The end of 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After Christmas

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

Have a great Tuesday night, everyone!

Workshop

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

WORKSHOP

med

Jenny Svensson

hos KiAs Butik på loftet.

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


Kurs i att bygga fågelholkar

lär dig bygga från grunden.

Allt material samt fika ingår.

Antal: sex platser

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

Pris: 250 kr

Gingerbread

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

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

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

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

A great day!

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

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

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

 And here's a Christmas card.

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

Have a great evening, and a fabulous weekend.

How about some Echo Park?

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

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

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

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

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