bye bye 2008

it's way past one o'clock in the morning here in Belgium so it's the last day of the year, what a year it has been! a rollercoaster of up's and downs and it's not because i'm ending the year on a bit of a down that i'm ungrateful for all that i have had this past year.









i am ever so grateful for my kids! as a single mum it isn't always the easiest job in the world


but i love being their mum and i wouldn't want it any other way! we are a good team and we are us!





i am so grateful for all the opportunities that i have had this past year! Meeting Tim Holtz in the Netherlands, meeting Suze Wienberg in Paris, attending Ranger U! attending is not the right word! being part of Ranger U is better because it was an over all experiance! it was brilliant and one of my major highlights of 2008




meeting new friends: lisa, , diane, jacky, patty, michelle rb, micheal, SUE!!!, lindy, claudine,
patty p, barb, SUZI, michelle w, inge, connie, kathryn, lin, leandra, linda...





ohhh i shouldn't try and make a list! it is way too long and i can only forget people and that is not what i want to do!




i think the people who have been part of my life will know who they are!


i am grateful for my friends old and new, personal and professional, artistic, non-artistic,...

i am grateful to Hobbyfarm, Katrien & Evelien! for the great way we have worked together! we have more of that in 2009!!!


i am grateful for everyone who took classes with me this past year! it was a great year with you all and i hope you join me in 2009! i have a lot more in store for you all!



i'm thankful for facebook! i met up with some famliy members in England that i hadn't heard from in ages, since we were kids even!



i'm thankful for my own ability to jump back up whenever things go wrong, believe me, some major things did go wrong in 2008, i'm still dealing with them but i'm a happy single me and i'm okay about it so what the heck! i'm grateful for all life has in store for me, i kind of learn from everything! i hope! i really do hope!





i'm grateful that i still have my faith in people.

my health! okay different matter, my ankle had been a pain this year! literally! it still is causing me grief but there are far worse things in life so i really won't complain! it didn't keep me from travelling to the US to go to Ranger now did it! tough cookie this woman!!!!



i'm grateful that i still seem to be pulling it off, earning my money with my artistic abilities and teaching skills, isn't that just great! okay, i needed a part time job to get me through the financial terror of 2008 but i haven't been doing that job for months now with my ankle surgery and all and we are still alive and kicking! we have food on the table. i'm proud! i honestly am!



okay! you all get the message! i'm grateful! and believe me when i tell you that i take nothing for granted! i thank my stars and angels for all the help they give to me on my journey. I smile every morning no matter what went on yesterday or might lay on my path today or tomorrow!



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so what have i been up to these last few days! first of all i've been in major pain! my back is stuck, my neck is stuck, i can barely walk, but that's not what i want to show you!



i have finished my Goth Doll painting (30x60cm), really finished! i added wonderful Diamond Black stickles to the crow (or is it a raven, Tim?) it has a beautiful sparckel to it now, i love it! , i added some sparkle to her eyes and lips and parts of her dress! i added a spider's web with Tim's masks!!!


it's finished, my daughter loves it, her friends love it, i'm a happy mammy :-)


i worked on the smaller painting 30x20 cm, the doll has changed loads now, i don't know if i'm done with it yet, time will tell.


i started drawing twin sisters, not identical twins however, 2 girls a taught for soooo long, well i'm painting them for their mum, a present

oh ! and i recieved another Lovely Award a few days ago from Kathryn, i've talked about het before but please go and check out her blog if you already haven't! Thanks for ths Award!!!! i really appreciate it! i need to pass it on to 7 others and i am stll thinking about who i want to put in the spotlight! i hope i find time in the coming days to come back on that!

that was it really! i need to get that beauty sleep now!

i want to wish you all the most wonderful 2009! let's believe we will get the CHANGE we need and are hoping for!

a big hug to you all out there! xox Tanya

angel in disguise

remember this painting? yesterday they were ordinary sisters! at least in my fantasy that's what they were! then i realized that big sis is an angel in disguise, i wish i had a big sis to share my sorrows and my happiness with

you can see the sis just coming through, underneath her angelic appearance she is still just a normal girl being there for her little sis in times of need and times of joy.

I do like how my painting has changed, i love her angelic hair, the glitter (Ranger GLITZ Stickles rubbed out with my finger) i punched little metal foil flowers, i added Ranger Glitz stickles to the irises, very sparkly but i like it alot, it love shining in their eyes! how's that for an explanation hihi! i'm still looking for the right text to put on my painting but it hasn't come to me yet, yes it must come to my to be right.

what else do i want to tell... oh yes! i bought the latest CD of KEANE , Perfect Symmetry! it is brilliant let me tell you! i needed to get into it at first but after listening a few times, i'm in love with it! it is superb! really, trust me on this!

oh yes, KKD, i will be demoing Ranger for Kars at KKD, The Netherlands in February 2009

and i'll be demoing Peel-off at SMAC Paris in March as i did last year! so shop owners out this in your agenda and pay me a visit! and SUZE we are doing some beading for sure :-)

ohhhh and this!!!!! my dear dear friend and fellow Ranger Educator Sue Clifford sent me a parcel!!!! with goodies, presents and cards and a challenge! so today i liked the postman, usually he brings me bills and then i don't find him so nice, sorry, i can't help it hihi! but today he got a smile out of me (he does other days too, i'm just kidding!)

i will photograph everything tomorrow and post! the challenge! we send eachother strange or found objects and challenge the other to do something artsy with them! it's fun! it's connecting!

strange how some people are friends from the start! thanks SUE xxx

okay! past midnight here in little old Belgium, i must get some kind of beauty sleep, i'm starting to stay up way too late, i become active in the evening, artsy actieve, not witchy active, i do live in HEKS! that is the Dutch/Flemish word for WITCH! how's that for a name?

Sleep tight! listen to your angels as you sleep, i wish you all a beautiful Xmas or Happy whatever you are celebrating

i have so much to be thankful for! i will come back on that before the New Year! i think it is important to express gratitude, so i will....

ooohhh i'm soooooooooo bad!!!

i really am bad!!! all my Xmas cards are still here! they really are! they are all ready to leave mind but they will be sooooo late! i'm really sorry things just got on top of me really! flu; kids, bad schoolresults!!! other things i will not bother you with,... i promise they are getting posted today so maybe they will be like New Year's cards instead? :-)

i did draw the winner of a Xmas gift, i can say no more than she lives in Belgium...

present will get posted today!!!!

it's been busy here with my birthday, i had a full weekend with my three eldest kids, went out for dinner, visited Maastricht, went shopping in Hasselt, went out with a couple of friends, busy busy... and i slept too little and ate too little the whole weekend, no! i didn't drink too much!!! truth is i'm just not feeling too well, can't explain what, a bug probably

i have a few days to myself now, all the kids are away, only bart is here but he's at work during the day so i have sooooo much peace and quiet, it is beautiful, just me, my music (listening to Coldplay this morning), coffee, Cadbury's chocolate and my art, i'm finishing a few Petite Dolls and starting a new one a hope, i feel like doing dolls this week, experiment with some layers and gesso

here is the Goth Doll that i finished for my 16 year old daughter, i didn't do much more to it, i added silver wax that i applied with the fine tip, drawing along the stamped swirls, i did the boots all silver and they were hillarious ugly hihi! i scraped most of it back off and painted over with red studio paint (claudine hellmuth) and i wanted to dry quickly with heattool cause i am really impatient!!! i admit and what happened? that bit of wax that was still there melted through the paint and i got this great bubbly effect; honestly, maybe it doesn't show up well in the pic but in real life it is really grundgy!so i'm pretty chuffed with my mistake of the silver boots:-) and i'm going to experiment more on wax under paint!!! it is fun!!!!

these dolls need more work, i'm not sure where i'm going on this, i started all pink and girly but then decided bah!!! so in came the orangey colours i like so much these days and a goldleaf tree that i then sanded down to age, i like this!! really great effect

this little girl i just started, i love the layers of her dress, i simply gesso (claudine hellmuth's because the structure is so nice) with paper tissues ripped up into little bits and "gessoed" down, a technique i use alot on canvas to add defenition, really cheap trick but with great results, a friend of mine does all the sides of her canvas art this way but i also use it on altered books, in paintings,...

she still need a lot of work but can you see the structure of her dress?

well, i'm off to get my hands dirty with paints! i should probably go to the supermarkrt first, hardly any food left in the house hihi! but hey! i'll do that later i really am not in the mood to go out just yet

hope you all have a wonderful day!

and my cards are on the way! again sorrrrrry for the big delay!!!!

sticky-back canvas book

ohhh it's such a dull day, a day to stay inside and drink hot drinks and create or play! howereven this morning i had to go to the doc for a check-up on my ankle. It's a really slow healing process but i'm getting there, i'm off work now till the end of January 2009 and i got another 20 visits from the pysichal therapist, i am soooo looking forward to that! (read with plenty of sarcasme!)

but no complaining from this end! at least it is getting better, slowly but surely!

i went Xmas shopping on Saturday and am pleased to announce that i did well! all the gifts for the kids are under the tree! and i bought myself 2 books for Xmas! yes i ahve to buy my own gifts, comes with being alone! i got myself the TWILIGHT book the whole world is on about! and i got the book following "the pillars of the earth" i didn't even know there was a second book so i was like a littke kid in the bookstore! i had the mgiftwrapped so i can't read before Xmas! aren't i good?!

this weekend i finished my littke canvas book i made with Claudine Hellmuth's sticky-back canvas! great stuff!

i'm pleased with my little book, happy even, it's a bit of a healing journal kind of thing, well i don't know what to call it, i did make it pretty personal, random thoughts, things that i relate to at this time in my life kind of thing. does it have to have a name? :-)

my daughter thinks the cover is a bit "nude" haha! but one needs to feel a little nude once in a while to get to the bottom of the matter... or am i just strange? :-)

i used Claudine's paints and matte Multi medium! i sooo love this medium! i even used it to adhere the goldleaf, it worked like a charm! i mixed the paints with Perfect Pearls and watered them down, i monoprinted with them, i splashed and brushed on, i dabbed them on with Cut 'n Dry foam! do i love these paints? they mix, they hold their colour! they are semi-gloss!
translucent!! which is wonderful for collage art
i used Ranger Distress Inks, Distress Embossingpowder, Goldleaf, Ranger Stickles, Paper Artsy stamps!(thanks Leandra!) i love them! ohh and i painted the flowers! they were all different colours to start wirth, all left-overs. Yes with Claudine's paints, watered down and mixed with perfect pearls and dryed with the heattool, they turned out great! i added little charms i bought in NJ, i know the flowers look a little out of place in my book, they are bright! but that is who i am! pink one day and dark the other! it's my book! i collaged with stamped tissuepaper, book pages, Grungeboard, wrapper of my fav Cadbury's chocolate! Tim Holtz' tickets,... i loved working on this book!





ohh you should see the shimmer on this red page! it is magnificant! really it is!

I never thought i would love Claudine's line so much and i never thought it would fit into my style bit it has and i am soooo pleased with her joining the Ranger Crew!!! aren't they all great!?!!! and then you all only know the designers! there are some pretty great insiders there at Ranger! Merry Christmas to you all!!! you all really made my year 2008 a happy one! especially in October hihi!

what will i do next? i think i'm going to get my Utee and Melting pot out and play!!!

hope you all have a wonderful day!

29 days of giving!

oh dear i accidentally deleted my whole post when it was nearly finished, bummer!

okay so again....

hi everyone!

fisrt i would just like to tell you about http://www.29gifts.org/, it's a 29 day giving challenge i joined, i came across it while blog hopping and signed up straight away! i like to think i give every day anyway, as a mother we do give every day but that doesn't really count, it does, but you know what i mean. it's not all about money, giving is also letting someone come on to the road in front of you, letting someone pass you in the line at the supermarket, making someone a cup of tea, holding doors open, picking up a lost glove, going out of the way of a mum with a stoller, .... little things that might just makes someone's day! and be honest, it does feel good to give doesn't it! well i joined this challenge just to be a bit more aware, it is important to give, that is my belief anyway.

I still feel the flu in my body, my head still aches, my throat still hurts, my joints ache and my ear is still thumping but okay i suppose it will pass and i'm hoping it was a good flu aznd will be so kind as not to come back all this Winter!!! i 'm hoping!!!

i haven't been very busy, i've actually done a bit of reading, watched some tv, that doesn't happen very often!

but i did make this layout with the December sketch for Hobbyfarm where i'm a designteam member

i finished all my Xmas cards for my list, it was a long list so i made lots of similar cards yet not one the same! and i'll be sending them all out this week, well nearly all of them, i still need a few addresses. i'll be putting all the names in a hat this week and letting my youngest draw a name for the Xmas present, who knows? it might just be your name! i don't know if i will announce it on my blog or let the lucky person just be suprised, hummmm what shall i do?

i also made this single ATC, not much of a job hihi! but a hint of my Xmas cards!!!!

i'm working on something with Claudine Hellmuth's sticky-back canvas! it's cool but i'm not showing until it's finished and i'll be giving it in workshop soon!

ah before i forget, i have a few dates for my workshops at Hobbyfarm!!! the first will be on 21st of February 2009 we will be doing this decorated teabox, covering 8 great techniques on Adirondack Alcoholinks, Dye inks, brayering, metal embossing,... really worth joining! it's a brilliant workshop even if i say so myself hihi! if you would like to join don't wait too long, some places are already taken and i know that my workshops fill really fast once the word is out at Hobbyfarm, so you are warned, sign up now if you want your chance to join me on this "Be Rangerized" journey!!!

also 21 of March i'll be doing a Clearbook filled with techniques on Alcoholinks, blending, mixing, details, different methodes of applying and loads of ideas for layout, embellishments and so much more, too much to mention and too much to miss so sign up as soon as you get the chance!

2 more dates are set for my workshop at Hobbyfarm: 18 April and 13 June, i don't exactly know what we will be doing then but probably a beeswax collage and altered art, i will work out more details and come back on it.

so!!! i'm off to do some TIM tags!!! you know what TIM tags are? if not!!! ooooh dear!!! go check out his blog befoer you do anything else!!!!! and see the most beautiful techniques on Xmas tags ever! he is genius!!! he really is! i still feel so honoured and blessed to have spent two full days of learning from him at Ranger U, and from Claudine and Suze!!!!

it's been a good year!!!!

ps if you see typos!! !well it's because my hands are kind of letting me down, they are aching and i can tell when i'm typing that my fingers react later than they should ans letters get switched or i even hit the wrong key with funny word as a result, please read through them :-) i try to fix them when i notice but sometimes they slip my sight...

have the most wonderful day!!!!

i recieved a lovely award!

I recieved this award from Kenneth a young belgian scrapper who attends many of my workshops, no! i'm not saying he stalks me hihi! one might think so though :-), go check out his

blog.

What the award stands for:This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement . Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to 8 bloggers who may then pass it on.

i did some blog hopping and would like to invite you to go to these blogs, so i'm passing my award on to:

http://thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com/

http://auslorri.blogspot.com/

http://littleblackscrapcat.blogspot.com/

http://suziblu.typepad.com/a_lovely_dream/

http://michelleward.typepad.com/michelleward/

http://herminesplace.wordpress.com/

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/

http://siansbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/

all talented people worth visiting!

i'm still feeling the effects of this flu! my body seems to be aching all over but never the less i'm not one to sit still for long so i've been busy, i painted a few more layers to my daughter's Gothic Petite Doll, it's not finished but this is what it looks like so far, pretty spooky don't you think?

what else? ahhh i made some Xmas stuff for Hobbyfarm

okay! it's Wednesday! that means half day school for the kids so i'm off to spend time with my kids and dress up the Xmas tree! i must must must admit that i realllllly prefer to dress the tree by myself, it has to be the way i want it ! i'm a terrible mama when it comes to letting them help me with the tree! i know i should be more relaxed about it but i want the tree to be perfectly neatly dressed...do you think the'd enjoy WATCHING me do the tree??? hihi! maybe if there are cartoons on tv....

the flu!

ooohhh my poor head! and my whole body is in aching pain... i have the flu!
i got my shopping done today so i don't need to leave the house anymore!

i recieved a lovely award from Kenneth! thank you Kenneth! i'll put it on my blog later this week and choose 8 others to pass it on to
i won't be doing much else this week!


today is the last day to get on my Xmas card list! don't forget tha 1 lucky person recieves a gift, chosen at random! all names in a hat hihi! oooh my head!!! i'm off to lie down poor poor me :-) it even hurts to smile...

and i soooo wanted to put my Xmas tree up! ohhh this is a first! i've never had my tree not up on December 1st!!! ohhhhhh... maybe tomorrow or the next day!
it is an important job finding the perfect " not perfect" tree, i hate perfect trees you see! mine needs to have "character" some strange twist of nature or something, like 2 tops or a weird bend, as long as it's a fat tree! i love short fat trees ooohhh i sooo wanted to put up my tree put my head is honestly pounding away it even hurts to type, the keys are slamming under my skull!!!

okay! off to lie down... yes with a hot cup of tea!!! you know me!