Good Times

It's a beautiful weekend with sunrays, soft wind and birds chirping; the beauty of my surrounding allow me to scrap a layout for Laura's INSM12#14 challenge at Let's Scrap. This time I chose an old photograph of my son to do another layout for him on a Timepiece Gears collection from Bo Bunny. I love the vintage look of these patterned papers and perfect for distressing.

Laura wants us to incorporate five recycled items on a layout. Here's my creation:

...here's the sketch I chose for my layout...

Materials used: pp (Bo Bunny), Tim Holtz distress ink,  Kaisercraft ink, stamping (Kaisercraft, Heidi Grace), acid free drawing block, watercolor and recycled items

The surface of the watch is from my  husband's broken wrist watch. One day last year my little girl played with the broken watch and peal off the surface; I thought that's just great for scrapping some day. The rosette is from my son's former school exercise book; I used the brown cover to make the rosette.

The clock pieces are from another broken wall clock. I save them for a good cause! The yellow star is from one of my girl's broken head gear and save on that one too. The brown matting of the photo is also from my son's school exercise book from the previous year. I have also used the hardcover off a drawing block to make the matting for the clock. I had hard time cutting it out with my circle cutter so I used a scissor to cut the circles...only after I have adhered them on the cardstock, my big girl told me she just make a circle from the hardcover with the circle cutter very easily. I was like, "...really, how did you do that?" and she replied, "I changed the blade and it's very sharp!" ...pffft, and there I was struggling with my circle cutter...why did I never think of blunt blade in the first place!

I used the traditional method of splatting watercolors onto white drawing block using old toothbrush and blow away the blot of colors with straw to create lines or pictures. My children saw what I was doing and they helped me blow as well (they have learnt this at school anyway).

The string is from a package from my sister; I simply ink it up. My favorite item is the washer! I always check the pockets of my husband's work pants to make sure it is empty before I load it into the washing machine; and most of the times I see lots of things like screws, bolt, nuts, washer, banknotes and coins. For this layout I decided to spray the washers with black color and used glue gun to adhere them {you can still see the glue gun here; well, I will clean it up later} =D

I have used the back hardcover of the drawing block to make the swirls and ink it up. 

Another swirls from recycle drawing block hardcover to form a heart shape.

This has been a fun project excluding the blunt blade, lol. The best part is getting my children's involvement. They were doing their revision while I did my layout but the kids often come over to watch me so that is why I try not to scrap when they are home but the weekend is just great for scrapping because I don't have to drive them to school and have plenty of time for scrapping and getting lots of distraction too :)

Thanks for visiting today and have a great weekend!

Hugs!

Mom's Passion

Today I spent a couple hours making a layout for Susanna's INSM12#11 challenge at Let's Scrap. Her challenge is based on a bingo chart. It's so great to be given the chance to choose what we like and I chose bling, flowers, journaling and three or more pictures for my layout. It is perfect for my mother who loves flowers especially orchids. She has grown orchids for over 30 years and she knows everything about them; needless to say the amount of money she spent on them too :)

,,,this is the sketch by Debby I chose for my layout...

...and the bingo chart by Susanna...

Materials used: pp, ink (Kasiercraft), Ranger's distress ink, Marta Stewart punch, gem (Momoyo), rhinestone/bling (Say It In Crystals from Prima), sticker letters (Webster's Pages)

...I love distressing...

...I also distressed the photo edges with sandpaper...

...lovely catalya...

...oh yes, Mom is so happy when her orchid blooms...and talk about it endlessly...

...love the bling {love red!}...Mom is so passionate of her orchids...
Thank you for visiting today! You really make my day!
Hugs!

Your Guiding Hand will remain with me Forever

Yesterday my children would like me to make cards for their teachers to celebrate Teacher's Day on May 16 every year. Like every other year, they often ask me money to buy gifts for their teachers, however last year 'Alyaa decided to give 'green plants' in pots {extras from my garden} to all the teachers who taught her after hearing my story {a story I was told by my mother} that during my mom's study era in the 40's to 60's; life was tough and basically the kampong folks worked very hard to make ends meet to enable their children to school. The only way to achieve better life is through education. They have great respect for the teachers for they are the ones who teach the unfortunate ones for free!

The teachers are very hardworking but pretty strict according to my mom. She never forgets how fierceful her math teacher was; the person she respect so much who taught her counting and she's pretty good at it! Mom and her math teacher became neighbors for many years, sadly, he passed away some years ago. She said most poor parents often give the teachers vegetable they grow even chicken for the teachers as appreciation. 'Alyaa thought that's amazing {..."I can save money!" she thinks.). I was excited to know her teachers comments when she got home from school; they loved the green plants also known as 'money plant' because it is a symbol of money luck to the Chinese belief.        

This Teacher's Day, my children want to give their teachers cards! That's it!

I have many challenges to do for Let's Scrap this week so I picked Jennifer's INSM12#10 challenge to make two cards.  

Jennifer's rule is to make two or more handmades (embellishement). I thought since this card is for her special teacher, I decided to combine two creativities between 'Alyaa and me. The focal point is the ribbon flowers which 'Alyaa made herself. She was so happy to see the finished card upon returning from netball practise;
I'm glad :)

Materials used: sentiment (Close To My Heart), distress ink (Ranger's), ink (StazOn, Kasiercraft), stamp (Kodomo), jewelled florettes (Petaloo), green petal (Kaisercraft), pp (Kaisercraft), ribbon and buttons

...this is the sketch used for my card design above...

...........................................................................................................................................................

I love making this card for Anis's class teacher. She said it's too beautiful and chose other cards I have made before for her teachers instead, hmmm. 'Alyaa grab the chance and took this one for her class teacher! Great! 

I made the rosettes last night. I love making them and instead of finishing off this card right away, I made more rosettes to keep since the glue gun is on, lol.

Materials used: pp, rub on and ink (Kaisercraft), gem (Momoyo), buttons 

...the sketch used for my card design above...

Thank you for visiting today and hope to see you again next time.

Hugs!

Sweetest Gift

It was a fun ride to school last week when I overhead my children were discussing among themselves about celebrating Mother's Day! This is not a tradition in the family like we do birthdays every year but it has been commercialised ever since and broadcast all May on TV; they even talk about it with their schoolmates and what more the teachers even tell them to honor Mothers on this special day!

Personally speaking, I always feel that I don't need a special day to celebrate my Mother because she is always in my heart even though we live a distance away. There's a special bond between us and all I need to do is pray for her every moment and just pick up the phone and talk to her. I visit my Mother whenever time allows but deep in my heart I wish I lived closer! I honor my Mother, I cherish her, I respect her and I think of her...still I miss her cooking...hmm. All I know every single day is Mother's Day! She gave me my first breath, she gave me life, she gives me the best, she educates me, she gives me constant advices and reminders (phew), she gave me lectures (hehe), she made me the person I am today...without her I wouldn't be here!

Mothering four children is the best thing that ever happens in my life! I see their faces every single second (and when they are at school, I think of them). I think this is what my Mother goes through all the while...thinking, having fear and doubts yet convinced, hoping, praying and loving endlessly.

I love motherhood {although very tiring but rewarding!}.

This is what my children try do anyway; honoring me in their own ways. After dinner, they did some coloring but only Anis was determined and excited to do her artwork ... "this is for Mommy..." I heard her whisper to her brother. I watched her enthusiast and happiness. 'Alyaa gave her some ideas, 'Arif helped out a bit and Afza played with some crayons. It was great to watch the siblings work together.

I love Anis's creations so much that I would like to share her beautiful art on my blog!

...Anis use crayon and her imagination to create "Colors of My Life"...

...Anis name this art "Hectic Life"...

..."Apple Tree"...said Anis :)

..."Blue Rose"...ini untuk ibu (this is for mom)...

Back to my children's discussion in the car, I overheard their plans to buy me artificial flowers and so I chipped in and suggested they get me real flowers instead! That way we can take good care of it and watch it grow every day just the way we are. We spotted a beautiful sunflower at the nursery and although they have agreed to fork out some money from their piggy banks to buy me flowers, I paid for my sweetest gift from my children, lol. Anis is so happy after we repotted the plant; she said she will look after it {"...and you too Mom"; she promised} forever and ever! How sweet!   

Hope you have a great day and thanks for visiting me!

Hugs!

My Handsome BOY

Pretty busy bee of me the past few days making sure every day life runs smoothly...nah, just kidding. I have been working on three layouts for Let's Scrap and today's feature is my handsome boy's first layout. He is so happy that Mommy has finally created a layout for his album and I'm now working on another layout for him. I confess it's kind of hard to make a layout for a boy but for this one is not so bad because my 11 years old 'Arif today was about a year older in 2002 so the theme is more of funky and bright kid's style.

This layout is made as example for Let's Scrap weekly challenge that runs from May 9-16 based on a sketch by Cheri O'Neill.

Materials used: My trusty printer, Scrapbook kit, Cactus deco set, others from my stash, Micia pigment stamp pad

My son didn't allow any sewing on his layout so without a single thread, I have to think of something else until I decided to distress the edges of the photos with sandpaper. I also love the rows of buttons...that add charms to the layout.

Isn't the bunnies cute {and colorful too}? The stars are super cool. Boy! I wouldn't have done this layout without my sister's bestest gift - you sure know what I'm talking about! Smile =D

Thank you for visiting me today! Happy scrapping and have a great weekend!

Hugs!

Happy Mother's Day

I am so excited and extremely thrilled to host Mother's Day Challenge for [Inter]National Scrapbooking Month at Let's Scrap the happening scrapping site this entire May!

For this challenge, I have set out a rule for participants to maker either a layout and/or two cards. For this post, I am highlighting the cards I have made as examples based on a sketch made by the talented DebbyD who is the administrator of Let's Scrap. Thank you Debby for an awesome sketch. I had so much fun working out my sample cards that I know I can make more.

For the two cards challenge, the themes for Card #1 is shabby/vintage and
the theme for Card #2 is Your Own Style. 

*CARD #1 – Theme : Shabby/Vintage

Must make 1 flower [or more]; store bought flowers can be used for extra embellishment
Must have sentiment
Card size must be 15cm or 6" square

*CARD #2 – Theme : Your Own Style

Must have layering

Must have three patterned papers (the more the merrier)

Must have bling

Must have sentiment

Card size is up to you

...Here's my sample cards...

CARD #1 ~ Theme: Shabby

Close-up pic on my two handmade circle flowers:

Materials used: pp from Kaisercraft, Momoyo paper flowers & bling, Ranger's disstress ink, my trusty sewing machine and printer

CARD #1 ~ Theme: Vintage

Close-up pics on my handmade flowers:

Materials used: pp from Kaisercraft, Ranger's disstress ink, buttons from Prima

CARD #2 ~ Theme: Your Own Style

Close-up pics:

Materials used: pp from Kaisercraft, Ranger's disstress ink, Martha Stewart punch, Momoyo paper flowers and bling, digi image from Free Vintage, Copic Markers

Last but not least is the sketch I've been using for my cards from twist and turn technique :)

Come join my challenge at Let's Scrap! Looking forward to your participation!

Thanks for visiting. Have fun and happy scrapping.

Hugs!

Yester Year

Hi there! It's pouring heavily right now. It's been very hot and humid these days so the heavy downpour is just perfect! May is here and there's no other subject highlighted in May except Mother's Day!! I personally feel that every day is Mother's Day because all mothers {inlcuding me} never ever leave the mothering position not in a single second! There's always something a Mother does. Perhaps when a special day is chosen in May to celebrate Mothers, that is the moment we honor Mothers {and give us a chance as Mothers to relax and free the mind even for an hour or so}.

Over at Let's Scrap, we are celebrating [Inter]National Scrapbooking Month the entire May. The Design Team has been working very hard to make it possible so members can join in the fun and challenges we offer. I am hosting Mother's Day Challenge and my challenge is to make a layout and/or two cards. Sounds fabulous eh! My requirement for the layout is to have punched work somewhere on the layout.

I have made a layout of my beautiful mother when she was 12 years old in 1954. It just amaze me to see how well groomed she was compared to me at 12, lol. I was such a tomboy then!

I have chosen a sketch by Cheri O'Neill for my layout.

{sorry the picture is pretty blurry}

Materials used: patterned papers by Kaisercraft and Glitz, distress ink by Ranger's and VersaFine, Martha Stewart punch, Prima flowers, my trusty sewing machine and printer

Here are some close-up pics:

...my Mother loves flowers...

...thanking Valerie Thorpe for her amazing punch tutorial at Let's Scrap...

The girl on the left is my Mother's youngest child, that's ME! I was 12 then in the year 1984. Do I resemble my Mother? Our slanting eyes perhaps! I am not so well groomed like my Mother at 12 and I dislike wearing jewelleries but we share the same passion for flowers, crafting, sewing, gardening, cooking, baking, interior deco and the list goes on. My Mother has taught me so many valuable lessons in life...she means the world to me...she is my everything!

This is for you MOM ~ Happy Mother's Day!

Thanks to all of you my friends for visiting today. Have a fabulous day! Hugs!