STAMPlorations 3rd Birthday Blog Hop ~ Day 2

Hello everyone! Welcome to STAMPlorations 3rd Birthday blog hop.

It's Day 2 of the STAMPlorations third birthday blog hop and linky party!  I made a simple mixed media birthday card using gesso, modeling paste and watercolors for the background. Then I stamped some presents from Party Mates Dees Artsy Impressions stamp set and fuzzy cut.

 

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and if you comment, share, like, and/or link up here's what you could win:

PRIZES

All prizes will be randomly drawn using Random.org

Prizes for commenting on the STAMPlorations blog and STAMPlorations designers blogs:

THREE (3) winners of $25 gift certificate

SEVEN (7) winners (1 per day) of $10 gift certificate

Prizes for liking, commenting, sharing, and tagging a friend on the STAMPlorations Facebook page post: 

TWO (2) winners of $15 gift certificate -- 1 for the commenter and 1 for the friend she tags in the comment

Prizes for creating and linking up a party/celebration/birthday project:

ONE (1) winner of Kathryn’s Big Wishes stamp set

ONE (1) winner of CUTplorations word dies (winner chooses 3 from 10 available)

Thank you for dropping by and enjoy your hop

~Good luck~

Hugs and smiles,

Spread Your Wings @ STAMPlorations

{My DT work for STAMPlorations}

Hi everyone! Sharing another project for STAMPlorations Sunday Stencil. The designers have created wonderful mixed media projects to inspire you. Take a peek here.

Well it's very hardly of me to to create this kind of art journal pages with 'maximum' white spaces if I can say that. Normally I leave minimal white spaces because I love to play with watercolors on my project but this time I'm challenging myself to highlight certain areas for depth and leave more white space so the eyes can focus on those highlighted areas.
What say you? 

Some up-close pictures:

 I started  by gesso-ing the pages and let dry for a while to continue with applying modeling paste through pebble waves ARTplorations stencil. Most of the time I like to air dry my work but can't wait to mess it up with watercolors so I used heat gun to dry it up quickly ensuring I didn't blow up bubbles because that is one technique and texture I love doing when using heat gun {lol}.

 When the surface is completely dried, I started stamping using trendy birds 2 stamp set on both sides. I adore the graphic designs on the birds and surely will use these birdies many times in my future projects. I also used patchworrk frenzy graphic pentagons stamp set to stamp random patterns for a little more depth and interest.

I did say I wanted more white space in the beginning but felt it was empty here and there so I added circles by rubbing ink pad onto bubbles ARTplorations stencil to fill up some white space. Told you I'm not really a white space girl...heehee.

So that's it. Hope you like my work this time and really appreciate your comments.

Thank you as always for visiting me and will do  my best top return the favor.

Have a good week ahead and stay happy.

Hugs and smiles,

Explore The Unkown {Journal Pages} @ Digistamps4Joy

{My DT work for DS4J}

Hi everyone! I have a new project to share with you today and this is part of my design team work for Digistamps4Joy's new digistamps release. To see what my fellow teammates have created, please visit DS4J blog.

I have made a mixed media journal pages using Journal Page - Corner Doodle image drawn by Jen Lee. Click here to take you to DS4J e-shop.

Here's my creation:

Supplies used: DS4J digital image, Devian gesso, Alpha modeling paste and watercolors, Kaisercraft stamp, STAMPlorations stencil & stamps and Micia brown ink pad

Some up-close pictures:

Hope you get some inspirations form my journal pages.

Thank you for dropping by today and wish you a great Sunday.

Hugs and smiles,

Art Frame & Tutorial @ ARTplorations

{My DT work for ARTplorations}

Hi again! 
Thank you for visiting me today {smile}. I'm sharing with you a tutorial today and this is the last appearance of my how-to for STAMPlorations & ARTplorations blogs.

 I did a little piece of simple art work on a wooden frame using few basic ingredients.

Before I proceed, I'm saying my apologies for the blurry image because I snap the photos from my smart phone indoor during heavy rain. El-Nina phenomena cause unpredictable weather last few weeks thus we get continuous rain for several days. Despite weather, my compact camera died! Meanwhile I have been eyeing for DSLR camera and haven't made a conclusion to purchase which one yet. So please bear with me, thank you.

This is part of the process by applying gesso all over the frame and elements. You may be interested to see how it is made. Please click here to take you to ARTplorations blog to view the full tutorial.

 And here's a little close up once again. 

I sincerely hope you have enjoyed my quick and easy tutorial at ARTplorations and thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for dropping by.

Hugs and smiles,

Me & My Piano {Perfect Moment} @ STAMPlorations

{My DT work for STAMPlorations}

Hello everyone! Like I mentioned earlier, I was on vacation and had this post scheduled for June 5 before I left but when I'm back to find this post is still scheduled. Erm, wrongly hit the date, that's why. My apologies to some of you who may have visited STAMPlorations blog and came across Stencil Sunday #49 and June Mixed Media Challenge post yet unable to link up to my blog. 


Without further ado, here's my newest scrapbook page of myself for the first time in grungy mixed media form to suit the lady standing in front of her piano with additional bits of vintage element to depict the vintage dress I wore that belongs to my Mother in the 50's.

Here are some close up pictures:

The sentiment: "Life is like a Piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it"; that is so true.

The Yamaha Piano is my prized possession; the most incredible gift from my parents for my 12th birthday. My love for instrumental piano songs begun during music lesson at primary school. I watched Miss Lee the piano teacher played the piano in the school hall. Her fingers ran smoothly from one key to another. My backdoor neighbor's daughters shared a piano and I loved listening to their beautiful performances playing mostly Richard Clayderman and some Mozart, Tchaikovsky etc. 
Sigh, I could only dream...and a dreamer I was. 
I never thought in my wildest dream ever that my beloved late father notice my interest in piano. Perhaps he did because he used to buy me ABBA records and cassette tapes when I was younger. At 7 I own my first ABBA record a gift from my father who knew I love Chiquitita and I Have A Dream so much. That's how I was influenced in music in the first place.
Nevertheless life wasn't easy in those days but my father knew what's best.
It was such a delight to step down from the school bus to hear someone played the piano. It was my middle sister. The piano arrived! It was unbelievable because I never ask for it. I began taking lessons at Yamaha School of Music but got bored in the first two weeks or so because firstly, the teacher was so fierce like a lion and secondly, all the elementary songs were completely boring! She kept circling the notes on the music sheet when I hit the wrong key {brrrr} and kept telling me to practice...practice...practice...as if I didn't {pffft}. She did step on my foot when I didn't press the pedal at the right note {ouch}. I finished the elementary book in just a week and the week later she wrote down a few first grade books I must buy. I practice non stop until I got bored. Music lesson was just once a week. And I had to keep practicing the same music notes every day. How boring! 
One day the following month my back door neighbor borrowed me the third grade books her daughter used. Maybe he must have been listening to me playing same junior songs every day and might have been bored listening to {teeheehee}. My sister Lili helped me photocopy the notes at the shop...those were the days unlike today one can easily scan {smile}. The first song I started to learn on my own was Fur Elise that was meant for 3rd grade student. I went beyond and practice Richard Clayderman's famous Ballad pour Adeline; the instrumental my backdoor neighbors always played, the one I dream I could play if I had a piano. A self learner studying the higher notes was tough but I didn't give up. It took me days of practice until I was able to play half of the note, I admit the chorus was even tougher and took me a month or so.

My sister bought me a few more instrumental piano books of pop songs including sentimental evergreen songs. She used to get me notes from her friend who taught music at her university.  He said I was gifted! Such sweet compliment from Mr Phang {smile}...correct me Lili if I'm wrong but I think that is his name right?

But of course, being gifted alone doesn't promise a certificate in music. One needs knowledge. I sat for 1st grade exam both theory and practical. I passed! Thanks to my ferocious piano teacher who hit my fingers with pencil when I played wrongly or step on my foot when I made it erroneous and once threw my piano book on the floor behind the piano because I didn't play with all my heart.

Looking back, it almost brings me tears because my parents made my dream come true. In those days only the wealthy can afford to buy a piano whereas my father was just a sole breadwinner who worked hard to give his five children the best in life, education is one of them.

If you are regular visitor you may have known by now my love for heavy duty layering and distressing Tim Holtz Ideolody collection is just awesome. The flowers are handmade using Sizzix dies and butterflies are Swirlydoos freebie. 
I used STAMPlorations patchwork frenzy graphic pentagons to stamp underneath the flower cluster for interest. I applied some texture paste through square links ARTplorations stencil to create random patterns around the layers.

So if you wonder why this layout is grungy is because of my positive and vigorous attitude that I believe in myself that I can play the piano on my own and I didn't want to let my parents down especially my dear father.
Then of course my mother's vintage dress will always remind me of her youth and hard life to make ends meet and ensuring there were food on the table for my four siblings and I. She still keep this beautiful dress and I would love to have it since I can still maintain my figure {chuckle}.

The awesome challenge at More Than Words attracted me because it is so inviting where "messy" is my favorite thing to do. I drop watercolor paints here and there for more depth.

I adore the mood board at Mixed Media Place. The combination of colors are perfect to depict my layout in the first place.

Then of course I can't do without this sketch at Scrap Club that kick start my project:

That's it for today. And don't forget to post STAMPlorations badge when you submit your entry before the month ends.

Thank you for dropping by today and hopefully you have enjoyed the musical part of my life besides my love for art {smile}.

Take care. Have a nice weekend.

Hugs and smiles,

Today @ TTCRD

{My DT work for TTCRD}

Hi everyone! Wish you all well and happy. I'm fine and doing good after having a sweet vacation with my family last weekend followed by homecoming to visit my Mother. The school holidays is coming to its tail and none of my kids are in the mood to kiss their school desks again {lol}. I shall have my normal routine once again but this month in a different mode and mood because we are fasting this Ramadan and that what makes July quite special to me.

So today I have here a tag I made for TTCRD {Through The Craft Room Door}. We always bring you Anything Goes challenge every week. Take a visit here to see what my teammates have created to inspire you. 

I used several elements to make this tag which you can find more information in the upcoming TTCRD online magazine. Click here to subscribe if you are interested.

My apologies for these blurry close-up images. I just have a feeling that my compact camera is soon to die! It has been with me for four years and of late the lens often get stuck. I shall be hunting for new compact camera and DSLR next week so wish me luck.

That's it for today. Thank you for dropping by.

Hugs and smiles,

Create Art Without Fear @ STAMPlorations {Special Stamp Release Hop}

...STAMPlorations ~ "Big Bloom Factory" New Stamp Release...

Hello everyone! Are you ready to join our hop? Yes? You may stand a chance to win the new stamp set if you do. Sounds easy huh? Just hop and leave comment.
Click HERE to take you to STAMPlorations blog.

I have created an art journal using the gorgeous stamps.

This is the stamp set that will be yours if you are the lucky winner!

I hope you have enjoyed hopping from one dt's blog to another and be inspired too.

Hopefully you like my art journal this time. Until then.

Thank you and have a good day.

Hugs and smiles,

Love Your Smile @ Scrap Africa

{My DT work for Scrap Africa}

Hi everyone! Happy June to each and every one of you! Hoping this mid-year brings you lots of happiness, good health and prosperity. I'm enjoying the two weeks school semester break with my children at home so far. In just a few days we will go for real vacation. The kids are pretty excited {count me in; smile}.

Today I bring you my newest creation designed for Scrap Africa. A new challenge is up and this month is all about colors and inspirations from a mood board. Please click here to view more inspirations from the design team.

Here's my layout:

 I love these beautiful colors from this mood board but however I got to be honest {chuckle}. While playing with water colors, I got carried away as my focal point was the photograph. The colors of the building attracted me much more and ended up applying more darker orange instead of yellow like the lemons below! 

More up close pictures:

 Can't do without butterflies as always. They are from Swirlydoos which I printed and fuzzy cut. Love doing it during leisure hour.

 Lots of distressing and layering from leftover Kaisercraft and Prima patterned papers. I simply used blunt scissor to distress the edges and leave them as is.

 Erm, another confession: I stole this photo from my sister's instagram shot last week {BIG grin!!}. I love this beautiful tranquil photography of Lili's daughter she snapped at International Islamic School before Zahra' went on for her language oral examination. I'm such a sucker for bricks and the arch looks so pretty to me. I needed a photo that match the mood board but don't have any. I remembered this photo I saw some time back and knew this is perfect for the mood board. I went ahead to download from my sister's Facebook account and printed right away...huh! I mentioned to her I stole a photo the other day! She had no idea until last night I showed her a sneak peak of it. I'm still waiting for her remarks {surprise surprise, lol}. I'll be seeing Zahra' next month and I'm sure she'll be so thrill when I give this layout to her.

Loving this sketch from Paper Maraca that I used for my layout:

 That's it for today. You have one whole month to create and get your entries in by the end of this month. The sooner the better. Take care and have great moments always.

~~~~~❤~~~~~
Updated on this day February 1, 2017:

I was just browsing my work over at Finnabair & Friends Facebook group and this layout I shared over there received overwhelming responds from Finn's members that I wish to copy paste in this post for my memory {smile} and share with you in blog land:

Asmah Zainal Abidin

June 1, 2016

Hi everyone <3 Sharing my newest creation for Scrap Africa :)
http://qinaahanaartsandcrafts.blogspot.my/…/love-your-smile…

33 Comments

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217Paulina Monasterska-Tronina, Nadine Carlier and 215 others

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Djamila Khiter Beautiful!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 5:40pm

Danielle Metier J'adore superbeSee Translation

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 5:44pm

Kathy Grey Gorgeous! Love the colors.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 5:46pm

Andrzej Pękocki

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 5:53pm

Elizabeth Robinson Beautiful <3

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 5:57pm

Carol Findon Oh I SO love this! Absolutely beautiful Asmah! Cx

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 6:28pm

Sanda Reynolds Glorious ❤

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 6:33pm

Luciana Warnowski Lovely!!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 8:01pm

Pat Agnew Oh I so love this, the colours are so awesome together. You did a wonderful job on the gorgeious layout. Thanks for sharing this with me.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 9:24pm

Lydia Guijt Gorgeous layout!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 9:30pm

Kathy Mosher This is such a beautiful lo!!! Your colors and composition are amazing!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 9:55pm

Lillian Kristiansen LOVE it <3

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 10:26pm

Helene Huber so beautiful, Asmah Zainal Abidin!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 10:28pm

Mandy Leever-Koel Beautiful layers, colors and textures!♡

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 1, 2016 at 11:48pm

Alicia Vega So beautiful!!! <3

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 3:10am

Jane Kirkham Beautiful, I love all the layers and colours you've used.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 8:28am

Martina Litterio Love these colors, so beautiful.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 8:34am

Laura Rucker absolutely beautiful!!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 11:39am

Jill Urlwin I love everything about this page, it is simply stunning! <3

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 3:10pm

Peggy Giovanetti Stunning!!!!!!!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 4:30pm

Lisa Novogrodski Beautiful! Love the colors!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 5:42pm

Jennifer Olek Snyder Stunning amazing perfect

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 7:27pm

Anika Paldi Oh so pretty!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 8:15pm

Heather Thompson beautiful!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 2, 2016 at 8:41pm

Paula Scrap Caixas

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 3, 2016 at 12:17am

Wendy Downes Beautiful, love the colours.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 3, 2016 at 3:12am

Vel Craft Beautiful. .....

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 3, 2016 at 3:12am

Danhibou Créations

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 3, 2016 at 3:27am

Cindy Coven I love the torn edges the layering and color combo. Beautiful

Unlike · Reply · 2 · June 3, 2016 at 7:14am

Julie Brichetto-Thompson Yes,me too! At first I thought it was raised paste or glue.Great job!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 3, 2016 at 5:36pm

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Asmah Zainal Abidin I humbly thank each & every one of you for taking the time to like & leave comments ♡♡♡ Gunn-Eirill, Cindy, Jennifer, Debbie Sherman, Debbie Cook, Debbie Burns, Alicia, Marta, Georgie, Nicole, Kathy Mosher, Kathy Montgomery, Kak Long Lili, Eila, Maka Art, Luciana, Sanda, Valia, Yasmina, Andrzej, Djamila, amy keenan, irene gil, missy miller smith, Julie Brichetto-Thompson, Olga Kolov, Sue Dobbs, Shani McCulloch, Cindy, Sam Crowe, Sahra Scrap, Theresa Grdina, Ortega Kartia, Tina Carpenter, Dawn Verge, Peggy Oliver, Danhibou Créations, Wendy, Vel, Suzie Harris, Nadine Carlier, Renske Lambrechts, Satu Kontovouri, Corrie Herriman, Dweezil Kelly, Snehal Borade, Lisa Romero Landry, Roni Plumridge Anderson, Christy Brooks, Catania Cindy, Jessica McFall, Debra Hardy, Anika, Ewa Szubra, Janina Taljaard, Maayan Leizer, Michelle Kern Thum, Peggy, Jill, Sarah Marshall, Elen Artcrafts, Natassa Blazaki, Sherry Walker, Siiri Viljanen, Julie Lachaux, Rhonda Copley, Laura, Sandy Lange, Karen Smee, Tsukasa Nozawa, Ilene Tell, Susie Martin, Christina La Crafty, Barbara Hassed, Karen Alridge Osborne, Shirley Manuel, Rabia Dakam, Jane, Farrel Tailor, Vicki Tickel Vance, Fay Mcandrew, Patricia Jauregui, Christine Scott Williams, Mickie Bellack, Robin Lee Milam, Fatima Ishfaq, Sandrine Lefranc, Norah Collins, Naomi Dawn Adams, Izabela Weron, Sandi Larson, Isabella Meilleur Morin, Christine Gachet, Malin Scheier, Mildred Perez, Helen Hapsi, Alinda Whitehorn, Lia Walsh, Sofie Druyts, Jane Errington Taylor, Leeanna Dante Kirby, Susan Young, Shelly Vollstedt, Brenda Phillips, Agnieszka Pasieczny, Mandy, Emma Van Ursel, Nancy Duguay, Jenn Cascell, Janet Davis, Fatima Khan, Velichka Zheleva, Chantal Schindfessel, Patricia Dyer, John Creighton Petersen, Lisa Erickson, Anna Kaczmarek, Marlene Soneson, Helene Huber, Jackie Clark, Lillian Kristiansen, Alla Petra, Gloria McVicker, Barbara Jane Rempel, Julie D.Richards, Christelle Gui Mauve Scrap, Pat Newman, Mayoori Jain, Abigael Langow, Yasmin Tolche, Natalie K.Mabry Lewis, Cathie Finnerty, Lydia Guijt, Pat Agnew, Angelique Rabusseau, Bettina Kleijer, Isobel Kerr, Julie-Ann Deere, Julie Klawon Loeschke, Migbel Guzman, Heather Thompson, Ana Picolo, Valerie Desseaux Andrieux, Tracy Sagriff, Patti Angelina, Fernando Masiero, Rae Moses, Tania Ridgwell, Danielle Metier, Kathy Grey, Sharon Reed, Mia Clarke, Alison Williams, Aurelie Zambaux, Wanda Bascombe, Elizabeth Robinson, Sam Sparkes, Linda Walker, Rosana Monagas Mendoza, Ulrika Karlsson, Chi Pan, Jenni Nilsson, Sigita Grunte, Katy Loichot, Stania Muzikova, Carol Findon, Nicole Knopke, Elise Smithson, Suzna KH, Kylie Cornish, Anguree Jansen Van Rensburg, Georgina Dragomanu, Isabel Rute Martins, Carole Dion, Nadia Duparchy, Karen La Fontaine, Therese Dahl, Tracey Thorne, Matilda Fab, Helenr Michiels, Ola Khomenok, Karen Hemel Hobbycreations, Liza Williams 😊💙❤💙

Like · Reply · 8 · June 12, 2016 at 5:13pm

Elizabeth Robinson <3

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 12, 2016 at 6:30pm

Kathy Grey OMG, I can't believe you listed all of us! 😀

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 12, 2016 at 7:45pm

Carol Beckett Gorgeous! ❤️

Unlike · Reply · 1 · June 12, 2016 at 8:55pm 

Thank you again for stopping by and happy days to each and every one of you.

Hugs and smiles,