I didn't disappear to some caves!

hi friends, some of you are wondering what happened? Where did I disappear to?

I wish I could tell you I was whisked off to St. Barts and sipping some cola on a beautiful beach.

No!

I was lying on a hospital bed........... on NEW YEAR's DAY! What a bummer!

Well, I was very sick since Boxing Day.....shoo.... I miss all those post Christmas sale. 1st bummer!

Then the next 7 days were spent at home, moaning from the body aches, the shivers and the high fever. Yes.. it went up to 40 degree Celsius...... (American friends, you got to convert this to F). Went to see doc but the medicine didn't help.

Then New Year's Day, I went weak, breathless.......... off to the A&E (equ to ER) of my local hospital. Blood pressure very low..... heart beat weak... breathless.... not good signs.

Took blood tests, chest X-ray.............. they immediately put me on a drip... first to hydrate me.... then some antibotics drip to get to the viral infection. Then a put on a oxygen tank to help me breathe!

After hubby settled the adm procedure and came to the ward... he went "Wow.. this is serious".

Doc came with a chirpy voice "You've got PNEUMONIA".......... wait... I can't even spell that!

No arguements... you got to be in hospital for a week!

A week! That's hell!

So that's my story........... what a start to 2009! What a wake up call for me and my health!

I was out within 5 days, which means I am recovering..... GOOD thing!

Thank God I brought my humor along.... while fighting the viral infection... some days on the hospital bed, i dreamt of sipping a ice cold orange juice. I think I may be too dry in my throat and the fever too high......... so... my hands stretched to reach for that drink........

Then reality came in "Mdm...... hold that hand... I am going to take your blood pressure."

hahaha.... I was reaching my hand to 'take' that drink..... the nurse caught hold of my hand......... LOL! She woke me up from my dream!

Along with that.... I was still dreaming of my ice cold lemon tea.... no amount of bribes could get someone to bring me that.

My mom (in her Chinese Cantonese fashion) pronounced "No cold drinks for a month... let your lungs rest!".... oh my goodness... I am dying! She is already thinking of the traditional Chinese Medicine to feed me! Yucks!

So, for a rough start to 2009, I made this LO to remember this BIG start!

Just nice... OLW word up is "START" so I did this one.

"Not exactly a good START to 2009"

using all my fav Webster Pages papers..... i did a Purple Onion stamp at the top.... a music note... did some fake stitching with Doodlebug rub-ons. I love that curly paper which house my journaling and title. Love it so much!

Journaling: 01.01.2009, I ended up at ER@ my local hospital. I had been sick since Boxing Day, high fever, shivers, pain all over my body. The dread continued for 7 days till New Year's Day. cannot breathe.. too weak seriously... this is no joke. Doc said "Pneumonia"... hooked up to a drip, IV for antibotics..... worse... need a oxygen tank to breathe. NOT EXACTLY A GOOD START to 2009. Spend the next 5 days at the hospital. More determined ever to start

- my vitamins regularly

- my exercise routine.....ok...ok.. brisk walking counts...LOL!

- listening to my body. If I'm tired, I need to rest.

- laughing more.... I'm way too intense.

Well, a rough start does not mean I will live like that.

For the next 360 days ahead, it will be good.

A healthy start to a good, mental, emotional & physical well-being.

That's my wish fora start.

I will end 2009 better and well!

Christmas Project

Finally I can post these pic of my Christmas Project. I taught this project for my LSS(MWL). I can only post it after the final class last week. I had lots of fun with thisproject.... the concept, the colours, the techniques. Using Basic Grey Wassil papers..... a house template which I construct out of plain flat chipboard. I love that 7G door knob. Gotta get more of these. Inside this 'house' an album... made of felt. I forgot to take the pics. Will add soon. This side of the house, I added a heart charm. Just hanging there. Love it.

This side of the house has a Christmas tree (I draw that on chipboard and lay that red paper on it).... pop it on pop-up glue dots. I cut out some 'presents' from BG wassil papers. I gold emboss the star with Rangers Ultra Fine gold. Lovely colour.

All sides of the house has this 'vine' (stamp emboss with Autumn leaves swirls). Love the effect. Then I rub Distress ink over the emboss image... to aged it further.

Oooo.. this is my fav... the created the 'scroll' by stamping with a Tim Holtz stamp..... pasted it onto a corrugated board. I treated the corrugated board with glimmer mist. Tie the scroll with twine. Love the shabby chic effect. I house some journaling inside the scroll when you untie the twine.

Front of the house has that lovely 7G door knob. The words "love, joy, peace" are stamp embossed with MM Magnetic words stamps and Ranger "Tinsel Red' embossing powders. This red gets me weak in the knees. It has that glittery sparkle!

Next, I cut a 'wreath' from one of the BG papers.... and emboss with UTEE.. to bring out the motif.

See those blobs of 'snow'... ooo.. that was a Tim Holtz technique from his 12 tags of Christmas.

I created 'snow' with a variety of technique besides using Tim's idea.

I stamps with dots stamps with white ink.

I driped candle wax over the roof... oh... you got to be steady with this. You dont want to burn this house down! LOL!

Then I rub silver stickles over the roof (to mimic the glistening effect of snow)

Of course, this green BG paper (roof) was much cleaner... I distress it with walnut ink, paint.. to rough it out a bit more.

For each panel of the house, I tear, wet and curl the papers... see the red stripe part... then I ink it... love love the distress look.

Have a BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

LO for YSS + a little project

I did this LO with Prima "Peaches" papers, Petaloo flowers, Hambly, Prima Felt Alphas, lots of stickles. Had lots of fun with this!!!! (Sorry, this LO has been removed for publication in FEB 2009 issue of Scrapbook News and Review) With the left over scraps from the papers, I use it to make this 'flower'. Saw this at Kenner Road project. Rub-ons (JOY) from Luxe Designs. I like this box from Prima............ Charis decided this gift box should 'house' a beaded necklace for her beloved Children Min pastor. Done! All stuff available from YSS. BTW, YSS is having their 25% off entire orders............ and also Sassafras papers....... cool! Check out their blog.

Yummy goodies in my mail

Wow... I have 3 goodies packages this week. I am 1 happy woman!

1) Webster Pages

I really love this collection "Hello Beautiful"...... this is from my win from WP Oct challenge.

I can't wait to play with this. Lots of ideas floating now!

2) Jenni Bowlin

Wow... this came from the Jenni Bowlin contest at CMK. Thanks Lisa... shipping is really fast! Appreciate it.

3) Kate Spade

How can I not go weak over this? My hubby got me this for our anniversary. He is my guy! He knows what makes my heart melt! LOL. He really dotes on me! A red Kate Spade wallet... yums!

I am smiling and grinning from ear to ear ........... definitely a happy weekend!

Card/Mini Album for YSS

Here I did a card/mini album cos every year I send a card + some photos to update my friend. She is staying in USA.

So, this idea is perfect....... combine the 2 together .This is like a card where I write some notes and updates and tucked it in between pages. I added photos.

This idea came from a Scarlet Lime Tutorial.

All you need is a 12x12 paper and it makes this accordian style mini album.

This is great to mail out this season.

Using Webster Pages papers, Prima flowers, Making Memories Paperie Brads, Making Memories Gameboard Alphas, Prima blings. All available at YSS

more projects for YSS

Here are 2 completed LOs using Prima "peaches' collection, Luxe Alpha rub-ons, Prima Felt alpha letters. All available from YSS. 1) Kungfu Pandas 2) Naughty or Nice These 2 girls are always 'fighting'......... here... one moment they are happily sharing the kiddie ride. Next they are throwing punches at each other.... trying to push each other off the ride. SIGH! I will be loading more projects tomorrow.

Another FUN project with my kids

This is another fun project with my kids. Using Maya Road Acrylic ATC Coaster Album, part of my DT kit from YSS. Erica emailed me the other day and said it is perfectly fine for my kids to play with some of these stash. So nice of her! What I use: Paints, 'stamping' stuff like toothbrush, corrugated board, bubble wrap, my kids toys (a star & a circle). We are ready to go! But wait, now the little one wants to play. Charis passed her a brush and another corrugated board and here is what she did! She was sooooo happy!

So, Charis dabbed paints onto bubble wrap and got this effect. I like it alot! Then she layer with a circle 'stamp' with green paint. Hmm... so much fun!

I added Luxe alpha rub-ons (family) to make the title. Next, Charis use the "star' stamp to do this. Gorgeous yellow star.

Next, she picked up some pink paint with the toothbrush and get randomly brush into onto the Acrylic surface. Cute!

Next, she dabbed lots of blue paint onto the corrugated board. We got to do this fast cos Corrugated board absorbed the paints very fast.

This is my fav. We painted our thumb with remaining paints, mix it up a bit and did fingerprinting. So cute!

And I like the last page.. the circle stamps... some parts were the result of an accident. Charis accidently dropped it and we got double stamp effect. Cool!

Now, we had a hard time deciding who to give. Grandma, Aunts, Uncles who are dying to get a piece of us... this will make a great Christmas pressie.......... any ART made by the kids will get Grandparents weak in their knees. LOL!

And this will make a COOL mini brag book.... which will go well into Grandma's handbag!

YSS is having their 12 days sale. Everyday is a new discount! Today is 25% off entire order. Plus some Fancy Pants are 25% off...... imagine 50% discount. Woohoo... I ordered some already. Can't resist! LOL