Our Christmas Tradition

When Christmas comes, everybody starts talking about traditions!! For my family,one tradition that we always have is baking!! This year, we baked sugar cookies for our friends and family. And this year, both my kids helped in cutting and decorating the cookies. They had fun, especially my girl. She loved baking!!

Just look at how much fun they had!! And the final product:

My adorable kids!!! For this special time of the year, I made a layout using the sketch from Once Upon A Sketch and the color challenge from Made With Love.

I used a lot of Spellbinders dies and the gingerbread man die from Sizzix. Put stickles on snowflakes to highlight them. The buttons are used to mimic the M & M's chocolates that I used in decorating the cookies. The poinsettia are made using Spellbinders die. Loved this color combo.

Loved this cluster of gingerbread men. Layered with doilies and snowflakes.

"Ho ho ho, Santa's coming" card

I made a Christmas card that I submitted for a contest at my local crafts store last month. But I totally forgot to blog about it. & speaking of forgetting, I even forgot to take photos before I submit this card. Ended up, I have to go back to the store and request to take photos. (Yap, all the photos here are taken at Junior De Artist store). Though I didn't win any prize, I learnt alot in the process of making this card. A lot of work. Phew!!

An overview:

Stamped the blue background and embossed the whole image with clear embossing powder. Then adhere the patterned paper(town) and decorate the edge(mountain) with glitter. Then pop up the sleigh print-out. Stamped and colored the snowman image with Caran D'ache watercolor crayons. The black and white strip is stamped and cut out to adhere to the paper to create the road. Then adhere the car cut-out.

Inside of card:

Stamped the fireplace and watercolored. The santa in the window was stamped and watercolored too. Then adheres to card. Same goes with the Christmas wreath. Done alot of watercoloring for this card.

"Strawberries" layout

I'm back from Cameron Highlands. Had a fun trip. Picked strawberries (my first), climbed a hill amidst the mist (so exciting), drank a lot of teas (Cameron is a "tea hill") and breathe in a lot of fresh air.. mmm... love the temperature there. So cooling unlike Singapore where I live.

My kids had lots of fun too. Especially picking strawberries. Can you imagine picking 2 basketful of strawberries that's worth RM89!!! And ended up who ate the most strawberries. The parents!! Especially daddy!! Ha ha..

Here's the layout that I created for our Strawberry Farm trip. Used my 2 favourite fabrics in place of patterned paper. And cross-stitched with brown satin ribbons. Learnt all this from the magazine, "Scrapbooking With Fabric & Notions" that I won from Kim Watson's blog.Used the layout sketch from My Creative Sketches.

For the title area, I layered the punched strips and glued several stamped strawberries in between to assimilate the strawberries amidst the greens.

Had such a fun trip that I now having a post-holiday withdrawal symptom. Ha ha.. arghhh... don't feel like coming back to Singapore. I want to go holiday again!!!

Blog Candy!!!

Hi, everyone!! I'm offering a blog candy for every 20 followers joined, up to 100. Which means 5 chances of winning 5 different blog candies. There's no time limit. As long as it reaches 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100,  I will draw out a winner (well, I'm using a traditional method of drawing: drawing from a fish bowl). My candy is open to all. I will ship anywhere in the world.

How to win??

1. Become a follower of my blog. Existing followers are automatically added.
2. Put a link on your blog linking to mine.You can use the blog candy picture as the icon.
3. Oopsie!! Forgot to add this: Please leave a comment below this blog. (added on 15 Dec'11) 

And without further ado, here's the first blog candy:

Candy contents:

DCWV chipboard stickers

K & Co die-cut stickers - snowflakes

Riff Raff Designs chipboards

Pebbles chips

Sewing machine metal accents

Paper flowers

Trims and laces

"Egg" ornament (good for altered arts)

So, hurry up and follow my blog. Spread the news!!

Doodling album sneak peek & holiday

Had a fun time doodling these few days. Had completed 3 sections of my Doodling Mini Album. Going to categorise into few sections like dots & cricles, swirls & vines etc. Below is the sneak peek of my doodling:

Hope I can finish the whole album by next week. So look out for my post next week.

I will be going for a short holiday on 16 Dec to 19 Dec. Woo!! Look forward to it. Especially my kids. Everyday, they will count the days and say "yeah!! Fri is coming". ha ha..

Doodling

Recently I recommended a book to National Library Board. After a few weeks of consideration, they decided to buy this book for the library. And once it arrived, I borrowed this book. Its all about doodling. Here's a picture of this book:

Was so excited when I borrowed this book. Me loved doodling and was trying out different patterns from this book. I was introduced to doodling by Jasmine from Made With Love. Attended a class by her a few years back.

Today, I drew a trial piece using the guide from this book. Here's my version:

Doodling is so addictive!!! Me decided my next project will be making a mini album of doodling. And my challenge for myself is to doodle alphas. Yap. I was a bit scared to tackle alphas as I find my handwriting a bit too cute and cartoon, unlike my sister's. Her handwriting is so nice and curvy and "grown-up". Ha ha..

Hmm... Another idea formed in my mind now. How about combining doodling with chipboard shapes?? Well, do follow my blog and find out how my project turns out. Stay in tune!!

My magazine arrived!

Yeah!! The magazine that I won through Kim Watson's blog has arrived today. So happy. Can't wait to read through and try all the techniques. Here are some of the pages:

If all these pictures has stirred up your creativity, don't wait any more. Go and grab a copy of this from local crafts or magazine store right now!! Its really worth the money!!

Ten Chipboard Projects

I have been extremely busy this past week. Have been creating a lot of projects each and everyday. To a point that my most patient husband started to complain.. ha ha.. Anyway, wanted to share ten projects here featuring chipboards. Was hooked on chipboards ever since I won a pack of Imaginarium Designs chipboards from Once Upon A Sketch's challenge. Started buying chipboards from local crafts stores. And here's the ten projects:

1) "Our Song" chipboard album
Inked the chipboards with glimmer mist and painted the dressform chipboard with crackle paint. Also masked the pages with chipboard shapes and tattered angels and prima masks and misted with glimmer mists and distress inks.

2) "Snapshots" mini album
Created this album for my brother's long due birthday present. He wanted a distressed look. Inside the album are all bank pages for him to fill up with his photos. Misted the chipboards with glimmer mist.

3) "Carol" Canvas display 

Love this piece!! Its for myself!! Misted the chipboard with glimmer mist.

4) "2012" Organiser

Made this organiser from scratch, combining monthly planner inserts(bought), blank pages and some scrapbook papers. Again misted the chipboards. For the 2 chipboard borders, also stamped and brushed with perfect pearls to create a metallic design. Love this organiser so much that I can't wait till 2012 to use. Love the bicycle chipboard. To a point my good friend try to search for similar one in Singapore but to no avail.

5)  "Chipboard Garden" photo frame display

 Misted the chipboards with glimmer mist and used them as focus for the whole frame.

6)  "Love" card

Dressed up the chipboard letters with gaffer tapes, distress inks and rock candy crackle paint.

7) "Love, Honour and Cherish" layout

Misted the chipboards with glimmer mist again and lined them along different patterned papers to create patterns.

8) "Window to my Heart" layout
Used the chipboard window as a "reflection" to the window in my photo.

9) "Our Dancing Princess" layout

Our little princess performing her exam piece. Love her so much!!

Lined up the chipboard borders with the paper strips to create interest and dimension. Dressed up the chipboard ballerinas with patterned paper dress cut-outs.

10) Chipboard magnets

Love all these cute chipboard magnets. Have been hoarding these flower chipboards for a long time. Inked the butterflies and crowns with chalk inks

11) "Beauty" layout

I know I'm supposed to be sharing ten projects. But couldn't resist sharing another one. Hmm... But then again, me shared this layout before. Ha ha. Made this for my girl. Used the chipboard title raw. 

"Owl are you?" card

Its a busy week again, with my girl's birthday party, friends' gathering and with projects that are to be due soon. A lot of projects are still in progress. Time is short, especially with the coming of Christmas and family holiday trip. My goal this month is to complete all my projects before 16 Dec. WOW!! Tight schedule!! 

Anyway, just created this card for Lilypad's "Simon Says Stamp Presents a Product challenge". The challenge is to make a card that uses buttons. Here's my take:

Used a lot of clear buttons for the body by pasting them onto different patterned papers. The eyes are made by layering 2 different sizes of buttons. Also used Spellbinders dies to cut the papers for the body and wings. Not sure it looks like an owl as my girl actually says its either a butterfly or a dragonfly. ha ha...

Cards For The Needy Campaign

My friend, Agnes had been planning a Make A Card campaign for the needy that will be launched next year. The cards are made for people who just needs a word of encouragement.  And its open to everyone around the world. So if anyone is interested to contribute, please go to the link above or email me. Thanks so much.

To kick start the campaign, I have made these 3 cards.

Card 1: You're So Special

Card 2: Sending you lots of sunshine

Card 3: Wishing you love & laughter

Love blossoms!!

Recently me have been into colours. Realised that I have been using alot of bright colours in my cards and layouts. Hmmm...is that how I feel?? Colourful??? Cheerful??

Created this card last night, using the sketch from Lily Pad's - The Craft's Meow Presents A Sketch Challenge.

Its a simple card using Hero Arts& Sizzix stamp set. The dies are really useful for fast cutting of the butterflies. I used to fussy cut myself and wasted a lot of time. Thanks to this die that I no longer have to do that.

Once Upon A Sketch Giveaway!!!

Wow!!! Once Upon A Sketch is having a giveaway of this gorgeous album kit featuring Melissa Frances 5th Avenue collection. Their challenges are so inspiring and fun. I hope I can win this beautiful kit. Oh... I love Melissa Frances products.

Do go to their blog to join in the fun!! And join their challenges!!

CK magazine winner!!!

Last week, me checked out Piradee's blog and found that she's having a giveaway for CK magazine (Scrapbooking with Fabric and Notions). And also several other designers for the magazine also had this giveaway. Me left a comment at each of the designer's blogs without expecting to win anything.

But to my biggest surprise, I won from the blog of Kim Watson. WOW!!! So happy!!! Thank God for everything!!! DO check out Kim Watson's blog. She's very talented. Love how she incorporate so much colors and details into her layouts without cluttering.

Here's the picture of the magazine me won:

Victoria Garden Cameo cards

Recently I bought a set of stamps, Cling Jumbo Cameo Frame by Stampendous. Simply in love with this stamp. And I made 2 cards using the cameo stamp and Echo Park "Victoria Garden" papers. I stamped and embossed the cameo image.

 "Be mine" cameo card

"With all my love, sweet heart" card

The tag can be removed and used as a bookmark.

Below is what it looks like when I remove the tag: