When not in sure...

turn to the internet...

Being in a scrapbooking rut and desperately needing help, I turned to here for some inspiration and tutorial was wonderful... I was certainly delighted when I chanced upon the tutorial for I have always liked JW's layouts.

Here is my take on it...

why stop at only 1 layout?

Both layouts turn out somewhat different. I think it is the pictures and also the embellishments that make the difference... nevertheless I'm loving it... & off to look for more inspiration :)

Christmas 2011

It's a bit late with Christmas being 2 weeks ago, but it's the usual family affairs that I look forward to. Nothing like lots of food, great company and getting together...



Christmas Eve at my Grandma's place. With 5 great grandchildren and counting, Xmas is a noisy affair with lots of food, laughter, chasing after the kids. Even the giving of presents was a frenzy! Glad the kids love their presents though... Ah... the joys of being a child...

Christmas Day at my aunt's place. R being the youngest grandchild was the usual centre of attention. My aunt giving her Christmas Present but wanting a picture first...

This little one understands the meaning of Christmas this year. She kept exclaiming "Christmas Tree", "Jingle Bells" when she saw the decorations at Orchard Road, shopping centres.

Ripping open her Christmas presents!

the joy of gifting

Xmas started pretty early for me this year.

First off, I gave a coursemate a little gift right after our exams in Nov, thanking her for all the help given. My cohort is really tiny - 4 people in all - after 1 dropped off in the first sem. Thus the group, minus the only guy, have developed a strong bond. We have been together for both semesters and plan sticking it through the rest of the modules together as well. This sem was pretty hard with 2 group projects to do. Nonetheless, I survived and is anxiously waiting for the results to be out in 1 week's time. *bites nails*

and so I sidetrack,

as I was saying earlier, I also started making gifts for my colleagues & professional colleagues. I lived and breathed frames, hot glue gun, felt, flowers, pearls, wires and chipboards for almost 2 weeks!

Here they are... little frames all wrapped with a rosette flower broach/pin that I made :)

The little details and the frames....
I left it blank so that they can put their photos inside *doubt they want my pic right??* haha

For my colleagues, we had recently taken our *only* group photo together for our company's 25th anniversary event. Hence, I used the photo in the photoframes. More flowers, swirls and pearls.

I didnt wrap these frames up as I wanted my colleagues to choose the frames they liked.

It was fun making them and definitely a great way to use up many materials! hahaha... Well it does justify all the SB material buying and of all the things that I have been hoarding!

Next is wrapping gifts for the little kids...

Xmas is only 1.5 weeks away! and soon it's planning for CNY... Can't believe how time fly by so fast.

{ grow }

Another layout of the father and daughter.





This time, I made the paper yo-yo flower but it's hard to make it not pop up.


I'm realising that my layouts are not heavily embellished nowadays... I always think it's enough and dont add more, although flowers, buttons and swirls are definitely my go-to embellishments for any layout.


Am still furiously scrapping away over the weekends... but this weekend shall be feasting time! :)

{ Grandparents' love }

Love how all - young and old - are intensely watching the eagle show at the bird park. It has been a long time since we went and how it has changed! I love the penguin enclosure (because it was nice and cool! haha)

*unusual combination of purple and orange, but I think it works here :)

{ Quiet Strength }

Father and daugther love...

A simple layout with some self-made felt flowers that I layered and added a fabric button on the top.

Missing 'S'

Realised that I posted 'R' and 'T' layouts in the previous post and missed out on S.

Well here it is :) Kinda eclectic in design but loving it nonetheless.

Thanks to J for the wonderful picture of R. She looks more grown up than she really is.

I took a break from scrapping this weekend and pursued my original *love* for baking. I must say it didn't turn out as satisfying as I hoped it would be. I put it down to the constrains in the kitchen i.e. getting to know the oven & its temperments (literally). Although I'll probably try one of the recipes again but an instruction card to say *warm me up to enjoy me better :)*

Unfortunately, I figured it really is much better to just buy things off the shelf... hahaha.. less hard work of cleaning up!

Having said that, I completed more frames over the weekend and went on to wrapping them up! I've to do 1 more frame for this *batch* of gifts and I'm good to go. They're to be given this Thurs... I know i know it's early early Xmas but I'm not sure when I will get to see team as a whole again. Plus, I'm not known to be patient! hahaha...

More pics to share soon!

Till then, happy days ahead *deceiving myself! I'm suffering from monday's blue*

Scrappy stuff to share! Yeah!

I've been busy making rosettes and having fun with the hot glue gun (hey! that rhymes!) *more pics to come*

In the meanwhile, some layouts from the past... :)

R is for Real

T is for Thankful

Am I the only one that feels that she doesn't want to go to work and just want to stay home to do my scrappy projects.

Haha!

Out with the books!

Exams are over, the semester is over.

Books and files are packed away, sitting quietly waiting for next sem to start again...

In the meanwhile, short as the holiday is (only 1.5 months), I take out my scrappy stuff!

In happy scrap-land again.. although the mojo is insufficient, just seeing these makes me happy :)

{i miss}

scrapping :(

It's barely halfway (wk 5) of the semester but it seems to be even tougher this sem. Many things has happened and once the momentum is broken, it is always so hard to get back into the flow. I still feel like I'm recovering / adjusting and getting back into the groove.

HK trip during National Day felt so long ago too!

[Am somehow feeling melodramatic now]

Scrappy stuff have been packed away and it's replaced by books borrowed by from library and journal articles making a mess on the table. Currently in the midst of writing my one essay. It's not easy for me to write up something. It's a constant struggle but I'll just need to be focused and get it done.

Leaving you with some LOs that I did much earlier - they are the same pics - as usual one for my album and one for the parents :) Enjoy...


an another... this one I cut out the frame from another paper and added lots of foam stickers to make it pop. Then I created a layout on another one :) The colours are not the best in this pic but I like how the whole layout turned out.


Back to the writing my essay! Wish me luck!

growing up

I remember my parents bringing me to Botanic Gardens during my childhood to run around and feed the swans. The lush greenery is ever so beautiful. It's no surprising that my mom, now grandma likes to bring R to the botanic garden too.

Getting all excited to go to the garden even though you were just learning to walk.


The garden now also has the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden which is a sure hit with the kids, including R who loves the water feature there... It's been a while since she's gone because she is constantly having running nose :(

{Your kind of play }
{sweet child: always and forever}


Really happy with the result of this layout... I cut up the paper and made the sun rays pop up! It really added a new dimension to the layout :)

R love water, be it showering or a dip in the pool. That particular day when we went Jacob Ballas Garden, the moment she heard the water gushing out at the water play area, she pointed out and shouted loudly 'Go-go-ki". That's her baby talk for bathing. It was so spontaneous and I'm so glad I managed to capture it.


* loving the details *


This one's for R's album

Witnessing R's growing up is really amazing for me, especially when I'm in the field. How much she learns and how fast she does so makes feel heartened (at her wonderful growth) and saddened (when I work with atypically developing children). All the more I am grateful and thankful for the little things that R can do.

*bless you my little niece*

more from the phuket trip

It seemed really long ago since the trip, even though it was only at the beginning of the year.

More layouts that I did... some for my own album and some similar pics for R's album.

A family pic and another one


Mom and Dad enjoying the breeze


the details of the layered paper flowers... I had so much fun cutting and layering it.. Am loving the fabric button too!


More layouts to come soon...
but meanwhile, my sony printer is sick.. boohoo... the cartridge is stuck! It needs to see the doc.. Hope it'll be ok. I still have 2 new cartridges and about 40 sheets of photo paper to use up. I'm hoping I don't need to get a new printer. It has served me well for almost 4 yrs!

long long ago

when she was still 1 years old...

The hoarder in me...

I have been diligently scrapping over the weekends, making use of many of the much hoarded papers that I refused to use before... I've also been good and only bought very selected range of products that I dream and stare at for many moons!

It feels really good when the boxes of papers looks *slightly* emptier and I can throw packaging boxes away.

Much as I'm *embarassed* to post this LO... here it is.. scrapping my annual countdown of my age... hehe....

Another layout of a same pic from the previous post. This time the layout for for my own album :)

Thanks for dropping by! Hope everyone has a great week ahead...

{ School Holidays }

I can hardly believe that the June holidays came and went. Work wise, it is usually a slighly lull period as the kindys are close but there are still the childcare centres to support. I also usually take the 'quiet' period to catch up on paper work and the occassional longer lunches (It does get quite hectic during school terms so lunch is a rushed affair).

It's the semester break for me as well. I SURVIVED my first sem! It was certainly tough this time juggling Masters and work. I thought the previous adv dip course would help me jump start my 'study mode' but it did little to help. Anyway, the good news is I survived and I did pretty well for the 2 modules :) so my efforts have paid off!

Holiday plans are in mind but am waiting for my 'official' travel planner to let me know the itinerary! hahaha...

Of course, I also made use of the welcomed break to scrap. It's pretty tough trying to scrap again after such a long hiatus.

I finally broke into my hoarded Dear Lizzy products...

{Untitled} yet

This layout is R's little album keepsake that I've been doing and it's for her parents' keeping.. I've missed many months of pictures but this one is of her during our CNY trip to phuket.

R with mummy, and also from our CNY trip to phuket.

The details, probably not my best clustering of embellishments but it works :)

I did a few more layouts.. will post them soon!

ARGH

Am feeling peeved today by small things that I did! Why am I so silly and hasty at times???

Must learn to read carefully and not be so hasty!
It has now cost me marks and also inconvenience!

So angry with myself...

My mood is horrid... perhaps it's the lack of sleep and the headache that has been bugging me the whole day.

It's before my desk was cleared for...

*serious* work...

I managed to finish up the layouts that I wanted to do for my US trip last Sept.
I can't believe it was only 4 months ago! It certainly felt so long ago.

Night lights in vegas are so bright... I swear the city never sleeps!


What is a trip to Las Vegas without watching a show or two? We managed to catch "O" by cirque de soliel. It's a must watch as it won't come to Singapore due to the intricate stage design.



{Juz Fun} in the toilet of Paris hotel! The sinks were painted with intricate flowers and the mirrors were sooo preeettty! We couldn't resist a picture in there!




Closer look... I stacked 2 butterflies together to give it a 3-D look


I have more pics to scrap from my 2 other holidays now! but... looks like it's gonna be hard for me to scrap given that deadlines for assignments are in! Boo!

1st ever CNY away from Singapore

My family had our first ever Chinese New Year away from Singapore. As excited as everyone was to go away, a bit of sadness linger. For the reason for being away from CNY was due to the sudden passing of my paternal grandpa last year. Nevertheless, it was a good break for my family and I, chilling out by the beach, lazing around the villa and just taking our own sweet time everyday.



We had did some sightseeing as well and of course beaches were definitely on the list!



Our 'Reunion' dinner by the beach, accompanied by loud booms of firecrackers going off! It was certainly a first for me. Firecrackers could be heard since the eve of CNY to the 1st day of CNY in Phuket.



It was definitely a good break.. but now it's back to hit the books and sadly to nurse blocked noses and coughs!

Wishing all my friends a happy and prosperous year of the bunny!

Albums are the way to go

Woohoo... Blogging two days in a roll!

The Bali trip in Oct 2010 was the first of a kind for me. My friends in Perth organised it in Perth while the lonesome me in SG received emails and the occasional calls while the rest planned the itinerary. How the idea of this trip started was to celebrate a wonderful gal turning the BIG 3 0 and of course relaxation!

And since it's a birthday bash, a present is in order. So typical me decided that what better gift than a handmade album of pictures of the birthday gal throughout the years that my friends and I know her. It documents all the fun and experiences that we have had and will have with her. The whole album took me almost 3 months to complete, but it was all worth it when Ming opened the gift and leafing through the pages.

I made another album of the Sept US trip with my cousin. It was my surprise Xmas gift to her for all the effort that she put in to organise the trip as well - looking for good air ticket deals, hotels, cars and planning the itinerary. More pics in another post! How lucky I am... going on holidays that's all planned for :)

& of course, how can I resist not doing a layout when all the mess have been created!

Hmm I've not been scrapping since 2011 started... in my annual flair I'll do a layout of me in 2011... no pics were taken at the end of the year.. but I'm thinking of using the pic of me in the deck chair. It can be a resolution for 2011 to take time and breathe and relax in the mist of work and studies :)

7 months later...

I'm still here..

Oh my gosh, time sure flies. The past months have been BUSY!

Let's see what happened over those months?

1. Apply for Masters course

2. Finish Adv Dip course

3. Holiday #1

4. Holiday #2

5. Eye infection (x3 times!!! what a big bummer)

6. Getting excited over a brown paper envelope with my acceptance letter for the course during my 1 week MC

7. Family gatherings over the Xmas and NY period

8. Catching up with as much movies as I can

9. Scrapping layouts and also mini-albums as wonderful gifts

10. MOST IMPORTANTLY.. making the decision to be without specs and contacts for a long long time!

I have exactly 1 more week to relax before the Orientation & classes start the following week!

Now I wish I'm back here again...