PhOtO TRaYs!

LAST MONTH was really crazy… not me ….. those scrapbooking stores here!! Paper Market and Made With Love had 45% off scrapbooking stuff!!!! 45%!! @.@
My scrapbooking friends & I found ourselves A LOT POORER, BuT with lots of NEW stash!! KEKE! I duuno whether to be happy or sad…also my VPOST was open and I had 22 packages delivered! GASP!… only about half of these were mine… but still… I'm quite ashamed of myself, did let myself go a bit there… sighs! Joann, Scrap-Mart, Cropstop, Scrapbooking Warehouse, ODBD… all had incredible discounts!! Yes, it was pretty crazy…..

After all the flurry of shopping and shopping… It was time to settle in with all my newly bought stash and START scrapping… I had always wanted to do one of these photo trays (usu price $39.90!) and with the discounts I was happy to finally gRaB one of these!

I wanted to do a scrap-craft of 2010. Last year, at this time of the year, all my 3 kids were sitting for major exams in their academic journey. It was a time of leaning on the Lord and trusting Him to lead my children in the paths that they might take. As a mom, there were many anxious moments. But then, I'd take these moments as opportunities to draw close to the Lord and tell Him all my fears and worries…. Indeed He is FAithFul! I'm grateful for good results for my kiddo, undeserving of His grace and mercy.

Papers & embellishments are from the K& Company- Blossomwood stack (so love this stack!)
The "love" canvas ribbon was handstamped by Flo! (so pretty!). I thought that Love and Faith were what's needed to bind Family together.

I'm a OrGaNiseD NuT!!

With a growing scraping collection, one just needs to be ORGANISED!!! and yes, I confess I love to arrange and re-arrange my things! My friends who know me well AdMiRE (wiggle eyebrows) and hate me for it! LOLS!

I've been playing with my tim holtz's DISTRESS INKS quite a bit. It irks me that when they are stacked, it's difficult to pull the inkpad you want out on it's own.... so I devised this storage box using a 16 x 23.5 box and drawer separators. I have 20 inkpads and as you can see.... I'm pleased as peaches that everything fit! This is so easy to make! Use it by lying it down or standing it on it's side. Store the ink pads upside down and turn it right side up when using them… sweet!

FinAlly... SOmE CArds

Made this card for a friend who is caring for her father after a major surgery. It is a difficult time for her as he can be demanding and difficult "patient". She feels quite drain..... but His grace is suficient for every trials and circumstances.

Most of my peers are at this stage where we feel very much the "SQUEEZE"; caring for our elderly and aging parents and our growing children and teenagers.... Things can get quite InTenSe!

It is times like these that we cling on to the one who who all things in His HANDS, who is in control when all seems to be about to fall apart!

LATELY, there have been many needs in my circle of friends and Siblings-in-Christ. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed. Then I get reminded that we do all things through CHRIST, who strengthens us! My prayer is that I don't turn a blind eye to what needs doing, that I depend on His wisdom in my doing.

Where I can't be there, I will KEEP the S-I-C in my thoughts and prayers, that the Lord will keep them….
LAST NIGHT, my DD asked for a birthday card for a friend. HAIZ! I know there's nothing in my stash… (hadn't been for some time!) So I stayed up till past midnight to craft-up something presentable… (what things we try to do for our children!! sighs!)
Today, I stayed home to work on my cards, updating some and put together those coloured images onto cardstocks and all the little things that make me happy looking at finished product… Yes, making cards is for ME a time to make myself happy…
I do really need to replenish my card supply….. wished I had more time….

Young BUDDING Scrapbooking Enthusiast

LYNN is a little 9 year-old girl in my church. Last week she very excitedly showed me this scrap page she had done as a front cover for her diary. When I saw this, I thought " O WOW! She's got potential!!"

NOboDy taught her. She just created this page all on her own!
She has the main paper down the center and 2 strips of ribbons to act as a border.
 FLOWER EMBELLISHMENTS/stickers at opposite ends (good balance) and tips of the corner (small flower upper and bigger flower lower!!).
Sticker alphabets for the Title and a picture photo with netting as the matting and 3D effect!! INSTINCTIVE Scrapper... this little one! (can you see why I'm aMaZED?!!)

I love your instinctive approach to creativity LYNN! GOOD JOB!!

Altered Frame

Made this for my friend Sze Fong..... Thanks for having us over to your lovely "green-ery" home for dinner..... ooooo... love the ABC sauce too... thank you much! muah!

For this project I used K & Company Que Sera Sera diecut and acetate. I liked the very 60s feel to the die-cuts! Hope you like it SF!

My Easel Card- Postcard Size

this is my version of the easel card.

The EASEL Card is usually done in the 6x6" size... squarish and hmmmm..... not the regular postage size, so postage will cost more.

I wanted something more regular and easier to get out to the post, so here's my take on it....

I didn't put 3D flowers or pop-up embellies as I haven't thought of a way to send those in the mail without squishing them.... hmmmm..... think......

MY FIRST (sketch) Card

It's been a long while since I've made cards. I tried working on some last week, but everything just didn't look right... I tore up about 5 cards and was feeling rather discouraged......

Today, I was at Adeline's blog and saw the challenge from Card Patterns... and made this simple card. Perhaps I should just start simple and work from there.... Card Patterns is also a great place to start my card making creative juices flowing again..... fingers crossed!!!

Card created using this week’s sketch #107 from Card Patterns.

1. Penny Black's Butterfly Bear stamp

2. Stampin Up Whimsical Words stamp

3. Paper from Spotlight

4. EK Dotted Scalloped punch

5. Ribbon and Button from stash

6. Spellbinder dies ; Labels 2 and Classic Scalloped Oval Large

MY FIRST TRI-SHUTTER ALBUM

I first saw this Tri-Shutter Mini Album (a variation of the Tri-Shutter card) on You-Tube made by Andrea Walford. It is a wonderful idea and so pretty!

I had a great time figuring out how it's done and made one about a month ago. I think I do have a short attention span problem….. after pasting the patterned paper onto each section and decorating the front… I ummm… lost interest….. Left it in the TTDL (things-to-do LATER) file and well just blank-blank…. no more mojo!

Last week a dear friend and her DD was going through a really rough time and while lending a listening ear is what I do most, I felt I needed to do a bit more to cheer them up a little. I made the album into a family scrapbook, included bible verses and pretty embellishments. I hope it will be enjoyed and a source of encouragement to them.

BELATED BIRTHDAY GIFT FRO FLO…..

FINALLY!!! It's finally done!
Flo spent so much time in the midst of all her busy-ness to do this album for me. Very thankful to the Lord for this gift of friendship and her awesome album. Flo and I have known each other about 5 years (?), she was the one who taught Tian and I to make our very first handmade card. Over the years, we bonded over many scrapbooking sessions, shopping (here and online) and crafting sessions.

Snapshots of memories; cropped, matted, pasted-down, embellished, stamped, inked, journal-led… fill the pages of our friendship journey. I pray, God willing, we will continue to have a good journey together……. this side of eternity and that we may run the christian race together, encouraging each other to be faithful to our Lord. Thank you, friend.