Artisan Style ATC Card Tags

In as far as I'm concern, seriously I do not know what the hell am I making at times... When I received my previous Graphic 45 DT pack and saw the Artisan Style collection, there're so many ideas spinning around my head that I loose hold my grip in catching them... This is where it seriously frustrates me 'cos I know there's something at the back of my mind but I couldn't pull it out... And soon I develop this "temporary creative incapacitated syndrome" which hinders me to put my ideas into practice... Seriously hate this moment of dis-coordination between my mind and hands... When this really happens and I tried to create, I'll usually ended up in a series of creative chaos and madness...

Sometimes, I wish I could just cling wrap them to "preserve" these ideas and store them in my fridge... 

It all started with an intention to create some ATCs out of the Artisan 8" x 8" paper pad... As I tried working on it, I realized Hey these are not in the correct sizes!! Then I decided I should probably make them into cards instead... As the more I tried to add stuffs onto it, I noticed they are way too small as cards... I was like "What the Heck?! This is neither here nor there!" This was where it seriously got me irritated and decided to hunt some more stuffs out in hope I can turn them into proper cards... I grabbed some wine cork, split one into half and glue them onto the bottom... And I found that something is missing somewhere and added on some satin ribbons, lace, brass chain, flowers and buttons...

After adding on so much stuffs and when I’m all done, I’ve totally no idea what I had created - it’s not ATC, not even cards, and not really tags… But whatever it is, these are the final outputs from my creative madness and randomness. I decided to just call them ATC card tags… Still don’t think it sounds right, I’m just being random… Feel kind of a cliché? Yes I know… Imagine Style or Style Imagine? But whatever… Oops! 

My Official Return as Graphic 45 DT and A Crafter's Card Holder

Today is the day I come back to the Graphic 45 DT for the 2nd year. My first year with them was indeed a heavenly one and it's an experience that I'll never forget. Though there's a lot of changes in my life this year, it also means I'll have more work to do and there's a lot of adjustments to be made. While I'm "transcending" and adapting, I'm working hard to crack my brain cells more bringing more exciting artwork and projects in the near future.

As a start for my 2nd year with Graphic 45, I'm sharing here a tutorial for Father's Day or any other day which may deem fit for any other special occasion - a Crafter's card holder for the exquisite, rare and unknown. Beware of its size, it only holds a minute amount of cards exclusively where cards are only given to a few which make them uniquely rare.

Alright, I'm not exactly sure how many cards are usually given daily unless you are a salesperson. But in my previous work as a Innovator/Researcher where I held different level of position, sometimes I don't even issue one card within a day. I'd have to warn you that these card holders can only hold a maximum of 5 typical name cards and they are indeed for the rare and exquisite people. If you've gold plated or diamond cards, these are probably ideal.

It Has Been a Busy Year...

Yes it's a New Year... Year 2015 is here... Just 3 days ago, it was just last year... I actually didn't feel the year was reaching an end and a new year has arrived... Partly is also 'cos I was super busy with Clear Scraps & Graphic 45 CHA projects, Prima class projects and my other various DT assignments... I was seriously that busy that I actually missed the countdown for Year 2015... I only got to shout "Happy New Year" to my younger sister at 12:05am and she gave me a look... A "huh" look... LOL!!

Finally when all are done, I manage to slow down and slack a bit before I kick start for this year's planning... It has been a pretty fruitful life changing 2014 year for me though there's some major life changing events taking place... Things started changing from the day I got myself into the Graphic 45 Design Team for 2014/15... And gradually I become part of Prima Educators, ScrapFX and Shimmerz DTs... It was definitely a busy year for me and when I got to realize it, the year of 2014 has reached an end...

Whether you are someone who just get to know me via various DTs I'm in (notably Graphic 45) and my various social media network (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc), or those have been attending my classes in Singapore, some of you probably may think where is this lady coming from and what's her background?!? In particular from scrappers who had attended my classes at The Art Republic, you guys always wonder where the heck I find those technical inclined and interesting techniques to teach in class... 

Biggest question of all I always get is where do I get all my inspirations from and what's running in my mind?? Gradually, I'm labelled by most you as one of the most pervertic craft instructors on earth who loves to torture her students in class... LOL! I don't totally deny that but as always, you guys do love to be tortured by me... At the end of the day, you guys bring back home with a fulfilled mind other than the project itself isn't it? And it has been one of my most happiest accomplishment in craft teaching to see you guys practicing the techniques I taught and transform them into something different and share it with me... I suppose this is what education is all about... 

People who know me enough understand that I had previously received formal biomedical and scientific training and had been in the R&D and biomedical industries for years... My very first R&D job was with Johns Hopkins, under one wonderful inspirational boss, Dr. Natasha E. Zachara who taught me alot of things about glycobiology and scientific research... My very last job dealt with advance cutting edge technology and product development for early cancer detection, mainly in cancer management in terms of Personalized Medicine... Due the tremendous pressure to meet industrial demands yet keeping opportunity cost as low as possible and to push the most innovative product out while the iron is hot on a global basis, I decided call it a day and enter into a land where I want to be in before I could die from physical and emotional constipation...

Way before I received my formal biomedical and scientific training, I took up traditional and fine arts in school for a period of 10 years and had informal training in both graphic and web design... In January 2014, I won an inaugural national shoes design competition which awarded me a full scholarship to study footwear design with one of the renowned Italian school, Ars Sutoria... Being a designer in this aspect is never an easy process especially if you are looking at being real and orginal... As I embark my journey as a true designer, I was given advice by several veterans in the industry to search for an identity... And that's where I'm here entering into this world of scrapping and crafting!!! Re-learning what colours and design elements are all about...

Along the entire year of 2014, being in various teams taught me a lot of things, meet a lot of wonderful and inspirational crafters across the globe and definitely I can gradually see myself evolve... Still learning and improving... I'm very grateful and thankful for the various opportunities given in particular for my very pioneer LLS, The Art Republic whom had given me the pilot chance... I love exploring, thinking out of the box, putting my various life experiences in my works and sharing my inspirations across the globe... Though meeting project deadlines may be stressful especially in days when you lost your mojo, I actually enjoy these processes much more than what I had been doing previously...

So that's my little background story... I hope this hasn't been a boring entry... And now it's the exciting fun part, Graphic 45 is releasing 3 new collections for this CHA - Artisan Style, Home Sweet Home and Precious Memories... Sneak peaks up for next week!!! And... they are also re-releasing 2 previous collections; ABC Primer & Once Upon a Springtime... Simply gorgeous and to die for!!! If you're going for this year CHA, I've done up 5 projects for the booth... Be sure to pop by and see what my other fellow teammies have done as well...

Cheers!!!