check out Alain!

Alain is a co-owner at Ranger, he is not a crafter but a sales person! but i guess after travelling so much with tim he has caught the bug hihi! here is a video of a small project he made! it is super! i love it!!! He rocks! and you have to love his accent! i've met him a couple of tmes now and he is such a gentleman!
check out this video it is worth it! i promise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vutIjVOFBeo&feature=subscription

good weekend

hi all!

glad the weekend is over hahah! it was a good one! filled with loeds of Ranger fun and education but a heavy one to say the least, lots of teaching, travelling, eating out of the house, and that doesn't go down well with me!

i went for dinner with my friend L on Saturday evening and once again i ended up being really ill, all night! getting up at 7 the next morning didn't leave me much time to feel alot better before i started teaching, but i managed and as the day went on i felt okay! only after the lesson i kind of got hit by a hammer and had a hard time driving home, 2 hours drive, got some coffee and chocolate to help keep me going! but as soon as i got home i got the kiddies off to bed and i was in bed by a quarter past nine myself. i don't know what it is with me and food; i am never ill when i prepare food myself, i use hardly use oil and when i do it's sunflower sometimes but mostly olive, i never use salt, just generally eat healthy even thougfh i do stick frozen pizza in the oven once in a while, they don't make me sick. whenever i eat out i end up ill, really ill, the whole deal! it is frustrating really cos i don't know why? i'm starting to think it has something to do with animal fat or something, maybe food prepared with butter, cream, milk? i don't eat meat as it is, only fish but that is a different kind of fat isn't it? and i did have vanilla icecream for dessert! i don't know but i am going to try and get to the bottom of it cos it is realy difficult seeing that i do eat out quite often.



anyway, appart from that i had a good weekend! a great workshop on Saturday! my ladies all madfe wonderful boxes with a collage of Ranger techniques: alcohol inks, dye inks, dimensional pearls,... we had a fun time and they all went home with a finished box and were all pleased with themselves, they never thought they would get it finished in that time but then they should know better hihi! we get things done!



Sunday i had a shop owner and an educator to tutor, i Rangerized them with 26 techniques and tons of product info, they were over the moon with their tags on a ring, we worked hard! it was fun and a good thing for me to be able to repeat some of what Tim taught me! a good reminder for myself going through it hihi! nothing i enjoy more than teaching Ranger! but you already all know that i suppose :-)



today is my day of rest, the kiddies have a week off school for carnaval but they are off to the after-school-care, having fun with the other kids and letting me have a bit of a rest, i'm picking them up in a little while so that we can still do some fun stuff together today that way they get the best of both worlds hihi! playing with their friends and then some serious mom time!

it is a juggeling job being a single mom but i manage pretty well i think, i hope...



my 7 year old son got into bed with me this morning and told me i am the most beautiful mom he has ever seen. now how's that to start my day haha! he is so cute! hope he stays like that! he'll make some woman happy one day!


see the flowers on this lo? well it seems everone is so into this type of punched circle flowers so i kind of tried my Grungy twist on them, Colorcore, wrinkled, scratched, sanded down, ripped at the edges and a heart of tim's cool sprocket gears and brads, i think they turned out pretty cool :-) icould of put some ink to them, ummm ...well next time...
so yesterday i spent a fortune on circle punches hihi! i have all the Cricuts in the house put spent all that money on old-fashioned punches, i know i'm strange huh! but i love them!

okay! you all have a great day! i've got another half hour before i'm off to my physical therapist so i'm going to do some reading with a cup of tea

byebye! take care! have fun!

xox

checking in!

open roads ahead, they don't scare me! i'm embracing the changes in my life!

hiya! just checking in, i know i've been a little down and less creative these last few days. i'm getting to feel better, i'm feeling pretty uplifted, not having any panic attacks through the night anymore! i am a strong person and will get through anything this world presents me!



i'm getting packed for another weekend of "Be Rangerized" workshops! Something i love doing!



this afternoon i'll be off to the kiddie's school to join them for carnaval! not my favourite pass-time, i'm not really into the whole carnaval thing but they love it so i promised to be there and join them as they go around the village showing off their costumes and then off to their dance party. i'm dreading all the noise to be honest but a promise is a promise and they love me being there so hey! i'll live through it hihi! i'll be brave!! i'll smile and take loads of pics!!



Grey's Anatomy was back on tv last night! dubble episode to start off! ohhh i love Grey's Anatomy so i had a good evening :-) i didn't cry though! usaully i cry my eyes out, guess i've shed too many tears in real life these last days.



no more tears, no more lump in my throat. my youngest kids need a happy mammy! i need to be a happy me! no matter what!



Saturday night i'm going out for a night on the town, a late birthday celebration (my birthday was in December hihi!) my friend L and i live so far appart it is difficult to plan a night out but now we are going out to have some fun! looking forward to it! my son will be driving me home hihi! so no need not to have a couple of drinks! i'm thinking Mojitos yay!!!! well just 1 or 2 cos i am teaching on sunday! i'll be a good girl, i think :-) we'll see... we'll see... wohaahah...



thanks for all the beautiful thoughts you have been sending me! alle the beautiful mails and messages, i feel more than blessed to have some wonderful caring people in my life how ever far some of you might be, i feel surrounded by friendship. thank you!



oh and my anonymous turned out to be SHERRI aka little black scap cat!!! in arizona! xox we kind of "met" through Mike from Jack & Cat, small, small world really!



okay! back to packing!
i hope you can all feel my vibes getting better!
my heart feeling stronger!
my arty hands getting itchy to create again!!



have a wonderful weekend!

xox tanya

feeling the SUN on my Soul

i'm allowing myself to smile, to feel joy, to feel the Sun on my face, let it warm my Soul.

No matter what is going on in my life, the pain that i'm going through, i need to live, breathe, feel happy, joy, love, light, comfort, peace... i have to let go; i am letting go! clear the traffic from my head and feel the Sun! just feel the ground beneath my feet, the beuty around me, the love i am recieving from unexpected places. the support am i feeling is not going to waste! i am pulling through! i am reflecting love despite my dark times. I won't even try and hope for the future, i want to live today! just be me, now, today! wake up from this nightmare, just hope she is okay where she is and hope she will be wise enough to work on her own future and know that i am still here if she needs me, i am her mam, always will be.

but i am also Me and i have the right to be Me and not let myself spiral down.

my good friend J says that it is not ME that is hurt, only my Ego and i do believe him on this! when i think about it all, my Ego is hurt! i was trying to be the best mother possible, to prove myself as a mother, fighting to give them everything, loosing myself in rushing through my days, forgetting that it is not all up to me! i can only do so much! i've learned that now, i'm letting her go, hoping that she will be happy in her choices.

i am going to breathe, find peace, day by day this will become easier i'm sure! i have lovely people supporting me and caring for me.

My Soulmate is thousands of miles away but he still hears my calls and feels when to comfort or to give me the damn objective truth. i am blessed to have him on my path!

my BFF S is sooooooooooo supportive! she sends me text messages before i go to bed, she sends me comfort and sweetness! i am overly blessed! i know that! i do i do! i really do!

so! let the Sun do her Thing!

taking a day off

taking a day off to get myself and my Soul sorted, i'm a bit at drift and need to find harbour,and peace is this strange and painful world, come to terms with people who are the closest to my heart being the ones hurting me the most. own flesh and blood. but as i said, letting go, finding peace, not searching for guilt or reasons, wrongs or rights, just letting go, breathing, pulling the dagger out of my ego and letting my Soul know that i am far bigger than anything that can happen to me... i'm still breathing aren't i? well there you go! i'm off to a good start :-)

have a wonderful day! i'm sure going to try and have a beautiful day!

some pictures

something family related and pretty personal is occuping my mind

so just a few pics from yesterday

Tim and me discussing the new colours and products

some of the cool samples boards tim made for CHA

just checking in!

hi! just checking in!
it's been a good few days
my Ranger workshops at Kars are all done! Tim was pretty impressed about the amount of techniques i put in! cool huh! Alain loved seeing all the Ranger stuff on the tables! i had done my best to get loads in to show and educate everyone! Chantal an i make a great team i can tell you that! i'd work with her again any day!!! it was good!
Tim was great too! loads of new stuff to show! his new stamps are to die for! really truly to die for!!! the Grungepaper is brilliant! i can't wait to get my hands on that! i already have ideas of what i'm going to use it for!
Mario was super! he even helped with the preping of the paint dabbers! so for a short while i had my mario hihi! Rangerettes will get me on this one :-) he is so goooood! i like mario heaps! and he wore his hat all weekend like me! we were setting a trend haha! trendsetters mario and me haha!
tomorrow i'll be joining them for the education day!! and according to tim this is actually the follow-up of Ranger U! i mean!!!! hoooowwww cool is that! i'm kind of in an over the moon freaking out kind of mood! i'll hardly sleep tonight i imagine.
anyway! i'm on a stupid scratch card for internet now so i'll go and leave some time to chat to my kids!

talk to you all when i get back!
ohh just for the record! the rumours about me were not spread at Croptime! some of you thought this but no need! it was not there hihi! okay Bep!? xxx

oh and one more thing!! i recieved a really lovely comment from someone anonymous! i would so love to know who anonymous is! i was so pleased and touched by the comment, thank you!!!!

okay! bye for now
xox tanya

this is me

this is me, tired, not feeling in top condition, overworked to say the least but ever so content! HAPPY even!

i feel no matter what crosses my path, i will always cope and come through, feeling strong and confident about myself! my Soul is letting me know i'm good at being ME! does anyone understand what i'm saying?

well anyway, i'm looking forward to two full days of workshops at Kars and tuesday a full education day with Tim Holtz! i'l soooo looking forward to that! but i've probably said that already? hihi!

ohhhhhhh! i bought myself a new bed! being single i felt my king sized bed was too big and intimadatinf for me! i have now downsized to a normal double bed at it looks far better in my cozy, sexy girly pink, orange, red and purple bedroom! it is so ME! i love love love it!

so lookign forward to an early night, will i have to go to bed early! getting up at 5 tomorrow so...

but still, i can't wait to get to bed, new aubergine-purple sheets, fairy flower lights draping my bed head, hot chocolate, new book! ohhh is it nearly bed time?

no! it's 5.30 in the afternoon and i still have heaps to do!!!

- finish off an article for a mag, due tomorrow aaaahhh

- dye my hair, grey is showing!!!

-pack up all my stuff...

- fill a suitcase... probably involves a bit of ironing too...damn!!!

- gazoline! car is running on low...

ohh so much to do

but as always i will get it done, be really happy and feel pretty proud of myself too! hihi!

well it's pizza for dinner i'm afraid, no cooking today!

have a great weekend!!

xox

art journal

my page for today "Soul vs Ego"

a bit ill!

ohhh i'm feeling a bit ill! not that i have time for this! however the body sometimes asks to slow down doesn't it!,
i got hit by the stomach flu this past weekend! in the middle of my workshops! was up allllllllll night being sick! i will leave out all details! but i ended up laying on a bathroom floor 250 km from home feeling really sorry for myself!
Luckily i had the most wonderful assistant the next day! Astrid took over my workshop whenever i couldn't! i lasted the day but my son was so sweet! he travelled 4 and a half hours by train to come pick me up! he drove back to Belgium for me!
I slept all day yesterday! thought i was okay and then ended up fainting this morning! hit the floor while i was getting the kids ready for school!

Doc gave me medication for my low bloodpressure and took some blood for lab, probably my iron level is way low again causing me to faint, been there! it is nothing major! just need injections or a red bloodcell transfusion and i'll be right as rain again hihi!

it does mean i need to calm down a little hihi! as if that is possible in this crazy time! i have much to do but i will make sure a get to bed on time and try and get some food down me and keep it down me hihi!

no art to show! suprised??? hihi!

this weekend i'll be giving workshops at Kars and meeting tim holtz again, happy happy happy!

not that i want to make anyone jealous!

i could write a thing or two on jealousy though!!! i got ear of some really nasty rumours about me! I'm not going to get into it! i'm not going to let it get to me either! i do think it is really sad though that some people, who don't even know me personally accuse me of things i am not guilty of and are connecting certain events in my life to other events and spreading their twisted outcome!!!! strange combo's, funny!!! if it wasn't so malicious! it's a shame they think they need to harm my professional life though! jealousy is such a bad thing! anyhow! enough on that! i will not let it get to me! i suppose if they are talking about me they must find me important enough to do so haha!
Just another thing to LET GO! i'm good at letting go of nasty things!

now i'm off to nap! like a good girl! following doc's orders!

xox