Mister Frosty - Winning Piece for 2017 Handmade for the Holidays Challenge

Occasionally or sometimes randomly, I'll enter some contests or challenges, and Scrapbook.com has this "Challenges" section where they'll from time to time organize a few challenges. Most of the time, I tried entering a challenge hoping to win some kits/items. Some of the winning items can be really attractive and I'll feel so dearly in wanting to win them back home. And for those voucher/gift certificates based challenges, I'll usually enter for fun without thinking I might win because so far such challenges often attracts hundreds to thousands of entries, especially for Scrapbook.com challenges. The amount of entries can be quite daunting.

Strangely enough, so far out of the several of such challenges (perhaps not more than 5 times) I entered, I had already won 3 times, including this which I entered for last year Handmade for the Holidays Challenge. It's seriously not within my expectation and I only got to know it when I received a private message (that got emailed to my inbox as well) from Amy that I'm one of the 10 winners who had won. I need to pause for a few moments to absorb the fact that "Ok! Yes, it's a fact I've won a $50 voucher."

The winning piece for the Challenge

There's a 1,183 entries altogether and this Mister Frosty managed to emerge out as one of the 10 winners. So happy for him!

Little Milk Carton Gift Boxes

Ever since I become a legitimate Christian, celebrating Christmas as Jesus being the reason for the season no longer hold any water within the Christian faith. I'm so glad to know there isn't such a stipulated "biblical" day to observe in order to be a Christian because such a "religious day" can be taken way too out of context. 

If you take a deeper look and do some research into the history, you'll be surprised to know it's actually derived from pagan roots and a holiday created by men. And for some, it only serves as the most depressing period of the year. Instead I'd much prefer to celebrate this day as a day of long tradition; a day of family gathering together to know everything from Charles Dickson to Christmas trees, or how St. Nick and Santa Claus came about! And why Santa wears red has an interesting origin. Check this out:

   

While almost everyone was busy shopping for Christmas gifts and decorations, as well as sharing holiday recipes on various social media platforms, it was perhaps one of the years I appeared not doing much about this Christmas. Maybe helping out my youngest sister to gift-wrap all the presents she had bought for her friends and colleagues. As usual, a little busy moment for this holiday season.

Although Christmas has just passed, it doesn't means gifting has to stop here. Rather I'd very much prefer to gift based on the heart to give and not restricted to such occasion(s). Hence, looking at the pile of Graphic 45 St. Nick paper collection lying around my crafting area, I decided to do some gifting using this collection together with the milk carton etched die I just bought from Spellbinders. Not something extravagant, but a little act of gifting makes your heart more fonder to gift. In actual fact, I just want to utilize my existing stash to create something. I just have too much! Guess as a crafter/artist, it always seems it's never enough to stock things up for whatever reasons.  

Therefore, I made these 8 little cute milk carton gifts for some of my friends and sisters-in-Christ from the Church. The 12" x 12" patterns and solids paper pad came in very handy for this project. It's probably one good idea to maximize your patterns and solids papers. 

These cute little milk cartons measured at about 3.75" tall, handy enough to be grabbed single-handedly. Puns aside, these milk cartons are just way too adorable. 

It took me some time to figure out what I should do to embellish these milk cartons. That was where I searched into my wafer dies library and found this Spellbinders Fleur de Elegance die set that has a little regal oval frame I could use. Using the gold metallic sheets I've in my stash, I die-cut 8 of them out. The effects it give on metallic paper is really amazing. It just gives a very special touch to the entire frame! Plus it goes really well with the papers I've selected. 

Each of them are thoughtfully named using the alphas from the stickers sheet along with this paper collection, and named them accordingly to the individuals I'm gifting. Thinking adding a little greens will be nicer, I decided to make some holy using the mini holiday green thinlits and placed them onto the labels. Since they're milk cartons to begin with, a little golden bell in front will perhaps jingle a little when the cartons are being shaken. Everything looked well and good, and I'm ready to gift (with some already been gifted)!

A full list of supplies I used for this project can be found listed below with links to various places I get most of my supplies from. This will be my very last post for this year and I hope to see you guys really soon with more tutorials and videos next year. Meanwhile, have a very good weekend ahead and Happy New Year!!!

List of Supplies:

• Graphic 45 St. Nicholas 12" x 12" Patterns & Solids (Amazon, Scrapbook.com)
• Graphic 45 St. Nicholas Stickers Sheet
• Bazzill Basic Walnut Cream Cardstock (Amazon, Scrapbook.com)
• Tim Holtz Distressed Ink in Brushed Corduroy (Amazon, Scrapbook.com)
• Tim Holtz Mini Holiday Green Thinlits
• Tim Holtz Kraft Stock Metallic 8" x 8" Gold & Silver Cardstock (Amazon, Scrapbook.com)
• Spellbinders Shapeabilities Milk Carton Etched Dies (Amazon, Scrapbook.com, Spellbinders)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Fleur de Elegance Etched Dies (Amazon, Spellbinders)
• Tiny Golden Jingle Bells
• Own Stash (jute trims, seam bindings, gold trims, vintage binder clips)

Mister Frosty - A Reindeer Music Box

Just a wink of an eye, it's already Christmas' eve! OMG! I felt as if I didn't have enough of last Christmas and this Christmas has already arrived. Perhaps I've been really busy lately, juggling between my part-time job and various Christmas projects, time flies particularly fast for me. Seriously I wish for Christmas everyday! 

Oh well, just in time for this Christmas, I had finally managed to alter a music box I bought from Innisfree (a Korean beauty store). Here it is, welcoming Mister Frosty... 

I've been into wintry mode for this season. To make my reindeer into a frosty snow deer, I used Tim Holtz's mini snowflakes throughout the entire music box and a couple of them as the saddle. For the stirrups, I strung 2 silvery snowflake charms and placed them over the seat. This is probably the most wintry saddle I had ever created for a reindeer.

Mister Frosty certainly need a comfy scarf. 

It's a functional music box and this is how it sounds like when wind. I had to remove this gadget before I could alter the whole box. And I decided to video this fun little thing. It is seriously LOUD and CLEAR! Pardon my excitement 'cos it has been a while I'm playing with such toy. 

Sooo... This is how it fits onto my petite hand. 

Hereby wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

Here is a list of supplies I used for this project:

• Reindeer DIY Music Box by Innisfree
• Tim Holtz (mini snowflakes thinlits, Christmas typed tokens)
• Dalyer Rowney Acrylic Paints (azure blue, titanium white & pearl white)
• Martha Stewart Sea Lavender craft paint
• Melissa Frances Mica Flakes in white
• Bazzill Basic cardstock in Walnut Cream
• Ultra Fine White Glitter Powder
• Own Stash (snowflake charms, white chiffon ribbon, white fluffy ribbon, rhinestone crystals)

Magic Wonder - A Winter Faeries Fairy Box

For the past weeks while I was re-organizing my stuffs, I came across this half-done prepared (gessoed and texturized) filmstrip shadow box together with several primed fairies and flourishes hidden underneath my working desk on top of my craft mat. It was a long time overdue project; a project that I had planned and prepared way in advance supposedly to be completed in May for Gypsy Soul Lasercuts as a Guest Designer. However, things happened and almost all of my WIPs went into a halt instantly. Flipping through my notebook where I did all my project line-up scribbles, this is so much I had missed. 

Life shouldn't be full of resentments. For the very least, I had indeed a good long rest (mentally, physically and spiritually). I just need to get myself started somehow and those scribbles I had made months back is just what I need to rejuvenate my creative brain cells. Pardon me for the nag (I've a tendency to talk a little about my life) for life has been tough on me. The process of creation has always been a hibernating moment that will set me free from the real world. This has been one of the ways that I can be really be myself without any form of masquerade in order to maintain my inner sanity. So, I shall end my story here and present my completed project...

Presenting... 

A Winter Faeries Fairy Box, showcasing a little magic wonder for this Christmas!

My initial plan was to create some sort of gardening fairy scene but that's back in May; still stuck at the back of my head. Since Christmas is round the corner, I wonder why not doing up some wintry scenes? And yes I should. Since I've been hoarding a bottle of Aleene's True Snow for almost a year, it's time to try and use it. I transformed the filmstrip shadow box into a huge snow box that carries various miniature wintry scenes within the box, with a snowflake balcony on top. 

I planted 2 Christmas trees within the 1st and last box to keep it really simple. Unfortunately, I had quite a hard time trying to capture them within my camera due to the flourishes I placed on the outside. Sometimes the kind of work I do is just not camera friendly and you need to view them using your physical eyes. This is so much I could capture and I hope the pictures are not straining your eyes too much. If your eyes are really sharp enough to penetrate through the pixels of these pictures, you will get to notice some little magic I had added within the wintry scenes. I added some florescent glow-in-the-dark powder onto snow and trees! They do "light" up beautifully at night, subtly I should say.  Again, unfortunately I couldn't capture them 'cos the details are so hard to capture and only human eyes can view them.   

The entire media application, from creating the glittery snowy effect, building the snowflake balcony to building up the wintry scenes within took me close to a week to complete. It's the drying process in between that's taking up a lot of time as I was trying to garner the the kind of winter effect I want before I seal them with iridescent fine glitters. Oh yes! glitters! This was indeed a very glittery project and I used close to 3 different types of glitters throughout.

I decided to exalt one of the fairies to the centre of the box, in front of the frame of which she carries a sign - believe in the magic of Christmas. 

I built a mini glittery snowman and place him onto a pile of snow filled with tiny snowflakes.

And someone left an ice skate there as well...

Lots of snow, glitter and flakes at the back of the snowflake balcony! I'm afraid the picture is not doing much justice - the ultra fine details are just meant for the human eye. I found an ornate rectangle frame which I moulded out from a silicon mould which I was trying to test earlier this year. Oh well, it seems I needed some sort of wordings and I decided to affix some woody letterings onto it to complete the entire project. Finally the magic wonder was done!!!

A little different away from conventional Christmas projects I've done previously, but I do hope this can give a you guys a refreshing idea in how to create a piece as such. Give it a try, you never know Christmas is not more than just snowflakes and fairies!

Here is a list of supplies I have used for this project:

• Gypsy Soul Lasercuts (filmstrip shadow box, small garden fairies, flourishes 2, stackable label set shape) 
• Prima Marketing Art Basics and Ingredients (heavy gesso in white, modeling paste, light paste, soft gloss gel, 3D gloss gel, art sugar in white)
• Tim Holtz (stackable snowflakes die, Christmas word bands, ice skates, woodland mini trees, perfect pearl PPP17714)
• Martha Stewart Mother of Pearl acrylic paint
• Clear Snap Smooch accented ink in silver fox
• Lindy Stamp Gang delphinium turquoise mist
• Melissa Frances Mica Flakes in white
• Aleene's True Snow
• Iridescent ultra fine glitter powder
• Acetate sheet
• Paper clay
• Own stash (various tiny and mini snowflakes, jewels, glitter garland, letterings, paper balls for the snowman, fluorescent glow-in-the-dark powder)

Under the Mistletoe Christmas Display Decor

Oh well, yes I know it's Christmas' Eve!!! Seriously?!? I haven't had enough time to whoop up enough Christmas projects!! While trying to get my life re-organized (for which I'm still struggling for months), I managed to bake one display decor project out for this Christmas. Fresh from oven!!! Piping hot just in time for Christmas!!!

I'm heading for a rustic vintage feel and love to add some warm for this Christmas. Not too warm but just enough to feel a little love. Using one of the cameos from Sandra Evertson's Relics and Artifacts as the centerpiece, I created this "Under the Mistletoe" layout using several flowers, berries, stamens and pine corns. 

I deliberately want to link the floras and the cameo together, yet somehow as if it's "under" and "house" within. Certainly this big bauble frames and link the entire layout to perfection. Of course, how can I miss out burlap!!! This just gives the entire decor a good old rustic look. 

There's a number of stories about the meaning behind "Under the Mistletoe" and this is practically the idea behind. Emblem of love that conquers death. Well, Christmas is all about Jesus Christ and He's the reason why love exists. Love more, kiss more and Merry Christmas...

Weekend Christmas Tags Tutorial with Graphic 45

Hello scrapping folks!!! It's weekend and in just a few more days it's Christmas!!! Yeah!!! Super excited but yet this December is way too crazy... Crazily whooping up more Christmas and CHA projects...

As you could notice I've changed the background on my blog and remove the Christmas playlist, realizing it's slowing down my blog and it's getting quite irritating to browse through the blog with a playlist running... Pardon me for being a bother for this... Hahaha I myself do find it bothersome and decided to just have snow instead to keep the Christmas spirit intact...

Alright, on today's Graphic 45 blogpost, I'm sharing this start-to-finish video process in how to create these mixed media Christmas tags... Surely enough to keep you guys occupied this weekend...

A Snowman's Baggage & Christmas Suitcase

Recalled those cute little matchbox suitcases I've made as part of my Graphic 45 stacked suitcases project? Hmm... So I decided to whoop up something interesting, something cute... 

Over the last weekend, my niece deliberately locked up the door from my parents' room with my dad inside... I was wondering why was she doing that?!? Then moments later, she knocked on the door and started singing, "Do you wanna build a snowman??" Hahahahahaha... She was imitating Anna!!! OMG!!! This was super cute of her given the fact that she was taking her grandpa as Elsa... All thanks to her, she really made my day... And I decided to do up a snowman kit for my niece as her birthday gift which is today!!! Again, inspired from Frozen and contributed by my niece... She was super excited when I showed her what I've made for her over FaceTime... Her expression was timeless...

Building up this little snowman kit is seriously not an easy job and it took me quite some time to figure out how to make this kit in a matchbox... Everything was built from scratch using polymer clay, wires and lots of glitter to build this Mr. Frosty... This little snowman stands at ~2" tall when assembled and can be readily kept inside the matchbox baggage when dismantled... Along with this snowman kit, I've done up another matchbox suitcase with a Christmas tree inside, ready to be gifted away...

I hope besides doing up cards, this can be a fun way to gift for this Christmas... Especially for kids, they will be delighted...

Cheers!!!

Some Little Snowy Fairies Waltzing this Holiday

Alright scrapping peeps, for today on Graphic 45 blog post, I've this cute little ensemble of faires for you, really to waltz away for this Holiday!!!

Totally inspired from the Disney's movie Frozen, I made these snowy fairies out from clothespin pegs... Frozen is probably every child's favourite movie till date, so is my niece... She is a BIG fan of Frozen and she loves these fairies deeply. I've seen a lot of dolly peg projects and they are so adorable, part of it also came from my fellow Graphic 45 teammie, Nichola Battilana. Can't help it and wanted to make something cute!!!

The process in making them is somewhat challenging as I've to use papers for this assignment and it has to be handmade ornaments. I'd have to factor in whether this project can be translated into a tutorial... After giving some deep thoughts about it, I find creating rosettes skirts as one of the easier method... And it SOooo happen that Nutcracker Sweet has this lovely Snowflake Waltz paper that fits into the theme I want!!! As the scene of Elsa stomping her foot on the icy ground and a huge snowflake appeared as she sang "Let It Go" in Frozen came to my mind and that's where I get the inspiration in creating these snowflakes stands for these fairies. The stands are entirely made from those plastic saucers I've for my mixed media projects and classes.

SO here am I, presenting these little cuties to all of you!!! I hope you will enjoy this little performance by them. Follow HERE for the tutorial.

And Happy Holidays!!!

Handmade Holiday Blog Hop

Welcome to the final day of the 4th Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop! We hope you enjoyed the projects from the last 2 days! A few years ago we were looking online for handmade gift ideas and thought it would be great if there was a resource dedicated JUST to handmade gift ideas. Enter the Handmade Holidays hop! 

We've gathered over 100 of our creative blogger friends in the craft industry as well as some of our fellow product manufacturers to bring you a plethora of inspiring gift ideas you can make now to give to your friends, family, and colleagues. Pin and bookmark these ideas for this holiday season and to use throughout the year! Each day of the hop features approximately 30 gift projects and you can "hop" from one blog to another to check them all out.

Today for this Handmade Holiday Blog Hop, I'm sharing this specially handmade 'Twas The Night Before Christmas kaleidoscope, something fascinating for this Christmas. Decided to do some upcycling altered craft that's educational and fun. Ready to be gifted to a very young girl, a friend's daughter of mine.

In front of the packaging is this cute origami bow that hangs several socks which I fussy cut from the paper collection. Building a kaleidoscope is not that difficult and once you know the trick you can have lots of fun...

Follow HERE for the tutorial in how to make this kaleidoscope.

Sit back and enjoy!!!

Here is a list of supplies in how to make this:

• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Papers (Happy Holly-Day, Ho Ho Ho, Jolly Old Elf, Merry Mistletoe) 
• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas 6” x 6” Patterns & Solids 
• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Tags & Pockets 
• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Chipboard 
• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Stickers
• Acrylic Mirror 
• Kitchen Roll 
• Acetate Sheet 
• Tracing Paper/Vellum 
• Gems/Snowflakes Brads

Are you ready for lots more creative handmade gift ideas and projects??

Follow along on our blog hop! Simply click on each of the links below to be taken to that post with additional information and photos on how to create a handmade gift project. Have fun and pin away!!!

Clearsnap
Westcott
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
Ellison Educational Equipment
ICE Resin
Neat and Tangled
Therm O Web
Walnut Hollow
Elizabeth Craft Designs
Rowland Technologies
Graphic 45
Hydrangea Hippo
Pink and Main
The Buckle Boutique
Tami Mayberry Art & Design - Tami Mayberry
Jamie Dougherty - Jamie Dougherty Designs
Elizabeth Craft Designs - Raquel Mason
Meagan - The Charming Farmer
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L - Angela Ploegman
Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey
Pink and Main - Mistyana Wright 
The Buckle Boutique - Niki Wilson
It’s Sew Lorine - Lorine Mason   ‎
Therm O Web - Andy Knowlton 
L. Grace Lauer - Uniquely Grace
Clearsnap - Meihsia Liu
Oh Snap Lizzie - Lizzie Sanchez
Graphic 45 - Katie Zoey Ho (You are Here!)
Charity Wings
ICE Resin - Tatiana Allen
Polly Carlson - Pieces by Polly
Ellison Educational Equipment - Jan Hobbins
RoseRedd Paper Studio - Rochelle Washington

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Follow our Handmade Holidays Gift Ideas Pinterest board for even more inspiration!!!

Follow Jennifer Priest of RainMaker Media Works + Hydrangea Hippo's board Handmade Holidays on Pinterest.   

A huge thank you to our sponsors for this hop - please visit their blogs & websites below and follow them. And be sure to come back tomorrow for another 30+ amazing Handmade Gift Ideas!!!

Clearsnap || Ellison Educational Equipment || Walnut Hollow || Graphic45 || Westcott || ICE Resin || Therm O Web || Rowland Industries || Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L || Pink and Main || Elizabeth Craft Designs || The Buckle Boutique || Neat and Tangled

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Sakura || Fairfield Processing

My First Class with The Art Republic

It has been a long long time I've since scrapped. Time flies. Phew!!! And after years of working in the corporate world, finally I've time to get my hand dirty again. To get myself more inspired, I'm very glad and happy to announce myself as a guest designer with a The Art Republic!!! 

As an introduction, I brought in 2 projects, Twelve Days of Christmas Victorian Box with 6-page mini album and My True Love Christmas Wreath for this October/November/December classes. Using Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Christmas collection, with a blend of upcycling and mixed media art, experience a different way in scrapping for this Christmas season!!! For class schedule, please click here for more details. Now opening for registration...