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Get off the cross we need the wood

About Me

Maybe-not-really-20-something-anymore from Norway who likes to scrapbook and take photos documentarystyle and dreams of photojournalism when not working as a photojournalist and that's pretty much what this blog is about. And I like it this way.



My Scrapbooking

Been scrapbooking since late fall 2005. Currently fortunate enough to be a part of the design teams for Hambly Screenprints, Fancy Pants Designs and Pencil-Lines. ♥



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A few weeks ago the kiddo walked up to me letting me know that “Your biggest fan just invited me to her birthday. You gotta make her an amazing card!”.

Uhm. Let’s just say that in my kiddos class I’m quite renown for my cards, haha. They’ve been fawning over the cards the kiddo takes with him to various bday-parties, even the most simple ones..

Nevertheless. What do you do when your kids puts this kind of responsibility on your shoulders?

Uhm, just your best ;)

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I came across this starfolded card at Pysseltagens blog – created by BellaMio (thank you!). You can find the how-to-video directly at YouTube here as well.

I used Crate Paper’s Pink Plum and Paper Doll collections here. The letters comes from Basic Grey and the numbers from Pink Paislee. I didn’t decorate it at all, I think it looked pretty enough on its own sort of.starcard3

The card is pretty easy by the way, it’s just a bit of nitpicking w/the untraditional shapes (I hate dislike using the ruler and to be careful and stuff) so I’m not sure if I’ll do this one too often. Must be a special occasion if so. Like, impressing my biggest fan ;)


3 lovely comments

~~ Crate Paper May Sketch ~~

Posted by Ania On Sunday, May 22, 2011 11 lovely comments

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Oy!
Love Emily Pitts’ sketches for Crate Paper. I figured it’d be great for some photos of me and my littlesister…This time I flipped the sketch upside down for my layout…added a few things that cluttered my desk…decided it’d clutter my layout instead ;p Like that übercool arrow – it’s actually from Scenic Route – old old old – lovesit. Never had heart to throw it away, glad I did not :)

Doily…dang…I’m really into doilies these days…great accent for cards and layouts alike..

Nevertheless…it’s a lovely sketch, come come join – there’ll be prizes as usual :)

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Tags from Elle’s Studio – love’em.. chipboard, pleated flower and wooden bingo-thingie from Maya Road…flowers from Prima, bling from KaiserCraft….and ofcourse – papers, ribbon and chipboards from Crate Paper – a mix of Neighborhood, Emma’s Shoppe and Toy Box.

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The photos are all iPhone-images. This strip used on this layout comes from my sister, who uses another photobooth-app than me (I’m not quite sure which one – note to self: ask her..I really like the colors/effects she had on hers..). Nevertheless..for printing, her images were not too good – but it worked fine for a 4x6” print… mine (I’m using pocketbooth) are of higher quality, and I’ve printed them out pretty largeish (6 across the broad side of an A4-print) just fine. I just can’t seem to adjust the quality of the images w/pocketbooth (neither in the app nor in the general settings), so I’m just glad it yields pretty ok printable images…you can see below how I’ve been using the fun photostrips..I love the B&W images from this app…it totally rocks..the colors..not so much…but that’s just taste I guess :) :

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I think Amalie’s in like, 95% of of the strips..she’s the one using the app the most :p
There’s a family-gathering next weekend and I totally look forward to expand that wall w/more photobooth-pictures!

 

Wrapping up this Sunday Post with what’s been on my ear for a while now…..I simply adore Adele

Set fire to the rain

I let it fall, my heart…

 

And Don’t you remember:

I often think about where I went wrong, the more I do, the less I know..

11 lovely comments

~~ Strong Sense of Design ~~

Posted by Ania On Friday, May 20, 2011 3 lovely comments

Usually I just scrap like, mindlessly. Like, grab some photos and some papers and try to figure out stuff as I go along.

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For the Crate Paper’s Simply Crate post of the month however, I thought I’d have a plan established before starting. I thought I’d try to focus on the design-side of the layout. I’ve often admired those who manage to incorporate strong, often simple yet amazing design to their work. Like, really go for a graphic design/look for their layouts. I figured I’d give it a try for this instalment of the Simply Crate-post.

It might look somewhat complicated, but if you go to the blogpost over at Crate you’ll see a step-by-step on how I break down this layout to the basic main parts of the layout. It’s only three mainparts really.

The layout consist of stuff from both the Neighborhood and Portrait-collections. The images are from a datenight some weeks ago, where we wrapped up the evening w/a concert (Sondre Lerche at Garage :) ). I know designwise that photo should probably have been first, or maybe even in the middle, but…that was what we ended the night with, so I chose to go for the linear storyline picturewise.

 

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Now, somebody’s been counting the days, counting down and running towards the mailbox every single day just in case…

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And today it finally arrived. Her box. Her gift. She got some money from my dad when he was here, and she immediately wanted to order something off the Blizzard-store. “Mommy, it’s so, so soft, I can feel it” she said while clutching this (I assume – hard) box.

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She simply fell in love with this Grpyhon Hatchling. She didn’t have enough money for it on her own, but her brother chipped in the remaining amount so that he could get the in-gamepet for his maincharacter. Haha. They’re both happy (with this gryphon hatchling he got 75 pets…more than me..and got a bonus-pet to boot :p)

 

Psst.
My friend Ellen has a giveaway on her blog. One that’s too cool to miss.
She’s giving away three different things. I don’t knit, so I’d rather drool at her two other prizes:

This bag + coin purse (she sew that herself. darn creative women!)

And this supercute coin purse w/supercool buttons inside. Yeah. Still sewing stuff herself. I so hate creative and talented women doing stuff just like that ;p (but then again, as I keep telling the kids, “hate” is such a strong word. So, let me rephrase: I deeply dislike creative and talented women like her ;p *grin* *wink*)

Drop over to her place. You won’t be sorry.


3 lovely comments

~~ Our little helper ~~

Posted by Ania On Wednesday, May 18, 2011 4 lovely comments

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Glue Arts is collaborating with October Afternoon, and I got to play with the Modern Homemaker-collection. It’s truly lovely, and I’m glad I got to play with it…I’m like, yay, finally I got to scrap w/OA-papers…you see..I’ve got a few Night Light and Road Map papers I’ve hoarded because I’ve been planning to use them for a London-mini..sigh..that was like, two years or more ago..do I have a London-mini to show for it? Uh, not yet. Cough.

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I’ll admit, I struggled w/this layout because I wanted to layer almost all the papers upon each others..I even cut down the papers, then realizing it unfortunately wouldn’t work too well..I dunno..it felt too much…too much pattern & colors….I cut the sheets smaller and smaller and ended up w/this pretty clean design..so typical…I cut stuff then start having second thoughts :p Anyways..been wanting to do that border-kinda-design for a while, it’s been popular lately…like, sticking small strips of paper on the edges..I think it worked out well after all..

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This butterfly is the same one which I made for the butterfly wand for the collaboration w/Epiphany Crafts.

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I love small layered clusters :) Here: Stickers and button from OA and trinket-pins from Maya Road.

 

As usual – there’s giveaways on the Glue Arts blog :)

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Hmm…I see I forgot to post these bookmarks, also another collaboration between GA and Basic Grey! Whoops!

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These are just simple bookmarks – some w/bulky tops, making them non-slipable-into-the-books sorta.

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They’re quick to whip up, and is great if you’re like me – having multiple half-read books all over the house…I always need a new bookmark for whatever book I’m reading for the moment being :p


4 lovely comments

~~ Happy Norwegian Constitution Day ~~

Posted by Ania On Tuesday, May 17, 2011 3 lovely comments

Today’s the National Day here in Norway…the Norwegian Constitution Day

Just a few pics for mom++

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Shortly after the parade started, the rain came pouring down. Actually, this (above) was pretty much the last photo of the day. Did we know it was gonna rain? Uhm yeah, we might have had a suspicion. Did we remember umbrellas and stuff? Nope. Nevertheless, that was the end of any more photos from me that day…apart from some taken w/the iPhone, like the one below.

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I wore my bunad ofcourse. Østfold ftw!

Be back soon w/scrappy stuff! :)


3 lovely comments

~~ Off to play with the big boys ~~

Posted by Ania On Sunday, May 15, 2011 4 lovely comments

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My boss recently quit his job as an executive editor to become the boss of all the executive editors of the hm, four or five local newspapers around here. I guess you can say he got promoted sort of.

Hence – the title of the card – “off to play with the big boys”, cause that’s exactly what he’s going to do..

I was asked to make a card on behalf of the coworkers, to which I happily obliged. You can say there’s quite a bit of hidden symbolism on this card..it’s very personalized so to speak..

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First of all, I love the wooden buttons that’s in the buttoncollections from Crate Paper. The card is created with Crate Paper’s Toy Box by the way – buttons, ribbon, papers and chipboards. Plastic butterfly-charms from Maya Road, letters from AdornIt and Pink Paislee. Bakers twine + doily as additional props.

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I’m gonna miss the boss.

I recently interviewed a lady who said “Your first workexperience is instrumental in shaping who you’ll

be(come)” – or something to that extent. I believe she’s right.

I remember vividly my first meeting with the boss. I remember the enthusiasm I was greeted with – an enthusiasm that was geared towards me, and what I was proposing. It really made a deep impression on me. Someone who really believed in me and what I could do? Wow.

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I really like this technique – folding a smaller card inside the larger one. It yields a sort of very thoughtful touch to the card.. for very little effort..

Right. I’m working this weekend, but after a few quite stressful days earlier this week I’m quite delighted that both Friday and Saturday has been sort of quiet and peaceful compared. Friday was a pretty weird day I must say, being the boss’ last day at work and all.

Ps. I got to use the 70-200mm on some kids riding bikes and stuff Friday evening, it was quite fun actually (and hard still)..got so much to learn, yet…happy I get to practice stuff every now and then :)

Also practiced the panning-technique, yay. I so admire those really understanding how to do sports-photography!


4 lovely comments

~~ Sånn går no dagan ~~

Posted by Ania On Sunday, May 08, 2011 5 lovely comments

Random tidbits..

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  • Practicing more w/my 70-200mm lens. Love, but I do need lots of light (or to start training weights I guess) as it’s large, big & quite heavy – making me tremble more w/it sorta. Framing in tight also contributes to the need to be more spot on w/the focus.
  • I can’t find my wireless flash-transmitter. That annoys me to no end, esp as I planned to use it in two days. Hrmf.

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  • It usually annoys me when the kids use my craft scissors all.the.time.
  • I’m oogling a SB-900. I’ve spotted a used one for sale. Hmmm…

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  • But I sort of figured my next purchase would be an Eizo-screen. Hmm. I sort of need both a better flash AND a better screen. Especially if I can get a used flash for cheap, hmm..
  • Not to mention that I need a 16GB mem-card. Hm.

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  • Have two weddings coming up this summer. The first one in just a few weeks – totally can’t wait. It’ll be oh, so special, I just know it. The second one will be just as special, as it’ll involve a deaf couple. My first deaf clients, yay! :D (sign language is my mother tongue, in case anybody wondered)
  • Wish I had more weddings lined up. Or babysessions. I shot some babies a few days ago for an article in the local newspaper, and well true, it’s only been a few weeks since my last  babysession (no piccies on the web allowed from that one, sorry :/), but…shooting these babies reminded me how  much I miss that!

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  • I love Lenkas new album, Two. I also loved what I heard from Beastie Boys new album, pondering whether it’s enough to buy it too or not.
  • Happy VE Day! (and happy Mothers Day to those celebrating it today…ours were earlier this Winter :) )

5 lovely comments

~~ Lots of giveaways this weekend ~~

Posted by Ania On Saturday, May 07, 2011 1 lovely comments

As there’s NSD and Mothers Day in the US, there’s lots of giveaways going on.

 

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Crate Paper are giving away two $100 Crate products for a lucky commenter and the commenters mother. Just hurry here and leave a comment before Monday.

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And as for Glue Arts, well, they seem to always have giveaways with each post. Right now you can have a chance winning this adhesive-kit seen above, plus some extras. And well, the DT is always filled to the brim w/spectacularly creative ideas and step-by-step instructions. It sure is intimidating being on that team! :p Nevertheless. You can find their blog here.

 

If you check the many scrapbookmanufacturers blogs this weekend I’m sure you’ll catch lots of stellar chances for winning giveaways and stuff.

 

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Speaking of giveaways. Haha. This isn’t a giveaway. Or well, it sort of was, I guess. I finally got around to clean up my room *some* (unfortunately not all…sigh..lots of clutter and stuff here still!), and dropped four boxes of SB-stuff to the local Red Cross. Yay me and all, or something like that. Before anybody says “gee, how kind and generous”, well, not really, most were either really really old stuff (like, three year old stuff gathering dust on my shelves) and/or things I’ve received from various places for free and no longer needed. I’ve been wanting to unload this stuff for a while now but hadn’t gotten around to it until I did an interview w/the leader of the local Red Cross and she mentioned how they wanted to go more creative and stuff during the free activities they offer toddlers and their parents. I had to stop the interview and tell her something like umkay Im not sure if I should say this while I’m at work, so this hasn’t got anything to do w/the job, this is just me speaking personally, but would you like some SB-stuff to help pursue the creative goal maybe?

It was a lucky break, I mean, I’ve been pondering if they might want some of my stuff for their various activities (they do lots of really nice stuff for the local people) but not really dared ask them before thinking it’d be too silly, so when she actually said they’d want to arrange more creative stuff but hadn’t really gotten started yet I was like oyy here’s my chance after all :p

 

So if you have lots of unused SB-stuff making you feel bad and all (because it just sits there..like my stuff did), well, it really does make you feel much better to be able to give it away. Feel free to ask your children’s school/kindergarten (our kindergarten has gotten stuff before too), the local hospital, or the local Red Cross to ask if they perhaps would use any of this stuff…make room for more new sb-stuff! ;)

 

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Images courtesy of Camera+ and Diptic

Have a lovely weekend…ours sure is, w/homemade chocolatecovered strawberries….mmmm! Open-mouthed smileTotally delicious!


1 lovely comments

~~ A mantelpiece-booklet ~~

Posted by Ania On Thursday, May 05, 2011 4 lovely comments

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This now adorns my office. It’s a sort of sturdy “card” which doubles as a booklet you can display on your bookshelf or mantelpiece to show off the contents – in my case – images of my two lovely children (I’m their mother, ofcourse I think they’re lovely ;) ).

It’s created for Glue Arts, and if you’re interested to learn how to create this one (it’s pretty darn simple & easy) I have a tutorial up on their blog which you should be able to find here. There’s a giveaway too – they always have great giveaways :)

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Here’s the front by the way. I used the summer-y collection 365 degrees from Pink Paislee, as well as some bits and pieces from Maya Road on this one. Oh, and you can see peeks from some leftover-rubons from Fancy Pants Designs on the tag :)

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This is the back – I figure I’ve forgotten the details about my kids @2011 in a few years, like their ages and where they are/were in school/kindergarten at the time…;p

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The back…

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And a closeup..

 

That’s it for now :)


4 lovely comments

~~ Happy belated birthday! ~~

Posted by Ania On Monday, May 02, 2011 4 lovely comments

trygve

My step-father had his birthday the other day, and I’m usually sucky at remembering such things (sorry!) but this time I decided I wouldn’t forget about it – so I created this card like, way, way in advance….only..I totally forgot to actually send it out when his birthday came and went…cough..

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I do believe he’s gotten his card by now :p

I created it using Toy Box (seriously – I love that collection – when I saw the images of this collection before it was released I was like, mhmm, ok, I’ll use it once or twice I guess….but really, I’ve used it so many times since, I’m pretty surprised :p). I did this one at a crop, hence the use of the spellbinders & QK shapes…(I don’t have a die cut machine myself).

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I decided to complete the look w/ a homemade envelope aswell..I find this particular paper so so awesome for this purpose..it totally makes for a pretty wicked envelope if I may say so myself =)

 

Nati Tristan Said,

6:44 PM

I love those pictures! Your little girl had a blast! You can tell! Also, I love how you included the picture in the title on that layout

Thank you so much! Love that you noticed it & pointed that out – awesome – thank you! :)


4 lovely comments
    -Get off the cross we need the wood-