some Echo Park?

2011-12-07T22:30:00.001+01:00

The thing I really hate about this time of the year is that it's virtually impossible to take good photos of layouts and cards. By now, it gets dark around 4 in the afternoon, and that's about when I leave work, and after picking up the kids and finally getting home, it's pitch black outside! There's absolutely no light, and photography business have to wait until the weekends, when I'm home during the day. But that is no guarantee that there will be enough light. Some days, the sun doesn't seem to be around at all, and all there is is a vary faint light that barely finds it's way through the windows that are still fairly dirty since the last storm passed by (I had just cleaned them! I was so mad!)

Anyway, I try to make do with my external flash and a cupcake liner, so I've managed to get a couple of half-decent shots this evening, of two layouts using the November kit from My Scrapbook Nook featuring Echo Park's LOVELY Times and Seasons. What's not to love about Echo Park?

The first one is about my sweet boy, and the second one is of my girlie, giving her little cousin a farewell hug before he took off with his family to the US. This is such a darling photo, and I've had it printed on my desk since August, trying to find papers to match the somewhat difficult colors of it. When the Nook kit landed, it turned out to be perfect for the task.

So, how are you all doing with your Christmas preparations? I thought I had it all pretty well covered a couple of weeks ago, when the kids were sick and we had to stay at home for a few days. I almost caught up with all the work that was overdue here. However, this place is once more a mess, and between all the grading I'm trying to get done at work, and all activities involving the kids (it's Lucia-time, with all the commotion that comes with it) I don't know how I'm going to be done. However, so what if the windows are still dirty after the storm? You won't notice since it's so darn dark all the time! I didn't send out tons of handmade Christmas cards last year, and guess what? Nobody died! I think I'll just stop here, light a candle and enjoy what Advent is all about - waiting, not wearing yourself out. Right?

I know I won't be able to do just that, though. I'm too deeply rooted in the traditions not to have my whole house spick and span in time for Christmas Eve. But I'm sure as h*** not cleaning the windows again!

In a Christmas mood

2011-11-26T20:57:00.001+01:00

Tomorrow is the first of Advent. Wow, what on earth happened to this autumn? Where did November go so fast? I haven't even felt a touch of the usual November dreariness, although last week was very dark and dull. I spent most of that week at home with my sick little ones. To tell the truth, I haven't been feeling all that well either, we've had a rather bad cold which has surely taken its toll on oss. Anyway, tomorrow is the first of Advent, and I've got both my houses ready for it, with bright white stars in every window, wreaths on the doors and white hyacinths in cups and bowls here and there. It's the first year ever I have two houses to decorate, and even though it's tons of fun, I still wish there was only one house, and that we were settled in the farmhouse instead of going back and forth between the houses, realising that the one thing you need when you're in one house is in the other one.

Still, tonight I'm sitting in front of a nicely sparkling fire in the farmhouse, listening to some wonderful Christmas music by Tommy Körberg (he has the most magnificent voice there is) and really getting in the mood. And while I'm in the mood, I thought I'd show you something a little bit Christmassy - a way to upcycle a dead plant to a decoration for Christmas.

I'm by no means a gardening wiz. Quite the contrary, I kill every plant I get in my hands, or onto my windowsill, that is. Like this olive tree. When the last leaf fell, and I realized that it probably hadn't got any water for at least a month, a little idea came to me. Why not make something funny out of it instead of throwing it away? So, I painted the whole tree white, put it in a wooden spool and sprayed it with Glimmer Mist Pearl to make it shimmer like a vampire in sunlight (yeah, I saw Breaking Dawn last night) Then I decorated it with snowflakes punched out of Graphic 45 papers and a chipboard sign, and now I can still keep it on my windowsill even though it's dead. Pretty nice, huh?

So, now I can keep killing plants without feeling bad about it... LOL. Everything I used (except for the tree itself) can be found at Scraplagret.

So, if you're in a Christmas mood too, and are working on your Christmas cards, why not checking out the ongoing Christmas card sketch challenge at the Riddersholm blog. This card is from this week's sketch.

Just go here to find the sketch and to upload your card.

Have a very nice Saturday evening, and the very best first of Advent, everybody! Myself, I'll be spending tomorrow watching the kids taking swimming lessons, to start with. Then we will go out and have a Christmas meal with P's parents, and since it's also P's 40th birtday, there's all the more reason to celebrate.

A Christmas tag

2011-11-18T18:20:00.001+01:00

Good evening, everyone!

Thank heavens it's Friday, at last. I've had a busy, a bit scary, but great week at work, with a really bad cold, a concert that I had to get out of because it was too loud to my infected ears, a parent-teacher conference after hours, a day in Kristianstad at the course in entrepreneurial teaching I'm taking (totally fun, but I got home way later than usual). Add an almost non-existing voice in trying to make oneself heard in a classroom with twenty-or-so teenagers, and some sleep deprivation to that ("someone" snoring, kids running around at night making noise and not putting out lamps after them etc) and there you have me now, Friday night, ready to tip over on the couch. Exhausted. Wishing the day had more hours. Wishing the weekend had more days, for that matter. And wishing my head didn't feel like it was about to burst. And the scary part of the week - let's not even go there.

Still, I'm trying to work up the energy (chocolate works, at least for a while) to write a short post here on the blog today, showing you a little Christmas tag I made last week, with supplies from Scraplagret.

The papers are Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium (yeah, I know, the first G45 stuff posted here in ages... I still love G45 to bits, I just haven't had the courage to work with their stuff since I failed so miserably in trying to get on their DT for a second round)

Here's the back of the tag. See that snowflake? I got that punch in my DT kit from Scraplagret, and I LOVE it! You can connect the snowflakes into garlands, but I think they are adorable using like this too, one at a time.

There. Now I'm off to fix something to eat. The kids ordered tacos tonight, so that's what we're getting. Spicy enough for me to feel the taste!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Christmas is closing in on us

2011-11-13T18:57:00.001+01:00

And it's moving fast... I've no idea if I'm going to have time to make enough Christmas cards to send out to people this year, or if I will have to do like last year, and buy some. Anyway, this is a little box I altered using papers from the wonderful Christmas collection The Day Before from Riddersholm Design. I LOVE this collecrion.

In the little bubble on top of the lid, I have decorated with miniature Christmas trees, also made from patterned paper, and a whole lot of glitter.

So, that's it for today. We're preparing for a new school/work week, if my daughter is feeling OK tomorrow morning, that is. She has a sore throat and she is coughing a little, poor girl, but hopefully she will feel a lot better in the morning.

Happy Sunday night, everyone! I will be spending it in front of the TV watching the True Talent final (Exciting, that one) and folding sheet music stars for the Christmas tree.

Glitz Mini Album

2011-11-12T18:42:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone!

Today I've been bustling around, blogging on every blog I'm supposed to, and now the time has come to do something about my own blog. I changed the header this morning - it's about time, the old one has been tagging along for quite some time now.

*edit* I changed the entire design while I was at it... I'd grown so tired of the old, all white one. Please, let me know what you think, OK?

I have a envelope album for you today, with the most adorable papers from Glitz - Vintage Blue, which I got from Scraplagret to create with. Oh, how I adore these papers! Just look at the toile pattern on the cover! I'd like to wallpaper my bedroom in that!

Here's a closeup on the front cover. The big blue flowes are diecut with Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die, and then I've rubbed them from the back with a stylus.

I love how this collection comes with coordinating trims - like this one with pom poms on the ends. It's super cute!

I've covered all the envelopes in different patterned papers from the collection

and then I have decorated the pages with coordinating stickers.

Have a very nice saturday evening, everyone!

Pink Ribbon

2011-10-23T10:06:00.003+02:00

This layout is also for a challenge at Scrapptorget. It's a challenge to use a pink ribbon on your layout, to acknowledge breast cancer. I felt I had to participate in this challenge, because I think everyone has been affected by this disease in any way, either lost someone from it, or know someone who has. Myself, I have a close family member who is a breast cancer survivor, and of course, we all are very grateful for that. Many people aren't that lucky.

So, that's it for today. I'm heading back to do some more painting in the veranda. I'm getting close to seing the finished result now, and it will be so light and airy! It will be the perfect background for the Christmas tree, because that's where I plan to put it.

3 stamps

2011-10-22T19:25:00.001+02:00

Today, I've started repainting the veranda at the farmhouse. It's quite a lot of work to do, but I'm hoping the result will be lovely. Right now the first coat of paint is drying and I can't do anything out there, so I thought I'd take a break and update the blog.

In Scrapptorget's cybercrop there was a challenge to make a project and use three stamps on it. So I did. I stamped on shrink plastic with a stamp from Stempelglede, and baked it in the oven for a couple of minutes. Then I layered the ready piece with another paper, stamped with the same stamp, plus a couple of punched-out patterned paper circles. Then I stamped directly on the patterned paper with a background stamp from Unity Stamps, plus stamped a journaling spot and cut it out. So, all in all three stamps, and very few other embellishments.

So, now I'm heading back to the paintbrush. Have a great Saturday evening!

TGIF!

2011-10-21T21:08:00.000+02:00

Yes, thank God it's Friday! For some reason, this week has taken it's toll on me. I'm wasted. I've never been this tired in my entire life! It was such a relief getting home from work this afternoon, packing up the car and heading out to the farmhouse. And now I'm sitting here, in front of a crackling fire in the old tile stove, feeling completely relaxed. The kids are upstairs in bed, P is snoring on the couch, and I finally felt inspired to do some blogging.

I made a completely flat layout the other day. It's for a challenge at Scrapptorget, where they wanted you to make a completely flat layout. No layers, no embellishments, nothing. The thing is... I really love layers, and I love 3D-elements on my layouts, so here I had to retink everything.

I printed the photo plus the title directly onto the cardstock, and then I got busy with stamps, masks, ink and pens. And that's about it. As you can see, it's completely flat. I haven't glued anything on there.

It's good to do things differently once in a while. Making this layout really got me thinking about making more of this. I really like how it turned out, and I will most definitely be making more flat layouts. I also think the photo looks gorgeous, printed straight onto the cardstock.

Well, that's all I have to share tonight, I'm afraid. I did, however, bring my external harddrive from home, with a few scrappy pics on it (I'm on my job laptop here at the farm, with no photoshop or any other photo editing software) so don't be surprised if there will be another update or two here on the blog over the weekend.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Riddersholm Forever!

2011-10-17T22:33:00.002+02:00

This is a very tired Jenny with a short post for y'all.I made this card a couple of weeks ago, with papers from Riddersholm Design, and a few odds and ends I had lying around in my stash. I love this release, Chantilly Dawn.

So, that's it. Very short, like I said :) It's way past bedtime, and I have a busy day at work tomorrow, with a lot of things to think about, and a couple of worries that keep bugging me and need sorting out. So, off to bed I go!

Good night, everyone!

Albin in 2nd grade

2011-10-16T20:50:00.003+02:00

Am I the only one getting grey hairs because of Blogger lately? I can't put links in my texts, or at least not more than once in every blog post, I can't change the fonts, and it's acting really, really weird! My first guess was that it was my laptop that caused this disturbance somehow, but I've tried blogging from three different computers, and it's the same everywhere, so that's not it. These things are supposed to just work, and it's really annoying when they don't.

So, anyway, I'm going to use my only link in this post for ScrappTorget, a site that is hosting a cybercrop at the moment. I made a layout for one of their challenges last night, a challenge where you were supposed to make a layout with a lot of white space on. This is my take. Yeah, I know, there could be more white space, but I figured I also needed to keep it balanced.

The papers and decorations are from the Nook October kit, fabulous MME Lost & Found II. Love it!

Have a great week, everyone!

Saturday night blogging

2011-09-24T23:07:00.004+02:00

Good evening, world. It's Saturday night and I'm sitting at my beloved farmhouse watching the fire in the stove. P is at the movies with a couple of friends and I just got back from the neighbours, where the kids and I have spent the evening. Now, the kids are in bed, and what better thing to do than updating the blog while the fire burns down.

I'm on my job computer, so I don't have access to my photos, but I can show you a few cards that I've made for Scraplagret, using one of my favs lately - Victoria Gardens from Echo Park. This collection is absolutely adorable, and the colors are fabulous. Echo Park has made a whole bunch of lovely collections lately, and it has become one of my favourite brands.

The sentiment of this last card really got to me when I read it. "When you stop and look around, life is pretty amazing." Isn't that just so true? We tend to always move ahead, and set up higher and higher goals for ourselves and those around us. We really need to slow down, and see what we have right now, and that's pretty amazing, for sure. Myself, I have my family, my two precious children who give me so much joy every day. I have a university degree, a job that I love, and a hobby that allows me to be creative and meet amazing people. I have friends that I like having around, and I know which ones I can rely upon. I'm strong enough to keep out of all drama going around everywhere, not letting malicious people get to me, and I'm confident in who I am and what I do. I have, not one, but at the moment two, pretty amazing homes, one of which is the place I've always wanted, in a pretty amazing area. I have the financial means to give my children everything they need. Moreover, I have a fantastic journey overseas to look forward to. So yeah, life is pretty darn amazing, I'd say.

There's only embers left in the stove now, and I guess it's time for me to go to bed. Have the best of Sundays, dear blog readers.

How about some Riddersholm and a Blog Candy?

2011-09-18T16:27:00.002+02:00

Last week, I received a package with the magnificent new lines from Riddersholm Design, including this one, Chantilly Dawn. I am completely in love with this line, it has the softest colors and the pretties patterns ever. I love it.
My son was invited to a birtyhday party, so I decided to make a couple of gift boxes and matching cards with Chantilly Dawn for the two birthday girls.

Now, how about winning some Chantilly Dawn of your own, plus tons of other goodies? It's really easy, just click on the button below to see the the Blog Candy, and read the instructions.

What are you waiting for? ;)

Crop at KiAs.

2011-09-11T20:41:00.003+02:00

First of all, long time no see. I guess I got swept away by all the commotion about school starting over again. The students walked in at work, and I've been busy since. Albin and Agnes are back to school and daycare, soccer practice has started, gymnastics practise has started, and I'm back to doing laundry, packing gym clothes, school bags and all that stuff. On Sunday, both of them are back to swimming practise, and on top of it all, Albin has decided to join the scouts. I'm guessing we'll be really busy this fall.

Oh, and I forgot - we're painting windows at the farm. Today, P wanted me to paint. I grabbed the bush and I painted. When it comes to paint, I'm a perfectionist, whereas he isn't. He litterally paints the windows, meaning the glass. I paint only the frame. So I painted, carefully and perfekt - not a drop of paint ended up where it didn't belong, and I was really pleased with the outcome. Then P came along and had the guts to tell me that I painted too slowly! I almost threw the brush after him. But I guess I deserved that, since I had the bad taste of going cropping at KiAs Butik yesterday instead of painting windows.

I got tons of stuff done at the crop, among them this papier mache torso, which I altered using papers, stickers and trinkets from Bo Bunny's lovely Et Cetera line.
There was a challenge during the crop - to scraplift this layout, which I did last time I was there. The photo is from this summer, when we visited Glimmingehus castle. Agnes loved to sit by the window, very high up in the castle, and fantasize about whether there was ever a beautiful princess sitting in that window waiting for the prince to come riding on his noble steed... Thence the title - awaiting the prince.

And so, I scraplifted my own layout also here using Et Cetera. This photo was taken after a long, warm, dusty day at High Chaparral, our own Swedish wild west town. On our way home, we stopped by a lake to try and cool of a bit. I got this photo of Albin running along the platform as the sun was setting. The water was so warm that night, and the kids just loved it. They didn't want to get out of there.

So, that's it for tonight. I'd better be getting to bed soon. I thought I'd sit around for a while, finishing up a layout I started yesterday, but I think I'm too tired.

I wish you all a very good week.

The Rose

2011-08-21T18:17:00.003+02:00

The ongoing challenge att Once upon a... sketch is to combine the sketch with at least two lines of your favourite song. My favourite song, ever, is The Rose by Bette Midler. I've been singing that song over and over again since I was like... ten or so. I've always loved it, and I still do.

So I decided to print the entire song onto my layout.

Sweet little sheriff

2011-08-21T18:01:00.002+02:00

One day this summer the kids and I, and some friends, went to High Chaparral, our little part of the wild west. We took a ride on a riverboat, we were involved in a train robbery, we visited the indians and Agnes got her face painted, we watched the buffalos and we learnt how things were back in the days. It was a great day, and the kids loved it as much as I did when I was a little girl. Of course, they had to get dressed up, and Albin wanted to be a really fierce sheriff. But how can you look fierce when you are that cute? Impossible. He was the sweetest little sheriff, really, don't you agree?
I've used a lovely sketch from Skissedilla.

Sassy Lil' Sketches August week 2 sketch

2011-08-15T12:41:00.002+02:00

Our auntie Anna, she's a cool one. She has her own motorbike, and the kids loved taking a ride on it this summer. I made this layout with a sketch from Sassy Lil' Sketches, and I really love how this tuned out. I'm not usually a big fan of these kinds of bold colors, but mixed up with som kraft colored elements like this, they're quite OK. I was inspired to this by fabulous scrapper Carina Lindholm, of course, who makes marvellous layouts and cards bursting with color. And speaking of summer... today is officially the last day of our summer for us. Tomorrow we are all back to work, school and daycare again. It's, as always, a tiny bit sad, but we're hanging in there. Agnes is really happy about going back to daycare. I called them this morning, making arrangements about time for her this week, and after I had hung up, and went to tell her that they are really looking forward to having her back there tomorrow, she was soo happy. She cant wait to see all of her little friends and the teachers again. And to be honest, I miss my colleagues too, so it will be fun tomorrow, seing them and catching up with what they have been up to these past weeks. And I do look forward to next week, when the students get back. It will be a blast. :)

Scrapfit #50 - Be inspired by a book

2011-08-15T12:18:00.004+02:00

Scrapfit #50 is all about being inspired by a book, and this is the cover of that book! I just love this picture, the vintage feel, the cityscape, the lamp post... I decided to go with those things, and add some musings over how we feel about city life in our family.
And here's my layout. We're counryside folks, always have been and most likely always will be. Especially P. He is like more rooted in the Swedish countryside soil than the largest oak in Blekinge... Myself, I grew up on a farm, and that's who I am. I like cities, I love to visit them, and stay there for a while, but I'm really happy to have a place at the countryside to call my home.

And I know my kids, no matter how much they love life on the countryside, are really hoping to go to a big, big city far, far away in a not too distant future. They have two very special reasons for that. I would love to take them, so we'll just have to see if we can make that happen.

Weathered

2011-08-12T11:04:00.004+02:00

I just love the look of weathered wood!

When I was on a trip to the island of Visingsö with the family, we came across these gorgeous old barns, near the castle ruins of Näs. I had to take a few shots.
The sketch I've used is from Sketchabilities.

The flowers are also from my Petaloo prize pack, and I have stamped and misted them. I'm having so much fun with these flowers!

A perfect day

2011-08-12T10:51:00.003+02:00

I got an honorable mention at the Petaloo Color me Crazy challenge, and the other day I found my very generous prize pack in the mailbox. So I've been coloring flowes, and my kids have been coloring flowes and we've had a blast. Of course I had to put some of them on this layout.

When I edited the photo of the layout and was going to save it on the computer it turned out that I already had 2(!) more layouts with this title in my layout file. And then I have't even looked though my DT files, because I have a faint memory thet I've made at least one more layout with this title, and that it most likely can be found in there somewhere. Nevertheless, it's a great title, and most likely it will be put on a few more layouts in the future. I have so many perect days to scrap about!
I have based this layout on a sketch from Once Upon A... Sketch.

A layout for Scraplagret, based on Challenge me happy #4

2011-08-10T14:44:00.004+02:00

Hi Y'all!

How are you? Long time no see... Yeah, I'm here, Im alive, I'm scrapping, but I've been in over my head with things to do lately - clearing out my scraproom, purging, taking care of the daily business, getting things ready for school/daycare/work to start again next week - you know, nothing more than ordinary stuff.

Here is a layout I made last week for Scraplagret. You see, Emma at Scraplagret, she knows what I like really well, so she sent me this package of Echo Park Victoria Gardens, and on the crop I attended that same evening, I made two layouts and four cards from this kit ♥. I just love it so much! And the best thing - I just bought that same paper line a couple of weeks ago, so I have plenty of it left to play with! Which, by the way, is supposed to be for a so far very secret project for a thing that I'm very proud of.

I based my layout on Challenge 4 at Challenge me Happy - to scraplift a very pretty layout by a very talented scrapper - Piradee Talvanna. Here's my take:
And while I'm at it, here's a card, also made with Victoria Gardens and some matching cardstock from Core'dinations.

Skissedilla #122

2011-08-02T19:06:00.002+02:00

I found a beautiful sketch at Skissedilla, a challenge blog from our dear country Norway. And we certainly were reminded of just how dear Norway and all of its people are to us with the horrible events that took place there. There are just so many bonds. My own children are part Norwegian, for instance. My heart goes out to all of those who were affected in any way by what took place. I still have a hard time even imagining how one person can cause so much harm.

Anyway, at times like this, one really gets aware of how fragile one's life is, and that you really must enjoy every day to its fullest. And that is exactly what my son does in this photo :)

ScrapFIT workout #49 - put a banner on it

2011-08-01T12:46:00.003+02:00

There's no secret to it - I love banners. They are certainly the perfect way to embellish any kind of page, and I tend to put banners just abbout everywhere nowadays. I'm so happy this is a trend that is lasting, and not not likely will be going away any time soon. The new challenge up at ScrapFIT couldn't be better for me. So, I made this layout this morning and put a banner on it :)

Pencillines sketch #248

2011-08-01T12:38:00.003+02:00

Here's my take on Sketch 248 at Pencillines. I really do like their sketches, and I often go there for inspiration, but I rarely ever participate in the actual challenges. Well, it's never to late to start, is it?
Here's my gorgeous boy again. He has developed far more attitude lately than ever before, and it's a struggle sometimes. But I guess it's an age thing. Thankfully, I can still tickle it out of him. LOL.

Pencillines sketch 247

2011-07-31T18:29:00.002+02:00

I made this layout after Sketch 247 at Pencillines. http://www.pencillines.com/. I did make some alterations though - I flipped the photo, and moved the whole thing to the right side of my 12X12" background.
Yeah, and then I kind of went a little bit over the top with some mist and ink... You see, I went to a crop Monday night, and I couldn't seem to find any inspiration at all. So I went back home and got some mists and ink, and a paintbrush, and thankfully, my mojo came back!

A Punky Scraps challenge layout

2011-07-29T11:24:00.004+02:00

This one is my take on their challenge 21 - using tissue paper. I've made flowers and ruffles out of pink tissue paper, and also used some pink mist to enhance the pink. How do you like the paper? It's Victoria Gardens from Echo Park - love, love, LOVE!

The Scrappiest # 129

2011-07-29T10:11:00.002+02:00

This is my take at Sketch 129 at The Scrappiest.

Scrapfit Workout #48 - Put a bird on it

2011-07-26T14:55:00.002+02:00

Here's my take on Scrapfit Workout #48. There are three little birds on this layout, my saying is "Reach for the stars", and the journaling is a little reminder to my son that he can be anything he wishes to be if he puts his heart into it. The photos are of him at the tender age of two, sitting on the magnificent steps up to Teleborg castle in Växjö. I've been meaning to do something with those photos for ever, but never really knew how to get them together. But suddenly, the pieces fell together and they were finally scrapped.

Creative Scrappers #166

2011-07-25T14:06:00.002+02:00

YES PLEASE!!! That's what I said when my daughter and her little friend Felicia came and showed me an inventive use of Spongebob stickers. That is absolutely brilliant, using them for covering up those two little blabbermouths so that I could get a moment of peace and quiet. How could I turn down something like that? LOL.
Yes please is also the title of this layout made from Sketch #166 at Creative Scrappers.

ScrapFIT workout #47

2011-07-24T18:29:00.002+02:00

At ScrapFIT workout #47 you were supposed to make a layout with the theme Summer-time - a good amout of yellow and a clock. This is my take.

The Scrappiest sketch 128

2011-07-24T18:24:00.003+02:00

Here's my take on Sketch 128 at The Scrappiest blog. Ive used some papers from Echo Park's For The Record line - an all time favourite of mine.

Albin and the sea.

2011-07-22T09:32:00.002+02:00

Last week, we visited Haväng, our favourite beach in Skåne. The weather wasn't great for swimming, but we collected some driftwood (which has now turned into a lamp, and a few other home decor items, totally fun!) and pretty stones. And took a lot of photos, of course.
When we got home, I flipped through my papers from Riddersholm Design and found these from the Turqoise Hills collection. They couldn't be more perfect for this photo, could they? Just look at the colors.

I've used the sketch for the ongoing challenge at Challenge Me Happy - my new fav challenge blog (and I'm not saying that just because I happened to win their first challenge - I like the diversity of their challenges - it's not only sketches, but different things every time and so much fun)

Creative Scrappers #165

2011-07-21T21:53:00.004+02:00

So, as boys grow to be men, their toys tend to grow too... anyone recognizing this? This here is P's new toy, a backhoe for his tractor. It's a dead ugly piece, worn and rusty, but apparently tons of fun to play with. LOL. And, in his defence I must say that it will come in very handy when we will be digging for the new boiler room, and when we are going to extend the house. And all other things you need to dig on a farm. Also, it was most convenient for taking away the protruding and most irritating rock in our driveway, as you can see. So, dad got a new toy, I got rid of the rock and all is well at the farm :)

A card for the AOS - challenge

2011-07-21T21:45:00.002+02:00

Here a card for you today. It is my card entry for the Summer Challenge at Allt om Scrap.

My beautiful boy

2011-07-20T19:07:00.003+02:00

I love this photo of my boy - so serious, and those big blue eyes. He is wonderful.
The fabulous sketch is from Once Upon A ...Sketch, and it's as great as they come!

Sketchabilities #51

2011-07-20T18:58:00.002+02:00

For this layout, sketch from Sketchabilities, I picked out some older October Afternoon papers - Thrift Shop. I really love that line, and I didn't have much left, but there was enough to make this one. Agnes was only two on these photos, the happiest, sweetest little toddler you can imagine. She's a lot sassier now, for sure, but still very sweet and kind most of the time.

Creative Scrappers #164

2011-07-15T08:42:00.002+02:00

Hi all!
Today I have one layout to share. It's made from Sketch 164 at Creative Scrappers. I loved this sketch, it really got me thinking outside the box as far as placement of the photos go, and also I have only used tiny scraps of patterned papers for this one.
The papers are from Inkido, and I kind of adore those wonderful butterflies that I've cut from one of the papers. They seem to have ended up on quite a few layouts I've made lately. Aren't they just beautiful? I think Inkido is one of my favourite brands just now! :)

Summer challenge at Allt Om Scrap

2011-07-13T15:08:00.004+02:00

The Swedish E-magazine Allt Om Scrap are having a summer challenge, a really nice sketch, and here is my layout entry:
This is my little girl, at the farmhouse, watering some plants. This is really what summer is all about, isn't it? Just relaxing, taking care of the plants once in a while, and just relaxing...
So, if you haven't checked this challenge out, do it, because there are some really nice prizes, and the sketch is just fab!

Sketchabilities #50

2011-07-13T14:45:00.002+02:00

This is my take on the sketch #50 at Sketchabilities. A while ago we took a ride on a car ferry over lake Vättern from Gränna to Visingsö, and Albin stood in the front of the ferry the whole ride. Let's just say he got really wet, but he enjoyed it very much.
I've used the fabulous 5&Dime collection from October Afternoon, which was in the July kit from My Scrapbook Nook.

A layout for the Petaloo challenge

2011-07-10T13:24:00.005+02:00

I did manage to make one more entry for the Petaloo Color Me Crazy challenge.

This little angel is called Ida, and she is the daughter of out friends and neighbors. She is a real cutie, always up to something funny, and she has such a big personality for such a little girl. She makes us laugh a lot. This photo is just her, in every little way, and so the chipboard title from Imaginarium designs couldn't be more appropriate.
Here's a little closeup of the flowers from Petaloo, that I have misted and painted, and I also put some glitter on the edges of the white one.

That's all from me for today. Happy Sunday, everyone!

A layout just because

2011-07-08T21:39:00.003+02:00

This layout is made for no particular reason at all, no contest, no challenge, no nothing at all. I made it just because, and that's really refreshing sometimes, isn't it?
The photo is of me and my sister Anna on a midsummer's eve a long, long time ago, and these papers from Inkido are truly perfect for the occasion, aren't they?

So, tonight I'm finally online here at the farmhouse, for real. I just tried out my superspeed internet connection via iPhone, and works. YAY! We just got back from a walk, trying to sneak up on some roe deer on the meadow by the creek. We saw one, but the kids didn't manage to be quiet for very long, so it set off into the woods, barking like crazy. That's OK though, we did get to see it for a short while, and it will most likely be back tomorrow. I just love this place!

Take care, everyone, and have a great weekend! I know I will.

Words to live by

2011-07-07T14:33:00.003+02:00

Hi!

I'm just stopping in for a short post today, showing you a little mini book in a box that I made for Riddersholm Design. I really love the teals and browns of this collection, Turqoise Hill's.

I've printed out quotes that I think are really worth thinking about, and put them into the mini that is in the box.

That's it for now. I'd better get back to my project for the day - sorting out some of the mess in my scraproom, and at least get all of my embellishments in some kind of order... It's not the funniest thing to do on a summer day, but the good thing about it is that I keep finding pretty things I had totally forgot that I had, and that's great.

Have a nice day, all of you!

Petaloo Color Me Crazy challenge

2011-07-06T15:34:00.005+02:00

Petaloo are having a challenge where you can win a fabulous prize - $100 of Petaloo products! Now, who wouldn't want that prize? Of course, I had to enter, and here is my altered project entry - a wall hanging for my craft room.

I've used Distress ink to color the Petaloo flowers - for the all purple ones I mixed some ink with water and used a mini mister to spray the paint onto the flowers. While the flowers were still wet, I used a soft paintbrush to paint the petal edges darker with ink.
The white flowers, I just sprayed with water and then painted the edges of the petals the same way I did the purple ones.

So, the thing that inspired me to make this was the mini wooden spools from Maya Road that were in the June kit from My Scrapbook Nook (along with most things I've used for this project) It just had to be sewing themed!

Creative Scrappers sketch #163

2011-07-05T18:00:00.001+02:00

Of course, I had to do something out of this week's sketch at Creative Scrappers:

Time to brag a little...

2011-07-05T11:04:00.002+02:00

I'm thrilled! I've won the first challenge at Challenge Me Happy!!!

Also, I've won Challenge #9 at Get Picky!

And I just thought I'd do some challenges just for the fun of it, and getting my creativity started, I never expected to win any. So I'm one happy little scrapper right now!

My maniacs

2011-07-05T10:38:00.002+02:00

Here's yet another layout for a challenge, this time for Once Upon a ...Sketch. Can you believe how many great challenge blogs there are out there? It's perfect, if you suddenly feel the need to kickstart your creativity after a longer period of not scrapping, for one reason or another.

This layout is made with a photo of my kids. The journaling criteria was to write who the person on the photo is and at least one fact about them. These are my kids, and I've written about how much they fight and argue all the time, and the only thing that can bring them together and make them agree is when it's goofing around time, or being up to some sort of mischief.

Challenge Me Happy #2

2011-07-04T10:44:00.003+02:00

I decided to play along with challenge #2 at Challenge Me Happy, even though the color combination made me really confused at first. I mean, how do you get orange to fit into the rest of this combo?
Anyway, I managed to squeeze in some orange with it, and this is how my layout turned out in the end, a mishmash of Lily Bee, Echo Park and Maja Design papers. And guess what? I sorta like it!

Creative Scrappers #162

2011-07-04T10:02:00.003+02:00

I often find myself turning to the Creative Scrappers blog for inspiration, but I'm not sure I've ever participated in any challenges so far, as in actually uploading a layout I've made after one of their sketches and linking to it. Well, there's a first for everything, isn't it? And now that I'm not working for a few weeks, and thus have the time to scrap a little more than just for my deadlines, Creative Scrappers was one of my first stops when searching for challenges online.

So, here's my take on their sketch #162. Once again I've used some fabulous papers from Inkido's Forever Summer collection, this time in purple shades, which is perfect for my little girl, who suddenly grew out of the pink age and is now mad about purple instead!

My first layout for Riddersholm Design

2011-06-29T18:16:00.002+02:00

I got a package last week loaded with goodness from Riddersholm Design. For this layout I've used the yummy collection Bello Pastello. Agnes just turned 5, and this is she, just before all of her little guests arrived to her party. Can you guess she was anxious?
Don't you just love this little pink cameo charm? It's lovely!

I have more stuff done for Riddersholm, and I'm working on a pretty big little project right now, that I will show you later on. Until then, why not hopping over to the Riddersholm blog and see what the other DT-members are up to?

Maja Design Lantliv

2011-06-28T22:18:00.003+02:00

Lantliv is Swedish for country life, and that sure does suit me well at the moment! Our farmhose is slowly getting the way we want it to be, and we are starting to spend more and more time there. We aren't going to move out for quite some time, because there is an issue with the heating that must be dealt with first, but now, in the summer, it's perfectly fine to stay there over the weekend, or for a couple of days every now and then. We have only a few more rooms to finish up indoors, and now I'm going to spend some time renovating the windows. They are the only thing left of the hideous 70's renovation that still aren't dealt with, and they are still brown on the inside, but I'm going to paint them all white, and that will take me quite some time, I guess.

Sometimes people ask me what on earth we are thinking, moving into this tiny little house, with its tiny little rooms and low ceilings, when we are living in a good-sized, airy, modern, and very functional house as it is. I get the feeling some people even think we are a bit crazy. Maybe we are, but for me, moving into this house is really like getting back to my roots a little bit. I grew up in a house on the countryside, not entirely unlike this one. I was used to having privacy, minding my own business, and having fields and meadows around me. Living the way we are now and have been for so many years, cramped up between all these other houses, knowing that people around us mind how we mow our lawn, cut our hedge, and tend to our business is slowly eating me alive. That's not me, that's not how I want it to be. That's why I'm leaving it behind. And there's no feeling quite like the one you get walking across a field, or in the woods, knowing that the land you walk on is yours and you are free to do whatever you like with it.

So, the farmhouse it is. OK, it is quite small, and the ceilings are really low, but that doesn't matter when you open the front door and the sky is so high, and there are fields, meadows and woods all around. So what if the house is small? We are adding to it in a few year, when the sloped ceilings upstairs are becoming too low for our growing children. Until then, we'll be fine.

Tha collection Lantliv, or Live in the Country, from Maja Design couldn't have been more perfect for a layout about our farmhouse, now our summer paradise, but in a not too distant future, our all-year-around-paradise.
I've also used it for a layout about strawberries (yummy!)

All the supplies for these two layouts can be found at Scraplagret.

Making faces

2011-06-26T20:46:00.003+02:00

Believe it or not - here's another post from me today! This is also for a challenge, a sketch challenge at Get Picky.

Nowadays, it is almost impossible to get a decent photo of my Agnes. She is just making faces all the time! So, here are some of her most recent faces... Since I have so many photos of her looking like this, I might as well make something out of them, right?

My Girlie

2011-06-26T20:32:00.003+02:00

I found this really nice new challenge blog - challenge me happy - just as I was in the mood for making a layout and had no idea how to get started. That happens once in a while. So, I took a look at the photo they had for inspiration and this is what I came up with.
I was inspired by the color scheme and the brick wall of the photo, and to some extent the windows, which had me adding a white frame to the photo.

An announcement

2011-06-15T15:21:00.003+02:00

Check it out!

:)

A perfect day

2011-06-06T22:18:00.003+02:00

Some days I wish I could just fold together neatly and make a keepsake of to keep forever and ever, just to be able to pick them out and relive them over and over again. One of those days happened a couple of weeks ago. My little brother paid us a visit, we took a walk in the woods and had a picknick on our dear island. The weather was perfect, the scenery was wonderful and we had such a great time together. Moments with my little brother are very rare these day, since we live quite far apart, so we all cherished that day a little extra. I took a lot of pictures, obviously, and this is far from the best one, but it is perfect in a sense that it shows just how silly we were and how much fun we had. In a way, scrapbooking does just that. It tucks away days to be remembered and relived over and over again. I know now for sure I will never forget this day, because I will forever have it
hidden away in my albums.

Some late night blogging

2011-06-05T22:56:00.002+02:00

We are having a few days off from school and work, my family and I, and it has been a really nice few days so far, except for the fact that P hurt the back of his neck really, really bad last week, so he hasn't been able to move around very much. Our to-do list at the farm was miles long before this holiday, and guess what? We haven't really narrowed it down very much. Obviously. Except for the shopping part, that is. We have bought a fridge, a freezer, paint, new floors for two rooms and everything we need to finish those two rooms up completely. So soon, very soon our little farmhouse is actually inhabitable, at least now in the summertime. I've been working as much as possible these last few days, but things move along a great deal slower when P can't help out. Today, however, I took an all day break from renovating, and spent it at KiAs butik, the local scrapbook store my friend Kristin has opened (it's actually VERY local. It's a five minute walk from my house.), where I've been cropping all day.

So, to celebrate the grand opening of KiAs, I made this, my own interpretation of Kristin's store.

The papers are Basic Grey's Hello Luscious, from the My Scrapbook Nook May kit.

So, I know I really should have spent the day renovating, to be able to move into the farmhouse sooner, and to be able to sit there in the garden every night listening to the nightingale singing his heart out and watching the swallows flying in and out of the barn, and enjoying all those things that made us want to buy the farm in the first place. But hey, a girl has to scrap once in a while too to remain happy and content, right? So today was my day doing just that, and tomorrow I'm back struggling with the paintbrush again, a lot happier that I would have been if I had not been cropping with my dear friends today.

If you've got nothing else to do...

2011-05-30T21:07:00.002+02:00

you can calways make a vintage-y hanging bundle of... something. Honestly, I have no idea what to call this thing - ornament? Yeah, or whatever. It was a whole lot of fun to make though, and it will probably be perfect for brightening up some dull door knob in my farmhouse, or maybe I will hang it from the tile stove damper.
All the supplies come from Scraplagret.

Long time no bloggeth

2011-05-26T22:16:00.005+02:00

Well, it's time to wrap up this school year and say goodbye to this year's graduating students. I'm definitely going to miss all of the very much, but new adventures await and I very much look forward to the summer holidays, and to start working again in August.

These are very busy times indeed, and while I'm running around like crazy, trying to get hold of the final assignments from the students (there's a lot of chasing to be done!), finish grading, and planning for the days that are left, as well as trying to make time for all of the activities involving my own children and their school- and daycare gatherings, I have sadly had very little time for creating and posting on my blog. But today, I just felt I had to write a couple of lines, letting you know that I'm still around.

There are some exciting things coming up. If you are somewhat local, live somewhere not too far from where I live, you have to know that there is something very wonderful going on, in the middle of our little peaceful village of Bräkne-Hoby. The grand opening of our very own local scrapbook store, KiAs Butik, is just around the corner. My dear friend Kristin is finally embarking on her dream journey, and of course, I'm thrilled! Read more about it here.

But coming up next, and this is of major importance, is the birthday of this little angel, my Agnes. She is five tomorrow, and she is so excited that it was next to impossible for her to fall asleep tonight. I suppose it won't be very difficult to get her up in the morning either, because she has a full day of celebrations to look forward to, first at daycare and then at home. She has ordered hamburgers for dinner, and she has also ordered lots of presents, which she of course will get.

Oh, and I must share something scrappy today too. Agnes loves the movie Tangled, and after we had been to see it, she demanded I'd make her a tower, just like the one Rapunzel lives in. And who am I to resist such a demand? So, I made this one for her.

I wish you all a great Friday, and a fabulous weekend!

My big boy

2011-05-09T19:32:00.003+02:00

...is eight years old today. Whatever made those years go by so fast? Here is a layout I made the other day with my DT-kit from Scraplagret.
//Jenny

Musings Over a Shabby Chic Canvas

2011-04-28T20:07:00.006+02:00

This is one of my last projects for the Graphic 45 2010 DT - a canvas with some of the new metal staples embellishments, Prima lace and flowers, and tons of white acrylic paint. Here's a little closeup. I painted the canvas all white, added some newsprint patterned papers and painted again. Then I added most of my embellishments, and then even more paint, to try to make them all blend in. Finally I added some flowers without painting them, to have some details that kind of popped.The quote is a favourite of mine, because surely, a home would just be four walls and a roof, if not for the people living in it. Being about to leave this home and setting up a new one, like I am, this becomes even more true, because the new house that we will move into in a while is quite a bit smaller than the one we live in now, with low ceilings and tiny rooms, but it doesn't matter, because my family will be there with me, and that's all that counts. That and the location of the house, the closeness to the sea, the billowing hills, the woods, the meadows, the silence and the fresh air that surrounds it. Also, the prospect of having a brand new house to start over in, like a blank canvas to fill with all the ideas that I have gathered in my mind over the years, is very appealing, to say the least.

Come to think about it, if you change the world home to art, this quote would be very appropriate to why I'm keeping this blog, and what I love most about papercrafting. "What I love most about my art is who I share it with." True, right? I'm blessed to have a whole bunch of good friends to hang out with, scrapping, laughing, sharing ideas and inspiration, and having a great time! I'm also blessed to have so many wonderful readers of my blog, who leave me the sweetest comments, and really cheer me up when I'm feeling a bit down. Thank you all for that ♥ It really means a lot to me.

Johanna - Jag skulle gärna vilja hjälpa dig där, men jag är inte säker på att finns något som kan få scrappade grejor att stå emot regn och rusk. Någon slags lack, kanske? Kolla med färghandeln, de kanske kan rekommendera något bra :)

Upcycled ribbon spool and thank you-card

2011-04-22T10:25:00.003+02:00

I had this old wooden spool, that had ribbon on it when I bought it, in my stash, and I thought why not turn it into a candle holder? So I did. I used some really cute papers from Primas Reflections line, and some wire to form a candle ring, which I then decorated with some cut-out butterfly, pieces of lace and baubles.
All the supplies are from Prima, and can be bought at Scraplagret.

I've also made a very simple little card with the same line.

Otherwise, things are really moving along at the farm. The kitchen is DONE (huge sigh of relief, it turned out pretty OK, will show you photos later), along with the bedroom and dining room. The hall is almost ready, and yesterday, I ripped out a dark red, smelly and incredibly dusty carpet from the living room, and thus, that room is on the way too. And then there is upstairs left. But maybe, just maybe we will be able to move in before this year ends, at least. There's just so much to do, and so little time. And still no prospect of a scrapstudio of my own, there just isn't enough room in the house, and converting one of the outhouses...well, that's just too big a project to land.

Anyway, today I'm going to forget all about renovations fo a while, attend a birthday party, and spend the evening cropping with friends and getting busy with my next DT-kit from Scraplagret.

Hello sunshine!

2011-04-04T21:27:00.003+02:00

This beauty greeted me the other day, as I got out to the farm. Isn't it just gorgeous the way it opens up to greet the sun, and reflects it with it's bright orange pistil?

So, I guess most of you already know I wasn't asked back by Graphic 45 for another year. After spending a month on the Steampunk Mansion, and another month on coming up with brand new, never before seen, final round projects, I thought if that, and everything else I had put my heart and soul into this last year, wasn't good enough, I really must suck as an artist.

I lost a lot of inspiration there. Mr Mojo took his stuff and got out of here, so to speak. However, I cleared out my scraproom completely, and lo and behold, there he was, crouching behind all the Steampunk stacks, with my brand new DT-kit from Scraplagret in his hands, and quite a lot of stuff got done over the weekend. Unfortunately, I can't show any of it yet, but pretty soon I guess I will have this blog flowing over with new, lovely Prima, and some Crate from the last Nook kit, not to mention brand new Echo Park loveliness, which I already have some of, and which will also come in the next Nook kit, due on my doorstep any day.

So, all is well, Mr Mojo lingers, and I create for my own pleasure. And as my ever so cleaver little boy put it: "Mom, even if someone else didn't like what you do, I think you do nice things, and I like everything you've made for me. " And that's what matters, isn't it? He loves his Steampunk Mansion, and that makes it worth all the hours I put in.

But I'm sure as h*** never going apply for a second round of the same DT again. It really sucks knowing what you are missing out on!

Welcome to the Steampunk Mansion!

2011-03-16T17:58:00.004+01:00

I can finally reveal this project to you - the Steampunk Mansion that I made for Graphic 45. This is my favourite project ever, with my favourite paper line ever, the Steampunk Debutante line. I don't think I will ever run out of ideas of what to do with these fantabulous papers. I just love them.

So, here is the house. It took quite some time to make it, but it was tons of fun. I am just going to show you a few photos of it, and if you want to see more and know the full story, hop on over to the Graphic 45 blog for a full tour of the mansion.

So relieved and happy...

2011-03-04T19:48:00.002+01:00

...to see my name on this list. Honestly, I don't know what I would have done if I didn't make it this far. To me, there's nothing quite like Graphic 45. I would not be able to create the tings I do without Graphic 45. Sure, there are other manufacturers out there that make beautiful stuff, and I have been blessed to work with a couple of them too, but it is the Graphic 45 style that really keeps me going, and inspires me to do the things I do. I would not be where I am today without them, and being part of their design team for this past year has been such a wonderful experience that has touched my life in so many ways. I have been living my dream for one year.

Diane, Aimee, Charee, everyone else at G45, DT-girls of 2010 - I adore you!

It's that time of year again :)

2011-02-27T20:34:00.008+01:00

Time for a new DT-call at Graphic 45, that is. I have been so happy being a part of their DT for this past year, and I would LOVE to be part of it yet another year. So keep your fingers crossed for me, dear blog readers, and with no further ado, here are my fifteen projects for the application.

No 1: The fairy house

No 2: the Come Angels garland I made for Christmas.

No 3: The Steampunk Balloon

No. 4: The Alice tree

No 5: The Curtain Call/May Arts mini dressform angel

No. 6: The Steampunk Mini

No 7: (my biggest and most favourite altered project ever, and this one hasn't been posted on the G45 blog yet, so you are only getting a sneakpeek so far) The Steampunk Mansion

No 8: Just Wonderful layout

No 9: Our Fairytale World layout

No 10: About a Boy layout

No 11: Sand Between my Toes layout

No 12: Beautiful Girl layout

No 13: Once Upon a Springtime card

No 14: Curtain Call card

No 15: Halloween in Wonderland pop-up card

So, what do you think? Do I have a chance to get on for another year? I sure hope so, because being on this team is wonderful, and I'm so inspired by these fabulous products and I have so very much more to give.

I can't tell you...

2011-01-25T19:13:00.002+01:00

...just how much I would like to show you all the samples I made for the Graphic 45 booth at CHA. Or how much I would have loved to be there in person. But I get to have the second best, even though I won't be there. A fair number of layouts, cards and other projects that I made will be present. And I've put my soul into those projects, like I always do, so you could say that part of me will actually be there. Anyway, if you are going, be sure to stop by the Graphic 45 booth and say hi to the girls for me :)

And I would also very much like to show you what I made with the new lines, Le Cirque and Curtain call, but that will have to be a bit later. Instead here is a layout made with Steampunk Debutante. I'm pretty sure I will never grow tired of this line. In fact, I have a huge little Steampunk side project that I'm working on whenever I have a moment to spare. I have put in many, many hours, and it's still not even half done. Anyway, here's my boy again. Also, here are tons of cute chipboard gears from Imaginarium Designs, owned by my fellow G45 DT-member Jane.
Another detail shot:

My fairy house

2011-01-06T11:55:00.003+01:00

I don't have much time to write anything fancy today. I just wanted to show you som pictures of the fairy house I made for Graphic 45 this month. The papers are from the fabulous Once Upon a Springtime Collection.

This must be the home of a Scrapbook fairy, don't you think? :)

Oh well, I'm off for some new adventures. See you!

Scraplagret utökar sitt designteam!

2011-01-05T18:08:00.003+01:00

OK, här kommer ett ett ytterst sällsynt inlägg på svenska. Det är nämligen så att Emma på Scraplagret tänker utöka sitt designteam, och söker en ny designer. Så vill du bli DT-kollega med mig och de andra tjejerna? Kolla då här för mer info. Och en liten hint - det finns nog ingen bättre butik i vårt avlånga land att få designa för, jag lovar. Scraplagret är bäst. Jag passar på att visa en layout jag gjorde med mitt senaste DT-paket, om min Albin som var så hemskt nervös inför sin första dag i ettan att lillasyster fick ta i med alla krafter för att få honom att lyfta upp hakan. And in English, of course! :) I made this layout for Scraplagret, about my son's first day in first grade. He was so nervous, my boy, and that really shows in these photos. Don't you just love these papers from Webster's?

Farm update!

2010-12-02T18:30:00.003+01:00

It takes time. It takes an awful lot of time. But slowly we are getting there. Life gets in the way, work gets in the way, and that's just the way it is sometimes. I can't wait until the day we can finally move into our little farmhouse, but that day most likely won't be here until sometime next summer.

We are, however, pretty close to finishing the bedroom! Everything has turned out just the way I wanted it, and it will be fab once it's done. This is the wall we covered with new panelling, and here is also the door that we found in the barn, now with a fresh coat of paint and that distressed look I love so much. This door will eventually serve as a headboard in here.
There are a few things left to do - put up cornices, build in the new IKEA cupboards, put in a new door and fix a curtain rod (I'm thinking of maybe using one of the old rods we found in the barn, previously used for drying hay. I think that would look really cool.) Oh, and I think I am going to write something on the panel wall too- a poem or something. I just haven't figured out what yet. Maybe I'll cover a wall with old dictionary paper. I have tons of ideas, and I am so anxious to get started on all of this! But, like I said, it all takes time.

Sweetness

2010-12-01T17:52:00.002+01:00

Today I have a couple of projects with Pink Paislee's collection Sweetness to show you. I made these for Scraplagret.

The first one is a little gift box with a lamp post and and a bench on top. This is one of those times that I get an idea and I can't shake it, so I just have to try it. I felt like making a lamp post, and this is it. I've used a lot of my favourite Tim Holtz tissue tape here. I LOVE that tape, it's so versatile, and one roll lasts like forever!
Here's the bench. Actually, Agnes so wanted to help out, so she made a drawing of a board that she said I could use as a template and she told me to write on the piece of paper that "this board is mommy's forever, but daddy can borrow it sometimes". Isn't that terribly sweet of her?

Here's the top of the lamp post. It was actually the Tim Holtz bauble inside that inspired me to make it.

Speaking of Agnes - here's a photo if her at age 1.5, with her auntie Anna. Agnes was so tiny back then! It's hard to believe now three years later, when she is running around on long skinny legs with pigtails in her hair. They just grow so fast!

Oh, and by the way, the photos of the gift box were taken last week. It was still greenish outside then. Now it's all covered in really thick snow, and it's freezing cold. And I love it! I just wish they could plough the roads a little better, because it's no fun driving to and from work in all this snow!

Motorboys

2010-11-19T22:31:00.002+01:00

A couple of weeks ago, I got a delivery from Scrap Within Reach with their two brand new collections, and I houldn't help myself from diving head first into the goodies and create a little. This is part of the outcome - a layout with a photo of my two motorboys.

It's approaching fast!

2010-11-17T19:12:00.002+01:00

Christmas, that is! Wow, I wonder where on earth November went? I know, I know, there's still almost half of it left, but the days are flying past so quickly! I mean, normally I can't wait for November to be over, but this year, it's ridiculous how busy I am and how little time I have left to do things I really want to do. And at the same time, I try to prepare what most likely will be the last Christmas we will ever celebrate in this house. I want it to be special, something to always remember.

I am dying to start decking the halls, but I realize it's still way to early, and I try hard to restrain myself in that matter. However, if you make a Christmas thing that isn't all that Christmas-y, then it must be OK to put it up, right? Even though it's still only November, right? So, I took out my Graphic 45 Christmas Past Deluxe Edition papers and made this garland.
"Kom änglar" is Swedish for Come Angels, and that is the title of a song I love very much, by Swedish singer/songwriter Lars Winnerbäck. You can listen to it here.

And I'm ready for the angels to come now, and bring some Christmas spirit to our house!

See, it didn't thake that long until my next post. I think my break from blogging is now officially over :)

It's not as if I haven't been scrapping...

2010-11-14T21:02:00.003+01:00

Because I have. A lot. I have my assignments to do, and my deadlines to keep. It's just the bloggin part that has been bothering me. I have had so little time on my hands, and I have chosen to use the time I have to create instead of writing about what I already have created. More creating, less writing. That's what makes me happy. It's as simple as that. However, although it has been really nice with a break from blogging and hanging out on the message boards and all, I've missed it all. And I've missed all of you people I get to meet out there. So here I am, determined to at least jump onto the MBs once or twice a week, and do something asbout this blog once in a while too.

And I have to admit, my blogging today has something to do with receiving a kit full of sheer beauty last week. It's the Nook November kit, with the Circa 1934 collection from Cosmo Cricket. This could very well be it - the BEST Nook kit ever. And what could be better than using it to make a couple of pages about the best children ever.
I had to pull out some old, already printed photos for these layouts, because sadly, my printer has died... or something. It just lost the connection to the computer, and I can't restore it, no matter what I do. Sad...

Anyway, this is what I have for you today, and I have tons of stuff on my computer to show you too, so I'll be back. Soon. :)

The difference of paint.

2010-09-06T09:32:00.003+02:00

We are slowly making progress on the farm. The barn and outhoses are really run down and worn, but the good thing about that is that every little improvement you make looks HUGE. Like this one. Take the garage, add some paint and voila, it looks completely different!

Before:
After:

And then you will have to imagine what it will look like once the barge board on top turns white. Huge difference, huh?

Here's another wall that needs painting... But that will be a later project. I just have to show you the cute old chair P found beneath tons of old dusty straw on the hayloft. There was one more, unfortunatly too rickety to use. It might not be very wise to sit on this one either, but at least it's good for holding a flower pot. And there might just be a table to go with it, tucked away in one of the sheds, but that shed is very much inhabited by mice, so I have no intention to go in there and check... ugh. I'll be back soon with some scrappy projects, promise :)

A quick little card

2010-08-26T11:25:00.003+02:00

My little girl has a birthday party to go to on Saturday, and she wanted me to make a card for her friend. Also, I stumbled across a challenge at Love My Tapes, so I made this card for that challenge.

My little big project ♥

2010-08-19T18:17:00.003+02:00

This is it. This is the reason my blog has been silent-ish lately. This is the big project I am going to dive head first into, accompanied by my family. This is our dream, and it has finally come true. This is our new little countryside farmhouse. It is true, one can fall head over heels in love with a place. This house isn't special in any way, it's pretty small, old (100 years old, to be precise) and not very nice at all inside (renovated in the 70s... you know, orange carpets, brown window cases... ugh). We have driven past it a thousand times without really noticing it, never thinking that it would be a nice place to live. And then it's suddenly up for sale. We check it out, and kaboom. We just know. This is it. This is where we are going to live. Eventually.

And you can't have a farmhouse without a farm, can you? Barns, sheds, fields, woods, meadows... We have the lot. Although... it's not in the best of states. Not by far. But I kind of like old ramshackle barns, and I like the look of old weather-worn wood. Too bad we can't keep it like this for ever. The barn would eventually fall if we tried. There will be new planks replacing the old rotten ones, and there will be paint... a lot of it. We will be busy, for sure, I mainly with the inside of the house, and P with the barns, the woods and everything else. And we will be happy taking care of this old place. And no, I do not intend to turn this blog into one of those interior decorating blogs, even though I love looking through them. This is, and will remain, mainly a scrapblog. But don't be surprised if I sneak in a few photos of our projects every now and then. Consider it altering. I've altered houses before, just not big ones. I'm leaving you today with a detail of one of the windows of the barn. Don't you just love it?

//Jenny

What a week...

2010-08-06T22:39:00.004+02:00

This has been a week full of worries, and unfortunately, things did not exactly turn out the way we wanted them this week. So, today, when all is said and done, I feel like a balloon that lost all of the air inside... I guess you all know that feeling. Well, one can put it like this: our weekend just opened up, and we decided to do the best with it, so tomorrow we are taking the kids out for some adventure... They will hopefully be really pleased with their old boring parents for once, because this summer has not been much fun for them, poor little ones. P and I have been so busy, and it was all going to come to an end today, but that didn't happen.

Anyway, here's a balloon that didn't lose air. It's made with the brand new yummylicious Steampunk Debutante collection from Graphic 45. Can you not love this? The colors, the patterns, everything about this collection is just so gorgeous!!! And I'm so lucky to be on the Graphic 45 DT and actually have these papers in hand, not just drooling over them on the screen, like I have so many times before.
See those gears and stuff? Sometimes having a 7-year-old boy that collects stuff can come in pretty handy, because I bribed him into give me some of his stash. LOL.

And then there is Hallowe'en in Wonderland... another must-have. It's already in shops, so what are you waiting for? Go buy!

I made a pop-up card with these papers. The little playing cards come from one of the papers in the 8X8" paper pad, and they are so darn cute! I love it that these papers come in both 12X12" and 8X8", because the smaller ones are perfect for cards. You can also see a few items from the Staples collection - the new line of G45 embellishments - the flowers, the trims and the TEA letters. Gorgeous, aren't they?

Here's the inside of the card where I've used a mix of cut-out designs and tags:

So, that's it for today. It's way past bedtime here, and it will be a busy day tomorrow. Have a great weekend, everyone!

More August kit!

2010-08-02T16:54:00.002+02:00

First of all, those of you who have arrived for the Nook bloghop, just scroll down to find the post about it. And yay, keep those comments coming! I love reading every one of them, and you can win a fabulous prize, right?

So, I have something huge coming up, and thus I need to really work on those assignments I have and finish up as many of them as possible right now. I don't have much time to actually write, so without further ado, I'm just going to show you what else I made from the fabulous Nook August kit:

My Scrapbook Nook bloghop!

2010-08-01T16:59:00.000+02:00

You should arrive here from Nicole Martel's blog. If you didn't - start at the blog of Leah Killian and go from there, to make sure you don't miss out on a clue!

Check out the monthly inspiration from My Scrapbook Nook Kits AND YOU MIGHT EVEN WIN ONE FOR YOURSELF! Our kits are packed with the latest and greatest scrapbooking products, all perfectly coordinated to save you time. These kits are a great value, always only $28 and always with a $15 to 35% discount! This month's kit features brand new Sassafrass Lass Indie Girl, and matching goodies from Jenni Bowlin, Basic Grey and other brands you know and trust!

Our message board and gallery are hopping and loaded with ideas on how to create with your kit, as well as step by step instructions on tons of great layouts and cards!

Now, Here's how you WIN!

Leave a comment on each design team member's blog for your chance to win past kits, Quickutz dies and gift certificates to the Nook store. One winner from each blog will be drawn randomly. The more comments you leave, the more chances to win.

The prize that I am giving away to one lucky blog hopper is a $50 Quickutz collection!!!

Then, you collect one word from each blog to form a sentence that will answer this question:

What's the scrappy cure for the summertime blues?

My clue for you is: scrappy

When you've collected all the words, piece them together to form a sentence and then go to our message board and send a personal message (pm) to Leah with your guess.
One person with the correct answer will be drawn at random and win the grand prize, a 3-month subscription to the kit club here at My Scrapbook Nook. Now, how about that?

All winners will be announced at the message board after the end of the hop.

Good luck! And remember:
Don't wait to create!
Join the kit club today! If you sign up for a 1 year subscription you'll receive a free kit to start and after a year you will receive your 13th kit for free, too.

Now, the next stop on this bloghop is a very sweet and very talented girl: Amy Coose! Hop on over and se what she's up to.

And I'm leaving you with a brand new layout with the brand new August kit, with a brand new photo of my sassy, sweet and extremely funny and loving daughter. Let me tell you, this kit is totally droolworthy! Be sure to grab one and see for yourself! Here is the kit club page where you order your kits. And dont forget your chance to become a member of the DT. Read more about it at our message board.

What's up at the Nook?

2010-07-29T18:03:00.002+02:00

There is surely a lot going on at My Scrapbook Nook right now. First of all, this lovely kit is on its way out. It's loaded with pretty stuff! Yes, it's Sassafras' lovely line Indie Girl. I really look forward to working with this kit. I haven't been into Sassafras for a long time, but this collection made me swoon.
Second, we're having a bloghop really soon! There are fabulous prizes, so be sure to tag along.And last but not least, definitely not least, the opportunity is once again here to apply for the wonderful Nook DT! It is the best DT to be on, really! Read all about the call here, and apply. APPLY! You have absolutely nothing to lose, and who knows, you might be the one who get to inspire us with loveliness from the kit for six months to come.

Something old...

2010-07-25T10:14:00.005+02:00

...something blue. That is the name of one of the lines from Swedish manufacturer Magnolia, and I got the opportunity to work with them for Scraplagret last month. The name suggests wedding, but there's nothing that says you have to use wedding photos for these papers, because they can be used for just about everything.

I made a layout about my little girlie. This is one of the photos I snapped of her on Midsummer's eve. I really like the soft colors of these papers! I ran a vintage action on the photo to make it a little bit softer as well, to match.
The next project I made was this little box, which my son ordered to give to his girlfriend. When I showed it to him, he thought the outside was OK, but I really, really needed to decorate the inside too. Can you believe that? My seven-year-old son actually gave me a reprimand, told me that what I made wasn't good enough, and wanted me to change it! LOL!

But who am I to resist his request? Of course I decorated the inside of the lid for him, with a castle, just as he demanded.

I also got a roll of Tim Holtz' tissue paper tape. I absolutely loved it! What a wonderful product, and how versatile it is! I made a set of four cards, where I tried to use the tissue paper in four different ways.

On this first card I made a flower out of it. Since the tape is sticky on the back, I took some potato starch on a paintbrush and brushed the back of it after I had put the flower together, to prevent it from sticking onto the card.

On the next card I used it as a background.

Here I made a tissue paper ruffle. Once again I brushed some starch on to the back of the tape.

And here I just put it on, and wrinkled it a bit while doing so, to create some texture to the card.

And other than that, I've been really busy with CHA assignments for Graphic 45, which I will show you as soon as I can, and with preparing for another thing, a huge thing which I can't tell you anything about just yet, but which will keep me fairly busy for months and years to come :) Let's just say it's the biggest project I've ever got involved in, and it's not even scraprelated...

Card Sketch Tuesdays at The Nook

2010-07-06T09:52:00.004+02:00

Today, we are kicking off with a card sketch at the Nook messageboard. We will post a new sketch each Tuesday, and would like to see as many takes as possible! I just posted the first sketch, and here is the card I made from it. with the fabulous July kit! If you want to join in on the fun, here is the thread.

Hello Sunshine!!!

2010-07-04T21:26:00.006+02:00

You know, I'm not the bright-color-bold-pattern type of girl. Not in any way. I prefer soft, muted colors and find it extremely difficult to work with things that are too bright and busy. So let's just say I had mixed emotions about the July kit from My Scrapbook Nook. Until I dug into it, that is. Because now, after five (!) layouts, I don't have anything at all against bright colors. Not if they are in such a well-matched kit as this one.

First of all, here's a photo of my mischievous girl. Ste's often up to no good, and she often has that cheeky look on her face that I managed to capture yesterday on this photo. This is also a photo from yesterday. I just love to watch my little guy walking! He just strolls along like there isn't one single thing that troubles him in this world. Just imagine being so relaxed and light-hearted, and being able to look at everyone he meets with an open mind. There's really nothing that bothers him. He is so tolerant towards everybody, and doesn't even notice things about people that others might have trouble with. He doesn't get impressed with kids trying to be "cool" in one way or the other, those things just don't do it for him. He sees people for who they are, not "what" they try to be. The title translated to English is "There he goes".

Little sisters are not only annoying troublemakers. Once in a while, you can also learn something from them. Agnes, when she doesn't get what she wants, she bursts into a choir of PLEASE... It's please, please, please, please, with the cutest voice such a little creature can produce, and with a slightly tilted head, and she is almost completely irresistible... almost. So, big brother thought it might be a great idea to adapt that kind of approach to mommy and daddy when it's something he wants really bad. Accordingly, the word PLEASE is now heard a lot in our house. Sometimes, when it's something they both want, things can get next to unbareable. However, none of them seems to yet have realized that it doesn't work. A no is still a no even after 20-30 please...Here is a very old photo of Agnes on a carousel ride with daddy. She was only one year old, and it seems like it's ages ago! Look at her, how completely absorbed she was by the wonders of the carousel. She did not know where to look, she just tried to take it all in at once.And then the last one, for now, there might be more, with a photo of a blue-yellow girl eating a blue-yellow cookie on a blue-yellow day. The photo was taken on the 6th of June, our national day.

With all that made, I still have plenty of stuff left with my July kit. I guess that will keep me busy until August, when we will get some of Sassafras new Indie Girl to play with. Now, that is something I really look forward to, because that line is completely my cup of tea!

I hope your days are as sunny and bright as ours. I guess we will be hanging quite a lot by our new pool tomorrow. There will most likely be lots of opportunities then for more photos that I can use with what's left of my July kit.

A whole lot of Graphic 45!

2010-07-02T20:14:00.004+02:00

Even though I'm on summer break, and shouldn't be having all that much to do, my days are still busy, busy, busy. But it's the fun kind of busy! I'm painting furniture, cleaning out cupboards, trowing away old junk, you know, all those things you seldom find time for when you work long hours. And the kids are having friends over to play too. I was supposed to lean back, put my feet up and relax this week, but I'm just going to have to put that off for a few more days. There are so many things I feel like doing right now. Plus I have a few scrap assignments keeping me busy as well :) And then there is a huge project coming up, hopefully in a few weeks, that will keep me busy for a long, long time, and that I can't wait to get started on!!! I'm so friggin' excited about that one. Will tell you all about it in a while, if things head in the direction I'm hoping for.

Here's what I made last month for Graphic 45.

Remember those dictionaries I said I'd alter? Here's another one. I crumbled, inked and misted the pages, and then I decorated with Le Romantique papers and tags, and a few goodies from Prima as well.

Here's a layout, also from Le Romantique. These photos are from Agnes' photo session at her daycare. Her hair was a total mess that day, but nevertheless, she is adorable, my little one ♥

Here I've used an older collection, Times Nouveau, combined with a little bit of A Proper Gentleman. I've been sitting on this photo of Albin and his grandmother for ages, and finally I scrapped it.

So, right now I'm planning for a late night of scrapping with the Nook July kit ♥, and Alice in Wonderland running on the computer to keep me company.

Have a nice weekend, everyone!

A great deal from My Scrapbook Nook

2010-06-24T21:58:00.003+02:00

Attention all scrapbookers! Right now would be a very good time to start subscribing to My Scrapbook Nook kits, because this deal is too great to miss out on!

If you become a member starting June 23, you will get a free June kit, for as long as supplies last. You must sign up for 1 year, but then you will also receive your 13th kit for free. That means 2 free kits for signing up for one year!

This is what the July kit contains:

Hello Sunshine papers from Lilybee (2 of each sheet!)
1 sheet of Hello Sunshine die cuts
1 American Crafts Thickers alphabet
1 Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alpha in red
1 Maya Road Laundry Line chipboard
8 Maya Road Pins in Red & White (Flowers)
2 Sheets Black Bazzill
1 Jenni Bowlin Butterfly Banner Set
1 Jenni Bowlin Journaling Cards
Handful of Coordinating Buttons
1 Pink Paislee Ribbon Pleat in Black & White

The July kit is valued at over $36 and retails at just $28. So, have you ever considered subscribing to these kits, now would definitely be a great time. :) Sign up here.

And now would also be a great time to show you my second layout from the June kit, but unfortunately, when I started editing the photos I'd taken of it, they were all blurry... And now it's too dark outside. I just have to get back to you with that one :)

Pink Paislee Starlight

2010-06-21T14:54:00.004+02:00

Blogging again today, Not bad, eh? Let's see how long I can keep this up. But so far so good.

A while ago, I got some papers and stuff from Pink Paislee's latest line, Starlight, from Scraplagret. I love it! It's my favourite colours and perfect for both boys and girls. So here are two layouts from this line.

Today, I've cleared out the little box room that is attatched to my scrap room. It is absolutely full of junk, and I have nowhere else to put it. Too bad, because once it was more or less empty, I could see the possibilities to actually do something great in there, like putting up shelves and use it to store some of my stash. Perhaps add a little tabletop to it, and I could keep the sewing macine up permanently in there, not having to put it away every time I have used it. *Sigh* Oh well, if I ever find another hidden cubbyhole to hide away some of that junk in, I will do something about this one. If...

My Scrapbook Nook June kit

2010-06-20T10:44:00.003+02:00

Spring term is finally over, and we are on SUMMER BREAK!!! It has taken a few days to wind down and regain the balance of everything, but now I look forward to finally having some time to actually blog the stuff I make. And since it's June, what better way to start than with the June kit from My Scrapbook Nook.

This month's kit features fabulous So Sophie from My Mind's Eye, lovely colours and fabulous patterns, perfect for Summer photos. The photo on this layout shows Albin at a playground in Karlshamn on June 6.
I also made this little box, Everything is from the kit, except for the butterfly, which is from the May kit, and the flower.

I used one of these vintage button boxes, the brown one in the middle, as a template. If you want to see how I did it, check out my class here.

And so, what's up for next month then? It's Lily Bee Hello Sunshine. At a first glance, I think it might be a little too bright for me, but I have never ever been disappointed at a Nook kit, so I'm pretty sure this will be a blast too! Leah is the greatest at combining things in these kits that bring out the very best in whatever pattern paper is in it.

I'll be back with more from this kit shortly :)

Hallowe'en in Wonderland

2010-06-16T09:17:00.002+02:00

Graphic 45 have revealed the entire line of Hallowe'en in Wonderland!!! Check out their blog for more details.

Personally, I cannot wait to get my hands on these papers!!! Aren't they lovely?

Right now...

2010-06-05T13:08:00.005+02:00

...I'm on the roller coaster ride that is called life. Right now, it is very obvious that there are both high hills and deep valleys along the road.

Like Forrest Gump's very wise mama used to say - "Life is like a box of chocolate - you never know what you're gonna get". So, I'm letting this box symbolize my life right now. It isn't chocolate inside, but you never know what you're gonna get, right?

I made this box with supplies from Scraplagret. There's a lot of Prima loveliness - both papers and flowers.

And looking at it like that, there's no way of knowing that when you take the lid off, this is what you get. This is Agnes' enchanted forest. I got those chipboard trees in a DT-kit from Scraplagret, and instead of just adding them as flat embellishments on a layout, I decided to do this instead. I embossed them with my Cuttlebug, sanded a bit on top, and then used Glimmer Mist in different green shades.
And here's my little fairy princess herself. Isn't she just adorable in that dress? I actually tried it on her today, and she had outgrown it. Sad, because she was so pretty in it.

So now I'm going out to enjoy a fantastic summer day. I hope you all have lovely weather, wherever you are :)

Blogswap with G45 and Tombow

2010-05-24T06:49:00.003+02:00

I'm at home again today with sick kids. We have had the worst sick period in ages, and it ncouldn't come at a worse time for all of us. Today it's fever again, and both of them have been coughing through the night.

So, there's nothing bad that doesn't have anything good in it, is there? Because now I can let you know about the blogswap that is going on at the Graphic 45 blogGraphic 45 has teamed up with Tombow, and all of us in the design team got a fabulous set of adhesives and pens with our DT shipment this month. Throughout the week, there will be projects and tutorials and stuff shown every day, and there will also be a huge giveaway, so comment as much as you can to have a chance at winning that one. Be sure to check out the Tombow blog too, to see what their design team has made with Graphic 45 papers.

I would also like to share with you a little box I made with Graphic 45 Le Romantique, and tons and tons of Glimmer Mist :)
A perfect gift box for someone you love, or for someone who's getting married.

OK, so now I'm off to check on my little ones again. And you should go visit the blogswap.

Have a nice Monday, everyone.

No angel

2010-05-21T18:17:00.003+02:00

No, she's no angel, my daughter. Even though she might look like one with her blonde hair and pretty smile. But the girl has attitude, to say the least. Right now she is driving her poor brother crazy running after him trying to snatch his brand new Nintendo DS. He bought it today, after saving for ages, so he isn't quite ready to lend it to her just yet.
Yesterday, she wasn't an angel either, but she was the bravest little girl you can imagine. She had to have a tooth pulled out, and that was not a pretty sight. Blood, screaming, you get the picture. But they did give her some tranquilliser, so she doesn't remember any of it. She is just happy today that she managed to lose her tooth before big brother lost his, which has been loose for ages, and that she actually had a visit from the tooth fairy last night. Oh, and she also remembers filling up the water cup in the dentist's office. So it all turned out to be a positive experience for her in the end. And that hideous broken tooth, that had caused an infection in her poor little mouth, is now gone, and that is such a relief.

All the supplies for this layout is from Scraplagret.
Have a nice Friday evening!

Altered dictionary part 2

2010-05-15T07:59:00.002+02:00

Remember my mission to find as many ways as possible to alter a dictionary? Well, here's another one I made as one of my monthly assignments for Graphic 45. I've always wanted to make a little "secret box" out of a book, and here it is. I have used the most wonderful papers from A Proper Gentleman, a Zutter Perfect Closure and some Gadget Gears, cut out with my Tim Holtz die. A little Tim Holtz key managed to find its way on there too.
So, here's the inside. It took a while to cut out the hole in all of those pages, but I really like how this box turned out, so it was well worth the effort. I used quite a lot of Glimmer mist and ink to give the the book a worn, shabby look. My son got this box, and he is now using it to store
Pokemon cards :)

So, I hope you all have a great spring Saturday. Here, it's raining heavily right now, but I'm hoping for better weather later today

So, it was May...

2010-05-12T21:30:00.003+02:00

...and hell broke lose. May is always a busy month for me, with my job at a school and all grading and stuff that is going on this month. Besides, I also managed to have both of my precious children in May. People said I was lucky to have them in May, because it's such a great month for birthday parties. Well, I don't know about that... that probably depends on your profession. May is not a good month for birthday parties if there are too many of them, and if you are a teacher on top of that. Let me just say, it was a long time since I really enjoyed the beauty of this wonderful month to the fullest.

Anyway, Dear Blog ended up way down on my priority list. But since it is May, I just have to show you a few layouts I've made with the May kit from My Scrapbook Nook, with the lovely October Afternoon line Fly a kite. It's perfect for May layouts!

Here's my girl with her most darling smile:
And my gorgeous boy, who just turned seven!

And my gorgeous boy once again:

And guess what my gorgeous boy got from a friend for his birthday? Yes, a KITE! So, as soon as the weather and the time allows, we'll fly a kite and take tons of photos to use with what's left of this kit :)

Go out and enjoy May, those of you who can.