A Surprise Win!!!

Received a major shock (or should I say "surprise") when I checked the webpage of Scrapbook Kits With A Difference today. I actually won in the September Inspiration Challenge. WOW!!! So joyful! God is good!!! Just when I was feeling worried over my Aunt Shirley's condition (she's in a coma after a brain surgery to remove a blood clot), God sent me this gift!!! So thankful!!!

Here's my challenge layout again:

"Beauty" layout

Recently my posts seems to be all about challenges... ha ha.. Because that's my motivation to complete my kids' album. And of course, for a chance to win prizes..ha ha..

This time, made this layout for my daughter who loves to pick flowers. We went to Sydney last December for a vacation. At Bondi Beach, she saw all these beautiful yellow flowers and couldn't resist plucking one. Look how happy she is with the small flower. Her smile really captivates my heart. Love her so much!

Made this using the sketch at My Creative Sketches -Sketch #2. Misted the white cardstock and distressed all papers. The cluster of yellow flowers was made by layering all flowers and the vines together. Love this corner flourish. Also used the chipboard "Beauty" from Imaginarium Designs that me won at Once Upon A Sketch September challenge.

The corner flourish that me love:

Here's the journaling:

"Sending you warm thoughts" card

Have finished my watercoloring class Stage 1 at a local crafts store, Junior De Artist. Stage 2 will continue next week. Woo hoo.. more watercoloring fun!!!

Made this simple card using one of the class homework, the mouse. Used the sketch at Lilypad's Nina B Presents A Sketch challenge.  Love the sunny look!!!

Here's the sketch:

"Vintage Love" card

Have been experimenting with transparencies, acrylic and Adirondack alcohol inks. Made the following card for Lilypad's Simon Says Stamp Presents A Bling challenge. Used transparency as the main body. Embossed the cover with Cutterbug Script embossing folder, then inked with silver alcohol ink. Wanted to create a faux metallic feel. Inked randomly with distress ink. Then stenciled and distressed the Graphic 45 paper and cardstock and paper doily. Add the rest of embellishments.

Front cover of card:

Inside of card:

For the back/inside of card, embossed a black cardstock with same embossing folder, then inked with white chalk ink to bring out the embossed script. Adhere the black cardstock with embossed part facing the back of card. Then distressed and adhere the papers inside the card.

Back of card:

Arrived!!!!

Finally my prize has arrived today... yeh... thanks to Once Upon A Sketch and Imaginarium Designs. So Happy!!! Its the first happy thing for this week... Been having a tiring and stressful week. First my migraine gets more serious,then my nephew's school problem and lastly my dad fell from his motorbike.. A busy, stressful and worried week..

So its a joy to receive this package today. Here's the prize:

Watercolor class

Recently have been taking watercoloring class at Junior De Artist. A little stressed.... got homework.... ha ha.. But very fun and enriching. Thanks to my Shifu ('Master' in Chinese), Freddy. Still got a long way to go before can reach his standard... So must work hard....

Here are a few pictures of my works during class:

"Sweet Love" layout

Made this for my dear friend whose colleague got married. Just a simple layout design. Used Echo Park's Victoria Garden papers. (Image blurred out for privacy).

A close-up view of the embellishments:

"Finally" layout

I created this layout using the sketch from Once Upon A Sketch October 1st Challenge. Made this layout for my son, Dominic's 4th Birthday Party. And also to mark another important milestone: He's finally of age to attend Phonics class by teacher Fiona. Yehh.... All our efforts to teach him to write a, b, c's had paid off. Happy 4th Birthday, my dear boy!!

Here's my layout:
Used Maya Road raw chipboard alphas as masks for misting. Loved how it looks... The black paper served as a "chalkboard" for my son to write a, b, c's. Yap.Those letters were written by my 4 years old son.

And the journalling:

Here's the sketch provided by Once Upon A Sketch:

World Card Making Card Contest

Have been so busy the past weeks. First me got sick... then busy thinking/planning and making cards for "World Card Making Card Contest" by Paper Crafts Magazine. Put on my thinking cap but only end up with 4 cards.


For this contest,  I have to create as many cards as I like in any of the following categories:

• Birthday
• Christmas/Season’s Greetings
• Hello/Thinking of You
• Love
• Thank You

But me only stop at 4. Too confident?? No ideas?? ha ha... I had no idea....

Anyway, here are the 4 cards:

- Christmas card: Made this with acrylic sheet. Paint one corner with gesso and fine glitter. then pasted patterned paper behind the card and punched leaves and printed dress form in front. Pasted the snowflakes paper and a ledger paper inside the card to serve as background and writing space(forgot to take a pic of this).

-Thinking of you: Stamped different small silhouette images and die cut and mat on black cardstock. Stamped the chair on Hambly paper. Love how it all turns out. 

- Love: Got this idea from the pic below. Wanted to re-create a cabinet door, symbolising "Filled With Love". Not sure the embossed part of the "cabinet"(2nd layer of blue cardstock) can be seen clearly here.

- Thank You: This is a simple card, made simply to highlight the meaning "thanks for making my life sparkle".

Punched the butterflies(different sizes), distressed edges with tattered rose distress ink and stickles to make it shine. Put in more effort for the butterflies especially for the smallest ones.

I WON!!!

Wow...its a wonderful early morning surprise to find that me won the challenge at Once Upon A Sketch. Still can't believe it... yeh!!!!! Ha ha..That's how happy I am!!! Thanks to my brothers and all who vote for me. thanks so much!!! Can't believe it!! AHHH!!!!

Here is the layout again for the challenge:

And guess where this photo is taken?

Answer: On Qantas Airways A380 flight to Sydney last December.

"Cupcake"

Created this LO based on a photo for the September Inspiration Challenge at "Scrapbook Kits By Scrap With V". Didn't really enter the challenge as exceeded the dateline given. To me, this is the most challenging LO so far. Really crack my brain thinking about the design. Here is what I come up with:

All the circles are to mimic plates as per the Scrap With V's photo. Made the small paper cupcake myself.. Tried a lot of different positioning of the circles. Finally decided that this is the nicest...

Both my kids love to decorate cupcakes and cut out cookie dough. Its their favourite holiday activity. And of course, the eating part is their most favourite one. Ha ha..

Here's the photo from the September Inspiration Challenge: