Everything grows better with love

Awesome competition, I wish I could win it... Wish me luck.

2011-11-07T00:41:00.001+01:00

http://www.mcpactions.com/blog/2011/11/02/lightroom3-lightroompresets/

WIN LIGHTROOM 3 + QUICK CLICKS COLLECTION LIGHTROOM PRESETS

Photo Credit: Audrey Woulard Photography

The Prize: 2 prizes for 1 lucky person

Lightroom 3 – Donated by Adorama Camera – one of the best places to buy all your camera gear!
Quick Clicks Collection Lightroom Presets for RAW + JPG – Donated by MCP Actions

(if you already own either or both prizes – remember the holidays are coming and these would make the perfect gift for a photographer friend or relative)
* Remember to download our free Lightroom Presets – Mini Quick Clicks to try them out!

Contest sponsored by:

Contest Rules:

Winner will be picked via random drawing on the evening of Sunday, November 6th and announced on the MCP Blog. Odds are winning are 1/# of entries. Valid only where permitted by law.

To Enter:

Add your comments on our blog(not on our Facebook Wall or Notes section – these will NOT count)

For your 1st entry, reply to the 3 questions below in one comment:

Why do you NEED Lightroom 3 and MCP’s Quick Clicks Presets?
What editing software do you use now?
Confirm that you “like” MCP Actions on Facebook – if you do not confirm this, your entry will NOT count (go here to “like us” if you have not prior)

Do you really want to win? Here are ways you can get additional entries:

Spread the word about MCP Actions products, contest, or blog. Do this on social networking sites, your blog, or photo forums, as permitted. Just leave a comment and tell us where you shared about us. For ease, use the Share Links for Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, Google Plus, Stumble Upon, and more. One extra comment/entry per item.
Add the MCP Actions Banner or a text link to MCP’s site on your blog (code can be found on the sidebar of our blog). Then come back and tell us you did.
Subscribe to our blog RSS feed for the 1st time – see the orange icon at the top right of our blog. If you add it today, leave a comment letting us know.

the gorgeous sketch technique by Ziggle scraps and a chance to win this software

2011-09-07T08:04:00.002+02:00

Wow, I wish I could win the software that produces such awesome result. The sketch is far prettier than the ones I can produce with my software.
see for yourselves:
http://zigglescraps.com/2011/09/07/akvis-digital-scrapbook-technique-tutorial/

kimla designs digital scrapbook designs: {Sneak peek} of my new Autumn Collection and chanc...

2011-08-30T13:10:00.000+02:00

kimla designs digital scrapbook designs: {Sneak peek} of my new Autumn Collection and chanc...: Hello Everyone, A little tiny sneak peek today of my Kimla's huge autumn collection, which is coming to her store this Thursday, 1st of Septemb...

Sweet On You {complete kit} by Laurie Ann & Facebook Gift

2011-04-15T08:10:00.005+02:00

This new kit of Laurie Ann is out, and it's beautiful. Soft, muted colours, fun elements, sweet alpha. Sweet on You {complete kit} is a celebration of love in all its forms at spring time. The love in one's heart for a child, a sweetheart, a mom or even a puppy! It's filled with an eclectic mix of old and new to help tell your stories from days gone bye and today. With over 40 elements, 20 papers and 14 word art, there's plenty here for dozens of layouts!
But wait ... as part of our April celebrations there is something alittle extra for you ... Purchase Sweet on You {complete kit} before Sunday, April 17th and get the coordinating Sweet On You Stamped Alphabet FREE with kit purchase! This FWKP promo is only from Friday, April 15th to Sunday, April 17th. NO need to add the alphabet to your cart; the download is included with the kit!

PLUS ... for all of our Facebook friends .. there is available for a short time only a free gift - Sweet on You {Add-On}. All you need to do is 'Like' HGD By Laurie Ann and visit our Exclusive Download page to recieve your free gift.

Now for some previews: Here is what the kit looks like

And now for some Pages I made using this kit

made with the kit itself
And the following two with the add-on plus alpha.

Thanks for looking! Have a nice day wherever you are!

Desperate for spring

2011-03-16T11:08:00.003+01:00

It has been a mild winter, I'll give you that, but I feel like spring now would be welcome anytime. So sitting here listening to the pitter-patter and genereal monotone of the rain drumming on the window sills, and window panes when the wind changes I dream of sunshine and will for the spring to already be here. This is how I want to feel. Happy sunlit, with a smile on my face. I long for that spring-time light-headed feeling.

I have made this page into a Quick page, that you can download from 4shared by clicking here.

It's a 12 x 12 inches png file, made by me from assorted photos. I hope you like it.

Happy Birthday Uncle Michael, happy Birthday to you!

2011-01-05T17:37:00.006+01:00

Let me start by telling you that today is a special day, because it's Uncle Mike's Birthday, and to wish him a very Happy Birthday!!! Many many happy returns, and we hope you have a most wonderful

Today we also went to the Build-a-Bear, (we had some generous coupons from Uncle Michael, and his family in New Zealand to use) and chose some special animals; so today is also a Birthday of two lovely new creatures.

The oldest went first, she knew exactly which animal she wanted, she had a particular black cat in mind, she stuffed it just enough to make him soft and cuddly... Then she took a heart, made a wish, rubbed it on her forehead to make it clever, rubbed it on her cheek to make it cheeky, then kissed it to give it all her love, and put it inside a kitty-cat. Gigi was born first, but only minutes before Hedwig, for our little one loves Owls, big ones, small ones, Barn owls, Great Grey ones, Elf owls, Screeching ones... So owl it was, a young Snowy owl.

She also chose a heart, made a wish, filled it up, and decided that her owl is going to be a rock star, so she went for a guitar and an mp3 player, after informing me that there was no point in spending money on dressing it up, since I could sew the clothes for her... Ok, I like the trust in her Mother's abilities. Nice.

The certificate of birth were printed, the babies packed nice and snug and off we went to our new adventures.
It turned out that mp3 player of the owl is playing music... and it's a girl. It's basically a rock chick owl... Taylor Swift Owl. What a hoot!
Now for the challenge of sewing a ball gown fit for Taylor...Owl.

The first animal is ready for the ball in her polka dot, or as our kids call it Olga-dot dress... The second dress is all ready, and waiting for the dd to pose with it tomorrow. And for today it's goodnight from us, and it's good night from cat and owl. Good night, and thank you to our Aunt and Uncle from New Zealand, and the cousins! Hope you are enjoying your summer!

Snow in 2006

2010-12-03T09:17:00.010+01:00

I remember this winter so well, it started rather warmer than usual, so much so that our anniversary, end of January we were sitting outside a cafe in Ascona on the lake front eating ice-creams. Temperature was somewhere in the low twenties +22 - 24 C. And four days later it started to snow and didn't stop for 2 days...

One of the January bright and fresh days we took Papa for a walk, he still had to have crutches, so he had to have a lot of rests, we kept it a short walk to keep him from freezing... It was beautiful though. I love Origlio, it's always beautiful no matter which season or weather. And yes, I was there too, trust me... It's just that the camera stayed with me at all times.

When you are snowed in, sometimes it's important to have a good team, who will help you to dig out the car, catch some snowflakes with a butterfly net (?) or make a snow mouse? Or even two? Well, their use will increase with time I am sure, for now the kids make sure life is fun and never boring... They keep you company and rattle on whilst you work hard clearing that snow, or take pictures of the others working ;)

Carona is always quite stunning, but there is something extra special, elegant and wonderful about Carona under fresh layer of sparkling white snow! Love the way everything looks so new, and the kids, well, they just adore the stuff, they eat it, they swim in it, they bore the holes and live in them, they are just being kids, and who can blame them. It's hard for us grown ups not to feel a bit of the kids, when it's all around you.

February even brought a little bit of snow to Lugano, not for long though, almost immediately it became too wet to be cold snow, and turned into slush.

When snow is hard to come by, head to the mountains, sledging is something we have learnt to do well in Switzerland.

This was sure a warm one, since we had seen snow last in February, just before we went to visit Granny and Peter in UK. The kids in Asilo used to get dressed in costumes, and make a racket in our quiet village. That year they were wolves. And sometimes our kids just dressed up for the fun of it.

Snow in 2005

2010-11-30T10:14:00.010+01:00

January 2005 we had visitors from the Netherlands: namely Josca and Dirk, who took us out for a week-end in Andermatt. We sledged, I crawled backwards on the piste for 10 km with the snowboard attached to me, until I guessed it would be faster to take it off and walk holding it... It's all very good, but is it... entertainment?! Not for me obviously, and don't start the - how come? you ARE from Russia? gags! I am not made for either skiing or boarding downhills, the only thing I can do well downhill is roll cheese, well I have never tried, but very eager! Alright?!

Yes I am 35 and all I can do is sledge, please, continue laughing... if you must! And yeah! I look really good in all the gear, but that's when I am standing with both feet firmly planted in the snow, as soon as I move though, what? yes. I fall indeed. Very confidently, too.

Josca and Dirk ski really well! John had fun snowboarding, too. That's at least until he finished the day, bent down to take the board off, fell backwards, knocked himself out, and came back in 25 minutes to his senses losing his short term memory... Pays to have two doctors visiting, but I tell you, that was one of the longest nights I remember... Every five minutes almost to the second his memory would "reset" and he would ask me again and again the loop of the same questions, like how did we get to the hotel? Did I drive? What has happened? Did the kids have dinner? and so on and so forth, after four hours (multiply by twelve times an hour) and getting closer to midnight I decided that he won't remember anyway, and started answering with the first thing that popped into my head, like we flew in a helicopter, you were hit by a meteorite, and so on... He might be cross with me now, but that's what stopped me from strangling him then, so I say, whatever works for you... No?

The village of Andermatt was beautiful, and John wanted to go snowboarding again the next day, and it took all my persuasion and both doctors to prevent him... he couldn't remember doing it the day before you see...

Just before the operation we went to our Carona botanical gardens up the hill for a walk, what a splendid view, what a sunny crispy day, how much fun for all the family!

Papa's knees are tired, he needs to rest, well, the faithful daughter will wait for him...

Come on Papa! You have had your rest, we walk on now! Come with me!

Waiting for papa to come out of the hospital, we have made bunny-guards to greet him, he claims we didn't visit him a lot, but what with mama not driving and being snowed in on Friday and the roads not being cleared till Sunday night... well, we went to collect him, didn't we?!

December 2005 - we are comfortable with where we are, we understand enough of Italian now and start talking back. The house feels like ours, and the girls have fun everywhere and anywhere.

John is still on the crutches but walking around and clearing snow, too. Bless him.

The white stuff - 2004

2010-11-30T09:59:00.005+01:00

Through the years we have enjoyed the snow so much, too much really, that it stopped to surprise us, and now just brings out grunts and complains that we have to clear it up, and that it's slippery, and the tires need chains, and so on and so forth. But let me go back for a minute and imagine it as seen through the eyes of a child! They still get excited the night it starts snowing, they still check first thing in the morning if it's white yet, and here are the images that we've collected through the years of living in a snowy place of ... well, the white stuff.

The girls have always been up to it when it concerns the day out in the snow sledging or building a snowman

Paint the moon giveaway

2010-11-26T21:45:00.001+01:00

Annie Manning (aka Paint the moon) is having an awesome giveaway, so why are you waiting, go check it out, she has some spectacular actions for PS and Elements users, and I for one love using them...

I hope, I pray, I wish I could win, keep the fingers crossed for me!

Over $1300 in prizes to nourish your creative soul!!
And that’s not even counting the smaller giveaways during the week!

This giveaway is all about Creativity and Inspiration. Not only are all of the prizes included something to help nourish that creative energy in your photography, but there will be a couple special guest photographers making an appearance this coming week with fabulous articles to share on the subject of keeping yourself inspired and how to keep creating fresh images. Hang out at our Facebook page so you’re sure not to miss out on a single thing (and while you’re there check out the new exclusive offers and areas for Facebook fans only) and hopefully catch a surprise mini giveaway or two!

Some of you may ask what the big deal is … why do I do these giveaways?? I love sharing all these wonderful vendors with my customers and friends. It’s a good way to expose you to wonderful new resources, it helps my friends and valued vendors out by introducing them, and I get to share these awesome goodies with all of you, whom I appreciate so much!!

These are my valued vendors and friends that will be providing all the awesomeness … each day I’ll feature a different vendor here and reveal what their contribution to the grand prize will be (some totally AMAZING prizes!!). This is going to be fun!!

Friday – Swanky Stitch (Facebook) and The Rusted Chain (Facebook) …. their feature and awesome prize reveals will be posted later this afternoon!

Saturday - Ivory and Moss (Facebook) and Jaime Mancilla

Sunday - Petite Peanut (Facebook) and Whisker Works (Facebook)

Cyber Monday – Lensbaby (Facebook)

Tuesday - Robin Long Photography (Facebook)

Wednesday - Frances England (Facebook) and Crawler Covers (Facebook)

Thursday - The Green Goat (Facebook)

Friday - A very special and very BIG treat from Paint the Moon AND a $50 Gift Card from B & H Photo

Here’s how this AMAZING event is going to unfold for you all! Each day of the week I’ll feature a different vendor or two here on the blog and reveal what the “prize” is from those particular vendors that will be included in the grand prize bundle. Each day I’ll have a little giveaway for those who stick around to play on our Facebook page … the more people we get playing, the more surprises I’ll reveal. At the end of the week I’ll have a drawing for the BIG GRAND PRIZE!! But wait … that’s not all!! There will also be a second prize valued at $250.

Go to Annie's page here to read the rest, and enter. And have a nice day wherever you are.

Traversata 2010

2010-08-22T20:28:00.010+02:00

The finishing line is blown up...

Canoes are ready... to catch any drowners, dawdlers and my husband if he again tries to leg it to Italy... Ready and in position
My better half is ready and promising to keep a straight line this time and to leave the canoeists alone.

Just waiting for the official times of the 2 and a half kilometer crossing of the lake to be added online, between clicking refresh button time and again, I thought I should use the time wisely instead and show off some of the photos I snapped today of my wonderful husband, and some other swimmers that took part in the 78th crossing of Lake Lugano.

This is how it starts, we don't get to see it as we are waiting on the finish line, so I took this image from the newspaper online clipping (they are fast) of Ticinonews. So about 500 swimmers (530 this year record) go in water on the other side of the lake and proceed for 2,5 km in vague direction of the opposite shore in the hope to arrive to the public beach, or as it would be better known by Italian speaking public Lido of Lugano.

They are coming! I can see them with my bare eye... All 500 odd of them.
And here is my husband, and still despite his promises he ended up tangled up on the floats to the side of the finishing line with people pictured here in the boat shouting themselves hoarse "To the LEFT! Keep to the LEFT!" Except of course, when you are swimming with the face in the water it must be hard to hear...
He made it anyway, and in comparison with last year took 20 minutes off the time. This year he did the 2500 metres in 59 minutes according to the date stamps on the photos. I am so proud! The whole family is very proud! And now off to check the official times... again.

Must sees around the area

2010-07-28T22:30:00.010+02:00

If you ever tire of catching lizards and bugs in our back garden here are

10 favourite places of the Biddis family are ( in no particular order) as it comes to my mind really

1) our swimming pool, it's Olimpic sized, and open-air, and it's rather vast and beautiful, you are allowed to jump and generally have fun in it, like a bomb-diving 42 year old wouldn't be frowned upon for instance, it has got two types of lizards for children to catch in the grounds, if you are into it, and it is a pool Italians cross the border for and bring their families for a Sunday out to.

2) Val Verzasca with the Dam where they filmed something of James Bond and a Roman bridge, famous with topless jumping German ladies.

3) Bellinzona Castles three one on top of the other, on the slope of the same mountain with magnificent views (wonderful day out, as children can really let the steam out running around after a tasty pizza) and parents can have a leasurely walk around and absorb the view

4) Monte Tamaro where you go by the cable car , and find yourself in Adventureland

for the kids, roaming cows and a super picnic spot, just plonk yourself anywhere in the grass :)

5) walk through the Botanical Gardens just a few steps up from our back door to the "Horses place" Alpe Vicania , through the forest down to Morcote and our lake , and a visit to Parco Scherer

6) visit to Town of Lugano, especially during the street performances of the Estival (summer festival)

7) High altitude Lake Ritom with a four hour walk through the Alpine meadows and marmots, and a multitude of insects if you happen to like those, as you will see the flowers you might have never seen before

8) Locarno and Lago Maggiore

9) Parco Ciani and Lido (beach)

10) our village, actually, pedestrian old part of it at any rate

Can't hunt for more photos, as it's close to midnight and tomorrow is a work day for JB, ttfn, sweet dreams.

Manchester

2010-06-28T11:22:00.005+02:00

And what do you do for holidays? We played tag-along kids with JB this time, he had to make a tutorial for other geeks in Manchester, so we went too, it being summer hols for kids, and it being held so close to home... and the timing so close to release of the new Twilight installment... Going to see Eclipse on Sunday ! Woo-hoo! as my special Birthday treat, slightly postponed... good things are worth waiting for, aren't they?! :)

So as for Manchester. You'd hear it's grey and mucky and wet... Not if you have a week of bright sunshine, and England is still (not for long but still) in with a chance for a world cup... No, in that case the sky is blue, people - smily, and to tell the truth, I was pleasantly surprised with people... very very friendly, very polite, happy and observant, ready to help, absolutely opposite of Londoners indeed. Scary looking and covered with tatoos youths, saying thank you and have a good day to a bus driver, pierced alll over and bubblegum pink-haired teens giving way to the elderly, and offering help to people with prams... I am in awe!

So thanks to these two factors: wonderful weather, and lovely people, the grey didn't look grey but sand coloured, or sun-kissed, and the life was beautiful and easy.

Manchester is really not boasting with green, trees are hard to come by and far apart, and parks are a bit scantily clad with grass...
This is the biggest green patch we found, called Piccadilly Gardens. And you can see the extent of its beauty... So for the second best we went to all the musea that were within our walking range, or walked among industrial landscape, and had generally a very good time.
Nice to have easily amused kids, here is the oldest enjoying a cord or two on the piano that we found by the ladies' bathroom at Frankie and Benny's one lunch time.

Our gecko's sad tale

2010-06-04T23:03:00.007+02:00

This is a sad "tail" indeed, as our new-ish pets Edward and Bella had a surprise for us this morning. Edward's tail was missing. Not the whole tail luckily, just a segment of almost half its original length. The kids were upset, we were upset, and we were trying to figure out what was going on. If Edward and Bella were fighting, then we have to separate them immediately, if they weren't... "who dun it?" so to say.

this is our beautiful leopard gecko Edward, the last picture with the tail still there, taken yesterday, after a day at the pool...

This is the tiny lizard the kids caught at the pool. We figured it being so small and diurnal she'd be no trouble for our leos... with hind sight I wish we left her there and then.

I am glad we didn't get this dude, come to think of it... This one is locally known as a Ramarro, or a grass lizard

We came home, fed the geckos, and Edward wasn't hungry, or already intimidated by his in-mate...??? aka our beautiful Bella.
She is licking her chops, if she is the one, and the tail of her mate gone and eaten, brrr... I am shuddering to think it... But then they were co-habiting quite happily for two months or so... I don't want to believe it but neither do I want to find our sweet little Edward chewed up tomorrow. We have thrown out the little intruder, brought by the kids, and we hope that Edward will recover very very soon!
But for now it is a sad poor Edward... My poor dear Edward...

С днем Рождения, Баба Марина!

2010-05-17T10:21:00.011+02:00

Дорогая баба Марина,

Если ты сегодня чувствуешь себя без нас немножечко вот так

или вот так,

а может быть так?!!

то это нам совсем не пойдет!

Мы хотели бы приподнять твое настроение вот так:

или перевернуть его вверх тормашками вот так

или хотя бы повеселить тебя немного вот так...

*****************************************************************

Если бы только была чуть-чуточку поближе, мы бы приготовили тебе завтрак
вот так....
отжали бы свежий апельсиновый "носочек"!!!
вот такой...,

мы бы даже дали тебе облизать ложку
вот так
**********************************************************
Мы собрали бы тебе свежий букетик
вот такой....
или даже целую икебану
вот такую...

Да мы подарили бы тебе весь куст
вот так!!!!

Мы бы сыграли тебе новую песню,
вот так...
прочитали бы тебе новую книгу
вот так...
отвели бы тебя на прогулку
вот так....
обняли бы тебя крепко-крепко
вот так!!!!
приготовили бы тебе "тортик-мортик-скортик"
вот такой!!!

и даже дали бы тебе порулить и побибикать

вот так....

Как ты думаешь, сработало бы?????

******************************************************
Мы правда старались... приблизиться к тебе хотя бы самую капельку...
вот так... Хотели, чтобы ты улыбнулась ...вот так...

повеселела
вот так...
запела бы
вот так
и даже, может быть, запрыгала...

вот так!!!
Но теперь о серьезном! Мы по тебе скучаем! Мы желаем тебе хорошего настроения в твой день Рождения!!!
И хотим только одного! Поскорее увидеться!!!

А посему...

Целуем, твои Биддискомбы и Биддискомбчики!

More calendars, more freebies

2009-12-21T13:46:00.004+01:00

Finally finished this year's calendar for my family. I have done it in 24 pages, you know the top with the photos, and the bottom page with the calendar itself. I then saved the bottom parts as transparent png stamps, and made them in two languages English and Italian, so you can benefit from those, they are made to fit snuggly onto an A4 page horizontally, but I have made them smaller when using for my purposes. See preview. What you are getting is either the calendar grids (12) in English, or in Italian, or both if you download both. Have fun, let me know if you use them. Just click on your preferred language above.

Finalmente ho finito il calendario di quest'anno, per la mia famiglia. L'ho fatto in 24 pagine, si conosce: la parte superiore con le foto, e la parte inferiore della pagina con il proprio calendario. Poi ho salvato la parte inferiore come PNG trasparenti, e li fece in due lingue italiano opure inglese, cosi potete beneficiare dal mio lavoro. Sono fatti per adattarsi proprio bene su una pagina A4 in orizzontale, ma ho fatto più piccoli quando si utilizza per il mio calendario. Vedete in anteprima. Cosa trovate è le griglie di calendario (12) in Inglese, O in Italiano, O tutte e due, se si scarica entrambi. Buon divertimento, fatemi sapere se li usate. Basta cliccare su vostra lingua preferita di cui sopra.

2010 calendar grids in Italian, calendari in italiano

2009-12-16T10:01:00.004+01:00

I have tried to make a few at-a-glance calendars for a friend of mine, but found it impossible to get a calendar grid in Italian. So I had to make them from scratch just for this project. You can benefit from it, if you have an Italian speaking friend, and make an Italian calendar for them, too. I hope you like them. Click preview to take you to 4shared where you can download your free calendar grids (remember there are only Italian versions). I will love to read your comments, too. It would be fun to know if this helped anyone at all...

Ho provato a fare qualche regalo calendario tutto anno a colpo d'occhio per una mia amica, ma si è trovata nell'impossibilità di ottenere una griglia di calendario in italiano. Così ho dovuto crearle da zero solo per questo progetto. Si può beneficiarne, se avete degli amici italiani, e fare un calendario italiano anche per loro. Spero che vi piacciono. Clicca l'anteprima per prendervi a 4shared dove è possibile scaricare le griglie gratuito (ricordo che ci sono solo le versioni italiane). Mi piace leggere i vostri commenti, anche. Sarebbe divertente sapere se questo ha aiutato a qualcuno altro...

Sale, sale, sale not to miss!

2009-11-26T20:21:00.002+01:00

Well its that time of year to shop til you drop – Shelleyrae's store will be 50% off from Black Friday to Cyber Monday PLUS there are 5 products at just $1 each PLUS there are a ton of things going on at Inspiration-Lane you won’t want to miss!

* 50% off storewide sale
* Grab Bag of Savings (bag of pretty coupons) – $1 with any purchase
* This Lil Piggy – free with $5 purchase
* This Lil Piggy & Lil Boy Blue – free with $8 purchase
* Dollar Sale
* Door Busters/Give Aways
* 2010 Compilation Calendar debut/special

P.S.

Make sure you are signed up for the Inspiration Lane Newsletter before Friday to download “Make a Wish” – a cute little freebie from Shelleyrae exclusive to newsletter readers.

A fun little kit of Shelleyrae, and a free page for you.

2009-11-22T11:00:00.004+01:00

Oodles of Fun by Shelleyrae Cusbert

Shelleyrae's kit Oodles of Fun is the cutest little autumn kit one can ask for, it has crisp colours, fun elements and cute doodles. See for yourself. I have made three pages with the kit, and I am offering one of them as a Quick page for you to enjoy, as a thank you though I ask you to just have a peep at Shelleyrae's shop at Inspiration lane.

Here is what the QP looks like, click the preview to be taken to the 4shared link to download the page itself. Have fun, and don't forget the clever designer who has made this fun kit.

Fall Wonder

2009-11-17T09:07:00.007+01:00

Does Autumn make you feel happy or sad? It makes me feel. Full stop. I feel sad when it's raining, and happy when it's sunny. I love the misty weather we are having at the moment because it makes everything look like a fairytale.
Fall Wonder is a new kit that Laurie Ann has made and it is beautiful.

It is bright original and very useable! You will see how much I enjoyed playing with it, just check it out

Laurie Ann has an amazing action. You can save 25% off the real price, if you hurry up and get yourself a copy of Fall Wonder.
Click previews for the links to the shop if you want to go get yourself a copy, it is truly a masterpiece.

Lucky me twice

2009-11-09T22:21:00.013+01:00

I have been amazingly lucky. First I have been RAKed by this amazing designer Laurie Ann of Heaven's Gate Designs, just as I was finishing the painting of my own gate/railing around the 60 sq.metres of the balcony. I was happy because the kit is awesome, and because inside it was even better that it looked on the preview, so I had so much fun making the pages with it. Here are a few pages that I have made with the kit...
and then I have been offered a place on the team with amazing Laurie Ann herself. Woo-hoo! I just can't stop! I want to make hundreds of pages, I want to make albums and albums of stuff! Laurie Ann's latest kit November Road is absolutely stunning. I have made 9 pages so far, and I want more!!! Have you seen it? Have you seen the fabulous alpha? Wordart? They are stunning each in their own way! Have a look as soon as you have a minute! And look at the pages that I have made so far.

Featured product pages

2009-10-23T10:44:00.002+02:00

I have done literally dozens and dozens of pages for different designers over the years with the group of the talented girls at SBB. and I want to show them off to you here. You might recognize the products by a variety of designers, including Shelleyrae, Tracy Ann Robinson, Manu, Lara Payton, and Vicki Stegall, Cinzia Loosemore, Diamante, Vera Lim, and Paint the Moon Annie. If you know any designer who might be interested in me, please, let me know ;)

Autumn pages

2009-10-22T17:03:00.009+02:00

Here are some assorted autumn pages, that I have made with the recent and not so recent autumn photographs. This first image celebrates our Fall tradition, every autumn we go and kick some leaves, now that Papa is back from his travels, I am hoping the first sunny week-end we can go and pay our tribute to the Autumn and rustle some leaves in the forest! Really looking forward to it. For this page I have used Ali Sarah's Thankful kit, and Garden Girl Designs' stitching. Font used: Maximo.

As for the rest I think I should just let you enjoy the slideshow of the pages, recently created.

I have received a RAK

2009-09-24T11:04:00.004+02:00

I am sure most of you will know what a RAK is, but as until recently I haven't known what it means, I'll tell you just in case: Random Act of Kindness, in other words I have received Lisete's new Kit Sweet autumn, and I had so much fun scrapping with it. As a matter of fact we had fun with both of my girls on my lap, giving me orders as to what I should use next... That sure was fun.

Frangiapani Fragrance

2009-09-22T21:09:00.006+02:00

I must admit I can't tell Frangiapani fragrance from any other flower, but that's because they don't grow here. Sad. I was lucky to see it growing in the wild three years ago in Hawaii, I loved it! The waxy petals, its perfect shape, I love Frangiapani. I even bought a little root, or bulbous part of it for MIL who adores them, and it's growing so nicely at her house, that I wish I had got one for me, too! I am not an ambitious gardener, but the plant is so beautiful, I am sure it's worth all the hard work! I'll just have to go back to Hawaii one day! LOL! Likely story... not! Sad again.

Nevermind, Shelleyrae's kit that is named after the flower will not require any hard work, it is pure pleasure. I love the light fresh colours and simple elements, that can be used for your beach memories, or any young girl or lady's page, or any summer page for that matter. I like the glitter sandy brush strokes, and lace of course. Today I give you another freebie page, and for the ones who would like to see the whole kit, please, visit the shop of Shelleyrae at Inspiration Lane. Click on the image of a Quick Page preview to download, and the preview of the kit to go to Shelleyrae's store.

Shelleyrae has moved, let's welcome her to a new home.

2009-09-21T09:18:00.005+02:00

Shelleyrae has moved to Inspiration Lane, and is settling in really nicely, so let's wish her a pleasant stay in her new "virtual" home, and have a look in her store. To show off some of the products, I will be offering you a few quick pages made with Shelleyrae's kits. Here is the first one from me. Please let me bring to your attention Shelleyrae's Gamer Lite. Here is the page I have made with it, and you can click on the preview of the Quick page to download it. Click the preview of the kit to take you to Shelleyrae's store, I am sure you will like the whole kit, as well as the other kits, templates and masks...

Good bye sale from Shelleyrae

2009-09-08T20:22:00.003+02:00

I know it's a loss for SBB that Shelleyrae is leaving, but I guess everything has got a reason, and this loss for our scrapping comunity means something good for you... That is you will love the wonderful kits, templates and masks that are on sale. I know I love the goodies that Shelleyrae makes, I am sure you will too!
You will kick yourself later if you miss it! What are you waiting for? Run!

Traversata di Lugano 2009

2009-08-24T10:16:00.003+02:00

The crossing of the lake is a rite of passage for some. Like for my dear athlete of a husband :) that is. We have heard about it before, and finally JB took part in it, and made it. He was a teeny bit worried that he'd end up miles away from the course as there are no lines to follow, as his style is crawl, not the rana (frog) where you bop out and can keep the target in line of sight. So this is exactly what happened. He had tried to make it to Italy, but the organizers of the crossing have luckily predicted this little possibility so they sent kayaks repeatedly (4 times) to show him the errors of his ways, and point him in the vague direction of the finish line. I am ever so endebted to them for bringing me back my prodigal husband! The crossing is supposed to be 2 and a half kilometers, though adding the zigzagging way that he used to arrive, his crossing was more like 3 kilometers, but he made it in the end after 1 hour 20 minutes 55 seconds, and even though he looked ever so slightly tired, he ran to me to give me a kiss before he allowed himself to be taken away for the other things. The first swimmer arrived to the finish line in only half an hour after the start, the last one was fished out after 3 and a half hours, when the organisers couldn't wait any more and wanted to go home, as did most of the athletes, and the crowds of spectators... The day has proven to be very special, and will be remembered for ever, or at least until the next year, when I have agreed to join the score of crazy swimmers, and will probably the one who is fished out last from the lake...
For now we will enjoy watching the water fun photos from Traversata 2009.

Coraline. Spookoinoi nochi!

2009-07-27T14:10:00.007+02:00

Spokoinoi nochi in Russian is a goodnight wish... Spooky on the other hand I am sure you know. The film that I saw yesterday had people (or mice was it) speaking in Russian, which made the kids feel quite special, as this summer we have started Russian lessons, and they could translate things like myshki = topi (Italian) = mice (English) for their friends... Or counting till 4... Anyway the imdb gave this film a generous 8 out of 10 rating, and the local cinema rated it as appropriate for children over 0... I was ready to see something nice, relaxing after a day's work on the roof (see DIY project posts before...) What I didn't expect was the cold hand of fear holding me by the throat through the second part of the film. Oh, yeah, it was a good film, it made you feel for the characters, it made you really worry about them... Except I was missing happy singing bunny rabbits and smily butterflies I suppose. My 8 year old came and sat between me and Dad during the film. I am glad she didn't have any nightmares about me tonight. I sure did, my Mum is coming for a visit in a week or two, and my eyes are watering at the thought... Brrrrr...
I have decided that some form of therapy was a must, so I am writing it down, and I scrapped, and I made you all a nice little box to use when you think of your "other Mother"... Enjoy...

It's a png file, so right-clicking on the picture of the box, and saving it should be enough.

Good night, sleep tight!!!

Patio (continued)

2009-07-24T15:46:00.003+02:00

I am sure we are doing something wrong, because the more we do, the more problems we uncover, and the more we need to do, I feel like we are digging a hole, not doing a DIY project. I can't wait to have it all behind us... Will it ever happen?! Bear with us, it just might. But as a reporter, I will continue updating this post until it's all over... At least in doing so, I force myself to sit down and not be on the */+#%^** patio for a while!

What did you do today??

2009-07-21T22:05:00.004+02:00

Operation PATIO 2009! or Wish me Luck!

My dear husband of almost ten years has taken a holiday! Hooray?! Oh dear?! I have mixed feelings about this, since this will be our usual one... Meaning, he is the kind of person who thinks a visit to a scrapyard is a family outing, and assembling an IKEA bookshelf is a family bonding excercise. This time he has something fantastic in store for us... A semi-DIY project for waterproofing the patio/garage roof. My heart stopped missing a beat when I hear: Have you got any plans for tomorrow, dear? Instead it sinks or stops all together, panic, worry, uncertainty, more panic... We spent our 10th anniversary of meeting each other in the attic space, putting in insulation, to keep up with the new tradition I will tell you what we did for my parents' 25th anniversary... Happy anniversary, Mum and Dad, btw! :) We have rented a "rasta" ??? - don't ask, Italian name for cleaning up the gunky gooey stuff that covers 60 sq.m. of our patio, supposedly hydro-isolating it. It is strong, it is well stuck, and it is not water-proof. Which sort of defies the purpose, in my mind. And it has to go!!! I feel a little happier now, for two reasons, one: the stuff is gone, after two days of us taking turns in shaving it with this giant super-heavy shaving device, and two: I have received a RAK (random act of Kindness) from Lisa Marie aka Gypsy Couture, who has decided that I deserve a party on my patio (eventually), and gave me her beautiful Genie templates and Party on the Patio kit, which I have promptly used for these two pages, I am showing off. So nice to be surprised like that in the middle of a dire struggle with the green stuff! CTM! (chuckling to myself)

Dare to guess what I am doing tomorrow? No? Yes! We have rented another machine, which is supposed to get rid of the glue that was holding the green stuff down. Isn't that exciting. I hope it is not as noisy as the previous one, poor kids. Poor ears. Poor neighbours.

Wish me luck!

2009-07-19T22:38:00.002+02:00

Today just a lullaby, which I like but without a QP today, since it is a Sunday, and I took a day off. :) I hope you don't mind. Enjoy the lullaby, I can only say I suspect the Armenians like their bread ... a lot... Because they all seem to be wrapping their most treasured possessions in bread... When my kids ask me for this lullaby to see again, they ask me of the "one with the man who cuddles his bicycle"... Go figure... You should have seen the face of my dh when he first heard it... What is it that they want?! Huh?!?! Good night again, see you tomorrow.

This is the most fantastic lullaby, I swear!

2009-07-18T22:17:00.004+02:00

This is the lullaby that makes me think I want to meet a baby that survived it, and doesn't wake up every night in cold sweat, just because his mother used to sing him THAT at night! Ok, I know Spanish is a very passionate language, but THIS surely can't qualify for a lullaby, no matter how fascinating it is! So... instead of a QP I only managed a png. of a baby1 with eyes open, and baby2 with eyes closed. I hope you don't mind, it being Saturday and all that, and I do hope you enjoy the song, my tongue doesn't quite manage to call it a lullaby! LOL! Both babies are linked to your freebies, I hope you enjoy your lullaby too~! Do leave me a comment if you like it! Have a nice evening, and a Good Night!

2009-07-17T20:40:00.004+02:00

I present you a Bulgarian lullaby today, a mellow, and sweet melody, and a cute character that bunny is!
I hope you have enjoyed the Quick pages so far, and the lullabies too! Today I have made 2 Quick pages for you, both 12x12 inches in png. format. Click the preview to download. Enjoy! And Good night again.
I hope you are enjoying listening to different sounds of the world with me. Please, comment if you like what you find, it makes my day sunnier and brighter too!

Yiddish lullaby and another freebie

2009-07-16T19:35:00.005+02:00

The girls have fallen in love with this lullaby, demanding it again and again, and singing along to it, even not knowing the words, it is such a sweet one, and I bet, without understanding all the words you will still know what it is about.
The preview of the QP is linked to 4shared, and the zip file contains a paper, a QP and a sketched boy bird, that I have added to my page, replacing his head with extractions of my girl's faces. Thanks for coming again. Tomorrow there will be another little lullaby for you to enjoy and another page, hopefully! Have a good night, and do sing along, I am sure you will like it, too!

This song is the one the girls want to sing again and again, so I had to go and find the words, luckily the song has a beautiful poetic translation into Russian, and here is the translation of the whole song into English as found on the internet.

By the wayside stands a bent tree;
All the birds have flown away,
And the tree stands deserted.

Turn toward the west, turn toward the east,
And the rest--turn toward the south,
And the tree is abandoned to the storm.

I say to momma--"Listen,
If you don't stand in my way,
Then, one--two,
I'll quickly become a bird.

I'll sit in the tree
And lull it during the winter and comfort it
With a lovely tune."

And momma says, "No, child,"
And weeps bitter tears.
"G-d forbid, you might freeze in the tree."

So I say, "Momma, it's a waste of your lovely eyes,
Because before you know it,
I'll be a bird."

And momma cries, and says "Itzik, my Crown,
As G-d would want, take a scarf with you,
Lest you catch cold.

"Put on your galoshes,
It will be a severe winter.
And take your fur hat, too.
Woe is me!

"And wear you warm underwear, foolish child,
Lest you become a guest of the dead."

I lift my wing, but it's hard...
Too many things, too many things
Has momma put on her weak little fledgling.

I look sadly into my momma's eyes;
Her love did not allow me to become a bird.

By the wayside stands a bent tree.
All the birds have flown away,
And the tree stands deserted.

Lullaby #2 - from North of Russia.

2009-07-15T17:36:00.004+02:00

The faint-hearted are asked to look away, as it is coming from a place where the night is very long, and electricity rare to come by, so entertainment is hand-made, and fridge!? LOL, who needs a fridge, or rather as the old joke goes, if only for people to warm up in... The lullaby is only ever so slightly disturbing, not too much... :) My kids loved it! It was me hiding behind the sofa.
If you want information on the whole project of lullabies from all over the world, see the previous entry, this post is dedicated to a lullaby from Chukotka, and is unlike the lullabies I have heard as a child or sing as a Mum... But it is a big world, and isn't it fun to see all the different styles, and hear all the different sounds?

Today I offer you another freebie, a Quick page 12x12 inches, I have resized and used it for an older and smaller photo of my little one. Click on the preview below to get to 4shared for the download, I hope you like it. Be back tomorrow for a truly catchy tune and a new freebie. Hugs to you all, wherever you are. I hope you watch the video with your kids, tell me what you think of it, I am very much interested. Good night!

Sweet dreams, everyone.

2009-07-14T22:33:00.007+02:00

I have been bitten by a bug... (bed bug I suppose), don't run away, nothing gross, sweet little one with the smile and a song... I have stumbled upon the most beautiful project that the Russian animators have recently finished: It is called Lullabies of the world, and they all are well worth your time to sit down and watch with the whole families, and babies/kids foremost. The animations are quite special, and the whole concept of travelling across the world with the dreams, is almost like you get to be wee Willy Winky for once, and peep into the dreams of the kids all over our big and such diverse world. Since Russia is my Motherland, I will start with the Russian lullaby, even if it is not the best one of the project, in my humble opinion. For the full experience I offer you a Quick page, that I have made using the cartoon as inspiration. and if you like the look of it, you can see the cartoon on youtube, and come back for more tomorrow, I will try and make another page, using another lullaby as inspiration. Take care. I hope you enjoyed this post, say hello if you did, it wouldn't be worth it if there is no interest... See the official information on the project at their website, by clicking on the image of the cartoon still frame. Get the freebie Quick page by clicking on the preview, to be taken to 4shared. The song goes:

Зыбаю, колыбаю, отец ушёл за рыбою
Мать ушла коров доить,
Сестра ушла пелёнки мыть.
Баю-баю, зыбаю,
Отец ушел за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить,
А дедушка дрова рубить.
Дедушка дрова рубить,
Да бабушка уху варить.
Бабушка - уху варить,
Да свою внученьку кормить.

Which means, for those of you who can't read Russian. :)
Rock-a-bye-baby, father is fishing,
Mother is milking, sister is washing,
Rock-a-bye-baby, father is fishing,
Mother is milking,
and Grandpa is chopping logs (not smoking as you'd think looking at the cartoon)
Grandpa is chopping, and Granny is cooking,
Granny is cooking,
to feed her little Granddaughter.
It goes on with slight variation, and I love the moment when the child throws away Grandpa's pipe, not because it teaches the children to disrespect their elders, but because what is he doing smoking in the kids' cartoon in the first place! Huh?!
Thanks for your interest. Come back tomorrow, and as the Russians say Spokoinoi nochi! Which means Good night! NB for creating the QP I used the Hazel Olive Designs CU freebie clock. The page that I have made with the Quick page uses the following fonts: Kartika, CK Ali's writing, and Cocktail bubbly. TFL.

The picture below is one of my family after war, actually the end of the fifties, and the little boy with big ears, and dreams just as big is my father, space craft designer to be. My Great grandma was really that short, and the Little Ivan is her father, while the Big Ivan is her husband, and yes, he was remarkably tall for my side of the family. It feels like the cartoon wasn't far off the reality as far as the looks of the people go. Don't these people look perfectly Russian to you?!

New kit of Shelleyrae is out, and it's a fresh Breeze.

2009-07-06T12:01:00.008+02:00

It's been so hot here recently, that we have taken to walking around in the swimwear rather than proper clothing, and my little one has designed her own attire, that we have both made with our own hands, designed, and sewn... Here are some pictures of her new "dress". and a couple of LOs I have made with the new kit by Shelleyrae Cusbert.

Swim-ming!

2009-07-03T21:17:00.002+02:00

So much fun being small, one of the Mums by the poolside noted today, you swim, you warm up on the concrete, then you swim some more, you play with your friends, you do the funny jumps into the water, maybe eat an ice-cream, then swim some, show off and go home. That's the life! Isn't it?! So that's exactly what we have been doing recently, just like kids. Kids included. :)

Our newest adventure

2009-06-29T20:51:00.004+02:00

Just yesterday we went for a walk around a high altitude Alpine lake of Ritom, and had a most fantastic time, though we managed to almost have a break-down, car-wise on the way to and from. See the photos here Photobox slideshow

What a day, we had a four hour walk in the Alps around the Ritom lake, we caught butterflies, took over 400 photos, laughed, sang, played Billy-goat-gruffs on the bridges, drank icy water from the glacier, watched marmots, whatever they are in English, saw some pretty amazing wildlife, enjoyed the air so fresh it makes you dizzy, collected a dozen tadpoles for our home pond, had so much fun...
We are coming back again, once our car has come back from the service and works better, we will take more photos, drink more water and watch more marmots. We will probably draw flowers and attract more butterflies, but that remains to be seen. As for now we will be dreaming of the meadows with the flowers the names of which we don't know because we have never seen them before, we will populate the lake and marshes with the creatures wild and beautiful in our dreams, & then come back to find them.

2009-06-18T09:36:00.010+02:00

Bats are just about the coolest thing since sliced bread if you listen to our family, but I disagree, we have beautiful nature everywhere we look. Here are a few things. Если послушать членов моей семьи, то летучие мыши - самые чудесные животные на свете, но я не согласна, мы окружены восхитительной природой, куда не посмотри.
We are lucky to have fantastically rich wildlife surrounding us, we have it on the doorstep, above and even in, last year we had some kind of wood eating larvae, that made clicking noises and produced sawdust, in the walls we have mason solitary bees, ghiri (glis-glis) in the roofspace, and an occasional mink or a pine martin aspires to make a nest under the bonnet of your car. By night the garden at the moment has a fantabulous light show of the fireflies. For some reason the frogs are out of sinc, normally they appear about the same time so the fireflies come with sound effects. Мы очень избалованы фантастически богатой дикой природой вокруг нас, прямо на пороге нашего дома, над входной дверью и даже в самой двери в прошлом году жил какой-то жук древоед, издававший щелканье и производивший опилки, в стене у нас живет одиночная пчела-каменщик, сони в крыше, а отдельные куницы или норки так и норовят свить гнездо под капотом автомобиля. Ночью сад показывает нам магическое светопредставление из светлячков. В этом году почему-то лягушки опаздывают, обычно светлячки появляются со звуковыми эффектами.
And there is more, I will look for the other photos and then update.

Wildlife special #2.

2009-06-17T07:54:00.004+02:00

On seeing the feces we looked up and between the door frame and the house we saw .... a cricket? a woodworm? a glis-glis?! I wish! We saw faces looking down at us, little cute, intelligent faces, small furry inquisitive faces, and we heard a small chattering... We saw BATS!!! I grabbed a camera and witha zoom and a flash took a snap of them, we could see about 8! They were not pleased with a disturbance, they squeaked and chirped in a protesting way. So my lovely dear husband did one better, he grabbed a camcoder and took a tiny film of them. Then he went in, got dressed in a way to protect himself from mosquitoes, and made himself comfortable in a chair right by the front door... Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue.... I checked on him a few times... nothing... But! It got darker outside, we forgot of him stationed out there, I was wondering if he fell asleep or was just enjoying the silence after our usually noisy household. Suddenly the door burst open and in he ran wild and disshevelled with joy and excitement, he saw them all fly out! Woopee! We counted eleven. Today with a shining of a torch he said there are at least 14... Amazing. We have bats! Now where are we? On the pets' front? I think we are Ok! Don't you? Will that do for a future WWF panda warrior? It will for now I am sure.
This is the film of them flying out come evening time. Dinner, guys! Enjoy!

Ok, we do have pets now!

2009-06-16T22:55:00.009+02:00

No, not the dull cats and dogs variety, but since Papa does not approve of dogs, and Mamma does not want any pets at all for the fear of making her allergy worse, the kids have to improvise, and improvise they do. Keeping in mind that the oldest wants to join WWF and go around the world saving the animals despite her fear of even the smallest representatives of wildlife, saying that, I must admit that for 4 days now she is not afraid of the ants, and that's a big deal for her! Anyway, recently we went out to the river and came back with a bottle of 6 tadpoles.
The girls were ecstatic, so much so that kind and wonderful Papa went to the shop, and bought them a little aquarium/terrarium, and made the new family members a comfortable home. Thanks to Google we have been reading on the habbits of tadpoles, necessary conditions for keeping them and feeding the poor beggars, since I for one had not had the foggiest idea of what to do with them otherwise. We feed them lettuce and burgers (!) and they seem to like it.

They seem to be quite happy and settled in their new habitat, and the kids love watching them float up to the top, take a gulp of air and go down again busying themselves with something around the stones or the bottom area. Since the first six their family has grown, as we went to the top of a mountain nearby, and the girls saw the alpine pond, or a tiny lake teeming with tadpoles,

...now we have about 22 of them altogether, they are not easy to count, too wriggly and eratic. But they are our very first pets, if you don't count the wounded sparrow that we nursed back to life back in UK, or the ducks that nested in our garden. So woo-hoo for us!

But!!!!
When we got back home we noticed something that looked like tiny bits of feces on the doorsteps, and discovered that a very different kind of wildlife lives -well- I suppose you could say right on our doorstep... More on the wildlife story tomorrow, as I can hear my bed calling my name. TTFN

Фото с прогулки

2009-06-13T21:40:00.001+02:00

Оленька, фотографии с прогулки смотри здесь.

Плавцы и плавчихи

2009-06-13T20:49:00.007+02:00

Сезон открыт, вода мокрая, плавцы готовы к бою!
Стала печатать слово плавцы и засомневалась, может быть "пловцы", но решила, что пловцы - это те, кто ест плов.

После плавания хорошо проветриться на велике или самокате! Желаем Вам веселого и здорового дня.

Настья на прогулке по Кароне

2009-06-13T18:34:00.005+02:00

Сашенькипопс водил Настью по Кароне в стиле Ивана Сусанина, к счастью они вернулись.

Val Verzasca - adventure 2009

2009-06-11T20:53:00.007+02:00

Сегодня мы плавали в холодной ледниковой воде, и, когда я говорю мы, это мы - очень королевское, но кто-то же должен был фотографировать. Это - моя отговорка, и я буду ее придерживаться. Дети оказались смелее меня и купались в больших прогретых лужах.

Красота Долины реки Верцаска заключается в великолепных камнях, прорезанных ежегодным потоком тающего снега, неукротимыми потоками сбегающего с близ-возвышающихся гор. Время от времени среди каменной долины реки, набредаешь на выемку, как будто ее кто-то ложкой выковырял, и видишь воочию отпечаток водоворота. Красота, да и только. Над рекой возвышается древняя конструкция двойного каменного римского моста, элегантного и грациозного. Красота пейзажа нарушается только изредка отдельной толстухой, бросающейся с моста "топлесс" в глубокую холодную воду. Деревушка недалеко от моста, под названием Вогорно, имеем свое необычное лицо благодаря серым каменным домикам, построенным пол-тысячи лет назад "насухую", т.е. без цемента. В этом году все ручейки и мелкие струйки переродились в потоки и водопады. Камни, на которых мы лазали и ползали регулярно вот уже 4 года, утонули в воде, а, где мы и не ждали, оказались косы из нанесенного песка. Вот тебе и погодка. Как она меняет наше окружение. Дети были рады новому неожиданному развлечению и строили песчаные вулканы. Мы еще вернемся сюда! Ждите нас камни, потоки и золотая руда!

Val Verzasca - adventure in the making

2009-05-29T14:59:00.009+02:00

Val Verzasca is a most beautiful valley just a short way away from where we live, it is beautiful in any season, as long as you still see the stone among the tourists who come and crowd it... :) It is definitely a location of outstanding natural beauty and a paradise for photographers of any age and talent. One interesting viewpoint before the car takes you all the way into the valley towards the elegant Roman double bridge, 13th century Ponte dei Salti, is a concrete monstrous dam, hydroelectricity is big in Switzerland. It is a place to watch fat American girls (forgive the shovinism) throw themselves trying to repeat the deed of James Bond from GoldenEye.

Our favourite part is rock climbing, and watching the life go by on a hot summer's day, looking through the pools filled with amphibians and dragonflies, building little towers of lucky stones, and splashing in the icy cold water.
We have a selection of the photos from the previous trips. Hopefully will get the new ones some day soon. Enjoy!

A little freebie again

2009-05-16T19:41:00.003+02:00

I have been doodling today, inspired by the new little sea creature toys, that we have acquired today with my lil one. They have those cute big eyes, so I tried my hand at reproducing the cuteness. I hope you like them. Leave me the comments, and if there is somebody out there, who likes them, I will try to continue the line of the creatures. Remember, if you use them afterwards to mention the creator, me that is (zinzilah). Here they are, meet the Seatures: see creatures... To download them click here. Have fun.

Reflections on the Tourists

2009-05-14T09:06:00.006+02:00

Ok, I know what it is to be a tourist, we do travel. Probably not as much as some of the others, but enough to know how the tourist feels. So I have been on both sides, and being a friendly, tidy kind of tourist, who wouldn't litter or go picking flowers in somebody else's garden, I expect the tourists who come to our village behave respectfully and thoughtfully too. I can not understand those who come all the way up to our mountain to this sleepy village that has only about 300 inhabitants in winter, and walk past you in the street with a brick face without even nodding in response to a buongiorno or ciao. Ok, I can understand they don't speak Italian, but you probably bother finding out a word for hello when you go to another country, don't you. There are some nice ones who reply even if in their own language. I was once a newcomer in this village and was on the receiving end of the locals who wouldn't say hello to me, and it bothered me, but I am now coming to understand why they are not all thrilled with the amount of tourists that come here. And not only the quantity but the quality of those, too. We used to live in the centre of the village, and one time having come back from a walk, I found German tourists sitting in the garden on the grass and my swing chair having a picnic, they seemed bothered about being caught, I have assured them in my bad German that they can stay and finish their picnic. They took it literally letting their dog run and dig around the vegetable patch for a long time, and when they finally left, I found a very disturbed garden, and their used tissues, and plastic bags... What's wrong with these people?! Aagh!

Now the season has just started, and the buses full of people arrive from all over Europe to visit the beautiful old-world kind of village with its narrow passages, old stone buildings and botanical garden with azaleas, rhododendrons, roses and jasmine... And when they live, they leave plastic bottles, their unfinished sandwiches and God knows what else tucked in between the stones in the dry stone walls, on the low roofs (?) or five steps away from the bins... It is not the empty annoyed buzz of the lamentation and rambling. I appeal to YOU, when You go traveling, keep this little blog post in mind, please!

2009-05-13T21:44:00.002+02:00

Now the second time around we went to Florence on our own, just my darling Husband and I, the kids being looked after courtesy of Grandparents' kindness. And what a fantastically laid back time we had. We didn't lose our way for once, thanks to borrowed navigator from my Daddy-in-Law, we walked a lot, and cycled around the second day, we have seen most of the things we planned, and left just enough to want to come again. If you plan a visit, consider buying a membership of Friends of Uffizi, it's valid for a year for quite a few of the Florentine musea. I have loved Florence, even if we saw those hideous coypu again, too ratty for my liking whatever you say about them. We also saw real rats walking the parks pretending to be squirrels, but the most beautiful part of the visit was a drive from Florence... I will be back to update about our trip through Tuscany. Thanks for listening to my rambling, come again. :)

A little freebie is long overdue

2009-05-09T16:29:00.002+02:00

Here is my recent aquisition of photos, extracted and rearranged to make up two clusters and a paper for you to use. I hope you enjoy them.

Download here from 4shared.

Leave some love if you have some to spare. :)

Villa Taranto, Lago Maggiore

2009-04-26T20:26:00.004+02:00

Wow, guys, we have been to visit this beautiful villa near Lago Maggiore, and 80,000 bulbs in bloom is a sight to see and remember, until next spring at least! I felt ever so slightly Dutch for all the tulips. Absolutely stunning.

Совсем недавно мы посетили Виллу Таранто на Озере Lago Maggiore, и сказать по-правде, 80 тысяч тюльпанов в полной парадной готовности забудутся нескоро. По крайней мере, до следующей весны! Красота неописуемая.

Дети скакали по тропинкам, прямо как горные козлята! Чувствуешь себя свежо и великолепно весной в окружении такой красоты. Каждый бутон на каждом дереве был готов взорваться новым цветком, каждый листок развернуться новой ареной для букашек покрасоваться в своем весеннем наряде.

The kids were running up and down the paths just like the little goats! One does feel fresh and wonderful surrounded by such beauty. Every single bud on every tree was just about ready to burst open with a new flower, each leaf to uncurl to become a new stage for the bugs and creepy crawlies, so that they could show off their new spring outfits. What a show!

We went to Florence, and...

2009-03-02T23:10:00.007+01:00

Have you ever played a memory game with your kids, I went to (insert your own) Florence in our case and I saw a basilica, then the next person goes: I went to Florence (or wherever) and I saw a basilica and... and so on, and so forth with the list of the things seen (or be it done) until someone makes a mistake. Well we went to Florence and judging by our photos we saw a basilica, some statues, some people (some of them yawning), a boot, a bridge, some market stalls...
and the most unexpected of all a nutria, yes, a rodent the size of a dog, and we are talking big dog, not your average chihuahua... Swimming around peacefully, breeding, and as I read they produce up to 13 young per go, mate throughout the year, and have teats (udder type of thingies) on the back (the females at any rate) to let the kids feed on the go! Oh, that is cool! That would have solved so many problems! LOL!

I am not afraid of nature, but these creatures were too much like giant rats for my liking, even if they were in the river and I was on the bridge! I am finding out now that they get served in the tourist restaurants as part of the dinner. Eugh! I am glad I am not a big meat eater! Florence was beautiful, despite the rats. Thinking about it now, I should have recognized them as nutrias straight away, back in Russia in the olden days, when the winters were so cold that antifreeze froze (rather turned to porrige, really) I used to own a coat made of these poor beggars, I wore it last when my oldest was just a babe in arms, I used to put on a marsupial bag with her in it underneath the coat... Memories, memories... See you later anyway.

A little freebie for you

2009-02-25T18:50:00.009+01:00

Since it's Carnival season out here, I thought you'd like a little mask, here it's offered as a freebie for you, for a freebie roll down, for a little story to go with it hang on. In the nearby city of Bellinzona there is a February tradition of Rabadan procession, we have never seen all the floats, the kids attention still drifts after about two hours, and we usually go away after two thirds of the procession. The same thing happened last Sunday, but we saw pretty awesome ones, I must proclaim my unchanged love for Guggen monsters, I didn't see any of them this year, and that was a great shame, they always bring on festive cheer with them. Missed you, guys.
You can see my girls sitting there on the side of the road waiting for the procession to start, this time it was 45 minutes, otherwise you have to stand behind somebody, I still had to. I have problems, I am too shy in comparison with the big Italian mammas who push you out of their way so that they could stand in front of you, and see better. I am surprised to have taken some photos without her head in the frame, but there you go can't squash creativity with your finger... LOL!
Here are the Kings and Queens who always come on the first float, and some of the other floats that were in some way remarkable.

If you still remember about the freebie, you can download it right here. Please, leave any love you have to spare :)

My baby's Birthday coming

2009-02-24T17:14:00.004+01:00

Wow, my baby-baby is turning 6! I am feeling like it's me growing old. This year she wanted to have a party most of all. A party with her friends. When before now a day with the family was requested, it's the day with Amici and Amiche is what she would like. So she was made responsible for ideas, party theme, party bags and so on, and here is what she has decided on. The theme is going to be princesses and pirates (shows, that most of the friends of hers are of the male gender). Her sister insisted on joining the army of the bucaneers too! So the invitations were made with this in mind. Rolled up as good old treasure maps should and tied up with pretty ribbons fit for the princesses.
She has made the crowns for the girls, and the paper pirate hats for the boys, following the same principle as the crowns. Now since the desicion was made, both my little girls have turned very fond of pirate attributes, and from early morning it's ahoy, my mateys, all around the house. And one of them has to be either one eyed or one-legged (armed) at any given time. I am going to be blind Pugh for the party, I am sure. Have a nice day, wherever you are. And from us here, there will be a follow up story, I assure you.

Underwater love freebie preview

2009-01-10T10:02:00.002+01:00

This is what the kit looks like. The link is in the post below. Enjoy!

Underwater love freebie

2009-01-09T15:20:00.005+01:00

It's so snowy outside, that I feel an urge of something summery, warm and fun. So I have dug up something, that I want to share with you. Here are the pages I have finally made with my own kit. Underwater Love I called it after a wonderful song by Smoke City. Would you like to have it? I was sort of waiting for my shop to open, but it's been months, and nothing has been done, so I give up. I would rather you had fun. Click here to get it. Please, don't pirate it. Just send your friends here to collect it, please. Have a nice day.

Christmas report 1

2009-01-07T11:06:00.004+01:00

This is a small post to start our report on how the holidays went. Early December we decorated the tree, and the girls took the task so seriously, that they got dressed for the occasion, how very smart, so I grabbed my camera, and snapped these.

Pages made with Shelleyrae's special gift given with the Tid-bytes December issue at Scrapbookbytes, and her Tattered Neutrals papers, available from SBB.

Freebie QPs

2008-12-09T09:59:00.005+01:00

Download page1 from 4 shared
Download page 2

Here are two QPs by me using my own paper, and template, that you can see on this blog.

This is the page I made with it. I have taken a green page, and applied sepia effect to it to suit the photos better. Green and blue papers are negatives of each other. You can change the colour of the paper by applying effects, or adjusting hue/saturation, let me know if you like it. Have a nice day wherever you are!

When the angels sleep

2008-12-04T20:45:00.002+01:00

Aren't they cutest when they sleep? So I made a page, and I thought I'd share, much nicer this way! You will have a plopper with the round window for your own photo. Credits: fonts Home Remedy, and Huntson.

I haven't checked in a while, but when I did, you girls who left me some love in the comments, made me smile and cheered me up so much, that I went and made this freebie page for you! Download from 4shared here.

Why bother, or nobody wants my freebies.

2008-11-17T18:50:00.003+01:00

Since let's face it, nobody is reading the blog, I didn't bother with the freebies, I felt sick all week, stayed put a lot, and managed a busy enough schedule of two little ones, but I am back on my feet and will have another go. Here is a little freebie for you. If you want more, just drop a line, that will surfice.

For now here is a Quick page for you, that I have made from a LO of my little one, dead keen on Chinese Martian arts.
Download from 4shared .

So anxious! So here is a freebie! LOL!

2008-11-12T08:21:00.002+01:00

So anxious, I can hardly sit still anymore. The shop is supposed to be up and running by now. Any minute, and the anticipation kills me, I go checking the mail and suchlike every minute or so! When will it be up, what's it going to look like, what will it feel to have one? I am out of breath just thinking of it! Instead I know I should be creating, and getting ready in a positive way. Ok. How about if I make sure that someone wins from my frustration?! How about YOU? I will give out a freebie every day until the shop is open! Just take it alright? And here is the first one! Should be able to right click and save it. And of course don't pretend that you don't know better than recolour and resell it or any of the pirate tricks, just enjoy it, let me know if you use it, because I love seeing my stuff used! Come back tomorrow for the next freebie! Looking forward to seeing you! See ya then.

Actually here is a freebie

2008-10-24T00:51:00.001+02:00

Well, I have changed my mind, here is the promised paper, and still come back tomorrow, there might be more in store ;)

A free paper and a teaser

2008-10-24T00:45:00.002+02:00

Here is a free paper for you and a teaser of what's to come very soon to Zinzilandia. ;) I'll give you a clue it's a new kit to celebrate the fact that Zinzilah is going to have a little shop at SBB...
Come back for the link to the paper and more information tomorrow, now it's past midnight, so I'd better hit the bed! See you tomorrow!

mushroom'migurumi #12

2008-10-22T07:59:00.002+02:00

Cackle-cackle. One of our mushrooms has a full head mask of a witch, she is very proud. Doesn't she look smashing in her costume. She is a firm favourite with my family! Loves peas and carrots, doesn't like scary stories much. Wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

mushroom'migurumi #10 and 11

2008-10-19T09:56:00.005+02:00

These are two friends, best girlfriends ever. They go to the same school, read the same books, like the same music, so they both agreed to go as brides, though one of them doesn't really like skeletons, so she is just a bride, even if it's not too Halloweeny... There isn't a rule about that, is there, she says. They are also both finger puppets.

mushroom'migurumi #9

2008-10-18T10:43:00.006+02:00

Bunny-dressed mushroom is one of the youngest to go trick-or-treating this Halloween, so her costume is not frightening at all, she doesn't like "frightening". She is frightened of a lot of things, like dark and clowns, and bats, and pumpkin's flickering lights. She is frightened even of her big sister, who is dressed as a green bat. She usually loves her sister, she looks up to her. She sort of knows that she is inside the costume, but afraid of her still, just in case.

mushroom'migurumi #8

2008-10-18T09:40:00.004+02:00

This is a little mushroom that likes the circus, and he wanted to win the Scariest Costume Competition, so he decided to go as a clown. After all what can be scarier than a clown. He didn't even look at himself in the mirror, because he was a little bit afraid. He loves playing the Circus and performing for his friends, he can make three sommersaults one after another, but his Circus is always a happy one, i.e. clown free. His favourite colours are blue, and red.

mushroom'migurumi #7

2008-10-18T09:34:00.004+02:00

A little girl mushroom that has dressed herself as a green bat (I bet you know her favourite colour) likes going trick-or-treating, and dislikes being scared. She spends her free time reading or playing with her friends. She loves books about flying, she tried flying from a tree several trees, but she only managed the falling bit of it. (My two little ones are sitting on either side of me, and dictate things to type).

mushroom'migurumi #6

2008-10-18T09:22:00.003+02:00

Here comes Pumpkin boy, his favourite food is Pumpkin soup, so he decided to dress up as a pumpkin (he is wearing a mask). He loves playing hide and seek, easy peasy if you are wearing this mask in the pumpkin patch. He hates being teased. His favourite subject is recreation break. He is really afraid of being told off.

mushroom'migurumi #5

2008-10-17T20:57:00.004+02:00

"I am the Count, I count really well", 1-2-3 this mushroom decided to go as a vampire, and he looks quite dashing with it, too. He is keen on maths as you might have noticed.

mushroom'migurumi #4

2008-10-17T20:52:00.003+02:00

Sweet little one didn't have a costume, so being white and cute she decided to go as a ghostie, but I am told, that she has to be reworked, so I will be back with an update for her, she loves ice-cream...

mushroom'migurumi #3

2008-10-17T08:28:00.003+02:00

This amigurumi likes Halloween, but not the really scary stuff, she has made this costume herself. And if you still don't know what she is supposed to be, she is a champignon dressed as a Fly Agaric, or Amanita Muscaria as my dd informs me. Do they study extreme survival in the second grade? She likes playing tag with her friends, she is very sociable and polite, loves school, and after school is always planning the next party. I am also told that she has made most of other mushrooms' costumes. Even the scary ones. Even though she didn't approve of those. She reminds me of my oldest daughter. Studious, organised, pleasant, sweet.

The second mushroom'migurumi

2008-10-17T08:19:00.004+02:00

The second mushroom must be a girl, she is dressed up as a butterfly, she is fun to be with and likes to be noticed by her friends mushrooms, she likes to be adored! Her favourite colours are purple and pink, or so my littlest daughter says, she likes singing and flower picking... Do mushrooms really pick flowers?! Nevermind. She is restless and likes her mini adventures that she has to make up if the day is really boring. Dislikes being bored, but is rarely bored due to active mind, and body. Her favourite game is skipping with a rope, but I am told she is still not too good at it, because she keeps tripping. In fact when she is having an imaginary adventure, she trips over things, furniture, and other mushrooms, too. So surprisingly I have just discovered that She is a bit clumsy...

The first mushroom

2008-10-16T20:53:00.003+02:00

Here is my first mushroom ready for Trick-or-Treating. Meet Patch-boy. He is not sure of himself, he feels like his costume could be better. He is a gentle boy (mushroom I mean), and likes music. He dislikes fighting, and wishes he had more confidence. His favourite game is hopscotch, favourite colour - red. He is very friendly. He always has a glass of milk before bedtime.

Amigurumi

2008-10-16T20:43:00.003+02:00

I have not told you yet, that among my hidden talents of roof insulatingand scrapping I have yet another one, discovered only last year by my children, and it's amigurumi making. Basically crocheting things in one very long spiral movement. I have encountered it first when my little daughter received a hand-made giraffe with a scarf from my Russian friend and ex-colleague, namesake of my daughter Sasha. After several years of it travelling places with us, the arty daughter of mine started designing me things she wanted made, and that's how I took the hook in my hands again. Last year my youngest came with the concept of potato people and Mr. and Mrs. Peanut, that I made for her, this year with inevitability of Halloween, the seven year old came up with the mushroom idea. Champignons that go trick or treating, dressed up in the costumes, she has done about 15, and several original ones by the youngest creative pest who wouldn't be outdone by her sis, my darling five year old. here is what we have done so far! The first one is of what they look like as champignons, undecorated.

Week-end #2, still up the roof!

2008-10-16T18:04:00.008+02:00

To celebrate 10 years since we met, we went up the roof again (how romantic) and worked until it was finished. Thank Goodness for friends! Two of them just turned up on the day to give us a hand and Gosh! It was so much easier with the help, it seemed so much easier... We saved so much time thanks to another pair of hands and a brilliant idea of throwing the materials up instead of carrying them up the wobbly ladder. And it was so easy to have somebody pushing the insulation through the hole in the roof, which meant I didn't have to crawl out of the narrow space for each piece and push it in front of me all the way back the whole length of the roof. So by the end of Sunday the job was done, I sure hope it will make the significant difference to our temperature indoors. My Dad, a true Russian gets cold when he comes to visit, and wears in bed a wooly hat that I crocheted for my dear husband to go in the snow... And last winter, when we ran out of oil in our new house, our bedroom kept +12 Celcius for a week.

And what did YOU do this week-end?

2008-10-06T09:34:00.006+02:00

We have finally received a piece of good news on Thursday, that the materials for the roof insulation might be delivered on Friday, and were happy like a pair of kids we are. :) Friday came with torrential rain and Biblical hailstorm. :( But the delivery was late and when it has finally arrived the rain paused, just for us, just for an hour, that we all needed to fuff about and unload the stuff. :) The driver has telephoned shortly before the arrival asking me, if I have anyone to help me unload the rockwool, so I in turn quickly telephoned my lovely husband to help me. ;)

On the arrival of the lorry I felt a bit weak, thinking there is no blooming way we are ever going to cope with that amount of stuff, and even worse when the driver informed us that he couldn't bring the whole lot in one go, so would be back with the left-overs... No kidding! Not that it was easy or great fun, or anything of the kind, but we did it (insert Dora the explorer singing We did it song here) and it only took us a bit over half an hour. I was shattered, and filling my garage was easier, as it was smaller, too.

The weather forecast for week-end was good so decision was made that the work on the roof should start immediately. My dh (he is a man after all) invited two friends to help him. (good man!) except that he invited their families as well, after all it is only going to be 200 sq.m. of basically fiber-glass. And to access the roof we need to move some asbestos around, but a little bit of asbestos is good for you, isn't it?! If you have a minute, do explain to me how does the mind of a man work?! It must be very different to a woman's! I was busy organizing where do I send our kids out for a day, not planning at all having 6 kids running around all the debris and three men going up and down a ladder... Seemed to me like a scenario for a disaster. Having explained this to my dear dear scientist of a husband, I have found myself in a situation that he wouldn't talk to me for the whole evening, and refused the help of the blokes, and blaming it all on me not wanting to have a party... Really I am all for parties, only not the ones that are combined with DIY and Asbestos, for goodness sake! I tend to avoid going to them, so I am not going to throw one, am I?! Anyway, I said I would not change my mind, and would rather crawl in the roof-space myself, if macho help involves 4 more kids present...

So when Saturday came we were ready (but not speaking yet), and the kids looked after by a friend in the village from 9:30 in the morning! The work has started...The packs (awkward size) had to be carried up into the garden, cut open and carryied up the ladder, did I mention that my wonderful man has vertigo, and I have fear of just about everything? Ok, so keep this in mind when I tell you that he had to go up and down the shaky ladder 96 times to carry the materials to the roof, where I met him to push the panels in (each individual panel of FlumRoc is the size of the cot matress) and take them into position. I was armed with a face mask and a bread-knife to perform my task and by the end of the day managed to crawl pushing one matress in front and pulling the other one behind me... Thanks to the communist government that prepared me in my Soviet childhood by making us participate in the military game of "Zarnitsa" where you were taught to crawl under the tight threads, hauling an injured body with you... Watching American films in youth has helped me move back to the pile of matresses even faster by using my comando style roll, and in the middle part of the roof, I could even hobble along in a proper Disney hunchback fashion. Oh! That was fun! Keeping in mind that my husband's knees have been operated on 7 times (?) -Gosh! so far, and are pieced together using some other less used part of his body in a mosaic fashion, I didn't mind doing most of the crawling, I got used to the huge spiders almost immediately, and for the dark corners I had my miners lamp on the forehead, so that was alright, too. Besides I was not at all capable of climbing up a shaky ladder with a huge pile of rock-wool in my hands. But it turned out that I have a hidden talent, carving out bits of rockwool to make a nice jigsaw kind of effect when laying it down. Thus my trusty bread-knife...

About 6 p.m. Saturday we had to stop for several reasons: we have emptied the biggest garage, we have used up all of the material in the garden, it was too dark to see, and we thought it was time to remind the kids that they still have both parents. BTW some time during that day we forgot that we were not on speaking terms, and the family relationship has become a warm and friendly one... Sunday morning I could not kneel on the soft bed to get up, I couldn't sit up or pull myself on the elbows either... I am such a sissy, being all bruise and pain from mere 8 hours of excercise, Alas! I was no good as a helper, but brave superhero of my husband came to rescue, he single handedly brought four more packs up to the garden and then up the ladder to the roof, climbed in and layed the patch that was left over. Hurrah!!! He is my champion. So what is left now is about 88 sq.m. of surface along the other line of imaginary L that represents a layout of our house. And this time I am organising the help, and no children are involved! Just keep the fingers crossed for the nice weather next week-end!

You are in luck!

2008-10-03T09:21:00.001+02:00

You are in luck because one of the most talented designers out there is having a closeout sale, the items will be retired, and this is your last chance to snatch them and at a fraction of a price. Click on the ad to take you to the shop, and see for yourselves, but let me just show you a few of my favourite bits.

These four mini kits would cost you 50 cents each, of mere $2 if you want them all, and there are heaps more from where this came from, are you still waiting for something? Go! Both images are clickable! You know you want to! ;) Click NOW!

Borders freebie

2008-10-01T15:24:00.000+02:00

Going through my stashes of things I didn't think were nice enough to even give away, I have found the borders, and they are sort of neat, and don't stink that much. LOL! So if you want them, you can have them now. If you like them, leave a little note. If you think they would be just a waste of your hard drive, let me know too! :) Worth knowing. Thanks.

This time freebie inspired by Grey's Anatomy soundtrack cover.

2008-09-29T21:46:00.000+02:00

I like the different Grey's anatomy soundtrack cover images, they look like pieces of a shattered plate or something of the kind, and would do nicely for the multi-photo Layouts, I hope you can use them.

Just click on the image of a template, it is in png, so right-click and save it.

Doodlypoos freebie

2008-09-26T20:09:00.000+02:00

I have had these sitting in assorted files for a long while now, and I thought I should just put it out for everyone to enjoy. Here you go.

It's all to do with pink

2008-09-25T21:08:00.000+02:00

Just click the freebie preview above to download it.

You might know that I host a scrapping challenge at Scrapbook-bytes website, which is called Scrapheap Challenge, check it out, I like the things that we come up with even if I say so myself... For this week's challenge we were after a page with torn paper, silhouette, some colour black, and I can't remember what else. So this is what I came up with, and I used some of the things that I have previously created, and offering them to you now as a pink pack. I hope you like your little freebie. :) Leave me a little love so that I knew that somebody actually enjoys my giftie.
For the LO I have used QueenPamedalah's quote, my own paper, metal heart, and leafy corner doodle, Nicole Young's trio of hearts, a silhouette of my youngest dd, just played with the layers, to achieve the effect.

House M.D. fan inspiring me to scrap, and a freebie for all.

2008-09-25T20:29:00.000+02:00

I shall confess that I love the grumpy characted of Hugh Laurie's, and recently looking for info on the new series, basically How long do I have to wait?! I have stumbled upon some "fan art" that inspired me to scrap some multi-photo LOs. I love those, because my main aim in scrapping is framing and preserving to posterity some of the cute things my kids do.
Photoshoot uses the following:
NKubo Black and white kit, MTerasawa's swirl, font: Copperplate Gothic Light.
Crazy kind of love uses:
N.Norcutt wordart, LivEdesigns stamp, bg a combo of favourite shirts of my dh and bg by Sarah Belle designs.
And if you'd like to be able to reproduce the positioning of the photos in the Photoshoot Layout, I am adding a png file for you. If you have any questions as to how to use it, shoot away, leave your mail in the comments, and I'll get back to you.

Previous 1st of August photo shoots

2008-08-03T13:36:00.000+02:00

This is our last year's photo still in the garden of the rented house.
Это - наш прошлогодний портрет еще в саду арендованного дома.

Zinzilah Look-alike Meter

2008-08-03T13:28:00.001+02:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Roots - Free family tree maker

Zinzilah Look-alike Meter

2008-08-03T13:07:00.001+02:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Blank family tree - Family name history

Traditions

2008-08-03T12:35:00.001+02:00

Since we moved to Switzerland, and started to miss certain things that we used to enjoy in Oxfordshire, we have deceided to act by creating our own family traditions, and one of them is having a family photo in the garden taken every year on the first of August, a special day for all Switzerland, and now our private special day too! This is the fourth year we have done it, and I will try and find the photos from the previous years so that you could enjoy how we have grown and changed.
Наш ежегодный семейный портрет в саду. Номер четыре. Ну как, мы выросли? Изменились? Похорошели? :)

My little monkey gave me an idea, and a freebie.

2008-07-31T22:36:00.000+02:00

My little one started to like hanging upside down in the park, and being very partial to the monkeys of all sorts, so she has become "my little monkey", we (my dds and myself) have been recently practicing drawing monkeys, first on paper then on computer, so we all made an alpha for you to enjoy. And you can see a LO that uses the monkey alpha... Also used are: Circus Carnivale kit by TiffanyTillman, a Kit by Kat Circus kit alpha M, Kristin Aagard's clip. Anita Designs' clowns, monkey alpha is by me available on my blog. BG is my Wave bg coming as a freebie to the blog soon. :) Fonts: Kozuka Mincho Pro B for the Monkey alpha, University script and Wendy

You can download the Monkey Alpha here.

antique freebie

2008-07-27T13:03:00.000+02:00

I have used an antique card and a piece of an old paper to create this little freebie for you. Do leave a comment if you like it, or send a link if you use it, there is no better gratitude than that.
Download zin_antique here.

And here he is in all his nerdy glory!

2008-07-19T00:10:00.001+02:00

Ok, Ok, I said I shouldn't do it...

2008-07-18T23:37:00.000+02:00

And I did it, it turns out that for once in a blue moon my dh read my blog whilst at work, so I had to see where he comes up on the nerdy score, and guess what... He is Not very very nerdy, Neither is he the King of the Nerds, no!

LOL! And I made him not cheat, so ... He has earned it fair and square...

Saw this on Claudi's blog, and had to find out. :)

2008-07-18T11:30:00.000+02:00

I know that my dh would probably come with Biohazard warning, so shh! let's not let him find out just how nerdy he is. And I had to look up GPA to answer the question, because I am Russian, and I had to estimate that answer, as the Educational system of Russia has a different scale of marking your performance, the rest I am afraid I have done without looking it up... I thought I'd be slightly nerdy, well, whatever, nevermind. I guess being married to a computer geek rubs off on you, too. :) Have a nice day, let me know if you take a test.

What do you know about Cornish pasties? plus a tasty freebie for you.

2008-07-16T08:50:00.000+02:00

When we lived in UK we went to Cornwall a couple of times, and there I was overwhelmed with the scenery, old mines and the Cornish pasties, not only are they tasty, but have a long history, for instance do you know why they have such a big crust on one side. They were a part of the staple diet of the miners, and farmers of the old days, and when they ate their lunch they didn't want to touch the food with their hands, not only for the fear of the dirt, but also because they didn't like being poisoned by tin or copper (the miners especially). I have made something for you as a special Cornish treat. But first my page that is devoted to our first family Holiday, the one we had in 2001.

And now for that special treat that I told you about. I have made three papers from those old photos, an overlay and a pastry for all of you to enjoy!!! I hope you like it, if so, click on the image of the preview to download and comment so that I knew if you liked it, too.

Stay little, don't grow up! Not yet! I am not ready!

2008-07-15T23:16:00.000+02:00

I am not ready to admit that my girl is growing up. It pains me to see the glimpse of what she is to become, just be a baby, my baby just a second more. I was scrapping her photos today and crying, I have not noticed when it's happened that she turned into this beautiful young creature. I knew she didn't fit into the crook of my arm for a while now, and I do enjoy her curiosity and seriousness, I love her grown up qualities, but I miss my baby! I want my baby back! Can't type any more, too wet...

How about that!

2008-07-15T16:58:00.001+02:00

2008-07-12T19:02:00.000+02:00

my first Dutch trip

2008-07-09T23:46:00.000+02:00

The short story of the Dutch trip goes as follows: I have stayed for over a month in the psychiatric hospital in the province of Drenthe either in 96 or 97 with a group of doctors I was accompanying, the visit started with our being on local radio and television, and one of the Russian psychiatrists starting the formal speech with a joke that I translated for him: In the psychiatrist's studio there is always one schisophrenic: and it is very difficult to say whether it is the patient or the doctor himself... To cut the story short that doctor after a couple of weeks being abroad had started following me with a metal rouble trying to "remind" me of the task that KGB "had given us" (!!!) How freaky is that?! He was safely (with certain difficulty as he had hidden his passport) been returned home and hospitalized at alater date... But just fancy that!?!!! I am still using Shelleyrae's papers, see previous posts if you are interested. They are just perfect for someone like me. Font: Journal.

2008-07-09T15:31:00.000+02:00

I used Lazy kitty kit Splash, and the butterfly is from her freebie Think Spring, Ake Pangestuti's frame. Tekton Pro font. TFL. The flying from 10 m is performed by my dh. Why?! Search me. Must be a man's thing!I can't understand what's the neccessity to jump off the highest thing, especially when your knees have been operated on a couple short of a dozen times... when jumping off the boards a few years back you were growing a hunchback... fails me. A child of seven watching these guys jumping off talked of the lemmings, so true!