Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Scrabble Special Times

This is my last layout this month based on Let's Scrap sketch from last week...the last sketch made for the Design Team to design before we end our four months term since April right up to this finale day of July. There are 16 members in the Creative Team however eight of us are staying for the new term commencing tomorrow while the rest are leaving. It has been an awesome four months 'hanging out' with the inspiring and talented ladies in the team. Nevertheless we are still in the same community and we can still get in touch.
 Aaaahh, back to my double pages talk, this time I scrapped eight candid photos taken by Lili Sulastri who likes to take candid shots :) We were pretty busy that morning of Eid Mubarak 2009 but did take a short break after breakfast to join the children (my newphes and nieces) play scrabble.
...the chevron sketch...
Materials used: My Mind's Eys pp, Kaisercraft rub-on and ink, others from my stash

...some close-ups...



Surely these are the good old days and kinda miss these days sometimes :}
Thanks for visiting me today and stay tune for tomorrow big reveal of my winning application - the DT Call layout for the next four months in Let's Scrap Design Team.
Hugs!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Once Again from Once Before

My term as a Design Team Member for Let's Scrap is reaching its tail on the final day this month..and the good news is the administrators have appointed me for a second term on the Design Team for the next four months! Thank you Betty Anne and Debby for the opportunity!
It's unbelievable how time sure flies. It was great four  months spending terrific time with the fabulous DT ladies who are leaving. I enjoy working together with them and most of all their beautiful work often inspire me in many ways. I know all of us will still be around at Let's Scrap.
I'm positive the new Design Team will be fabulous! Eight of us are staying and we'll be working along with eight brand new girls beginning August 1. Everyone is creative and dedicated scrappers who will inspire and offer fantastic challenges and tutorials until November.
Two days left for reveal day at Let's Scrap for you to see my doubles pages application that have won the judges hearts. Stay tune and I'll be back soon!
Hugs!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Kindness and Paper Lace Tutorial

It's been an amazing week for me besides my hectic schedule, I spend my time between scrapping and shopping for my living room wall. I'm giving my living room a new facelift as I'm getting bored with the same white colors for four years now. Yesterday I bought a paint and the color is "Moon Shadow" {basically, it's a combination of white and grey; it's undescribable, ha...maybe you have to be imaginary about the shadow of the moon, light and not dark, something like that, teeheehee}. Honestly speaking, I'm taking a break from painting the wall to update my blog right now but I just can't take my eyes off the corner I just painted this morning. Will have a special post on that later when I'm done. Aaaahh, enough rambling :)
This week at Let's Scrap, we are featuring a new sketch by DebbyD for the weekly challenge. The Design Team members have came out with amazing designs. Come over and take a look and you can even participate in the challenge by becoming a member! Below is my sample card; a center step card which is my all-time favorite folding technique. 

Here's the sketch.
Materials used: Kaisercraft paper pad, Martha Stewart border punch, Tim Holtz distress ink, flower embellies, digi images, acid free drawing block, ribbon, eyelets and food coloring
The digi images are from TLC. If you are big fan of digi images, TLC offers great images on sale and some freebies as below...right click and save them and be kind enough to give credit to Paulette the owner of TLC :)
Close-up of the pleated paper lace.
Here's my how-to-do-it tutorial :)
{Note: I used acid free drawing block paper for this card. You may use white cardstock or any thick papers that absorb food coloring}
I hope you will give it a try and let me know if you do it :)

I need to resume painting the wall again. Talk to you later and thanks for visiting me again.
Hugs!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Sweetness

Another hot and sunny day and scrapping is all I care to do these days :) I am inspired and motivated to scrap some challenges offered by Colorful Creations this entire month. They have invited Lisa Moen  as Guest Designer this week to design a layout based on a sketch by Laura Whitaker. I enjoyed Lisa's blog and her designs are very inspirational. So today I am featuring my layout based upon the sketch that allows me to enjoy myself printing the four photos of my youngest daughter Afza.  
The sketch looks very simple and clean cut to me yet it took me a moment choosing the patterned papers to go along with the black and white photos until I decided to frame the photos instead of matting them. I love the range of "idea-ology" paper stack from Tim Holtz. Its heavyweight cardstock is extremely perfect for distressing.
Materials used: Tim Holtz idea-ology pp/distress ink, Kaisercraft pp/rub-on/ink, Martha Stewart punch, Prima "Say it in crystals (bling)", Kodomo bridal stamp, others from my stash.   

...some close-up pictures...
I was cleaning my deep drawer last month when I came across a box containing some packets of embellishments and flowers...wow, I don't remember where I have kept them all the while! 
I used glue gun to adhere the faux pearls...beads so to speak ;)
The sentiment from Kaisercraft says:
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
I used acid free drawing block to make the frames, distress the edges and stamp them. I always love the color brown for distressing as I personally feel that it looks good on any color background.
My little girl was so happy I have finished her layout and she wants this framed and adorn our living room wall :)
I am taking a moment to say thank you to my friends and followers who have been very kind to visit my blog again and again, I read all your comments and appreciate you very much.
Thank you for visiting me today and wish you good times always.
Hugs!

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Spaghetti Lover

Today is just my day! I get to scrap all day long despite my normal routine...still have laundry to fold and dishes to wash though...never ending story huh? Nevertheless I enjoy today! Why? Because for the first time I combine artsy and creativity on this layout. I know that sounds normal but for the first time I sort of scribble my title with 0.1 pigment black pen for extra dimension after I filled in the fonts with Copic markers. I often do this on cards, never on layouts.
This layout is made to partake in Michelle's DT Challenge that is still running until Thursday the 12th day this month so hop over to Let's Scrap and check out Michelle's challenge HERE. Michelle only wants us to use our humble cardstock and the only extras allowed are ribbons and brads. What else can I think of except artwork and creativity! Here's my layout...
This layout features my little girl Afza back in May eating my cooking...she loves eating and spaghetti is one of her favorites. The recipe is not mine; from someone else via email. I love to have extra chillies for my spaghetti, hence the photo above.
Pretty sketch by Cheri O'Neill.
Materials used: 12x12 Cardstock, stash of cardstock, Carla Craft and Sunlit punches, Tim Holtz distress ink, Kaisercraft inkpad, Copic Markers, brads, 0.1 waterproof drawing pen and my trusty printer
...some close-up pictures...
I printed the title and color+blend it with Copic; and happily outline the letters and
edges with pigment pen. 
I pleated the stripe of cardstock for the banners.
The keyword here is patience to produce these beautiful paper laces!
The flowers are handmade after spending a while thinking of a way
to create new flowers especially for this layout. Personally speaking,
I named my flowers 'spaghetti', lol.
Here's my tutorial I'm sharing with you:- 
I hope you will try it out :)
My oh my...look at her...smudged...teeheehee. That says mom's cooking is just the best! That said, I wish you happy cooking. Have a nice day.
Thank you for visiting today and big hugs!

Friday, July 06, 2012

Amore

I was sitting in my room thinking of a layout I needed to do for Let's Scrap's DT Denise who hosted a challenge for her DT Challenge recently. She required us to use some black, fussy cut and chipboard somewhere on the layout. I remembered a black and white wedding photo of my Italian pen friend that I had intended to scrap long ago. This is it! I sat down one morning and spent several hours for printing the title and started fussy cutting the title and flowers...took me two days to complete the layout {I was somewhat busy with my kids' sports day at school then so yes, I was interrupted}. I submitted my entry just a couple of hours before time ends. I didn't win the draw though but I'm happy I finally scrapped my friend's photo for my own keepsake.

Cristina Piasentin hails from Genova, Italy, a teacher by profession. I love her friendship and we have been exchanging letters since Y2K {if I remember right, lol}. She's really my shoulder to cry on, a good listener, a warm person, easy going and understanding. The best gift she has ever presented me is other than her friendship is a digital camera "for your craft venture" she said and sent through Fed-ex which I received last June within three days air mail service! It was an unexpected gift.
...the sketch I used for this layout...
Materials used: Sweet Nothings Collection (Kaisercraft), Once Upon A Time Spring Collection (Graphic45), Martha Stewart punch, StazOn ink, Kodomo stamp, my trusty printer

...some close up pictures...
I enjoyed fussy-cutting these beautiful flowers!
This is my favorite part - the hearts are punched from MS border punch. Think Martha
will find me creative for cutting out the hearts after punching the border punch :)
I just printed the names above and the title below...and fussy cut of course!

I can hardly wait to "show" Cristina this layout. She made a beautiful bride. Today she is mothering two beautiful young children and despite her hectic job teaching and housework, she still has time to write me letters. Thank you so much Cris!
Time to go scrapping another layout before school starts next week as usual. Aaaaah, I just want to relax on weekend and scrapping keeps me sane! Have good times!
Hugs!

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Nature Beauty

Hi again my friends and fellow scrappers and crafters! I'm pretty excited to share this week weekly sketch at Let's Scrap and it is about sunburst! It looks tricky and tedious but not! I have made my sunburst by using some remnants, sew them neatly on the templates and ta-da...here's my sunburst layout...
I didn't think twice soon after I saw the sketch. I knew it's perfect for the landscape and nature photographs I have - they are special gift from my German pen friend Christiane Hansel who is the photographer. She travelled to Chile and Argentina in 2006 and captured beautiful nature! I knew the sunburst sketch by Cheri O'Neill will outshine the photos.
 
...this is the sketch...

...some close up pictures...
I love this font "Root" and think it's perfect to depict the entire scenario of this layout.
I love the quote by Aristotle.

Christiane wrote: In the mountains of Corsica...it was a lovely area.
Christiane wrote: Patagonia with its beautiful clouds. It's in the National Park
"Tones del Paine"...great landscapes!
Christiane wrote: It was such a great view. I was camping down there.
Christiane wrote: We were trekking there for two days...it was so beautiful!

Last but not least, I would love to share my quick sunburst tutorial.


I hope my sunburst layout today will inspire you to design your own layout. Hop over to Let's Scrap if you would like to join us and by luck you may win this week challenge!
Thanks for visiting again! Happy sunshine!
Hugs!