The dreaded bit ....

...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 ...

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

... 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 ...

... 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

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 ...

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

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. :)