Mother's day greeting cards

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...!

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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!