My book of ideas

I was digging thru my documents cupboard and found an empty file.

I thought to myself, what a nice file and not wanting to put it to waste, my head started brewing. It went wild with ideas. If I may illustrate it, it went ecstatic and the creative juice was gushing out.

It first started off with the intention of compiling cards and mini albums that i have done. Sometimes I have raw ideas that I have yet to get

my hands on and I usually put them aside. So I thought by filing them so I can go back and work on it later.

And then I went to another step of getting tabs to separate the raw materials.

Tabs for cards, tabs for albums and tabs on basic stamping. Tabs for colouring. Tabs for those that I have embossed.

And then I went on wanting to decorate even the tabs.

And it went further on decorating the file. And then I thought why not make a book of ideas where I get to decorate everything?

I might want to compile the stamps that I have and the ink pads sample.

Great idea~!

My paper collection. Insanely addictive!

Tis is the season

Scrapbooking made easier!

I love this baby because it create great fun with people during events. People get excited with their photo taken and they can get it right away. The images are clear and according to rightful resources, it can last for 5 years and still going. Trial and tested.

Great for travelling and events.

A bit pricey to maintain on the film.

Anyhow anyho, I am lovin it~

Paper flower

Sorry folks for MIA. I haven't been blogging for a while now and reason being, besides busy filling up the shopping carts due to the crazy sales, I have been getting my hands on the EK Success Whale Puncher that I recently bought.

To make a grunge flower (Definition of grunge = dirt + beautiful), you will need glue and flower puncher.

Punch out 3 flowers from a cardstock. A patterned one will be ideal. I used a plain one to practise and to try out first.

First flower, cut off one petal. Second flower, cut off two petal and last flower, just fold it into half and snip the middle. Second flower would create a two petal and a three petal.

On each flower, glue one end to the other. The tough part would be the two petal and you might need to make crease. It's fine.

Curl each petals.

Glue three petals onto five petals, pushing it to end. With the snip, it will open up, securing it. Snip off the cone for the two petals so that it will not jut out when glue onto the three petals. Lastly, also snip off for one petal to glue it in the middle.

This should be the outcome. They turn out brilliant!

I even tried it on glitter paper. They are thicker making it harder to curl but they turn out sturdier.

Ta daa~!

Hero Arts Debut Party

Hero Arts 2011 debut party was held from 17th Dec to 19th Dec and it was mad.

I head down on the 18th Dec in the morning to start my queue to qualify as the first 10 person for Hero Arts 2011 catalogue. I was the second to arrive! I have been looking forward to the catalogue! I've started collecting Hero Arts Catalogue since 2005 and I can't tell myself to stop since.

On top of that, I got myself a hero arts wood block flower stamp. Yipee!

That day itself, for my lucky dip, i got a stash of more wooden blocks and they are so lovely! I got whimsical designs and I am looking forward to get my hands on them.

There were make and take activity whereby whatever you make on the day, it's your s to keep. And the most exciting of all would be the lucky draw. Everyone get to walk home with something. From stacks of cling stamps to wooden block stamps! It was a fun event and I look forward to attending one the next year!

Loving the catalog. Loving hero arts~

Baby Kokuyo

Guess what I found today?

A dot liner baby kokuyo! I couldn't believe that they would make dot liner in such tiny sizes.

They are so cute and tiny. Comes in pink and orange colour, simply irresistable~!!!

I believe it's suitable to stick tiny items, although a little difficult to maneuver. They made storage easy, ideally in pencil case. Mobile but non refillable.

Just gotta have it. It's so cute!!!

I love Maya Road

I got a heart shape Maya Road Chipboard recently without any idea what am I going to do with it. I like it blank in grey and sometimes I am caught staring at it for hours, turning it sides, tilting my head to the sides.

I enjoy the freedom what I can do to it. I can make a string of banner with it or to make an album. The cover is scalloped while the insides are straight, I saw a sandwiched cookie with cream in the middle. I decided to make the in between darker, chocolate creamy colour. On the cover, I picked white polka dot. The tricky part is pasting the paper onto the chipboard. The insides was a breeze while the cover was rather handful. I went to bed at 3am.

I used emery board to file the sides, giving it a rusty look. I dabbed red ink on the sides with the sponge and I repeated on the front and back for each cover.

Hit the bed with fingers and palm in red smudges.

Scrapbooking project

This Christmas, with all the sales happening, I have been stacking up with papers and more papers. I figured out that I should start using them and then I can go out to buy some more!

I recently dug out my photo album and sent them to the photoshop to develop. The danger of clicking is that it can end up with discounts because you have hit the bulk purchase.

I ended up with 100 over pieces of photo.

I decided to work on a family project as my brother's birthday is just around the corner.

The one thing about scrapbooking is that you need large images compared to card making. Any image is good image. I used to have a huge piece of rubberstamp that I can never find reason to use on.

I enjoy scrapbooking because the images does not need to be relevant. You can get away with sticking from photos of dogs to a piece of clock, it still works.

Kokuyo adhesive tape

I have been using wet glue or double sided tape on photos and they can be rather messy. Especially with overdosed glue that spreads out. Worse when they leave a black mark when you try to wipe them off. Lastly, wet glue cringe the paper.

I was recommended Kokuyo by a craft sales person and I thought I gave it a try. The one thing that I like about it is that it is refillable and the price is reasonable as compared to others.

It's a great craft adhesive as it's dry, not messy and easy for storage without having to worry the glue will dry up. Just drag and lift up to break the tape. Best part is, when you want to make adjustment, it's easy to peel off without damaging the paper. Voila!

I love it so much that I even stocked up the refill and I have been looking for excuses to stick anything and everything.

Simply loving it~

Christmas card contest

I recently submitted my card for a Christmas card contest and I ve won third prize!

I used corrugated card box as cover and cut it into 6x6 with the slicer. I ve realised that it's quite easy to cut corrugated cardbox. Just two swipe on the cutter.
I was contemplating to paint or to cover it with patterned paper. I am not very good with paint and I was afraid that sticking patterned paper with wet glue might give a wet grubby look.

Painting will result with lots of work so I chose paper using double sided tape.

I stuck patterned paper on all sides, leaving half of centimetre to cover the sides.

I have limited Christmas stamps, hence I had difficulty creating a theme that flows. So, I categorize indoor creatures and outdoor creatures hence you see polar bear outside and mouse inside although both of them are carrying presents.

Embossing has been my favourite thing to do and nothing beats the sense of satisfaction watching the powder puff up with the heat gun.

I ve embossed them in black outlines, liking the shiny effect and feel. It looks like a window peeping into christmas activity inside the house. There's a tiny mistletoe above the little girl who is kissing her teddy bear. The tedious part was cutting and colouring the tiny lightbulb and sticky them onto the string.

Now, what do I do with my prize.

Handmade wedding invites

One great way to get a perfectly customized and one-of-a-kind, unique invitation, is to make it yourself.

Making your own wedding invites can be so much fun especially when you get to customize it to your own preference.

Unlike those ordinary pre designed cards, you get to choose the materials and buying them in bulk might actually cost lesser.

Use rubber stamps to create fabulous and affordable invitations. With just one stamp you can create an entire branded wedding stationery set to go along with your wedding theme and colors. It's ideal for mass production.

This wedding card uses Hero Arts Couple Doll and it is embossed with tsukineko gold embossing powder.

The tedious part was having to emboss and cutting the shape consistently. The heat gun worked very hard for this project.

I layered the card with tracing paper and tied a gold ribbon around the card. I am a sucker for tags. Can't help but to put one on.

Inside Revolution

Over the weekend, as we were hanging out on our creative table, I was trying to use my revolution tool to tryout my newly bought embossing folder.

I arranged the paper in between the folder, put it between the platform top and a mat labeled 'embossing'.

I was a little skeptical when i put on the platform but looking at how sturdy revolution appeared, I put utter faith on my much loved machine and start cranking the roller. It

went fine until halfway, it just wouldn't budge further.

Panic, I started cranking twice as fast but it simply wouldn't move!

-Putting into the freezer thinking that the platform would shrink - tried and failed

-Hammering the platform (out of frustration) - tried and failed badly. Platform got dented

- Soaking revolution, paper became soft - tried and nothing happens

At this point, I wanted to give up. Finally, we looked for the well

hidden screws and cranked open up the revolution. We took

pieces and screws out carefully and I manage to get the folder out. Revolution is saved!

Moral of story is, please do attempt to force when there only that much thickness revolution can take.

Also, please do not attempt to chill, hammer and soak revolution when there is a jammed paper inside because it does not work!

The paper and folder that got stuck

Not only hammering doesn't work. It creates dent and disfigured the platform.

Must have

I believe that as a beginner in scrapbooking, many would be very asking this question:

Where do I begin?

This look like an expensive hobby and I do not want to get myself hooked.

And it looks as tho I will end up needing alot of those expensive machine and fancy tools.

Rest assured, we have all gone thru this stage - not knowing where to start.

Basically, get rubberstamps set by the theme. A good set to start with is Birthday theme sets. Anything that has birthday cakes, presents and confetti will work fine.

An example , Hero arts clear stamp sets are good investment as they are affordable and they flow together in a theme. Mostly, whimsical.

Start with having a black dye ink pad. It's the base of all basic.

(my all time favourite ink pad, versafine - black)

And finally, white paper so you can stamp away!

After which, rubber stamps collection will start growing on its own eventually. I still look back and wonder how did I end up with so many.

It's the best hobby. Addictive

*wink

Wishlist

Everyone would definitely have a wishlist. It's a must.

Like how a girl always wanted to marry a tall dark and handsome prince.

(Now, rich is good enough so that we get to splurge on rubberstamps)

I stumble upon knowing that there is

a new set of making memory tool kit and I knew instantly that I ought to

have it.

Besides the point that I already have one. They do wonders on enhancing the outcome of the artwork.

This took kit II comes with 18 pieces

• Paper piercer
• Stylus
• Hammer
• Craft knife
• Setting mat with 3 hole punch
• 3 eyelet setting tips
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Universal glue
• Emery board
• 4" x 4" setting mat
• 6" metal ruler
• Storage tin

I was formerly introduced to making memories through their colourful eyelets. These beads like looking are a must have to create loose adhesive on papers. I personally like to whack them on papers with their cute little hammer but Li Shan likes to use them as deco. Either way, they work great.

Passion

Today, we have finally made up our mind on deciding what to call ourselves - I MADE IT.

We made a long list to name our passion while trying to describe our whimsical characters.

Please also do not underestimate the word 'passion'. It's strong enough to make a person to go bonkers knowing a sale is approaching. You are unable to sleep, can't eat and makes your heart palpitate about something, that is what we would describe as passion.

It's enough to make you go excited when you feel the presence. Makes you all cozy and fuzzy inside. Makes you feel sense of security, just having it close to you.

That's how we have felt when we think of arts and crafts. We can never step into a shop without buying something. And when we do, we start brewing on our creative juice to create something out of it. Our heart beats faster and almost nothing can stop of us from feeling happy. Sheer bliss.

It's amazing that something simple can makes us feel this way. That it has overtook us to start this blog and to share the countless sleepless nights we have with you.

Who we are

It all begin with 2 innocent teenagers becoming friends and what turn out to be buddies for life.

How we have accepted each other differences and influence one another on perspective of lives. And that was when Li Shan has decided to rub on my shoulder about rubber stamping. I couldn't imagine anyone would be addicted to stampings and apparently we are hooked! We are also highly attracted to papers and have decided to create from cards and scrapbooks for our friends and families.

We are still fighting on who has influenced each other more and continuously blamed the other person for emptying our life savings.

That was how the craze has begun.