My Graphic 45 DT Paper Crafter's Library Spotlight

Today is my turn to be on the Paper Crafter's Library Spotlight as a Graphic 45 DT member.. All thanks to Graphic 45, as their DT member we will at least get a chance to be featured in such amazing crafting blog...

What I'm sharing is this handmade butterfly necklace together with this altered box... Using Graphic 45 retired collection, Secret Garden and Graphic 45 Staples, I created this exquisite gift for one of my close girlfriend who is currently facing some tough times in her marriage and perusal as an actor...

I'm not someone who is really very good in accessories making, and seriously this butterfly pendant is my very first attempt... I've seen several projects using embossed metal pieces and perhaps I should give it a try... So I embossed some floral designs onto the metal butterflies using an embossing gadget I borrow from my friend... I was so afraid it will damaged the embosser, but luckily it didn't and it worked!!!

This little gift may not help or improve her situation, but I hope it will give her some sunshine in her life, brave her heart up and fly like a butterfly...

Hope over to Paper Crafter's Library to view more pictures on this project... There's a prize pack awaiting to be won, so don't forget to do so...

Good luck!!!

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

It has been coming to 6 months I've been teaching at The Art Republic; a place where the owners and scrappers get addicted to Graphic 45... Needless to say, I'm one of them... This explains the reason why almost 90% of my classes are Graphic 45 projects... When the 2014 DT call announcement is up, I was so excited, and without a second thought I'm grabbing this opportunity!!!

For this audition, I've created a couple of new projects and the rest are my past projects and teachings at The Art Republic... Starting from the most freshly baked from oven, here I'm presenting my Graphic 45 creations...

Project #1 - By the Sea Altered Display Shadow Box

Freshly baked from the sea!!! Despite of my busy schedule for my footwear design course, I managed to bring this project out in time for this audition... I constructed this shadow box using the Ikea photo frame which I altered using colours that will goes with the paper collection; creating a worn-out look...

Those twigs are actually fallen branches from the trees surrounding my estate... So one evening on my way home, I decided to pick a few up just for this project... Love to incorporate some nautical elements, I handmade these little glass floats using glass marbles and crochet thread...

Project #2 - Botanical Tea Altered Clock

This clock was the Ikea clock that used to have a torn face at The Art Republic's studio... Instead of trashing the clock away, I decided to revive it by giving this clock a brand new vintage chocolate minty look to match the Botanical Tea paper line...

This clock is widely-loved and I'm so happy to know it has inspired a lot of people and get them wanted to altered their used clock... And... I found this clock being pinned on Graphic 45 Pinterest... Oh I'm on cloud nine...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #3 - A Secret Garden Pincushion and A Grower's Tag

This is one project that I used a combination of fabric (Wilmington Prints) and paper from the Secret Garden collection... And again... I found this project pinned on Graphic 45 Pinterest... I'm on double cloud nine already...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #4 - Sweet Sentiments Forever & Always Hanging Ornament

Inspired by Ferrero Rocher, I created these Love Rochers for this Valentine's... Yummy and sweet, I wished I could just eat them... And again!!! I found this pinned on Graphic 45 Pinterest!!! Oh my God! I'm on triple cloud nine... Can't love you guys any lesser...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #5 - Bohemia Bazaar Addicted to Shoes Mixed Media Layout

This is one of my favorite layout, partly because there's a story behind which makes this entire layout so different from what I've done previously... Featuring my designs, this layout is created after I've won a shoes design competition this January, landing myself a scholarship to study footwear design... Thanks to this vibrant collection, which I used greatly for my display showcase during the finals which plays a major part in winning the competition...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #6 - Typography Altered Cosmetics Box

Inspired by Z-palette, I upcycled  this holiday gateway cosmetic box to house my pots of blushes and eyeshadows... Small and handy enough, I love how portable this palette is which I actually brought it along with me during my last holiday trip...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #7 - Happy Hunting Halloween Album

My very first attempted Halloween album, comes with a frame that's removable from the album cover which can be used as a wall hanging ornament or frame yourself in and take a picture...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #8 - Bird Song Altered Rotating Flipping Mirrors

An oriental project created for the mooncake (aka mid-autumn) festival during Autumn... My very first attempted altered project...

Over here are the various Graphic 45 projects that I've designed and taught at The Art Republic... Starting from the last latest project I've taught... 

Project #1 - Typography Communique Mini Librarian Matchbox Book Cover Dresser

A modified book cover matchbox dresser that houses lots of mini scroll, books and scripts owned by the messy Librarian... Inspired from an online game Typing Maniac...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #2 - Sweet Sentiments Spring Blossom Mixed Media Album

My first mixed media full album class for this Spring season... Specially mixed the colours from various mediums to match this paper collection, this shabby chic diary is spacious enough for lots of embellishments...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #3 - Couture Avant Garde Shoe Art

One of a kind, inspired by Alexander McQueen, there's actually an album on top of the shoe... This grand ensemble can be dismantled into various parts, revealing a glass slipper, a top hat that can be worn as a fashion accessory, a stationery holder that holds the album and 4 ATCs... 2 of the scrappers who attended this class of mine appreciate this piece so much that they had customized an acrylic showcase to display the shoe...

Click here for more details about this project...

Project #4 - Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes Handy Caddy

Something childhood and functional, this caddy is sturdy enough to house every scrappers' craft tools... Built from scratch, it comes with 3 mini handbound notebooks which can be used as a craft inventory...

Project #5 - Twelve Days of Christmas Victorian Box 

A treasure box for the last Christmas; it opens up like a book cover and beneath the door houses a mini album...

Project #6 - Twelve Days of Christmas Eco-Wreath

My pilot project for The Art Republic; for the very first time I build this whimsical Christmas wreath using solely toilet rolls... This is one such recycled eco-art project that I actually conceptualized and came out a different way to create this wreath... 

End Note Project - A Secret Garden Thank You Pop-Up Card

Lastly, a big Thank You to Graphic 45 for featuring my works on Pinterest and Instagram, as well as the beautiful pretty papers and creations which have inspired me so much in almost all aspects of my life, especially in my current persual in footwear design...

Click here for more details about this project...

I'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to The Art Republic who believes in me, my lovely scrappers peeps who love my creations, and of course my wonderful husband (also my best critic) who encouraged and supported me for this audition...  It has been a wonderful journey, especially with such excitement, I'm enjoying this creative mojo almost every day...

Thanks for viewing and I hope you've enjoyed what I've shared here... I hereby wish best of luck for those who have applied for this DT call... =)

A Secret Garden Dressform Pincushion...

It's March!!! Time to get crafty!!! Mojo juice is overflowing...

The very first project I'm going to share for this month is this lovely Secret Garden dressform pincushion using Graphic 45 Secret Garden collection including the matching fabric from Wilmington Prints... She's actually quite a petite, standing at about 6" in height and has a garden at her feet...

The pincushion together with the
Grower's tag I had made previously...

A closer view of the pincushion...

Here is the entire frontview...

The backview...

And the sideview... I actually made a removable braclet
which sits on her hips (pic not taken)...

The garden that's on her feet...

Technique Twist Challenge and Blog Hop

Time ready flies, we've reached 2014. Whatever had happened in year 2013, I believed we have reaped what we sowed; whether it's good or bad. We are all growers of our lives, if year 2013 was not a pleasant one, then grow 2014 well. I wish everyone a good 2014 year ahead.

Something to announce and share here, I'm honoured to be part of The Technique Twist Design Team. For a good start for this year, sharing here is my very first design team project for this challenge; Blurred Vision Watercoloring. Besides, we are having a Blog Hop (details below) for this new year so do join us!! There's some prize giving.

For this challenge, I've created a mixed media tag using Graphic 45 Secret Garden collection; one of my favourite collection. As always, their paper collections always that beautiful.

I started by gesso-ing the entire plastic acetate sheet and distress paint all over using several acrylic paints (supplies list below), creating a wash out background. The edges were then distressed using Tim Holtz distress paint in scattered straw. Script text stamp is from Graphic 45 Secret Garden collection; I did a double stamp using Ingvild Bolme chalk ink as the first layer, watercolour-washed it to create a blur vision then stamped over with StazOn. And this is the final look:

Background distress painting...

I also applied the technique on a stamped embellishment...

Supplies:

• Gesso
• Daler-Rowney heavy body acrylic paints (cadmium yellow, yellow ochre)
• Martha Stewart satin acrylic paint (mint)
• Tim Holtz distress paints (victorian velvet, scattered straw)
• Ingvild Bolme chalk ink (shabby tote, stone)
• StazOn solvent ink (timble brown)
• Tim Holtz distress ink (tea dye, brushed corduroy)

A Grower's tag... I added some dimensional pearls
in butterscotch to give some texture...

New Year's Blog Hop Order:

• The Technique Twist
• Julz
• Becky B
• Pam
• Terria
• Leena
• Katie Zoey Ho (ME!)
• The Technique Twist

If you're following along the blog hop then you just came from Leena's blog. The next stop on the hop is back to The Technique Twist's blog so hop on over and see what we have created to share with you! Remember, if you find a link that doesn't work, you can always hop back to The Technique Twist for a list of direct links to all the blogs in the hop! There's a great prize involved so be sure to comment on each blog as you hop and don't forget to play along! :)

Happy hopping and thanks for dropping by.

A Thank You Card...

I hardly make cards as it's not something I can add a lot of dimensions to it... When Graphic 45 announced making a Thank You card for the November challenge, I was thinking... Hmm~ Perhaps I should give a try...

It took me a long time that I decided to do a pop-up card without having a clue how to do it... It was seriously a last minute work, I only conduct an internet research on the various pop-up mechanisms the day before the challenge due date... Then I only get started doing it using the Secret Garden collection in the late afternoon and get only partially completed 1n the next morning... I submitted the pop-up interior of the card for the challenge just in time... Phew!!!

Sometimes when you want to do something you've in mind, you kinda visual what you really want and start looking around that can give you the mojo to do it... Especially for pop-up card, it's really all about the mechanism... How you want your object to pop, how it flips etc.. And despite the tight deadline in entering the challenge, I wanted it more complicated to the extend I've kinda overdone it... In the end, I really have to stop researching and stick to one that's do-able within a day... So in the end, this is what I've come out with... The final complete look...

The Front...

Done quite alot of fussy cutting on a card I should say...

This is where the "Thank You" pop-up when open... More fussy cuts here...

The back... It's actually taken from the mirror... The letterings are actually
mirror images which can only be viewed on the mirrow...