Bits of Paper ...

Box-y creations

2010-10-09T21:48:00.001+08:00

It's 2010. And this is only the second entry for the year. Admittedly, experimenting and creating paper bits have been on the back burners since ...

It all began with having unreliable house help which lead to a lot more headache than conveniences. Needless to say, I've learnt since to cope on my own - which leaves me not much time to indulge myself in paper bits. The situation at home have improved somewhat since. I now have fairly reliable, constant help at least three times a week to help with the housework. I still have to deal with a fair bit especially now with the on-going renovations, but with the help that comes in and the domestic bots that I've imported, things are a little less hectic.

Before

So this is my creation for year. I had a box transformed. And I found myself not only enjoying the entire creation process but realising how much I've missed my precious bits of paper.

After

January 2010: Birthday roses

2010-01-24T11:08:00.000+08:00

Hello!

Happy New Year!

Made this card earlier this month. It was a birthday card sent along with some roses (being the birthday invidual's favourite flowers). Rose petals were made out of large punched out circles from card-stock like paper (left over scrap bits) and carefully arranged and glued to create that layered petal-ed look. Admittedly they ended up looking more like poppies than anything else! (I suppose I've got to go back to drawing board to fine tune design).

The card design was relatively simple - happily used some rather large bits of scrap bits sitting around in my collection bin to make red petal along with the 'black' card-stock base and gold colour stickers (that i collected upon the most recent visit to a museum in Singapore) :)

Season's Greetings (2009)

2009-12-16T21:37:00.000+08:00

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!

2009-06-01T23:05:00.005+08:00

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

2009-04-10T12:50:00.003+08:00

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

2009-03-24T22:18:00.005+08:00

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

2009-03-19T22:20:00.004+08:00

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

2009-03-17T22:03:00.005+08:00

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 ...

2009-01-25T00:38:00.004+08:00

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 ....

2009-01-19T00:08:00.004+08:00

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

2009-01-11T22:03:00.003+08:00

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

2009-01-06T16:15:00.004+08:00

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.

Its been a year since ...

2008-12-27T22:34:00.005+08:00

...the discovery of paper thrills. Who would have thought the simple beginings of card making made out of fancy paper punchers painstakingly adhered together (I still have a few of my first Christmas cards) led to a finer appreciation of paper products and stationaries, the art scrapbooking, sewing and even photography!

I've since come to a greater understanding why it is important that a person has other pursuits (healthy and worthwhile, of course!) apart from work ... because for most work can sometimes be a real pain. Sometimes having to deal with crisises (usually not of one's doing), incompetences, tiresome politics and the stress that comes with the rigours of the day.

I daresay for most, work has become somewhat 'passion-less' yet, out of necessity we learn to be adept at what we do (while for some learn to be truly skillful in the art of 'busy bee-ing' while not letting others do all the work!) But for most the 'work' (whether in name or in the true sense of the word) we do at the end of the day defines us, our very identities. It's all consuming that all 'new' conversation almost always begin with the curious inquisition of 'what one does (for a living)' and old conversations end with 'work'.

Unless one revels being defined as a single-dimensional (more or less) 'work horse', picking up a hobby offers one the opportunity to 'get out the box' and to enjoy different experiences and moments that life has to offer. It's not only therapeutic, it's absorbingly enjoyable (for a change) and satisfying - to just be in one's element.

Happy new year, everyone! May all your dreams come true.

A fortunate fluke

2008-12-27T01:23:00.007+08:00

This are the picture results of a fogged up lense - resulting from the changes in temperature (from air conditioned car to humid outdoors. I've never been able to capture 'candle lights' that particular way with my cantankerous compact ... Am more than pleased how the simple shot of the dinner table turned out.

But, ask me to repeat the effects i.e. fiddling along the technicalities of aperture width, shutter speed, filter etc. I wouldn't have a clue ...! I do however have some pretty nice pictures to be developed and scrapped ...

This be the cake ...

2008-12-24T08:18:00.004+08:00

... that came with the card made for Dad. A cake inspired by Nigella Lawson's Christmas cook up that was shown on the Food Network recently, and the fact that Dad, though not quite having much of a sweet tooth, is a fan of fruit cakes. I suppose I could have 'dress' the cake up abit with royal icing but then it would just be too sweet to our liking :p (while royal icing minus the sugar would not be 'royal'. :p)

Joining the ranks of DLSRs ...

2008-12-17T23:45:00.007+08:00

Finally got DSLR photo taking capabilities! Subjects now can take on that certain 'depth of field' effect - given I get all that twiddling of features 'right' and don't hold camera still enough. Am so pleased ... Its a piece of equiment that yours truly been admiring for years but never quite found enough reasons to get one until today, that is.

Woo hoo! This baby takes pretty decent photos at night without flash too!!

Now on to better pictures! Got to work on basic understanding of digital DLSRs. The chap (who also happened to be a professional photographer) that sold me the camera was giving me quizzical looks when I described certain digital terminology and effects in 'baking and scrapbooking terms' ... Got to work on acquiring a new range of technical vocabulary and photo taking skills, of course!

A birthday card for Dad

2008-12-17T23:09:00.003+08:00

Glad I finally got this birthday card done ... I've been musing over design stage for weeks now. I had some designing block - realising I tend to gravitate towards the feminine i.e. florals, pastels ... while Dad will always appreciate a homemade card from his daughter, I wanted one that reflected something less flouncy and floral-ly.

Had card cut ou from polka dotted 'sixth avenue' paper by American Craft. The
'mini envelope'was cut out from vellum paper and bordered with glitter glue. Gleefully found I had some metal alphabets stashed in the deepest darkest corners of my drawers (forgotten treasures! sometimes it pays to dig...). Must make mental note no to acquire any more scrapbook supplies until I've taken a thorough inventory of what I actually have stashed throughout the various boxes, drawers and shelves!

Felt booties card

2008-12-16T11:34:00.004+08:00

Imported the christmas booties idea into making christmas card - christmas felt booties hanging on clothes line, complete with mini pegs! :) Had to miniaturize the christmas booties to fit card. Used glitter glue to give booties that 'striped' looked.

Homemade Christmas Decors

2008-12-16T11:29:00.004+08:00

More felt Christmas decorations made from own template(s) that's drawn and cut out from left over cardstock-like paper. Felt pieces (that are cut out from template) are then blanket stitched together and stuff with polyster fillers.

Christmas tree booties

2008-12-10T12:39:00.003+08:00

Been sewing again ... this time 'twas sparked by some felt Christmas decorations sold by Russ at one of the local stores.

This is my first batch of booties to be hung up on Christmas tree. Still working on the next batch of Christmas tree decor. Will post pictures when done. :)

Altering 1-2-3

2008-12-03T18:56:00.004+08:00

Ok, my bad. I haven't gotten round posting gift just yet. I found when i was making my way to the post office that I couldn't find a 'nice enough' envelope to house the items. Instead, I found a discarded empty box (which have fortunately hoarded) - perfect enough to hold the 'kebaya' and card without trying too hard (e.g. the folding, the squeezing etc).

I indulged myself ... its not everyday I get to play around with pink hues! So what I did was to cut out pink manila card as box base - to cover up the original box prints. Next step was to layer the pink base with matching patterned wedding wrapping paper that had to be cut out to size.

Next step came the embellishing - which was accomplished fairly simply with various bits of ribbons and lace. Admittedly there was not aforethought in the design alteration. I happily went along cutting, sticking and matching according to present fancies. Come to think of it, I probably spent more time looking for perfect fit box ...!

And there u have it, an altered gift box to nestle the 'kebaya' and card. Next step is to wrap the entire box up with brown wrapping paper, label and post to Greece.

The cookie addition ...

2008-12-01T23:10:00.006+08:00

Tried out packaging the chocolate chunk cookies made a couple weeks back (see cookies peeking behind card). It's a trial run - for that small simple homemade Christmas gift ... I daresay, its made those humble homemade chocolate chunk cookies alot 'dressier'!

Believe cookies are long gone now ... happily devoured by some happy reciepients. The ironic thing about baking is that as much as I like to bake I don't usually get to taste the end product. By the time its 'done', have more than my fair share of cake batter (from licking remnants off spoon and fingers ;) and have somehow worked up an immunity to the delectable aromas of cakes and cookies in baking.

The next bake project are them traditional English minced pies. So pleased that can FINALLY find filling for minced pies on the island of Borneo. What used to be was that if i were lucky, I'd be able to find them at the nearest M&S supermarket -which usually requires air travel, before they run out OR reccee the most well stocked supermarket in that particular country or area; and having to pack boxes of groceries or hand carry bits (that can be quite heavy) that simply cannot be chucked into cargo. I've lugged home gammon, bags of whole wheat flour, all manner of cheeses into taxis, onto trolleys, braving the scrutiny of security, customs, immigration; and when they won't allow trolley access, literally lugged them around by hand - usually that means having to suffer some kind of muscular ache the day after ... All that trouble ... just because the local supermarkets don't have 'em!

So you can imagine the thrill of finally being able to find them here. Woo hoo hoo!

For a Greek wedding

2008-12-01T10:17:00.006+08:00

S (the very same presenter of felt flowers and grosgrained ribbons) and I got this for a friend from Greece who's getting married in January. We wanted to give her something authentically Malaysian ... and we settled for one of those fine Nyonya intricately hand stitched blouses - which hopefully fits her!

Still unsure whether to attend or not ... checked with the country's airline carrier too - they don't fly Athens direct... the alternatives would be long, meandering and tortuous (KCH-KL-LON-ATH or KCH-KL-CDG-ATH or KCH-KL-DBX-ATH) ... and I have to admit the older I get the less excited I get about air travel. Am morbid about breathing in canned air that's probably infected with someone's cold/flu virus! And there's also the issue of logistics - moving between airport terminals. Just moving in between Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 can be another journey altogether especially when you're shackled with bulky and heavy luggage. I've not factored in security, immigration and customs checks (usually not at all friendly nor welcoming) .... nor the usually LONG queues, the stress and being jet lagged.

The card was made from some really nice white embossed 12x12 cardstock-like paper I found at the local craft shop (in KCH too!). Since it was already quite pretty, all that was needed to embellish were ribbons and a couple of mini 'bells' tied together with silver string.

So in the mean time, while that debate ensues (to go or not to go...??) in my mind, I better mosey down to the post office to get this posted before I lose track of time and the wedding has come and gone!

Out of scraps ...

2008-12-01T10:00:00.004+08:00

... comes cards!

From my present load of scrap bits - yes hoarder that I am ... i can't bear to throw out all the itty bits of paper cut out or left over. And this is what I made out of piecing and matching the bits of paper together - like an easy jigsaw puzzle - except you're allowed to cut out pieces to size! The green Christmas trees cut out from left over cardstock. The bits of ribbons, cut out to embellish card.

Finally found some use for my snow flake eyelets that surprising held quite well ... I think I may have finally mastered the art of adhering eyelets. The last time I tried, I ended up wrecking both eyelet and paper - from my over enthusiastic banging ...The trick - is in the hammering. Must remember that am not hammering nails ... they are dainty eyelets.

Must write something about the 'American Craft' felt flowers and yards of really beautiful striped grosgrained ribbons and felt a good friend of mine presented me the other day. They were such lovely bits (thank you S!), I couldn't wait to do something about them.

Out came a flowery felt bouquet of a birthday card, made for Mom who's birthday happen to be today! Also cut out bits of that fancy grosgrain ribbon to make the Christmas tree's 'stump'.

Reflections ...

2008-11-30T15:22:00.003+08:00

What do you know ... it will officially be December in a few hours. It hit me this morning while i was taking a stroll around the garden. It certainly smells like December, the prevailing coolness (even if it was nearly noon), the cloudly overcasts skies, the wet green grass growing in great abundance. December has always been a fairly rainy season - at least in my part of the world. Its never going to be a white Christmas where I am (unless the earth flips over on its axis the equator becomes the north/south pole) but its 'that time of the year' - one both filled with festivities and lately of some reserved reflection.

I guess I say that mainly because December is also a birthday month for yours truly. I have to admit that the older I get, the more I learn to dread the day I officially turn a year older. They say a year older, a year wiser ... but usually I don't feel that much wiser, just OLDER. :P I know its all in the mind ... but still the month of December -especially in the last few years, pose as a reminder that time is getting on and you know, there have been many occassions where I let time fritter away senselessly, not really achieving much.

Which brings me to the next point of December ... achievements. The last month of the year and what have I achieved? That thought, I think runs through everyone's mind ... and sometimes the struggle to show for at least some kind of achievement(s) can leave one somewhat weary to the bone.

I daresay, scrapping, card making is all a coping mechanism for this percept of time and achievements. Everyone needs a hobby. Something that thoroughly enjoy. Something in which they can lose themselves, their cares and tortuous afflictionse of time. And I glad I've discovered that bits of paper can be both engrossing and entertaining. At guess in my instance, I can very well say, a year older - a year worth of knowledge of knowing what works for me and what doesnt ...

Christmas cards and its various stages of completeness

2008-11-19T00:02:00.004+08:00

I've been indulging myself most evenings. Making cards. It really helps - at least to forget how bad the market is out there. And how bad it will be.

Admittedly, I have been fairly anxious. This heavy hearted-ness that doesn't seem to go away - even after session of strenuous workout. Usually that gets the endorphins running and one feels good about oneself. Having achieved some physical mini-goal. But recently its been a prolonged feeling 'BLAHs' ... except of course when I apply myself to scrapping.

So here it is, my bid to bring some joy to the world. My trying to see the silver lining behind that very dark and gloomy cloud of recession. At least in my own small way, there's still something to be happy and cheerful about. :)

The depressing credit crunch ...and scrap we go...

2008-11-14T22:47:00.004+08:00

It's confirmed. Recession is here. Apparently, this unwelcome phenomenon has been giving the world markets hints of its pending 'arrival'. The subprime crisis was a HUGE hint. But did we listen ...or take note? Maybe, for some. But most of us were living in a kind of denial - hoping, just hoping, to make that ONE dollar more and so the market we stayed and dabbled some more .... happily wheeling and dealing ...until some major banks and security firms started insolvency proceedings. While, (this is the ridiculous bit) the various authorities - the business media, market leaders, institutions, businesses, salary earners, research analysts sat about debating on the 'definitions of recession', the effects of the subprime and most of all, denying the looming prospects of recession round the VERY NEAR corner.

It's like developing symptoms of a bad cold - the sneezing, the running nose the watery eyes, the works and yet denying that you're going to fall ill any time soon.

We're all affected. In one way or another, to a lesser or larger extent. Admittedly it's anxious, stressful, scary times. No one spared!

And its important to properly de-stress just to stay sane. Because each morning all that's on the news and daily updates are but more gloom and doom. Enough bad news I fear, to send many reeling and fleeing or suffer a heart attack - under the worst circumstances.

And so we scrap. At least I do. To forget the great miserable plague of gloom and doom. All that absorping moments of cutting, pasting and tweaking. In those moments of simple pleasures, dreams thrive, creativity flows and the satisfaction of watching paper bits 'come to life'. A perfect panacea for a such maddening times.

As for the card I got the other day (see picture), I found myself laughing inspite of the stressful circumstances.

Sketches

2008-11-14T22:34:00.005+08:00

Found myself sketching again. Did that cursory sketch of Snoopy the Basset Hound in about 20 minutes (?). All I know is that it didn't feel like a long time ... time can be a relative thing ...

Picked up some printed bits of scrap pictures that I couldn't bear throw out (hoarder instincts am afraid! Might come in handy someday and it did!) and I thought I'd put them to good use by reproducing them in sketches. They were photos of dog(s) took a while back and losing the LOT them when my old laptop heaved and died. Alas, inspite of the conveniences and the wonders of technology, one could still loss the entire lot of bits and bytes if one was foolish enough not to have them backed up!

Not wanting to go down that path of deep regret (all those years of stored data!), I've been busy making christmas cards. Must send them out soon before Christmas arrives, that is!

Here's a sneak peek of the cards I've been putting together ...they are a combination card of paper and felt and a mish-mash of embellishments - from buttons, to ribbons, to die-cut paper. I've got different versions but I've not gotten around taking photos yet. :)

Caleb's card

2008-11-10T13:27:00.003+08:00

This be the card made to welcome my newest nephew - Caleb.

Materials used :-
1) A4 dark blue corrugated paper

2) Blue cardstock like paper cut out to strips

3) 6 mini wooden pegs

4) gold string

5) 2 blue brads

6) White felt - cut out to fashion baby outfits and accented with glitter glue and grosgrain ribbons

7) round epoxy font stickers to form Caleb's name and date of birth

Felt ensemble ...

2008-10-26T23:26:00.003+08:00

Some felt bits put together over the weekend.

Grappling miniatures ...a creator's angst!

2008-10-23T23:50:00.009+08:00

I've been asked to make a few felt pieces in 6cmx6cm dimension but as much as I try to make 'em small, with my present set of tools ... ok, one tool ... I rely on my trusty new sharp scissors to cut out the shapes from the felt pieces. I realised, to cut 'em small is alot harder than to cut 'em big. Like wise, to draw 'em small is alot harder than to draw em big ...

I think I need laser scissors for such intricate specifications if there's such a thing ... and since am on the roll, a template of equally intricate designs and probably a host of other tools and equipment to go with the laser scissors and template! Even a special table or a mat so I won't cut through the floor, the table top ... or what-not am cutting on ... :P

Those triangular textile chalks that we get here, used to draw out patterns aren't much help either. The grip's terrible (its non existent really) ... which leads to clumsy, broad, messy lines. Its either a mess of a pattern or frustrating scratches of odd lines. I daresay, its NOT an effective drawing tool - esp. on felt!

Why can't they make 'em in pencil form where there's better grip and blunt tips can be sharpen ?! Then again, for all I know ... those textile pattern chalks in pencil form do exist ... just, its not sold in Kuching. :p

So what's my alternative? Felt tip pens (no puns intended) -used for writing or architectural designs. Make a mistake and one's felt pieces (not pen) are permanently marred!

I'm soooo sorry K ... this piece has ended up six centimenters high and FIFTEEN centimenters LONG!

Talk about being WAY off the mark ...!

A card in between ...

2008-10-20T00:38:00.008+08:00

Ordered some paper flowers from Scrap-N-Crop's sale last week. They arrived a couple days ago. Found myself happily experimenting on a Christmas card design (Christmas after all is a couple months off ...). This is a 'prototype' mixed media design. From paper flowers, buttons, corrugated paper, to acrylic flowers, butterflies, ribbons and sheer frills.

Realised one can't possibly leave the Christmas card making till the last minute ... if i wanted individualised personal designs. Knowing how I work ... when given a limited time frame, all creativity and innovation goes out the window .... one goes with what works. Functional. Almost always that means less frills (and thrills?).

I've made TWENTY cakes in one weekend (yes all on my own!) ... From that experience, sometimes when push comes to shove, a passionate hobby can turn into a laborious task! Enough to put you 'off' for a while ... I know ... after that twenty cake episode, I didn't even want to see, touch or smell chocolate/cheese/fruit cakes for a little while ... :P

Having said that, am still happily baking - another hobby on the side of this absorbing fancy of papers and fabrics.

More Felt Creations

2008-10-20T00:25:00.004+08:00

At the rate am going, I ought to rename this blog 'Bits of Felt' instead ...

Anyhow's these be the continuation of that 'Felt Connection' - a current fancy that's been occupying my 'creative hours' - usually hours that go into the small hours of the morning ... esp. when one's on the roll ... its like reading a good book; one so engaging that you simply cannot put down!

Its the same with these felt bits. The sewing's so absorbing you simply cannot put your needle down! I don't believe am saying this but I've since found sewing rather therapeutic. Now I understand why all those women (who's sewing is their passion) can spend hours embroidering elaborate tapestries to adorn the home or stitching together decorative patchwork pieces.

Also, what an interesting evolution of interests - from paper to fabric. Who would have ever thought the hobby that began with paper has now lead me to felt....?! What a lovely adventure ... with all those engaging little discoveries!

Felt accents

2008-10-16T10:09:00.004+08:00

I've noted interestingly how when you're looking for inspiration, an idea to nudge you to the next step, or project, life has a way of revealing them to you - almost in the next sequence of events (talk about instant!). It could come in form of a book the sale's person recommended after noting how you pored over those pieces of felt (like it was the only thing that mattered in that entire shop full of sewing inspirations and tools!) . Or it could come in form of a friend's simple suggestion, along with pictures of what she was referring to.

And so, here's the next felt bits I've been creating. Felt accents - to embellish scrapbooking projects, journals, even clothing - I think ...? It begins first with a 'copy job' with a little tweaking here and there ...before venturing into one's own designs.

Now there's the other thing that's surprising as I delve into this felt fancy of mine ... the fact that I actually ENJOY sewing (?!) Who would have thought??!

For the longest time, I saw sewing as a mere necessary fun-less function - sewing a loose button was just about what I was capable off. And when it comes to sewing machine ... I wonder what the term is for someone who has a phobia of sewing machines ... because that depicts yours truly - quite aptly too.

Ask me to mend a hem and well, I'll whip up the cellotape! (The idea being why sew when you can stick??) Needless to say my hems were all temporary patchwork jobs that fell back to its wayward length the minute you wash the attire; until of course I make that trip down to the tailor who'd charge (thankfully not an arm or a leg in my part of the world) to hem.

But oh, the hassle involved. The traffic, the parking ... note also how any trip becomes a mini inconvenience when you don't enjoy what you do. Give me a reason to go to any scrapbook/sewing/bake shop and there's no hassle too great!

The wonder of it all....!

The story of the pink hearts

2008-10-13T22:07:00.006+08:00

It all began with the idea of felt pink hearts to be used mainly as embellishments on cards.

But one thing lead to another ... and from one pink heart, the creation grew to four various pink hearts of various shade and sizes sewed together with blanket stitch to form a decorative item that can be hung on handbags or even a keyring.

The process began with the idea of sewing a couple of hearts together (the smallest pink and middle darker shade) for a change instead of taking the quick way of gluing the bits together.

Whilst I was sewing the two hearts together I thought then, why stop at two when the third heart could add more dimension to this hearty embellishment. And so the third heart of yet a different shade of pink was cut out to size and gradually stitched together.

Then the thought occured, why not turn it into a kind of keepsake bookmark or a decorative item ... something that can be taken out of card. For that to be, a ribbon simply has to be added. However, after sewing the ribbon to the back of the heart, I realised my sewing wasn't as neat as I hoped it would be and I needed a 'cover up heart'. And so, the fourth heart was added.

It was not until halfway of adhering the fourth heart to the third that I decided to put in the polyster filling to give hearts that extra puffy 'dimension'. The metal ring was a practical afterthought. Just incase the one decides to use as keychain, to decorate handbag or to be hung on Christmas tree ...?

Felty odds and ends ...

2008-10-13T21:58:00.003+08:00

With my current felty fancy, I've been experimenting with making my own felt flowers. Drawn and cut out with my own handy scissors. I fear they (the scissors) aren't as sharp as they should be hence the discrepancy in petal sizes. Also felt tends to slide about as one cuts - unlike paper - if you use something heavy enough (like metal ruler) to hold paper down. I have yet to cut out felt while pinning it down ... not sure how that works with my present set of tools (?)

The flower bits are stuck together with good ol' glue. It doesn't have that polished feel of felt flowers from those designer embellishments but i daresay it feels and looks somewhat rustic!

Pink Passion

2008-10-13T21:46:00.003+08:00

These are the cards I've made over the last week or so. one is for a friend who just announced that she's going to be married in January next year.

The other a get well card for a dear family friend. All the pink hearts (its for 'Her') to remind her to 'Take Heart' and get well soon.

Materials used for both cards include:

a) A4 card stocks - 2

b) 12x12 Pink Scratch Cots by Carolees Creation (cut out to size)

c) Ribbons and ric-racs

d) Buttons

e) Fabric and Paper flowers

f) Felt hearts cut out from Felt.

Its October ...

2008-10-07T22:54:00.008+08:00

..and no, i've not run out of creative juices - just yet!

Just not been taking pictures of the stuff i've been experimenting with. Mainly because i usually scrap into the small hours of the night and taking pictures in that kind of light with my digital compact just irks me. Pictures taken at that time of the day are either a)blurred b)weirdly hued c)disasterous altogether.

The solution of course is to wait for daylight to take them pictures. But come daytime, there's just so many other things to deal with first and taking pictures of one's handiwork isn't exactly top on the the 'To-do List' - until of course, the hurly burly of the day is done, the dust has settled and one finally has the hours to one self.

The only bits of paper that shapes quite quickly in a few hours are cards!

The 'Felt' connection ....

2008-09-22T11:12:00.010+08:00

Ta Daaahhhhh!!!

For someone who doesn't sew this was what I made on Sunday - felt cupcake keyrings!

Admittedly, I didn't dream up design from scratch. Instructions were chanced upon while trawling through the various scrapbook/craft blogs for ideas (http://www.mookychick.co.uk/diy_ethic/indie_craft_felt_cupcake_keyring.php). That was weeks ago, possibly even a month!

The main reason why I took my time trying out the idea (don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic tutorial!) was due to the fact that I didn't know HOW to 'blanket stitch'. I did learn how to sew various stitches in school once upon a time ago ... but that was at least 25 years ago and sewing isn't exactly on my list of interests.

But somehow ... some inpirations just egg you on, demanding that you experiment. Demanding you venture out of one's comfort zone of techniques and preferences.

That's what those pieces of felt did sitting in my cupboard that I bought a while back with the intention of turning them into 'felt flowers' scrapbook embellishments.'No sewing needed' - so i thought ...' Just glue 'em together ...'

But instead of sticking felt flowers, I surprised myself and SEWN together cupcake keyrings - complete with blanket stitches!!

I guess when inspired, one never truly forgets how to blanket stitch after all ...!!

Waste not, want not ...

2008-09-22T00:14:00.005+08:00

Spent the weekend putting together bits of leftover papers from previous card making project. Manage to make meself a mini-card of 6"x4" - All put together in no time at all!!

Materials used included:-

a) Leftover of green and white polka dotted DCWV printed cardstock
b) Leftover of green A4 paper (90gsm)
c) White ribbon
d) 2 Off white buttons
e) Embroidery ribbon flowers
f) 2 mini green brads

First sale ...

2008-09-21T00:30:00.000+08:00

Its been suggested many many times whenever I present someone (usually friends or a family members) with one of my home-made cards that I ought to consider selling them. As much as I enjoy the design and actual realisation process of these cards, selling them cards is an entire 'ball game' altogether. Apart from the actual product at hand (in my case cards), one's also got to think of pricing, placing, promotion ...

I know me cards are unique. Differentiated from all the mass produced cards out there ... Handmade with various rich textures making cards one of a kind. As much as people may appreciate creative efforts like these they may not necessarily buy them ... esp. when inflation is rising and economy of the world is in the state of gloom.

Having said that, I made my first sale this week. The apple green polka dotted card was purchased by a friend of mine for RM13.00 (plus.50 postage). What a thrill of it all !My very first sale!

Now i understand why some people thrive on selling handmade things ... to know that products are in demand is a real sense of achievement!

The convenience of it all ...

2008-09-19T00:11:00.006+08:00

The new stash of polka dotted papers arrived today. They are as lovely (if not lovelier) as the pictures put up by the local online scrapbook shop.

Am more than thrilled that this 'remote' scrapbook enthusiast (more accurately card-making enthusiast) from Borneo finally has access to 'scrapalicious' papers. Having said that, its amazing how much has changed in such short time too. Not too long ago the few ways of purchasing scrapbook bits were either usually long and tortuous efforts. It was either to:-
a) order from online scrapbook shops in the US (and pay and arm and a leg for shipping charges) b) order online from scrapbook shops listed on ebay - and wait just about FOREVER for scrapbits to arrive, IF they ever arrive that is ...!!
c) Fly - either to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore - the two nearest cities where ALL the scrapbook specialty shops are located but unfortunately do not sell online ...

Now with local online scrapbook shops like scrap-n-crop, as soon as one makes an interbank payment transfer for items ordered, one's scrapbook papers and embellishment are soon at one's door step in a mere few days.

Now that's accessibility and convenience!

Digital loss ...

2008-09-17T00:09:00.004+08:00

Its confirmed. Nothing can be done to retrieve data stored on my cranky old laptop (am presently using the new one as i type). I find myself grieving somewhat ... all those pictures (admittedly some weren't very well taen) taken over the years, snippets of precious oh-so-fleeting moments, stored in digital format ... all gone! :P

Then there's all those marvellous digital scrapbook files I downloaded at a price ... it was a sort of experimenting. My trying to figure out what suited me -traditional scrapbook or the digital art form. But with my then cranky ol' computer, the only digital scrapbooking I could do was print out pictures that were minimally edited (used the automatic correction alot!). Did try for a while though to figure out the features of Adobe Photoshop ... but it was all really a stab in the dark kind of effort. The uncertain clicking of buttons, not quite sure what the effects would all be. And with a machine then that froze ever so often (something about not having enough virtual memory) I usually gave up in frustration - never quite seeing the end results of my experimental 'clickings'.

Of course, there are those scrapbook projects in the pipeline. I had either painstakingly pick and chose pictures (using MS Word) and saved them under a certain project title or saved the journaling that went along with the pictures ...

Its all gone now.

Got only myself to blame. This silly goose NEVER bothered to back them up! :P Now with the DVD-RW that comes with this computer I intend to put that feature to FULL use. Digital back-ups is the way to go!

Anyone know of anyone who owns like a CSI type of computer lab...? Am not quite ready to give up quite yet - although the tech-guy here tells me that my hard disc is 'kaput, gone, dead, unsalvageable ....' Am sure with the right kind of equipment the documents on my hard disk (I only want MY DOCUMENTS, the rest can be thrashed) can be retrieved ...

Dotty about Dots

2008-09-14T23:42:00.006+08:00

I realise I have a thing for dots (see recent and previous birthday cards creations) - polka dots of various shades and hues ...

I don't suppose that has got to do with the fact that the scrapbook book of papers that I got a few months ago came with a few lovely pieces that's surreptitiously lead to my current dotty fancies ...(?)

Apple green - one of my favourite colours ....

Inside of card

Made couple more birthday cards today. Its another one of what I would term as 'mixed media' cards , with floral laces, buttons, ribbons and sheer frills added to embellish the card. Stuff I found from browsing through the local mom and pop sewing-ribbons-buttons wholesaler that I occassional pop into to stock up on nifty looking bits to add to my paper creations.

The latest nifty bits that I found are those sheer like frills they use to show at the end of sleeves or neck-line. Its a kind of ' frilly mini skirting' - (admittedly am not too familiar with sewing terminology nor sewing ...:P) used to soften the edges of the card (as seen in photos). I thought initially that the only way to adhere fabric bits to card was by sewing (blanched at how much I had to sew ... not forgetting how bad I am at that!) But like all creations, there is always an 'alternative method'!

All fabric bits were adhered to paper with SUPER glue!

Was careful not to glue fingers together ... ;)

These cards have a long postal journey to make - once their envelope is finished ... hopefully them floral/button/filly bits glued survive the tough journey.

Transforming 'croc box'

2008-09-12T00:24:00.008+08:00

Inspired by Snazzy Jazzy's boxes transformations - I thought i could do the same for this particular shoe box that I've not had the heart to throw away. Its an 'ugly but beautifully recycled box' (as written on the back). I've been using box to store my ribbons that never seem to stay neat for long ... :P (you can actually see bits sticking out from box in the picture)

I didn't have a clue as to transformative design. The only idea I had in mind was the colour scheme. The girl-ish pastels of pinks and greens, a personal favourite - mainly because I've not had much chance in indulging in. (Presently with all nephews and godsons in my life - been working alot with baby blue). Began the project yesterday night by digging out whatever bits of paper that were of that colour scheme - including small scrapbits that i don't have the heart to throw away ... From that glorious mess you see (doesn't that remind one of hamster's nest?!?) I came up with this ....

Wasn't fussy. It was after all a creative experiment. So not having things matched our cut out to size wasn't much of an issue. Paper were off different textures and thickness - from flimsy wrapping paper to cardstock like. Also, I finally found some use for those some of the many fancy paper punchers that was acquired last year to make simple paper accents to embellish box. This is how croc box looks like now ...
You could say its a girly over-kill. But am quite please ... having enjoyed the rigours of experimentations and using up my scrap paper bits. :)

More August Projects : - Recycling bits ...

2008-09-08T01:05:00.013+08:00

Been slowly (but surely!) working on compiling a 8' x 8 ' D-I-Y photo album of one of my vacation trips. The photos are of the album covers - made out of recycled cardboard boxes. This is how it all looked like before work is done ...

Cardboard taken from some packed item (if not mistaken it was from bedsheet packaging)

The front cover of mini-album presently looks like this ...Perhaps more embellishments and accents will be added later when inspiration strikes.

Front cover

Back cover

August creations

2008-09-08T00:54:00.003+08:00

Some of the creative bits that were completed in August - just not been able to blog about them.

Yummy looking Birthday and Thank you cards

Grandma, the receipient of yummy looking birthday card

Leftover of birthday cake(s) - baked by yours truly ...

Finally ....!!!

2008-09-07T18:46:00.002+08:00

My computer - on its last legs - coughed and grasped its final breath last month. They weren't joking when they allude that blue screen to one of 'death' ...

Hence the silence.

I thought i could resuscitate the laptop -more out of sentimental reasons (the machine's been with me through thick and thin for at least four years!) than anything else.... That's how much of files (and junk) that's been stored in its hard drive. And finally, when the tech guy could finally slot in the time to deal with yours truly's broken down pathetic machine (he probably thought it was more worth its while to to bin the machine), for hours he tried every trick up his sleeve, but alas to no avail.

The machine was truly dead.

Kaput.

That's when i finally realised that holding out hope for a revived laptop was one in vain and spent the weekend browsing through the computer shops and studying laptop brochures. Trying to figure out what the specifications that suits my needs and my budget. It was all quite fun - these days, one can get a whole lot more for much less! For a bargain hunter, that's really encouraging!

So here it is. My spankingly new HP laptop. I've got one with a dedicated graphics card - so can work better and faster with graphics - rather than push integrated graphic cards to the limit only having computer to frustratingly stall on me.

That's all in theory though. This new machine has yet to prove itself. Until the laptop proves how much it can do with this NVIDIA graphics card, I'll get down to writing reviews. ;)

Missed opportunity ...

2008-08-03T23:16:00.005+08:00

Was in KL this week. The plan was when all more important priorites was settled and completed, I'd make a date with SnazzyJazzy (SJ - who got me scrapping in the first place) and we'd go scrapbooking shopping. With all careful planning set in place - where to meet, the time, the logistics ... I had to regretfully cancel.

Alas!! If not for this confounded cold that reduces one to snivelling putty - along with that horrid feelings of feeling ghastly, I would have been spending my Friday evening marvelling over the latest florishes, embellishments and papers in those lovely scrapbooking stores with SJ. Dinner was also part of the plans - but i reckon we'd probably spending less time savouring paper delicacies than the nourishing edible kind! I'd also be a heck lot poorer but alot happier ...

That was all part of my GRAND plan ... *heaves great sigh*

Instead, I had to get concierge get me a bottle of Actifed to stop running nose and Oral B to sooth out sore throat - while I spent my Friday evening in a sort of stoned out stupor, drifting in and out of sleep (thanks to Actifed that stops the nose running but knocks one out!).

Flight was early the following morning so there was no chance of rescheduling scrapbook shopping. Talk about a missed opportunity! Though have not exactly recovered ... (that sore throat has since blossomed into a hacking dry cough and nose is still blocked - gratefully no more uncomfortable sneezing)

I guess the alternative now is to get stuff from the local online scrapbook stores. I was so looking forward to be able to touch, feel and hold florishes, embellishments and papers in hands before deciding to buy 'em ... *SIGH*

Oh well, there's always next time ...

Non descript ramblings ...

2008-08-03T22:52:00.006+08:00

I've been busy ... compiling a mini scrap album of trip to KK hence the lack of entry. So far my 8x8 inches album totals 23 page and there are still a few more photos to scrap. Once am down I'd take photos of all the mini pages i've done and the album i've put together (No fancy concertina stuff ... since there are LOTS of pages to compile!)

Apart from putting together album have been taking loads of pictures of nephew's and aodrably little puppies antics. Him and his mom have visited Kuching. As for puppies - its amazing how much they grow in mere weeks! (That should be a potential scrap project in the pipeline)

Which leaves me to my biggest lament - so much ambition, so little time!!

I suppose if I pushed myself to work faster to complete projects I could complete alot more with my given free time. But on the flipside, what use is there to stress oneself out over a pet hobby project? Hobbies are suppose to be fun. Scrapbooking absorbingly therapeutic to say the least. To churn out completed projects under a certain deadline would make scrapbooking more like work and less of an enjoyable hobby.

I really ought not to be complaining. Laying off actual scrapbooking for abit leaves me with opportunities to scan my environment for inspiration. Letting those ideas - stew and swirl for a bit before getting back to that present project of mine of putting together a mini album of trip to Sabah. The idea of album is to tell a tale from a 2.5 year old toddler ... :)

It's kind of like writing a non-ficitional story book ...

Mauve dots of the week ...

2008-07-20T22:35:00.008+08:00

Last weekend, I took the opportunity to visit the 'World Craft Bazaar' that was held alongside the Annual Borneo Rainforest Music Festival. Though in reality there were not quite as many stalls as the term 'World Craft Bazaar' suggests, they did have some pretty nifty hand-made bits - from Indonesian handcrafted fine leather handbags (i guess the fur on bag would appeal to some ....), to exquisitely Korean embroideries and knots, tie dyed silk wraps and pashminas from Gujerat, quirkly felt characters from Kazakhstan to baby rattles and baskets made out of Danish weeds that smelled absolutely lovely, to our local craftworks and souveniers.

I got this from one of local budding beading enthusiast - Qacaq. Which is pronounced as 'Ka-cak' which means covers the range of 'lovelies' (from pretty, handsome, beautiful to yummy ...) in Malay.The shimmering beads were of Swaroski crystals ... not exactly local Borneo-an handcraft. But i couldn't resist how YUMMY or 'Kacak' that piece was.

It also so happened too that an old friend's birthday was around the corner and I found myself musing over the idea of incorporating yummy choker into card layout. Mulled all week. And when i wasn't dreaming out design and concocting layout techniques .... I made cards (as seen in previous posts)

And after much trial and error ... and many pieces of paper shredded to bits ... I decided to be less ambitious in terms of layout (my technical know-how is limited to only so much ..) and stick simply to what 'might' work. Card turned out nothing like my initial scribbling designs.

That's what I came up with ... a mauve taupe piece with polka dots that matched the yummy mauve choker. What's most important is that friend liked it! :)

Baby shower

2008-07-18T19:33:00.004+08:00

Made this baby shower card out of out of different types of materials - from manila cardstock, baby present paper to blue floral cloth borders and white felt.

The baby boy 'outfits' for first drawn on felt cloth and then cut out and adhered to card with UHU glue. Decided that all white outfits were looking a little plain (though in real life babies look oh so adorable in white!), so added red glitter glue and bits of blue and red grosgrained ribbons and tiny bits of blue ric-racs (for pocket emphasis) Particularly liked how the rompers turned out with the two blue brads for 'buttons'.

From paper napkins to ...

2008-07-18T00:51:00.003+08:00

... Cards!

Loved the floral pattern and colours of these fancy paper napkins - decided it would be a waste just to use them as napkins only to have them binned. Its not everyday, one comes across such lovely designs that gives one that 'touch of spring' in Borneo.

Admittedly, I have developed a liking for swirls - reminds me of those lovely green ferns we get in abundance here! Its also something I MUST get from those online scrapbook retailers someday ...

Adhering paper napkin to card is not exactly easy. Its flimsy - making it difficult to cut. The plys tend to separate. The best means of sticking them to cardstock is glue - not just any glue. UHU glue. That's the best i have in stock - in my part of the world, that is. Brads are quite an effective means of sticking napkin to cardstock too - provided napkin doesn't tear.

And so we have it. An experimental mish-mash of various bits of papers put together ... and er, if you're wondering what those swirly bits of beads represent ... its suppose to be a peacock - but it looks more fern like than a bird! :P

And since I still had half the fancy napkin left (waste not want not ...!) and the corrugated cardstock green, I made this ...

Double accordian Album

2008-07-18T00:27:00.006+08:00

Got the idea and instructions off Insprational techniques here:- http://insprationaltechniquesandtutorials.blogspot.com/2008/06/double-accordian-album.html

Made my album a little bigger (i.e. 6x6) than the 4x4 double accordian album featured on tutorial page.

Accordian page(s)

Accordian page when folded

D-I-Y Binding

As seen in (my not so well taken pictures) the basic album has been completed. The next stage is the page(s) layout - which is still on going. Its meant to be a gift for a friend - and for once - with subject being a cute little baby girl, I found myself using those lovely complementary girly pinks and greens - without worrying whether pages would be overly girl-ish or sissy ... !

Paper supplies are made out of:-
1. Chipboard backing of drawing block (recycled) to make cover of album
2. 12x12 scrapbook paper by DCWV (?) Premium Stack
3. Green and pink manila card - cut out to size
4. Metal ring binder
5. Ribbons
6. Other bits and pieces of matching present paper from scrap stash

Card making weekend ...

2008-07-13T23:11:00.013+08:00

Had a couple of cards made this week. One for a friend's birthday. Another a thank-you card.

Birthday Card

Materials used for birthday greeting card include-

1. A4 Cardstock paper with pearly sheen

2. A4 red paper (90gsm)
3. Patterned wrapping paper -cut out to design

4. Fibre-like wrapping paper

5. Brads

6. Alphabets rub-ons and chipstock by Queen and Co.

7. Button(s) corners

8. Corrugated paper circle to mount flower

9. Tag - by K & Co

Patterned wrapping paper were cut out in small circles using paper puncher by Carla craft and arranged and glued together to resemble flower. Glued pattern paper to the 'B' and - of chipstock alphabet. Made paper corners out of the same patterned paper - cutting them out in strips and gluing them down. The tag was stuck on with double-double sided tape to give it that 3-D effect.

Inside of card

Since lavender is a personal colour favourite, made a 6x6 'thank-you' card from leftovers of wedding present paper used to make earlier wedding cards. Was careful to use only bits without the printed 'wedding wishes' wordings. This was alot easier to put together. Just alot of picking, arranging and glueing down the various bits.

Thank you card

Paper supplies used are of: -

A4 lavender cardstock cut to size
A4 off white paper - cut to size
Patterned wrapping paper
Ribbons
Lace border
Buttons

More freebies ...

2008-07-10T00:54:00.004+08:00

Am a firm believer that all good things must be shared!

Was browsing through about.com this evening looking for Adobe Photoshop tutorial on how to remedy blurred photos. (My 'sharpening' of image only makes the photo unsightly grainy ... :P) and guess what i stumbled upon ...

Free digital scrapbooking kits!!

The site is:-http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/digitalscrapbooking/ig/Sweetie-Pie-Kit/index.02.htm

Although I've not reached the stage of being able to manipulate images with software e.g. layering, cropping, pasting and what-nots, the stuff given in the kit (you can pick and choose what you like) could come in handy. Like them tags and flower embellishment. The digital scrapping challenged like me would simply print and cut out and paste. And if desire 3D effect, mount the images with padded double sided tape.

Admittedly the images aren't as fancy as the ones you pay for on dedicated digital scrapbooking sites. But for the geographically aand scrapbook resourced challenged (ok, ok, that excuse of being an hour and a half flight away to the nearest scrapbook store is getting weaker as i write with all the development of online scrapbook shops in the country!)

On the flipside though, digital scrapbooking eliminates this scrapper's down-time of having to waiting for stuff ordered online to arrive (sometimes its real SNAIL MAIL service!!) On most times, one runs the risk of having things go missing in the mail. I had the small misfortune of having my felt fusions swirls nicked by a certain postman - i know not who. Pity ... i really looking forward to being able to HOLD, TOUCH and FEEL 'em instead of admiring how pretty and fancy they look in the pictures.

Those digital scrapbook kit eliminates that probability of things go missing.

Go take a peek. You might just find something you like. :)

Paper Kellys ...

2008-07-07T01:28:00.003+08:00

Downloaded these paper Kellys from the Hermes website. You can check them out at (not sure how to do a link on blog yet but address is) http://lesailes.hermes.com/na/en/

Its a template where you can print, cut out and paste. Kinda cool ... then again, possibly a 'geeky' way to spend one's last moments of one's weekend. But we do what we like. And what we like helps us relax ... before another hurly-burly of a week begins.

Lined up are my first (white) attempt, my second (red) attempt, and my final (grey) attempt. I had trouble figuring out the the position of 'buckle'. Finally got it 'spot on' when decided not to follow the instructions so closely and be a little flexible on the buckle flap.

De-mystifiying bits of digital technology ...

2008-07-06T12:45:00.006+08:00

I've lamented alot about my photography skills and esp. blaming the lousy photos on camera.

My bad really. The last few days while fiddling with camera, I discovered (lo and behold!) a whole host of features that I hadn't bothered with and relying simply on those 'programmed' or 'automatic' functions that's the easiest to reach.

So taking advantage of the lovely sunny morning (where I discovered makes the best pictures) I set out to explore what my camera can actually do. You know that wanting to achieve the sharp and crisp subject with hazy background ... I *think* I finally figured out how to tweak functions to achieve that effect ... and it obviously doesn't involve the 'multi focus' function ...

Yesterday, I discovered my laptop actually has a memory card slot! :p After FOUR years ... talk about being a 'blur sotong' (calamari)!! And apparently one can create folders camera's memory card and download pictures from different cameras (that's if memory is large enough) ...

Quirkly enough, all this demystifying business would not have taken place had not this determination to figure out Adobe Photoshop ... which lead to fiddling around with camera, which lead to pottering about with computer and discovering potentially useful softwares on computer that didn't know about.

I daresay its an amazing experience to discover that what you need is actually lying in front of nose ... just that one hasn't yet realised nor learnt of its use. Its rather like finally finding the switch to light in room full of useful utitilities and tools!

Woo hoo ...

Gaudy experiments ...

2008-07-06T12:32:00.004+08:00

Admitted the colours of paper weren't exactly complementary nor matching (esp. the green!) ... was experimenting with technique rather tha design. So reached out to whatever scrap that was in my box.

An especially pleased with how home-made 3-D 'sakura' flower made out of small cut circles folded and pasted together to form patels. Base patels would have to be made out of thicker paper - of manila card thickness - 120-150gsm (?) mixed with thin pattern paper petals. I imagine the flower would probably turn out even beautifully if those thick designer pattern papers were used. And more petals too, to give it that 'fuller' look.

As for the vines .. they made out of beads an wiring. :) Twirled over pencil to give it that 'twist'.

As for piece with pink flowers and pink bordering - i was experimenting chiefly with layering of papers ... and the use of broad paper ribbons - what were cut up and used as frames.

More lavender cards ...

2008-07-04T00:48:00.005+08:00

Since I still have some paper left over from making the last wedding cards thought I'd experiment some more on different layouts and designs.

Personally rather liked the DIY paper flowers accents made out of three types of paper circles - all made easy by the circular cutter tool by EK Success, and matching brads.

Papers are of :-

a) lavender cardstock like hue

b) printed lavender wedding present paper (cut into desired bits)

c) brads

d) lavender coloured flower lace borders

e) lavender buttons

f) complementary light blue butterfly sticker (ran out of those nice sparkly ones ...)

Also made envelope from same present paper. Instead of glueing the flap down, I inserted ribbon to tie flap close.

The ironies of technology ...

2008-07-03T01:55:00.006+08:00

Today, I decided to tackle that Adobe Photoshop program which I read alot about in those digital scrapbooking page but have yet mustered the nerve to master all the features. My know-how of photoshop is very rudimentary. To open and close a jpeg. file. Ask me to edit ... sharpen my image, add accents or texts and I'd be bewilderingly and ignorantly LOST!

However, those 'how to' videos on About.com on how to use some of the features on Adobe Photoshop CS2 has since shed some light on that rather intimidating Photoshop program - that's been long occupying space in my hard drive - yet hardly ever used. Admittedly, features are still a little foreign to me ... and alot of what am able to do are more lucky stabs in the dark ... ask me to repeat the steps and I'd be somewhat clueless.

What I've discovered however, all that graphics work on computer slows it down dramatically. I half expect to see my nails grow at th rate those image layers take effect!! In the long run, that can be downright frustrating and that's not something one looks for in any hobby!

Ironically, traditional scrapbooking still affords greater productivity than true blue digital scrapbooking. Instead of WAITING and staring at the bottom of computer willing those images to load and take effect in the quickest time possible or making many uncertain pointing and clicking and undo-ing; traditional/hybrid scrapbooking gives me the freedom of browsing through those precious stash of paper, printing out bits while leisurely flipping through scrapbook magazines, organizing those assortment of embellishments and accents, talk on the phone, check my email, do a facial, bake a cake - all in the same amount of time I use twiddling with Photoshop and its Elements!

I suppose, with my present state of equipment (this cranky 4 year old computer), hybrid and traditional scrapbooking is possibly the most suitable for me, that is. Now with the few local online scrap shops that's sprouted in the country, lamenting about exhorbitant shipping charges no longer applies.

Am not going to give up on mastering Photoshop just yet. I'd probably give it another go now and then. But am not convinced just yet on making that total transition to digital scrapbooking - although I absolutely LOVE the stuff those very talented people on those digital scrapbookig forums have come up with!

Pot Shots ...

2008-07-01T00:36:00.005+08:00

An over exposed shot of footprints in the sand ...?

twilight - under exposed ...?

pebbles in twillight - an out of focused shot

sandcastle kit in the afternoon sun ...

Had ample opportunities to practice photography skills over beach weekend. Photos were ... not exactly something to rave on about :p. Objects were off focus inspite of more than ample lighting. Wanted that SLR quality - you know, sharp object and hazy background. Instead i got quite the opposite effect :p And honestly, I haven't much of a clue on how to get my equipment to achieve the desired results ... inspite of the many attempts at tweaking at my already very 'idiot proof' camera ... ! (Maybe a toss in the sea might help ... photographer included)

Found myself wistfully wondering if i were to invest in a camera upgrade would my photos turn out 'better', 'sharper' 'crisper ' (if there's such a word ..). Didn't help when there were more than a few SLR toting photographers taking pictures of their moments in the sand ...

That's just my feeble excuses ... shifting blame on equipment instead of my lack of skills ...
Honestly, at my rate no superly SLR, blur- proof-camera (if any exists) is going to compensate for my rather clumsy attempts at capturing that one (preferably many many) superb picture ...

Now if i could only figure out how to work that mind -oggling Adobe Photoshop, maybe ... just maybe i could turn my out-of-focus, under or over exposed shots into masterpieces ...

Photos to be scrapped ...

2008-06-23T14:36:00.005+08:00

Feasting ... ordering more than we can stomach, a case of an over ambitions palate!

Cheeseeee!! Attempting to mask the monstrosity of building in the background ...

Took some photos over the recent weekend. Photos would definitely be scrapped ... a project in the pipeline ...

I've realised my style of scrapping is to work simultaneously on various different projects. Some times creation of cards in between creation of scrap pages, or creating an album with intermitten scrappages in between or scrapping while waiting for cake to be baked ...

At the rate events are unfolding, I find myself wishing I could complete projects faster. Churn out instantenous scrappages (much like how, if i wanted to, bake a half a dozen cakes in a day ...)

However, the creative process of scrapbooking and card making sometimes requires time for ideas to stew for abit before realising an actual piece. And since there's usually no deadline in scrapbooking (as oppose to card making ...), I tend to take my own sweet time ... my bad, really. Perhaps, I should enrol myself in one of those scrapbook challenges. That way i'd be motivated to work faster!

Clutter no more ..

2008-06-22T16:10:00.005+08:00

With all that tidying up over the weekend and throwing out of scrapbits that I can realistically no longer use, I found myself not only with a tidier looking worktop but more storage space ... that was quickly filled with 'Latest Pickings' after carefully planned trip to the hair dressers. :P

Am happy to report am no longer faced the clutter of messy s bits of paper stuffed clumsily into a plastic box, or untidy dangly bits of paper hanging out. Scrapbits are now organized according to colour, with those odds and ends binned to make left over bits look a little neater and easy to file away.

If you're wondering whether that's the after or before photo. Its the messy before! All that messy bits are NO MORE - at least for the time being ... ;) Thing about scrapping is that unless one's a stickler to constant tidying and organizing, nothing is ever going to look like retail shop organized (not a paper out of place!) whever a project is:-
a) ongoing - all the tools and papers lying about
b) finally completed ... more tools and papers and many many scrapbits lying about!

That's where the trusty vacuum cleaner comes in handy ...

Latest pickings ...

2008-06-22T15:57:00.004+08:00

Pictures of my newest acquisitions from last visit to gift shop. Got meself a chalk palette (must learn how to use that with the stamps that i presently have), some nifty iron-ons to embellish me plain t-shirts, and one of those DIY felt stuff thought i'd attempt over the weekend and a few papers I thought I could use for my four legged muse ...

But, instead this weekend i found myself happily browsing through the various antique shops along the city's Main Bazaar with a couple of old friends who flew in from HK for the wedding that I was still undecided about attending until their arrival ...

It was all in all a rather fun non-scrap weekend. :)

Yesterday ...

2008-06-20T13:16:00.002+08:00

I planned getting my much needed haircut in such a way that instead of going to my usual hairdressers, I used the excuse of the petrol prices hike to stop by at a hairdressers along the usual route home.

Penny wise, pound foolish - so the saying goes. I saved on petrol but it so happen that the ONLY scrapbook-like/gift shop was conveniently located right above the hairdressing saloon (you can imagine my having to contain my excitment while getting haircut and wash ...!)

So then, was the entire charade of having to have a haircut-closer-to-home-to-save-on-petrol a deliberate ruse to give self another reason to make a quick trip to scrapbook shop?

Yes. Am guilty as charge. With no regrets, of course!

You should have seen my precious finds - its not exactly entirely acquiring of scrapbook supplies but its going to fill my time creatively for a while! I'd say its worth any ruse or scheme just to mosey down those delightful shops :P

Ready, Set, Chew ...

2008-06-19T18:47:00.002+08:00

My latest 12x12 'Doggy Tales' page ... Its one of my 'Hybrid page' - to be added into the DIY album of mine.

Supplies include: -

a) Errr ... sorry, the brand of 12 12 paper eludes me
b) A4 corrugated and printed paper 0
c) E-cuts - downloaded from scrapbooks.com. Printed, cut out and glued on to page
d) Fonts - from Queen & Co
e) Rub on stickers, DIY stickers - downloaded from clipart, printed, cut and pasted, paper string
f) Fancy brads - paws and bones

A spot of 'tidy' ...

2008-06-17T01:17:00.003+08:00

Was tidying up my very messy stash of ribbons, paper strings and ric-racs that was once stashed in desk drawer which then migrated into various plastic bags (so sad ...)because was running out of space ... :P

Its one of those D-I-Y system where you tie ribbons/ric-racs around a rectangular piece of fairly thick paper. I use my left over chipboard that's been collecting dust since i cut it out to make 'hardcovers' for one of my experimentary 12 x 12 D-I-Y album.

It's all rather rudimentary. None of that sophisticated ribbon organizing wares that i see in those scrapbook magazines that have kept me happily engrossed when not scrapping.

There are still ribbons (some tangled, some left overs) in bags to organize - so back to work it is!

Two weddings ...

2008-06-16T23:48:00.003+08:00

Making these couple of cards took up almost all of my Sunday afternoon. Admittedly there wasn't much planning involved, just alot of experimenting with ideas that have been simmering for a while now.

Somehow the second card (with flowers and butterfly) almost always turns out better than the first ... The first design was an experimentation of circles made out of cricut circle cutter. Its sa little bare at the bottom but that can always be remedied in the event the names of bride and groom are to be printed below (?)

What i liked most out of these cards, is the colour combination. Always liked the combination of lavender and ivory. The pattern papers are actually wedding present papers i spotted at one of the gift shops in town. Whilst, cardstock is of the A4 pastel lumiscent of the garden variety sort that can be found in most stationary stores - which i thought beautifully complemented the hues of present paper.

And that pretty purple sparkly butterfly, was one of the gems discovered in one of the sewing/florist shops we have in Kuching. Should check those shops out. They do carry quite a fair bit of relatively inexpensive 'embellishments' that one could use in scrapbooking!

Oh, and the flower and tag, I made myself from all those scraps laying about. Quite pleased with how those turned out too ...! :)

The dreaded bit ....

2008-06-15T21:40:00.004+08:00

...of scrapbooking is ...

CLEANING UP! :p

Its not so bad if you could just vacuum up or sweep away the remnant bits and scraps of paper laying about and be done with it. Its the having to decide whether or not to throw the bits of scrap - its the "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't bin that ... You never know when that could come in handy ..."

Honestly, just contemplating that question with each and every bit of scrap you see makes you want to stash the bits leaving the entire mess - more or less untouched!

So on some days I just have to grit my teeth and bin the bits of paper that I've somehow convinced self that I could still wring some 'use' out of them ...else I'd be faced with the unsightly chaos and inconveniences of 'papers sty'!

So how does one file those little bits away? By colour? By paper type? By 'potential use'? My present system (or lack of) is to dump every little bit is a spare plastic transparent lidded container. And when i run out of space,I'd bin the first one in (you know, the first in, first out system) or fold the bits into even smaller bits just to make space for more bits o' scrap! Not exactly the most organized, I know ...

Still on the broad subject of organizing. I've noted that specialized scrap paper and organizers that you find in the scrapbook shops don't come cheap. Come to think of it, the tool container i was eyeing last night (yes, yes, another spot of online shopping) - the sort that has many tiered compartments that turns was going for more than USD30 (?!?) That's equivalent to a nice stash of delectable designer scrapbook papers - of at least two dozen pieces or so!

I've so far managed with very practical and economical alternatives - clean empty shoe boxes for stickers, wicker laundry basket for stashing those present papers I've been collecting and those square relatively inexpensive clear lidded plastic containers of various sizes for paper and tools - all stacked on top of each other in one corner of my room.

Its not exactly the most convenient of arrangements - having to unstack the lot and rummage for the desired bits of paper whenever I want to scrap but I've managed - admittedly, in a rather haphazard way ...

Father's Day Cards ...

2008-06-13T15:59:00.004+08:00

Supplies made out of:-

a) blue manila card cut to size
b) 90gsm yellow paper to line inside of card
c) scraps of present paper cut out into ties
d) blue paper string
e) mini-wooden pegs
f) epoxy mini & rubbed on fonts
g) flower brads

Put together and you have ... Father's Day Cards!

Order in Chaos

2008-06-13T15:09:00.008+08:00

... or creativity in scraps.
That seemingly disarray of tools, scrap bits and bobs eventually turn out to be ..

This!

My parchment wedding card. Figured since envelopes almost always get junked as thrash, one might as well make cards to eliminate waste. My bid to be environmentally friendly ... not sure if such efforts count ... :P

Dog Gone Cute ...

2008-06-06T17:09:00.003+08:00

... of my various 'four legged' muse.

This be the latest scrap page of 12x12. What usually do is make page smaller, either 8x8 or 6x6 just so that delectable paper supplies can be stretched - mind you its not that am stingy, which ironically enough can be said to be the flipside of a hoarder!!

Its more of not being able to traipsy down to local scrapbook craft haven (usually a short drive aay ... no drive is too far for any scrapbook enthusiast) to stock. Although we do have one little gift shop that bears some remote semblance to the speciality scrapbook shops, they, carry better range of embellishments than papers.

Its not exactly to 'die-for' but it will do.

Luke is TWO

2008-06-04T01:01:00.001+08:00

That's the other card made over the long 'Gawai' weekend. Luke - me Godson has just turned two on the 1st of June. Obviously, my birthday greeting would be a belated one - as card needs to make its way to the UK (judging from how erratic the local postal service is, I'd be more than thrilled he get card before the year's out!)

Added a photo of Luke and meself just so that he remembers which 'Aunty' is sending the card (along with the gifts) that would be delivered (thanks to online shopping!)

Over the harvest festival ...

2008-06-04T00:28:00.005+08:00

Its the annual Harvest Festival, known as Gawai Dayak, in my part of the world where us rice staplers celebrate (or rather give thanks) for the bountiful Harvest. When the festival falls depends really on the weather and other geological factors (which i haven't much a clue of) but what the local government did was to gazette 1st and 2nd of June as Public holidays (woo hoo!)

And as usual, all festivals are about eating and drinking too much unless one finds an absorbing hobby (no sleeping is not counted) as an alternatives.

I found myself making a simple congratulatory card for wedding invite received recently. Am still debating whether to attend or not ... have developed a certain phobia for big rather public like gatherings. Besides, I don't think anyone would miss me if i decide to go AWOL ...
Alternatively, I could go and attend the event only very briefly just to show 'face', deliver my gift and congratulations and split before things get cosy (like big wedding are ever cosy ...:P)

So what will the toss be? We'll have to wait till June 23rd to find out.

Scalloped edges

2008-06-01T19:37:00.003+08:00

That's my current fancy. Scalloped edged paper. I had the pieces of scallopped edged made into a sort of template so next time i see nice pieces of pieces of present paper I think would do quite nicely with scallopped edge, I have the 'template' all ready to be cut out.

Woo hoo!

Admittedly the edges aren't quite as crisp and sharp as the original scalloped manufactured sheets but it will happily do :)

Like i've mentioned before, its all about conjuring up creative alternatives. I've also since discovered for someone who's idea of sewing hems was to stick double sided tape to hold up ends, that my inability to sew and to be creative in any art and handicraft classes (throughout my schooling years) does not mean the end of individual expression and creativity. :)

It's uncanny ...

2008-05-29T22:23:00.006+08:00

...but the more scrapbook blogs I read, the more I realise we 'sound' increasingly similiar!

I once used the analogy of hoarding nuts like squirrels just to tie them over the winter ... in the case of scrapbooking enthusiasts its about HOARDING. Yes, HOARDING with a PERIOD at the end.

No winter to tie us over - just perhaps an imaginery 'winter' in our minds ... But usually upon entering a scrapbook craft shop with dizzying, delectable array of fancy papers and embellishments to peruse and choose from, a certain air of euphoria descends on any scrapbook enthusiast - no matter how keenly discipline they are of their budget and needs.

Its like shopping for shoes or handbags. Spoilt by choice, you can't quite decide. And if finances permit, you'd get a pair in each and every shade and colour there is on display!

Then there's the 'magic' hour where scrapbookers settle down to scrap. Its only when the excitment of the day has settled, kids fast asleep, the significant other is either dozing in front of telly or surfing the net; In my case, its when the hurly-burly of my day is done ...where am finally home, fed and squeaky clean after a nice LOOOOoooNNnG shower! That's when the magic of paper creation begins and ends only after one is satisfied with one's work. That can sometimes mean going well into the wee hours of the morning ... depending on how absorbing and motivating the scrapbook project is.

In a way, scrapbookers are a little bit of night owls too - pottering contentedly into the quiet of the night while the rest of the world slumbers ...

Its done ...

2008-05-28T14:10:00.002+08:00

This mini-album would go Jared's grands.

The creative process ...

2008-05-28T13:49:00.006+08:00

Step 1: Identifying the Subject

For most, esp. those who have families and children of their own, this step is the simplest. Its only natural to want to capture those precious moments - and most families have more than plentiful stash of their happiest and proudest moments of family gatherings and children's milestones and antics. Scrapping them as subject matter is but a way to enhance those precious captured moments.

Admittedly, i sometimes have trouble identifying subject matter. So many to choose from! Sometimes photos are not even existing yet!

I guess, brooding largely on such a wide array of subjects can sometimes make one mind bogglingly indecisive!

Step 2 : Selection of Photos

For one with a shaky hand, selecting photos can be a relatively easy process. Photos elimated would be ones that are either blurred or 'cut off' - which can be more than a few!

Step 3: Conceptualizing

Which involves a variety of designing issues (usually simultaenously) :
a) to crop or not to crop? That be the question ...
b) photo size - large, medium, small??
c) Layout of photo(s), Number of photos per page
d) Page size - 12 x 12? 8 x 8? 6 x 6?
e) Schematic colour scheme - paper to complement photo(s)
f) Design of page, theme, layout, choice of embellishments
g) To journal? What to journal? Layout of journal?

Step 4: Actualization

Usually involves long, happy, absorbing moments of more musing,cutting, arranging and pasting. Time taken range from a few minutes to a few weeks ... depending on how inspired one is or how much free time one has to scrap in a day.

A Theory of Colours ...

2008-05-24T18:40:00.012+08:00

I have a theory about the shades of colours. Why in the East, strikingly bold colours seems to be more popular than the soft, soothing pastel hues in the West...

Simplistic as it may sound it all boils down to the heat and the amount of sunshine we get in my part of the world. Now how does that tie in with colours - you may wonder ...

My theory is based on these observations :-

The heat affects the plants and for some reason the hotter the weather the more vibrant the colours. The vibrant, vivid green of my country's rain forests, so densed sometimes all you see is that deep shade of green;

The flowers that bloom in this part of the world are by and large, strikingly bright - shocking pink, bright reds, yellows, whites, lflaming orange ... possibly to contrast and stand out against the rich deep green foliage (or how else will they be pollinated by insects?)

Since we're by and large a product of our environment, people in the warm sunny East tend to gravitate towards brighter, attractive colours. Seen in their cultural and choice of colours in dressing (very bright, very colourful), design, building paints and even paper (I used to have students once upon a time ago handing in their assignment in neon coloured paper - so blindingly bright I had trouble reading their printed scripts!)

Because of the amount of sunshine and heat that we get in the Far East, our skin tends to be browner which (fortunately) carries off bright colours well. Bright red for example attractively complements those with dark skin. On the other hand, pastel green or even lime green on dark skin is downright unflattering. Only few (and the colour blind) can carry it off ...

Which leads to the reason why pastel colours which gives a touch of spring in its hues are hard to find in my part of the world The colourist are simply either:-
a) ignorant of such hues or uncertain how such variety of intricate hues and complements would be received by the local market
b) colour prints loud by popular demand.

Unlike the West where choices of colours are affected by the changing seasons, in the Far East where its hot and humid (most of the time), bright colours shade our lives 365 days a year. And hence, cultural preference for giddyingly loud bright colours.

Woo hoo!

2008-05-22T14:04:00.006+08:00

You know how they (the spiritual gurus of our time) would preach about being what you think, and attracting the things you want. being creator of one's happiness ... and therefore one has to be careful with one's thoughts ..?

Anyhows. Today I got not one but FOUR large envelopes of delectable papers, embellishments and circle cutter I've been eyeing for a while now (and the only thing that was stopping me from buying online was the exhorbitant shipping fees)!

(pink circle cutter on far right)

Is that cool or what?!? The papers are lovely esp. the scallopped edged ones. Finally, I get a feel of what the REAL thing is like (nothing beats the experience of holding it in one's hands!!) after all these time of admiring them in those scrapbooking galleries of beautiful works! Have often wondered how such effects were achieved ... was it a D-I-Y job - hence a need for very specialised tools or do papers actually come in those scooped and wavy edges?

(scalloped paper in pink and green on far right)

Thanks Kheng! You really made my day - and MORE! Woo hoo ... *do a little jig in glee*

An Ode to Hoarding ...

2008-05-21T13:23:00.003+08:00

Okay, so am not exactly a poet. Nor do i in depth understanding of rhythms, iambic meter -- whatever that all means (!?!) Yes, literature was one of the subjects I HAD to take for A levels (not much choice in the once upon a time college episode) - it's rather obvious, I wasn't really paying attention in class.

But here's to Hoarding!

We all hoard in our own individual ways. Squirrelling away what is deemed 'precious', fantasizing about the ever growing stash, so much that one could literally swim in it (ok, ok, so am going to the extremes ...) That's why we have various degrees of 'collections'.

Admittedly, some of the various bits and bobs that we collect are simply dearer than other. From stamps, art, coins, shoes, bags, jewellery, bottle caps to trainspotting ... whatever we fancy with relish and can't quite get enough of, compells us to hoard. Just incase ... we 'run-out' or manufacturers 'stop-production', or the 'i -may-just-need-it-someday, or hoard in hope of making 'a-profit' when the value increases ...

Its only part of being alive. Animals do it. Governments do it. So, why not we? Yet, it could also pose as a potential psychological and physical problem when hoarding becomes compulsive (esp. if one has to swim through hoard just to get to front door ...).

But am talking about hoarding with a balance ;) - Where we're permitted to have our little stash of delight where we can turn to to amuse ourselves.

So here's to hoarding. In our case its delectable paper, tools and embellishments. Hear! Hear! Yum-yum!

Abit of a bore ...

2008-05-20T23:39:00.005+08:00

Blame it on the heat (we always have to blame it on something other than ourselves!), but work on that mini scrapbook album is coming along veeeerrrrrryyyyy, slowly ... am begining to wonder at the rate am going i'd probably have nothing scrap-related to post on this blog!!

So, speaking about heat ... its been so swelteringly warm lately. The humidity doesn't help either. One sweat buckets (ok, so not very pleasant to imagine) even after a nice cool shower ... then again, at the rate the sun's scorching this tiny part of my world, even the water (that's suppose to be cool) is warm! :P

So, not much respite unless one hides in airconditioned room 24/7. Which is impossible because one needs to commute. Get out of house, get into car, get out of car, get into office, get out of office, grab lunch, get back to office ... all that spaces in between the 'gettings' is sheer exposure to the unbearable heat. I got my car tinted to shave off heat and UV rays and still its like a furnace everytime i get into it ... those leather seats don't help either. (Why do they use leather on car-seats in the tropics?!!) If you want to know about bum burns, am a good point of reference ... I should do something about those seats ...

As you can tell, indoor carparks aren't exactly plently in my part of the world. We have space, you see ... loads of it, so multistorey carparks with that shaded relief is only confined to the business district and major shopping malls (which we have only about 2, as i write).

The haze is back too, by the looks of the skies. Its no wonder my sinus is acting up ... (the inconveniences of a sensitive nose :P). I just hope its not here to stay ... we had haze so dire once even rooms indoors looked smokey and you couldn't see beyond 100m.

And how does the heat and haze affect my scrap? In every way!! It just dries up all that creative juices and energy ... leaving one rather lethargic and flat ... abit of a bore, really ... :P

Honestly, i shouldn't be complaining with the sort of catastrophes China and Myanmar are dealing with. I should be glad for the scorching heat that makes all things grow (and wilt) and all is well ... even if there's a tiny storm in the political teacup as i write ...

No catastrophe there, just a little trifle.

Bits of paper ...

2008-05-14T14:58:00.011+08:00

Glued together and you have this ...literally in minutes!

Also of late, i've been compiling a mini-album on this year's Chinese New Year photos with family. Used the card I made in previous post as cover to mini-album - which explains the neglect in blog postings ...

Potter till the wee hours of the morning and by then, have difficulty keeping eyes open ... what more write blog entry!

Here's some snippets of how the album looks like. Its still a work in progress. There's still the journalling aspect to be completed. Not quite decided on how i want to present that part of the album just yet ...

Photo A: Cover page, with ribbons to hold pages together.

Photo B: Sample pages - J & Aunt T

Photo C : More sample pages - J Clowning around

Photo D: Formal Family Shot

When inspiration strikes ...

2008-05-07T00:50:00.006+08:00

... cards happen!

Was watching a scrapbook DVD I got from the local bookshop the other day and this lady (Australian, by the sounds of her accent) demonstrated a few rather nifty and simple DIY scrapbook embellishments. The first being a 'flower' made out of ribbons.

Since i have quite a hefty (and very messy) stash (as pictured in earlier post & still not looking any neater!), I thought I'd try out her simple but attractive ideas, that needed very basic sewing.

Viola! My 'Just for you ...' card - or mini book cover, I haven't quite decided just yet.

Pink button in the middle was sewn to accent the flower Whilst acrylic butterflies were glued on to the background. The flower 'stem' is made out of green ric-rac - threaded in and out paper via holes made from paper puncher. Handmade green leaf and squiggled in a few leafy 'veins'. The tag is DIY - drawn and cut out from free templates got off the british 'Paper Craft Inspiration' magazine.

Mom's card looking a little more complete - thanks to suggestions. Didn't have chipboard alphabets nor tag small enough to fit in bottom of card - so made do with alternatives . Used round fancy paper punchers as mounts for 'rubbed on' font stickers. Glued on butterfly buttons on top of page.

Take a look at these webpages..

2008-05-06T00:21:00.005+08:00

http://amillionlittlethings.com/store06/index.php?cPath=24

http://www.a-natural-craft.com/showproduct.asp?id=11

... don't you think the pattern papers are somewhat similar?

The first page (if you've started with a-million-little-things is an online scrapbook supplies - located somewhere in the heart of the states (that's what i imagine when an organization claims they are from UTAH). Papers are considered 'branded' papers - rather popular too, from what I gather from the scrapbook magazines.

The latter is a manufacturer/supplier of some scrapbook items based in Hong Kong (i bet their factory is in China ... to exploit the advantage of cheap labour, raw materials etc.) No branding. Just pretty papers to be cut to size. Its all about sales for these people and pricing is fairly competitive ... (certain restrictions applying though ...)

If you're thinking along the same savvy lines as this scrapbook (hoarder) i.e. 'if Ican get a bargain elsewhere - inclusive of shipping costs ... Why not?!?', you'll understand why (esp. when scrapbook shops here are non-existent) i've been trawling the net for patterned paper manufacturers ...

Unfortunately this seemingly 'bargain' comes with specific conditions. That you have to buy in BULK! A minimum order of a certain amount - an actual example would be their glue squares. I enquired about ONE (box, possible 100 glue squares - so am guessing ...), they thought I was asking about a carton(1 carton=30 boxes)! As for ribbons ... they're asking how many yards I want and how many types of ribbon per package!

I don't suppose i could just say I want a couple of yards of type X, Y, Z ... they probably tell me to stop wasting their time and disappear!

I guess, as lucky as I initially thought I was in being able to track down ONE manufacturers of paper crafts in China, their mode of sale is simply not suitable for personal 'hoarding' exercise unless:-

a)I own a large warehouse as oppose to that tiny but messy paper infested corner in my room!
b) Want to be stuck with X type of patterned paper and ribbons for life!! Possibly even have leftovers for my (non-existent) children and grandchildren ... who may not even like scrapbooking! :P

God forbid! Scrapbooking is about wondrous variety. Not boring bulk!

Now, it would be a different matter all together if I were going into retail and there's a thriving local scrapbook demand (other than mea nd possibly a handful others!) in my part of the world ...

Not exactly a scrap entry ...

2008-05-02T00:31:00.006+08:00

In addition to scrapbooking, i've also in the last year or so, discovered the joys of sketching (when someone so kindly gave me a proper drawing block when he saw me doodling on recycled paper while waiting ...)

Forced to take art tuition while i was in school, I never considered myself one that could 'draw' nor 'colour' - noting how much extra help i needed when for most drawing and colouring simple comes naturally.

So far my experiments in drawing is limited to simple pencil sketches and shading for effects. Finally got myself a 18 colour set of colour pencils (never quite like oil pastels that we used in school - too messy!).

Spent the Labour day putting them to good use. :) Now my doodles come in colours!

Musing now about incorporating those sketching and colouring bits into scrapbooking ...

Mom's card ...

2008-05-02T00:19:00.004+08:00

I've been working on this particular card for my Mom. The theme of card again focuses on flowers but this time paper, die-cut ones in a complementary rage of light blues, yellows and pinks, accented with coloured brads, yellow paper swirls and sequins (used previously in Mother's day cards).

Its 95% completed ... I say that because i can't help but think that something's missing ... Should i add a ribbon somewhere or a border of sorts? I don't trust myself to doodle in designs - whether it be simple lines and dots or swirls. I tend to get nervous (just the thought of having only ONE shot at it or ruin entire efforts) makes my handwriting or doodling go awry ...

I have shaky hands. That's why my photos are not exactly the best of quality. To make it worst, i tend to take pictures of work in the middle of the night ... that's when most of my scrapping is done and digital cameras aren't exactly the greatest shots in the night. The flash does help, but my hands doesn't ... :p

Made a mental note, my future camera must come with one of those anti-shake feature ...or whatever you call 'em. Hopefully that would compensate for all the blurred, shaky pictures i've been taking ...

In the mean time, I will make do with what i have and try to take my pictures during the day when the light is good and my shaky hands don't affect the quality of pictures so much ...

Mother's day greeting cards

2008-04-29T21:26:00.003+08:00

This was what i completed last night. A couple of 'Mothers Day' cards - materials from from mish-mash of freebies from british scrapbook inspirations magazine and bits of patterned wrapping paper cut out to fit cards.

Pink flower bits (freebie) was coupled with various kinds of sequins from my small sequin collection - stuff i bought out of whim (from sewing shop) just because i thought ' i could use them' - (sure enough!) or just 'fancied the look of it ...'. They come in rather inexpensive small packets - enough to last one a while!

The greenish/blue-ish egg-shaped sequin became the 'leaves and the tiny round pink sequins (used two) for the center of the pink flower. Topped flower off with bright yellow tiny bead - all strung together with fine wire and taped to the back of patterned paper.

The first card is always the hardest. Struggled to string 'flower together' and had to figure out how to gingerly fasten flowers to back of paper (that wasn't exactly the thickest of papers nor the sturdiest!).

Edged the card with pink ric-rac and 'flower pot' sticker was made out of fancy paper punchers stuck together with double sided tape, topped with a green bow.

Finally...!

2008-04-28T19:50:00.004+08:00

The completed pages of the nephew's discovery of how fun a place the beach can be!

Admitted, the project took a while to complete. Pages were homecut in 8'x8' card stock alike. Design papers were largely from inexpensive wrapping papers. Photos printed of the rather cranky HP printer, and embellishments were made out of buttons (some sewn, most glued on), ribbons, home-made tags, chipboard alphabets, rub-on distressed alphabets, digital print-outs that were cut out into home made stickers, brads and eyelets.

By the time, i thought i completed the basic range of pages - 10 in all, i was exhausted. I guess working from scratch makes it all the more time consuming as oppose to having those rather handy scrapbook kits where papers and embellishments are styled, matched and complemented for you.

But am not complaining. Its absorbing enjoyable work. Time just zips pass and one forgets all present the cares and stresses and just focus on the present.

It took a while to decide on what to write. Some days, I'd stare at the pages quite blankly, other days - undecided; when there's too many ideas swirling about in the head! The pages laid about idle for a while until I decided yesterday that i've let them ideas stew long enough its time to complete the scrap pages.

I was expecting more indecision but amazingly, when that creative juices flow. It just does! I found myself improving on some pages and improvising on some - adding on to the 10 pages I've done earlier.

Took the opportunity to use my newly acquired stamps too! My first few attempts were rather 'clumsy' though ... thought I had ruined the pages but then that 'distressed' look only lent a rustic feel to those pages.

I guess, that's the beauty of creativity - no attempt, how good or clumsy is bad. It just adds a unique-ness to the end process.

Next step. The cover page. I've decided to incorporate the use of acetate (transparencies) - an inspiration i got off those british scrapbook magazines i've been reading. However, i've yet to settle on the design ... ;)

Glue Dots

2008-04-27T01:30:00.003+08:00

Described as fairly tiny circles of sticky dots meant to stick photos or paper embellishments.

Its suppose to do away with the tedious and messy work of having to glue harder to reach pieces or fragile material together (like lace and vellum(??))

Just that ... the glue dots i got locally are just a little too dainty and 'frail' to unglue off the wax paper they originally come in. I either end up stretching them from circles to strips of unsightly sticky bits (usually rendering them unusuable) or they stick anyway and everywhere (esp. the fingers) except the spots you want them to stick on!

So. What do you do? Use tweezers? I tried, they ended up sticking to tweezers? Or maybe you're simply not suppose to unglue the dots from the waxy paper? One dots and strips off the waxy bits just like how one sticks double sided tape ...

At the rate am going am probably going to ruin my entire limited supply of dots without even ever using them properly!

Does anyone knows how to use glue dots?

Of Inkpads and Stamps!

2008-04-27T01:06:00.004+08:00

These came in the mail this week.

I finally acquired some fancy acrylic stamps and ink pads that i have been wanting for a while. The stamps came from Taiwan and inkpads from Scotland - all possible via Ebay! (At the rate am getting me stuff off that site and raving about it on this blog they should consider paying me to advertise for them!) :)

Am now considering whether i should buy more acrylic blocks of various sizes to mount the stamps - which would then lead to the issue of storage ... or leave them the way they are - in flat sheet, so easy to store, so easy to lose 'em too - with all the bits of paper and embellishments lying about!

Reckon before i embark on more scrap tools acquisitions, i ought to learn how to really use me stamps. So far, without the mounts, stamping quality isn't exactly satsifactory. Its a little blurred, or unclear in certain parts. Maybe am not applying enough EVEN pressure on stamps ... or maybe my technique of stamping is just wrong.

I've got a self inking initial stamp and even that doesn't quite come out nicely! :P

Must ask an expert ... or at least read up on techniques of stamping.

They (stamps manufacturers) also promised that stamps can be easily cleaned - either by wiping residue off with tissue of washing stamps out ... that's not exactly true either. I've got one red inkpad that ink seems to stick like glue on stamps no matter how much i wash them out!

There's yet alot to be learnt with stamps and inkpads!

Freebies with references!

2008-04-23T00:40:00.005+08:00

Today, I got myself a couple of copies of UK printed 'Paper Craft inspirations' magazines. Though not the latest issues but discovered the magazine - in addtion to the free card embellishments that was packaged with the magazine, 'Paper Craft Inspirations' also included templates and free patterned papers that can be used for making cards or scrap pages and (this is the best part) can be downloaded (and printed out as many copies your heart's desires!) for FREE from their allocated webiste.

I thought the free downloads were pretty ...

Check out:-
http://www.papercraftinspirationsmagazine.co.uk/page/papercraft?catname=/FREE%20papers

That's the difference between the American Scrapbook magazines and the UK versions. The British tend to focus more on not only the beautiful 'end products' but also the 'how to ...' - giving readers a step by step pictorial account on achieving such effects.

Admittedly, the British scrap pages that are featured in magazines tend to be a little less flamboyant and fancy compared to the American versions. But for beginners like me who is in want for lots of instructions and education ( on the different tools, accents, effects) that is unfortunately non-existent in my part of the world, these magazines (and of course reference books) are God-sent!

Also there's scrapbookscrapbook.com (that was emailed to me from Jasmine) where you can get quite a few things to download for FREE!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-22T00:57:00.005+08:00

This features that one can pick off the internet and add to one's blog is very nifty tool! (love tools, have soft spot for them!). Thanks for giving me the idea Jasmine!

These are a collage of some of my works (some posted earlier, some not). I've to admit I only just started taking pictures of them (when i started this blog!). Usually, i'd just make 'em and be too embarassed to show them off ...

But these days i don't quite give a toss. Am rather proud of my work - clumsily amaturish or not! Some works i like, some i think 'Oh yuck!!'

See, there's always room for improvements - wot! ;) Experimenting with different styles and accents and learning through trial and error is the fun-est part of it all!

Welcoming Grace

2008-04-22T00:11:00.003+08:00

My godsons, Daniel and Luke are now proud brothers to their baby sister, Grace.

Made a card today to welcome her and congratulating her beaming parents and brothers. :)

Card was made out of of glossy photo paper (that I discovered its thickness will only clog my printer!!) with torn out pink mulberry paper accented with felt embellishments, butterfly buttons, pink ric-racs, ribbons and floral lace, and a little tinkly bell tied together with silver string.

All put together (glued on with both UHU glue and taped down with double sided tape) in mere minutes! I tend to be rather spontaneous with my creative designs ... skipping the long drawn brain storming comtemplative drawing board process!

Next step is getting Grace a welcome gift - Finally! I have a reason to go girly pink!! All those pretty dresses and accessories ... thank heaven for little girls!

Of shades and hues

2008-04-21T00:26:00.007+08:00

Am glad I finally done something about the photos I took nearly a year ago now of one rare 'reunion' of old friends, who've known each other since their college days.

Incidently (and most fortunately), my present stash of designer scrapbook papers matched the photos beautifully! The hues and shades were simply perfect.

Speaking of which, its a pity that although we don't lack papers in Kuching, its the rich arrays of hues and colour shades that comes short. For some reason local manufacturers either colour their papers too bright (think blinding neons enough to stop traffic) or pastel them too light everything becomes rather insipid and bland. :P

I reckon we don't take our colour research seriously ... I don't think we even give much thought to shades and hues. (I suppose in my part of the world such issues are what the chinese would say one indulges in when one has too much to eat!) Its no wonder on many occassions and events the choice of colours used makes one wonder whether the person in charge was colour blind or out of cost consideration - was forced to pick the cheapest and most horrible colours available or simply had to use up whatever paint they had left - not even pausing to consider the effects of colours used.

Tell a sales person in a materials/apparels shop here you're looking for a turquoise shade or a fruschia piece and they'll look at you rather blankly ... So naturally, when one starts ranting on about the specific hues and shade of secondary and tertiary colours i.e. azure blue, lime green or teal (ok, ok am getting a little carried away here!) most encounters would not only draw a blank but additionally, one's given the 'evil eye' (i.e. ' Not another eccentric customer!!').

Now you understand why i usually end up rummaging through the shops from top to bottom ... Its a good thing I enjoy the entire process of rummaging alone. Else, would have given up scrapbooking a long time ago for want of materials! That's part of the scrapbook fun - sourcing for alternative materials ... its like opening a treasure chest - slowly picking out bits that one could use!

Pages and more ...

2008-04-20T01:18:00.004+08:00

As mentioned earlier, have been working on Jared's beach album. Its slowly coming along ... have completed about 12 pages. The pages are not exactly completed - there's still the journally aspects add in. But I'd quite happy at the moment with the 12 pages I've made so far. Reckon that makes a fairly decent home bound mini scrap book album.

However, as i write - there's a part of me that's churning out more ideas for additional pages - mentally adding more photos to the portfolio ... I don't think one ever does complete an album until one runs out of decent photos to display!

The pages of 8.5x8.5inches (home sized and cut) are made out of fawn/tan card stock-like paper sheets and blue manila card that are easily found at any decent stationary stores. These 'alternatives' - ranging from RM0.90 to RM1.50 for a 24x24 inches piece these cardstock-like papers are relatively inexpensive compared to what one pays for those beautiful 12x12 Bazzill card stock ( that's selling between the range of RM3.50-RM5.00 per piece!)

Chose blue and fawn mainly because i wanted to depict the beach-like ambience of clear blue skies and soft sandy beaches - plus the fact the colours complemented J's swim outfit.

Matched these card-stocklike base with my collection of wrapping/present paper - that's been cut out to one's designs. Depending on type and textures of coloured wrapping paper - these various papers are about RM1.50 to RM4.50 for approximately 22x24inches per piece.

Page embellishments are made out of various elements :-
a) Coloured buttons. Some sewn. Some glued. These buttons can be found cheaply and abundantly from materials, flowers (!) and sewing shops that seem to be rather popular in the city
b) Paper flowers recently acquired from 'Pick and Pack' the local nearly 'scrap booking' shop
c) Brads and Eyelets (that came in the mail last week)
d) Home made tags - cut out from the scraps of papers leftover from photo pages.
e) Ribbons
f) Fonts from Queen & co.
f) A smatter of mix and match of textured papers - from corrugated to complementary hues and shades of selected 'wrapping papers'
g) Home made 'stickers'

I daresay, not having readily access to all those beautiful designer papers and tools that i constantly admire and dream about (but dare not order for exhorbitant shipping charges) from the shops online is really a 'blessing in diguise'. In a way, knowing my tendency to splurge (i have a soft spot for nifty looking stationary gadgets!), not having access to them just saves me alot of unnecessary (but oh so delightful) shopping and spending!

Bouts of Scrapbook Block ...

2008-04-17T00:35:00.004+08:00

Whenever a bout of scrapbook block hits, I pause for a moment and switch to reading my present (and ever growing) stash of scrapbook magazines and books (am actually amazed i could find them in the bookstores here!).

As i write, after ten pages of scrapping nephew's beach photos feel an running out of ideas - in terms of layout and embellishments. Have kept a general theme about the pages - blue and tan (depicting the clear blue skies and the sandy beaches). Have made conscious effort of making pages bright and cheery - using bright yellows, blues, greens ...

But mind you i do have my doubts. At the back of my mind i do wonder if my choice of colour palate is a little too garish, too gaudy, too giddy-ingly LOUD (the sort that would stop a herd of stampeding wilderbeast in a beat or worst send them fleeing off the edge of some cliff in blinding horror! :p).

I guess we're always our worst critic ... i know i am my own!

I complained previously about photo quality and scrapbuddy says there's nothing wrong with portrait pictures i took. I guess its just we want things to be 'better'. Thing is, am so bent on wanting to be 'better' i forget to appreciate what I am 'now'.

Am missing the entire point of creating, am I?

Work in Progress

2008-04-15T00:48:00.004+08:00

I have to admit, am not exactly the neatest person while working on scrap pages!

As depicted in photos, am presently working on compiling an album of nephew - his first beach adventure! He's growing so rapidly as i scrap (admittedly, i have been taking my time) Am determined to get it done before he turns three and doesn't recognize his little one year old self any longer! ;)

With the wealth of resouces that came through the mail last week, have made good use of the new brads and Queen & Co. chipboard fonts. Also been reading up on how to add in journalling in smaller albums (this one is 8x8") by tucking in written tags behind pockets of photos (that idea i have incorporate in this project as seen in the page where nephew is digging in the sand). Consciously trying to make pages brighter ... i've been stuck in neutral browns and greens for almost forever! The fact that we don't have a vast collection of paper shades and hues in this city makes it harder to break out of that mould ...

Will take more photos once work is completed.

Doggy tales ...

2008-04-14T23:49:00.008+08:00

Dogs. They are my pet pick for scrap books - mainly because i have tonnes of photos of them by honing my photography skills on them - only to discover i have naturally shaky hands (good thing am not a surgeon!) and my subjects of interest are sometimes not the most cooperative (like children).

These are the pages i made from the compilation of photos i have of them. I titled the first 'Snoopy' - journally in brief how the wee puppy rambled into life. The title fonts 'SNOOPY' are from digital scrapbook file - downloaded, printed, cut out and pasted.

The second page is titled 'Tuffy's guide to Training the Boss' for 'Playtime' (Lesson 1), 'Dinnertime' (Lesson 3) and 'Bedtime' (Lesson 3). Printed off own printer this page details a humourous real life account of Tuffy's antics - what he would do to get you to cooperate!

The third (and hopefully more would follow later) page is titled 'Snoopy's Strategies to getting Doggy Treats ...' - more humourous accounts of what dog would do to get you to give her treats.

Layout is fairly simple. I sort of ran out of ideas on how to marry detailed journally with assortment of doggy pictures - (layouts are somewhat similar, colour scheme too!). Papers were of the usual coloured 80gsm A4 papers (that you can get in almost any stationary shop) where journal accounts were printed on and then pasted on white inexpensive manila card paper home-cut into 12 x 12 size (you literally have to do everything yourself in my part of the world!). Embellishments were made out of ribbons (my colour sense is still at its infancy stages!), brads and eyelets (my very first set!) and stickers - some given by me best scrapbuddy Jasmine, and some home-made of my collection of fancy paper punchers.

Since we don't have 12x12 scrapbook albums in Kuching nor do we have 12x12 page holders, i made do without the plastic paper holders and looked into the alternative of making my own 'album' - idea sparked off by Jasmine (i remember her briefly telling me that you can hold pages together with rings). It was all rather run - the rummaging through stationary section of a popular bookstore in the city and piecing together the different parts and making it all come together and work! Its not exactly the finest of albums - but i would do for me. :)

There's always something most satisfying about home-made stuff - esp. when its fruits of one's own labour!