Bryggen, Bergen - CSI Case File #86

I had the best intentions of blogging frequently this week, but then we have had the most wonderful weather, and computer time suddenly was far down on my priority list. It's amazing - we're writing August 25th, the temperature is 20+ C, even in the water, and there is hardly any wind at all.

What is it like where you live right now?

Petterned papers: CSI Coordinates. Brads: MME. Alpha: AC/Adornit. Vellum: ClubScrap

This summer we took a guided tour in Bergen (Norway), a place we have visited so many times. Then we finally got the explanation about the wood figures on some of the walls: they worked as door signs back when the Hanseatic League run the markets and not all fishermen, coming With their goods, could read.

This weeks CSI Challenge:

 Colors: all used.
Evidence: Stripes, speech bubbles (stuck behind photos etc),vellum
Testimony: journal about a city

I have used this week's coordinates for this layout - love them!

Magic Mirror In My Hand...

...who has the prettiest feathers in the land?

Feather embellies: The real Kiwi feathers :-)

Answer: my budgie Kiwi :-)

Budgies molt (as cats and dogs shred) and there is an amazingly large number of feathers on such a tiny little bird - you notice when they land on the floor. Most of the feathers are small, down feathers, but there are larger ones too, like the flight feathers from the wings and tails. Those are multicolored on lots of budgies, like Kiwi's. And I collect them as I think they are so pretty.

Patterned papers: Basic Grey, CSI Coordinates. Chipboard: Maya Road (bird), Imaginarium Designs (the reest). Rubons: Basic Grey. Stamps: Kaiser Kraft (grid), unknown (script). Jewles: Scrappers Choice.

 My other budgie, Fluffy, is a white winged/tailed bird. His large feathers are all white and make super cute embellies, too!



I got the inspiration to this layout when I saw CSI case # 64:

Colors: all five used. My dominant color is lime green, found in one of the the CSI coordinates patterned papers: the bird is covererd with it and the title tiles made from the same paper.

Evidence: Bird, stamps, rubons, pen work, jewels
Testimony: Verbs (the words on the white "tiles": Molt- toss - fall - grow- renew


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Do you collect any "weird" items?

Fifty Shades of Grey - CSI File Case #56

If you expect a review from me on The Book, I'm sorry I have to disapoint you *lol*

This post is about documenting for the future why I was grey long before fifty - and may be why of most of my female friends weren't....

White background cardstock: Bazill. Black overlay: Rayher. Patterned Paper: CSI Coordinates #56. Brads: MME. Flowers: Petaloo, Prima. Butterfly & Hello Bingocard: Jenni Bowlin. Chipboard Alpha: Imaginarium Designs.
Modelling Paste: Panduro. Paper clip, pins, washi & twine: Unknown

The Hello tag behind the photo reveals the true about my stunning hair color, the dark blond with awesome white slings no hair dresser can copy:

I'm too lazy to color my hair, or to be more presice: the after growth....



This layout was inpired by last weeks CSI Case File # 56:

And the CSI DT must have liked it too, as they rewarded me with this badge :

OK, ladies - confession time: do you color your hair?

Thank you cards

I needed some - it was time thank aunties for the kids' Christmas presents.

I was determined to use last week's CSI coordinates on my layout for challenge #53, but got carried away with some paint, modelling paint and stamps and never got to use the freebies I had printed. But it would be a shame to just toss the lovely stuff, so I decided to make some simple Thank You cards with them.

Thank You sticker: SRM Stickers. Ribbon: Scrapbook Fantasies.
Cardstock: Bazill. Flower: unknown

I have lots of 5"*5" white envelopes, and as I am a frugal card maker, I made the following card in size 4"*4" to fit my envelopes *lol*
On the first card i did some doodling to make the center piece pop a little more


Thank You sticker: SRM Stickers. Ribbon: Scrapbook Fantasies.
Cardstock: Bazill. Button: unknown

 Ouch - what happened to this bow?

Thank You sticker: SRM Stickers. Ribbon: Scrapbook Fantasies.
Cardstock: Bazill.

Love the soft palette on these card, and the purple reminds me of spring.

Do you like purple?

What's for dinner? - Meal planner

Some time last spring I got tired of always rushing dinner cooking. I was fed up of never knowing what to make, and the food we made was boring. So we did something about it. My FIL feed the kids when they come home from school, so they weren't exactly starving when it was dinner time, either.

I started to cook everything from scratch (well, uhm, I don't hunt or have chicken in the garden so I don't grow it myself, except some veggies during summer), which mean basicly every dinner is made from fresh veggies and herbs, and preferably fresh meat and fish, too. Home made food tasts so much better - and the kids love it, too.

Decoreted front page containing last week's dinners

Usually I spend about an hour to cook dinner. The kids do homework while they wait for it to get ready. As I work full time, and hubby often work the late shift in his store, I need to plan the dinners so I don't have to go grocery shopping every day. Honestly, I think the dinner planning saves us both time, and money, in the long run - and the food is probably much healthier, too.

I have had grocery lists, and recipes, all over, and I wanted to get more organized. I found a cheap binder at a local store, with room for an insert at the front, and I made myself a dinner planner:




Binder with fron page insert.
Patterned papers, cut outs etc: Michele Singh for CSI (CSI coordinates #38)


As you see the front is covered, so I don't have to worry about stains on my pretty front insert (unless somebody (like me) spoil 1/3 gallon of milk on top of it). I also sewed a plastic pocket onto the insert, so I can replace the week menus easily.

I use simple plastic protectors for my recipes - since they are in a binder they are easy to move backwards during the week.

And the hubby? He's all happy! Some weeks he has plenty of time off, and he's then the one in charge of both dinner planning and grocery shopping :-)


How do you organize your cooking?