2010 in Review (pt 1)

So, I promised a bit of a review of the last year - a few top threes or even top tens, some highs and some faves. There might be some duplication of photos or layouts (featured over the last year during regular posts, as well as in my three part, multi-layout post) as last year was really a productive scrapbooking year for me but I hope you will bear with me and enjoy the look back in time.

I thought I might start off by doing one of those questionnaires. You know the one where it asks what you thought of the previous year.


I have done this one a couple of times now (here and here and here) and decided that it is just too long. So I've cut it down to just 18 questions this year:

1.     What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

I guess the usual. I want to be more organised, de-clutter, be creative every day, learn to use my camera more fully, continue taking a photo a day, lose some weight, sleep more, get on top of the ironing pile (as in do the ironing and not just climb on top of it!), try to remember birthdays and be a better friend. My one little word will be covered in another blog post.

2.     Did anyone close to you give birth in 2010?

No, but my brother-in-law did become a Daddy though for the first time, through adoption which is wonderful for the whole family.

3.     Did anyone close to you die?

A very elderly member of our extended family passed away in February, which was very sad. We are very blessed to have all our parents and three grandparents around and in good health.

4.     What countries did you visit?

The UK, Birmingham & London – it was a quiet travel year.

5.     What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I completed three months of LOAD (layout a day) and I have a wonderful pile of layouts to prove it.

One of my photos was chosen as a highlighted entry by The Pioneer Woman in one of her photo challenges.

6.     What was the best thing someone bought you?

I was whisked away to the tower suite of our favourite local hotel here in Recklinghausen to be treated to 24 hours of pure romance and relaxation. Rose petals were scattered all over the rooms and two large bouquets and a bottle of champagne were waiting. Who could ask for more?

Ah, I knew there was something else actually. Completely out of the blue, this arrived in December as a present for our wedding anniversary from Liberty! I absolutely adore it and it is totally perfect - on every level. For those of you who can't see the detail, each of the hearts features somewhere important to us - Recklinghausen, Nova Scotia, Paris and Birmingham. I am not exaggerating when I say that we both love it to pieces.  

7.     Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Madeleine – she is just delightful and is such an adorable little girl. She was scouted to join a competitive gymnastics team back in the autumn and is apparently a natural – good to know all that energy has found an outlet!

8.      What song(s) reminds you of 2010?

Anything from Glee – I discovered the Glee love for myself this year – loved every song and every episode I got my hands on! A fave? Has to be “Don’t Stop Believin’”.

9.      How did you spend Christmas?

On Christmas Eve (the main day here in German), we spent a quiet evening together – just the two of us and enjoyed fondue, good wine and meaningful conversation. This was a first for us! (Celebrating Christmas Eve together, not the meaningful conversation!)

Christmas Day was an English Christmas dinner for my German family, which has become a firm tradition and was very successful. We had a totally white Christmas which is unusual for us (last one being in the 80’s) and as we didn’t have to go anywhere at all, it was incredibly beautiful and we loved it.

New Year’s Eve was fondue, raclette, too many bubbles and a (for us) losing game of Trivial Pursuit with the family. It was a really great holiday time.

10   What was your favourite TV program?

I tracked down Glee online and watched the whole first series in a matter of days – LOVED it! Can’t imagine it will ever come to Germany so internet will have to do.

11   What was the best book you read?

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This book totally gripped me – I was really surprised at how “in the story” I was. Great read. I’ve just seen online that it’s going to be a film – should be great!

12   What did you do on your birthday?

I had a quiet birthday. Mum was over to visit which was lovely and we wandered around the Recklinghausen Christmas Market, made cookies and shared a few glasses. A different birthday this year, but lovely all the same.

  What was your best musical discovery?

I have really listened to very little new music this year. I suppose I have just been listening to music I like and realising that there are some singers out there that really appeal to me – Adele or Alicia Keys for example. I adore the new Take That stuff and the Robbie/Gary duet was a real winner for me.

I kept listening to my playlist 2010 for the whole year though and only got a bit tired with some of the tracks in the last few weeks – watch this space for a new 2011 playlist!

I guess the musical highlight for me was the discovery of Glee. I had heard so much about it and caught an episode or two while I was in the UK. Then I caught up with it on the internet and was instantly hooked! I love the music and rushed to order all the CD’s from Amazon. It was my go-to music over much of the summer.

14   What was your favourite film of the year?

Twilight – Eclipse. This was one of only three movies I saw at the cinema last year but hands down, Jacob still does it for me every time.

15   What kept you sane?

Ralph

Scrapbooking

Reading other people's blogs

Chocolate and champagne

Enjoying cocktails out on our new balcony

(same as last year in fact)

I also worked on keeping perspective. When times are hard, things could always be worse.

16   Who was the best new person you met? 

I reconnected with a much loved school friend, which was great after nearly 9 years since we had last seen each other.

I also made a whole host of internet/class/blog/LOAD friends through my scrapbooking – it’s such a great community and it’s lovely to see familiar faces when enter the virtual classroom or gallery. We are all great fans of each other’s work and they are so supportive, it’s wonderful.

17   Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned.

Together, we are strong enough.

18   Quote a song line that defines your year.

“Don’t stop believin’

Hold onto that feelin’"

I am well and truly Gleek’d! ‘Nuff said!

Tomorrow will be part two of my multi-layout post and then on Wednesday, I'll put together some more reminiscing...

Care to share?

I've been...

Gleeked!

Yes, I have stumbled onto the Glee bandwagon!

It hasn't reached Germany yet. Actually, can't imagine it ever reaching here - not sure the humour would translate very well, culturally.

But I had heard so much about it online and then, when I was in the UK, I caught two episodes - I was hooked. So, I dashed home and watched the whole series one and a half episodes at a time online (the online service I was using limits free viewing to 74 mins!) - it was good for my ironing! Unfortunately, it only took about 10 days to manage this and as I watched the last episode, I felt bereft.

Over.

And the DVD won't be available until September over there in the UK.

There was nothing else for it - over to Amazon and order all the music!

Da daaaa....

This music is making me smile. Got to love that!

Gutted...

Now anyone who knows me will be able to tell you that I am clumsy with a capital C. I drop things ALL the time. Cups, plates, glasses, bottles, sunglasses, key, books, bottles - you name it, down it goes. And of course there are a few days every month when EVERYTHING ends up on the floor.

So you can imagine that I get used to breaking things. Sometimes expensive things.

But nothing compares to this....

Yep, down it went - again! But this time, I wasn't so lucky. Smash.

Bizarrely enough, it still works which I think is quite cool although it makes it difficult to read the screen LOL. And I got lots of glass splinters during the first few days.

But I am keeping it for the moment. Am hoping to inherit R's old 3GS when he gets a new 4G. Then I will send this one it to get a (really expensive!!!) replacement glass screen!

Talking of broken glass, today was another glass breakage. This time though, not only did the glass break but I also seem to have taken a chunk out of my hand. Bit worried. Hope it starts healing overnight or I might have to go and have it looked at... All fun and games here.

Please tell me there are other clumsy people out there...!

Good job it's cooled down here or I would be really grumpy! ;-))

What is it with us scrappers?...

Who can, hand on heart, say that they really don't have enough stash? Not enough cardstock, papers, pretty flowers, ribbons or buttons, stamps, inks, glitter and stickers? Certainly not me! I have soooo much, my room is bursting at the seams. I have piles of precious BG papers, stacks of AC Thickers, jars heaving with buttons and flowers. Just SO much stuff.

And yet, there is always that new collection of papers that I HAVE to get, buttons and flowers that are exactly the shade I'm missing, new products that call me... in my dreams...

It's scary!

And I'm quite prolific at times - there are some weeks where I scrap every single day and produce layout after layout. This year alone, I must be heading towards a hundred layouts with LOAD February and May and Dimensional Details.

But is my stash diminishing? Um, let me think about that for a millisecond... NO!

Now, I know that you are sitting there nodding your head with an understanding grimace. You do it too, don't you?  I DON'T need anything. I could scrap for months only needing sustenance and adhesive to be thrown into the room and still have BG left over!  But, I did it again on Saturday. Off to Kempen I went (I only went three weeks ago and needed a truck to bring home my goodies), because the owner had told me that she was clearing the stock out to make way for Christmas supplies. Well, I had to go, didn't I? Would have been rude not to! She told me personally. And there might be bargains to be had. I was only doing my social duty, boosting the local economy after all.

This is what I came home with...

And you can't even see the top line of BG mini stamps that will be SO useful for card making (because I am such a big card maker LOL!!)

There were really some bargains to be had and I ended up saving nearly €30 on my purchases with some items (such as the MM embellishment jar) were more than 60% reduced. But of course, I saw June Bug which I decided I had to have, some embellishments, some labels and the distress foam pads that we all full price. 

I would like to say that I don't shop all that often. I only go to Kempen three or four times a year. And I have stopped shopping online pretty much. But I have a monthly kit. I shop when I'm in the UK with Lib. And I go to Kempen more often than I admit to myself! 

What do you do to stop yourself shopping? I'd like to learn your secrets. Or maybe you don't, maybe you shop all the time. Tell me and make me feel better.

On another note, do you remember this story about visiting the coal mine? I said I wanted to make it into a layout and I did. Lifted the journalling from the blog, changed it out a bit, got out my grungy, vintage BG papers and got the story done. I followed a sketch from DD, adapting it to a two-pager and while it may not be pretty, may be a bit "dull" and maybe a bit "what???" for most people, I am very pleased with it.

("Untertage" is German miners' slang for working underground.)

Of course, there's been a whole lot of football going on around here. And today I was in the difficult position of Germany playing England in the first knock-out round of the World Cup. Who would have my support? Either way, whoever loses, I would be sad. In the end, Germany played an excellent game and England is out. I went out to the balcony and took down my England flag and packed it away with a heavy heart. At least I get to support Germany and hope that they carry on doing as well as ever. I am really not a big football fan. Really not. But I have learnt a bit over the years and today, the infamous quote from Gary Lineker rang true once again: "Soccer is a game for 22 people that run around, play the ball, and one referee who makes a slew of mistakes, and in the end Germany always wins." How true, how true! In the end, it's not life and death, but who plays best on the day. May the best team win!


On a brighter note, I just thought I would share a couple of photos of this stunning single rose that I received on Friday. It smells wonderful too. Just gorgeous. Summer really is here.

Happy Sunday!

Happy April 1st!


Just a little something to help us believe that Spring is here/on the way!

So my teenie sister thinks I am off the scale as far as boring and untrendy goes (guess that word right there gives it away!!) and had done one of these list thingies on her blog and told me to do it to so that she could gauge just how bad I have it! Here goes:

Make-up

1. L'Oreal - Telescopic mascara and lipstick - 235 nude
2. Bobby Brown - Shimmer Wash eye shadow - rose gold/chocolat/bone
3. YSL - Touche Eclat
4. Chanel - Rouge Allure lipstick - rose blossom and all their nail varnishes
5. Esprit - twist and define eye liner - anthracite

Food

1. Roast vegetables with feta, couscous and balsamic vinegar
2. Crème brûlée
3. Scallops
4. Fresh white asparagus - the season is just around the corner - can't wait
5. Cadbury's chocolate

Drink

1. Champagne
2. Cosmopolitan (as mixed by my one and only)
3. G&T (again, as mixed by my one and only)
4. A good cuppa
5. Starbucks grande skinny latte

Stores

1. Gap
2. Roots
3. M&S
4. Chanel (in my dreams)
5. Any shop that sells scrapbooking stuff!

Places to eat

1. Anywhere where the food is prepared for me!
2. Lorenzo's - here in Recklinghausen
3. Goldener Anker - our favourite romantic restaurant
4. On our balcony (looking forward to opening the Balconia season)
5. Bofinger brasserie in Paris

Places to drink

1. Potions - my own personal cocktail bar
2. My own sofa
3. At a candlelit table
4. Starbucks
5. Sitting in bed, reading a good book

Movies

1. Gone With The Wind
2. It's A Wonderful Life
3. Holiday Inn
4. Grease
5. The Breakfast Club

Books

1. Gone With The Wind
2. The Twilight series
3. The Shopaholic series (just good fun reading!)
4. Jane Austen
5. Memoirs of a Geisha

What does this list say about me? I dread to think!

What is your top five list then?

Wednesday sparkle!

I have lots to update on. But I am feeling weak and most definitely watery!

I had such a dirty, grimy day (details to come in another post) that I think we all need some Wednesday sparkle in our life... or maybe I should have put ... Wednesday sparkle!

Here's hoping to brighten your day:

Just a quick one...

Just dropping by to say hello.

1. Still playing with the camera and macro lens. Still loving the results - watch this space for layouts using über-arty photos in the near future!

2. Still playing along with LOAD - here are the latest two layouts:

February 17th 

February 18th

3. Like the first layout here a lot - the journalling means a lot to me. It describes the relationship we have with our long-distance friends René and Minako relating to our visit there last August. Don't like the 2nd layout so much. Love the subject, love the photos, love the story, love the butterflies. But the layout itself? Not really. But I had Libby scolding me for not using Stickles enough in the back of my brain so I went for it. Not really sure at all! But the story is captured and I may rework this at some point. Done and move on.

4. Congrats to my sister Liberty for pinning down a new job! Go her! Well done and I knew she'd get it - she's pretty cool, you know!

5. Pancakes for dinner again tonight! Left over from Pancake Day on Tuesday - yummy, yummy! Maybe I should take a photo as I forgot on Tuesday! It's not known here in Germany so it's always a thrill for us!

That's all folks!

Christmas at last

Real fire? check.
Candles? check.
Warming up again after being out at the Christmas market? check.
Hot piggies on the hearth? check.
Sparkling lights? check.
Christmas feeling? aboslutely!

Where to begin? (Warning: mega post ahead)

I've just had a crazy couple of weeks. It was all systems go here in the Hausmann household with so many birthdays, celebrations, parties, visitors, last minute panics, lack of sleep and the terror of realising that Christmas is a matter of hours away and we have not done ANYTHING!

There was so much in the last days, it might be better just to list what was going on. And sometimes I will need to improvise because as hard as it is to believe, sometimes I seem to have forgotten to take a single photo.

19th November

The Christmas Market season was officially opened. I love the Essen market but the weather has been unfair this year - too warm, too wet. I always get a thrill to see the first day of opening and to get the first smell of Glühwein.

22nd November

Yes, another year older And I don't have a single photo of the night before when we out for a romantic dinner, nor of the day itself. Guess I was just too busy enjoying it!

Jacqui came to visit us and arrived hours late and missing her case. However, she came bearing gifts (recovered from her case the next day although someone had helped themselves to an array of her belongings - hairbrush, trainers, night shirt, bras, costume jewellery etc etc). Having just been to Russia on business, there was a theme going on which was adorable.

Mmmm not sure I will be wearing this very often (maybe I need to get the rest of the outfit??)

And take a look at these lovelies! 10 of these incredible Matryoshkas, all looking serenely gorgeous! I was delighted and they now have pride of place on my dressing table. I can't believe how tiny the smallest one is and yet, she still looks wonderful! Jealous?

25th November

Did I mention last minute panics? Well that would be when I decided to check that the dress I had planned all year to wear at the big event still fitted. Yes, you guessed it... It didn't! We tried everything to squeeze my hefalump status into it but it wasn't budging. So this was the day, and the only day I had, to go and find a suitable dress. I was definitely hyperventilating and generally dissatisfied with my bulk which seems to have appeared overnight (NOT!!!) but within an hour of arriving in Dusseldorf, I had found this sweet party dress. The day or rather, night, was saved although I was still to discover that my outfit was cursed! More later.

** have you noticed that all these photos are rather staged? Evidence of the fact that I didn't take my camera out to take a single photo of the party preparations, me and Jac together or anything to do with my birthday. And so it continues

26th November

The English guests started descending on Recklinghausen which we had been so excited about. Libby and Jon and all the Chance family arrived via Disneyland Paris and when I saw those Minnie Mouse ears, I just couldn't get enough of the little monsters! (Again, no photos. Don't know what sort of black hole had decided to take over my brain at this point!)

But it was so lovely to see them all and it kind of kicked in then that this was it! The party ball was rolling and there was no stopping it! I felt a bit like that scene on the comedy film Airplane where the waitress is hysterical and everyone is queuing up to slap (literally or with baseball bats etc!)  some sense into her. Jac did this to me on a regular basis through the week, although not physically I hasten to add. She kept me firmly on the ground all week and kept giving me doses of reality which helped and in return I was a total control freak which was good for her too.

Although at the end of the day it was only a party, I wanted it to be something rather special as Ralph had given me such a wonderful 40th celebration. He deserved it to be even greater and I was determined to get as much of it right as possible.

At this point I would like to add that Ralph is such a party animal that he was unable to stay awake on the 26th until midnight to welcome in his birthday. I sat there listening to the bells mark 12 and his gentle snoring simultaneously! Who said romance was dead?

27th November - the birthday itself

It is a well known coincidence that Jon and Ralph celebrate the same birthday and therefore we had decided to host a reception for all the English guests at our flat to mark the day for both of them. 25 people in our flat? Gulp! But it worked and I think it was a lovely evening. I was so lovely to see everyone and to welcome them to Germany once again. We hadn't seen some of them since the last party two years ago and some even longer ago, so there was a lot of catching up to do.

And of course, I prettied up the flat for everyone (well, basically pretty much for me but I used our guests as an excuse to get out the decs!)

R mixed cocktails, I got confused speaking English the whole time, and the noise level indicated that everyone was relaxing. There was a cake for the two birthday boys and I might even have instigated a round of "Happy Birthday" too - not sure about that.

Cam and Maddie conked out on my bed in a way that only children can and I didn't get a photo which I regret - anyone out there take one? And Isabella just kept going and going and going! She had more energy than all of us put together. Libby posted this photo on her blog today and I love it so I have pinched it for here:

28th November - the party

The party was a great success. The venue was wonderful, the staff were great, the food was delicious, the music was suitably funky (although some of the Germans were disappointed that there was no German folk music for them to dance to!!!), the karaoke was rocking and everyone danced, drank, ate, chatted, sang and generally partied on. Who can ask for more?

I made a short speech which didn't come out exactly as I had planned - partly because I had a huge lump in my throat trying to say lovely things about R but everyone seemed to understand the general message I wanted to express! It's not so easy in two languages. I was so confused all evening and kept getting the language muddled up, speaking German to the English and vice versa.

29th November

We got back to the hotel at 4.30 and after only a few minutes sleep, the whole farewell process started which made me sad. Such a long build up to the big event and then it was all over and people were leaving already! It was so lovely to see everyone, even if for just a short time and we are so thankful that everyone made such an effort.

1st December

Ok, now the panic really started as I realised that this is it - party over, Christmas just down the road and not a single present bought or card made. (And as I write this, I can confirm that no progress has been made in this area - AT ALL!)

3rd November


I finally managed to drag Ralph to the Essen Christmas Market with the intention of partaking in the deliciousness of Glühwein, Reibeküchen and some good old Bratwürst when it started raining and an already grumpy R insisted we went home... (oh well, there's always next year...)

5th December

We collected our leftover decorations from the party venue and this happened...

An upside down sea of balloons - don't you just love them?!?


6th December

St Nikolaus. Ok so not such a big event for us this year because we haven't done presents at all, but still a day that needs to be marked. We had a lovely festive advent dinner at Helga's and it was nice to slow down bit and just take some time to pay attention to the time of year.

8th December

Finally sat down to write my blog post - long overdue and probably way too long! And got some happy post to bring a smile to my lips. My Shimelle Christmas kit - scrumptious! Way too nice to use. Now I am just waiting for my very first yellow box to arrive sometime next week! Yikes - I'm so excited!

And to round off, I made a mention of my cursed outfit earlier. These lovely shoes were also bought at the last minute to go with the last minute dress...

And nearly two weeks later, my piggies are still in pain. Now there is suffering for my vanity for you.

Random thoughts from a train

Just wanted to start off this post with a wonderful November photo - taken today. I am learning to love November (contrary to popular thought) and find pictures like this spectacular. There is a lot of beauty around us this month - you just have to look for it.

I know that Libby, in particular, dislikes the overuse of the word "random" that seems to be rather popular at the moment. But here I am with time to reflect and you know how your brain starts to wander in situations like this - random right?

1. Thinking about the new "one little word" for next year. I have a need to move into a more stuctured, organised way of living and am trying to find the right word that is short yet description and which sums up everything I mean with that. Suggestions welcome.

Just some of the reasons why:

a) I remember birthdays but don't seem to get even a card into the post (sorry to all of those missed birthdays this year - Geraldine, Wendy, Lisa etc etc - you all know who you are).
b) I have lists of things to do in my mind but never get to write them down and often forget half of them.
c) I am full of inspiration but find it hard to know where to start.
d) I only work part-time, but never seem to have *time* to do the things that I want or even need to get done.
e) I am bored by my own cooking.
f) I never seem to be on top of the housework or especially, the ironing.
g) I am constantly tired. This can't be normal. (mothers? how do you manage?)

h) I start projects and find them months (or sometimes years) later, abandoned and unfinished.

2. I want to update the blog. Trying to think how. Trying to think of a new name. It needs a face lift.

3. Travelling through really beautiful countryside right now along the banks of the Rhine travelling south. This is Schloss (castle) country and it's fantastic to see these castles and ruins sitting high on the hills either site of the river. Must have been perfect fortress positioning in the days. There are some pretty impressive sights but it's a grey, misty, wet, dreary day with limited visibility. Worth taking a photo? Not really but it really adds great atmosphere to the view from the train window.

4. I have a rather odd man sitting next to me here who keeps looking over at what I am typing. I understand that when you have paid for your reserved seat on the train, you want to use it and feel like you have got your money's worth but the carriage is practically empty. And he's sitting here. Next to me. Invading my space. Why?

5. About 90 mins ago, a building caught my eye next to the rails. Just a normal building with an advert painted on the side but it just grabbed my attention. I was a little puzzled for a moment until I realised I was travelling past the Daimler Sprinter factory where I used to teach - memories flooded back. I still miss those lessons!

6. 2009 is almost over. 2010 is at the door. What happened to the first decade of this new century?

7. There are only 5 shopping weekends left until Christmas (insert silent scream here).

8. I haven't done any scrapping at all for a month, yet I have lots and lots of new products. This is very, very wrong...

9. Remember this from the January Bellaboo kit (featured here)?

Can you see how cleverly I have disguised the fact that this is a project that never got finished off (please refer back to point 1 in this list!) and have updated it? Sneaky, aren't I??

What is going through your head today?

The sights...

Just a few of the hundred or so photos we have taken this weekend. Again, all SOTC so not brilliant and some could do with a bit of straightening or cropping but overall, I think they are quite nice.

Mmm, now what could this one be?

And another rather unknown little Parisian gem...

We had dinner again at this restaurant, Bofinger, last night. A wonderful art deco place specialising in seafood and just around the corner from La Bastille. Very romantic!

I worked out that this is pobably the 10th time I have been to this wonderful city and yet, this was the first time I found the time and energy to visit Le Louvre. You really need several days to see everything there is to see, but we managed to get around the highlights according to my guidebook.

I know this is a really geeky thing to say, but when we stood under the glass pyramid and then walked along to the inverted pyramid, it made me think of the Da Vinci Code and what hidden secrets this place is hiding - see, told you it was geeky!

Our lovely retro boutique style hotel just around the corner from the Champs Elysee, L'Hotel De Sers. Very chic...

Not much sign of Christmas yet. But these lights on the outside of Galeries Lafayette were really spectacular!

And this was one of the super motives in the windows - only in Paris I think!

We were too lazy and stuffed full of food to go all the way across town to take night shots of all the best sights, but the Opera caught my eye as something pretty spectacular.

A city with so much to see and so much to discover...