* Sketch # 21 @ Card Patterns *

Finally I did some scrapping again. It was real good to make a card again after weeks of no inspiration. I used another great sketch of Card Patterns to make a card for a friend who is 3 celebrating 3 years marriage this week.
I am really pleased with the outcome :)Supplies: white and pink cardstock; Bo Bunny Alyssia patterned paper, doily lace; other: ribbon, organza ribbon, white puffy paint, pearl brads, pins, Fiskars apron border punch, , Crafts too corner punch, scallopped scissors, roses, flowers

The weather is real hot over here, too hot for my liking and it looks like we will have tropical weather to 30 degrees up to Friday. And just in these days the airco at work needs to be replaced. It was real extreem hot today at work.

In the weekend it should be cooling down a bit thankfully, since I am planning to go to street theater in Deventer.

* School en Volksfeest *

Today I went to the School & Volksfeest, and I took my new lens with me. The photo's are the same quality as with my normal zoom lens, so that is disappointing. However, next weekend I will re-try again at a castle and I think then it will be a top performance because than I can take the time to make good photo's. Now you have to rush because the next group is already coming.
These photo's I take every year, since I go to this party every year. But this time it was really disappointing. I say this every year but so bad as it was this time has not been before. I went through last years photo's and it was much better. This year the theme might also have been too difficult to come up with nice subjects (Them is work)

Anyway, my foot, which I wrote about the other day, has swollen up real bad, I cannot fit in my shoes, so I am sitting behind my pc with the feet on a chair and a cold compress to hope to put down the swelling so I will be able to fit properly in my shoes tomorrow. It is worse than yesterday. I don't have so much pain but it is sensitive and also my ankle and a little from my leg is swollen. You can feel there is water in it or something..... Also my left knee is still hurting and I carry now for the 4th day the bandage. Hopefully it will become less next week.

So much for the nice weekend.

* Test photo's with new lens * Just like heaven * De Verbouwing *

When Friday the lens arrived, I couldn't wait until I could try it out. But of course I had no time due to the troubles with the closet (which only have become worse over the 2 days, the closet it totally not straight and the other door is also not closing properly and the backwall and sidewalls are all askew!!! We will call Beter Bed again tomorrow, because this closet must be replaced completely)
Saturday I went to the woods to test the lens Tamron 28-75 mm F2.8 and I think it's a good lens. I like it most with smaller lens opening (but that's just me) I think it functions good and I like the crisp colors with this lens. See for yourself with the picitures below. I sometimes miss the large zoom I have with my other lens, but I have to learn to be creative and use available options. This afternoon I will try it out in Goor and that will be the real test.
I which I had bought a polarisation filter with this lens at the same time....

Currently reading the latest novel from Saskia Noort; de Verbouwing. I think it's a less story compaired to the other books - terug naar de kust & nieuwe buren - I read from her. I am halfway through and now the suspense starts to creep in bit by by.

Yesterday I watched a movie Just like Heaven with Reese Whiterspoon (i like her ever since Legally Blonde :) ) and Mark Ruffalo. A nice romantic movie with occasionally a good laugh. She is a sort of Ghost (she is in coma after a caraccident) and he has rented her appartment where she appears and disappears in front of him. He helps her finding out what is going on with her and of course she awakens from her come through a kiss of him, buttt she doesn't recognize him at first. That only comes later when the touch hands again.
Predicatble, but still a good movie to watch.

* does it get any worse? *

There are bad days and there are even worse bad days but yesterday and today are a dissaster.
Yesterday the news break that one of my best colleagues won't be getting a new contract @ work. I was numb shocked when I heard it. It is unbelievable and such a mistake to make. He has knowledge about almost everything and has a lot of experience. Besides that, he is a nice guy and really good to work with. I can still hardly believe it....
When the current contract ends at 1 sept next, he won't be working in our office anymore. Really good colleagues I have had over the 7 years and 3 months, I can count on the fingers of one hand and he is one of them. So it is really sad, he will be out of work in times like these and my other colleagues have to take over his work along with the work which already fills up more than their official working hourse. Normally I won't fear, he will find a new good job soon, but in economical times like these, it get me quite worried. I really hope it will turn out for the best.

Also this morning I read the news that Micheal Jackson - wacko Jacko - the king of pop - has died. I wanted to check my mail for the track and trace number of a parcel and my eye fell on a photo of Micheal Jackson and I read the headline, saying that he died. At first I thought it was a bad joke, but I decided to read the article anyway. I couldn't believe it, I was shocked to read Micheal Jackson died.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and was brought Thrusday afternoon to the UCLA Medical Center. The tried to revive him for an hour, but failed. The authopsy is planned for today, but outcome could take weeks. And of course as famous people die, they bloom. In Micheal's case all of his CDs where sold out in today and yesterday.

Today the new bedroom furniture arrived. It looks beautiful in the room, but there is always a but. The closet and cabinet are askew, not lined out properly. One door is already broken out of the closet while opening. Drawers are not closing properly. We already contacted BETER BED, and have to wait until a service mechanicer comes by. And of course that will take weeks, then if we need new panels or what ever it will take weeks again............

My lens arrived.... no cannot tell anything more because I have to clean and try it on my camera first.

I went through my left foot this afternoon, must have made a wrong move or something, I do not know. I cannot recall it. But my foot hurts a lot and is swollen quite a lot as well. (since 2 days my left knee is also in bandages because of pain and swollen)

So all bad come in 3?? Well it's even worse than 3..........

* free class * my new lens (or almost) *

I just signed up for what looks like a great new class from Jessica Sprague and best of all it's free!
The registration is now open until 28/06/09, on July, 6th the party begins! Can hardly wait. Best of all, yesterday I ordered my new Tamron lens; 28-75 mm F2.8! I have thought long and in length about a new lens and almost went for a Marco lens because that is also something I would love to try. However this is a handy lens for "landscape/Scenery" and portrait and the lens is quick (F2.8!) Can hardly wait, I hope it will arrive this week still. I would love to use it this weekend @ Goor and next weekend @ Warmelo.
(Think the Marco lens will find it's way to me sooner or later, first now what I need is a good camerabag!)

* Movies * Reading * Layouts *

I have been vusy lately but not with scrapbooking and or cardmaking. I have been going out and enjoying the good weather, but also watches some movies, did a lot of reading as well.
One of my new favorite movies will be Australia with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Such a beautiful breathtaking story. Only the part when the World War II is brought in, I like less, but the rest is worth well.

Just yesterday I saw Yours, Mine & Ours; a very funny family movie. Not much depth and of course the stories quite familair. Mom and Dad are single and with 10 and 8 kids. They get married but the kids don't like each other and don't get a long. After a while they decide to work together to drive mom and dad apart. Surprise, surprise, the kids really start liking each other and when the succeede that mom and dad seperate they will do anything to get them back together again. But still a feel good movie and certainly good for some laughs. I like Dennis Quaid, think he's a good actor.
And then there is Girl with a Pearl Earring; nice but not worth recommanding. The acting is very good thought because there is not much usage of words only mimick and body language and that was good. The story line for me, was weak though.

About a week ago I finished the first book I ever read of Loes den Hollander, I can hardly wait to read more from her. A good story, you think you know it all, but the outcome is totally different than I expected.

Currently I am re-reading Het Achterhuis by Anne Frank again. I cannot remember how old I was when I first read it, must have been 12 or 13 years. I think everybody knows it and has seen movies made from it, but reading the book it totally different. You really get to know Anne and how she thinks and feels about what is going on around here.

I will leave you with some layouts, this one is finished already some time ago. Not too happy about it; think it's too basic and the ribbons take up too much attention.

Last week I collected some photo printouts from the store. It included some Easter photo's. This one layout about the Easter Hightea, I like much better. You will recognize the October Afternoon Ducks in a row papers, from some posts ago. The paper is really beautiful and nice to work with. I like the yellows, so fitting for Easter. I hope I have enough left to make 2 more layouts because that's how many photo's I still have left; one about the brunch and one about the flowerdecorations.I was planning to go to Sandsculptures in our neighbourhood, but it was really bad weather. In the morning I first when to the city to buy a blouse, and got in rainshowers. I thought I would be lucky on the way back but no, I went home in the rain. The afternoon it also continued raining, so I decided not to go. Also this sunday is not very good weather. Then it's raining and then the sun is shining again. Next week thought, the weatherforecast says, the summer will start with high temperatures. Not that I am looking forward to that...

Coming Friday they will come deliver the new bedroom furniture. I can hardly wait. Of course I will put some photo's up to show how it looks. It will be nice to have everything in the closets again and the bedroom will be neat and tidy again. Hopefully I will find my Tokina 12-24 mm F4 lens again. I cannot seem to find it anywhere.....

* Doily Lace * Scrapshopping * Openairmuseum * Published*

Friday afternoon my parcel from Dolls arrived, filled with delicious papers from:
Bo Bunny Abbey Road My Mind's Eye Pretty Please

And last but so not the least October Afternoon Cherry Hill & Ducks in a Row. I sooooo wanted these papers and after months (literally months) of waiting they started arriving in the shops so I could order them.

I really must stop ordering papers now, my paper drawer is filled almost to the top, it's time to start scrapping those layouts and cards. But now I need to find the time to do so.
(and yet here I come again with a great punch I wanted for so long time; doily lace punch from Martha Stewart and this week it arrived from Scrapbookdepot. I am so happy with it and dying to use it together with the mini thickers on some cards.)

So it will be high time to print out some photo's. I already printed the easter photo's and collected them earlier this week since I knew they would be perfect for the Ducks in a Row papers. The Boomkamp Garden photo's will be great with Bo Bunny and My Minds Eye. I have no firm destination yet for the Cherry Hill papers but it will surely come.

Yesterday we went to the openairmuseum in Arnhem.

Even though we left the house @ 9.00 am and only returned at 6.00 pm, and spend like 4 1/2 hours in the museum we have not seen everything by far. I spoke to a lady there who was coming for the second time but even then she had not seen everything. She told she also went in winter last time and she was lucky because there was real snow. How beautiful the sight must have been!

Well, now the sight was also beautiful. Look at the small impression below:

I have to admit that I was broken when I came home; my back was killing me and it felt like it would spit in two. I also had a little headache, which I think was not so because of the heat (22 degrees) but more of the night before when the neightbours dogs have been barking all night and keeping me awake. I went to bed straight after dinner around 07.00 pm and slept this morning until 09.00 am! 14 hours of solid sleep and I am feeling good again :)

I am leaving you with a link to my card in Scrapstreet of June. It's a fathersday card made with Jillibean soup papers.

For the next issues I haven't created anything. I seem to have little time at the moment. However I am still planning to make some projects for Scrap n Art and really need to get some scrapping down. I have finished some layouts which I have not blogged about and am behind my weekly card of Jaaroverzicht as well.....

If I could only buy some more time.... more hours in a day.... more days in a weekend....

* Huis Diepenheim *

We wanted to visit Castle Warmelo on Sunday to visit the gardens. However there was a Horse riding game going on and we decided to go for a bike ride instead. We went to Huis Diepenheim to take some shots of the nature, not knowing that we would end up in the middle of horses. I took some action shots. Not to my satisfactory of course, but not bad since I never take action shots. Some shots of Huis Diepenheim.

We definitively go back to take a photoshoot there and of course to visit the gardens of Castle Warmelo.

The bike ride was about 40 km or so, I am not sure I would have to check. But we were exhausted when we came back home. Deadly tired and we didn't cook an evening meal (very bad :) )

Watched the very latest episode of Life & Cooking. The company I work for delivered the SEQ bags the people in the audience got. It should have been filled with SEQ items, but it wasn't the case so what has happened?

Today it's still a day of and I stayed at home, doing some little jobs; worked on sorting out my photo's; Did a little photoshop; blogged; Watched TV, some internet surfing; I created a new blog header from one of the photo's I took in Boomkamp Gardens, don't you love the look? It could be of a France country side :)

After today, there will be no more long weekends with extra free days.... not until X Mas....Too Bad.

* Boomkamp Gardens * scrapshopping * Reading * DVD *

WARNING, HUGE photo overload.
I have enjoyed this verrrrry long weekend so much. Only Friday afternoon, was my afternoon off and I wasn't feeling to well. Still I managed to do some grocery shopping and chores.
Satuerday, we wanted to go to Los Hoes in Ootmarsum, however the train was having delay after delay so we would be underway long, long time so we decided to do something else. Instead we went to Boomkamp Gardens. I have never been there before, but it was sure worth the while and I am planning to go there again next month.
Just look at the beautiful photo's to see for yourself. There were 55 inspirational gardens to visit and we had a shortage of time to see everything well. Not all gardens were to my liking but some of them were amazing.
Like the Colonial Garden.

Or the Bentheimer Garden.

I loved the waterfalls, don't you?

The flowers were very beautiful and I tried to do some creative shots.

Also Saturday my parcel from scrapbookdepot arrived with yummy papers from Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday - backside:

Frontside:

And delicious Zinnia - backside:

Frontside:

And another Fiskars punch - Apron lace and some flowers and pearly brads, so nice for cards.

I must admit I already ordered more. *blush* Also the Martha Stewart punched arrived at my favorite store and I am so wanting to have doily lace. I would already have it if my order at Scrapdelight would not have gone missing with DHL.

Tomorrow I will arrange the payment so I hope it will still arrive this week at my doorstep.

I have finished quite some books over the last few weeks;

Douglas Preston; Het monster van Florence

Donald McCraig's Rhett, de weg naar Scarlet.

And Saskia Noort's 40 a collection of colums she wrote for libelle and such - a very funny and quick read.

I have started with James Patterson's Cross Country yesterday and it will be a good novel filled to the rim with suspense.

Also since very very long time I have watched a DVD which I picked up @ the library on Friday last. War of the Worlds after a novel of H.G. Wells with Tom Cruise and produced by Steven Spielberg. The world is being taken over by aliens but after a lot of destruction they suddenly die because they cannot breath our air. It was a nice movie and only the ending was a anti-climax.

So I am planning also to watch some more movies from now on, I am waiting for Australia to arrive for me @ the library.