Your day in a frame

During the last months I was busy with a new project. I was working on designing birthannouncement and during one of those still moments where no babies were born I worked on an illustration of a shoppinglady. She turned out so nice that I desided to draw another one. A "What I wore today" illustration. 

And since my sweet little girl was also dressed nicely I drew her too.

 

The next day I did some nice things so instead of a "What I wore today" I drew a "What I did today" for me and her. The reactions were overwhelming and I desided to make a business out of it. To turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary day and save it for the future. Save all the cute things your baby says or does. Save a memory that you normally would forget.
Your day in a frame was born.

Take a look at my site if you like. (it is in dutch now. Working on a translation).

Elja van der Laan

Inspiration Wednesday

Experience is the child of thought, and thought is the child of action.

Benjamin Disraeli

For this inspiration wednesday I started to look for some DIY stuff to do with the kids. The weather here is dreadfull so we need a lot of indoor activity. At pinterest I save a special board for these days. Here are some of my nicest finds.
All pictures link back to the original website it was posted on.

Being inspired myself now I am going to design a printable for some partylights. We need some light in these (still) dark days.

Greetings Elja

A little birdie told me..

A little birdie told me..

that Valentine's day is here.

Last week I gave myself a spontanious assignment to make a free valentine's day give away for each day untill Valentine's day. And now that day is here.

I did not get tons of cards in the mailbox but I had a lovely day with a friend. Talking about future plans for the site we have for birthannouncements. It will take some work from my part because I want to redesign the whole site and make it more customerfriendly. But if we succeed it will be more easy to find the cards.
And in between I designed about 5 cards for the site and a free giveaway card for an event I am joining on Friday. I have to present myself (ieks) and decided to make a card to break the ice. I cannot show it now but I will for sure later on in the week.

For todays free giveaway I made a little birdie basket. Fill it with candy (again *I know*) or small notes you want to keep.

You can download the basket here. Have fun and have a LOVEly day.
ELja

Bookmark for valentine's day

If you were thinking about someone while reading this, you're definitely in Love.

Only one more day to go for my Valentine's Day countdown. So far I had a blast creating stuff and I intent to keep up with creating freebies on a regular basis. Not daily I think but once or twice a week for sure. So please come back for more, bookmark the site or visit my etsyshop.

Todays project was a bookmark for all the lovestories. Or other books but for now make it lovestories. A good way to remenber where you were.

You can download the bookmarks here.

Greetings Elja

Love Labels

~At least once in a lifetime you meet a person who leaves an impression on your soul that time will never erase~

During the years some people made a very deep impression on my soul. Ofcourse there are my husband and kids, my family and some friends who are more special than others. Not that the others are not valuable but some people just get under your skin.

One of those people gets a little highlight here. We never had a relationship but we shared a few valentines notes.

One of my best friends, Severijn*, past away when I was in college. I think we only knew each other for a year or two but he made a lasting impression. Even to this day (he died over 15 years ago) he is sometimes here with me. He never knew my kids but he would have adored them. He would have supported me during the rough times when we could not conceive. When we had miscarriages  but also during our high times. When we maried and just for the little joys in life.

To this day I still wish I could tell him stuff. These love labels are dedicated to him. You can use them for anything. On a gift, on a bouquet of flowers, as a bookmark or just leave it as a note at the door.

You can download them here.

A cup(cake) full of love

"When you share a cupcake, you share love."

~ Unknown Author

 Valentine's day countdown. 4 more days to go.

For my birthcards site I created some cupcake wrappers to announche the birth of a babyboy or a babygirl in a nice and fun way.
It was a nice little printable to give to people.

When my valentine's day countdown began I started out with one free printable card  and the promise to myself to start blogging every day AND make a free giveaway each day. To start my portfolio, to keep the brain entertained and just to give people something nice.

Lucky for me I just had this idea in store still. I made it into a valentine's version. I did not have the time to make some cupcakes today but I think you get the idea from the picture above. Enjoy and have a happy (almost) Valentine's Day.

You can download the valentine's day cupcakewrappers here.

We make a perfect pear!

You and I are like applepie and cream!

I like to play with words. Ever since I learned english I loved the language. It is so versatile and rich. But it also brings in a whole new level of fun.

My son is now learning english and he has a funny pronunciation. It took us quite a while before we figured out what vegi table meant. It was (of course) vegetable but if you put the emphases on table it gets a whole new meaning. English got a good layering in its language. I prefer to read books in the original language since jokes are only funny in english. Somethings just don't translate well.

For this days download I gave pears a whole new meaning. A little fun when it comes to love is necessary. A good laugh is needed to cope with normal day stress. And since the printable envelop was such a hit I made a matching envelop to go with the card today.

Download them here.

Lots of love Elja

Valentine's countdown 5 days to go

Believe in yourself

When it comes to love nothing is more frustrating than not knowing if the one you love, loves you back.
I remember when I was younger that the period before you were dating was nerve wracking at best. Doing everything and following every class where HE also went to.

Showing of the best sides of you. Wearing your most beautifull clothes and loads of perfume. And when he looked at you, you quickly glanced away. Pretending not to see hem. Hoping for the moment that he would speak to you and you would end up nerviously giggling with the girlfriends.
Sometimes the moment never came. He was not interested or maybe not even aware of you having a crush on him.

Those days are now well behind me. I met my husband in school  but we only started dating in college. We took our time so to speak. We wrote loads of letters when I lived abroad. Even then I illustrated my letters but I still wish I then had the skills I had now.

Here is a new valentine's day card. Use it wisely. :)

You can download the card here. 

Lots of love Elja

For the sweet (at) heart

You are as sweet as candy

Valentine's day countdown. Only 6 more days to go.

I have to admit. I am totally addicted to candy. Chocolate is the favorite but a good winegum or heart candy will do also. I always used to tell my colleagues at work that there ALWAYS is a reason to give treats. We had a large candyjar at work and it was more empty than filled and that was not due to the fact that it was never filled.

When we got married my husband and I got a really huge (and I mean really really huge) candyjar completely filled with candy. I think it did not last us for 2 weeks. Up to this day we still use the candyjar although we never ever fill it till the top anymore. It can hold over 6 large bags of candy.

It is a miracle that I am not wider than I am tall and still have all my teeth. The next gift is not as huge as our candyjar but it makes a nice gift nonetheless. Fill the box with your favorite sweets for your sweetheart.

You can download it here.

Lots of love Elja

Valentine's countdown 7 days to go

My heart is lonely without you

I think every one knows the feeling if their loved one is away. Maybe only for the day when he or she went to work. Or maybe for a longer period of time when he or she is on a holiday, business trip or otherwise engaged.
Maybe you have fallen in love with a stranger far away or do you have an impossible love.

This gift is perfect for all things you want to send out. Fill it with some candy and it also makes a great gift. A surprise for the one on the recieving end of the line.

For the valentine's day countdown freebie I made an envelop. You can pop in the card of yesterday or wait for the coordinating card that comes tomorrow.



easy assembly instructions included.
Lots of love Elja

Valentine's countdown

Gravitation is not resposible for people falling in love

~Albert Einstein~

Yesterday it hit me. It is only 8 days till valentine's day.
8 more days to prepare a special gift for the one you love.

As I was working on some cards I got inspiration for a couple of valentine's day cards. And I decided to make a valentine's day countdown. The next 8 days you will be getting a printable, diy, card for free.

Print the card on some heavy cardstock, put some lovely words on them and send them to your loved ones. Surprise your secred love, your husband, wife or maybe even your mom and dad with some words of love and appreciation.

Valentine's day is all about spreading the love for every one. Download the card here and spread the love.

XOX Elja

A note full of love

For you see, each day I love you more 

Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

~Rosemonde Gerard~

Valentinesday is the perfect moment to share your love with the ones you love.


Now that I am married there isn't as much excitement over cards and who they are from. I doubt it whether there will be cards at all. My dear husband isn't the real romantic type that sends me cards. 


He isn't that bad. Takes home sweets and candies very often and shows his love for me during the week but if I am hoping for flowers I have to leave some very clear hints. (like a note or something). I normaly use whatever paper there is around. Envelopes, post-its, newspaperclippings, etc. 


But now I decided to make my love something more special. Valentines notepapers. And you get to have it as well. You can print as many (or as few) as you like to leave your loved ones a special note. You get 2 different notes. Click on the images to download the notes.

If you like my work have a look at my etsy shop for more DIY and customized work. 

XOX Elja

Welcome wonder

Every birth is the beginning of a wonderfull journey.

I so love baby's. I love the smell, the tiny feet, the small nails and the little movement. Every bit as adorable as the next.
My own family is big enough now so I don't ever get to experience it again for my own. Not that I mind, 3 kids is more than a hand full sometimes but I still regret it some days that I will never ever hold a tiny baby of my own.

Lucky for me, a lot of friends around me are still young enough to start a family and are doing so a lot. I still get to hold a baby every once in a while.

My sweet neighbour asked me the other day if I would design a giftpackage for her and it was to cute to leave it just for her. I started with a square box but I soon realised it could not hold more then a pacifier or a pair of socks. And I like to give more. I usually go to the store to pick out a nice shirt, a little hat or a pair of soft babybooties.
So I designed a pillowbox. Just big enough for the tiny shirt or a little onsie. I hope you enjoy this little gift.

Download it here. Or click on the link profided in the preview below.

If you want a custom pillowbox with the name of the newborn it is available in my etsyshop for a small fee.

XOX Elja

Printable envelope

In this first week of the new year I am popping in to wish you all a happy new year. We had a lovely evening celebrating with friends and neighbours and the kids had a blast watching the fireworks display. I also wanted to share something I made earlier. This printable envelope has been waiting on my PC for a while now.

I use them as a giftbag for a small good luck card, a gift envelope for some money or a lovely little note for a loved one. A quick solution if you don't have time to go to the store for a present or a card.
And the best thing? You can use it over and over again.

Download the PDF here, print it at 100%, cut out the envelopes, and slip in a note or a small gift.
I've also posted a collection of 10 printable envelopes with different designs in my etsy shop. For even more events and occasions.

XOX Elja