* Black day - Queensday 2009 *

Today is truly a black day in history of our country. Today is Queensday, which would be held @ "paleis 't Loo" in Apeldoorn. An attack took place @ 11.50 hours, intended for the Queen and the Royal family as it turned out, but it went wrong and killed 5 innocent bystanders watching and celebrating Queensday.
I saw the attack on film and I went cold, the images are horror like and hardly to believe. A black Suzuki Swiftdrove into the crowd of people, planning to hit the bus driving the Royal family. It went fail and collapsed with a monument De Naald in Apeldoorn. 4 people died immediately and this evening the 5th person died, 13 people wounded.
The driver of the Suzuki Swift- a man, age 38, T, living in Huissen - is also wounded an in a hosipital, nothing is known further yet. (reasons and explanations, and motive - the "WHY?? so to speak - , but I don't feel there is a reason or explanation for these things) This house has been searched but nothing has been informed on this to the public.)
I don't understand the day and age we are living in. It seems that what we hear on the news what happens in countries like America and Belgium and Germany, is coming to our country as well and in a more rapid speed than I like.
I am at loss for words for this...
Queensday cannot and willnot ever be the same after this....

* Easter 2009 *

We are having quite lovely weather with the Easterdays this year. Last year easter was in March and we had SNOW!!

Amazing what a difference with now.
Yesterday we had our Easterbrunch and it was really nice as you can see on the small photo impression above. I didn't make to many photo's; the batteries of my external flash died on me, so I had to use the flash of the camera. Fortunately it isn't too bad, but I am not so happy with it. I have to remind my self to check my gear a day or 2 in advance to make sure that all is ok.

This afternoon we are having a Easter Hightea and the batteries are loaded, so I am checking later if it's working again.

Late in the afternoon and early evening I finished another LO, this time I used photo's of the visit to the Wendezoele farm and used the wonderful Jillibean papers. They fit really well. Will show photo's later.

Again I dreamt about the new lens I want to buy, how silly is that? Buttt.... I think I made my choice already, I am strongly moving towards the Tokina 100 mm F2.8, will do some reach more today and then make up my mind.

* Scrapdelight goodies * layout * JO09 * macro lens *

Yesterday it was as warm as it can get in summer; around 22 degrees. So already really hot for me. @ morning I went to the city; bought a new pair of summer shoes @ scapino and a new aqua blouse @ H&M. Love it and am soooo happy wiht the summer shoes, till now I wore the boots from winter, but it was really getting too warm for me.

In the afternoon I went also shopping with mom. We both bought a pair of summer shoes (so my second pair :D) white "wolky like shoes" and again @ Scapino. We went into the better shoe stores as well (Schuurmans Schoenen, Tiptoe) but found nothing to our liking so happy we found at least one pair (leather and at a decent price) shoes. And I also bought a new jeans. I gave up loosing my 3 kilo's after X Mas. I cannot seem to get ride of it and I found a new series of Jeans at my favorite store which fits quite well. (With the previous line Sabrine, I fell between 2 sizes, one to small and one to big. With this new line Sanne, I buy a larger size but the cutting is some what smaller so it fits ok.)

Late in the afternoon I sat in the sun for about an hour or so. Not long and it was after 16.00 but still I had to pay with serious headache afterwards. The night was a hell and this morning I woke with even more headache than yesterday evening. I took 2 paracetamols and it's over 3 hours later and finally I am feeling better. So no more sun tanning for me. I am completely over that. the nice brown tan isn't worth getting headaches everytime, so i will simply stay pale. (Mayby try some bodylotion with self tanning creme)

On to more, nicer stuff :)
Friday last, my parcel from ScrapDelight arrived with the latest goodies I ordered. Unfortunately they forgot my Doily lace punch and the hotfix stones were still unpacked after a fair , so that will be send later.
First some puffy thickers, they are thick and shiny, so more bling to add to a layout. There was no black so I went for white and brown. My Mind's Eye; Maggie May from the Penny Lane line.

My Mind's Eye; Tiny Dancer as well from the Penny Lane line.

And finally the yummy minestrone papers from Jillibean Soup. Wonderful new manufacturer. These papers are great for fall photo's which lacked inspiration because I had so many layouts made already with Basic Grey Ambrosia papers. Now I can continue with the photo's and use the puffy brown thickers with them. :)

Next I want to show a layout I made with some left overs from the Bittersweet papers from Basic Grey. I only bought 4 papers from that line; made 4 layouts with it, many, many cards, made some altered items with them and still not all is gone. I still have some scraps for a card or 2. Will try to use it today for a "new baby Girl" card.

And as well the latest card I made this week after work for the Jaaroverzicht 2009. I used another freebie "Friends" from Designs by Krista. Just simply adore all her work.

Recently I have been doing research for a new lens for my camera. Specially now with all the blooms and nice weather, I want to buy a macro lens; i have been looking into 3 lenses but still cannot made op my mind which one to choose:

* tamron 90 mm F2.8

* tamron 180mm F3.5

* tokina 100 mm F2.8

Also not all internet shops have all the lenses on stock and I really don't want to wait too long with ordering, because I want to use it this spring & summer. Also I don't want to spend too much on the lens since I am not sure if Marco photography is something I am really getting into.

* Reading * a Card * a Toot *

Yesterday I received a mail that one of my cards for Mothersday for the May issue had been chosen for publication. Yes! Again one of my cards is chosen. I send 2 cards and this time I am happy with the choice they made. I liked this one best as well. I will put up the link as soon as it's up.

Ok, I want to show a card I created for Scrapstreet which didn't make it. They had a call for a layout with nursery rhymes, and while I did an internet search for those rhymes I found one with the text an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I immediately thought about the October Afternoon papers with the funny apples on it, and this is the result.
Even though it isn't chosen I still like it :) @ night I finished the latest novel of Iris Johansen; De Schedel. Again a good read, but I have also read better books from her hand. This wasn't anything new, but still a nice read.

Last week I finished De Dood van een Pelgrim and I don't step out of line with this one; again a nice read but the first book I read from Peter Tremayne was much better than this one. In fact this one was a bit of a disappointment to be honest.

I plan to start this evening with another novel from him; Het Web van Araglin. Let's hope it's a better one this time around.

Still have to make the Jaaroverzicht challenge of next week and tomorrow the new challenge will be up. I will see if I have some time after posting this blog (and some surfing on the 'net :)

* Beautiful *

I came across these beautiful and inspirational words on Rhonna Farrer's blog, go read her beautiful blog.

* Jaaroverzicht 2009 * CMF 36 * layout *

Yesterday it was about and around 20 degrees, quite lovely almost hot summer weather. (in our living it was already 23.3 degrees!) So I already had my first icecream of this year :)
But today when I woke the sun wasn't shining, it was dark and misty and.... raining....I wanted to try to take some photo's later today of flowers and blooms and spring thingies, which should go ok as long as I don't have to bend. But now... the weather is dark, let's hope it will be better this afternoon.
I really need to take some spring photo's, there is a challenge over at one of my fav's digishops Digital crea and I want to participate. Deadline is 18 April next.

Speaking of digi; remember I already put up the layout I made using a quickpage for celebrate spring. Even though the template is stunningly beautiful I wanted to create a page made by myself. So last weekend I sat down and re did this layout. See below.
I used a kit from Summertime Designs. She makes beautiful stuff.
Since I was on a roll, I did make some layouts more because I had to make up for some missing subject weeks.

Another subject was money; this is my take on it. I cannot remember from who I used this kit (sorry) the journaling tag is from Designs by Krista.
The final subject was Spring, again I used the latest freebie "Blooms" from Designs by Krista. I just love her digi kits and tend to use them over and over again. I like the fresh pastel colors of this kit it fits well with the photo's.

This weeks subject is long for.... Which I find a very difficult one to make, so I have to think a little about it before I know what to make.

Also on one of my walks I went into the Readshop in town because I spotted on the net that the new Creatief met Foto's nr. 36 already, was selling already and I think I wanted to spoil myself a little because I think I deserve (with the backache and all)

I like this issue very much. I don't always buy them anymore, because their new style isn't my style anymore and also the paper use is different from the ones I grap to know. I have changed my scrapping style and with it also comes a different kind of magazine to buy. I don't always like the layouts in Scrapbookmagazine, but the use of papers is more my style.
Also I wanted to share another layout I did using photo's of Within Temptations concert I went to last year. Photo's are not mine, but used with permission of Metal ways.com.
Supplies: Bazzill Basics white, green, pink; Basic Grey Eva papers; McGill flower punch; Mireille Butterfly punch; other: puffy paint white, ribbon pink, green, flower jewels green, pink, stamps, ink, paperclips, hotfix with stones, pins.

* my back * clear card *

Well, went to the docter with the pain in my back, it's spit already. Or should I say again. I've had back trouble also in 2006 & 2004 & 2003 as he read in my medical file. I got a prescription for painkillers and cannot sit for more than 15 to 30 minutes. The pain is killing me... hurts quite a lot. The medicin he gave me only makes my psoriasis worse so I decided not to use it. Now I am living on the max dosis of paracetamol to get me through the day. Terrible. When I am walking it hurts less so then you want to walk as much as possible of course. I will go back to work next week, so keeping fingers crossed the pain won't be so bad by then.
I have nothing to put up for now, except an card from the old box which I finished last weekend.

Supplies: clear sheet; Basic Grey Eva papers; Bazzill Basics green; Fiskars borderpunch lacy days of summer; Crafts too corner punch; Other; ribbon pink, star jewel, pin.

And I saw a mail from Scrapdelight that the punches from martha stewart came in and she asked if I was still interested in the doily lace border punch. OF COURSE! so after receipt of the money she will send it along with the order I placed. (some yummy jillibean soup papers Ministrone collection and My Mind's Eye, Tiny dancer and Maggie may from the Penny Lane line. And just when I went to their site I saw even more new lines. Already hooked on Pretty Please I cannot use up my papers so fast as they are coming out!) Even when I plan not to buy so much stuff, I seem to buy quite some stuff.... :)

* A Toot Scrapstreet *

One of my spring cards has been chosen for publication in Scrapstreet. Go see my creation here.
The other cards are stunningly beautiful and makes me long for spring even more. Also the rest of the mag is again well worth the read. Filled from top to bottom with eyecandy and lots of inspiration. Go see for yourself.
Happy reading!