Mini Art Journal ~ Suzi Blu

Back in August, I browsed on Grace Wong's blog, , I fell in love with her recent project – A mini Art Journal. In particular, I love the girl on the cover. 

 

After some research, I found the girl was designed by a well-known designer, SUZI BLU, and I immediately ordered 2 clear stamps from a UK online store and got them shipped to my colleague in the London office and then on my hands last month.

However I’ve not made anything with those stamps yet but have been waiting for the class conducted by Grace Wong, at HK Memory Chest and finally it happened on this Tuesday 25^th Sept – Part I.

(Photo Courtesy by HK Memory Chest)

Nearly all faces of the classmates are familiar, there are all of our design.  

(Photo Courtesy by HK Memory Chest)

I was surprised to see that there were lots of techniques involved for making this little art journal. Now I know why Grace decided to split the class into part I (covers) & II (inner pages).

(Photo Courtesy by HK Memory Chest.Thanks for taking this photo.)

I learned a lot from that and especially I love learning about how to dye paper, and colour the doll with Tim Holtz distress Ink markers! Yeah!!

I love this soooooo much and I look forward to the 2^nd part of the class!

ENJOY OUR EVERYDAY!!!!

Handmade Recipe books for 2 Super Moms

There are two super moms in my office – Little C9 Fi Fi 及 MamaCafe Christina,who are both very talented in cooking and bakery.

Both of their bakes are pretty and yummy and I'm really lucky always for having the priority to taste their new innovation including, tarts, cupcakes, mooncakes, bread, macarons. As a token of thanks, I decided to make them a RECIPE BOOK / COOKBOOK.

Actually, I've simply turned over a notebook into RECIPE BOOK / COOKBOOK by adding some decorations.

Hand-stamped with PENNYBLACK's Baking Mimi stamp

My handmade, hand-cut paper apron

I've added their names on the aprons as well as the book. The printed masking tape was made by a small electronic masking tape printer that I bought from Tokyo earlier this year... which is a very amazing product!

Making these are really not difficult at all, but I'm quite sure that it should be useful for them to save their recipe in the book for future easy reference.

I hope you two will love them.

Handmade album for Wong's Family, from Wong's Family

Back to 10 years ago, I joined the Choir of the Catholic Cathedral in Hong Kong, I met the Wong's family, their members include Catherine, Jimmy, and their two daughters.

The Wong's family is definitely a great model, the parents are gently, loves and care their children; the children loves and care their parents and behave in a perfect manner.

Particularly, their little girl, Adaline, who is a very confident and independent girl, even when she was just 3 years old when I met her. I love her so much since then and have invited her to be my flower girl on our big day. Few years ago, I was delighted to be invited to be her godmother.

My elder daughter Anson was born in 2008 and I let her baptised when she was 5 months old, on Christmas day.

Without any serious thought I invited Catherine to be Anson's godmother, as I am sure that she is the ideal person to give spiritual and religious supports to my kids, not only we live very close to each other. She has also become Hannah's godmother since she was baptised 3 months ago.

Wong's family has been given us lots of supports and helps throughout the years, I just got no idea how to give my thanks in a proper way.

Until recently I have addicted to Scrapbooking and I've decided to make an album, adding many pictures of us, send that as a gift to our dearest godmother, Catherine, and her lovely family.

All made with love, I hope they love it too. May God bless this lovely family forever and ever!

August layout ~ 1.2.3. Smile

Being a new comer to scrapbooking, the quickest to get a great layout idea is referring to sketches.

Since my first layout was featured by My Creative Sketches July Contest, I'm encouraged to submit another layout for their August contest.

Again, not just for getting the prize but to motivate myself to do more nice layout!

1.2.3. SMILE.....!

This time I used a picture of my elder daughter, Anson, the picture was taken last year when I was still on maternity leave. She just woke up from bed, sucking with her thumb, but smiled to my camera.  I immediately pressed the shutter from the opposite direction, that's why the picture is up-side down, however, very adorable!

What a coincide! the concept match perfectly with my new, small, acrylic stamp set - Camera & the word "Smile"; I ordered this as well as various crafting tools from Joann.com earlier this month as my lovely colleague was visiting her brother in the States, she is so kind to help me to bring them back. 

I followed the Sketch of MCS' August contest, which comprises of 3 square-shaped in the background. However I did not put 3 paper square but creates those squares with different elements and textures.

One square was simply a paper square, I put it right behind the photo; 

the 2nd square on the top right hand corner was actually made of light molding paste, I applied the paste with the bricks stencils, so it gave an effect of 3D bricks background; 

the 3rd square was made of layers of lowers which I hand-cut from a nice pattern paper and it became a "Sea of Flower".   

I bought some nice decorating embellishments from Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, where many crafting materials are being sold; I used a few pieces of sunflowers on this layout, as well as the wooden piece of die and leaves

This is from the 2 pieces stamp set - Camera & "Smile"

I love this so far and particularly I like the orange colour tone on this layout. 

Wish me luck for being the winner of the contest and thanks again My Creative Sketches to give me such a great idea to continue my momentum on doing scrapbooking. I think it's time now for me to work on another projects, SEE YOU!!

http://www.joann.com/

Really...my layout was featured?

Remember about 10 days ago, I posted my first ever 12x12 scrapbooking layout here, themed my two lovely daughters, Anson & Hannah.

I made that layout corresponding to the July contest of My Creative Sketches. Not just for the chance to win the prize, but to share my first piece of layout with other artists from around the world.

Finally, the result was announced ....I really can't believe my eyes that my layout was featured - http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.hk/2012/08/we-have-winner.html!!!!

I feel so proud and excited!!!!

I injured my neck yesterday and got serious pain till now. I read the result last night when I was on bed, I then struggled to stand up and show to my husband about the result. He was also shocked that my layout was featured : )

Thanks again everyone and My Creative Sketches for this big recognition and appreciation. I will definitely make scrapbooking becoming one of the important things in my life and will work harder to get more better projects done.

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)

My 1st Scrapbooking layout ~ The sisters

Inspired by the July Sketch contest by My Creative Sketches, I have decided to do my first ever 12" x 12" layout. Not just because of the chance to win the wonderful kit, but to kick start my life in scrapbooking.

As a mother of 2 lovely girls, aged 1 & 4 respectively, I think I should start my first project with "The SISTERS" as the theme.

I picked a pictures taken last month when the elder sister Anson was carrying her little sister Hannah on her lap.

I've also combined a few different techniques including stamping and embossing, punching, die-cutting using Big-shot ~

These two hearts were die-cut using Big-shot + Hero Art Heart frame die; then stamped with the Hero Art Four hearts cling stamps - The stamps & die are compatible with each other. The hearts were then embossed in Champagne gold and Clear respectively.

I've also handmade a ribbon flower learned from a tutorial by Delaina Burns, Design Team member of My Creative Scrapbook. Plus, punched out two little sakuras.

The beautiful Silver glitter alphabets stickers from American Crafts.

I have downloaded a beautiful, vintage, poem printable from a website.

I've pretty happy with my first layout overall, though there are still room for improvement, what do you think?

Beautiful scene of Hong Kong ~ Taken by Me

I am trying hard to update my posts to Bloggers as I am new to it and want to get myself familiar.
I have been using the Yahoo Blog (in Chinese) and that records everything about my life and my family.

While I look back all the photos in my hard drive, I found a really nice picture of the beautiful scene of Hong Kong. Have you been to here yet?

The place in the picture is Ma Wan, and the bridge connects between Tsing Yi in Kowloon and Lantau Island (where our International airport is), so it's called Tsing-Ma Bridge.

It was taken before we having dinner to celebrate my little daughter's birthday on 9th June.

My friend Stephanie has requested me to send her the original size of the picture so she can do a scrapbooking layout with it.... Can't wait to see that!!!


It was the first time I took picture of night scene and I am surprise it looks very good. Of course, I have to thank my great gear - Canon 5D Mark III.

Yes I got such a great gear even though I am a beginner, but it does helps me a lot to capturing every moment of my "fast-moving" girls!

My first Mixed Media Canvas

I can't believe that I could really make this!

I'm never an Art person, and I always feel my drawing or painting is really bad; I always feel tired in creativity or imagination.

While I am a typical Virgo, i.e. a perfectionist, may be that's why I'm not happy with my works so far, I think they are not good.

Recommended by my new friend Stephanie, I went to a scrapbooking workshop based here - HK Memory Chest, which is not very far from my office.

Erika knew that was my first visit and was really nice to introduce me their products, works, kit club as well as classes.

I saw a very pretty canvas displaying there; Erika told me that is a sample of Mixed Media Canvas and she told me that there is a class to be held in that evening... WOW... so tempting!

(Photo Courtesy by Grace Wong, the tutor)

I had been thinking and thinking and 5 minutes later I made decision to enroll in the class and asked Erika to sign me up for the class; and I had been so excited and went directly after work.

Tutor of the Canvas Mixed Media class is Grace Wong, a very experienced scrapbooking, and also a mother.

Grace talked us through the steps and introduced various materials and how to use them. But she said the layout and design of the canva had to be created by ourselves.... "OMG!!"

(Photo Courtesy by Grace Wong, the tutor)

Grace also asked us to create the image by "free-hand", i.e. try not to sketch... oh wow... !!! How???

I spent about 1 minute to think about the design and I knew that I must draw a rainbow as my daughter, Anson, loves it...

Oh. why don't I draw or cut "happy birds" as they can represent our family.... YEAH!!!

Thanks for one of the classmates to have printed some clip arts for our reference, so I could easily cut out a "bird" shapes!!

(Photo Courtesy by Grace Wong, the tutor)

We have been trying different types of media, such as rub-on, acrylic paint, patterned papers, stickers, stamps, stencils, etc and finally I've done mine in about 1-2 hours.

Hurray I could really make it!!!

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Here is the blog of Christy Tomlinson, the expert in doing Canvas Mixed Media, our tutor Grace Wong was also inspired by her