December Class Favourites

Project Title: "Fairy Tale" (Altered wooden album - mixed media)

This is meant to be a wall hanging and I'll need to add photos to it...or maybe quotes? Had fun making this one despite the girly colour and style.

Happy Accidents & Other Discoveries:

Page One:

1. If you stick down lots of knobbly items and whitewash them, they look great for texture. (Did this on an earlier layout, but I like the colour blend on this one). I like the texture of torn knotted cloth

2. Pink and yellow actually make quite a nice blend

Page Two:

1. I LOVE foil tape. Hubby helped me get this from the hardware store. Its like aluminium foil but with a sticky backy. Makes for good texture.

2. Really like how the clouds turned out - its Staz On stamped on transparency, coloured with more Staz On then glued onto white felt.

Page Four:

1. I added shimmer to the glossy accents before 'cooking' it so it gives it a rather nice shine. Nice variation. Plus I like how the colours of the vines turned out.

How Can Like That?!!!

I had a good Christmas, despite
- someone stealing one of each of our slippers on Christmas eve (whoever you are, someone up there saw you do it ok?!! and its not Santa Claus!)
- having to play Lego and Barbie dolls for the whole of Christmas day
- carrying out the annual 'toy purge' amidst some protests

I had a good Christmas because I remembered to be thankful and got lots of hugs.
So.... Lesson learnt this Christmas:
Layout Title: "Hold on Tight" (to the ones you love.....and your slippers!!! Haha)

This One is For Me...So I Don't Forget

Mini Album: "Christmas Is..."

Made this mini album featuring no photos - just lyrics from one of my favourite Christmas Songs "Emmanuel Has Come" by Don Moen. This one's just for me...

I really like how the Purple Onion music stamp makes a nice faint 'background' for all the text.

And since this is probably the last time I'll be making a post before Christmas, so.... Merry merry Christmas everyone!

Now's A Good Time to Remember This

Layout Title: "Give Me the Simple Life"
Journaling for this layout is taken from one of my favourite songs "Give Me The Simple Life" (Lyrics by Harry Ruby, Music by Rube Bloom)

Folks are blessed who make the best of everything
Living by their own philosophy
Everyone beneath the sun must find a way
I have found the only life for me

I don't believe in fretting or grieving
Why mess around with strife
I never was cut out to step and strut out
Give me the simple life

Some find it pleasant dining on pheasant
Those things roll off my knife
Just give me tomatoes and mashed potatoes
Give me the simple life

A cottage small is all I'm after
Not one that's spacious and wide
A house that rings with joy and laughter
With the ones you love inside

Some like the high road, I like the low road
Free from the care and strife
Sounds corny and seedy but yes indeedy
Give me the Simple Life

'Nuff said.

Christmas is in the Air...

Layout Title: "All I Want for Christmas"

Here's my contribution to all the lovely Christmas goodness going on at Purple Onion right now. (Kiasu Singaporean shoppers alert - there's a SALE on! Date's been extended - good stuff)

Love the photo - especially how that big golden ball lines up perfectly with his butt....totally unposed - very Ben.

I'm (Almost) Done....Wanna See?

Here's a few little peeks at my January class featuring Claudine Hellmuth's Studio line products. This is gonna be a pain to teach (Betty's gonna kill me) but I think you guys will have fun.... I certainly did!

I love how it looks like someone spilled pesto sauce all around the white letters. And I love the 'mucus' look on the "Good Stuff" - haha, more cooking in store!

Claudine Hellmuth's Sticky Back Canvas - Good Stuff!

My favourite page / effect

So I'm almost done (just a bit of journaling needed here and there)....now to move on to the next project.

P.S. Is it normal that I keep smelling the multi-medium...? That stuff just smells to good to be glue you know? I seriously love it..... it glides along so smoothly, sticks perfectly and I absolutely love the finish. And did I mention the smell?....Hmmm, does this qualify as glue-sniffing?

In a End-of-Year Kind of Mood

Wooden Mini Album: "This Year So Far"

I'm in a reflective, look back kind of mood....what with the snuggly weather and the year coming to a close...So these are the major things we did this year:

1. We moved house

2. Beth started Primary School

3. We took our best family holiday together so far

Happy Accidents & Other Discoveries:

1. Love the 'Spaghetti' on the front cover - its made of....*drumroll*... rubber bands! This was the first time I tried using gesso as a glue. I saw these cool textures on this website:

http://www.artistterms.com/texturegallery.htm. and decided to give it a go. I painted globs of gesso on, pressed the rubber bands in, painted lots more gesso over them, then later when the gesso was dry, I painted it with acrylic paints, sprayed glimmer mist and added buttons etc. Seriously fun.

2. On the third page I tried out a technique I learned from Claudine Hellmuth's book "Collage Discovery Workshop" where you splat various colours of paints on then use cling wrap and smoosh the paints around and when you pull of the cling wrap you get these really nice 'wrinkle' designs. Good stuff.

K....that's it for now. I'm still busy playing with my Claudine Hellmuth Studio stuff and the project for January is progressing.... promise to show you a sneak peek by the end of the week. I am getting high on the multi-medium....woo hoo!

Fun Challenge at Purple Onion - With Prizes!

There's free stamps to be won at Purple Onion right now. All you need to do is use your Purple Onion Design stamps to create some holiday packaging, take photos, put it up on your blog / gallery, then put a link to it at the comments section of the post on the Purple Onion Designs blog.

And to help you along, some of the Design Team girls have created some truly wonderful and inspirational stuff to get you going. This one by Julie Dudley's my favourite.

Check out details here: http://purpleoniondesigns.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/12/gift-wrap-challenge-with-prizes.html

In An Arsty Mood

Layout Title: "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl

Obervations:

1. Need to remember to be free to explore as I make stuff today.

2. Doesn't Sepia Accents (that's the orange loops around the photo) look like ketchup?

So Inspired I think My Head's Gonna Burst

Reason Number One:

Look at all the goodies I get to play with!!! Bwah-ha-ha. All this super yummy gooey messy stuff is for me to use! They just came into the store and you can check out the full range of stuff on the store blog: http://laines.typepad.com/laines_blog/

I've got a project brewing already that will feature the new STUDIO line from Claudine Hellmuth (my idol!) (gel medium - woo hoo! paints - woo hoo! sticky canvas - double woo hoo!) plus lots of other artsy stuff from Ranger and my sweet Baboo's hardware stash.

Reason Number Two:

Check out the cool inspirational stuff going on at Tim Holtz's blog. http://timholtz.typepad.com/ - 12 Tags of Christmas - every tag full of super fun techniques and super cool details - I like!!! I'm raring to try some of them out!

So, all of this artsy goodness is going into my class(es) for January! You fans of gooey messy classes out there, look out for our January schedule. (I've started work on one project already and you can tell I'm stoked about it cos I spent the past 2 nights dreaming about it - always a good sign, project-wise). Will tell you when it's done and you guys can come have a look! (Hint hint - if you look at the picture, you'll get a small clue as to what I'm making...)

Other Yummy Stuff now in store (that I probably won't get to use...haha):

Gonna go make something now....see ya

History of the Hug Routine

Layout Title: "Hugs, Kong Kong Style"
And this is the man who originated the "hug tight tight, hug three times" tradition (see previous post journaling). Sweet.

Did you spot the paper bag?

Where Did the Time Go?

Layout Title: "Hug the Bear"
Journaling - "Hug tight tight, Hug three times, Hug while you can"

This layout says what I'm feeling right now - that the year went by so fast and I want to remember to hug the Critters all I can, while I can. Beth used to be "Li'l Bear" 'cos she was 'hibernating' in my tummy....seems like only yesterday.

Symbolism Junkie says Did you notice the string going up and down representing the many ups and downs in life? (Haha, yah, I just made that up - so lame). No, nothing symbolic this time, just like the colours and the photo. (It's slightly misty cos my lens was fogged up - nice)

Like That Also Can Ah?

Layout Title: "A Splashing Good Time"

Yes, I can do simple stuff. No, I don't have to be "chao pattern" ('artsy' with adding details) all the time. And yes, I like this even though it took only half an hour to make. No painting, no stamping, no embossing, no cooking, no collage, (Now if I can only stop fussy cutting) Sometimes, quick is good eh?

Shmoo Can Cook - So Can You

Project Title: " So This is Real Love" (Prima Embossed Chipboard Album - Original words on front cover were "What I Love")

I have been wanting to record this happy accident for the longest time. It was VERY scary and looked super gross while I was doing it but turned out to be the most cool thing I'd done in a long time. So, see, it pays to be brave. (of course I haven't shown you all the 'unhappy' accidents I've had while being brave - haha)

Should have taken photos of the process, but didn't know I'd be blogging then so.... you'll just have to be brave and trust my words on this one. Here goes...

Happiest Accident of All Time (So Far): aka how to make your page look like a corroded manhole cover or the inside of a drain

Ingredients:

1. Embossed chipboard (or just chipboard shapes too)

2. Ink - 'dirty' colours (Distress ink works nicely)

3. Glimmer Mist - metallic colours

4. Glossy Accents - (matte works too - different look)

5. Staz On ink - black / brown

6. Stickles - metallic colours

Steps:

1. Colour the entire chipboard with ink (this will be your base colour) - I used black on mine

2. Sand away parts of the ink with a sanding block (to get some colour variation) - starts to look VERY gross here, but be brave and press on!

3. Use glossy accents to go over the embossed design - if you squeeze more, it 'corrodes' more later

4. COOK the glossy accents with your heat gun. Don't wait for it to dry. It will start to bubble and froth and produce all kinds of yummy bumps. (You can flatten the bubbles out later)

5. Spray glimmer mist all over the chipboard - the glimmer mist will pool in the spaces and give the chipboard the metallic look. (I used Gold and Copper)

6. Use Staz On ink to colour your cooked glossy accents if it looks too white for your liking. Also use Staz On ink to colour various parts of your chipboard if you need some darker areas

7. Add stickles and some white pen doodles to highlight parts of the chipboard you like

Variations:
1. When we taught this class at the store, some of the students did other coloured versions by changing the base ink colour. There was this green one that looked like it was all covered in algae - nice....I like.

2. You can also draw your own designs with glossy accents and then cook it.

3. I believe Stickles can be 'cooked' as well though not in such a spectacular fashion.

And for those of you who wondered what the inside of the album was like:

You can tell I was very tired after all the cooking so didn't have energy to fancy-up the inside.

Happy Cooking!

My Son the Pteranodon

Layout Title: "Imagination Can Give You Wings"

This is my favourite from November's layout class. Clever title courtesy of my clever husband.

Things I like and some I might do again:

1. The photo - totally unposed. (That's his baby blanket by the way)

2. The Starburst: You start with a large circle template and draw curves at different angles to create the 'tail' of the shooting stars (that's that 'fountain' like thing behind the photo) from different patterned papers. I matted mine on black cardstock for a 'cartoony' feel. Then you arrange the 'tails' like they are 'bursting' out from behind the photo. Then, gather all the star stamps or patterns you have and basically 'sneeze' (i.e. glue randomly) them all over the page so you get a 'starburst'. (The cutting was a pain but the 'sneezing' was fun)

3. Wavy title on transparency ("can give you"): I stuck lettering stickers in a wavy line on transparency then cut it wavy along the top edge and left a large portion below so that it can be stuck behind the word "wings". That way the transparency floated up without needing foam dots.

4. The patterned papers totally say exactly what I want to say "Have Fun" and "Be Yourself" and the title is a pun - ahhh, the symbolism-junkie in me is very satisfied.

Default Colour Scheme

Here's another project I designed for December class. Its a travel-themed album in my 'default favourite colours' (i.e. red-white-black). The class schedule for December will be going out by email later today so you can ring us to book already.

Highly Productive....but quite pooped!

"How I was Productive this Weekend" by Shmoo


Friday:
- Finished up one layout for December layout class.
- Helped out at Fontwerks class by Kah-Mei Smith on Friday - lovely, messy, fun. (Kah-Mei's the one right up front near the screen)
- Dreamt of ideas for 2 more layouts for December layout class

Saturday:
- Finished one more layout for December layout class
- Taught Critters how to play R-O-C-K rock [clap clap] and other childhood hand games
- Made Cottage pie for dinner
- Drafted December class schedule
- Dreamt about project ideas for Purple Onion

Sunday:
- Went to church - sermon on Leviticus (not as dry as you would think - very insightful)
- Finished last layout for December layout class
- took nap (yes, this is productive!)
- designed inside pages for Purple Onion project
- Played games with Critters
- Helped Benny with handwriting practice

And it's all good.

Yes, I made this....Yes, it's pink....Yes, someone made me do it

This is one of the things I've been up to lately....this is for a class running in December and its VERY VERY PINK! and GIRLY and SWEET and SPARKLY - all the things I am not....haha. But, still, it was fun and I'm sure the little 'princess' I'm giving it to will enjoy the pretty bits.

Sorry, can't show you all of it but if you drop by the store, you can see the whole project in all of its glorious pink fairy-tale princess glory....

New Stamps at Purple Onion

I really like this project that Jennifer Holmes did using the new Purple Onion date stamps! Super cool idea.

You can check out more of the other projects using the date stamp at the purple onion blog:

http://purpleoniondesigns.typepad.com

Not for Sale

Project Title: "Things to Treasure & Keep" (altered recipe box)

One of my favourite projects of all time. (so far) The felt heart embellishment was inspired by a Rebecca Sower project I saw on her blog. (can't seem to find it now)

Happy Accidents and Other Discoveries:
1. Grungeboard makes good handles! - It is strong enough and flexible enough. (see the handles on the side of my box). I used brads to attach them to the box)

2. Making faux leather / corroded metal from grungeboard: Rub Embossing Ink (or Glue Pad) lightly over the surface. Add gold embossing powder. Brush off excess (don't get too much on, its nicer if its 'scattered') Heat with heat gun.Rub distress ink all over into the grungeboard to get all other parts nice and brown. I used this on the handles and also on the fake clasps in the front of the box. (Attached with brads)

3. Fake 'Beaten Metal' corners: Cut out circles from brown cardstock, crumple them. Emboss with gold embossing powder (try to get the embossing mainly on the creases only). Ink with distress ink. Then cut a slit to the centre of the circle, fold over the corner (one quarter will overlap) and then glue onto corner of box. Its a nice way to finish off messy corners on a box

And here's a related True Story:
Someone came into the store the other day and wanted to buy the materials to make an exact copy of this box. And when she couldn't get the exact same materials (cos we weren't running the class anymore), she tried to buy my box. When I said it wasn't for sale, she tried taking pictures of it while I wasn't looking and I had to ask her to stop. (General rule is no photography in the store)

Don't know why, but I felt awfully defensive and angry about it. I felt like saying, "It's not so easy you know? Do you know how long I took to do this? You think you can just throw money at me to get what you want? Or just copy my design without asking me?" But of course I didn't. On hindsight, I realise it was pride talking... not everyone knows how much time and effort scrapbooking can take and I cannot expect everyone to understand and appreciate how this thing that I made is an extension / reflection of myself. So I am glad I didn't say something I would regret.

Anyway, the (happy) ending is that the box is now safe in the hands of my mother. I gave it to her to put in her home. She doesn't know how long I took to make this, nor anything about embossing and grungeboard, but she likes it because I made it and that's good enough for me.

Ay, I Never Take Home Ec One You Know

Ok, ok, its just a simple cloth bag, but its a big deal to me cos I sewed it all by myself from scratch - no sewing machine, no help. (That also excuses the untidy stitching which you can't see cos my photo is too small - haha). I showed this to my mother and she said, "You made this???" and I said yes and she said "Really?!!!" - So I am thoroughly satisfied. I have surprised myself and even my own mother so there!

Incidentally, this was another class that we did in October that featured fabric instead of patterned paper. All the pages of the mini album are covered with fabric (glued on - I don't like sewing THAT much) and you can see a bit of the "Zhu Jun Zao An /Good Morning" towel on the cover.

Incidentally, how do you spell Home Ec anyway?? (short form for Home Economics).

I've Got Sunshine... On a Cloudy Day...

It's been raining buckets today. The sky is dark, everything looks gloomy....but inside I am thoroughly happy. Because.

1. Bearie did well for her exams (even Chinese - amazing for a 'kantang' girl).

2. Baboo is home safe

3. I cooked and I didn't burn anything up and it tasted good - at least to my family. (Major achievement ok? For someone who forgot to put oil in the pan the first time she fried an egg)

So many blessings to be thankful for.

Don't Forget To... But I Still Do...Sigh

This is the other project I submitted for Purple Onion finals and its my favourite of the three projects 'cos its really 'me'. I am extremely forgetful (Singapore = blur) and I live with a constant feeling that I'm forgetting something every moment of the day (probably am). I think my brain seems wired in a screwy kind of way. But this brain (that thinks more often about drawing and creating and making music than paying bills and cleaning house) is what God gave me. I am glad to be this way and glad for the people who love me despite my blur blob status. They are God's gift to me. So as the journaling on this says....

" Don't Forget to...do this, do that....not forgetting that too, and this and the other....and don't forget to find God in all of it"

And that's why I chose the "Family" ribbon on the left to be part of this.

Now whether I'll actually use this book is another story...

Favourite Bits on This:

1. The string on the finger

2. The fact that I have a real receipt on the inside cover (Borders - what can I say? Its in the same building as the store!)

3. The fact that the "Family" ribbon is 'moveable' and serves as my bookmark so I'll always see it no matter what page I'm on. (you know like the string in those little diary books?)

I think you're starting to guess that I really like putting in these little 'funny' details.

Hmmm...everything seems to be orange these days

Layout: "Three B's and a Me in the Ngoo Family Tree"
Photo by Aaron Tan (a good friend of mine from church. He takes incredible pictures See here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/negativexposure/sets/)

This is the other layout that I did for the Purple Onion Design Team final submissions. Really liked the stamps on this one (all from Purple Onion of course:
1. Broken 15 Alphabet (the text near the bottom)
2. 2008 Vintage Calendar Stamp (behind photo)
3. Stems and Grass Set (the 'bush' on the left of the photo)
4. Bare Tree (behind the word tree - what can I say, I'm a corny girl)
5. Brocante Set (the numbers, the butterfly and the 'notice board' for the word Ngoo) - there's a really nice bunny and rooster in that set that I'm looking forward to using.

No happy accidents this time, but I was really happy with the:

1. tree stamp behind the word tree (I like to be 'funny' like that)

2. stamping in grey to get variation in tones - nice.

3. The word 'me' ending up almost just below my mini photo - see corny again (ok, I guess this counts as a happy accident)

4. The title - it was one of those things where I noticed everyone else's names (or nicknames) started with B except me. Epiphany.

Yesterday was a crazy day....in a good way. But today I like quiet I think....

My Laine's Bag

Here is store model Charmaine carrying this season's must have - Laine's Papeterie Designer Tote by Sharon Ong. Perfect for containing Laine's Papeterie secret giveaways and other goodies. Available in camel with black detailing.

Exclusive Launch: 6 November 2008 , Laine's Papeterie, Wheelock Place. 3pm

Haha...its gonna be weird (in a nice way) seeing my design walking around Singapore... And this is all because of a sister who's always believed in me. Thank you Laine.

"You Ah!" (what Betty says to me when she has to teach this class)

This month at Laine's we are running this "Album in an Album" class for the last 2 times. This is one of those classes that will Betty and I (and many of those who attended) will never forget because:
1. It tends to drag super long (therefore causing Betty to go home only at 11pm sometimes)

2. It caused the demise of quite a few paper piercers when we pierced through the linen-bound cover to do the black stitching. (Not to mention numerous grunts, complaints, blisters(?) and sore fingers)

3. It makes Betty & me have to dig paint out of the stamps after class cos we stamped in paint on the cover.

4. It caused a lot of waiting for those who missed the class the first round and waited 2 whole months for it to come back again.

So....to everybody who ever took (or is going to take) this class. Sorry lah, I couldn't help being 'chao pattern'. And sorry Betty....I buy you chocolate after the last class to celebrate ok? Haha.

Hope you all liked the album you made anyway - worth the blisters?
.