Farewell Mini album for my domestic helper

We have recently changed our domestic helper.

Since my 1st daughter was 4 months old, my old helper Lani has been working with us. However she decided not to renew her employment contract with us as she is looking for a more relaxing job. So we took her for a farewell dinner at L Hotel Island South 3 weeks ago and presented her with my handmade album.

Since there has been lots of big changes within my family in the past 4 years, I feel so thankful and grateful for my helper's work and contribution in our family. She took care of my girls so well which make me safe to leave home sometimes to sort out other important matters.

I made this lovely house-shape mini album for her which contains some pictures of my two girls and the precious moments when she stayed with my kids.

Actually there are only a few pictures I've taken when my helper was staying with the girls. It is because I don't usually take my helper with me when I go out with the family. As I always want to take care of the kids by myself. Only a couple were taken last month in a occasion.

The MINI ALBUM is in the shape of a house, representing our family. It was die-cut by SIZZIX BIGZ DIE CUT, via Big shot.

I used the paper stock from My Mind’s Eye’sThe Sweetest thing,very clean and sweet series. The page size of the album is not very big, so I did not add to many decoration. But I used Kaiser Crafts 的 FINE & SUNNY COLLECTABLES,they have many choices of images like Sun, Flowers, Birds, etc. I stamped a few messages and I think they look great as a whole.

On her last day of service, I did not stay home but she reported to me over the phone that she's finished the handover with my new helper. However I still can't control my tear when I said thank you to her on the phone. 

I know she will be staying in Hong Kong and work for another family, but still.... am very grateful for her help in the last 4 years... keep in touch!!!!

3rd project in a week ~ Many Many Bubbles

Further to the recent kids photography class that Daddy attended, he took many lovely pictures of Anson, which has stimulated my ideas on scrapbooking layout design.

And, it's the first-ever that I've made 3 layouts in the same week.

I've use different paper series, mix and match, I've sprayed some Lime colour over the background, as I thought it was too pink. Behind the pictures I added a few punched pattern paper to decorate.

All of my pictures were printed from a digital compact photo printer, which is excellent for scrapbooking as you can print whatever picture(s) for your crafting project, sized from 2R to 4R and in different layout. Fyi, my current one is running out of paper soon and it's hard to buy the photo papers as the manufacturer has stopped producing the printer. I've therefore switched to Canon Selphy CP-900, which can print pictures sent via Wi-Fi, e.g. from your mobile phone. I will try it soon and hopefully it's good.

Last week I bought a new set of SIZZIX DIE die from HK MEMORY CHEST, it cut out a group of lovely birdies. I dyed them with watercolour and they look great.

I have been thinking for a while about what phrase I should put on this layout, as I want to tell about Anson was blowing bubbles and want to thank Daddy for taking these gorgeous pictures. Finally I've themed it as "Many Many Bubbles".

 

I bough a printable masking tape machine and tapes from Tokyo earlier this year, I used that to quote, " Daddy's 1st shots..."

I am very pleased with this layout overall!

Vintage expandable photo box

While I was in the Mixed Media Canvas class at HK MEMORY CHEST (HKMC) few weeks ago, I saw a very nicely wrapped photo box and Erika told me there will be a workshop making that on 7th August.

I registered myself for the class immediately, and the same tutor Grace Wong will be teaching

Later on I found that my friend Stephanie has also enrolled herself to the same class... Wow, can't wait for that!

Finally... it's the day!

By making this photo box, we also learn some technique on book-binding. So I had to pay extra attention :P

The inner pockets of the photo was actually made of a few brown envelopes, cut in halves and made them as a accordion style, i.e. expandable. The material of the brown envelopes is durable so it's perfect for storing photos and for long-term use.

The paper stock that was being used at the class was beautiful. Recently I fell in love with butterflies, my classmates are very nice to have reserved me a piece of butterfly pattern paper.

We also used the "Gear" die-cut from TIM HOLTZ. The gears are the major decoration of the photo box, so we spent quite some time to colour each of them, by ink, crackle paint, embossing powder, etc.

Grace taught us through the steps of binding and wrapping, I found it is actually quite difficult to bind and wrap perfectly without wrinkles and bubbles. However we still made it!

I think it's very pretty and I am loving it!

I know there will be another photo box making class on next Tuesday 14th August, further info is available at the website of HKMC's WEBSITE  or call +852 25590175 (Hong Kong)