Saturday, December 22, 2007

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year


Well, finally we've moved to a new place - shifting stuff is almost done, I still have a few things to clear from the old house. It's amazing bcos we've moved stuff from 2 houses into 1 - it's a good thing I have the room in the loft which has a small store room connected to it. Otherwise I would not be able to be close to all my craft supplies. I love my new room - it has a nice ceiling with exposed wood, an English touch I suppose.

For the past 3-4 weeks in prep for the move, I've been assembling furniture and shelves - yup, I'm the "handyman" in the family. It's been hard work - I still need to put in 6 doors on the shelves. Apart from that, everything else is done.

To all my friends and visitors to the blog, I wish you a wonderful Christmas and another "good" Year ahead. It's been a tough 2 years for me since coming home, but I promise myself next year will be different! I'm certainly going to see Barcelona whatever happens and maybe a few other places if time permits.

Have a good one!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Live in the Moment....


Recently, despite my busy schedule trying to juggle part-time work, packing & getting ready to shift to a new place and selling my works of art at a local bazaar, I've spent every single spare moment I have on my computer. As I mentioned, I've bought e-books over the internet and finally had a chance to look at them. Here's a simple collage I learnt today. The poppy flower was taken at a botanical garden in Auckland earlier this year and the quote "live in the moment" really reflects how I feel right now.

Time flies so quickly and I'm learning how to appreciate every moment I have - with people, doing the things I love and just living the simple life...

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Flowers - my favourite subject


It has been a while since I last blogged. Been busy with lots, getting ready to move into a new place, lots of packing up to do, buying some furniture, etc...


This week I've been busy downloading stuff from digital scrapbooking websites - buying kits and e-books to improve my Photoshop Elements knowledge with the hope to be able to produce better layouts. But I have not had time to read the books! Typical, isn't it?


Here's some pics taken in Penang - mad search for flowers back in Feb. Every place I visit, I try to take the local flowers to fill my album of flowers of the world...

Friday, September 28, 2007

Snow in March


You can see I'm starting to get going with my travel pics. Here's another - a picture of Amsterdam in snow. This was back in March 2005 - I've never experienced snowfall which lasted a few days. It was nice to walk when it's snowing... but certainly not when the snow starts to melt. It was super slippery and I had to go out and buy a new pair of boots to keep my feet warm. A pity it was not Christmas but it sure felt like it was. I had a good time!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Scotland


I visited Scotland in May 2005, had only 5 days to see as much as possible. It's such a beautiful place and full of castles and abbeys. One of the most spectacular ruins was in St Andrews - it was a significant place in history. It was also where the story of Chariots of Fire was birthed....

The Hiding Place - Haarlem, Netherlands


Continuing with my collection of travel layouts, here is a historic house in Haarlem, near Amsterdam. Corrie ten Boom was a daughter of a watchmaker. The ten Booms lived in the house above their shop. It was a 3 storey house, and during the 2nd world war, the family helped to hide many Jews and other folks who needed a shelter from the Nazis. The visit to "The Hiding Place" was history coming alive! Over the years, I have read many of Corrie's books and often wondered about the town where she lived. My brother and I stumbled upon the house one day when we stopped by Haarlem. Took another 2 visits there before I could actually tour inside the house. Do visit if you go to Amsterdam, it is worth the trouble aside from the much publicised Anne Frank's house.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Travel Page


After some lazy time, I did this layout for a friend who wants to visit Shanghai. She wanted me to go with her, but of course, anyone who knows me would know why I would not be keen. Nevertheless, not to dampen her enthusiasm, I sent her this layout to show the beautiful night life at The Bund...

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Cards made from Stamping




One of my favourite stamp company is MSE! Here are 2 cards made solely from MSE! stamps - Friends Always set and Sentiment Stems set. Their new rub-ons are great as well - I love them. The cards are stamped using Colorbox Queues, Versa Chalk and Brilliance.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Mini album and card




It was my old pal's birthday on 8th August, and I didn't have time to make her anything. So I thought I should make up for it, and made a mini album for her to put her daughters' pictures - maybe as a little brag album. I made a coordinating card as well for her. Old friends are really worth it!

Friday, August 3, 2007

Sweet Projects





I was clearing my room over last weekend and found some projects which I made earlier this year at the winter show in Anaheim. The two which are shown here are mainly tags. The Mom & me tag album is rather sweet - it has hidden pockets for journals and room for pics. The other mini tag album is made of chipboards by K&Co, equally sweet.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

CHA Chicago Cards














































My sis and I went to the CHA Summer show in Chicago. We had a swell time, but absolutely tired out walking from 9am till 5pm daily at the show. I attended the Hero Arts plus HOTP workshops plus various make & takes during the show. Had lots of fun seeing all the new Christmas products and trying the various new items. I came home with LOTS of rubberstamps and despite the long flight home and the baggage delay I was happy! Here are some the cards which were made - all Christmas themes.

Cards n More Cards







Back to making more cards - my first love in papercrafts. A friend wanted to send a card to a friend who's just had a baby girl not too long ago. So I made a simple card for all in pink. Used a rubberstamp to stamp the heart and cut out, rub-ons and patterned papers.


Another card is made for a friend who lent me a book to read. The lettering was from Hero Arts' stamp and punch out flowers with little gemstones.

The last card is made on Parchment paper, using stencilling technique - basically painting with your finger! The waterlily is done with stencils and water soluble crayons. The borders are embossed and perforated and cut out. This is a Pergamano technique - and I'm a qualified Pergamano International tutor, I reckon I'm the only one in this country. Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Digital Scrapbooking


I've been inspired to start Digital Scrapbooking. Maybe this is the best solution to stop buying all those papers n embellishments that take up so much space and makes my room a mess!

Here's one of photos taken in Anaheim Disney back in Feb this year. I was there for the Winter CHA.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Never Enough Time in a Day

Classic, isn't it? Why is there never enough hours in a day to do everything I want done? I realised I have tons of photos but I've only completed 7 pages in my scrapbook! Started last year, trying to document my favourite pics of the European cities which I have visited over 2003-2006. Well, like I said, I've only done 7 pages. Sad! There's so much memories in my head and to scrapbook them would be a nice way to remember, as the capacity in my head needs to make way for newer impressions in life. I shall have to get onto it. Of the 3 years spent in Amsterdam, I've only done 2 pages. Lots more to tell... visits to various places in Netherlands, Ghent, Brugges, Antwerp, Athens, Corinth, South Wales, Edinburgh, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, Copenhagen and Paris. Maybe I've seen more of Europe than Asia where I live!

Friendship Bracelet


I'm never satisfied with just cardmaking - I'll try my hand at any craft which I think I can do. My latest craze is making Friendship Bracelets. My bro bought me a mag while in UK which featured how to make simple bracelets. So after almost a year, I thought it's time to learn it. I made a couple of bracelets yesterday and thought hey, they might look good on a simple card. So here is one of them. The card opens up to a folded message in it. Since, I'm also learning how to use my Photoshop Elements, why not print something unique onto the message. Enjoy!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Spring blossom card


This card was created with a magenta stamp, and the HOTP swirly doodle template. High quality colourfast pencils were used to add colour to the stamped image and the swirly doodles.

Another passing in the family

Early Sunday morning 10 June 2007, my uncle passed away - his heart simply stopped. I have not seen him for a year, it's sad because of all the uncles I have, I would say he's the closest one to my siblings and me. We affectionately call him "Daddy" together with his kids. The name stuck till now, and in our memory he will always be "Daddy".

I watched an episode of Oprah recently on Elizabeth Edwards and how she explained she didn't want her son ( who died in a car accident at 16) to be forgotten. It was important to her that his 16 years on earth be remembered. I think that is so true - our lives should never be unimportant to those around us, and the message of each life should live on even when we are no longer around.

My "Daddy" somehow has meant something to me, and to my siblings. My sister has a beautiful memory of him taking her out to pick fruits, making her feel she was important and special. I will always remember his laugh and his even-tempered personality. Days of running around in the field in front of his house, despite cobras having nests nearby, kite flying and picnics at the beaches and waterfall.

Yes, his memory will live on in my heart and I will not let the fact that he lived be forgotten. I will speak of him and will tell about his life to people who cross my path. My brother told me they sang his favourite hymn at the funeral service - What a Friend we have in Jesus. I think how appropriate, because as God has been our "Friend", we live to be a friend to touch another's life.

Thank you, God, for my uncle's life!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Friendship Book


This is a book I made in the shape of a tag. It's meant to be a book with friendship quotes as a present for a friend. It's very easy to do and filled with pages in various yellow and green papers.

Back to card making











I've been out of action awhile, lacking motivation to do anything. Finally, yesterday I managed to get down to doing what I love most - cardmaking. Here are some of the cards I managed.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Life questions...


Yesterday my cousin's husband's body was found in the wilderness-a weekend hiking that went wrong. It's really sad and I feel so sorry for her. A young child now has also lost a father.
I think of the pain she has been through as things weren't very rosy but I'm sure she never imagined this outcome.
Life is so uncertain. And yet, we just have to live through it-the decisions we make today will impact our many tomorrows. But how do we project into the future to know the best decision to make today?
I guess the answer is to make right decisions in as far as possible. And if we take a wrong turn, we need to find our way back and make the best of it. Just some courage along the way...

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" - John 10:10

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Finally a DR in the family....

Every parent in my mum's generation yearns to have a doctor in the family. So, yeah, my mum was the same. She only has one son and she had hopes he will study medicine and become a doctor. My brother used to tell her,"what a boring life, to start and finish your day asking how a person is, where it hurts, etc". That was his perspective of a doctor's life.

Well, finally, her dream is being fulfilled, not in the way she expected...My brother is coming home today after 3 long years of doing his PhD. So he's the family's only Dr! I tried reading his thesis but boy, I think not in a million years can I ever write or produce something like that. So, I'm not the "brilliant" one ok. I just love my craft, singing in the shower and taking silly pictures with my camera....

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Paisley designs




In January, I qualified as a Registered Pergamano Teacher, not sure if I'm first in this country! My sis has been saying I should be doing something about it. I don't have time to teach students (also not sure if they can afford the tools - sigh) so I thought perhaps designing cards would be best. I'm not a patient person, so here's one which I made for easter.

Baby Book


A friend of mine had a baby recently. I wanted to make her something but stuggled cos I'm not a baby person. Then I remembered there's some baby rub-ons from my recent trip to the States. So, I got started, and here is the result. It's a book which the mum can add in pictures of her baby, add her own comments, etc. There's 12 pages in total and 6 tags which can hold additional pictures. I had a lot of fun doing it.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

An Inconvenient Truth

Earlier this evening, 2 friends and I decided to watch Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. I wasn't too keen on the movie but I thought yeah, why not. I thought I would be a little bored, I mean how can information on global warming be all that interesting! Well, I ended up enjoying the show - and of course, the popcorn - yummy!
I think the facts are clear that due to increased population and the stress we have inflicted on the environment, global warming is worsening. There were many evidences mentioned in the movie, of particular, the changing weather the world is facing - extreme heat, hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes and the melting of the Artic and Antartic.
Yes, I personally experienced the extremely hot summer of 2005 in Europe - many folks died in France, UK and Netherlands, they were just not prepared for the heat. In my visit to NZ last year, the weather was really odd as well - in fact here at home, we are seeing thunderstorms so bad unlike before. So, yeah, I'm convinced.
It is mentioned that as the ice melts, this could mean a 20 feet rise in overall sea levels - it will flood many places near the coasts. Many cities which are densely populated such as Shanghai, Beijing, New York, etc will be affected and this could cause many to be homeless, not to mention the damage such floods would bring.
I reckon everyone needs to see this movie to learn what the effects of global warming and how to be responsible to protect the world we live in. A quote at the end of the movie sums it all, "If we believe, then we have to move our feet". No sitting on the fence, no waiting nor denying our ability to make a difference.
For more information, visit www.climatecrisis.net

Monday, April 9, 2007

Travel Pic Question...


Can anyone guess where this pic was taken - which city?

10 April


Hi. Finally managed to sort out my browser settings to allow posting again. Yesterday I visited the Performing Arts theatre. It was an eye opener - hearing the founder share about how the theatre started makes me ponder about success. I guess it is not about how much money one makes but about how one can make their dreams a reality. Well, I'm passionate about craft - so what dreams do I have about it? I don't know.....

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Introduction

Hi - I'm new to blogging. Have read lots of blogs before - just created my own today. I'm a huge craft fan, love to create new things every day. Wish I have more hours in a day! Will post more later...