My Zen Garden and Baby Nettie Flower Tutorial

Aaahh, been busy the entire week and oh my, June is saying good-bye...time sure flies! Many events took place throughout the month and I am pleased to say I have completed some missions even though I fail some of the listed things to do; aaahhh, can postpone to July! Anyway, today I would like to present a layout of my daughter's zen garden. Woo hoo, sounds cool huh!

This ultimate layout is carefully designed for my tutorial assignment at Let's Scrap on June 22. I have created my flower named Baby Nettie. Here's the layout...

This layout is an interpretation from a double pages sketch by Cheri O'Neil. I used the left page for my layout.

The fun part is decorating the matting with flower sequins although it's pretty time consuming but it gives me a chance to relax my mind and 'create' my upcoming layout!

Some close-ups:

The title is printed and fussy cut!

I just adore the sequins!

I have to share my dear friend Kay Wallace's comment over at Let's Scrap regarding this layout:

"I love the seriousness and determination on Anis' face, Asmah! I also love the garden of flowers that you have created here as mini embellishments for all your shapes! And, of course, those handmade perky petunias are particularly pretty! ;-)"

Thank you Kay for your lovely comment! Very much appreciated!

Last but not least, I would like to share my Baby Nettie Flower Tutorial. Please enjoy and hoping you will find time to try it out!

...here's my tutorial...

Thank you for visiting today! Have a flowery weekend!

Hugs!

Little Gymnast in the House

I did this layout for the weekly challenge at Let's Scrap last July 6. Phew, only today I manage to post it here, man, that shows how busy I've been since mid-year! Anyway, talking about this layout I'm featuring today, it's about my little gymnast, nah, she's not a gymnast, just playing around before bed time. 'Alyaa was about a year older then (the year was 2001). Having a flexible body allows her to bend downwards; oh my, that doesn't hurt for a young person I guess. I don't think I can do that anymore. All you hear is crunchy sounds if I do so :) 



This double pages is based on a sketch by Cheri O'Neil, again another fantastic design! I like the banner hanging over the top.

...some close-up pictures...

I printed the title and cut them out. I admit I'm a big fan of fancy fonts =D

Materials used: pp by Creative Imaginations, Kaisercraft and Webster's, my trusty printer and embellishment from my stash.

Isn't it time for some stretching? Take time out and exercise okay. I hope you will have a great weekend today. I'll be back soon!

Hugs!

Altered Bottle

It was my dear friend's birthday on the 4th day of June and I made her a special gift! It didn't take me long to think because I know what she loves so I decorated an empty glass bottle with duplicate postage stamps from my collection that I normally swap with my penfriends. I adorned the bottle with some ribbons, lace and flowers. Finally I applied coating over the postage stamps.

I was inspied to make an altered project from Let's Scrap DT Denise who offered an Altered Project Challenge during [Inter]National Scrapbooking Month previously. Her challenge was to use postage stamps for the altered project. Unfortunately I was too busy myself with my own challenges back then to take part. In the end, I spent some moment and designed this gift for Asnah's birthday.

...and here's the back view...

...the top view...

...close up...

...the birthday lady...

I felt so happy the day I gave Asnah my art project. To see her smile and happiness simply thrills me. I'm so glad she likes my handmade creation.

I am already thinking what to give her next, lol. We both love crafts a lot and can talk about it for hours and often inspire each other. Such a great friend!

Thanks again for visiting me today. Until then, have a great weekend!

Hugs!



So Dear To My Heart

Over at Let's Scrap, this week weekly sketch is designed by DebbyD. My first intention was to make a card as I know that is meant for a card and because I love cardmaking, I thought that was a great design. However, I changed my mind the other night and designed a layout instead!

I have always loved the photograph of my German penfriend Christiane Hansel which she gave me in 2004. I have never scrapbooked my penfriends's photographs but this time around, I decided to do just that! Christiane and I have been writing to each other since early 90's until now. She's a registered nurse by profession and what I like best about her is her true self, understanding, easy-going and her positive attitude. Above all I admire her bravery for travelling the world all by herself and yup, she spent 9 months alone in Chile if I remember right. I love her letters too; she doesn't write a page but pages and pages of her diary and stiry life as well as her reponse to my questions...yes, she write down her letters in contrast to my typing sometimes, lol. We both love exchanging nearly 25-30 pages of letter each way.

Christiane came to Malaysia in March 2005 and the meeting was awesome. My family and I spent a day at KLCC and two nights at my sisters before we took her to KLIA for she was heading back to Dresden where she lives.

  

This layout features Christiane in Siberia. She's an avid traveller who travels the world and treks alone and with group of friends on long summer holidays.

At the back of photo, Christiane wrote:

"At the lake 'Baikal' (frozen, in the background) with the lovely Siberian dogs.

Lots of love, Chris"

(Siberia, March 2004)

There's something special about this photograph; I love the way it is captured and the love shown by her cuddling the dogs. Just fabulous!

...here's the sketch by DebbyD...

...a great sketch Debby!...
Materials used: Brook Collection patterned paper by Crate Paper Inc, Martha Stewart punch, Kaisercraft inkpads, Momoyo stickers, My Mind's Eye twine
Here are some close-up pictures of the layout...

I punched four strip of acid free drawing block papers and inked up the egdes with similar colors. 

I used minimal embellishment so that the photo gets center stage! I am looking forward to hearing Christiane's comment on this layout :)

Hop over to Let's Scrap if you wish to take part in the weekly challenge.

Until then, have a great day my friends!

Hugs!

Have a Sweet Birthday

Hello there my friends and crafty bloggers! I've been away for a superb vacation and totally away from scrapping the entire week. That explains my m.i.a! It's great to be home but of course, I have to tackle on the house first before I can really sit down comfortably and scrap; which I haven't done yet; there's just too many dust and cobwebs all over the house to get rid. Not only I vacum and mop, I moved furnitures as well; needs new change this mid-year and brand new me, lol, but I'm still the same humble person inside and outside...perhaps added some kilos during the holidays :(

Aaah, enough rambling. Today and for the next few days I want to feed my hungry blog with cards and layouts I did last month but wasn't able to post to my blog because I had to leave for vacation. Here's a creation I did for Stacey's May challenge at sketches4all based on a sketch below.   

...pretty sketch...

I made a center step card for this challenge.

...yummy cupcake eh...

...freebie from TLC (thanks Paulette)...

...thanking Julie for her cute digi design...I fill in with Copic...

The bee and the flowers are telling me that it's time I mend my garden so until then, take care and I will be on my way here pretty soon.
Hugs!