Cardmaking Over the Weekend; Cherish Cards

We all have that in our craft storage—crafting dies bought and kept unused (or minimally used). I was sieving through my dies over the last weekend, wondering what I could make, and I found this Cherish die set from Spellbinders 2019 club kits I previously subscribed to. Surprisingly, Spellbinders still have these dies in stock, currently running as clearance past kits sale.

Jan 2019 Club Kit - Large Die of the Month

With the idea of getting back into crafting, I decided to put these dies to use. I crafted two cards out from these dies — a Cherish card for a dear friend of mine and a Mom's card. Well, Mother's Day had just passed, but I wanted to extend the joy of crafting by maximising my existing supplies. I created both backgrounds using a mix of pink mists and my old Prima floral petites 6 x6 stencil, which fits the overall theme pretty well.

To match the cards I've created, I chose a white A6 envelope for the Cherish card and a hot pink one for the Mom's card. 

I made a video on how I created these cards. For a better experience, be sure to hop over to my YouTube to view it. I mounted the finished designs onto A6 notecards (4.5" x 6"), which I made using 110lb (~300 gsm) Neenah cardstock. I used various sentiments from Spellbinders' 'Just Wanted to Say Sentiments', which I embossed them over using ultra-fine silver embossing powder. Unfortunately, this stamp has run out of stock, however, the glimmer foil version is still very much available.

I tried stamping over the sentiments onto the inside of the card, but it ended up a mess! To cover up, I used the scraps I trimmed off from the backgrounds I created as matting to cover up the mistake I made. And it turned out pretty well. Sometimes, it's good to keep whatever scraps are left over; it might save your work!

Breaking away from my usual cardmaking style, these are fresh new perspectives that I tried exploring. I enjoyed creating the background myself instead of sieving through various pattern papers to match. 

Cheers!

Below is the list of supplies I used for these cards. 

Clicking the links below will bring you to a new page.

• Spellbinders Cherish - Large Die of the Month (Jan 2019)
• Spellbinders Just Wanted to Say Sentiments acrylic stamps
• Lettering dies from own stash
• Prima Floral Petites 6x 6 stencil (retired)
• Versamark watermark ink (SB, AMZ, AMZSG)
• Versacraft small ink pad in bubblegum
• Ranger Ink ultra fine embossing powder in silver (SB, AMZ)
• Neenah heavy weight 110lb classic crest solar white cardstocks (AMZ, AMZSG)
• A6 heavy weight 110lb white envelopes (AMZ, AMZSG)
• A6 hot pink envelope (from mix coloured selections) (AMZ, AMZSG)
• Daler Rowney system 3 in white titanium acrylic paint
• Bearly Art precision craft glue (SB, AMZ, AMZSG)
• Tim Holtz Tonic Studio Glass Mixed Media Cutting Mat (SB, AMZ, AMZSG)
• Time Holtz Stampers Anonymous Acrylic Grid Block Set (SB, AMZ, AMZSG)
• Misting sprays (retired) - Lindy Stamp Gang cotton candy, Shimmerz cotton candy and sweet heart

Legend:

SB (Scrapbook.com), SPB (Spellbinders), AMZ (Amazon), AMZSG (Amazon.sg)

Compensated affiliated links used are at no cost to you, refer HERE for more information.

K&E Victorian Display Placard Décor

Talking about wedding gifts, most often they're generally gifted in either white or colours that depict happiness and purity. For this instance, I chose a something different. As I didn't get to attend one of my friends' wedding last year due to the pandemic where large scale event was prohibited, I didn't manage to gift her something. Took me this long, and I decided to repurpose and customize one of my past artworks to do up this simply placard décor for her and her newly-wed husband.

I die-cut several of the first letter of their names, "K" and "E" using Tim Holtz alphanumeric dies and glue them together to make it thicker; as if they're chipboard thick. Bend them a little to fit into the slightly curve surface of the heart. Added more glitter, some mica from Prima and top it up a little golden crown. Finally, add a strip of Bible verse (Ephesians 4:2-3) for them at the bottom of the placard. 

The corners of the glass are pretty sharp and I don't think it's wise to gift something that will likely prick your finger. In order to protect them, I covered them up using Graphic 45 ornate metal corners and glide them with some gold gilding paste. 

I added the lovely couple names and their wedding date behind within this little ornate plastic frame I've in my stash. Took me some time to figure out how to mount onto glass without a need to break the glass to fit. Glossy accent is the key and they do hold well without changing the colours and design elements I've done on the placard. This is part where I adhere the placard onto the glass using plenty of glossy accent. They dry clear without leaving much residue unlike some solvent based glue. Plus point is they're actually quite strong!  Added some golden flat pearls and ornate corners that I die-cut from Graphic 45 policy & decorative die.

Oh well, I might be sieving through my past artwork and will try to repurpose them as gifts or other projects. For now, this artwork of mine has finally found a home for a newly married couple. I wish them all the best in their marriage!

 

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...

A Christmas Carol Advent Tags in Library Box

Wow! It's December 2015! I can't imagine how fast time flies and 2016 is just nearby! Goodness! I wish time can don't move so fast. Oh well, Christmas is round the corner and while everyone is busy doing up tons of Christmas projects, for the past 2 weeks I was struggling to finish up my advent tags. Shouldn't tags be the easiest of all? Not really for me, it's an Archilles' heel for me!!!

Doing up the library box is an easy-peasy task for me and I completed it within a few hours! But for one tag, I can take up to 2 days! For the holy sake of Christmas and Jesus Christ, I prayed hard to complete these advert tags... Thankfully, with a little non-tag materials on hand, those library pockets and tabbed dividers simply "lighten" my tag-load. Hallelujah! As I completed these advent tags and housed them into the box just makes me a happy camper! Yeah! 

I simply can't make things un-3D, even on these tabs. The stubborn me just had to create a mini wreath with berries-pine corn picks on no.25 even I know the bulkiness won't fit pretty well into the box.

Alright, I ran out of tag ideas, and wanted some variety in my advert project so I went for some Christmassy hunting. After a hunt back, I found some Christmas elements. Here there are, pockets well stuffed with some snowflakes, a berry garland, some holiday greens and a S-N-O-W garland with some twigs! I particularly love no.7. Not 'cos of the deer but it rings! Yes! I placed a tiny jingle bell beneath the resin wreath. 

As scary as it seems, I actually completed 13 tags as part of this advent project. Seriously! I did that! Never in my life I've done up so many tags before. Despite not being a forte of mine, I'm proud to announce that I've survived the ordeal with perseverance (though it's taking me 2 weeks). So here is my constellation of my advert tags for this Christmas!

~Happy Christmas!~

List of Supplies:

• Victorian Christmas Tags Kit
• Christmas Favourite Collage Sheet
• Winter Fun ATCs Collage Sheet
• Winter Kids Collage Sheet
• Snow Collage Sheet
• Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol 12" x 12" Paper Pad
• Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol 8" x 8" Paper Pad
• Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol 6" x 6" Patterns and Solids
• Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol Tags & Pockets
• Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol Decorative Chipboard
• Advert Calendar Tag Ribbon Set
• 1-1/2" Fancy Lace 
• Library Pocket Organizer Box
• Library Pocket Tabbed Dividers
• Manila Library Pockets, Cards and Tags
• Faux Metal Number Plates 1-25
• A Victorian Christmas -Rudolphs Nose Paper Flowers
• Lacquered Holly & Berry Picks 
• Mini Red Pip Berry Garland
• Stitched Leaf Ribbon - Moss Green
• Wired Pine Needle Stems
• Holly Berry Garland
• Fancy Red Holly Berries Mix
• Botanica Holiday Pine Cone Picks
• Wood Snowflakes Cut-Out Set
• Tim Holtz Holiday Greens Thinlit Die Set
• Tim Holtz Snowflake Rosette Die
• Tim Holtz Snowflakes Thinlits Die Set
• Tim Holtz Staked Snowflakes L Die
• Tim Holtz Mini Snowflakes Set
• Tim Holtz Snow Flurries Embossing Folder
• Tim Holtz Christmas Typed Tokens
• ScrapFX Chipboards (Bauble E Merry Christmas, Bow Frames, Music Symbol Collage, Musical Heart, Heart Swirl, Small Squiggle Frame)
• Snowflakes Rubber Stamps
• IndigoBlu Noel Dinkie Stamp
• Tattered Lace "Let it Snow" Die
• Shimmerz Paints (Texturez- tidy widy)
• Own Stash (royal medallion dollies, laces and trims, jute twine, burlap, wood frames and floras, twigs, SNOW acrylic letters, tinsels, jingle bells, felt tree and reindeer, Christmas resins)

A Soulful Heart

Lately, there was quite a number of unpleasant things happening around the world. There was the Paris attack on Friday the 13th, with a few terrorist and tension events that happened previously. These events are likely to be ongoing events. Years of tensions, conflicts built up and things don't happen overnight or instantly, and they happened for a reason and mainly due to human pride. When one becomes soulless, one don't feel and empathize. It seems like all humanity is gone at point of violence and evil acts.

I tend to question, when one returns to his rightful mind, will he be able to feel? To some point, I believe everyone does. Your heart will at least ache a beat when you are at your most soulful state. We are spiritual beings; souls covered with flesh and blood. There's a reason why we feel pain when we bleed. It's a real truth that humans are soulful beings.

As I feel so intensely about current world events, I tend to ponder how sad and discouraging the world has become. We have become more judgmental, opinionated, discouraging and uninspiring. Each individual gradually becomes an opinion of others. I wish the world can be a little more soulful.

Taking all my feelings and put them together I created this little soulful assemblage artwork using shades of gray as the base. The option of using dull grayish base represent the world; for the world is always that gray. It seems like everything sounds right yet look so wrong on many levels. Humans are unable to judge what's absolutely right or wrong correctly. True black and white don't seems to exist. While the addition of subtle warm colours within the grayish base represent the various soulful hearts of all mankind. I believe humans can be soulful, it's a matter of choice.

Setting this heart as the main focus among a pool of grays, I used a variety shades of red, white and tarnished brass to paint the resin heart making it as if it is a real flaming red heart. This is the main soul of this project.

This piece of art is available for sale in my shop here...

A Fairy Loo Shed

Today is Thanksgiving!!! Wishing all my American and Canadian friends the merriest Turkey Day!!! Oh well, I wish I could celebrate thanksgiving here in Singapore so that I could eat turkey 'cos I've never eaten one before. It's not a common poultry here, neither is thanksgiving an official holiday. Besides turkey, there're far more things we can be thankful for... 

And... For me, for the very least I'm thankful for having a toilet... 

Yes it's the loo I'm thankful for!!! I'm glad to be able to have at least a toilet to use at home for my convenience. There’s actually a lot people defecating in the open. November 19th (which was last week) is World Toilet Day, a day marked to let us know that billions of people in the world do not have access to proper sanitation including toilets or latrines. I had been to rural Vietnam before and seriously the villagers don't have proper toilets and they just pee and poo in the open. Owning a toilet there is consider a luxury. 

So here is a little thought from the poo fairy for mankind, using natural elements she could find in the wilderness and built a toilet bowl in a shed!

 And the fairy left a golden poo!!!

Admit One ONLY! No threesome! No hanky panky!

~Enjoy the little things~

List of Supplies:

• Graphic 45 Botanicabella DCE
• House Shrine Box Kit
• Stackable Labels
• Gold Fleur Dresden Borders
• 3mm Brass Flat-Back Studs
• Golden Rod Stickles
• Shimmerz Paints (Texturez - Arti-choked)
• Daler Rowney Acrylic Paints (Burnt Amber #223, Pale Gold #708)
• ScrapFX Chipboards (Blossom Stems, Mini Bouquets, Mini Alphabets)
• Own Stash (seashells, pearl strings, wood stumps, greens & glitter, mulberry flowers & leaves) 

Eastern Estate Fairy Tea Booth No.5

For those who are fans of The Archies Show, you probably have heard this song Sugar, Sugar. Even I wasn't born in the 50s/60s, I knew about The Archies and had own a couple of Archies comics when young. Err... Is this a boy thing? Well, I stopped playing with dolls after watching Child's Play.

Ever thought how a fairy version of The Archies would look like? I took this inspiration boldly and brought my creative brain cells to another level. It was a seriously random, chaos and out of the space kind of process before I could piece things up together. Instead of a kissing booth, I did this little fairy tea booth for something you could relate to The Archies' Riverdale Carnival. The difference between them is just a few era away, happening in Eastern Estate not Riverdale High School. Just imagine them jamming in with wings and having tea.

Here I present the Eastern State Fairy Tea Booth No. 5!!! A very warm Welcome to this season's Tea Carnival!!!

This piece is available for sale HERE...

This tea booth is one of a kind, being No. 5 for what you could imagine; the Archies band has 5 members. A floral arch over the teapot with wings certainly tells you something ethereal is going on with this booth. And yes, this booth is nothing but only minute of everything...

Hmm... Someone has left a teacup here, within the roses below the floral arch...

Tea Booth No. 5 will only stop by here for this Carnival season as you could see there's wheels beneath, i.e. this booth moves like a cart! I hope it could fly, unfortunately due to the natural nature construction of this booth, it has to be down to earth. Staying grounded is always good. 

Well well well, all tea glitters, sugar, honey, teaware and dolly mat are sold at teaspoonful each - no more no less. A wide variety of tea glitters are available in this little red catalog. For the rich pollen bed is overly tempting, before you could browse through the catalog you would need to wear the pair of red gloves. Should any steals happen, any spots of pollen would be easily spotted.

Free tea session happens at 5 and 2/3 in the evening. Several range of sizzling glittering teas would be served on these shimmering teacups mats. Be sure to drop by before the booth is gone for good. Sugar, Honey, Tea or Me?

Here is a link that contains most of the items used for this project, whereas below is a breakdown list on what I used.

Supplies List:

• October 2015 Kit – Provence Kit 
• Provence French Country Add On Kit
• Tea #2 Collage Sheet
• Provence 6” x 6” Paper Pad
• Provence Cupboard Scrapbook Paper
• Tea Party Chipboard Die-Cut Set
• 3D Bronze Tea Time Teapot Charm
• Tiny Glass Jar with Lid
• Mini Resin Honey Jars
• Clockworks Laser-Cut Wood Embellishment
• Spoked Wheel Set – 1.5 inch
• Tiny Green Leaf Garland
• Paisley Gold Sequin Mix
• Faux Metal Number Plates
• Art Nouveau Wing Women
• Baroque Scroll with Loop
• Set of Miniature Books 
• 2mm Brass Flat Back Studs   
• Ornate Metal Brads – Antique Brass 
• 3mm Brass Flat Back Studs 
• Narrow Gold Fleur Dresden Borders 
• Golden Rod Sticklers
• Moss Sheet
• Leafy Green Underbrush
• Clump Foliage – Fall Mix
• Brilliance Pigment Ink Pad – Galaxy Gold
• E6000
• ScrapFX Fairy Wings
• Square Wood Block
• Prima Mini Mulberry Rose Buds and Resin Frames 
• Martha Stewart Craft Paint (rose gold & chestnut brown)
• Shimmerz Inklingz & Creameez (pink-a-boo, french twist, miner, miner, 49er, berry hot, get glowing)
• Cire A Dorer gilding wax in classic gold
• Own Stash (3D miniature milk jar, mini teacup charm, miniature red gloves, clear crystal bead, twigs, floral garland, bamboo skewers, gold glitter)