WOYWW 356

Good Morning dear 'deskers'. It's Wednesday again and that's when we bare all when it comes to our workdesks. Warts and all.
Well mine is full of warts so to speak:

We have been away for a week and it is an unholy mess!

The open book is my tangle journal which I brought with me on holiday. I did a few pages as you can see. It's this book:

I love the idea of the book and the tasks/challenges/excercises. But the quality of the paper is not good and the ink bleeds through the page. Look:

The left hand page has the pattern from the previous page showing through. Not good...

I sometimes participate in Traveling Notebooks. One from a girl in France arrived the day before we left on our holiday. Today I made a start by printing some photos.

I got allocated several pages in which to write something about myself, my village and a local recipe. Then I send it to the next person. There will be about 10 people on the list from different countries and eventually the girl in France will get an interesting book back. 

There are some Postcrossing postcards there that shouldn't really be in the photo but fortunately the address is not visible.

I have been doing some decoupage too at the campsite. I found this book with everything in it to make a card. Ideal for the holidays.

I will leave you with this postcard:

Yes, I know, Easter has been and gone.... but I thought these eggs were so beautifully decorated that I wanted to share them with you. (The card came from Poland).

Wishing you all a happy WOYWW and a fab week to follow,
Blessings,
Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 29 March 2016 T for campervan and pebbles

Good Morning folks,

Have you had a good Easter weekend? Yes, we certainly did. We have been away to the coast (South-East Spain) in our campervan.

On the coast it is always 5 or 6 degrees C warmer than here (near Granada, where the altitude is higher). The weather was warm and sunny (see Friday's blog).

This is a photo on the first day, my birthday. I am still wearing my turtle neck jumper. I changed into a T-shirt shortly after that.

I'll be linking up with Elizabeth and Bluebeard at T for Tuesday. Please join us with your blogpost as long as it has something drink related in it. 

In my case I'm showing the bottle of dry white wine that I treated myself to after a few months of abstination (trying to lose some weight, which I did. But now it's back to the diet...). 
The photo above was taken Wednesday which was my birthday. The wine glasses look very impressive but are actually hard plastic. Still, very pretty I think.

Postcard time! This card is actually one of my birthday cards. It is from my cousin Margit. She writes:"This is how I see you and Graham: both in balance! Happy Birthday!"

That's it for this morning! 

Wishing you all Happy T-Day,

Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Friday 25 March - Friday Smiles

Good Morning!

I am already smiling as we are on holiday in our campervan, staying on a camp site especially for campervans. The weather is great (sunny and warm) and I couldn't be happier.

We left on the day of my birthday, and the card so far received are these:

The one on the right is from Michelle,a blogger who was making lots of cards and asked if anyone would like a card. I immediately answered:"yes, please as I don't get many". So this arrived some days before my birthday in the post. Isn't that nice! Another smile!

Here is a card I received this week that made me smile:

It is my first ever card from Kazakstan. (Yes, I had to look it up on the map too. It is west of Mongolia, south of Siberia, and north of Afghanistan and Iran.
Does this card look like Kazakstan? No, in fact I recognize the buildings. They are canal houses in Amsterdam! That really made me smile!
Here are the stamps:

What a hoot! The person that sent it to me, Ann, knows I like images of windows and doors and that is why she chose this card.

The other thing that happened on my birthday, just before we left, is that they came to place the granite worktops in the kitchen.

I am super pleased and am smiling from ear to ear. I haven't had the opportunity to cook in my new kitchen, but as soon as we come back from holiday (monday), I shall be there, moving things up the stairs (52 steps!). 
Photos next week. 

This is a funny I found:

Have a lovely weekend all of you and see you again next week.
Blessings
Lisca

WOYWW 355 Decoupage (remember?) and a new digi layout

Good morning! Today is another chance to spy on each other's desks. If you don't know about this desk hopping, go to Julia's blog Stamping Ground where all is explained.

Here is my desk this morning:

There are some more freesias from my little courtyard. They are lovely and fragrant. Next to the monitor there is a pile of birthday cards that I am going to open as soon as my DH comes down with the breakfast he is lovingly preparing. Yes, it's my birthday today! Tada! I'm 65!

I'm typing this early as later on today we are going away in our campervan to the coast until Monday. I have a bottle of Chardonay in the fridge for our lunch on the way and tonight we shall 'dine' in a restaurant. 

The other thing on my desk is... decoupage! Yes, it was fashionable years back and I still have a box full of decoupage sheets. I know most of you would shudder at the thought of fussy cutting in this age of Silhouette cutting machines, but I enjoy doing it and find it relaxing to do for an hour or so when I sit outside on the terrace in the sun. I did quite a few and I have put them all on some white paper for you to see.

Yes, definitely posed. Now all I need to do is make the cards....

I'm still continuing to do the free digital scrapbooking for beginners course at The Scrapaneers. I have finished my second lay out. Like last week it was complicated as I had to 'translate' from Photoshop Elements into the Adobe Photoshop CS6 that I have and then into Spanish as I have Spànish software! 

I still have a problem resizing photos. In PSE if you resize them by the corners, it will be proportionate. In PSCS it doesn't do that and I don't know how to keep the photo in the same proportions. Anyone know?

A while ago, one of you was making a load of cards and asked if anyone would like a birthday card. I wrote back: "yes, please as I don't get many." Well, it arrived a few days ago, my mystery card from Canada. I've just opened it and it is beautiful!

It's from Michelle in Whitby, Canada. If you are reading this Michelle, a huge thank you! I am so 'chuffed' as they say. By far the best birthday card I received and the only handmade one.

That is it from me today. I'm going to open the rest of my cards now. 

Oh, and I might not be able to do many visits or comments as I don't know if the campsite has wifi and if they have, how good it is.

Have a good week all of you and Happy Easter for those that celebrate our Lord's resurrection!

He is Risen, He is Risen indeed!

Lisca

A Postcard a Day - Tuesday 22 March 2016 T for Almeria and things to comer

Good Morning folks,

How are you all doing? I am fine, healthy and in good spirits. I have lots of nice thing to look forward to. But first lets get down to business, i.e. the postcard for today:

This is one of the cards I have sent (rather than received) for a change. It is Almeria, the province next to us (we are in Granada province). We are going there on Wednesday to stay for a few days. This is a desert landscape. You can see the flowering agave in the photo and we will see the salt flats and the flamingoes as well as a beautiful coastline. It's no more than an hour or hour and a half drive from here. I'm really looking forward to it. The weather is quite mild.

The stamps that have come out recently are quite unusual:

This one 'celebrates' the 75th anniversary of the great fire of Santander in 1941. I have been to Santander last year (it is a city on the northcoast of Spain) and it is very beautiful. I never got the impression it was rebuilt. I use this one for My cards in Europe.

The other thing I am looking forward to is my birthday on Wednesday. I will start the day by opening my birthday cards in bed (with a cuppa). I have received four cards and I know there are two more to come but if they will arrive on time I don´t know... 

Then usually my husband takes me out to lunch. This time we are leaving for Almeria in our campervan (RV) in the afternoon/evening so I think we will have an evening meal in a restaurant somewhere near the campervan parking. We are on a diet but I will most definitely have a glass of wine! (Oh yes, Elizabeth, I will take a picture!)

I am linking up with Elizabeth and Bluebeard for T for Tuesday . To qualify one has to post something with a drink in it. So here is my drink related photo:

It is today's lunch table. As I said, we are on a diet so water is in order. I cooked courgettes au gratin, (crunchy top zucchini).

I'll give you the recipe at the end..

Now here is something to chuckle about: Yesterday I had made my DH a large mug of hot coffee. I was doing things in the kitchen and had wet hands. The mug slipped out of my fingers and all the coffee spilt (luckily not over me) over my Panasonic combi oven instructions book! It is an all-singing-all-dancing combi microwave/oven/grill, I've had it for years, but I cannot operate it without the instructions. 

 You know when wet books dry, all the pages stick together, so I had to put toilet roll paper between each page and there are 159 pages!! I was really annoyed.

But now I can laugh about it as one of the 'things that happen'.

That´s all from me today. Have a great Tuesday and a good week. See you all next week.

I've just realized I didnt show you my mini turtles. I'll try to remember next week....

Blessings,
Lisca

Courgettes Provencal au Gratin (Zucchini)

This is a very tasty, low fat supper dish.

Serves 2 generously, or 4 if used as a side dish.

450 gr zucchini, roughly chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

285 ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock

85 gr long grain rice (or use about a cup of left-over cooked rice)

2 eggs

salt & pepper

57 gr grated reduced fat cheese

15 gr fresh bread crumbs

oil spray

-          Put zucchini, onion, garlic & veg stock in a large saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil, boil for 5 minutes. Then uncover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until tender and syrupy with liquid absorbed.

-          Boil water, cook rice and drain.

-          Beat eggs with salt & pepper. Stir in (cooled) rice, zucchini and onion mixture with half the cheese.

-          Spray an oven proof dish with oil and spoon the mixture in it. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixed with breadcrumbs.

-          Bake in preheated  oven and 180 degree C (gas mark 4) for 25 minutes.

A Postcard A Day - Friday 18 March 2016 Friday Smiles

Good morning folks. It´s Friday today and as always the week has flown by. I have gathered many of the positive moments of this week and I mean to link up with Annie at A Stitch In Time and with Virginia at Rocking My World Friday .

This post is photo heavy as I have much to show you.
First my postcard of today:

It is a card by my favorite illustrator Inge Löök. The two mad old ladies always make me smile. Here they are youwling with the cats on the roof at full moon. They also seem to be sweeping gold coins from the roof. I'm not sure what that is about. There is a symbol of the Red Cross charity in the corner, so perhaps it has something to do with that. 

The caption reads Happy Easter in Finnish. It was sent to me by Anne who writes that it was -4.2 degrees Centigrade (on the first of March). She writes: "We have 2 cats and a dog. I´m always happy and positive thinking. I love my life! I wish all good for you. Terveisin, Anne". (Terveisin translates as 'regards')

The flat is coming on and DH has been putting up lamps.

These lamps I brought back from Holland a few years ago. They match the large center lamp in the living room. But that one is not hanging up yet as the chain is not long enough. I'll show it when it´s up.

These three lights are for the terrace.

And this bulkhead light too.

Here I am posing by the new lights (hardly visible against the busy back ground).
The thingamajigs in between the tiles are spacers. DH has just finished tiling the terrace. They will be removed tomorrow.

Another thing that made me smile this week is a pick-up truck load of firewood. There´s nothing more satisfying than knowing you have enough firewood to keep you warm in winter. 

Our stocks were low so we decided to get one more load. This is olive wood. We do not have central heating and every room has its stove. My craft room/living room has a wood burner and we still fire that up every day as I am a cold mortal.

 I have also treated myself to Photoshop PSCS6. It will be my 65th birthday on Wednesday and this is an early birthday present.  I´m having a go at digital scrapbooking. I´m doing a free online course with The Scrapaneers. It´s quite complicated as the course is with Photoshop Elements which is not exactly the same as PS. On top of that, my Photoshop program is in Spanish, so it´s taking me ages to figure out what to do. (Yes, I am taking notes).

Finally here are a few funny bar signs:

 Always read the small print!

And if you remember your chemistry...

That's it from me today. Sorry it has become quite along photo heavy post, so if you made it to down here I really appreciate that.

Have a good week,

Blessings,

Lisca

WOYWW 354 computers and digital lay outs

Hello peeps! Good morning!

It´s Wednesday again and I am linking up with Julia at Stamping Ground.

I´m really sorry to hear that Julia is not well at the moment. I hope she can have her operation soon.

We are here to share our work desks, but mine has not got any craft stuff on it today. In stead, there is a brand new desk top computer. Tada:

It´s a desk top computer. The computer itself is under my desk and the screen and keyboard are visible in this photo. I chose a big screen. It´s quite a whopper!
It´s my birthday next week (I´ll be 65!) and I´ve treated myself to Photoshop CS6. I´m having a go at digital scrapbooking. I´m doing a free online course with The Scrapaneers. It´s quite complicated as the course is with Photoshop Elements which is not exactly the same as PS. On top of that, my Photoshop program is in Spanish, so it´s taking me ages to figure out what to do. 
But I have managed to complete the  lay out of lesson 1:

That´s it from me today. Short and sweet as they say. 

Have a good week all of you,
Blessings,
Lisca

A Postcard a Day - Friday 11 March 2016 Friday Smiles

Hi folks, sorry I am late to join this morning. So many things to do and not enough time. Sounds familiar?

My postcard for today comes from Germany. I only received it yesterday from Jasmin.

A beautiful Art Nouveau door from Darmstadt. I have since found out it is the door of the Hans Dieters house which was built by Olbrich in 1900. 
Here is a photo from the internet of that house:

Beautiful.

So what smiley news have I got other than the sun is shining here.... well, I have got a new computer!! Whoop whoop! It is a desktop this time with a huge screen (something I have always wanted). Here it is:

I am super pleased! I have spent all yesterday transferring stuff from one computer to the other and generally tidying up the files as I went along so my laptop has a bit more memory. The fan is broken or something and it heats up and then dies (my laptop) but the guy that sold me the new one is going to see if it can be repaired and then I will have a spare. One can never have enough computers hehe.

My other activities this week pale in comparison, but I continue to go the the gym, stick to my diet and lose weight. I treated myself to sushi the other day (OK from the supermarket, but it was nice). (the photo won´t upload... oh well, you all know what sushi looks like)

My DH continues to work in the new flat. He is painting doors, putting doorhandles and locks in (boy what are those things expensive!). Still waiting for the granite which will arrive next week.

I´ll leave it at that as it is getting late. The rest of the day I shall be busy trying to get my iTunes music transferred. Not an easy operation. I have tried it once yesterday, spent hours and then it didn´t happen. Hopefully today is another day and it will go smoothly.

Have a great week all of you. I´m linking up with Annie at A Stitch In Time and with Virginia at Rocking Your World Friday. See you there!

Blessings,

Lisca

WOYWW 353 - more embroidery

Hello deskers. Good morning!

I have to disappoint you today as my desk is literally empty. I have cleared it completely as I am waiting for my new desktop computer to be delivered later today! I am so excited! This laptop is on its last legs. It keeps dying on me and runs too hot too. Besides it has Windows Vista which soon will no longer be supported. So, its time for a new one.

Last night I went to my embroidery group and I photographed some of the work they are doing.

Not such a good photo. This lady is making a little skirt for her niece in the traditional style used for folk dancing and fiestas.

She is using the same fabric (locally made in the village) as I am using for my table cloth. (See last week's blog).

Different colour, different stitch, different lady.

I apologize for the bad quality of my photos. My camera has also seen better days. I believe in 'inbuilt obsolescence'. I think things are made to last only a certain amount of time, so that they can sell you more stuff. How annoying though....

As it was International Day of the Women yesterday, we had a little celebration with cakes after our embroidery was cleared from the table. Here we are (with yours truly on the right already with my jacket on).

I'm going to link up with Julia at Stamping Ground for Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday although my desk was empty. Hope you don't mind. 

Have a good week,
Blessings,
Lisca

A Postcard a Day - 7 March 2016 - T for Tuesday, T for geishas and spirals

Good Morning! 

I'm having computer problems! Every hour or so my computer goes completely dead. Black screen. Then I have to reboot which takes longer than usual as it hadn't been shut down properly. I have a new computer on order but I haven't received it yet. Oh what a pain!

Moan over. Here is my postcard:

As you can see it is from Japan. The text reads:"A Kyoto maiko, a geisha's assistant, performs a traditional bell dance at a shrine festival". She looks rather sad I think...

The stamps are beautiful. I always appreciate it when people make an effort to put nice stamps on a card. I myself go out of my way to find/order special stamps. Nowadays the postoffice doesn't have stamps anymore. The mail gets stamped by a machine. But at the philately department, One can order or buy nice stamps.

I'm on a diet. Healthy eating, no wine, no sugar, no coffee. I was 66 kg and today I am 62.4! So I have lost quite a bit. I have treated myself to a Spiralizer (or the German version of it):

I love playing with it and i have also bought two books at the same time.

This was my supper last night. Good ol' sardines on toast. 

As it has a cup of tea in it I qualify for T for Tuesday. Elizabeth hosts T for Tuesday, where everyone shares something with a drink in it at Altered Booklover.

My kitchen is practically finished (I showed you a photo last week). This is what it looks like now:

The worktop is going to be granite but it won't be ready until the 15th. I can't wait. When that is in place we can move in. Whooppee!

That's it from me this Tuesday. Have a great week all of you,

Blessings,
Lisca