my cute niece

Here's my newest crush!!! my niece! adorable, charming, cute... everything you like in a little girl.

But she is also spunky and assertive! Fun to have in our house.

Here are 2 'lucky' shots I captured of her... intense & focus!

But we had a good laugh about her hair though.

Dont you think it looks like a natural helmet? LOL

That's how the title came about... jokes among my family. :)

see the top fabric flower by Prima. it is originally white.. i 'inject' some blue and pink mist on it. I didn't spray though.. I took the spray noze out and jab at the flower. Fun! Here's a variety of fussy cutting from the G45 papers.. I love cutting! Meanwhile check out my sale page. HERE

Graphic 45 design team 2012 Auditions

It has been a long love affair with Graphic 45 since it burst into the scrapping scene some years ago. When it was first launched in CHA, their booth won the BEST Booth for that year. It was when my heart floated towards this brand. I love the creativity spirit behind this brand. I can relate to it because it has a sense of playfulness, a spontaneous wit behind every collection. Yes.. the motifs are bold... in fact very bold that some new scrappers are afraid of playing with it. I heard this in the classes I taught. However I always tell my students to see the colors and the idea behind each collection, you will love it. You dont always have to scrap a Halloween layout with a Halloween collection. You can take it to your personal preferences. That's what I love about Graphic 45..... So, today I decide to take a BOLD step to throw my name into the hat. Yes.. I know ... tough to get in among the hundreds... but I want to step out of my comfort zone. It has been a while since I appy for a DT ..... so let's see how this goes... I am nervous.. but found a freedom in my heart to play again.

This is one project I did as a Featured Artist over at G45 blog some years ago. I love this distress and shabby box I made to contain my travel knick knacks! Brushed gesso all over to give it a 'wendy-look'...haha

"Escape" .... using the new collection. I love the blues and orange.... lovely burst of colors. I distress the edges of the papers... rub some inks... drop some paints on it. I tilted the blue paper a bit in case you are feeling a little giddy. LOL. Can you spot the green pleats I made... just the right amout of color.Voila... a very fun layout!

some close up: I cut many many motifs and layered and layered.

I apply some Rock Candy over the butteflies... cool technique!

The fussy cutting possiblities are endless! I made embellishments with it and added mediums to make it POP! "Thank you card"... sweet and sincere. That's what I like my card to be.

Special Memories..... I love Once upon a Springtime Collection. My all time favorite. Lovely fairies, flowers and cute bunnies to cut out. Seriously, I spend lots of happy time cutting for this layout. close up: can you spot the ID chipboard fence. Brush gesso and spray with pearl mists! Just the right amount of fairy dust!! hee..hee..

And some layouts which were published before: 2 page feature of my layout using G45 in Somerset Magazine! A layout published in MM Idea Book. Oh.. this is another of my fave layout! And finally a gift I made for a new mommy! I love to give home made present.

This new mommy can place this in the new baby room! Love love. Simple lovely fussy cutting from the Little Darling collection. The motifs left me drooling! Yes... I covered a cone with a ruffles trim from Maya Road. and then the decoration began. I can't stop adding stuff to this tree.

I love the little clothes... i hang it with wooden pegs...I love the stock... cute bird..I love the pram...Oh.... this got me a bit giddy this morning! (but pardo the bad lighting because of the rain... I am taking clearer pictures once the weather is kinder to me)

If you like this project, let me know. I can share a tutorial soon. I have always share tutorials on projects, techniques and tips on my blog.

Ok, I am keeping my fingers crossed for this DT call.

My style is shabby chic... you will always see my signature touches of paints and mists. And fussy cutting is my 2nd name! haha... And layering too is in my blood.

Hope you like it. Have a great day!

More projects

Today I want to share a album I made from 'nothing'.... as in nothing pre-made. I bought a box of biscuits the other day and it came packaged in this cute corrugated board. I see a book cover immediately. Woohoo..... ! Sorry... I am just too lazy to crop away my big toe...... hahaha.... From the above, I transformed into this cute mini album. My Dec daily kinda of album....... after finishing this album then I realised our family did so many fun stuff together. My kids now love love this album cos there are such good memories of their 'holidays'...... Dec (in Singapore) is usually like a holiday period, kids are off from school..... Christmas... taking vacations.... etc. I made 4 sections inside (all Graphic 45 papers)......... and sew papers together and then I punch hole and tie them to the spine of the album. See it looks like this:

I sprayed 2 types of mists over the cover....

Will post some pages soon....... i counted.. there are 48 pages... hee..hee... 4 sections with some sheets and hamblys each. I like that they are different sizes so one pattern paper peeks into the next. Nice! I like!

And I am so thankful for all your birthday wishes. Thank you for every comment and wishes you made! God bless you

Here's a happy album I did for myself..............yes... sometimes important to scrap about ourselves so our kids can know more about us.A sense of happiness filled my heart when I finished working on this album. Title: Bare it all.................hee..hee... from that tabloid looking photo... you would guess I am going to bare it all. hahaha... no way! Check out more in this post! I sleep with a slight frown. hee..hee... only my hubby will take such pictures of me. Hmm... but I am sure I am dreaming of happy things - scrapbook materials, Kate Spade bags..shoes.. how can I frown??? LOL

Scaly legs... yes.. I have extremely dry skin. And it shows on my legs. See I added crackle paint. hahaha.. yes.. sometimes my legs look like that.

My last finger is crooked. Yes.. my grandmom and my mom all have it. It is from the family line. So interesting, right?

I have a huge scar... dont know what you called it. Those allergic reaction I had when I had a injection. And now on my arm, this long 'snake'.

Well, by now, you would have thought I am living in misery or bitterness. NO!

In fact, I no longer struggle with self-consciousness....... I embrace these imperfections totally. That's what made me unique. Some are topics of humor and laughter in my family too.

I still wear skirts (to show off my legs though I have to load on heaps of lotion).... still wear sleeveless tops. Some details about creating this album:

I used lots of texture with papers.

Each page is 5x4 inches... created out of G45 papers... the papers are heavy weight enough. I dont need chipboard.

Then I layed on lots of other G45 papers.

Here this starfish is touched up with Rock Candy... oh... you got to try this Tim holtz latest stuff. Totally amazing! See the texture!

Same for this butterfly.

And I cut out lots of motif from G45 papers.. but I like to add my own details.

See I stamped a 'necklace' on this lady. Cool, right?

Here I stamp a lamp using Stazon black onto transparency. Loving this set of new stamps.

Well, do you want to know what hubby call this album : THE BODY PARTS ALBUM! LOL

He said he will use this to identify my body should we need to use it someday! (Roll my eyes)....

totally funny!

In the mood for Graphic 45

The good thing about moving is I discover lots of stuff I never knew I had! I had (grasp) thing still in their original packaging..... still in their paper bags!!!! (never tell the hubby!!) Then I found some Graphic 45 tucked in a bag. GRASP!!! I decided that I better use them. Here is what I did: Some LOs, some projects, 1 card. Card: To announce our new address...... hand sew a piece of fabric on a paper. Embellish on a Maya Road Chipboard house. very fun way. I stamped on the fabric with Staz-on. Oooo... I love the effect. LO: Do not WAKE me up! This is a fun one to document my quirk. My hubby and kids love to wake me up early on a Sat morning. I hate it. Saturday is the ONLY day I can sleep in. sigh! They will do all sorts of funny tricks to get me out of bed. One will scream "fire"...... one will tickle my toes..... one will try to put her smelly clothes on my nose"...... see my grumpy face when I wake up!! hahaha.... For this LO, I played with Glimmer Mist. (I think I need more colours). And I paint the chipboard frame with crackle paint and then ink it with walnut ink. I like the texture. LO: Friends across the globe I just want to remember these ladies who pour so much into my hearts. they offer me their friendships when I was alone in the USA some years back. See the metal tag... I added some white and bronze Utee on it. very fun! Just be careful, the metal can get very hot. I stacked some tags and cut-outs together to form a cluster. Oooo...... happy news. This LO was LOTD over at CMK forum. Check it out. Altered tin: I have 4-5 of these tins from Christmas. Love the size. I wanted them to keep my 'little' savings. Here i have altered 1 to keep coins, leftover change for my 'luxury travel"... hahaha... save till my hair drop if I would reach the amount for luxury travel. But still, to spur me to save more... added in my fav elements on this tin. Before: After: ok.... I have been good. Used up my stash. The sad news is my Graphic 45 papers are almost used up. I want to buy the new collections. Can't wait! Check out their blog for sneak previews.

Graphic 45

I am going to show you some close up of the Graphic 45 Altered travel box I did. I love playing with this new line of papers. Some close up shots. - I cut out many of the motifs from the papers. - To take it another level, I apply clear UTEE on some of the cut-outs. This really makes it stand out. - I layered them over one another......... then I put them on a corrugated board (i sprayed it with Glimmer mist)........... - see the white patch (like snow, right)... I like that.. that's WHITE UTEE........ it seems like this box has been thru snow and some journey. I really like the worn out look. - At the top right corner, see the 2 'stamps'..... I stamp with 'postage' mark stamps.... yes.. I love layering stamps on cut-outs to make it unique. - then I applied Gesso all over.... just dry brush... - oh.... I also love my "world traveller' stamp ALOT... I will be using them very often!

Graphic 45 - fun fun time

Yes... I played with these Graphic 45 papers over this week. Love it so much. BTW, did you smell it? It smell really good......... I am not joking.. you may be thinking I am a little wonky. LOL! 1) Altered frame i bought this Ikea frame with a little mirror in the middle. Love it. So much potential in this. I bought some bend-able wire as well (From Daiso) and made them into this: I called this my accessories frame, the wires hold my earrings, brooches and little trinkets. So cute! At least, I can house them here......... put this frame on my dressing table. Now, I have no excuses for not finding matching earrings. LOL!

(Sorry, this has just been picked up for PUBLICATION)......... stay tune to which mag! I cut the flowers from G45 papers.......... I love the reds and blues here. Do you? 2) LO "I see myself" I decide to do more 'ME" LO......... and I bought a 8.5x 11 for myself.... every "ME" LO is a 8.5x11 size. Then horror of horrors, I cut the black G45 paper wrongly. DUD! It was 8 inches. How? A happy mistake... I cut some lace trim and added by the side to make it 8.5". hahaha... quite smarty! I like this clean and simple LO which really showcase the gorgeous papers. 3) Love is.........

(woohoo........ this has been picked up for PUB) Yes.. you probably seen this before. I show it here to show the versatility of G45 papers. This LO, I went distressing with lots of inks and tearing....... no straight lines here. Love the grungy, vintage... shabby chic look....... this is my fav... my default style.... hidden inside.. And yes.. you guess it........ I am applying for DT for Graphic 45. Well, praying I will be in. But well, not wanting to overload myself with the expectations part...... it comes, good! I am a fan of G45 papers. So much lovely motifs on each paper..... so gorgeous colours. And the theme... amazing!