Do More With Less

I did some background stamping! :)

2012-02-10T13:15:00.002+08:00

So my friend C gave me this really lovely leafy background stamp which I never got to using because

I didn't have an acrylic block big enough for it [yeah, a totally lame excuse *LOL*]
Background stamping is scary....what if I missed a spot?

Guess what? It wasn't that scary...so I missed a couple of spots [er...kind of expected *LOL*]....strategically covered by the pretty doily. And I still don't have an acrylic block big enough for the stamp - I pressed the kraft cardstock on the inked stamp. :)

Supplies: Lily Bee, Pebbles and Basic Grey patterned paper, Crate Paper chipboard, Jillibean stickers, I/O stamp, White Stazon, Maya Road ribbon, doiley, tulle, kraft cardstock.

Inspired by CPS.

P/s: Happy weekend friends! If you have time, please come play along with my guest Annette's colouring and paper piecing challenge and LESSology Challenge #11: Flights of Fantasy! :)

I love it when kids dress up....and hold hands...:)

2012-02-09T11:45:00.003+08:00

I love this sweet photo of my littlest nephew J holding hands with his cousin C. Especially when they are both dressed to reflect their heritage [my mother's side of the family]. :)

Woohoo...check out the stamping I did...I even stamped on shrink plastic! *High fives all around* For some strange reason, people like to send me stamps...I love collecting them...they look so pretty in their pristine packaging! *winks* I have more stamp sets than patterned paper [insert dramatic music to emphasize shock at startling statistic!] So, I've decided that I'm either going to use my stamps OR give them away [eh...I see predatory sharks circling me *LOL*].

I went a little crazy with the clustering here...really wanted to use up my little bits of scrap...did a little handstitching too! :)

Inspired by the challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous - hearts and stitching.

Supplies Basic Grey, Lily Bee, Dream Street, Crate Paper and Studio Calico patterned papers, American Crafts felt thickers, Jenni Bowlin stickers, Fontwerts, Technique Tuesday and Maya Road stamps, black ink, doilies, black pen, buttons, key charm, wrinkle ribbon, trim and thread.

P/s: Thank you so much for the kind words on yesterday's post. I'm so glad that you are joining me in spreading a little cheer to a sweet little boy. You are the bestest friends! :)

How about sending a little cheer to someone in need?

2012-02-08T07:15:00.003+08:00

Something happened to me recently that made me question my worth as an individual. A group of crafting ladies whom I worked with and considered my friends decided that they no longer wanted me in their clique. Now, people evolve and outgrow friendships. I get that. But what I didn't appreciate was how disrespectfully they did it. Just a curt email and an immediate cut to a private Facebook group. It hurt a lot. It still hurts. So when I read about this little boy Sebastian on my friend Amy Tsuruta's blog, I cried. I would never want anyone to feel like they don't belong. Or that they are not worthy of our time.

Sebastian suffers from Arthrogryposis - he has stiff joints and abnormally developed muscles which makes even picking up a pencil a challenge. Yet he is happy despite the daily challenges he faces. His mother worries that he will soon notice the finger pointing and the judgement from strangers. That is the painful reality.

On February 15th, Sebastian will go into the hospital for another surgery. His sweet teacher is organizing a card drive for this boy to cheer him on. In her words, "Maybe, just maybe, when the day arrives that he notices the finger pointing and hears the name calling instead of being sad he'll remember the day that people from everywhere filled his hospital room with love."

This is where you come in friends. Will you join me in making and sending a card to Sebastian? You can read about Sebastian's story and get mailing details here. My generous friend Amy is offering a chance at a $25 gift certificate to The Craft's Meow if you do. So link up your cards at her blog. :)

I used the sketch at CPS and was inspired by the challenges at the Kraft Outlet and Inspired by.

Supplies: Crate Paper and Basic Grey patterned papers, SRM sticker, Maya Road chipboard, Jenni Bowlin pearls, blue paint, silver mesh.

Colouring and paper piecing with Annette Allen! :)

2012-02-07T09:00:00.003+08:00

Hello there friends! My guest today is the lovely Annette Allen of Clever Creations. :) Annette is an avid stamper and makes the cutest cards. She has a great sense of colour and a visit to her blog always results in a big smile on my face. :) One of Annette's fave technique is to colour her images with Copics and paper piece the outfits...which she shares in a tutorial today. She is also issuing a challenge with a chance at a fabulous RAK! :)

But first, let's check out some of Annette's fave creations!

Hi my name is Annette Allen and making cards is my passion. I am so happy to be able to share with fellow crafters. I am a housewife and live in California. I have been married for almost 17 years to a wonderful and loving man. My children are two dogs (Curtis & LoLa). I grew up in Colorado and have been so blessed to have had the opportunity to live many fun places...My absolute favorite was Europe.

This is where I was introduced to card-making. Lets just say I have been hooked ever since. I started back in 1997 and still love everything about it. My favorite thing to do on a card is stamping images. I love stamping, you can color, paper piece, emboss and these are just a few of the many technique you can do. I love bright bold colors but my favorite color is Pink. If I had to choose my favorite technique I think at the moment it would be paper piecing a fun image. I just love how you can bring the designer paper to life on an image. My style is always evolving and always look forward to what I can learn next.

I am so honored and thankful that Yvonne has asked me to be a guest blogger. I have been a follower of Yvonne’s blog for some time now and I have to say I am so inspired by her amazing creativity. You all know what I am talking about. Thank you Yvonne for this opportunity.

1. Pick an image that is easy to paper piece and select what designer paper you want to use. You will need ink, paper and snips.

2. Stamp the image on a solid white base and also on the designer paper.

3. Pick the color you want to color the face. I first start with E000 and blend with E000 using R20 to add a little blush to the face.

4. Pick what color you want to color the hair. I like to add a little highlights so I have chosen three colors for blending. Don't worry if you color outside the lines, I will be cutting out the image so you will not see that color.

5. Cut out with small snips the outfit and adhere to image.

6. Cut out image entirely after you adhere the outfit or whatever paper piecing you choose to do.

7. You are now ready to finish the card. Create a scene that complements the image.

_____________________________________________________________________

Ready to play along? Please link your newly created project featuring colouring and paper piecing using Inlinkz (located at the end of this post) by Friday 24 February, 11.59pm (GMT +8) for your chance to win this sweet RAK courtesy of Annette. :)

Please leave a little love for my guest Annette!

A case of a texture paste-masking-misting-technique gone awry..

2012-02-06T06:45:00.002+08:00

So this was a case of a texture paste-masking-misting-technique gone awry....[could you even tell that they were supposed to be butterflies? *LOL* ]... I had to embrace my inner Tim Gunn and "Make it work!" by turning it into an abstract design.. *Did it work?*

I used the sketch from Studio Calico and was inspired by the challenge at ScrapFIT. [Photos: My dad with my niece and nephew #2]

Supplies: Studio Calico patterned papers and stickers, SRM stickers, The twinery twine, Maya mists, Heidi Swapp mask, Basic Grey brads, texture paste, buttons, bottle cap.

Flashback Friday 20.0 Celebration - a chance to win a ginormous package! :)

2012-02-03T16:05:00.010+08:00

Hello friends! Welcome to the Flashback Friday 20.0 Celebration - the blog hop! The brainchild of my bloggy pal Amy Tsuruta, it's a challenge blog that gets you to look through your blog archives to find "incriminating evidence" of past crafting faux pas [at least for me...*LOL*]...

If you are hopping along with us for a chance at this incredible bunch of goodies worth over US$95....you should have arrived from Stephanie's. Oh yes, Amy's super generous! All you need to do is upload your very first black and white card and leave a comment on all participating Flashback Friday Guest Designers' blogs. You have until Friday Feb 24, 11.59pm Pacific time to do so. You get an additional chance if you become a follower of Flashback Friday.

Check out my black and white creation on a clear base circa 7 July 2009. I actually won the challenge at Saturday Cinema Creative Challenge with this project. Okay, I know it has a smidge of red [black + white = gray so that doesn't count..*LOL*]...Aren't you glad I've evolved as a cardmaker? *winks* Go ahead...laugh out loud! :)

Your next stop is at Amy C's! :) If you get lost along the way, please head back to the Flashback Friday site for the main list. But don't forget to leave a comment here if you want to be in the running for the awesome prize package!

XOXO card and a blogoversary giveaway winner! :)

2012-02-02T11:55:00.003+08:00

XOXO to my bloggy pals who participated in my blogoversary giveaway! :) Thank you so much for the feedback! You will be seeing more tutorials [as requested] and the first guest blogger challenge of 2012 starts next Tuesday! :)

Now for the random winner of a big box full of goodies to last at least a year or two.....

Congratulations Kishley! Please send me an email with your mailing address so that I can get your goodies sent out to you! :)

I'm entering this card for the anniverary challenge at CPS.

How to use texture paste to create a custom background. A tutorial. :)

2012-02-01T11:45:00.004+08:00

Hello friends! Texture paste is such a cool way to add a little interest to any crafting project. It's readily available at most craft supply stores, has an easy-to-work-with consistency, is lightweight [unless you use copious amounts of course! *winks*] and dries fairly quickly. Today I'm sharing a tutorial how you can use texture paste to create a custom background like the layout shown.

1. Start by laying a mask on white [or light-coloured] cardstock. [You can see that it's a well-used mask..*LOL* I really clean my supplies after use!!!]

2. Apply a light layer of texture paste with an ice-cream stick. You can apply it to the whole mask or parts of it. Totally up to you. :)

3. Here is how it looks like when I applied texture paste to the entire mask. You need to work fairly fast because texture paste dries in under 10 minutes [at least in hot and humid weather..].

4. Remove the mask and you get this cool image. Don't stop to admire your work though....go wash your mask!

5. Once you've cleaned your mask, you can return to admire the cool textures you've created. By now, the texture paste would have dried...if it hasn't, you can use a heat gun to speed up the process.

6. Then I misted the raised areas. I used 3 different yellows to get a little more depth in the intensity of the colour. You can use watercolours or acrylic paints with a paintbrush for a more controlled look.

7. I like to use distress inks in similar hues to further define the patterns.

8. I used some punchinella and distress inks to create more patterns around the texture paste. Then trimmed off the edges and adhered to a piece of patterned paper. [No wastage...I cut out the backs of papers!]

9. Using the patterned paper as a guide, I added embellishments in similar hues.

10. I like to add a variety of elements in different textures for a fun look. :)

What do you think? Will you be trying out texture paste soon?

Supplies: Basic Grey patterned papers, stickers and brad, Tim Holtz mask, Ranger Distress Inks, American Crafts thickers, Cosmo Cricket stickers, Me and my big ideas sticker, Maya Mists, texture paste, burlap, ribbon, thread.

P/s: To see some other layouts that feature the use of texture paste to create custom backgrounds, please check out the following posts ....Lady in red, Shots from a runway session, Hooligans on the loose and (b)elly (b)utton.

For Cath (sans CHA) with Love Blog Hop

2012-01-31T13:00:00.002+08:00

I love how the craft blogging community rallies together to cheer up a mutual friend. Welcome to the For Cath (sans CHA) with love Blog Hop! :)

Moxie Fab World's Cath Edvalson (Trends Editor at PaperCrafts Magazine) would be skipping CHA Winter 2012 because of a painful shoulder injury. Sweeties Lorena Cantó and Virginia Lu organized this blog hop to send a little cheer her way. Get well soon Cath! :)

Supplies: Pure Innocence image, Echo Park papers, Tim Holtz embossing folder, SRM sentiment sticker, Copics, tulle, wrinkle ribbon, 3D dots, cardstock.

P/s: Today's the last day to enter my blogoversary giveaway! :)

The scrapbook album I made to house the wedding layouts. :)

2012-01-30T11:30:00.003+08:00

Thank you for all the lovely compliments on the wedding layouts I did for my cousin. :) This is the scrapbook album that I made to house the layouts. White corrugated cardboard reinforced by more cardboard on the back. [Got to include some upcycling right? *LOL*]

Text printed on photo and adhered to a round mirror [don't throw away your used compact! ]...a sparkly silver ribbon and dangly clear beads.

Clustering of embellishments in the wedding theme colours.

Supplies: Corrugated cardboard, mirror, clear beads, American Crafts thickers and glitter cardstock, silver glitter, silver trim, ribbon, Maya Road trinkets, pearls, butterfly, handmade spiral felt flowers.

P/s: Tutorial on using textured paste coming up this week...just need to edit the photos...and write the post! :)

A neat trick to unify the elements on your layout! :)

2012-01-27T08:15:00.001+08:00

Sometimes, mimicking parts of a photo can be a neat design trick to unify all the elements on your layout. I love these photos of the newly-weds with the bride holding a lace parasol and a cascading waterfall in the background. [photos: Mr & Mrs Issac]

Here's what I did:

1. Used patterned paper with subtle hints of light blue in the background.
2. Overlayed the patterned paper with white tulle.
3. Added a strip of lace.
4. Adhered a blue cocktail umbrella [mimicks the bride's parasol].
5. Added chipboard, stickers and some flying birds!

What do you think? So totally doable right?

Supplies: American Crafts stickers, SRM stickers, Sam & Lucy stickers, Gauche Alchemy Blue Streak Mixed Media Color Kit.

P/s: Have a fabulous weekend friends! Don't forget to enter my blogoversary giveaway! :)

I'm a little obsessed with these loopy felt blooms. LOL

2012-01-26T08:00:00.001+08:00

Ever since I made loopy felt blooms on some fun bows for my cousin's wedding, I've been pretty much obsessed with them. *LOL* This is an upcycled tin box with a sweet pink loopy felt bloom which I made for LESSology Challenge #10: Floral Delight! :)

I also made some loopy felt blooms as boutonnieres for the fathers of the bride and groom at my cousin's recent wedding.

Have you tried making these loopy felt blooms?

Lady in red! :)

2012-01-25T07:45:00.002+08:00

I love these pictures of my niece Sophie. A little lady in red! :)

Check out that winning smile on the lady in red! :)

Texture paste and mist...and punchinella...[I will share a tutorial on texture paste soon.]

I was inspired by the sketch at Get Picky and the challenge at Scrapping the Music.

Supplies: Heidi Swapp mask, Maya mists, Crate Paper chipboard, paper and stickers, Gauche Alchemy punchinella, texture paste, buttons and black pen.

P/s: Have you entered my blogoversary giveaway? [Please note that due to availability issues, I have changed Giveaway #1 of a Gauche Alchemy Knick Knack Paddy Whack Kit (US$25) to a collection of mixed media color kits worth US$85.]

Shots from a runway session...LOL

2012-01-24T07:45:00.002+08:00

My niece can't talk yet but she expresses herself very well in other ways....take a closer look at the photos...*LOL*

These were the different expressions I captured in 30 minutes. Oh yes, she had a runway session with the hand-me-downs from her cousin...*LOL*

Still very into the whole texture paste and misting...this time I added some distress inks for better definition of the background pattern.

Some Gauche Alchemy embellishments and loads of stickers! :)

Supplies: Tim Holtz mask and distress inks, texture paste, Maya mists, American Crafts thickers, SRM stickers, Sam & Lucy stickers, white pen.

P/s: Have you entered my blogoversary giveaway? [Please note that due to availability issues, I have changed Giveaway #1 of a Gauche Alchemy Knick Knack Paddy Whack Kit (US$25) to 10 mixed media color kits worth US$85.]

A case of the wanderlust...

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000+08:00

There is something about maps that appeals to the wanderlust in me. :) I love to travel. There are continents I've yet to set foot in. It is my excuse for buying travel-related scrapbooking supplies! *LOL*

Just a quick card for the Map to your heart challenge at Moxie Fab World.

Supplies: Making Memories patterned papers, Jillibean kraft letters, Tim Holtz hanger paperclip, twine.

A blogoversary giveaway! :)

2012-01-20T08:50:00.003+08:00

This month is my blogoversary! Happy birthday Do More with Less! :) Can you believe I've kept at it for 3 whole years? Yay me! :) *High fives all around*

And I would like to celebrate by having a blogoversary giveaway. :)

Giveaway #1: Embellishments Galore! A sampling of all 10 Gauche Alchemy Mixed Media Color Kits! (worth US$85)! *Edited*

Giveaway #2: Basic Grey patterned papers with coordinating lace, ribbon, doilies, buttons, feathers, pearls, pompoms, crochet blooms, twine.

Giveaway #3: A box of travel-related paraphernalia...fun stuff! Oh yes, I decorated the box cover! :)

To be in the running for this giveaway:

Leave a comment on this post telling me what you would like to see on my blog in 2012. [Flattery of any kind would be appropriate here...*LOL*]

For additional entries to this giveaway, you can
1. Be a follower of my blog.
2. Blog about this giveaway.
3. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.
4. Share this giveaway on Facebook.
5. Like Do More With Less on Facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry. Remember, these are optional.

I will pick a random winner on 31 January. Good luck! :)

I love using fabric to add texture to my projects. :)

2012-01-19T09:30:00.002+08:00

I love using fabric to add texture to my projects. It has such a natural organic feel and doesn't add a lot of bulk to the final creation. Gauche Alchemy Mixed Media Color Kits always come with a piece of interesting remnant fabric that challenges you to think outside the box in order incorporate it in your project. :)

Here I used the black fabric as a backdrop to the photo and added some tulle for more texture. As the couple [photo: Mr and Mrs Issac] was wearing silver in the photo, the silver punchinella and embellishments helped complete the layout. Does it have the wow factor? *LOL*

Supplies: Prima patterned paper, American Crafts thickers, Gauche Alchemy Black Out Mixed Media Color Kit, tulle.

P/s: I'm thinking tomorrow may be a giveaway day!!! *winks*

Fascinators! :)

2012-01-18T12:30:00.001+08:00

I confess. Ever since I saw the royal wedding last year, I have been fascinated by fascinators. :) Especially the rather elaborate ones...*LOL* Anyway, we had a little "photo booth" as part of the fun activity for guests at my cousin's wedding...and I made these...err...hair accessories as fun props. :)

My niece was napping so I got my obliging nephew J to model for me. *LOL* He liked it so much, he didn't want to take it off. :)

Supplies: Headbands, tulle, crepe paper, pearls, spiral felt flowers, thread.

Hooligans on the loose! :)

2012-01-17T11:55:00.003+08:00

We had a super rainy December 2011 and my nephews didn't get a chance to go to the playground until 7 January 2012! Then it was hooligans on the loose! Really. *LOL*

My fave technique of late....masking with texture paste and then misting! :)

You can get really cool textures on your page...mist away and let some drip and dry naturally...

Stickers and chipboard...:)

I really wanted to play along with the very last sketch challenge at Sketchy Thursdays.

Supplies: Tim Holtz mask, texture paste, Maya mists, Crate Paper stickers and chipboard, SRM stickers, Sam and Lucy stickers, Prima canvas letters, Gauche Alchemy punchinella, black pen, twine.

*Edited* A bittersweet moment: a Sketchy Thursdays fave for the very last time. *sniff*

I like to use photos as the starting point for my layouts. :)

2012-01-16T08:30:00.002+08:00

I like to use photos as the starting point for my layouts. I always want the photos to be the focal point. :) For these sepia toned photos, I wanted a pop so I went with orange. :) I masked and misted the background and rummaged through my Gauche Alchemy Lady Marmelade Orange Mixed Media Color Kit to help me complete the layout.

I used different shades of orange and added some browns to unify the piece. [photos: Mr & Mrs Issac]

Supplies: Prima mask, flowers and canvas letters, Maya mist, Gauche Alchemy Lady Marmelade Orange Mixed Media Color Kit and Lace Ribbon Variety Pack.

The story of J & the pig. :)

2012-01-13T11:00:00.002+08:00

Littlest nephew J really loves this stuffed pig in his Aunt E's room. Now, he's really afraid of my sister [whose maternal instincts hasn't quite kicked in yet!] but to "ride" on the pig, he would ask for permission in his sweetest voice. ...*LOL*

Just love the blissful look on his face when he's on the pig! :) I went a little sticker crazy here. *LOL*

Apparently I really wanted to scrap this story about J and the pig because I found 3 of the same photos! :) I cut up 2 and popped them up on 3D dots. :)

A little twine and an upcycled intimate wear tag *winks*

Supplies: Maya mists, American Crafts thickers, SRM stickers, Jenni Bowlin stickers, Adorn It stickers, Martha Stewart edge punch, brads, white pen, black pen, twine, ribbon, Gauche Alchemy embellishments.

I was inspired by the challenge at Scrapping The Music and the sketch at Frosted Designs.

P/s: Have a great weekend friends! :)

*Edited* I made Top 3 at Frosted Designs! :)

How to make fun bows for your chairs! :)

2012-01-12T09:00:00.001+08:00

I made two fun bows to decorate the bride and groom's chairs.....

The chairs at my cousin's recent wedding. :)

I layered about 8 sheets of tissue paper, accordian folded them and rounded the corners with a pair of scissors. Then I secured the center with ribbon and opened it up to create a bow with scalloped edges [as pictured]. Pouf each layer of tissue for some added texture.

I cut petals for the bloom using felt.

To make the loopy felt blooms. Fold a piece of felt into two and cut strips at the fold. The longer the cut, the longer your loops. Roll and glue to secure.

Adhere loopy felt bloom to the petals. [I used a hot glue gun.]

Adhere bloom to the tissue paper bow.

Add beads and trim if you desire. Add a safety pin to the back and pin it on your chair! :)

(b)elly (b)utton

2012-01-11T09:30:00.004+08:00

So this is officially my first layout of 2012.:) It features my littlest nephew and his belly button. Which he pronounces as "elly utton"...yeah the "b" is silent...*LOL*

There was laundry distracting the background in the photo so...sandpaper to the rescue! :)

I used a Tim Holtz mask and applied a thin layer of texture paste. After that, I misted with Maya mists. I was inspired by the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays.

Supplies: Tim Holtz mask, Maya mists, SRM stickers, Sam and Lucy letter stickers, Gauche Alchemy embellishments, texture paste.

*Edited* This layout was a Sketchy Thursdays Fave! :)

P/s: LESSology Challenge #9: Inspiration Board is up! I would love for you to come play along! :)

Another cheesy wedding layout...:)

2012-01-10T11:16:00.000+08:00

Now that my cousin's wedding is over, I can share the rest of the cheesy layouts I made...*LOL*

One of the reasons why I love Gauche Alchemy's Mixed Media Color Kits is because I'm sure to find something fun and interesting to complement my project. :) On this layout, I used the Gauche Alchemy Scarlet Fever Red Mixed Media Color Kit. :)

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket patterned papers, Martha Stewart edge punch, Prima canvas letters, twine, Gauche Alchemy Scarlet Fever Red Mixed Media Color Kit.

Happy Monday friends! :)

2012-01-09T10:00:00.002+08:00

Happy Monday friends!:) My cousin's wedding went well! The decorations actually turned out decent...*LOL* :) Just a quick card today for the challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays.

Supplies: Basic Grey patterned paper, Crate Paper chipboard, twine, ribbon and corner rounder.

My first banner...

2012-01-06T13:15:00.004+08:00

Photo courtesy of Timothy Issac.

Hello friends! :) So I made my first ever banner...and it doesn't involve paper...*LOL*. Found these cute little plastic squares with a floral design [I still have no idea what they are for actually...haha...just happy that I didn't have to cut any paper!] at the art store. Added a handmade felt bloom, some dangly clear beads at the bottom and a silver bow at the top. Love that they are strung on some pretty aqua beads. :)

P/s: I made a ton of stuff including the bridal bouquet, groom's boutonnierre, pom poms....will share pics from the event (this Sunday) soon. Wish me luck...I only have 2 hours to decorate the place! :) Happy weekend friends! :)

Got to love it when a layout comes together in 15 minutes. :)

2012-01-05T11:45:00.002+08:00

Got to love it when a layout comes together in 15 minutes. :) I was totally channeling my inner Julie Tucker-Wolek [who spends <30 minutes on each layout] when I did this layout for my cousin. I did cheat though...this is 8x8...I'm more of a 45 - 60 minutes kind of scrapper. *LOL*

Supplies: Webster's Pages patterned papers, Prima flowers, KaiserCraft pearls and rhinestones, ribbon, tulle, buckle.

A superquick 4x4 card! :)

2012-01-04T11:45:00.001+08:00

Today's share is a superquick 4x4 card - my current fave card size! It took just 10 minutes [main bulk of the time was spent fiddling with the letter stickers...*LOL*] Love layering the wide lace from Gauche Alchemy on patterned paper for a vintagey feel! :)

InLinkz.com

I'm entering this card for the challenge at The Kraft Journal and the sketch at CPS.

7x9 wedding canvas

2012-01-03T11:45:00.002+08:00

Thanks for the sweet comments on my glittered up castle! :) It was pretty labour-intensive. Possibly the first and last castle I would glitter up...I only make one-of-a kind couture pieces...*LOL* Here's a smaller wedding canvas (7x9) that I made for the reception table. The background was masked and misted. Then I added tulle for a really dreamy romantic feel [I really LOVE tulle! *LOL*].

I kept to similar elements in the embellishment cluster to ensure cohesiveness with the rest of the wedding decorations...

It's amazing how many shiny silvery things I have in my stash. :)

Supplies: 7x9 canvas, Maya mist, tulle, Spellbinders die, American Crafts glitter cardstock and chipboard, glitter, vellum, mask, trim and embellishments from Gauche Alchemy.

I'm entering this project for this month's challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous.

Wonderland...a glittered up castle! :)

2012-01-02T11:00:00.001+08:00

Happy 2012 my friends! :) May your new year be a wonderland of happiness with your dreams fulfilled!

I've been busy making wedding decorations for my cousin's wedding which is this Sunday...thank goodness....there's a light at the end of the tunnel! *LOL*

Today I'm sharing a 12 x 12 canvas layout that features a castle! So fun eh? *LOL*

It was previously a little girl's toy...which I spray painted. The colour turned out to be a light metallic green instead of a light aqua [Boohoo...I was cheated by Krylon!!!]....so glitter and bling to the rescue! Turns out that glitter can cover up a multitude of "sins"! *LOL*

I added some grey felt so that the castle wasn't so dazzling...*LOL*

I actually painted over an old canvas [because the idea struck me one insomniac night and I had no blank canvas], adhered some scrunched up wrapping tissue and misted it. Once that was dry, I covered the canvas with white tulle for a dreamy effect! :)

A little banner action...pearls, stickers, clear crystals, charm, mirror...

Trim, pearls, charm, handmade felt flowers....

Supplies: 12 x 12 canvas, toy castle, glitter, wrapping tissue, Maya mist, handmade felt flowers, embellishments from Gauche Alchemy.

The title of this piece was inspired by the "wonder" challenge at Bird is the Word.

*Edited* This was the challenge winner at Bird is the word! :)

Is that box sturdy and err... clean?

2011-12-27T11:45:00.003+08:00

The problem with upcycling boxes is that people think that you like to collect empty boxes too...and proceed to pass you ALL of their empty boxes....*LOL*

Actually I'm rather picky about boxes...they have to be sturdy and at the very least clean....[I've gotten some pretty disgusting boxes...]*LOL*

Supplies: Lily Bee patterned papers, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Crate Paper sticker, Gauche Alchemy embellishments.

P/s: Hope you are enjoying the last few days of 2011 my friends! I'll be taking a little bloggy break. See you in 2012! :)

Merry Christmas my friends! :)

2011-12-23T10:30:00.003+08:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas my friends! Thanks for your wonderful support this year...I really appreciate your visits and encouraging comments. :)

I'm entering this card for the challenge at the Play Date Cafe and Inspired By #3.

Supplies: Making Memories and Jenni Bowlin patterned papers, Stickles, button.

P/s: Have an amazing holiday weekend with your loved ones....hope you got presents that were on your wishlist! *fingers crossed* :)

Are you ready for Christmas? :)

2011-12-22T07:30:00.000+08:00

Hey there friends! Are you ready for Christmas? I already got some lovely presents. :) Just wanted to share a quick upcycled gift box I made. :)

Supplies: Crate Paper patterned paper and chipboard, May Arts ribbon, Craft Affair ribbon, buttons, tulle, old book paper.

Old vintage photo of my grandma

2011-12-20T18:30:00.002+08:00

I found a very old and torn vintage photo of my maternal grandma washing clothes in the 1950s. A little Photoshop touchup and it's good to go! :)

I used the sketch at Let's Capture These Sketches. Also entering it for the ribbon challenge at Frosted Designs.

Supplies: Lily Bee patterned papers, Jenni Bowlin buttons and letter stickers (red), Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, Gauche Alchemy lave and punchinella, SRM stickers, EK Success sticker, Sam and Lucy stickers, Martha Stewart punch, paper blooms, bling, ribbon and pearls.

Birds on barbed wire! LOL

2011-12-19T10:00:00.002+08:00

I was thinking how clever I was when I used this Tim Holtz mask...because the birds could perch nicely on it....then I realized it wa barbed wire...notice that one bird sitting right on the sharp edge? Boy he must be in pain! *LOL*

Just sharing a layout I made for my cousin's wedding album. I used Echo Park Paper which is perfect for the 'E' challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous. :)

Supplies: Echo Park Papers and stickers, Maya Mist, Tim Holtz mask.

Sweet nothings...

2011-12-16T10:00:00.001+08:00

Hello friends! As promised, another of my cousin's wedding layouts with a cheesy title..sweet nothings..*LOL*

I used the sketch at Frosted Designs.

Supplies: Webster's Pages patterned papers and trim, Toga and SRM stickers, Prima canvas letters, button, twine and wood tag.

P/s: Have a fabulous weekend friends! :)

A glittered mini hanger! :)

2011-12-15T10:00:00.002+08:00

So I've been busy making wedding decorations for my cousin's wedding. Here's a glittered mini hanger...and yes, that's a plastic tiara! :)

Love that I found these heart-shaped clear Christmas ornaments...:)

Supplies: Heart-shaped Clear Christmas ornament, American Crafts glitter cardstock, Spellbinders die, pearls, paper flowers, Gauche Alchemy's Wedding Night Mixed Media Color Kit, mini hanger, Martha Stewart glitter.

Frame of life

2011-12-14T10:00:00.001+08:00

Hello friends! :) Today I'm sharing my project for LESSology Challenge #8: Frame of life. :)

My friend K wanted me to decorate this frame for her. I covered each panel with remnant fabric and spray painted the toy furniture pieces. I misted some chipboard frames and added photos of my friend K's family.

Supplies: Frame, Maya mists, fabric, Krylon Make it Pearl spray paint, pearls, mini ceremic pots, faux plants.

XOXO and a giveaway winner! :)

2011-12-13T10:00:00.011+08:00

A super quick 4x4 card. A little misting, inking at the edges, a strip of scrap paper and a strip of ribbon, brads, stickers and twine. XOXO. :)

I was inspired by the challenge at CAS-ual Fridays.

Supplies: Lily Bee patterned papers and stickers, May Arts ribbon, Making Memories brads, American Crafts butterfly, Maya mist , Ranger Distress Ink , corner rounder and twine.
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And a big thank you to those who particiapated in my "You've got mail!" giveaway. The randomly picked winner is...

Woohoo! Congrats Hussena! Please send me an email with your mailing details so that I can get your RAK sent out to you! :)

Your hand in mine

2011-12-12T08:30:00.000+08:00

Hello friends! How was your weekend? I was busy making stuff for my cousin's upcoming wedding and babysitting my nephews. :)

I must say that coming up with titles for my cousin's wedding layouts was really tough. I did the usual lovey dovey stuff and really ran out of titles by layout #16. This one - Your hand in mine - was one of the better ones...*LOL*...cheesy ones coming your way soon!

Inspired by the sketch at My Mind's Eye.

Supplies: Patterned papers and chipboard letters from My Mind's Eye, Fiskars border punch, Bo Bunny letter stickers, wrinkle ribbon.

10 of my fave chipboard projects! :)

2011-12-09T12:30:00.001+08:00

I love working with chipboard. There are so many things you can do with chipboard - paint them, mist them, emboss them, cover them with patterned paper...and they add so much interest to your creation without being bulky. For this creation, I misted on a button chipboard which forms part of the tree in my little upcycled packaging scene. The background is gessoed old book paper which was misted.

Here are 9 other previously shared projects that feature the use of chipboard.

A 5-minute tag with an inked up chipboard as the centerpiece.

Using a pretty chipboard as a photo frame.

Using a chipboard to "frane" a sentiment.

Using little chipboard pieces for a mini album cover.

Using chipboard for titlework.

Using chipboard as part of an embellishment cluster on a tin box cover.

Using chipboard on a clipboard.

Layering pieces of chipboard for a fun mini album cover.

Covering chipboard with patterned paper.

P/s: I thought I should try out for the Imaginarium Designs DT call - love their chipboard! Happy weekend friends! :)

You might have noticed that I LOVE altering boxes.

2011-12-08T13:00:00.005+08:00

You might have noticed that I LOVE altering boxes. *LOL* There's something magical about boxes, an air of mystery about what's inside them and a sense of urgency when you open them.:)
What about you? Do you like boxes?

Supplies: Crate Paper patterned paper, button, sticker, trim and chipboard, Prima/Tattered Angels canvas sheet, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists and, Pink Paislee swirl.

P/s: Don't forget about LESSology Challenge #7: You've got mail! It ends on Sunday! Also, you still have time to enter my "You've got mail! " giveaway! :)

A simple baby card

2011-12-07T10:00:00.001+08:00

Hello friends! Just a simple baby card to share today. :)

I'm entering it for the challenge at CPS.

Supplies: Simple Stories Baby Steps patterend paper, May Arts ribbon, corrugated board, Maya Road chipboard button, Ranger Distress Ink and twine.

Confessions of a crazy aunt: the hairless solution! LOL

2011-12-06T10:00:00.003+08:00

Apparently the crazy aunt [aka me!] can't wait for her niece's hair to grow out...Help was clearly needed to make her look more girly [all the pink is not enough *LOL*].

Disclaimer: No child was hurt in the taking of these photos even though adults nearby laughed out very loudly.

A little fun with some twine action [it's an obsession of late..*LOL*]

Some Gauche Alchemy embellishments. I was inspired by the sketch at Lily Bee.

P/s: Don't forget to enter my "You've got mail" giveaway and the Bows and Berries digi giveaway! :)

One fine day...

2011-12-05T10:00:00.003+08:00

I must say I love a day when my littlest nephew J is well-behaved and super sweet....a tantrum-free day is one fine day indeed. Such a day deserves its own layout eh? :)

I had fun misting on the background as well as the rolled up fabric blooms. :)

Inspired by the challenge at Get Picky.

Supplies: My Little Shoebox and Imaginisce patterned paper, Tattered Angels glimmer mists, SRM sticker. 7 Gypsies sticker, American Crafts thickers, Fancy Pants felt, Maya Road trinket pins, twine, buttons, wood tag, paper leaves, brad, brown pen, trim.

They say three's a crowd and it's so true!

2011-12-02T11:45:00.001+08:00

Hi friends! They say three's a crowd and it's so true. At least on a queen-size bed. With 2 nephews. *LOL* Do all kids toss and turn a lot when they sleep? My nephews do. I'm such a light sleeper... I get woken up constantly through the night. Will I be able to survive another week of this without looking like a panda? That remains to be seen...*LOL*

A super-quick 4x4 card for the Pay It Forward challenge at Moxie Fab World and Case Study.

Supplies: Crate Paper patterned papers, Jillibean letter stickers, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, KasierCraft pearls, Distress Stickles in Rock Candy, twine.

P/s: Have a great weekend friends! :) Don't forget to enter my "You've got mail" giveaway and the Bows and Berries digi giveaway! :)

Being the second child in the family means having my brother in most of my childhood photos.

2011-12-01T11:00:00.001+08:00

Of late, I've been making 6 x 6 mini album covers. It's a great way to use up scraps and practise my "embellishment clustering" skills...*LOL* I haven't decided what would go into this mini...maybe my childhood photos? I was vain as a little girl and a total bag lady...just have to get round to cropping my brother out of my photos...he's in practically every shot [ the pain of being the second child..*LOL*]

Supplies: Crate Paper chipboard, sticker and papers, May Arts ribbon, Maya Road trim, Jenni Bowlin button, twine, tag, crochet bloom (all from Your Scrapbook Stash)

P/s: Don't forget to enter my "You've got mail" giveaway and the Bows and Berries digi giveaway! :)

You've got mail! A giveaway! :)

2011-11-30T09:00:00.002+08:00

Hello friends! Today's project is for LESSology Challenge #7: You've got mail!:)

I started with this priority mail box which I covered with brown paper scraps.

Then I used some Graphic 45 scraps, blended some distress inks and did a little stamping.

Okay, any guesses on which postmark was stamped by me? [I really should practise my stamping...*LOL*]

So I've filled up this little box with some goodies....Rusty Pickle patterned papers, some cardstock, embellishments, ink and a mini alpha stamp set....whatever I could fit in there..And it needs to go to someone. Could be YOU! :) Just leave a comment in this post [it would be nice if you could follow my blog too...*winks*] by Friday December 11.

Supplies: Graphic 45 patterned papers, Ranger Distress Ink in Antique Linen, Inkadinkado stamp, Maya Road stamp, brilliant ink, brown paper.

Life is good when ice-cream's involved...

2011-11-29T09:00:00.002+08:00

Hello friends! My layout today features my friend Erin's boy Josh eating ice-cream...Life is good when ice-cream's involved eh? Definitely for me! *LOL*

I had fun playing with Sassafras papers (thanks Amy T! :), lots of stickers and embellishments from Gauche Alchemy. Inspired by Let's Capture These Sketches.

Supplies: Sassafras patterned papers, American Crafts thickers, SRM stickers, Sam & Lucy stickers, Provocraft stickers, Jenni Bowlin stickers, Doodlebug stickers, Craft Affair ribbon, American Crafts ribbon, buttons, punchinella and embellishments from Gauche Alchemy.

Holiday cheer! A chance to win some Bows and Berries digis! :)

2011-11-28T16:30:00.002+08:00

Hohoho....the Bows and Berries team is spreading a little holiday cheer through a little blog hop as we end with our last challenge of the year! :) [If you hopping along, you should have arrived from Gill's blog.]

You have a chance to win 2 digis at each of the stops simply by commenting on all the blogs on the hop. And to win the grand prize of 10 digis (woohoo!), you need to participate in the challenge using the Bows and Berries freebie - Toasty Gingerbread Man. You can pick up this freebie at the sidebar of the Bows and Berries blog. You have until Dec 11 (midnight GMT) to comment and/or play along with this challenge!

If you can't wait to get your hands on some Bows and Berries digis, use the code GIFT50 at the store to get 50% off all digis! :)

Leave a comment here then head over to Chunyuan's blog! Have fun! :)

I run a tight ship.

2011-11-25T11:15:00.009+08:00

Most of you know that I have to handle 3 nephews and I run a tight ship. Roll calls and all. *LOL* They have to hold hands when we go out and they can't be more than 3 strides away from me [unless they are at the playground or I'm taking their photo]. Of course, they are slightly paranoid about being kidnapped [cartoons where good people get captured by bad people helped to reinforce this...*LOL*] so they stick really close to me. :)

A 15 minute layout. A little misting at the top right corner, corrugated cardboard and lots of stickers! Love how easily this came together with the Simple Stories Baby Steps line [from Your Scrapbook Stash].

P/s: Have a fabulous weekend my friends! Psst...giveaway next week *winks*.

A typical day at the park and a challenge winner! :)

2011-11-23T10:00:00.002+08:00

Hello friends! Today's layout features vintage photos of my mother with my older brother D...a typical day at the park.

I was inspired by the sketch at Creative Scrappers and the 'D' challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous (D is day, diecuts and my brother's name!)

Supplies: Lily Bee patterned papers (from Your Scrapbook Stash), Maya Road chipboard and mist, Fancy Pants chipboard and felt buttons, Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, 7 Gypsies stickers, white pen, buttons, twine, .
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Thanks to those who played along with my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge. Chantal picked her fave...

Helene for this gorgeous layout...

Congratulations Helene! Please email me with your mailing details! :)

P/s: Don't forget to play along with LESSology Challenge #6: Hanging Mobile. It ends on Sunday! :)

I adore my littlest nephew J. :)

2011-11-22T10:15:00.003+08:00

I adore my littlest nephew J. He's as endearing as he is exasperating...and it doesn't hurt that I'm his fave person...yay! :) Check out the surprise kiss I got when I asked him to pose for the camera! :)

The background was misted with a doiley and I added little bits of Lily Bee patterned paper, ribbon, stickers and buttons. I used the sketch at Lily Bee and the prompt at Bird is the word.

Supplies: Lily Bee patterned papers, Maya Road chipboard, mist and trinket pin, Fancy Pants felt heart, EK Success stickers, SRM stickers, Sam and Lucy stickers, Kaisercraft pearls, American Craft thickers, ribbon, doiley, black pen.

An upcycled tin box and a tri-fold album

2011-11-21T07:45:00.001+08:00

Hello friends! :) This weekend I played with some lovelies from Lily Bee that I received from Your Scrapbook Stash [Erica is closing down the store to spend more time with her son...go check out the sales going on right now!].

I upcycled a Maya Road tin box and made a tri-fold mini album to go along with it.

Supplies: Maya Road tin box, Maya Mist, Tattered Angels mists, Lily Bee patterned papers, Fancy Pants chipboard, Crate Paper chipboard, Crate Paper sticker, white ouchless cardboard from Gauche Alchemy, rectangle button, tulle and butterfly from Gauche Alchemy Wedding Night White Mixed Media Color Kit.

Let's party! :)

2011-11-18T11:30:00.002+08:00

Woohoo! It's Friday...let's party! :)

Just a super quick card for the Card Patterns challenge! :) Have an amazing weekend my friends! :)

Supplies: American Crafts cardstock, Simple Stories patterned papers, The Twinery twine, paper piercer.

I love making little "scenes".

2011-11-17T12:15:00.005+08:00

I love making little "scenes" with packaging material. :) Here's a bookmark I made for my oldest nephew who really enjoys reading. I'm entering this for the Four-legged Friend challenge at City Crafter.

Supplies: Packaging material, Imaginisce patterned papers and sticker, fiber, cork paper.

P/s: Don't forget about my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge....it ends tomorrow!

*Edited* This project was spotlighted on the City Crafter blog.

A hanging mobile! :)

2011-11-16T08:15:00.005+08:00

Hello friends! :) My cousin is getting married in January and I'm doing the decorations for the reception. Since the place is really small, I thought it would be nice to have little hanging mobiles with the happy couple's photos amidst the fairy lights.

It's a really easy project using an upcycled gift box as a "frame" (choose something light and sturdy). The box is silver and shiny so I didn't need to add to it. Just strung some embellishments from the Gauche Alchemy's Wedding Night White Mixed Media Color Kit.

I would love for you to come play along with LESSology Challenge #6: Hanging Mobile. As long as it can be hung and moves freely, it is a hanging mobile...*LOL* Remember to use at least one upcycled item on your project! The prize is Nikki Sivils Gingerbread Lane kit! :)

P/s: Come play along with my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge! It ends on Friday!

I made a Christmas tag! :)

2011-11-15T08:00:00.006+08:00

The new challenge at the Bows and Berries challenge blog is up! I made a Christmas tag. Perfect for the tag challenge at CAS-ual Fridays and the sticker challenge at Jingle Belles.

I had fun paper piecing and colouring mine. Some moss, stickles for a little glitter and a googly eye. :)

Supplies: Bows and Berries digi, Jillibean papers, SRM sticker, stickles, moss, googly eye, button and twine.

P/s: Come play along with my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge! It ends on Friday!

Yummy fingers...

2011-11-14T06:45:00.001+08:00

They say every child is different. And it's true. My niece is the first to truly relish the sucking of her fingers..."Yummy!" *LOL*

Photo1: She's happily sucking on her fingers oblivious to her surroundings.
Photo 2: She spots me and the camera.
Photo 3: I ask her to pose for me.
Photo 4: She gives me her hearty, toothless laugh.

Supplies: Imaginisce patterned papers, The Twinery twine, American Crafts thickers, Craft Affair ribbon, white pen.

Inspired by the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays.

P/s: Don't forget about my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge. It ends on Friday! :)

I have a thing for boxes.

2011-11-11T08:00:00.001+08:00

If you don't already know, I have a thing for boxes. My fave thing to alter is always a box. They are quick to make, use up lots of scrap and may distract the recipient from the not-so-fancy gift inside the box. *LOL*

I'm entering it for the challenge over at City Crafter.

Supplies: Crate Paper patterned papers, stickers and chipboard, Kaisercraft pearls, Maya Road trinket pins, Ranger distress stickles in rock candy, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, twine, button, ribbon, upcycled tin box.

P/s: Have a great weekend friends! Don't forget about LESSology Challenge #5: Jars of Cuteness and my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge! :)

Based on statistics....

2011-11-10T08:00:00.001+08:00

Based on statistics, I should be a cardmaker because
1. I get more comments on my cards than any other creations.
2. It generally takes me 20 minutes or less to make a card.
3. I have more cards published/win challenges than other creations.

But I primarily scrapbook because of moments like this...littlest nephew J throwing a tantrum at 8.45pm....

And all smiles after a shower at 9.10pm....:)

Supplies: Simple Stories patterned papers, American Crafts thickers, Maya Road chipboard and mists, burlap, twine, white pen.

P/s: Come play along with my guest Chantal's postage stamp challenge! :)

These 3 make me happy! :)

2011-11-09T08:00:00.002+08:00

I know I spend a lot of time with my nephews. My bestie often tells me that my brother is making use of me. And he never says thank you...[unless he said it in an inaudible whisper, I've never heard it...*LOL*]

But these 3 make me happy. They call me their Saturday mummy. And often ask me to be their everyday mummy....of course they also ask me when I would die...since I said I will give them their scrapbook albums when I die....*LOL*

I was inspired by the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays and the family challenge at Frosted Designs.

Supplies: Bazill cardstock, Imaginisce patterned papers, Craft Affair ribbon, twine, brad, white pen.

P/s: Come play along with my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge! :)

*Edited* This layout made Top 3 at Frosted Designs.

A Nearly Nekkid canvas...and a challenge winner! :)

2011-11-08T07:15:00.001+08:00

Hello friends! :) Here's another project I did using Gauche Alchemy's Nearly Nekkid kit! A 7x9 canvas a vintage photo of my parents on their wedding day.

I scrunched up some dress pattern tissue paper for the base, and then just layered with the neutral elements in the kit. For a little bit of fun, I "dressed" up the clothespins too. :) Everything is from the Gauche Alchemy Nearly Nekkid Kit except for the ampersand (Heidi Swapp chipboard).

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A big thank you to those who played along with my guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge. Debbie used random.org to pick a winner...

#4 Lea Patterson with this fabulous entry!

Congratulations Lea! Please send me your mailing details so that I can get your RAK sent out to you! :)

I love these photos! :)

2011-11-07T06:30:00.001+08:00

Hello friends! :) I love these photos of my cheeky nephews...just being themselves. :)

I was inspired by the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays, the word at Bird is the word, the 7-ribbon challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous and the handcut shapes challenge at The Studio.

Supplies: Imaginisce patterend papers, Craft Affair ribbon (train), 7 Gypsies stickers, twine, ribbon, brads, brown pen, glittered chipboard, 3D dots, stickles.

P/s: Come play along with my guest Chantal's postage stamps challenge! :)

This one's for fans of my littlest nephew J! :)

2011-11-04T09:30:00.001+08:00

This one's for fans of my littlest nephew J! :) A tag album using Gauche Alchemy's Nearly Nekkid kit. :)

We went shopping and J happily posed for me..

He insisted on wearing his brother's Angry Birds shirt.

Err...we got him a matching bag to pose with...*LOL*

Here he is with a pout! :)

Go get your hands on this limited edition Gauche Alchemy Nearly Nekkid kit. There's also a bigger kit called the Bare Nekkid Paper Craft kit. Have the most amazing weekend friends! :)

A cute jar that lights up...:)

2011-11-03T08:00:00.001+08:00

I had so much fun making this cute jar that lights up... for LESSology Challenge #5: Jars of Cuteness! :)

I started off with this plastic jar from the kitchen. It used to store some treats.

And found this cool Bo Bunny papers that was perfect for my jar! :)

And I found some cute monkey ribbon for the rim of the cover...added some stickers and stickles! :)

Added a flickering light from an old lantern to the lid.

Love that the patterned paper is double-sided and features some planets and stars! So it looks really cool at night.

The nephews have given their stamp of approval and await eagerly for me to add this to their toy collection. :)

P/s: My guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge ends on Friday...I hope you can find time to play along...pretty please?

A warm penguin! :)

2011-11-02T08:00:00.004+08:00

Hello friends! Today's share is a card for Bows and Berries Challenge #13 - Clean and Simple and CAS-ual Fridays. Since the warm penguin is a creature, I'm entering it for the Jingle Belles challenge.

Supplies: Bows and Berries digi, Jillibean patterned papers, Copics, SRM sticker, kraft cardstock, paper piercer.

P/s: Don't forget about my guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge....it ends on Friday!:)

*Edited* This card was a fave over at Jingle Belles! :)

How to use your postage stamps...the Chantal Vandenberg way! :)

2011-11-01T10:30:00.001+08:00

My guest today is the fun and fabulous Chantal Vandenberg from Girls Just Wanna Scrapbook. If you love colours and whimsical elements on your projects, you will love Chantal's awesome style! She has a great eye for detail and her creations are graphic and totally eye-catching! She's hosting an awesome challenge using postage stamps with a prize for one lucky winner! :)

Let's enjoy her wonderful creations! :)

G'day! My name is Chantal Vandenberg and I live in Adelaide, South Australia, with my husband Jason and my two gorgeous girls, Lucy (8) and Heidi (3).

I began scrapbooking about three years ago as a way to preserve family memories, but now it's that plus a whole lot more! I really enjoy the whole creative aspect of it - it's so much fun! I love trying new techniques all the time - usually I just make them up.

A lot of the techniques I do actually come from necessity! I like to keep my scrapbooking "stash" to a "dull roar" therefore I use up as much as I can by giving it a makeover to suit my style and/or subject! For example - "yucky" patterned papers have been given the paint-wash treatment (partially watered down acyrlic paint brushed across the page) so you can still see the pattern underneath, but the colours are no longer visible (it's the colours that usually are the dodgy bit lol). Another example - cardstock that looks a bit worse for wear or even not a nice colour can be coloured "neutral" by covering with old book paper or music paper! So then this can also be then be misted or painted whatever colour you like... wherever you like! (The layout "Hello!" in my gallery uses this technique). Last example - I use alot of packaging on my layouts - sometimes it's not at all obvious, other times it is! For one of the layouts in my gallery, "Butter Wouldn't Melt" I have used an old almost used-up Echo Park alpha sheet as my background... it looks funky! :D

I'm very fortunate to be on some wonderful design and creative teams, such as Scrapbookit (a Victorian scrapbook store), Stuff 2 Scrap (an Aussie chipboard manufacturer), Purple Pumpkin (the cutest handmade embellies around) and Get Picky (an online multi-photo challenge blog).

I've also been lucky enough to be published on various scrapbooking magazines - which is a real buzz! Some of the magazines include - Scrapbooking Memories, Scrapbook Creations, Creating Keepsakes Australia, Creativity! (all Australian publications), Somerset Memories (US), EntreArtistes Magazine (French) and Scrapbook Magazine (UK). The kids get a real thrill out of seeing their layouts in print too!

I enjoy blogging too and you can check it out here at http://girlsjustwannascrapbook.blogspot.com/ if you like! :) Thanks so much to Yvonne for having me! It's a real honour and a real thrill to of been asked!
I hope you enjoy my challenge & I look forward to seeing all your cool creations here soon!

So my challenge layout is the one called "Time for School". I have also used the same technique on my layout "Girl's Best Friend" [see slideshow].

So the challenge is... get out your postage stamps!!! Time to use them on your scrapbooking!

So basically all you do is:

1. Find some postage stamps! I used lots, but if you don't have lots, a little will do (where you think they will be visible). For my "Time for School" layout, I looked for stamps with greenish tones in them - but anything will do!
2. Glue them (I used a glue stick - no lumps or bumps!) onto coloured cardstock (I chose green - that's why I looked for stamps with a greenish colour in them)
3. Spray your page with glimmermist! I used green - this makes the background "less busy". I then put my paper under a heavy weight for about an hour... optional! :D
4. Scrap on your new funky background! Yay! Fun! :)

Perfect for school-themed layouts... like mine!
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Don't you just love Chantal's funky style? Ready to play along? Please link your creation via Inklinz (located at the end of the post) by Friday November 18, 11.59pm (GMT +8). [This will be the last guest blogger challenge for the year so I hope you can find time to play along.]

As always, please leave a little love for my guest Chantal.

So glad to be working with colours! :)

2011-10-31T07:00:00.002+08:00

Ahhh..so glad to be working with colours again! :) The vintage photo features my mother and older brother....perfect for my guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge. I would love for you to play along! :)

I made these spiral flowers from an old piece of demin. And added a row of colourful buttons.

Inspired by The Studio challenge to create your own background, the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays and the colour inspiration at Get Picky.

Supplies: Maya mists, Crate Paper chipboard, patterned papers and stickers, buttons, denim flowers, twine.

*Edited* This layout was a Sketchy Thursdays fave! :)

Have a fabulous weekend friends! :)

2011-10-28T11:45:00.001+08:00

I generally don't scrap a photo more than once. Unless my printer malfunctioned and printed multiples....*LOL* [This photo of nephew #2 was previously featured on my mixed media canvas.]

I was inspired by the sketch at Creative Scrappers. Have a fabulous weekend friends! :)

Supplies: American Crafts patterned papers and thickers, SRM stickers, brown pen.

P/s: Your Scrapbook Stash is having a fun layout contest and a large photo contest where you can win Studio Calico and Authentique paper packs. Go check it out! :) And I would love for you to play along with my guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge! :)

C is for cute card! :)

2011-10-27T11:50:00.000+08:00

I was looking through my scraps and decided to make a cute card using My Little Shoebox papers.:) A little fussy cutting, paper piercing and a googly eye. :) It's a 4x4 card...my current fave card size.

Inspired by the October A-Z challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous...C is for cute card?? *LOL*

Supplies: Kraft cardstock, My Little Shoebox patterned papers, googly eye, paper piercer.

P/s: I would love for you to play along with my guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge! :)

Layout on a clipboard! :)

2011-10-26T10:00:00.001+08:00

So I've been seeing these layouts done on clipboards and wanted to give it a try. :) Perfect for LESSology Challenge #4: Wall Art. The prize for the challenge is a $20 gift certificate to Tradefish Designs. [Have you submitted your entries?]

Supplies (from Your Scrapbook Stash): Simple Stories Baby Steps patterned papers and stickers, May Arts ribbon, The Twinery twine, Bazzill cardstock, Ranger Distress Inks, corrugated cardboard (from packaging), diecut swirl (cut from packaging), wrinkle ribbon, bling

P/s: I would love for you to play along with my guest Debbie's vintage photo challenge! :)

What is the one thing an overzealous aunt must do when she takes her nephews to school? :)

2011-10-25T09:45:00.001+08:00

What is the one thing an overzealous aunt must do when she takes her nephews to school? Take photos in the car of course! *LOL* As always, not very successfully..haha..

Just sharing another layout I did for Your Scrapbook Stash. I was inspired by the sketch at Pagemaps.

Supplies: Simpe Stories Baby Steps patterend papers and stickers, Maya Road kraft envelope, mist and chipboard button, The Twinery twine, May Arts ribbon, buttons, burlap, brown pen, twine.

P/s: Come play along with my guest Debbie's Vintage Photo challenge! :)

8 is a lucky number...for 2 challenge winners! :)

2011-10-24T11:45:00.002+08:00

Happy Monday friends! :) I had some fun this weekend playing with Gauche Alchemy's November kit - Nearly Nekkid...it's a really cool kit with neutral colours. :)

I love the textures created on this card with the braille paper, woodgrain punchinella, dress pattern tissue flower [yes I just scrunched up the tissue, put a button on it and called it a bloom! *LOL*] and twine...inspired by Moxie Fab World's textured to perfection challenge. Gotta love a 15 minute card! :)

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A big thank you to those who played along with my guest Piali's block stamping challenge and my guest Erin's faux letterpress challenge! And now for some winners...apparently 8 is a lucky number...

The winner for Piali's block stamping challenge is...

Karen B with this lovely creation....

And the winner for Erin's faux letterpress challenge is

Tejal with this fabulous creation...

Congrats to Karen B and Tejal! :) Please send me an email with your mailing details so that I can get your RAKs sent out to you! :)

Are you ready for the weekend? :)

2011-10-21T18:30:00.003+08:00

Hello friends! Are you ready for the weekend? Altogether now...."yes!!!!!" I have this weekend free from baby-sitting! Woohoo! :) I mean my nephews and niece are cute and all but there's a certain amount of stress associated with keeping someone else's kids alive! *LOL*

Just a quick card to share today for Bows and Berries latest colour challenge - brown, yellow, orange, green and kraft. Come play along! :)

Supplies: Bows and Berries digi, Jillibean patterned paper, SRM stickers, Copics, stickles, distress in, wood tag.

So I did some pro bono chauffeuring...

2011-10-20T16:00:00.001+08:00

So I did some pro bono chauffeuring last week [in addition to sharing my bed with the nephews] when my brother was away...lots of pickups and drop-offs at unearthly hours...*LOL* but I did manage to get some sweet pictures of my niece S....wish she had more hair though...*LOL*

I was inspired by the sketch at Get Picky.

Supplies: Simple Stories Baby Steps patterned papers and stickers, Maya Road chipboard buttons, burlap, twine, buttons, ribbon, brown pen.

P/s: Don't forget my guest Erin's faux letterpress challenge ends tomorrow! :)

I can work with pastels! :)

2011-10-19T11:30:00.004+08:00

Littlest nephew J loves to be surrounded by his toys when he's watching his fave Thomas the train DVD which he's seen like 50 times [at least *LOL*]...he laughs out loud before the funny parts come on...pretty entertaining to watch actually. *LOL*

This Simple Stories Baby Steps line [that I got as part of my October DT kit from Your Scrapbook Stash] was surprisingly easy to use. I tend to shy away from pastels because I love to use strong colours in my creations. Guess what? I actually made 5 layouts, 1 card and 1 altered item on Sunday afternoon. Pretty productive to be done with DT assignments before the end of the month...yay, go me! *LOL*

I was inspired by the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays.

Supplies: Simple Stories Baby Steps patterned paper and stickers, Tim Holtz mask, Maya mists, ribbon, buttons, brown pen.

P/s: I would really love for you to play along with my guest Erin's faux letterpress challenge. It ends on Friday! :)