Romantic Treasure Chest

It seems only yesterday when I was so busy making Christmas cards and tags - now my stamping desk is covered with red and pink papers as well as hearts, cupids, and arrows embellishment. Yup, Valentine's Day is just a couple of weeks away!

Speaking of Heart's Day, Just Us Girls blog is challenging crafters to create a 3D project or template with Valentine theme. When I think of Valentine's day, the things that come to mind are wine, chocolates, romantic dates so here's what I did....

I made this wine tag using a template and stamped it with damask design in black and embellished it with heart-shaped crystals. To add 3D effect, I attached a wine chocolate on the tag.

Keeping the romantic Valentine theme in mind, I arranged the tagged bottle of wine, two wine glasses, scented candle, bath crystals and matching bubble bath, chocolates and a  DVD of the film Gone with the Wind in a wooden chest.

To complete my romantic treasure chest, I did this matching card....

Voila! A perfect gift for a romantic Heart's Day date!

Cheers,
Mei Ann

Thanks JUGs for another inspiration:

A "Do-Over"

Make-over, I am familiar. But a "do-over" is kinda new to me! But I admit it was fun!

I stumbled upon Amber's {a very talented crafter!} blog who is hosting a do-over blog hop. I'm sure every card designer has a "did I do this card?" or "what am I thinking?" moment. I have many of those cards that are hidden at the bottom on drawer - never to be seen again until today! Like this one here....

I can't even remember when I made this one, maybe on a dark and cloudy day :-) thus, the color choices. For the do-over, instead of using patterned paper, I stamped the vines and flowers in pastel colors.

I used the same "thinking of You" sentiment but this time stamped instead of my own handwriting. I love the white ribbon from the original card so I decided not to change it but embellished it pins.

Now this is what I call a real do-over. Thanks Amber, I truly enjoy giving this card a new life.

Have a fantastic work week ahead!
Mei Ann

The Power of Two {Challenges}

Back @ home sweet home after almost a week in Orlando attending a company meeting.  I had a blast spending a whole afternoon with my hubby at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studio! If you are an avid fan of Harry like me, that is the place to go. I'll have another post about the trip soon. but today I want to share this card I did last night inspired by two of my favorite challenges: Moxie Fab World's Cool Tools Challenge and Just Us Girls' "Red, pink and white" color challenge.

I fell in love with this puppy stamp I got from a sale bin a long time ago and embellished it with a tulip which I die-cut from the wedding design cartridge of my Slice machine. The sentiment "love" is also a die-cut from the same cartridge.

I had fun doing this card and looking at it really makes me smile! I hope it will make my hubby smile too...

Thanks Moxie Fab and JUGs for the inspirations!

 The Power of Two

 

You Make my Heart Flutter

If I can choose 3 tools in my craft room that I can't live without, my punches will definitely be on the list. How can I not love punches? This crafting tool has gone a long way - from the 2-hole punch I used in my elementary days to file my school projects to the fanciest designs we now admire in various "master pieces" in the crafting world. I bet Martha Stewart is making tons of money from her line of punches {which I sincerely love!}. The butterfly punch I use for this card for The Punches Challenge over at Moxie Fab World is on the top of my list.

On a folded card stock, I drew a heart shape then adhered the punched butterflies filling the entire heart. I love contrast created by the white butterflies on the red card stock. I sprayed glitter mist on the butterflies to add sparkle. And to complement the fluttering of the wings, I added the sentiment which I just printed from my laptop.

It only took me less than 5 minutes to create this card from start to finish! Another reason why I love my punches!!!

Cheers,
Mei Ann

We are ...

...running away from the freezing weather to catch...

to be enchanted by...

to dink...

to explore...

and to be enchanted...

See you in 2 days Hogwarts!

Photo credits:http://harrypotternews.universalorlando.com/images.php

Melted Inspiration

I have used several things inside our home to embellish a design like a bag of tea 

{like this one here}, butcher's twine, sponge, etc. They are for me the most cost effective

tools in mt studio. Moxie Fab World is challenging crafters to find something inside the

house that can be used in creating a card, a layout. tags, gift bag among others.

I decided to try using melted scented candles that are currently burning in my craft room.

I poured different colors of melted candles on a piece of paper.

While the liquid is still warm on the paper, twist and turn the paper 

in different angles to create an abstract design.

Place the paper on a flat surface and allow the candle to solidify.

 Voila! A melted inspiration! 

Did I say the card smells like lavender, wild berries and pine?

Cheers, 

Mei Ann

Blending in Perfect Harmony

The sun is shining brightly ... the snow on the grounds

is sparkling like little diamonds

as if teasing me to come out and seize the day.
There's a catch though ... It is -22 degrees Celsius outside!
Perfect weather to be trapped inside my craft studio. Pure bliss, indeed...

The timing couldn't be perfect. Moxie Fab World is hosting an array of challenges using different crafting tools. I started working on my first card this morning using my cuttlebug machine for the embossing challenge.



I dabbed some distress ink {in peeled paint} on top of the template to highlight
the design before running the paper into the machine.

I then stamped, heat embossed and cut an angel fish and a seahorse
to make the card's focal point. The sentiment is from Fiskars' Latte Love collection.



When my hubby saw the finished card, he said "is that supposed to be you and me?"
Yup! You and I dear.
Two very different personalities but blending in perfect harmony!

P.S.
Got my copy of paper Crafts' Cool Tools special issue and once again, the team outdid themselves again. So many useful information and inspirations. You guys are so cool!

Keep warm {or cool},
Mei Ann

Songs from the Heart

I just want to share this layout I did last December. Some of my friends and I visited a Nursing Home for Children with special needs and sang carols for the children. The memories of that Saturday afternoon will forever be in my heart. I will never forget the smile on their innocent faces, the rhythmic nodding of their heads and the joyful claps of their tiny hands while we were singing. Because of their conditions, most of the children can't speak, hear nor stand on their own. But as soon as the guitar, tambourines and drums were played to accompany the melodies of Jingle Bells, the children expressed their excitement and happiness in their own special ways.

The words coming from them were incomprehensible but they were so beautiful to hear because these were songs coming straight from their pure hearts. We went there with the intention of giving joy to the little ones but they gave us more than what we gave them!

Since I can't share the pictures of the little angles for privacy reasons, I preserved the memories through this photo which was taken when we were practicing the carols.

P.S.
Speaking of Christmas carols, while driving to work yesterday morning, my dear hubby asked me if we can start a tradition of singing and/or playing Christmas carols for a week during summertime :-). That we way he said we don't have to wait for another 11 months to hear the wonderful songs of Christmas. Why not? I said. Maybe we can even invite some friends over for a barbeque party and Christmas carols sing-along! Let see what the neighbors will say about this new tradition...

Q&A

A friend of mine tagged me to answer a set of questions - no theme, no directions, just random questions which I truly enjoyed answering.

1. Song that makes you sad
Special Memories sung by Broadway Filipina actress/singer Lea Salonga. This is my song to my dear papa who passed away last year.

"All the times we shared will always be to me
Songs my heart will sing refreshing melodies
I'll put together all of our laughter like a symphony
I'll remember you wherever I may be."

2. Last thing you bought
There was a huge sale at Michaels last Saturday so I got myself a Slice Cordless Cutting Machine and several Slice cartridges.

3. Last person you argued with
I can't remember. It must have been a long time since I argued with somebody. It was probably with my hubby and I can bet my bottom dollar that it was about something so trivial like "why did you leave the lights on?"

4. Do you put butter before putting peanut butter on?
No, but that it seems like a great idea. I'll try it tomorrow morning with my tea.

5. One of your stuffed animal's name when you were a kid
I didn't like stuffed animals when I was a kid. However, a day after Christmas 11 year ago, my hubby and I found a little stuffed mouse on a sale bin. We felt sorry for him because all of the toys are gone except for this one so we bought him for 2 bucks and named him OLOF. He's still with us up to now.

6. Did you ever at one time own a Barenaked Ladies CD?
No but I love singing "If I Have a Million Dollars".

7. Favorite day of the week
Definitely Friday! Its wine and Karaoke night at home for my my hubby.

8. Favorite sunday toppings.
None. I like my ice cream plain.

9. Most frequent song played
Lately I'm playing "Like A Lover" by Dianne Reeves a lot while driving from work.

10. TV show you secretly enjoy
Not secretly but I can spend the whole day watching Big Bang Theory. I love Sheldon Cooper!

11. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?
I can't play both but I would rather watch hockey since I live in the hockey capital of the world. However, I can't stand the fighting in ice hockey. I don't get it when the referee is just standing there and watch 2 players punch each other.

12. Date someone younger or older
I don't have the intention to date now or in the future. I am married to a wonderful man who I intend to grow old with.

13. One place you would travel right now
Fly to Manila to see my mom, sister and nephews.

14. Do you use umbrellas?
Rarely. We have more snow than rain here in Ontario, Canada.

14. Do you know all the words of the Canadian national anthem?
I'm proud to say yes. As Filipino-Canadian, I owe it to the country I consider my adoptive home. "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!"

15. Best job you ever had
What I am doing now: a pharmaceutical marketer by day ; wife, domestic goddess and paper crafter by night. I couldn't ask for a better one!

Cheers,
Mei Ann

A New Year to ... EXPLORE

Happy 2012!

I'm not fond of making new year's resolutions for the simple reason that can't keep them! Instead, I vow to EXPLORE the opportunities that come with a brand new year.

Inspired by the word EXPLORE and the sketch from Card Patterns, I made my first card for the year which I intend to mail to myself to remind me life is too short to not to spread my wings wider and discover new things, faces, and places.
When I was looking for craft materials to express my current state of mind, it seemed like the stars are totally aligned. Hubby and I went to Michael's yesterday {well, I kind of "coerced" him to go with me} and found this dollar stamp that perfectly conveys my feelings of "pushing the pencil" and "flying high" to a whole new world of endless discoveries.

On to the next isle was a huge sale of Slice Cordless Cutting Machine which I got for 29 bucks and cartridges are sold for 5 bucks {it was Christmas morning again!!!} so I got crazy and took everything that my 2 hands can handle. The sentiment on the card is from Sing and Dance Slice cartridge. I added glitters on the wings to make it the focal point of the card.

Back to my "explore and discover" mode. Here's what I wrote on my idea notebook:

Let 2012 my year to EXPLORE
... my personal relationship with my God
... new ways to show my family how much I love and adore them
... my passion in paper crafting and dancing
... Peruvian and Ethiopian cuisine

... the art of calligraphy

... my stock knowledge in speaking Spanish
... the "magic" of Harry Potter in Florida

... the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupery
and ... my hidden strength to do what I am capable of accomplishing

Cheers to a new year of endless possiblities!
Mei Ann