Best Tradition

Hi there. I know it's the wrong time of year, but I was searching through my embellishments box when I stumbled across a Prima wooden Chinese doll that I forgot about. Of course, I then had to find my Chinese New Year photos to do the layout. Non Chinese papers, but I think all the reds pull the layout together to give it that festive vibe.

Best Tradition

 I love all the reds in this layout and the grey stripes that break up the redness so it's not too over powering. Chinese New Year is all about flowers, so I got out all my red flowers for this page. I love the festiveness of the photos, especially the bottom one with the lion.

 I love the clusters of different flowers and textures. I also had some vellum phrase stickers and used them as the title.

I bought the Prima doll primarily for a CNY layout and used Zig Clean Color markers to colour in the doll and other wooden accents. I stenciled in red molding paste on the background before placing my photos. I kept the resin butterflies neutral so it wouldn't be too distracting.

Products Used

Papers from Kaisercraft Storyteller collection

Lace stickers from Kaisercraft

Wooden doll set, large flowers with yellow centers, resin butterflies and flower stencil from Prima Marketing

Red velvet flowers from Petaloo

Title vellum stickers from Momenta

Other flowers brand unknown

And now it's off to Macau for the weekend. Bon Jovi is playing and I can't wait to see them. It's going to be a trip down nostalgia lane.

Thanks for dropping by and happy weekend,

Coolest Manicure

Hi there. It's been a return to hot stickiness here after a couple of weeks of glorious fall weather. I am so ready for winter to come already. Thank goodness for air conditioning, that's all I say.

Anyway, enough of my griping. Here's my layout, done this Thursday.

Coolest Manicure

I love the white brick paper which came with pre-printed hearts in the corners. I based the layout on a sketch I found on Pinterest, which I can't seem to find again. For some reason one of the gold foil hearts turned up black in the photo, but you can see the gold colour in the middle photo. I captured the pictures just before I had to take the polish off and Miss C was being silly about it.

I die cut the polka dot blue hearts and placed them around the page. I also fussy cut the flowers as accents.

For the left side, I cut out some phrase tickets and also added a gold phrase sticker to balance out the gold on the right side. A simple page to highlight the cute nail photos.

Products Used

Papers and title stickers from Simple Stories I Am collection

Gold phrase sticker from Heidi Swapp

Gold polka dot vellum paper from American Crafts

Pink arrow washi tape

Thanks for dropping by,

A Day of Frolic

Hi there. How was your weekend? Saturday, Miss C went for a sleepover with her good friend while hubby and I celebrated two separate birthdays in one night. Today Miss C competed in a swimming gala - no medals but she did her best and enjoyed it. That's all that matters.

I completed this following layout on Thursday but didn't have time to post it.

A Day of Frolic

The papers in this collection are so exceptionally gorgeous, it was hard to choose which one to use but I finally settled on this blue bird paper.  I added a subtle texture with clear gloss gel with a chain link stencil. I then added a flower stencil pattern with molding paste for a second dimension. I then brushed on some water colours to make the flowers pop a bit more.  The photo is one my favourites, taken at the Vancouver picnic. I love how her eyes and just a bit of smile shows through the pom pom.

 I think I used up three packs of flowers for this layout - roses, hydrangeas and an assortment pack. Just couldn't stop.

 I fussy cut some tea cups for this corner. I love using bling swirls around the page.

 For the chipboard filigree on the left of this picture, I gessoed and then added layers of water colour and distress paints. I also brushed some gesso on the flowers to mute the colours.

Products Used

Papers from Blue Fern Studios Frolic collection

Chipboard flourish from Blue Fern Studios

Flowers from Prima Marketing and Marion Smith Designs

Bling flourish and stencils from Prima Marketing

Distress paints, various colours from Tim Holtz for Ranger

Gesso, gloss gel and light molding paste from Golden

Water Colours

Thanks for looking,

Dream Big

Hi there. It's time for another My Creative Scrapbooks sketch challenge. This month my kit came a lot earlier than usual and it always comes with a preview of the sketch for the month, so I was able to get an early start on it.

Dream Big

 I am absolutely in love with this kit and had been eagerly waiting its arrival since I saw the sneak peeks. The patterns, the colours - all so pretty. The photo was taken in Vanvouver this summer.

 I love fussy cutting and this was a nice flower to cut. I added some pretty lace to soften the separation of different papers.  I also fussy cut the gold title from a journaling card.

I fussy cut some banners from one of the patterned papers for the banner details on the sketch. I love the stack of books and the typewriter button is just too adorable.

I made up some sentiments with the word stickers that came with the kit and added a little bit of whimsy with the cute little bird perched on the title.

Products Used

Papers, die cuts, flair buttons and stickers from My Mind's Eye My Story collection

Lace and twine from stash

Antique linen distress ink from Tim Holtz by Ranger

Thanks for looking,

Time To Learn

Hi there. Miss C has been back in school for one month now and everything has settled back into a routine. I finally got some new school papers and wanted to complete a simple page. School pages can be a little repetitive and it takes a bit of imagination to keep them fresh, so I always try to find an interesting collection. I used just one paper pack for this layout.

Time To Learn

 The papers are cute and I love the dictionary paper and flash cards in this collection. The photos were taken on the first day of school, but it seems I should have blocked off all the shoes on the floor for the first photo - LOL.

 The flag is so cute and I had to have that on the page. I inked all the edges with ground espresso distress ink, which is my new favourite dark brown.

The school bus is just adorable and I wanted a clock to tie in with the title about time.

Products Used

Papers and stickers from Echo Park Teacher's Pet collection

Ground espresso distress ink from Tim Holtz by Ranger

Thanks for dropping by,

My Loves

Hi there. Hubby is so notorious for not smiling in photos that it's become a known joke among family and friends. If a photo crops up where he does smile, everyone will have some remark about it. Don't ask me why he does that - he's not a grumpy person. Once in a while, he will crack a small one and that's when I can finally get some good photos.

My Loves

I love the deep, deep blue of the background paper and how everything else just pops off the page. I wanted to build in a diagonal, so I started at the top right and worked my way down to the bottom left. Not the most smiley photo but I do love this photo of my two favourite people.

 I added a cluster of stickers to the bottom left corner to balance off the page.

I love the sentiment stickers and how the lime green Thickers really pop off the page.

A touch of whimsy with the clouds.

Products Used

Papers, stickers, chipboard from Bella Blvd Color Chaos collection

Enamel hearts from Doodlebug Designs

Lime green Thickers and jumbo heart clip from American Crafts

Blue cardstock

White ink spray by Dylusions

Thanks for looking,

 

HK Memory Chest Kit Club - September 2015

Hi there. How is everyone with their crafting this week? We finally got our September kits after some shipping problems, so very sorry for the late reveal.

Every September, we start with a travel kit for those photos taken during the summer holidays. Even if you didn't go away, this kit has enough for non-travel layouts too.

September Kit 2015
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper – Journey
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper – Tourists
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper – Discover
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper – Adventure
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper – Good Times
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Puffy Stickers
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper Die-cuts
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper Wood Veneer
Imaginisce Happy Traveler Paper Clear Stamp – Plane
Project Life Rub Ons
Shimelle True Stories Buttons
Bella Rouge Frayed Flowers
Paper Clips – Feet
Niche Foam Stickers – Hello World
Buttons
Charms
Feathers


Here's the sketch for the month:

Amazing View

At first I wasn't too sure about using a whole sheet of cameras as the background, but now I love it. The photo was taken on our cruise ship through a glass viewing platform, looking down from deck 9.

I cut circles to place behind the photos and free hand cut the striped scalloped papers. I love the gold rub-ons which pop out through any patterned paper.

I added a cluster of embellishments to 'anchor' the photo. Love the gorgeous feather that pulls your eye up the page.

Cruisin'

In comparison to the first layout, this paper is pretty clean and neutral with a postal border. I love the red journaling card as that is so true to cruising - it really is taking the scenic route.

I lightly gessoed the background before adding splotches and splatters of blue ink. I love the embellishments that go with the kit.

The die cuts and foam embellishments pull the page together.

Icy Straits

I wanted more focus on the photos so kept the page relatively embellishment free. These photos were taken in a tiny little nature reserve where we got to walk under the magnificent pines and ate the largest, freshest crab claws I've ever seen.

I kept a side border for journaling and the title and just a couple of small embellishments on the page.

Again, I did some smooshing with black and yellow distress inks for the background.

Lucky Biz Class Travel

For this next layout, I framed the white cardstock with the light blue aeroplane paper and smooshed in a light blue spray. We were lucky enough to fly business class to and from Vancouver and it was Miss C's first time. She looked so small and cute in her flat bed seat and she enjoyed every minute of it.

I added gold rub-ons on the pink ticket and inked the wooden globe before adding a sticker on top. Love the big plastic mirrored aeroplane to complete the page.

I added accents in all for corners and love the foot paperclip. Pretty random, but so cute.

Paddle Boating

This time I used a light blue cardstock and added some blue stenciling and gold ink splatters before layering on my papers. We went paddling on seacycles. Tough work but the scenery and wilflife we saw around us more than made up for it.

I kept the accents to small little clusters and concentrated on the journaling instead.

 I added a sentiment die cut and stamp to the rest of my accents.

Here's some of the layouts from the other DT members:

Stay By Me by Erika Lui

The World Is Like A Book by Erika Lui

There Is A Great Big World Out There by Belly Lau

Amazing Day by Belly Lau

Sweetly Disney by Belly Lau

 Adventure by Belly Lau

Pack Your Bags by Belly Lau

Discovery Bay Crop 

14th September (Mon)

10:30am - 12:00noon

Hosted by Grace Wong

Chai Wan Crop
15th September (Tue)
12:00noon - 1:30pm

Hosted by Belly Lau

Tuen Mun Crop
19th September (Sat)

2:30pm - 4:00pm
Hosted by Belly Lau 

 

Looking forward to seeing you at crop.