EMS Arts

Be mine CT work

2012-01-31T19:45:00.000+02:00

Showing some of the layouts of the CT, more coming soon!

by Astrid

New products and freebie

2012-01-31T02:24:00.000+02:00

I have been working hard the last 2 weeks to finish a new kit and overlay pack!

EMS Arts - Valentines Day overlay pack. Six fullsize 300 DPI overlays, CU ok! Exclusive at CSD.

And my new kit: Be Mine!

Be Mine is the ultimate Valentines kit, for all your romance layouts, but also for making Valetnine cards), full of glitter amd glamour, in the classic red and pink colors of Love!

1 flagbanner with text "Be mine" and one blanco
1 banner "I love you"
1 lovebear clipart
1 ribbon
1 pair of brackets
3 brads
1 button
1 paperclip
3 flairs
3 roses and 1 rose leaf
8 fantasy flowers
2 fantasy branches
7 frames and one frame mat with hearts
1 harp
4 hearts and a cluster of hearts
a kiss
2 envelopes, one with card
1 mat
1 note
1 heart string
1 tag
1 ticket
5 wordbits

55 elements!
24 papers
and a full upper and lowercase alpha with numbers.
EXCLUSIVE at CSD!

If you like this page, you can download it as a quickpage here (png format, fullsize, 300 DPI)

And stay tuned for February's newsletter (I am a featured designer :), with an exclusive EMS Arts CU freebie (LIMITED TIME!) and a month long sale, plus a free MEGA kit with purchase. (February 2012).

Ben

2012-01-10T16:30:00.005+02:00

Today would have been the 20th birthday of our son Ben. Today is also his 20th Yahrzeit, the anniversary of his death because of a medical error by the gynecologist.

My candle today for Ben.

Psalm 23 is very special to me. It was read by Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp at Ben's funeral. Every time I hear it or read it, it brings me great comfort.

yehi zichro baruch - יהי ברוך זיכרו

May His Memory be a Blessing

The last month

2012-01-10T16:22:00.002+02:00

I have been so busy with the scrapstore and challenges, the holidays and in between visits to hospital with Sarai that I didn't have the time to unload my camera! Did it today and here is a recapture of the last 3 weeks :)

The Xmass bread we baked, the traditional Weihnacht Stol

and the oliebollen (Dutch donuts) for New Years Eve/Hanukkah

and Hanukkah of course!

and the poinsettia my mom gave me

and finally we had the antique plate rack hung on the wall. I bought this beauty last year for 230 shekels, which was a steal I think (around 60 dollars). It has beautiful carved patterns on top and bottom.

and this beautiful mirror I bought last week for 500 shekels (130 dollars), which is really cheap as these are extremely rare here. It has beautiful carved symbols.

love the pomme granates in the middle!

These 7 English transferware plates I bought a few weeks ago at the Haifa fleamarket.

This little thing was standing at the roadside near the garbage in the pouring rain and I hope it can be saved as the wood was soaking wet.

also this fellow stood next to the garbage bin. Saved in time!

This lot I bought also at the fleamarket and was around 10 dollars the lot, for 5 soup plates, 3 dinner plates and one serving plate. Italian. For my blue transferware collection.

and this is really a lovely find (4 dollars for the lot). Five lunch plates from

Phoenix ware Thomas Forester and sons. These were made before 1959. Does anybody recognize this particular pattern?

and finally these 3 brown transferware cups and saucers. Myott royal mail pattern. Around a dollar for one cup and saucer.

Thanks for visiting me and wishing you a lovely week!

Tu bishvat freebie

2012-01-08T12:48:00.001+02:00

Tu Bishvat, traditionally known as the birthday of the trees, is a time to think about relating to the natural world. This holiday can be celebrated by planting trees, eating fruits, and having a Tu Bishvat Seder, a ritual that began with the kabbalistic masters of the 15th century.

Tu Bishvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בשבט‎) is a minor Jewish holiday, occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat (in 2011 this occurred from sunset on January 19 through sunset on January 20). It is also called "The New Year of the Trees" or (Hebrew: ראש השנה לאילנות, Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot‎). Tu Bishvat is one of four "New Years" mentioned in the Mishnah. This year, it will fall upon the dusk of February 7 through the dusk of February 8, 2012.

The name Tu Bishvat is derived from the Hebrew date of the holiday, which occurs on the fifteenth day of Shevat. "Tu" stands for the Hebrew letters Tet and Vav, which together have the numerical value of 9 and 6,
adding up to 15.

I made a Tubishvat minikit PU for Addie's CU Pack for a PU FREEBIE Challenge. The mini has 13 papers and 13 elements. Fullsize, 300 DPI.

Scraplift challenge entry

Newsletter and free mega collab kit!

2012-01-08T11:02:00.000+02:00

There is a new newsletter! Full of info, inspiring layouts and gorgeous freebies!

and the new store collaboration kit is in store, free with purchase!

We have done it again, this Mega is jamm packed with fabulous frosty elements and oodles of frosty papers, you are sure to make simply gorgeous pages with this collection. Don't leave without it!

Get it Free with purchase, see details for more information HERE

Features over 200 Frosty Elements and over 80 Chilly Willy Papers.

Full Size, 300dpi

Personal Use Only

Participating Designers: Adry Piliero, butterflyDsign, Carol’s DigiScrap Creations, Created by Jill Scraps, Dhl, Gemini Creationz, KaKleiDesigns, Maguette, Mariscrap, Nathalie Scrap and Design, Pmarie, Simplette.

Silvester

2011-12-31T12:20:00.001+02:00

Here we are at the last day of the year 2011 already. How fast the time goes by! New year's eve is called Silvester in Israel to distinguish it from the Hebrew New Years Day, Rosh haShana which falls in September usually and is celebrated countrywide (free days). Silvester is not celebrated by many (not a free day), but some celebrate in discos and pubs, some celebrate with a family meal or just a LeChaim at midnight.

The name Silvester or Sylvester in itself has an uneasy feel for many Jews worldwide. “Sylvester,” was the name of the “Saint” and Roman Pope who reigned during the Council of Nicaea (325 C.E.). The year before the Council of Nicaea convened, Sylvester convinced Constantine to prohibit Jews from living in Jerusalem. At the Council of Nicaea, Sylvester arranged for the passage of a host of viciously anti-Semitic legislation. All Catholic “Saints” are awarded a day on which Christians celebrate and pay tribute to that Saint’s memory. December 31 is Saint Sylvester Day (as Pope Sylvester died on 31 December 335).

I hope you enjoyed my blog, products and freebies in 2011 and I hope you"ll be back visiting next year! I thank you for the support and friendship you have given me in 2011! I wish 2012 to be for all of us, a year of love and happiness, of joy and prosperity, of health and peace.

Here is my last freebie of 2011, for your New Years Eve scrapping pages :) This fullsize minikit has six papers and 13 elements, Personal use, 300 DPI.

See you next year!

Remember the CSD celebration storewide sale; my store will be set at 35% off during the end of year sale (DEC 26-JAN 2d) - (including CU products).

CT layouts

2011-12-31T10:36:00.000+02:00

These layouts were created by Jacqueline1976 Using EMS Arts - A shabby chic cottage.
Uploaded to the gallery here.

Happy holidays!

2011-12-26T11:22:00.000+02:00

Wishing you all wonderful holidays (Hanukkah, Xmass, New years day)! The very best for 2012, health, happiness, peace, love and prosperity!

In celebration CSD has a storewide sale and my store will be set at 35% off during the end of year sale (DEC 26-JAN 2d) - (including CU products).

I hope you were able to download the CSD seasonal blogtrain. Scroll down two posts for my part!

And below some older blogfreebies in case you missed them!

I. Xmass stocking model - you need a 3D program as Poser or Bryce to use this!

II. Bryce materials (hosted at Renderosity) - You need the program Bryce by Daz in order to use this!

III. Xmass/Hanukah scrap kit

IV. older xmass mini kit

CSD Quickpage contest freebies

2011-12-20T00:29:00.000+02:00

The quickpage was created with the kit Papillons by Scrappers Delights for CSD.

My layout with Yael when she was four.

And my freebie, 12x12, 300 DPI, personal use.

and here is the Wordart used in my layout

CSD blogtrain Dress in Snow

2011-12-14T23:45:00.001+02:00

Our train is leaving the station at December 15th. Look what a gorgeous super large kit you can collect by visiting all the blogs below!

Blog Train riders: please don't forget to leave each designer some love by posting a comment on their blog, they have worked extra hard to bring this amazing collaboration to you FREE, let's make them feel good!

Enjoy the Ride!

BLINKIES/BLOG LIST:

byMurielle

PrettyJu

Nathalie Scrap and Design

ChiChi Designz

KaKleiDesigns

Cocotounette

scrpncrzy

Dillie's Designs

YOU ARE HERE!

EMSArts

PMarie

Chili Designz

butterflyDsigns

The Brown Owl

Axi and Nanet design

Sugarbutt designs

Created by Jill Scraps

Dhariana Scraps

TLP Designz

Scrapmania

This is my part:

and have you entered my giveaway? One day left!

MY GIVE AWAY

Till December 16th

New kit and freebie

2011-12-03T12:06:00.005+02:00

EMS Arts - Art Deco

A unique pagekit in blues, teals and golden yellows, with artisitc art deco elements for your everyday or special event scrappages! Fullsize, 300 DPI, Personal use only.

Contents:

32 unique elements and 8 shadowed versions (40 elements together)
20 papers
en a bonus of 2 clusters

Elements:
-8 frames
-1 eyelet
-4 flairs
-2 tags
-1 ricrac
-3 bows
-1 victorian key
-1 photocorner
-15 floral doodles (8 of them with a shadowed version)
-4 flowers

Exclusive at CSD!

Sample layouts

and this one was created by Astrid

and this one was created by Shirl

and this one was created by Karen

The add-on below will add five papers and six elements (two of them also have a shadowed version) to the kit.

If you spend $10 at the store, you"ll receive the December store mega Mistletoe Memories, valued at 10 dollars for FREE!

GET IF FREE, SEE DETAILS

This mega collaboration includes
292 Glorious Elements and 104 Holiday Papers
Full Size, 300dpi, Personal Use Only

Below a preview of my part of the December mega collaboration!

More freebies, including CU in our December newsletter!

To View/Read in Browser, click HERE

NEXT
DECEMBER 2011

and have you entered my giveaway?

My give away

Till December 16th

Black Friday Sale

2011-11-23T20:19:00.000+02:00

CSD store

Don't forget my giveaway!

Little seasonal giveaway

2011-11-17T21:30:00.002+02:00

I thought it is time again for a little giveaway for my followers. As I so miss the winter in Holland and the lovely Xmass windows in the stores (even when we celebrate Hanukah which I loveeeeeeeee), the snow and all..I thought I am going to do a winter-holiday giveaway from the land where it all started :)

My giveaway has 3 small vintage hand-embroidered holiday mats (I think they are linnen), a pair of silvertone ceramic candlesticks and a pair of warm ladies red fairlisle pompom home slipper socks, brandnew, but I removed the tags. They are a size 39-42 (USA 7-10, UK 5-8?) And who knows what else I can find to add to the parcel :)

If you like to enter, just leave a comment at this post. Be sure you are a follower or become one as this giveaway is for my followers.

The giveaway runs till December 16th so I have time to send it to you before the holidays. I will ship worldwide.

If you like, you can place my give away button to your blog, but it's not a must and it won't give you extra chances this time (but apreciation :). All my followers have one entry.

edited on December 16th
THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

The winner is................

which is Helena!
Please send me your adress and I get it on the post ASAP!

Looking forwards

2011-11-17T21:14:00.000+02:00

Thank you for your sweet comments! I am still trying to catch up blogs, mails and other work from last week, but things have been so hectic. We have been twice this week with Sarai to hospital for changing bandages; my FIL was hospitalized because of complications of a galbladder removal operation; we had a ceremony at Michal's base as she got promoted for finishing a stage in her education/training at Naval academy (she went from ensign/midshipsman/cadet to second lieutenant - informal. Formal will be after her university education - BA- in 8 months). Michal started university this week, just a day before her 19th birthday :) Saturday we celebrated her 19th and Sharons 23d birthday! So sorry I didn't find the time to blog about their birthdays. Sarai went back to school this week, but she missed many lessons because of clinic/hospital visits. She is slowly adapting to the cast and everything. Showers take an hour and schoollessons are now to be written down with her lefthand on the new notebook we got her. Maybe in 2 weeks she gets an easier cast (this is an open cast so they can treat the wounds and stitches) and starting fysiotherapy. She is in good spirtis most of the time!

I still have to upload some new products and freebies I made before the accident and hope over the weekend I can get some work done.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Stay safe :)

My week

2011-11-06T12:27:00.000+02:00

Well, I was supposed to make a post about Sharon's 23th birthday, and a post about the CSD treasure-hunt with my (freebie)part in it, for National Scrapbooking day...and some other things...but things went different. Last Wednesday Sarai had a bad bicycle accident and we went with ambulance to first aid and from there after xrays with ambulance to a larger hospital, as she had a shattered elbow in which one of the bones protruded trough the skin and had cut a main artery, after which she lost a lot of blood. Also the main nerve to the hand was cut for 2/3. In a 5-hour operation, with plates, pins and dozens of screws they succeeded to reassemble it. We hope she'll get the feeling back to part of her fingers/hand (it's her right arm and she is right handed). Anyway, I have spend the last 4 days at the hospital and we just arrived home! I will catch up reading your blogs and posting the CSD news/freebies ASAP.

So beautiful

2011-10-17T13:31:00.002+02:00

A while ago I entered a giveaway at Julie Ann art for a beautiful pearly bridal haircomb. I though it would be perfect for one of the girls and I won!

The comb is made by Efrat Davidsohn of My little bride at Etsy. Efrat has been designing jewelry for over 15 years and her store is just stunning! I adore her pearl chokers!

The comb arrived in a lovely gift box and Yael and Michal both love to wear it!

Thank you so much Julie Ann for hosting the giveaway and to Efrat Davidsohn for this awesome gift!

Julie Ann Art

My little bride

More challenges

2011-10-12T15:18:00.006+02:00

Finished another challenge for CSD.

In the cool motto challenge you need to use the mini provided and add the motto of the month: "To love deeply in one direction makes us more loving in all others."

linked to my gallery

and a layout for the CSD template challenge. The gorgeous template by Kakleidesigns can be downloaded with a coupon if you participate. More info here.

Linked to my gallery

***

and a layout for the Scrap for a freebie challenge at CSD. You must use the minikit created and provided by the host, Jill :)

Linked to my gallery

***

and my entry for the color challenge. You need to recolor (color palette given) the provided mini and use it in a layout. Sponsored by Addie's Designs.

Linked to my gallery

***

CSD newsletter and free mega

2011-10-12T12:21:00.013+02:00

You can grab this amazing collaboration FREE with purchase of $8
or more, see details HERE
Participating Designers: Adriana Ferrari, Adry Piliero, Azur Scrap,
butterflyDsign, Carena’s Designs, Created by Jill, DHL, EMS Arts,
Kakleidesigns, Marie, Paci Tubes, Pmarie, PrettyJu, Simplette

**This mega collaboration has
a 230+ Sinful Sweet Delicious Elements
and 85+ Delectable Papers.**

Full Size, 300dpi
Personal Use Only

Here is my part of the kit:

and here is the link to the newsletter October!

loads of freebies Edit HTML

(click "next" at the bottom of the newsletter to see all pages!)

***

Tel Aviv vacation

2011-10-11T16:41:00.001+02:00

As promised, my photos of Tel Aviv. Now it was the same spot and hotel of last year, so to see more of the area, please click here for last years pictures :)

Tel Aviv has the largest Steimatsky bookstore in Israel (located at Allenby street 107) and they have the largest English department as well, so it's THE place to find books you can't find elsewhere in the country. I bought two suspense paperback novels; a book by Rachel Ashwell, Shabby chic; a book titled New Cottage Style and a book full of craft projects.

Our hotel, the Dan Panorama is located near the beach, at walking distance to the Jaffo fleamarket,

Now this is for my fellow ex-pats here in Israel!

Also at walking distance is the Carmel market and Nachalat Binyamin. From there it's not far to Dizengoff and King George street. In King Georg street is a small shop named Beatrice (I guess it's from the dutch queen Beatrix), selling only Dutch foods and a few Dutch items. I bought several products, all of my family love and when I payed they gave me a Libelle (Dutch magazine) present! Not from this week, but still fun to read! Prices in the store are around twice to three times the price in Holland, but knowing it's 35 euros to send a parcel up to 5 kilos from the Netherlands that's ok. Heinz sandwich spread is 18,50 shekels (3.5 euros), Brinta is 18 euros (3,3 euros), same price as a box of cereal here as cornflakes. 250 Grams of coffee is 25 shekels (5 euro). They also deliver groceries by post.

Beatrice has an online website and can be found on Facebook.

And these are a few other things we bought in Tel Aviv (besides a ton of presents for the kids). I bought this antique silverplate Moroccan etrog box for hubby, at the Jaffo fleamarket. As tomorrow starts the Festival of Booths or Sukkot, it came right on time :)

In the Moroccan traditional store in Nahalat Benyamin I bought Michal a Tagine dish and cover and bought myself this bowl and tumbler. It's hand painted and I love the pattern and it will go very well with my collection of Armenian pottery.

What do you think?

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Public voting

2011-10-11T15:59:00.000+02:00

I made it to round 3 and my new layout is up.

Public voting for round 2 is up too and if you liked my layout from my last post, you can leave your vote here!
(EMS Arts). Thanks in advance!

I am back!

2011-10-06T14:23:00.001+02:00

We returned yesterday, but I had so much work waiting that I could not blog before. It was wonderful! I will make a blogpost about the trip later, once I have unloaded the camera and unpacked the suitcase LOL

I first of all finished my layout for round 2 of the crappers idol contest at CSD! (deadline is sunday, but tomorrow starts Jom kippur). Same kit (by Karen) used as in round one. Hope you like!

Please visit my gallery and leave a comment if you like (it might help me getting to round 3 :)

This is our stray, Ariel, meaning "Lion of God" in Hebrew, when he was a kitten.

Away

2011-10-01T14:22:00.000+03:00

I will be away for a short vacation to Tel Aviv from tomorrow, Sunday October 2d till coming thursday! We"ll stay at the same hotel of last year's trip :) Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe!

Layout contest

2011-10-01T13:23:00.000+03:00

I entered the CSD scrappers idol layout contest, using Kakleidesigns Synfonia kit! This is my entry for week one.

Fall and a new year

2011-09-24T20:05:00.002+03:00

Lynda from Een klein stukje van mij is hosting a super Fall give away and everybody participating is posting about Fall, Autumn. So I thought I will try also, but we don't really have Fall here! We have a dry warm season from April till October (summer) and a wet season from October till April (winter). I so miss the Autumn fall season of Holland! But than, yesterday we got a lovely surprise! It rained!! Not a few drops, no, a couple of showers! Ah the smell of rain in the earth, after a long dry hot rainless summer! So not only did we pass the September 21 date, we also had the first rain and so I can say, Fall has officially arrived here! It's still 26 degrees Celcius, but the start is there :)

We are not just celebrating the first rain this month, we also celebrate New Year coming wednesday! Our "winter" season starts with Rosh hashana, the Jewish New year. Rosh hashana means the head of the year. It's followed by Jom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the only day the Gates to heaven are opened, the day we ask forgiveness for all our sins and wrongdoings and pray to be written down in the Book of Life in the New year and the Festival of Succot, the Feast of Booths, where we build our Booth in the garden and eat in there all week. In the synagogue the prayer for rain is recited.

We celebrate at Rosh hashana with goodwishes and presents to friends
and with special foods.....

with round sweet Challabread (so the year may be round and sweet!)...

and with apple dipped in honey and pommegranate in sugar (so the year may be fruitful and sweet!).....

and with a wonderful family meal, everybody dressed in his best (often new) clothes.....

Toasting to a wonderful new year!

Linking up to Een klein stukje van mij!

Shana Tova

2011-09-24T18:12:00.001+03:00

A little freebie for the Jewish New year, celebrated next week!

Four fullsize papers, two wordarts and a giftcard/tag.

The card was a bonus in my Commercial use Rosh hashana pack, updated now for 2012 and 2013. Available exclusive at CSD and 25% off till the end of the month (as is the rest of my store!).

Two years

2011-09-12T14:06:00.000+03:00

This week marks the two year anniversary of Joey's gone missing. We miss him so much!

Joey's story

Waiting for your return sweetie.

For Ria

2011-08-31T21:55:00.000+03:00

Psalm 23 is very special to me. It was read by Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp at the funeral of my babyson Ben 19 years ago. Every time I hear it or read it, it brings me great comfort. I am posting this clip for my blogfriend Ria who lost her mom and is so very heartbroken and sad, in the hope it"ll bring her comfort and strength.

New week

2011-08-29T16:20:00.005+03:00

Bella has not returned and I don't think she will now. Joey has been missing for nearly 2 years and not a sign of him ever since. We already have a couple of new guest cats coming and going, so the house is always full of them, but I do miss them!

This is the last week of the school-vacation. School starts on September 1 here. All the new school supplies are ready, the girls have new uniform Tshirts printed with the school logo and especially Yael is anxious to return :) So I had to think of something to keep them busy these last weeks! They have been with vacation since June 20th!

Last Saturday we went to visit Michal who was on her Navy-boat in a harbor, a half-hour drive away from us (can't show you pictures of Michal or tell you where it was exactly as it's against army rules).We packed her some clean laundry, magazines and tons of food and she was happy! After the visit the girls wanted to go to the beach.

A couple of days later Michal (18) came home on leave, as she had passed an important exam (she is a cadet at Navy academy, advanced phase), so we had to celebrate and we went to an Arab restaurant where we had eaten before. They have the best homemade hoummous, falaffel, baklauwa and pitta!
We were eight together and everybody loved it and had a great time!

The day after we took the girls to the mall for some vacation-shopping and Sarai (16) bought the same dress, Yael (14) bought a couple of months ago, but in a different color hehehe

The next day I decided to make some new pillows for the living room. I made two Tartan pillows from old man-shirts I had found at the local charity ( we don't have Goodwill, but we have a kind of charity/second hand store where most is free). I also had two old fishermen sweaters from the girls when they were toddlers. One of them my mom had knitted, but the sleeves were in bad shape, with paint that had not come out and holes. I didn't want to throw it away as she had made it, but than thought I can make also two pillows of these as they go really well with the tartan! I love how they came out, so nice warm and cozy! As you can see I am VERY much looking forward towards the rainy fall/winter season as it has been around 30 Celcius since May 2011 without a single drop of rain!

Yael really wanted to learn to sew! I am not good in it myself and only recently started using the vintage machine my mom gave me, but my mom was willing to show Yael the basics. My mom had given me 3 huge curtains to give to charity and I had washed them and bagged them ready to take to charity, when all of the sudden I thought they would be great to make new covers for the garden furniture. I would have preferred some nice neutral color or old grainsacks, but hey, this fabric was free!

Over time I had lost some of the covers in the kibbutz laundry and bought another set (not identical) and also had lost some of those. They were also worn and ugly. Each pillow is 110 shekels! (nearly 30 dollars) and I have 8! No way I am going to spend 880 shekels on eight new pillows. My mom's old curtains are a vintage yellow/orange tulip pattern, thick quality fabric, I think from Turkey (Scotch card Felicia Küçükçalık döşemelik) and I think I have at least 18 yards of it.

Old covers:

I showed Yael how we were going to make them (envelope closing for easy laundry). I made one and she made 3! And a matching tablecloth, and a matching throwpillow and we still have more than half of the fabric left!
Next week we"ll make another four of them for the larger dinging table (right now we only use the smaller one).

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! Stay safe!

Blues

2011-08-21T10:54:00.000+03:00

I don't feel much for blogging these days. My cat Bella has been missing for 3 weeks now and I fear for the worst. I have lost cats before, they seem to have wandered off, all being boys, but this is the first time one of our females has gone missing. Bella is one of the litter of five that was dumped in our backyard two years ago. They are celebrating their second birthday this month. One of the boys, Simba wandered off before we had them all neutered/spayed and now with Bella gone, only Patchouli, Oliver and Couscous are left from this particular litter. Bella was attacked when she was a kitten by one of the male adult cats and since always lived outside and would only come for dinner. So I don't have any adult photos of her. Sure miss her as she was a sweetie :(

Also the news (terror attacks, rocket rain) on TV does not make me a happy camper at all.

Newsletter, free mega and summersale!

2011-08-07T21:07:00.001+03:00

To View/Read in Browser, click HERE
NEXT
AUGUST 2011www.coolscrapsdigital.com
(don't forget to click next at the bottom of all the pages)

with loads of freebies!!!!

AND

GET this MEGA FREE with purchase
see details (limited time only):

This is my part

AND

I have a summersale for all of the month of August.

My store at CSD is 25% off!

New kit and freebie

2011-08-03T12:20:00.003+03:00

I have been so busy this last week! I finished reorganizing the store-room and the pantry and believe me, it was a full day work! Also had to do some things for my mom, who's stuck at home after being bitten by a poisonous spider last week in her leg, in my garden! The only venomous spiders in Israel are the brown recluse and the black widow, so it was quite serious. She has been given antibiotics (tetanus shot she had been given already) and luckily it's getting a little better now after a week, although it is still very painful!

I also have been back to designing a little after months of house renovations and redecorating.
This kit has been sitting on my harddrive for ages just to be finished :)

Forever is a beautiful, softly worn and romantic kit, perfect for your wedding memories as well as special occasions layouts! With its pastel colors, feminine and delicate, this kit would also be suitable for those everyday layouts about love and happiness, babies and any of life's little joys, for capturing the moments that mean the most to us, the greatest blessings!

Everything created at 300 dpi for beautiful printing.
This is a digital product available for download, you will receive no physical product.
Personal use, full size.

1 upper and lower case alpha
20 softly textured and solid papers 12x12
over 55 elements

see my store for more specifications!

and these are done by Astrid (link 1, link 2)

more sample layouts in the gallery!

and a blogfreebie that goes with the kit as well! Carpe Diem WA pack.

(Thrift)stores and fleamarkets

2011-07-24T10:47:00.001+03:00

In the middle of July I had my 48th birthday. I got a beautiful lamp from hubby and some other things, some lovely clothing/jewelry from the girls and money from my mom/in laws. From the money I bought a nice Yamaha organ from 1984 in perfect condition. I wanted an electric piano, but didn't find one in my area, so that"ll have to wait. As the organ came cheap, I had some cash to spare for thrifting and fleamarketing :)

This Bellora tablecloth (67 by 98 inch) is a lovely creme damask, comes in the original box, never used, with 12 napkins, Eyptian cotton. Retailed for 440 dollars (!) and I bought it for 80 shekels in a second hand store. (22 dollars, 17 euro). I wonder though who buys a 440 dollar tablecloth????

German cake-set (large cake plate and 6 smaller cake plates) and a set of 10 identical saladplates (or a little bit larger "cakeplates") that are a chinese copy-cat of the German original and of inferior quality to the German. This is a cakeplate set I want to use if the girls bring friends and I am afraid to get one of my Liberty Blue cakeplates broken :). Bought in second hand store for 30 shekels (8 dollars).

Lovely set of 5 large goblets in purple.

Set of six English cups and saucers. Love the blue pattern.

Not a thriftstore, but still a steal. Fabrics at Ikea in the sale for 9 shekels ($2.40) a meter (little more than a yard). The black will be for curtains for Sharon.

These 4 beautiful brown glasses came from Italy and costed me 2 dollars for the 4 together at the Haifa fleamarket. I also got 8 white crystal whineglasses from Italy there but somehow forgot to photograph them. And found a linnen tablerunner from Russia there as well, but it's in the laundry at the moment, so photos later :)

This painting was painted by the Italian painter Antonio Casiglio Fazzini and was 10 dollars at the second hand store. I know it's somewhere in Italy, but it looks exactly the Kishon river and mount Carmel behind it, where we live.

These cerial bowls and coffee mugs I bought at an Israeli clothes and home-chain, named Fox. For each purchase you make they put aside 10% of the amount you paid as cash you can use at your next buy. This set was 35 shekels ($9.40) and I got it for free :)

CSD summer blogtrain taking off!

2011-07-15T17:50:00.001+03:00

It is time for our summmer blogtrain sweets, picnics and outdoors to take off! Below you"ll find my part of this delicious blogtrain sponsored by CSD!

Visit these amazing blogs and pick up all the matching

freebies, it is sure to make a gorgeous KIT.

Don't forget to leave some love,

and hope you enjoy this train as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

PARTICIPATING DESIGNERS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Addies Designs

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Amanda & Millie Designs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blue Cat

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byMurielle

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Chili Designz

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Cocotounette

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connies Pages

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Created by Jill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
digides designs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
dhariana

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YOU ARE HERE!!!!
EMS Arts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jean Ann

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kakleidesigns

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Brown Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MussolRosa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nydias Scraps

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paci Designs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pmarie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PrettyJu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Star Song Studio

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New products in my scrapstore

2011-07-15T14:31:00.000+03:00

Exclusive at CSD

Beautiful house number

2011-07-14T07:46:00.001+03:00

Until a couple of months ago, my kibbutz was not having any street names or house numbers, but they set up a new streetplan. Recently we learned we are number 2 of our alley. Now, I didn't buy a number sign yet, but I won one! I have not attached it to the wall yet as I want to repaint the entrance first, but showing you already!!

Thank you Ramsign!
Thank you Sherry of www.thecharmofhome.blogspot.com

Ugly vases

2011-07-14T07:04:00.000+03:00

A while ago I found this set of really cheap ceramic vases and ornament in faux wood paint with gold and thought of painting them, but didn't have the time yet. I did already 2 of the 3 last week with a kind of duck egg blue /Robin egg blue named Spa blue and pewter. Distressed them later to show some of the old gold and bare ceramic trough. Now they fit the new silvery wallpaper and the painted walls.

My vacation in Holland

2011-07-13T15:17:00.002+03:00

As promised, my photos of my vacation in the Netherlands last month. My mom and I stayed with an aunt in Drenthe and made a day-trip to my favorite city, Groningen, where I was born and studied at university. The last 3 days we visited and stayed over at a cousin in the vicinity of Utrecht, to the south. From there we visited castle Haarzuylen and castle Loevestein (both of them we had never visited before!). We had lovely weather, around 22 Celcius, way nicer than the 30-plus celcius here in Israel and it even rained 2 days! Loved it!

As for shopping, I am always on the look out for things that remind me of my own history and my family (I almost didn't bring anything with me when I emigrated 25 years ago).

Of course I brought home lots of thrifty finds and other goodies!

The usual "Dutch food" list made up by the family at home (suikerbrood, krentebrood, gevulde koeken, stroopwafels, bami en nasi sausen, frietsaus, jonge goudse kaas etc) was easy :)

Michal wanted wallpaper (can't get that here in Israel) and so I brought home 5 rolls of pretty damask wallpaper!

We visited the Brocante kip which is 5 minutes from my aunt's home.

My aunt knew a good thrift-store, which was really huge. We had planned to visit another but by than I was already fully packed.

And than of course I got my grandmothers things (she died in 1978), which another aunt gave me (she died a week after I got back home, see earlier post). Below my grannie's "bowl" (punch)-cups (only 5 left) and tobacco pot which she used to keep her wool, thread and needles to fix socks and missing buttons etc (everything is still inside),

Some of my Thrift store finds. These were all around 1-1.50 euro each. The tray and cloth-brush are both with traditional Dutch handpainted designs (Hinderloper art) which I really love.

a cute mismatched cup and saucer

a wooden plank to make traditional Dutch biscuits (taay, speculaas).

Brocante store finds,

these two Bosch "boerenbont" cups and saucers (my parents had the complete dinnerservice of this)

for 1.50 euros

Lovely unused heavy, embroidered double bedsheet set with two pillowcases (12.50 euros)

Biscuit tin (for Dutch round "beschuit") as new condition.

and some other sentimental finds at the market :)

2 yards of this old traditional fabric (Staphorster roos?). My grandmother had bed-linnes from

this in her "bedstee" (build in small bedrooms in the wall) and I want to make pillowcovers of it.

and a beautiful large farmer handkerchief ( will make a nice throw pillowcover)

and of course, one can never have enough cups, so got a few of these cuties home too. Some of them were as cheap as 50 cents (normal store, sale price).

Can you believe we were still 7 kilos BELOW our allowed luggage-weight when we flew back home? :)

Thrifty finds

2011-07-13T14:30:00.003+03:00

These I bought in Israel (where prices for vintage/antiques are always way higher than in Europe/USA) for some really good price! The silver-metal large vase was 4 euros (it was almost black), the tablecloth was 2 euros and the large Hanukia candelabre was 10 euros.

In our local secondhand store I found this piece from Portugal. I am not sure what it is, perhaps for holy water? I want to put my memorial candle in it (always afraid my cats topple a burning candle). It was around 2.5 euros.

And this lovely single bed Matelasse bedpread I found for free! Perfect condition!

This week we finished breaking out the deviding wall between the diningroom and livingroom, painted, wallpapered. Still need to finish a lot. but we made a start (photos coming soon!)

and here is our dog Jojo, 13 already last month!

New newsletter with tons of freebies!

2011-07-04T10:01:00.000+03:00

To View/Read in Browser, click HERE
NEXT
JULY 2011www.coolscrapsdigital.com
(don't forget to click next at the bottom of all the pages)

CT layouts for Karen

2011-07-04T09:50:00.002+03:00

I did these a while ago and totally forgot to post them here too after the kit was released.

linkws to my gallery

kit: Simply Divine by Kakleidesigns
available
CoolScrapDigital/MCD-DigiScrapShop / Angel scrap shop /DigiDesignRessort

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-03T15:34:00.001+03:00

Here is my minikit for the 4th of July for 2011. Seven papers, ten elements, capital alpha and numbers. 300 DPI, fullsize, personal use. Wishing all my friends in the USA a happy Independence Day!

and below is the freebie from 2010!

and if you missed my freebie from the year 2009, it's still up!

I am back, sort off

2011-06-27T13:44:00.001+03:00

I returned last week from my trip abroad, but things have been so hectic, I didn't get to blogging.

Last week, traveling to the Netherlands, I visited with my mom my 65-year old aunt. She is my dad's only sister, a widow with no children.I visit her once a year on my yearly family visits to the Netherlands. I asked her a long time ago if she knew where my grandmothers candy-tin had gone after my grandmother died over 30 years ago, but she didn't know. She did however show me some punch-bowls and a tobacco pot that had belonged to my grandmother. These were the only things she had left from my granny. The tobacco pot still held my grannies sewing stuff inside! She said I could have them. I replied that it really was not my intention to take her only remaining items of my grandma, but she insisted, saying if she would die, it would go to the junk and now I could hand it down to my own kids. So I packed them carefully, kept them in my hand luggage all the way from Schiphol airport back to Ben Gurion airport Tel Aviv. When I left my aunt, I hugged her strong and for a long time, telling her to be strong and healthy and until we meet next year again.

Yesterday I got an email from a cousin, daughter of my dad's only remaining brother, informing me, this very same aunt had died of heart failure, the evening before. :) I am so sad, but grateful I managed to visit her and and have such a lovely visit last week.

I will post pictures of the trip soon. My apologies to Ria, whom I really wanted to visit and her beautiful store, but I was with family and they drove us around and it just didn't come from it, but I really hope next time!

Away June 13-21th

2011-06-12T11:58:00.002+03:00

I will be abroad, visiting family in the Netherlands, leaving later today and returning on June 21, G-d willing.
Stay safe :)

Shavuot holiday

2011-06-08T18:26:00.000+03:00

Today is a holiday in Israel, kids are home with 3 days vacation. It is the holiday of Shavuot. On shavuot we eat dairy products. Our shavuot dinner was a cheese/champignons and onions pie made by hubby, which the kids love and for desert a cherry cheese cake!

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (late May or early June). Shavuot commemorates the anniversary of the day that, according to Judaism, God gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai. The holiday is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer.

The date of Shavuot is directly linked to that of Passover. The Torah mandates the seven-week Counting of the Omer, beginning on the second day of Passover and immediately followed by Shavuot. This counting of days and weeks is understood to express anticipation and desire for the Giving of the Torah. On Passover, the Jewish people were freed from their enslavement to Pharaoh; on Shavuot they were given the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God.

In the Bible, Shavuot is called the Festival of Weeks; Festival of Reaping, and Day of the First Fruits. Since Shavuot occurs 50 days after Passover, Hellenistic Jews gave it the name Pentecost (πεντηκοστή, "fiftieth day").

Why do we eat dairy products?
When the Jewish people received the Torah at Mount Sinai, included was special instructions for how to slaughter and prepare meat for eating. Until then, the Jews had not followed these laws, thus all their meat - plus the cooking pots - were now considered "not kosher." The revelation at Sinai occurred on Shabbat, when slaughter and cooking are prohibited. So the only alternative was to eat dairy, which requires no advance preparation.

Happy birthday Yael

2011-06-05T10:43:00.000+03:00

Happy birthday today to my little princess! My youngest, Yael is turning 14 today! Tempus fugit.....

New free mega with purchase and newsletter freebies!

2011-06-05T09:44:00.004+03:00

The new mega kit for June is in store! Get it free with purchase here!

JUNE 2011 “Exotic Dawn” CSD Mega/Collaboration
1 Alpha, 260 Elements and 95 Papers
Full Size- Personal Use ONLY

Contributing Designers:Adriana Ferrari, Azur Scrap, butterfly Dsign, Carena’s Designs,
Created by Jill, DHL, EMS Arts, KaKleiDesigns, LouiseL,
Nydia’s Scraps, Pmarie, PrettyJu, Simplette

GET IT FREE
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add MEGA To cart, add $8 more dollars in other products,
use this coupon to change your mega price down to $0.00
Coupon Code: exotic

Click previews for larger images

Above, my part of the mega collaboration.

and get more freebies in the newsletter! You don't want to miss them!

Baby dresser make-over

2011-06-03T21:10:00.000+03:00

23 Years ago I was in need of a baby dresser for changing diapers for our firstborn and found all the dressers in the stores to low for me. So I ordered one at the local carpentry and had a custom made dresser and matching shelf, 100 cm wide and 100 cm high. It was made of pine and costed me than 315 shekels (75 dollars). I used it for four babies and than it became a TV-stand in the bedroom. Now with that bedroom becoming part of the new living room, I had no room for such a large heavy dresser, but I did want to keep it. So I changed it into a kitchen island type of dresser :) It holds most of my kitchen stuff as mixers, pots and pans, plastic boxes, thermos bottles and all my oven pots, pans and plates! I attached an IKEA kitchenrail at the sides to hold more kitchen utensils and I love it!

BEFORE (Scan from old photo)

AFTER:
Painting, attaching new handles and some appliques.

What do you think?

We still need to break a small wall and than paper/paint the wall that will be the new family room. Sunday the carpenter will come and fix a tonload of things (Sunday is a workday here). Maybe I"ll find a nice wallpaper at my next trip to Holland. I will be around Emmen at 14-17 June and around Utrecht/Houten at 18-19 June and than hopefully flying back home on the 20th. If anybody of you knows of some nice Brocante stores/fairs/fleamarkets around those dates?

Ik ben in Nederland tussen 14-17 juni a.s. omgeving Emmen en 18-19 juni omgeving Houten/Utrecht. Heeft er nog iemand leuke tips van Brocante adresjes, fairs of rommelmarkten rond die data?

Have a wonderful weekend!!

New layout

2011-05-30T19:03:00.001+03:00

I missed blogging and making layouts during the renovations of the house! We are still not done, but I am waiting for the carpenters now, so have a few days off :) I made this layout for Karen, using her new kit with photos of our latest foundling Takanori (born April 2011), found abandoned, when he was 2 weeks old at a parking lot under a car. My eldest, Sharon adopted him and named him Takanori, after her favorite singer!

kit: Kakleidesigns Victorian Cottage S4H kit

linked to my gallery

A lovely gift

2011-05-30T16:33:00.000+03:00

A while ago France from Passion of milkglass collecting send me a lovely little apron with a gorgeous flower. My faithful model Yael was eager to show it off (in the hope she"ll get to keep it :) which I allowed as it looks so lovely on her and will help when she"s making lemon cookies). Thank you so much France!

France's blog
France's etsy store Fleurdejardin

iNSD sale!

2011-05-06T18:13:00.003+03:00

Well, we are almost done with renovations. Next week the carpenters and electricians have to come for some final work and than we still need to break one wall and have that finished and hopefully than life gets back to normal :). I hope to be back visiting blogs soon again. I have been on a break from designing for 2 months during all these movings and renovations but hope to be back really soon! In the mean time, the store is on sale because of International Scrapbooking Day!

May 6-10 everything is 30% off!

Only at Coolscrap digital!

And get the new mega kit free with purchase!

What is so sweet and dear
As a prosperous morn in May
GET IT FREEINSTRUCTIONS:Add MEGA To cart, add $8 more dollars in other products,
use this coupon to change your mega price down to $0.00Coupon Code: barberry
Restriction: May not be combined with any other coupon on same order

Contributing Designers: Adry Piliero, Athena Designs, Azur Scrap, butterfly Dsign, Carena’s Designs, Carol’s Digi Scrap Creations, Crazed Creations, Created by Jill, KaKleiDesigns, Le Petit Monde de Marie, MaChabine, Nydia’s Scraps, Peek A Boo, Simplette

and find more freebies in the newsletter!

Pesach and Pascha freebie

2011-04-24T16:42:00.000+03:00

Tonight we celebrate the last day of Pesach, the Jewish Passover holiday while elsewhere Easter is celebrated. I didn't get to make a new freebie with the renovations at home going on, but I am reposting two older freebies!

Freebie 1
Paperpack with 4 papers, two are solid craftpapers, one is for my Christian friends celebrating Pascha and has an open bible-time grave from the first century AD, the other is for those celebrating Pesah and shows remnants of our Holy Temple in Jersualem (both are from my own photographs). They are fullsize, 12x12 and 300 DPI. Personal use.

Freebie 2
Two elements: bow is about 700x410, hamsa is around 700x1000,
personal use.

Have a great weekend, a wonderful holiday, be happy and love your dear ones!

The King's Speech

2011-04-23T18:16:00.000+03:00

Yesterday evening we saw The King's Speech in our kibbutz Cinema. If you get a chance to see it, take it. I found it a fantastic movie, like they made them in the old days. Superb!

Colin Firth of course is one of my favorite actors :) This photo he signed for me, for my Jane Austen collection, him playing Darcy in the 1995 adaption of Pride and Prejudice.

Happy Pesach

2011-04-22T21:26:00.000+03:00

and of course it is Pesach, the Jewish passover holiday. I have the kids home from school for 2 weeks and even Michal got 5 days off from the Navy! We had a lovely seder :) and tonight we are going to see The Kings speech in our kibbutz cinema! Happy Pesach!

I am back!

2011-04-22T21:20:00.001+03:00

I think not to many missed me, but anyway I am back :) We had a month full of renovations and movings. Three of my four girls got a new flat (two of them left home) and Yael the youngest (14) got a new room! She got Sarai's old room (Sarai got her own apartment, more about that soon)

Yaels old room was a Barbie pink mix and match with tons of children toys, Barbies and Bratz dolls..it was time for some more teenie colors and she wanted brown/beige and green. We found a lovely wallpaper at Ebay (no wallpaper stores in Israel), called Snow blossom. Her room is really tiny, 2.80 meters by 2.80 meters, so I did only one wall. We changed the iron black Ikea bed for a lovely white wooden bed with matching dresser and nightstand.

BEFORE

AFTER

Yael's old room became my Craft room! Super-tiny, being 2.70 by 2.60 meters, but it's better than the corner I used to have in the bedroom! My first ever own craftroom/studio!

New studio!

Michal's old room was the original master bedroom of the house, decorated by her when she was 12-13. She moved out this month (she is 18 now) and got her own apartment not far from our place. So we could move back to the old master bedroom (our bedroom will become part of the enlarged living room). I love how the new master bedroom turned out! Do miss the girls sleeping home though :)

BEFORE

AFTER

In December 2010 I won a give away at 1963VintageLane. I absolutely love Jackie's prints! Hubs loved the birds and I love the deers and Jackie send us both! So sweet! I wanted to have the Ikea frames, because they are light and don't break (my cats break everything!) and than our Ikea burned down (see earlier post), so I had to wait until hubby could drive me to the only other Ikea left in Israel, which is a two-hour drive! But I got my black frames and they go so fantastic with the black/creme toile du Jou wallpaper (another Ebay find). I didn't have enough wallpaper so I did the bottom half with white beadboard wallpaper (also Ebay). Love LOVE how it all came together! Still need to hang up more art/photos on another naked wall, but will do so next week.

The other set of prints (deer/moose) will go to the new livingroom once we have finished it! Thank you Jackie!!!!

Etsy store 1963 Vintage Lane: http://www.etsy.com/shop/1963VintageLane
Twitter: http://twitter.com/1963VintageLane

Let Them Eat Cake

2011-04-22T20:50:00.000+03:00

A while ago I received a lovely pendant necklace from Penny Masquerade in a beautiful package! Yael loved it and she hasn't taken it off yet :) It is the Let Them Eat Cake Version Deux" vintage inspired necklace. Check Penny Masquerade out here! Thank you Sarah!

Penny Masquerade blog
Penny Masquarade etsy store

Springsale Renderosity

2011-03-26T10:42:00.005+02:00

First of all I am sorry I have not been visiting you this week. I had an operation last monday, to get something removed from my head (no. not that loose screw :). All is well, I"ll get the stitches removed next week. Also have been busy moving Sharon to her new flat. Sarai was supposed to move to her new flat yesterday and all was ready, but it has been postponed by a week by the kibbutz, so now all her stuff is in her new flat, while she still is a week home. Not nice for her and I don't understand kibbutz rules much I guess. Some good news though, Michal came on an unexpected 2-day leave yesterday from the Navy!

Sarai's vacant room will go to Yael and Yael's old room will become my first ever own studio/craftroom. I hope an own room will bring back my 3D muses :) and to make space for all the projects running in my head, I am putting my Renderosity store on a 20% springsale. If you have anything on your wishlist, this is your chance, because I am not having many sales there! March 26-31 2011!!!

CSD forum new members freebie

2011-03-23T12:59:00.003+02:00

YES, ALL THIS FREE!!!

Just become a Forum Member, and you'll

enjoy this amazing Mega Beauty!

Welcome to Coolscrapsdigital!

CSD spring blogtrain

2011-03-19T10:26:00.005+02:00

CSD spring blogtrain is leaving the station!
See all the previews below
and get the links here or below

BLOG LIST:

Happy bloghopping :)

Purim 2011

2011-03-17T18:05:00.001+02:00

My heart is heavy for the people of Japan. I am watching the news all day and I just wish there was something of significance I could do to help these poor people. I am totally not in the mood of celebrating, but my kids had the festival of purim today at school and now have 3 days purim vacation. So despite the somber news, I decided to make them a purim blog-post. Purim is a holiday commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people from a very bad situation, purim is also a holiday of hope. No matter how bad a situation is, there is hope, there is our faith in deliverance, in turning something bad to good. I pray for the people of Japan.

Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. Purim is characterized by public recitation of the Scroll of Esther (keriat ha-megillah), additions to the prayers and the grace after meals (al hannisim,)giving mutual gifts of food and drink (mishloach manot), giving charity to the poor (mattanot la-evyonim), and a celebratory meal (se'udat Purim); other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration. One of the symbols of Purim is the noise-maker which is used whenever the name of the evil Persian minister Haman is mentioned. Haman wanted to eliminate the Jews, but they were saved by queen Esther. The word “Purim” means “lots” and refers to the lottery that Haman used to choose the date for the massacre. Among Ashkenazic Jews, a common treat at this time of year is hamentaschen (lit. Haman's pockets) or in Hebrew Ozen Haman (Haman's ear). These triangular fruit-filled cookies are supposed to represent Haman's three-cornered hat.

It was always a big job for me to get 4 children costumes on a budget. In the last couple of years Michal and Sharon didn't dress up anymore, but Sarai and Yael are still in the game :)

Michal (top row)

Sharon (bottom row), loved the selfmade geisha costume.

Sarai (16) in six different purim-years, she dressed up today as the Swedish cook :)

Yael (13) in six different purim-years , she dressed up today as Gaya, mother nature. I really loved the selfmade Hermione costume of last year (from Harry Potter).

and here is a little scrapkit freebie for Purim, a couple of fullsize papers, 2 frames and a Purim frame cluster with noise-rattle and Haman's taschen

One World, one Heart revisited

2011-03-07T21:51:00.001+02:00

One world, one Heart has ended and I have send my parcels over 3 weeks ago. I have met some wonderful new friends, had some great chats, visited some amazing new blogs, got inspired and I also received some gifts myself!...it was a great OWOH! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

I received this gorgeous print from Elaine from Canada! She is such an amazing photographer. I received exactly the print that I loved so much when I visited Elaine in OWOH! I have framed it for our new living room! I absolutely adore this print and it makes me so happy to view it!

From Micki from Ireland I received a book on quilting, an Irish sheep, Irish chocolate (blogged about them a few days ago) and a handmade purse she made especially for me! Isn't it gorgeous?

Isabelle from Belgium (A little bit of paradise) send me a beautiful double photo card of her paradise filled with flowerseeds! I can't wait to see what will grow out of them!

Teresa from Kentucky, USA send me a small tin with two scrabble magnets, a necklace with two scrabble pendants, live, laugh and love. They are beautiful created and both Yael and Sarai got a pendant and they absolutely loved it!

Mary from Tennessee, USA send me some gorgeous fabrics. It so hard for me to find nice fabrics and these are awesome. I especially love the little dreidle fabric. That will be so neat for a Hanukkah tablerunner. I have never seen such fabrics here!

I think there was another one, but that one has not arrived (yet). As you can see, OWOH was a blast and I thank you all! I am looking forward to next year, which will not be OWOH but OUR WORLD OUR ART! Click here for more info!

New products and store closing

2011-03-05T18:21:00.001+02:00

My store at CU digitals has closed today. I didn't know this in advance, otherwise I would have placed it all on sale. Reason is the owner is selling the store to a new owner and as I am an exclusive designer for this owner in the sister store CSD, I can not move to a new owner. Anyway, you can still purchase the products of CUD at CSD of course.

I have some new products as well, EXCLUSIVE at CSD!

And..

the March newsletter is out!

It's full of new products, tons of free quickpages and other freebies! (wordart, kits, cu product). Don't forget to click "next" at the bottom of the page to view all pages! And you get a megakit for free with purchase!

Challenge

2011-02-26T16:15:00.000+02:00

I didn't have much time for the challenges lately with all the moving-kids-at-home going on, but I managed to do this one last week. The challenge runs till February 28th.

Use this (free) sampler and make a birthday layout

My layout

Linking to my gallery

This week

2011-02-25T12:35:00.003+02:00

I didn't feel much inspired this week, with the politics going on in the area. First the Lebanese government replaced by Hezbollah who is threatening to take the Gallilee, than Egypt's Mubarak gone, than two Iranians warships passing Suez en route to Syria and passing Israel (Mubarak never allowed Iranians to pass)..and now Lybia. It does not make me a happy camper :(
I pray for peace in the area and hope you"ll do it with me.

I did however finish some things this week. The thermostat of our fridge/freezer died and I had a huge puddle in my kitchen. It was fixed yesterday morning, so that's one thing down the list.

I send out all the packages of the OWOH event!
I am working on some new scrap products. More things down on the list!

Furthermore I had bought fabric at Ikea ages ago for Sarai's new room in the kibbutz youth quarter (she"ll be leaving home next month). It's CHARLOTTA Teckning fabric (shown below with the designer), which Sarai wanted for curtains.

Her new room is kinda retro, black and white with orange and bright green. She designed it all herself. As my new craftroom will be in Yael's old room (Yael will get Sarai's room) most of my stuff is packed and the sewing machine is at my moms temporarily. So I went to my mom two days this week and sewed Sarai's curtains. They have loops on top for a rod. It was my first ever curtain project and I am happy how they turned out! (Photos when the room is ready).

As I bought the fabric I also found a coupon for around $1.70 of another curtain fabric with a pattern Sarai really liked and I thought I can make it into a pillowcase (for her bed-sofa, not for to sleep on)! My first pillow was the Union Jack with the zipper and this was only my second and I wanted it to have 4 buttonholes with 4 vintage black buttons. It's not totally perfect, but I learned a lot and both me and Sarai love it :) It even has an English seam inside :)

Next Friday I need to pick up our new passports at the Dutch embassy. It had to be replaced as the new ones have fingerprints (I still wonder why a Dutch passport in Holland cost 50 euros and a Dutch passport at the embassy cost 62 euros). And I had to pay for FIVE! Anyway, I thought if we have to drive all the way to Tel Aviv AGAIN (another 40 euros for the car) we might as well visit the only Ikea left in Israel :) So I hope I can find some more nice fabrics.

Also Sharon will move to a new flat, larger, with a lovely new kitchen and she could use some new things, so will check at Ikea and Michal will than leave home and get Sharon's old smaller flat. So got a ton of renovations and moving coming soon.

I hope in a month I might have my new craft-room ready and have the sewing machine back home. Lena of NeedleCraftPatterns send me these two gorgeous downloadable patterns and I would love to try them out! Aren't these babyboots adorable? And those linen baskets!

Rest me, to wish you a wonderful weekend. Stay safe!

Cabbages and Roses

2011-02-23T13:22:00.009+02:00

I absolutely adore the store Cabbages and Roses and one of the things on my wishlist is whenever I"ll visit London again to visit their store.

Great was my surprise I received an email and following, a parcel in the mail a while ago from Cabbages and Roses! The parcel had a lovely red vest in it and an aqua toile laundry bag. The give away (December 2010) I had entered mentioned the red toile which I love, but the green/aqua one is cute too and it will fit Yael's new room perfect (I want to make a pillow of it). The vest was beautiful too, but this particular size L was rather small for me and of course Yael loved to have it! I think it suits her rather well :)

Thank you Christina and Cabbages & Roses! Be sure and visit their website which is amazing at Cabbages & Roses .com and their beautiful blog at Cabbages & Roses.wordpress.com.

Thank you Lily for handling mailing the prize!

Thank you Andrea at fashionable interiors for having the give away. Be sure to pay Andrea's inspiring blog also a visit!

From an Irish friend!

2011-02-20T14:21:00.001+02:00

Today I got a beautiful package all the way from Ireland! I received it from Micki, a blogfriend who owns the beautiful blog Irish muses. She also quilts and as you know, I only started sewing last summer and my dream is one day to make a red-white American quilt. It's hard to find good books in English on quilting here in Israel (or in Hebrew). Israelis are not really quilters and there isn't such a thing as a quilt fabric store in my area. And than, in the package today Micki send me a book for beginning quilters, Quilt in a Day! And she had packed also a delicious Irish chocolate bar in it and an adorable Irish sheep! How fun is that? Thank you so much my friend!

I have send her something in return from Israel, hope she likes it :)

A Bread box

2011-02-18T13:58:00.003+02:00

This breadbox made of pine we bought when we got married 23 years ago. It was getting tired.

and this is how it turned out after a new layer of paint! The letters I wrote on it with a permanent marker.

Linked up:

One World, one Heart Winners!

2011-02-17T16:58:00.002+02:00

First of all thank you all for participating. And I want to thank Lisa for organizing the event! This last OWOH was so much fun. I found some new friends and got many new followers (hi to you all!). I had 238 participants (one was a double entry so I deducted one from 239) to this give away! I am so sorry I can't send you all something! Stay tuned though, because more give aways will be coming this year!

So here are the winners, chosen by random org.

Winner First prize: No 134

Michelle from MY JOURNEY TO HOPE

You left no email addy so I left you a comment. Please contact me!

Winner Second Prize: No 191

Gina from THREADS OF A TATTING GODDESS

email send, please contact me!

Congratulations girls :)
Lisa has announced that there will be another event next year! Not One World, One Heart again, but another event called OUR WORLD, OUR ART. You can read all about it here!

Happy birthday Sarai

2011-02-16T18:47:00.007+02:00

My fourth child, my third daughter, Sarai celebrated her 16th birthday yesterday! She is away for two days on a school trip to Jerusalem, but she should be home tonight!

All of us wish you a happy HAPPY SWEET 16th !

May all your wishes come true!

And one of her wishes is this

So we gave her money and her grandparents did so too, so tomorrow we are going IPod hunting :)

Reminder:

You can enter my One World One Heart give away till tomorrow Feb 17th midday 12:00 (GMT +2). I will tomorrow evening hopefully draw the two winners. The parcels will be shipped coming sunday as the post doesn't work here on Friday and Saturday.

Valentine's Day Sales

2011-02-12T17:34:00.002+02:00

My store at CSD is on sale from today till Feb 15th, 30% off because of Valentine's Day :)

and get the Valentines Mega free with purchase at Coolscrapsdigital!

GET this MEGA FREE.
..see details (limited time only):

"The Mysteries of Love"
Our inspiration poem:
"...Love is a vast emotion
it can fill you up inside
it can rip you apart and leave you questioning Why?
But Love was given to us as a gift
so precious and divine
So that we can share it with others
so that the light may through us shine
One does not know the key to it's mystery that runs deep
It exists always
even while we sleep
Love was given for a reason
It is truly just to share
An emotion to show someone else
how deep down we really care ..."
By Anonymous

and at CU digitals:

A Commercial use Grabbag

FREE with purchase

see details on product description HERE

65+ CU Products included!

My stores:

Coolscrapsdigital

CU digitals

Snow?

2011-02-06T14:43:00.004+02:00

To my fellow bloggers in Europe and USA, be happy with your free snow girls! :) I just paid 75 dollars yesterday for 10 square METERS of snow, perhaps 5 inches high. We took the kids to the mountains in the North. Where I live it has not snowed sinse 1959 and it's tradition each year we take the girls up north to see the snow on the mountains (see my posts of past years). Well this winter is a bad winter in the sense of a dry one. It's warm, no rain, no winter, no jacket, nothing. Anyway, they said it would be bad weather so we took the chance, had the girls searching in the morning for their hats and gloves (not worn since the last snow trip a year ago) and drove up north. The weather looked "promising" bad indeed :)

But there was no snow! So we decided to go to the Hermon ski-park (click link to see how park looks in normal winter) so the girls could see at least some snow. We paid 44 shekels entrance each ( 13-14 dollars) and went inside. We got a 6 shekel (2 dollar) a person deduction and it should have rang a bell! It was overcrowded with people and... (almost) no snow! They had taken from the mountain- top a few bulldozers of snow and dumped it on a pile. It was perhaps an area of 30 by 30 feet (10 by 10 meters) where a ton of kids were playing (it was another 7 dollars to rent a small plastic sled for those with little kids).. It was another 70 dollars for us together to go by cablecar to that mountain-top and a waiting line of 1 hour, which we declined. Wat a rip off! I think the girls had fun though with such a rarity as a snowball fight :)

Driving in the clouds

and than into bright skies again....

We went to see the Sa'ar waterfall afterwards (also crowded because of the good weather), girls ate at McDonalds on the way, so not all was lost...especially as Michal was with us who got an unextpected leave from the navy (normally she is only one saturday a month home), so it was fun...but I am still fuming at that snowpark rip off.

Happy end :)

Ikea on fire

2011-02-05T17:37:00.000+02:00

Our only Ikea in the area (still a one and a half hour drive) burned down overnight! We had planned to go there coming monday. There are only two Ikea stores in Israel, the other being a two-hour drive away. Read it here. It happened overnight and fortunately there was nobody inside the store, but so sad to read the building and the merchandise inside where completely destroyed :(

One World, one Heart!

2011-01-31T10:31:00.006+02:00

This year I am participating in One World One Heart.

Quoting Lisa from One World One Heart

One World One Heart is a worldwide event for bloggers only. It gives all those who blog a chance to meet and mingle and form connections with those they may not have otherwise met from all over the world. In the past 4 years this event has grown to over 1,000 participants with lasting friendships (and even one love connection) formed along the way. Think of it as a GIGANTIC open house allowing you to travel without ever leaving your home........going from blog to blog(in various countries) seeing the wonder each one has created and meeting all the fabulous people behind those blogs. As a bonus each blogger participant will offer up a "door prize or prizes"....just for dropping by, saying hello and seeing their world. It's really that easy.

For the people coming here from One World One Heart and don't know me. I am a 47 year old Dutch, living in Israel on a kibbutz, mother of five and cat lover. I love art, traditional but also 3D, crafting, scrapping, vintage and antiques, books, interior design (shabby chic, Scandinavian, English cottage, French), nature, history and tons more :)

This are my door prizes! (Second Prize added when I reached 100 comments.)

First prize
I tried to give you something representing "me" as I described above. Something artsy, something vintage, something nature, something from my country, something creative etc. so I came up with this: A box, filled with treasures!

A hand painted rose by me; canvas is 6x8 inch;

a vintage hanky with flowers and lace;

a piece of eco rose soap from Cnaan, Israel; Cnaan handmade organic soaps - bathe with nature to utilize what mother nature has given us, using pure aromatherapy essential oils for therapeutic benefits, no synthetic materials or chemicals, no SLS, just the pure and natural goodness of the earth for your skin. The process Cnaan uses retains all the natural glycerin that helps to moisturize your skin without leaving your body feeling dry and itchy. I am giving you one piece of Cnaan handmade therapeutic organic soap (rose for dry skin);

a hamsa doorhanger with the Hebrew verse, Shema Israel on it ("Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God! The Lord is One!");

a little organza bag with a hamsa charm, with inside a mini book of the Psalms of David;

a little bag of hamsa charms for your projects;

two cards with vintage buttons;

a set of 4 shabby handwriting coasters made by me;

Second Prize

A hand painted canvas by me; canvas is 8x8 inch;
a piece of eco lavender eucalyptus soap from Cnaan, Israel; Cnaan handmade organic soaps - bathe with nature to utilize what mother nature has given us, using pure aromatherapy essential oils for therapeutic benefits, no synthetic materials or chemicals, no SLS, just the pure and natural goodness of the earth for your skin. The process Cnaan uses retains all the natural glycerin that helps to moisturize your skin without leaving your body feeling dry and itchy. I am giving you one piece of Cnaan handmade therapeutic organic soap (lavender eucalyptus);
a little bag of hamsa charms for your projects;

I hope you like what I have put together!

Just leave a comment under this post, to enter the drawing. You don't need to follow or do anything else, but you need to have a blog (that is one of the rules of the organizer). I will ship worldwide. Be sure there is a way for me to contact you if you win!

You have time to enter from Jan 30th. The winner will be announced on Feb 17th.

Enjoy one world, one heart!

Edit 1:

I am closing the give away at 12:00 midday Feb 17th local time ( GMT + 2:00)

Winners will be announced tonight, Feb 17th.

Parcels will be shipped Sunday Feb 20th.

(Israeli Post does not work on Friday and Saturday)

Edit 2:
The give away has now closed. Comments are disabled. Good luck!

A vintage inspired apron

2011-01-30T08:08:00.003+02:00

I received a lovely package today all the way from the USA! Inside was a beautiful handmade vintage inspired apron! I am ashamed to admit, I didn't have an apron. I just never found the right one. This one is so gorgeous, vintage inspired, off white/blue, exactly matching my kitchen! I am in love!

You can buy it here!

Thank you Sugar and Spice and Pink Dandy chatter!

Yael loved it too and said it sure was to be hers :)

This was send to me by Sugar and Spice Aprons!

a sponsor of Pink dandy chatter

;

The bold and the beautiful

2011-01-28T11:25:00.009+02:00

I am so excited to be part of a very unique blog hop. Gail @My Repurposed Life and MeganDVD @ Beauty in the Attempt are hosting “The Bold and the Beautiful-your blog reviewed”.

Please take a look around my blog, check out the layout, pages, buttons, sidebar and gadgets. I would love for you to gently critique my blog. I’m hoping you will leave me some positive feedback about my blog. It would be great if you could give me constructive criticism but be sure to tell me what you like about my blog too! Do you like my pictures? Does my blog load quickly for you? How about the font? All tips and tidbits welcome!

Edited:

I have an "about me" page link in my top sidebar (to speed up loading), but I have added a smaller "about me" nevertheless after your review!
I replaced my flash header (loved it) by a non-flash version after your review.
the boy in the image is my avatar, logo of my art-stores and webdesign. He comes from a 3D artwork I did a couple of years ago, named "The little drummerboy". You can view the original artwork here. I made the blog design myself after this artwork.

As you can see, I have taken notice to your comments! Thank you so much!

Organize your life

2011-01-27T16:09:00.005+02:00

This year two of my kids are leaving home. My house is small, it's 81 square meters (900 square feet?) and we have four kids living here, one dog and 12 cats. Now Sharon has already her own place and two (Michal, Sarai) are leaving. This will give me the chance to give Yael a larger room, get my studio in Yael's old room (2.50 by 3 meters), we will move our bedroom to Michal's old room and our bedroom will become part of an enlarged family room/dining room by breaking a wall.

We live in this house for 18 years now. We were busy raising the kids, didn't have much space to move around or doing anything fancy with the house, but now with these new opportunities and with me losing my job last fall, I will be able and have time to set and reach some goals hopefully.

Renovate
Repair
Replace
Declutter
Organize
Maintain

House of Grace is having a series of blogposts challenges for organizing your life, with some great tips

I made a what to do list in word and a what to get list in word. The What to do list has all the things I have planned to do this year, 2011. The what to get list is the list of supplies I will need.

I will do the things on my what to do list as opportunity arises. Meaning, I can't paint Yael's new room as long as Sarai still has part of her stuff there, so I will do the things that I can do already.

As soon as I have finished one of the things on the list, I mark it with a "v".

This is what I have achieved in January 2011 and marked on my list.

This is my kitchen. Oh the horror and the shame, all the clutter everybody is leaving, plastic bags hanging from the doorknobs, the horrible outdated spots above (only one works because it's a energy saving lamp and way too bright), always dishes drying on the countertop, as in all the 23 years of marriage we never got a dishwasher. Last week however with our wedding anniversary my mom gave us a dishwasher!

This is what I did:

I decluttered the granite top.

An electrician removed the spots lamp and attached the new Ikea lamp.

I removed the plastic bags hanging from the lower cabinet door handles (one for organic waste for my compost bin and one with empty catfood cans for the recyle bin) and made the lower left cabinet into a recycle station, with large plastic bins, one for organic waste, one for cans, glass bottles etc.

I emptied all the other lower cabinets. Removed the doors. Than had one complete cabinet cut out (my kitchen was custom made 18 years ago and it is not made of seperate cabinets but made in one piece). The corner cabinet had to be cut in half and than a new board was placed to close it and support the granite top. Part of the old door was used to close the space.

Than called the technician of the dishwasher to install it (if you do this yourself, you loose the warrant). And voila, new dishwasher, new lamp and decluttered countertops. I made a start!

Here is the before and after.

Linking up:

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Be mine CT work

New products and freebie

Ben

The last month

Tu bishvat freebie

Newsletter and free mega collab kit!

Silvester

CT layouts

Happy holidays!

CSD Quickpage contest freebies

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MY GIVE AWAY

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Looking forwards

My week

So beautiful

More challenges

CSD newsletter and free mega

CSD MEGA: "Confiteria"

Get if Free,

see details below

Tel Aviv vacation

Public voting

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Away

Layout contest

Fall and a new year

Shana Tova

Two years

For Ria

New week

Blues

Newsletter, free mega and summersale!

New kit and freebie

(Thrift)stores and fleamarkets

CSD summer blogtrain taking off!

New products in my scrapstore

Beautiful house number

Ugly vases

My vacation in Holland

Thrifty finds

New newsletter with tons of freebies!

CT layouts for Karen

Happy 4th of July!

I am back, sort off

Away June 13-21th

Shavuot holiday

Happy birthday Yael

New free mega with purchase and newsletter freebies!

Baby dresser make-over

New layout

A lovely gift

iNSD sale!

Pesach and Pascha freebie

The King's Speech

Happy Pesach

I am back!

Let Them Eat Cake

Springsale Renderosity

CSD forum new members freebie

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Purim 2011

One World, one Heart revisited

New products and store closing

Challenge

This week

Cabbages and Roses

From an Irish friend!

A Bread box

One World, one Heart Winners!

Happy birthday Sarai

Valentine's Day Sales

Snow?

Ikea on fire

One World, one Heart!

A vintage inspired apron