Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and1880 Train

Here they are - the four Presidents! Mount Rushmore was a huge place - not in space but in surroundings.
Sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln represent the first 150 years of the history of the United States.
Do you see the little men on top of Jefferson? They are setting the fireworks for fourth of July!


After Mount Rushmore we drove thru Custer State Park - more or less a green park with Ponderosa pines and green medows - it's all green and fresh.
We met theese two bisons just a mile inside the park. Close your windovs and stay calm!
I liked the park - it was absolutly beautiful!

We drove to Hill City - a cute little city in the Black Hills. Here we went along - as others tourists and took The 1880 train - DO IT!

Thank you for visiting my blog - it's less scrapping and more vacation this time of year!

Cabelas and The Badlands

Rapid City in South Dakota - we just stayed the night in this "honkytonk" motel and wandred off to the ultimate store for nonscrappers!


This is Cabelas! This is The Store - and yes it was! Department for everything - if you like the hiking and biking and fishing and shooting stuff! It even had a department for women! I realy liked it - and I did spend some dollars

This is The Badlands - acres of acres with vulcano rock - it was amazing!

And this is The Grasslands - gras and gras as long you can see!

We are driving further west! We are still friends and we are having a great time! Thank you for visiting my blog - and our journey!

Rapid City, South Dakota

America so far is huge, it's green and it's flat. And we just luv it! Her skulle du ha vøri, Andreas!

We drove from Ottestad at 0500 am - to Gardermoen - then Stockholm - and then finally Chicago, Illinois. We flew Airbus - and it took nearly ten hours from Sweden to Illinois. We picked up this car - a Ford! - and drove to Rochester in Minnesota and went to bed at 0400 am - Saturday!

Sunday hot and warm and sunny! From Rochester in Minnesota to Rapid City in South Dakota. Shopped at Wal-Mart and then hit the Interstate 90. Just a minor stop at 1880 town.

This is Interstate 90 - westbound - to Rapid City in South Dakota.

Have a wonderful summertime - thank you for visiting my blog!

A SUNDAY IN JUNE

Today has been sunny, and quite warm - finally the summer is here!
We have booked hotel - in Rochester Minnesota - it's about 500 kilometer or 311 miles from O`hare International Airport in Illinois. We're only staying there for a night - our first main stop are Rapid City in South Dakota.

This is my Grand Aunt Esther - she was a younger sister to my Grandfather. I've used a lot of flowers, laces and bling! The paper are from K&Company.
I just love their collection!

Have a warm and enjoyable week - and Thank you for visiting my blog!

AN ORDINARY TUESDAY IN JUNE

Last week-end I was, together with 50 other scrappers, at Mjøstreff 2009 - a splendid crop! Thank you Berit, Anne-Lise and Moia! Let's do it again - I enjoyed every minute - you are the best!!!

This layout I made at a kindergartencrop in Oslo - the very best - thank you Stine and Tove!

Boltiten is a bird - they told us - and we had to make a layout with boltiten! This is mine interpretation - me at Kirkenær - age two and a half years old.

Have a wonderful week - mine is busy! Talk more later - enjoy and thank you for visiting my blog!

FIFTY............FINALLY!!

Last Sunday I turned FIFTY! It is not depressing at all - actually it's a relief. Now I can consentrate on beeing in my fifties - not trying to avoid them. I did celebrate my birthday at Evja - my mothers country house. Here she is togheter with her grandson - my son - in the driveway wishing everybody welcome!

This bouquet I got from my co-workers and my boss - togheter with a beautiful shawl and some wonderful blue jewelry - Thank you so much - I just love it!

It was very cold and it was rain in the air - that's why we had a party tent - where is the summer - it's June!?! It was barbecue - bløtkake / layercake and pea soup on the menu. And lots of wool plaids - it was cold!

And the view - the marshy bay- this time from my brothers cabin - enjoy!

Today it's only 18 days untill our trip starts - the trip to The United States. We're driving straight to Central City in Colorado after Carson City in Nevada.

Sorry Utah - see you later - I have an appointment in Gilpin County. Her name is Lina - she is my Great Grandmothers - Emilie Dorthea Dorthinusdaughters - half sister.

And then it's over - just driving through Nebraska - Iowa and Illinois.
We have already started to plan our next trip to the promised land - driving from New York to the states in the south - like North Carolina and Tennessee................................

Thank you so much for visiting my blog - and enjoy life!

CONFIRMATION CARDS

I have made two Confirmation card this May. This card I gave to our neighbours girl.
It is "kind of" vintage - with craft cardboard and my sepia ink!
The picture is designed by Gudrun Loennecken for Minnehjørnet - lovely pages with fantastic "old" pictures.

The notes are from my piano note book - dreadful Strauss Waltzes! - I do not have a piano so I soaked them in coffeee - iiik - and they ends on my cards and scrapbook layouts!

Prima flowers and bling from, well I do not remember - tulle and pearls from my sewingdesk! Yes, I do have one!

Stamps from Scrapmagasinet and Stempelglede! I love their stamps - even they are so different.

Have a nice day and thank you for visiting my blog!

AN ORDINARY FRIDAY IN MAY

Times just flies away - like an 747 airplane high in the blue sky! Last Sunday were May the 17. here in Norway - the most Norwegian day, ever! Everybody are wearing Bunad / national costume - waiving with the Norwegian flag and having good times.
My mother - my brother and I spent the week-end at my mothers cabin - Evja! It was strange - the first time with out Cindy - she just loved that place!
Anyway, here's some pictures from the National Day in Nordre Osen.


We do have the most loving woodpecker - here's some of his works! The bird are made by a "famous" blacksmith, I do not remember his name - sorry!

Here's the flag - the Norwegian Flag in our driveway. See the pine roots and the sand - that's how it's at Nordre Osen. Lots of pines and lots of sand - and the sunniest sun ever!

This is the river Osa - and the marshy bay - we saw some Canada goose and some grey! dukcs - on Osa. They do come back every year - from where? - I don't know!

This field is my nearest neighbour. It's right before it sprouts green! The farmer has a huge tractor and GPS!! - whatever - and makes the field look like this!

Have a nice day - and feel free to leave a comment or two - enjoy!

AN ORDINARY MONDAY IN MAY

This is Jan-Nichlas - in a hurry last Christmas on his way through the door to IKEA! He is not enthusiastic about IKEA - but I am! And of course I have to stop at IKEA when I pick him up in Oslo! He has to come along - getting some dinner and ice cream! Anyway - we are having a great time!

After Washington State we are driving south - to the sunny State of California! Hoping to visit our cousins in Shingle Springs and Sacramento. We might spend some dollars in Reno, Nevada! :-) And Bonanza - The Cartwright Family - The Golden West - the boots and the hats!

Have a wonderful sunny week! And thank you for visiting my blog - the old one!

FIRST SUNDAY IN MAY

Hello! Today is a bluegrey Sunday! It's not sunny and it's not rainy! But Spring is here and it's getting warmer - love that!

This award I got from Sosa a long time ago! Thank you! I'm not a everyday blogger - things takes time!

I guess a lot of bloggers already have this fancy "makes my heart smile" award - therefor I will give it to - ALL - the bloggers who visit my blog and leaves a comment!

My favourite blogs - you can see them on the left side - scrolling down this site!

Enjoy - and have a wonderful Sunday!

LAST SUNDAY IN APRIL

Here are some more fantastic places we hope to visit on our trip to The Self Made Land.
Like Little Big Horn in eastern Montana - Billings were a cousin of my father lives - and Bozeman in Montana. Yellowstone in Wyoming are still on our twenty top list!
Moscow in Idaho were Dorthea Dahl lived are our only stop in Idaho.
The next city on our twenty top list are Issaquah and Seattle in Washington State

More later - I have to enjoy our fabulous sun - she is shining here today - I do like Springtime!

Thank you Tove and Stine for a marwellous "kindergarten crop week-end"
I enjoyed it sooo much. It was scrapcourse - it was giveaways - it was smile - it was laughter and most of alle - ALL the scrapping girls. Looking foreward to the next crop! Just love it!

Here they are - Stine and Tove!

Me picking - not eating - lingonberries / mountain cranberries / red whortleberris in the wood of Solør - the part of Norway were I spend the first ten years of my life!

Wintertime in Gamleveien - Flisa.

Summertime in Gamleveien - Flisa.

Tove has her own way to scrap - colorful and lifeful. She's using a lot of "scrap" - ordinary "scrap"

The first - SMIL - one are made by colorful straws, coctailpins, tulle, some paperscraps, paint and some pearls.

The second one - GLIS - are made by paint on plasticbubbles, paperscraps, paperclips, napkin, selfcutting edgings, tulle, pearls, and ribbon.

The third one - ME - aare made by painting, crad from a cardstock, tulle, paperclips, paper from a chewing gum, buttons and pearls.

And we had to sew on all layouts - it was fun! Thank you Tove!

Enjoy the ride!

LAST SATURDAY IN MARCH

Oaky - then it's settled - we're leaving for The Promised Land the last Saturday in June - heading for Chicago Air Port - O'Hare - Illinois.
We have to drive trough Wisconsin and Minnesota for our first main stop - Rapid City in South Dakota.
Mount Rushmore - Deadwood in The Black Hills are among the places we hope to visit.
In Wyoming, The Devils Tower and Cody are on the top ten list .........................so far.

Interstate 90 from Illinois to Washigton State

This layout did I made for The Grand Prix Competition on Scrapbook Express. It should be straighten lines and only two stashy embellishments. I scanned and printed the American Flag in grey on white bazill- then I wrote some words about August and September 1977 - added a picture in black and white - me leaving Norway for Seattle.
And the little Norwegian Flag - I got it from my mom when I left - she has also taken the picture.

AN ORDINARY WEDNESDAY IN MARCH

Hello - there's a competition at Scrapbookexpress.no called Grand Prix!

The first challenge was to make a - cluster - layout.

Horrible!

I do like to use the whole 12 x 12.......................
But a competition is a competition.

And this is my cluster layout.

Grand Prix 2009 oppgave 1 Cluster

En stor utfordring - jeg scrapper over hele kartongen -

så det å samle alt i en klynge - det var ufordrende - men det var også spennende.

Kartongen er fra K&Company - ancestry.com collection.

Notearket - taggen og journalingen samt båndsnellen

er "vasket" i Red Cup Nescafè.

Bokstavene - de små er tiny alphabets fra makingmemories.com

Notearket har også fått en omgang med "Pink ink" glimmermist fra mytatteredangels.com

Swirvelen er grungeboard fra timholtz.com - den og overskriften ME er malt med "Ruby" fra makingmemories.com - drysset med sugar coating "bon bon glitter" fra doodlebug design inc

Blomstene er fra primamarketinginc.com - de er mishandlet med diamond glaze og blank embossing overstrødd med bon bon glitter.

Nål fra pandurohobby.no - tilsatt perle og strass.

Bånd - tyll og hyssing fra skuffer og skap.

Bildet har vært innom photoshop - jeg aner ikke hva jeg har gjort med det

- men synes selv det ble ganske stilig!!

Alt er selvsagt vandalisert med min skrubb og

min nesten uttørrede stemplepute "vintage sepia"

SISTE DAG I FEBRUAR 2009

Hello - and good afternoon - sitting here talking with my son on msn. Strange this "thing" writing letters on my wireless keyboard - and Jan-Nichlas staying in Oslo writes his own words on his laptop! and I'm reading them here in Ottestad - amazing and strange - and I'm very happy and lucky! Bet you are too!
This is a layout from scrapliftcompetition at - The Pink Forum - I didn't win, but I had a lot of fun - and I tried Prima flowers - a lot of them - it was quite challenging.
The picture is taken August 2007 - it's the SAND i Ryensjøen and the only cloudberry I saw that year.
It's still WINTER here in Norway - we have tons of snow - I'm not a snowfan! But the SUN is here and the sky is blue - spring is right around the corner!
Have a wonderful day and enjoy!

FASTELAVENSØNDAG

My Great Great Great Great Grandmother Goro Sæmingsdaughter lived nearby Ryensjøen. She lived at Storbekken Nordre or Øverbekken as we call it.
My Grandfather had a cabin called Siristua at Øverbekken. Some years ago we picked cloudberries - we could use a scythe! - there were plenty!
In this part of Rendalen there's nothing except bears, wolfs and trouts! We like to mountain hike during August when the colors are sparkling and the weather are warm.
I made this layout in a sketchcompetition at Scrapbook Express - The Pink Forum - have a pleasant journey and enjoy!

MORSDAG

This card is for my wonderful mother - she is just the best! The picture are her mother - Agnes Dorthea Persdaughter - to the right and one of her sisters - Palma Lydia Persdaughter - to the left. It's taken by my Grandfather - Simon Andreas Johanson - in Nordre Osen. Proably taken 1921 or 1922.

BLOG CANDY

En herlig blog candy - finner du hos en fantastisk flott kortlager - Lena Katrine - ta en reise gjennom hennes blog - herlig!

MORE AWARDS

I got these wonderful awards from Merete - a great scrapper from Løten - tusen takk.

Denne bloggen investerer i og tror på NÆRHET-nærhet i rom, tid og forhold! "Disse bloggerne er usedvanlig sjarmerende og søte,og formålet er å finne og å være venner. De er ikke opptatt av utmerkelser og selvhevdelse. Vårt håp er at når båndene på disse utmerkelser er kuttet, vil enda flere vennskap ha forplantet seg. Vær vennlig å gi litt ekstra oppmerksomhet til disse! Gi denne utmerkelsen til åtte bloggere, som igjen må velge seg åtte nye. Inkluder denne teksten på utmerkelsen deres..

Kriteriene for denne awarden er som følger:
1. Den nominerte får legge til bildet på sin blogg

2. Husk å linke til den personen du fikk den fra

3. Nominer minst 7 andre bloggere

4. Link til dine nominerte i innlegget

5. Legg igjen en kommentar på de nominertes blogg

Jeg har slått sammen awardene og gir de til åtte flotte bloggere - som fortjener begge awardene - for deres inspirasjon og kreativitet.

Nora - Identity Crises.

Vibeke - Scrapping og skrytebilder.

Berit - Berits blog.

Anne Bente - Anne Bentes lille sted.

Anita - Anitas hobbyblogg.

Heidi - Filharmonicas kreative verden

Beate - Beates Verden

Anne Lise - Scrappelisebloggen

Lykke til jenter - med både scrapping og bloggeing!

MONDAY AN OLD LAYOUT

Hi, this is my son wondring where his Soria Maria are! It's an expression in Norwegian - where is he heading - which direction does he take at the next corner?

It's a layout I made years ago - Nichlasen living at his Grandparents while I went to College and got a degree as a Housekeeper - and we managed for two years! He's an amazing son - seldom sulking - he's gentle big boy!