Season's Greetings (2009)

Hello!

Admittedly a few entries a year doesn't really constitute blogging but blame it on bad time management issues.  Mine, that is.  I have however managed to create a few pages.  The others - mostly cards, I create and I send them off without taking pictures of them first!  :P  My bad, really.

So here are a couple of  scrapbook cards that I made a couple months back. One for Caleb - my nephew that just turned one. The other for my sister who had her birthday soon after.  One colouful and playful.  The other along more sophisticated black and silver theme.

Really glad I got the SLR camera - the pictures it takes are simply world's apart from digital compacts.  Reall pleased I can finally add some decent looking (non-blurred) pictures to scrapbook pages.

I have been quite busy making CHristmas cards recently.  Abit late.  But better late than never!  But my bad, in my rush to send the cards out,   I just realised I didn't take pictures of the 3-D christmas cards i made this year.  :p   I do however have a few of the felt embellished cards which i've not sent out yet ....

I've also made a couple of polka dotted Birthday cards which I remembered to take pictures off.  The fold of the card - which I thought was quite interested was inspired by one of the cards featured in Scrap and Stamp's 'Just Cards Extravaganza' magazine I bought recently. Quite please to report that we now have a fairly good selection of Scrapbook and Cards magazine sold at our local news agent.  Yay. 

A long lull ...a condensed update!

My bad. I've not been updating this particular blog of mine. Attentions have shifted to aphromophising tales of Tuffy. Must say I've been religiously updating Tuffy's Tales rather than keeping up with my bits of paper.

Having said that that doesn't mean I've left my wonderous paper bits lying about idle collecting dust. I have been creating ... though not as much as I used to but at least I've flexed some of my paper creation juices.

An ol' friend seeing how I've altered one of my shoe boxes wanted an altered box big enough to store her recipes written on cards that were of the usual photo size. Not sure what the exact dimensions were but I had a fair idea what kind of paper size she was talking about. She gave me a free hand on design, theme, colour scheme.

I thought long and hard ... initially, my thoughts feel to altering another shoe box but I couldn't quite find a shoe box that was hardy enough and Crocs only sold ONE particular type of shoe that came with fairly robust shoebox which I had worked with previously BUT unfortunately they no longer carried the stock in my part of the world. :p

I did know though that IKEA carried quite a good selection of boxes and so IKEA it was. A short plane trip (no, it was not specifically to shop for boxes ...!) later to Singapore and viola! I found a plain black box that I thought would fit friend's requirements of recipe storage. My bad, I thought I took photos of finished altered black box but I realised I didn't. So one's simply got to use their imagination - think along the themes of black and white leopard prints accented with striking red swirls!

Other altered items includes:

1) My recipe book that once looked like this.

Before

After Alteration

2) Bright red photo album - which no one in the family seem to appreciate

Before After

3) A couple of birthday cards and a huge welcome card for the 'new-est' niece!

Acquisitions

Had the opportunity to mosey down to Singapore recently and the first visit after business was done was make a bee line to the infamous scrapbook shop (which K has been raving on about in her blogs) at Plaza Singapura. So bags on tow (didn't want to waste any time making trip back to hotel and dumping heavy stuff) I hunted for that precious gem of scrapper's paradise. Lo and behold tucked in a remote corner of the 3 rd floor of the mall is 'Made with Love' ... I swore I could almost see the shiny aura emanating from the shop ...





No counting in online shopping, deprived budding scrappers such as myself with no opportunity to physically shop where am geographically residing, any opportunity to visit to specialty scrapbook shop - big or small is a exhilirating andrenaline pumping experience. For a change, I could actually touch and feel the beauty of these wondrous bits of paper (to think one actually ignored all the 50% sales going on the various jewellery shops!!) instead of admiring them in in flat two dimensional pictures.





It was teeming with people that day - something about it being bargain week or something. Usually crowds just puts a damper on yours truly's shopping enthusiasm but this time was different, since specialty scrapbook shops are not the usual run of the mill departmental stores that house anything and everything under the sun - minus scrapbook embellishments, accessories, accents etc.





That resolution to NOT acquire anymore bits of paper and rein in my paper hoarding (admittedly I still have a tidy stash sitting in my drawers) simply vanished the minute I stepped into the store. Inspite of 'falling off the wagon' and agonizingly struggled to NOT buy everything my fingers touched (the possibilities, choices are mind bogglingly endless!) ... I dare say I did well in terms of finding a compromise - to buy, yet not buy in a mindless frenzy and hoard for the sake of scarcity.

And so, this latest bits of paper acquisition consists of adhesives (which I once wished I had) that cannot be found in my part of the world, lace paper (lace! whatever will they think of next?!), thickers - (now I finally know what THICKERS are!) and a couple mini paper booklets of scalloped edged and animals (future project still swirling in the mind works), giant brads (boy, I didn't think they make 'em that size!), and a book of journally cards.

Easter Brights II & Recycled Tags

These are the second batch of Easter Brights that were completed over the weekend. Same materials used... and almost similar layouts. I got a little bored of laying them in straight line one of my cards (the last one) has its layout purposely skewed (see light green and pink version of Easter Brights).

What got me excited during all that cutting and adhering of bits of papers was the recycling of clothes tag. I initially binned them - though the thought did occur while in the act of binning them that they were 'such 'good quality' cards ...pity ...'

That was when I changed my mind and salvaged them.

The thought that I could turn them into something one could use - a book mark perhaps ... that's something one can never have too many of got me inspired.

Below are a couple of pictures of the alteration that took place on the salvaged clothes tags ... like Cinderella they were transformed! Yeah, complete with frills too!

Before alteration ....

Viola! After Alteration ...!

Easter Brights

As promised. Pictures of the first completed batch of this year's Easter cards. Interestingly enough, because cards were designed around the 'center floral' pieces (cut outs from scrapbook DCWV (?) paper) , the colours that matched were from shades of pastels which had a certain 'touch of spring'.

Materials used :-
a) card stock like papers for base of cards
b) A4 matching coloured paper to line the insides of cards
c) variety of matching ribbons, some tied into bows
d) buttons
e) scapbook paper from DCWV (?)
f) bits of wrapping paper

Altered Note Book

Okay, my bad. I've not been scrapping. Work's been consuming and well, I've been rather pre-occupied with a new hobby photographing - since the acquisition of new SLR and putting my pictures into a Canine blog i.e. Tuffy's Tales.



I've not however, ventured into night photography just yet ... since the entire thought of lugging tripod and assembling equipment in the twillight of the day puts me off . Then there's the canine factor... knowing the dogs, they are bound to come sniffing for sure!! Curiously checking out what the human's up to next and possibly, toppling over my tripod - if am not looking!



No, no .... camera's much to precious! I don't mind the occassional licks and collisions into camera lenses but I draw the line at falling camera! :P



Admittedly, it's just a mental block. Am still in the midst of gettingaccustom to the camera settings -have finally worked up nerve to venture into manual digital photography (not too good yet I have to say, ('Automatic' setting still takes better photos than my manual settings') and bulkiness of SLR. Yes, there are still the many blur shots. Can't be helped. Its either my hand shakes or the subjects move. My pet subject thus far has been dogs ... so you can imagine how wriggly the lot are! Not exactly the most cooperative of subjects either ...

Anyways, back to scrapping. This, the altered notebook, be just about the only thing I've come up with since the CNY cards. I've forgotten to take photo of the notebook before it was altered ... another my bad ... Just for your information, it was a grey, hard cover simple notebook/organizer - one of those nifty 'semi-freebies' that you get from the local bookstores if you purchase books worth of X amount. Fantastic marketing ploy I'd say ... I wanted the notebooks so much, I made sure I bought books (which I've yet to read) just so I could dabble with altering them. Talk about penny wise, pound foolish!






Oh, then there's also a few sketches here and there ... if you count that.


I am, as I type, working on a few easter cards. Some are semi-completed, others are still at design stage. Am pleased to report that am recyling the bits of left over papers to assemble cards - not am a cheapskate, then again I am ... I simply don't have the heart to throw all those beautiful bits of paper away, no matter how small and mangy.



Like I said in the start, such is the attributes of a HOARDER! But on the bright side, one of the resolutions I made this year was not to acquire any more beautiful papers UNTIL I've used up at least half my precious stash!



I have to tell myself, as I dig up my precious papers, that beauty is best appreciated when put to good use instead of sitting in the drawers gathering dust. So stay tuned to see what I've come up with ... Will definitely take photos.

Bone tired ...

I've been baking all week ... was so preoccupied I hadn't had the chance to take much photos of my cakes. Made about 20 cakes this week ... even if I had things all organized and baked 'at leisure' (unlike last year's the 20 cakes in a weekend), its still has been a tiring week, with the one million and one last minute things to do before the Chinese New Year and the cakes to bake in between...

... which leaves me no at all to scrap!

But here's wishing all of you who celebrate the Chinese New Year , a Happy and Healthy Chinese New Year! 'Nian Nian Yu Ye' ... ;)

A shift in focus ....

So i admit, there's a certain lull in the paper creativity department. Other pursuits have taken precedence. Since I've more or less made enough cards to send out to friends and family, am now focusing baking - the Chinese New Year after all is just around the corner.

Been planning my baking load - with Gantt Chart and all (!). I've got at last a dozen orders to fulfil before the eve of the Chinese New Year and before the actual baking frenzy there's alot to do in terms of preparations and organization.

Its going to be mad the next few days - baking into the wee hours of the morning. Very tiring too. But there's always a sense of achievement at the end of it all ... someone somewhere out there is enjoying the cakes of my hard work!

And also, there's the novelty of that new blog of mine - a current fascination. Since I got the DSLR, I've been taking loads of pictures of the dogs. Figured, since I've always wanted to write a tale of something someday, I might as well start with my dogs. And so it is, Tuffy's Tales i.e. www.tuffytails.blogspot.com

You're welcome to view that anytime ...

CNY cards

Made a few more Chinese New Year cards since the last post. Was so caught up in getting them posted realised (too late) while I was lining the latest batch of cards to be pictured that a few of the new batch of cards are well on its way across the seas to their various recipients. No harm done, just my pictorial record of cards made would not quite be as complete. No loss really. Designs really evolve with time and experience.

I really enjoyed making this year's CNY cards though esp. breaking out of the mould of cards are made out of 'all bits of paper'. This year's cards had tassels and paper pussy willows cut to size. I guess with all that CNY decorations up in abundance one simply can't help but be inspired.

As i write this, its been raining daily for almost a week now and I can't help but notice my papers - the cardstock base I've been using are begining to warp with moisture! Its already bad clothes don't dry in the day (unless you have a dryer) but to see one's paper collection wilt with moisture is more than one can bear. I think I need a dehumidifier! Not sure where to find one of those machines ... the only place I know use them are museums.

I suppose on the bright side, the sun will come out again (only a matter of time now) and things will dry out eventually - my beautiful papers ...! Its a good thing they are alot hardier than antiquarian books and documents. Am not always this optimistic. But its a new year, time to 'turn over a new leaf'. ;)

Shanghai Tang Hues

Inspired by Jazzie's collection of Chinese New Year cards (thanks K for sharing!), I've spent the last few nights pottering on my version of CNY greetings.Admittedy, had it not been K's designs I would still be at the 'drawing board' - listlessly uninspired.

My first hand made CNY card made last year was origami inspired. I wanted to do something different this year but didn't know what until I saw K's ingenious use of tassels.

Purposely made a trip to my (now usual) ribbon/craft shop in search for tassels. Fortunately, they had some displayed else I would be lost at how to describe tassels in Chinese. I also thought those paper 'pussy willows' (one of those great many things closely associated with Chinese New Year) that was being sold could also be used in those CNY cards - giving cards that added dimensions and textures though making it a little bit harder to be enveloped and posted! (well, if we're starting on tassels one might as well indulge!)

So here's my version of CNY cards - a matching of colours that reminded me of those rich Shanghai Tang hues i.e. vibrant brights on dark base.