Cards

Here's 2 cards I made these past few days (actually I made 3, but I could only disclose 2 at this moment).

The first card is for my blogger friend, Jane Matsumoto's friend, Amy's grandmother, Beatrice, whom is celebrating her 100th birthday this coming September. Amy asked Jane's help in accumulating 100 cards to be presented to her grandmother on her BIG day. So, I'm going to send this card all the way to Canada from Malaysia.

This card uses Sketch #003 from Twisted Sketch, with the twist of a fine bling. If you look at the close-up photos, you could see sort of a dimension in the flowers as well as the butterflies. I've used Ranger's Dimensional Pearls to create that. I'm not sure if that's consider a fine bling, but I will be submitting for the challenge anyway.






Materials: Core'dinations cardstock, Cuttlebug Divine Swirls embossing folder, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Ranger Dimensional Pearls, Basic Grey Porcelain collection die-cuts, and some alphas (I'm too lazy to go search the brand)

The second card is an easy Birthday card. All I did was die-cut and then emboss the four squares using my cuttlebug, sand it, then use foam adhesive for dimension, doodle around it then add in the ribbon.


Materials: Core'diantions cardstock, Bazzill cardstock, Cuttlebug Birthday embossing folder, Cuttlebug Stamp die-cut.

My little artist!

I don't know where Grace gets her drawing talent! Both hubby and I can't draw (or may be we can, just not discovered?!?) For some reason, I found that she's very interested in this area (drawing, crafting, colours) than in other areas, of course, she's also very much talented in singing. You would be amazed with how many song lyrics she could memorized! Well, back to the drawing part, she's always on the look out for my crafting things and will bug me really well to get her hands on it. Yesterday she had a great time with my dimensional pearls (but unfortunately, I don't have photos taken). Anyway, here's some of her recent drawings.

Here's 3 photos of her smiley faces (with body and feet),
which she saw in her Hi-5

Take a guess what this is.

I initially thought it was some kind of a balloon.
Then Grace told me, it's a rubbish bin with a broken lamp in it! LOL

Some layouts to share

Here's a layout on the easiness of Grace clicking with just about anyone (as long as they are kiddies). For some reason, Grace is extra loving to those younger than her. She will care for them, hug them and kiss them. This layout features 4 different kiddo, Isaiah (cousin), Amos (cousin), Fidel (a friend) and Yu Xin (cousin).


Materials: Basic Grey porcelain collection pp, diecut flower using Jenni Bowlin Vintage Black bookprint paper then inking with Tim Holtx distress ink, then using eyelet to adhere to the pp, American craft thicker alpha, darkroom door tag and brads.

Second layout is about Fidel, my friend's Liana's son. The layout document the reason and purpose behind naming him Fidel. Very meaningful.


Materials: Basic Grey porcelain collection pp, the paper company white cardstock, Tim Holtz Distress inks, American craft thicker alphas, Making Memories tiny alpha, Maya Road Boys chipboard.

Crazy Duo

This is a fun topic. Take a guess whose the crazy duo!

Not me, definitely. They are none other than the crazy little girl, Grace and her daddy! When both of them are playing, you will be shocked knowing what they were playing or imagining. Sometimes there's this breakfast cooking and eating (using not relevant items as the food and utensils), horse riding (on daddy's back, sometimes mommy gets to be the horse too), helicopter using the bolster (try imagine how this works!), of course there are many more, which I can't possibly remember.

But there's this one that I must mention. A few days back, both father and daughter were playing in the room, when daddy called out for mommy. When there, Grace showed me her "camera" (which was a rectangle digital game from McDonald's) and how she sets the camera on timer and then run over to her daddy, post (be sure to see her "V" sign), both making the "ti ti ti ti" sound (imitating the beep on the camera) and snap, photo taken. LOL!

So, mommy can't help but bring her real photo to snap these crazy duo (so that she can put together the below layout) and then join in the fun. Make it the "Crazy Family". Hahhaaa.....

(warning to not crafting friends, this portion is purely the details on the crafting side)
Ok, now let's talk on the crafting side. This layout serve 3 to 4 purposes. First (which is the most important one), for memory keepsake. Second, using sketch 002 from Twisted Sketches, thus entering their challenge. Third, using a black background, for the challenge at Color Me Daisy. And forth, I uses new techniques learned from Two Peas In a Bucket Thinking Inking class with Jennifer McGuire, thus also submitting for their challenge. Wow!

Now let's talk a little on the second and forth purpose.

Second: Here's the sketch from Twisted Sketches and the twist for this sketch is to use at least 1 diecut shape. In my layout, there are 3 diecut shape. One is the blue stripes of diecut stamp edges (cut out from a diecut paper); Two is the 2 die cut stamps which is cut using my Cuttlebug.

Forth: There's this free 9-week Thinking Inking class over at Two Peas In a Bucket and I had been following. Part 1 of week 2, Jennifer was teaching this Faux Wax seal and Faux Epoxy technique. So, I thought of giving it a try. You could see the faux wax seal on the diecut stamp at the bottom left while the partial faux epoxy is the one with the heart and word "LOVE". Have not master it yet. Will try on it some more.

faux wax seal

Faux Epoxy (Partial)

Materials: Bazzill cardstock, Making memories NW delaney diecut stamp, Sassasfras Lass Anthem & Vintage Yummy collection pp, K&Company Chipboard alphas, Darkroom door stamp, Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Twisted Sketches

Stumble upon this site a couple of days earlier. It's a new sketch challenge blog, with a little extra twist to the sketch. They'd only started 2 sketches. Well, I decided to play along and this is my interpretation of Sketch 001, with the twist of having some kind of ribbon on the layout.

It's on little Grace, dressing in Cheongsam. She's such a beauty queen, that she's willing to let me put on the button on the collar, without any complain after that. And she even asked to wear the same dress when we want to go shopping, dinner/lunch/breakfast, to the park, etc....grin, grin.
Materials: Core'dinations cardstock, Basic Grey Porcelain collection pp, Basic Grey Porcelain collection alphas, Bloom Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder, Inked with Tim Holtz Distress Inks, red-packets, IKEA flowers

Father's Day Special!

First of all, Happy Father's Day to all!

To show my appreciation to the 2 most important men of my life, I've made a card for each of them.

First, this card is for my Dad. Thanking him for raising me and caring for me. Also, thanking him for the special bond he share with Grace. In the small pocket inside the card, I slot in some cash as an "ang pow" for him to buy anything that he wants.





Then this second card is made on behalf of Grace for her daddy, whom is like a big tree to both me and Grace for us to lean upon. And the sentiment says it all, he's the Best Daddy Ever! (and that little girl there is Grace..hehehe)





Both cards are made with lots of love and *heart*!

Materials:
Card 1 - Core'dinations card stock, Basic Grey porcelain collection pp, Qtea kit vintage paper, Flair Design alphas, Rose Moka alphas, Darkroom Door tag
Card 2 - Core'dinations card stock, Basic Grey porcelain collection, Darkroom Door alpha stamps (stamped, embossed and cut out), lots of Tim Holtz Distress Inks, dry embossing using Cuttlebug

Happy Mail - 2nd

My second happy mail has arrived. Thank you Avina! It's a kit from Qtea, full of special embelishment.

Here's a few photos taken (with "not so good" lighting).

This looks like FUN!

This is what Grace gets to play this morning. The picture says it all!!!









Now, that's what I call Country-Lifestyle!

Thursday

There I go again. Late in my post. Anyway, here's a quickie of today's activities.

I was bidding for a set of 12 packet of ProvoCraft Cuttlebug dies, which ended this morning. Could you believe it? The starting bid price was only US$2.00. It was a tough bidding between a few bidders, whom are all very eager to get these hug lot of dies at such a low price. I've check and if these are to purchased from my local store, it will cost RM1+++! So, last night (or maybe it should be this morning at 3.30am) I placed my bid at US$35.00 and went to bed, with the plan to wake up early to place last minute bid if necessary. Unfortunately, I overslept and only woke up about 10 minutes after the bidding close. And it was sold for US$40!!!! Never mind, save money!

Then Grace and I went over to my parents house. Grace had a blast of time there doing a whole lot of things. Riding on her bicycle (yes, my dad bought her one a few weeks ago), playing with alphabet mats, "repairing" her bicycle (with real screwdriver and spanner), changing the aquarium water (and yes, we bought a few weeks ago), some exercise at the park, hula-hooping, pretending to be animals, and making music. Wait till you see her version of making music.

And as for me, I had durians for breakfast, had durians for lunch and had durian for dinner. Huh?!? I also get some time on the internet when Grace is playing with my parents. One thing I need to note her, I bought her the hula-hoop today. She took it and tried it. Of course she couldn't, and take a guess what does she say.

"This is a fake one!"LOL

Well, we're staying overnight here at my parent's place, so no crafting tonight! And I can't share on the layout that I did yesterday, cause I don't have my camera with me here to load the photo.

But I will leave you with the video of Grace making music (today), her bike and her fishes (taken earlier).

Happy Mail - 1st

It seems forever for this happy mail to reach me, though it's just over a week. Finally today, a ring on the door bell and here's my happy mail. Will see if I get the chance to play with some of them tonight.



And since I'm here, I'm just gonna share on 2 cards that I made for my church (to send out to other churches). For this first one, I played with Distress Inks, used it on the tag and the flowers. Loved how it gives endless possibilities.
This second one, I used Ranger Adirondack Dye Inks (Rust) on my embossing folder and then run it through my cuttlebug (a technique I saw on YouTube). See how the dry embossed patterns shows out!

Grace can cut!

I'd noticed this 3 or 4 weeks ago but had not blog on it yet. Some how, I'm very much at peace to allow Grace to try on the scissors, so long as there's someone supervising her. She'd been introduced to normal as well as decorative scissors at very young age. The process of learning goes on from, having no clue at all on how to hold the scissors, to holding the scissors but staring hard at me on how to make it move, to opening the scissors with both hand and then snap it shut the right way (cutting once on the paper, then tear the rest), to cutting the right way from one end to the other!

A long process it is, but she finally gets there. And today, I tested to see if she's able to follow a line when cutting paper. But she showed me even more! She draw her own rectangle then she cuts out the rectangle all by herself. Grace, I'm so very proud of you! I'm gonna scrap these photos real soon.