2008 in review.

2008 for the record...
2008 para la memoria...
(sorry for the journaling in Spanish)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
¡¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!!

¿Merry Christmas? (long)

Helloooooo!! I know, I know, it's been a long time...

First of all MERRY CHRISTMAS I hope you're enjoying the season with your family and friends :o)

We started out on Sun 21st with a family lunch at home to "celebrate" we already have the furniture of the living room (that will be the theme for another post).

My parents, my sister & her boyfriend and the two of us, we had such a great time!!
First the luncheon and then SingStar :o)
I was an elf for that day, their faces were priceless!!

Christmas for me was supposed to be as usual although a little bit busy at work. Jose was supposed to drive down to the South on Christmas Eve to spend these days with his family since I was on duty on the 25 & 26 morning shift and yesterday double shift. I would have Christmas Eve's dinner at my parents' as well as Christmas lunch after work...

The real thing... on the afternoon of the 23rd he started feeling wrong and I was feeling kind of "strange" myself... my poor little boyfriend was at 101.12ºF on Christmas Eve's morning and, of course, I didn't let him take his car for a 4.5 hours drive. he felt horrible during the day and we had dinner at my parent's with them my mother's mom and a friend of mine who doesn't have any relatives and was alone at home.

From left to right, up and down,
Jose and I, my parents and I, my grandma and I, my friend Vicente and I

On Christmas morning I went to work at 8am and was feeling "weak" all the time; I talked on the phone to Jose and still had fever. I had lunch at my parents' but he couldn't. I spent the evening sleepy on the coach... by 10.30pm I was at 101.48ºF and had to phone the supervisor at the hospital where I'm working.

On Friday, the two of us were feeling miserable and went to the doctor; we've been home since then... fever, cough, headache, bodyache, dizzyness,... family worried,... but I think it's almost over :o)

I'm not on duty till next Jan 2nd, so I hope I'll be 100% again.



Well, before the viruses caught us, I received a few packages which brightened up my life :o) Enjoy!!!

Creatividades , a Spanish online store, thanks Rosa!

Susanne threw a give away in her blog, and I won!!

A Cherry On Top, mini acrylic stamps.

A little market of Mireia , yayyyyyyyyy!

Papier Valise, really cute vintage stuff.

One more thing!! I've been playing around with PS lately and I've learned how to use brushes (thanks Mireia!) and .png files :o)

Well, I hope I start the New Year in a better shape... and I also hope I can get my hands on my new stuff soonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

A big hug and good luck!!!!




P.S. I must admit I've cheated a little bit... I'm posting this on 12.31.2008, 12.30pm, but I had it almost ready and wanted to keep it at the same posted time than my blog in Spanish, I hope you don't mind!!

You must watch this!!!

I love cows and, when we saw this cutie in a store, my boyfriend decided to buy it for me.

When we got home, we put the batteries on and... we're still laughing at it!!!

Enjoy!!!

Christmas is coming... my first Xmas card :o)

Yes, yesterday I received my very first Xmas card from a USA scrapper friend :o) So I've decided that this is the best moment to update my blog, it's been so long!


Last Dec 1st, Shimelle's class started, as I wrote about it in previous posts. I haven't done so much stuff for my journal but I've been taking notes, gathering stuff, taking some pics, etc Love it!! I'll post the pages as soon as I make them...

Through its forum I knew that a fellow scrapper, Susanne, was "cleaning" her christmashy stuff and was giving away two Xmas scrapbooking kits in her blog... I won one!!!! I'm still waiting for the package, but between bank holidays in Spain on Dec 6th and 8th, and Spanish post office system... I'm so excited!!

I'm also waiting for Karine Cazenave's last mini albums book (she's a French artist). I've bought it to Mireia (Spanish artist and friend) who I've helped to clear out her house of scrapbooking stuff through her "little market", again! :oD

I've done some more shopping too. I've ordered a few clear acrylic stamps from A Cherry On Top (just a few to minimize the shipping costs) and a few more items from a Spanish online store, Creatividades, I'll finally have a heat embossing gun!! I'll post some pics as soon as I have my stuff...


Last Thur, Dec 4th, my boyfriend and I received our new living room furniture, finally!! We still have the chairs left since they forgot to make them, ? Pics to come...


Last weekend, Dec 5-7, we visited my boyfriend's family in Almeria, in the South of Spain. It was a short visit since I was on double shift on Mon 8th but, since my work schedule for the rest of the season is so busy, I won't be able to go down there till the end of Jan at least. That's the main reason why our Xmas tree is not out yet...


Yesterday I went Xmas shopping with my mom... to "El Corte Inglés"!!! (a very fashion and pricey department store) I still can't believe she asked me to go LOL We never go there but it's not really that pricey and the customer service is excellent.


Well, I think that's it for today. Gotta go to fix lunch.


I hope everyone is doing great and enjoying the Season.

A big, big hug,

Are you ready to Journal Your Christmas?

Journal Your Christmas starts next Monday, Dec 1st, but you still have time to join Shimelle Laine and the rest of us in this great journey...

She will give us daily prompts from Dec 1st to Jan 6th to guide us through the documentation of the Season; they are pdf format documents delivered right into your inbox!! We can also participate in the forum, sharing our projects and thoughts, and even share our pics in the Flickr group!!

She has promise the audience more fun this year, and surprises!!

The best of all is that, once you join the class, you're in forever!!! I took it last year so, I'm in this year for free!! And 2009, 2010, 2011, etc Isn't that great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Through her prompts you take a deeper look to your "Christmas life", you pay more attention to those days and its details... taking pics, gathering all your Christmashy stuff, sharing your work,... love it!!


Well, gotta get ready now... "see" you next Monday!!!

Xmas is coming...

Yes, The Season is almost here, and we must get ready to scrap it!!!

The best two choices I've found so far are:

- Shimelle Laine's Journal Your Christmas class HERE.
It runs from Dec 1st till Jan 6th.
I followed it last year and enjoyed it so much.
Shimelle has promised us much more fun and surprises this year, yay!!

- Ali Edwards' December Daily album HERE.
It's not a class but she shows her album for Dec 1st through 25th and sets up a Flickr group so everybody who wants to make one can show it too. Check the pics out here!!

I have to get ready this week for Shimelle's class next Monday.
I must confess that I didn't make the album last year... I had everything ready, the pics printed, etc but didn't do it... I hope I can make something smaller this year so I can follow the class.

You can also combine both!!! You can prepare the base of the album following Ali's instructions and take Shimelle's class :o)

But, whatever you decide... have fun!!!!!!!

Update...

Hello!!!!!!!

Time goes by so fast!!!

Actualy I haven't scrapped too much lately but, till last week, I spent some time in my scraproom between gesso and paints.


In Dina Wakley's class, Art Journaling 101 (at Get It Scrapped!), we're learning different techniques for creating backrounds, making collages and adding journaling; she's given us the lessons in this order but, once we know how to do it, we can alter the sequence as we like it.

I'm still with the backrounds since I'm making some other stuff too. I'll show you some pics as soon as I can.

Alex, a french woman living in Barcelona, Spain, is in this class too and is making a great job. You can take a look here and here. Her projects are great, go take a look to her blog!

My boyfriend and I have been a few days in his hometown visiting his family.
On Monday we spent some time around his homecity, looking for arts and crafts stores!! :-) I was so surprised to find three of them so big.
They know about scrapbooking but just carry K&Company and some stickers from other brand.
I've told my boyfriend that, I we ever have to move there, I'll open my own scrapbooking store!! :-)

Well, just wanted to give you an update and let you know I follow you around the cyberspace...


By the way, he's got a job here!!! Today is his first day...


Now I need to go back to the washing machine and the vacuum...

A big hug,

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween to all of you!!

I hope you have a great Trick or Treating time :-)

This is the Halloween page I made when I was in the USA in 1998, I had so much fun! Enjoy!!

Happy Halloween'98

10 days of no posting and 2000 visits :-)

Wow! Ten days since my last post and I have quite a few things to tell you... let's start...

When I checked my blog today I've seen 2000 visits, like that "round" number! :-) Thanks!!!


Last Wed, Oct 15th, my boyfriend moved in with me, finally!!! We're doing OK so far. Now we are looking for a job for him, fingers crossed!!


I've joined Donna Downey's campaign for creativity, you can join in too!!

I'm also taking Dina Wakley's class Art Journaling 101 at Get It Scrapped!. You still can take it too and enjoy with gesso and paint!!

I'll be taking another class too next month, Jessica Sprague's Stories in Hand, check it out!!

I really need to get my hands on my stuff since I have tons of projects I should be working in... I hope I can do it soon...


A big hug from Spain!!

Big day in Spain and a story published.

Hello!!!!!!

First of all, today is a big day in Spain, we celebrate the Day of the Hispanity and Our Lady of the Pilar, Mistress of Spain. My best friend and another good friend are named after her, so they celebrate it today :-)


And now, big news for me... my Halloween story has been published!!!

A few weeks ago, I received a newsletter from Creativity Portal announcing their Halloween Story Contest.
I sent a short one, an anecdotal story of my first real Halloween in the USA in 1998, when I was an au pair.


Well, last Friday they sent me an email... they've chosen my story to be published among others; they'll pick two winners out of all of them. I'm so excited!!


If you'd like to read my story:

Boo Halloweenie! Who are you supposed to be?
[Update: As of Oct. 15th, I didn't win any prize but my prize is just seeing my name on the site. Thanks!]

Thanks!!!!!

My last scrapping goodies...

Hi there!

My last order from Two Peas in a Bucket arrived today... they were on sales, I got a coupon,...

I'm so excited!!!

This is what I got and a few pics. Enjoy!

Papers:

Mini albums:

Small stamps:

Other stuff:

I can't wait to start playing!!!

A great weekend...

Hello!!

It's been a great weekend :-)

First of all, my boyfriend has been here... next Oct. 1st we'll be going out for a year and we went out for dinner on Sat to celebrate it. Back at home we took these two pics...

By the way, he finally will be moving in to my apartment next month, around the 15th, yay!!!


Today my family, my boyfriend and me have been to the monastery of Saint Michael in Lliria. The weather was awful but not a drop in the whole morning :-) Here you can see a few pics:

From left to right, mom, bro, me and dad.

The two of us :-)

This is the monastery.

We've ended up having lunch at my sister's since it was about starting to rain. We've had fun!


My boyfriend left around 7 pm and by now is almost at home :-( too far... but, as I've written before, he'll be here to stay next month :-)


Thanks for reading!! and have a great week!!

Look what I've found!!!!

I was taking a look to the gallery in Two Peas in a Bucket and found an awesome album:

You can see the whole project HERE and other projects of this author, Camille McClelland, HERE.

Designer's Comments:
Woohoo! Well it took long enough to complete, but it's finished.
I create my album by hand, for the very design of the shaped acrylic album, which I hand cut in my garage, to all the paper piecing and detail work.
I do not use any paper punches, templates or personal cutting machines. The only work that is not my own is the skeleton image on page 5 and the rub-ons used on pages 4 and 8.

It doesn't have any pictures because I haven't decided if I want to sell it or keep it for myself.

Having a hard time with the related products tool... the patterned papers are from the BasicGrey periphery collection.

Copyright Camille McClelland 2008


I hope you enjoy it as much as I've done it!!

New goodies...

Hello!!!!!

This morning I've received my last goodies from Scrapsupply, yay!!!

I couldn't wait to have in my hands the last book of Ali Edwards, Sharing Your Story: Recording Life's Details with Mini Books. I read a few months ago one of her other books, Life Artist, and just loved it!! On one of her AEzine/Life Artist Newsletters, she wrote an article about different aspects of the minis; you can read it here miniBOOKS = BIGstories.

I'm also in the middle of another great book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, by Twyla Tharp. I started reading it during vacation but I haven't been able to go back to it.


Now I'm off from work till Monday so I hope I can get tons of scrapping done and some reading too. I'll tell you about it...

Here the rest of the goodies:


I've received today my last package from Scrapsupply (Created with fd's Flickr Toys).

From left to right:

Sharing Your Story: Recording Life's Details with Mini Books by Ali Edwards,
Jenni Bowlin Studios - 4" Chipboard Mini Book - Label Shape,
7 Gypsies 97% Complete Stickers – Home,
Scenic Route Rub Ons - Black Labels,
Fontwerks Unmounted Alphabet Stamp - Happy Corina,
Inque Boutique Lil' Stamps - Borders, Scallops & Dots (4 stamps) $1.00,
Hambly Studios Chic Circles Overlay – Pink,
Hambly Studios Mod Circles Overlay - Teal Blue,

Plus:

A few Screw Posts,
Fontwerks Chipboard - Square Chips,
My Minds Eye Daily Dose 24/7 Card - Once Upon a Time,
EK Success 3D Dots Adhesive Foam - Circle Black,
American Crafts Slick Writer - Black (fine point),
FREE Alphabet Stamp Set with $50 Purchase.

Have fun!!!

It's been a week already...

... since I went back to work and it's not too bad so far. My first double shift after the Summer vacation was last Wed and I was sooooo tired on Thur morning but not that bad.

That Thur evening I decided to go back to the gym after a long, long time. I'm working out again, it feels great!! I hope I don't give up on this...

I have several scrapping projects in progress... I picked up a few stacks of pics last week so I'll be making some stuff these days. Stay tunned!!

Are you ready??

You remember what I wrote about a fresh new start in Sep here?

Well, the countdown has started... as of Mon, Sep 1st, I'll start working again after Aug off. I'll try to stay organized and stop procrastination... go to the gym (I've joined one), get the most out of my free time, scrapbook on a regular basis, study, etc

I'll keep you inform on how I do... And Shimelle is starting a new class on Sep first too, Learn Something New Every Day. Enjoy!!


A big hug,

Binding machine.

Binding machine / Encuadernadora
Originally uploaded by mariangeles_spain

I've bought this today at Aldi for 26.99€ ¡¡Can't wait to use it in my scrapbooking projects!!

Summer Vacation 08

Since I'm not sure when I'll be able to organize and upload my pics, here you have a few to see...

Summer vacation 08 / Vacaciones de Verano 08

Originally uploaded by mariangeles_spain

In Memory of...

the 154 people who died in the Madrid plane crash last August 21st, the ones who are still injured and their families.

You can read HERE about it (Google search).

On vacation...

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't post before I went on vacation last Aug 12th. My boyfriend, who stayed at my apartment with me from Aug 1st, and I are now in his hometown, Adra, down to the South of Spain.

We'll go back to my apartment next Friday and he'll come back here on Sunday. I'm going back to work on Sep 1st so last week of Aug I'm planning on getting my life ready for the new season.

My boyfriend is working this week 8 am to 3 pm so I'm having tons of ME time. So far, I've gone around the town, I've taken a look to some of my Scrapbooking books and I've started reading The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp. Will write more on this later on. Will post some vacation pics too.

Talk to you soon!!!

Enjoy your Summer!!!!

Blog prompt 25. August 8th, 2008. My Freedom, Shimelle's class.

Well, this last prompt of Shimelle's Summer class was sent last night, Monday already for me, Aug 11th, instead of last Friday so, I'm not late!! :-)

25 - The obvious one. Tell your blog readers about this project and how you feel about scrapping yourself.

Although I haven't done any crafty yet, I've done part of the writing, thinking, sketching, etc and I think it's the first time I've really done a deep thinking about myself, my life and my scrapbooking.

As Shimelle has written "An album like this is the groundwork for everything else. A reflection of where you’ve come from and where you hope to go." This really summarizes the My Freedom scrapbook.

How I feel about scrapping myself? Great :-) I mean, I love making scrapping presents for my boyfriend, my mom, my sister, etc but, when I scrap about myself, I really think about my life, what those pics mean to me, what is hapenning around me,...

I think we live "so fast" nowadays, so stressed, and thinks like scrapbooking let us not only relax, as many other hobbies, but let our creative side fly and feel free.



I can't believe I'm up to date with the blogging prompts. And this is the last one...

Can't wait to get my hands on my album, do more thinking and get ready for Sep class. Eventually I'll make my Xmas album too, before this year's Journal Your Christmas class. Keep checking at Shimelle's website!!

Look what I've found!!

I've finally found the site I've been looking for these last days. It's called Wordle and this is an example of what you can create:

Enjoy creating!!!

One month!!!!

Oh yeah!!!

This blog is just one month old :-)

Thanks for taking a look from time to time, for your comments, etc