Be You.

Hello again, folks!!

Today, I'm showing you another SOG clear stamp release: Be You.

It is a sentiment stamp set. On my card, it is the ribbon on the right (the tail was paper-pierced). The stamp set also includes the strip of hearts towards the bottom. I also used Fan here. Isn't she beautiful? Most of the time, I wish I can apply make-up to my face the way I can color "make-up" to my SOG images. :)



Here's a closer look to the main Be You stamp. I blurred the rest of the image to make it stand out.



See ya here tomorrow! Same time, same place for another release!!

Keep Calm and Stamp On.

Happy World Card Making Day, folks!! Hope you get crafty this weekend! I know I am! :)

It's been kind of disheartening that I've had to defend my making cards lately to others. I envy those of you who have full support from your friends and family...

Lots of people ask why I stamp/ make cards/ scrapbook... I'm sure everybody has their escape. I'm lucky enough to be able to afford many hobbies. For me, coloring stamped images are relaxing. And to see them come to life with just the ink and brush strokes from Copic markers are remarkable! I love patterned papers and textures and adding dimension and design with them just leave me with a wonderful feeling. And, of course, giving my cards to a special person just warms my heart.

Homemade gifts aren't always cheap and kitschy. I, for one, have a lot of stamps. I finally got to print digi stamps with my own printer though (if you are a long time follower of my blog, you know I had problems and always relied on other people for this). So I've been buying lots of digi stamps instead (cheaper).

And not everybody is a supporter of my hobby, and I can understand that. It takes time and money and space. But to each, her or his own. I craft when my kids are napping or playing. I still play with them and cuddle with them and read to them and spoil them more than I should. I think crafting makes me a better mom because it allows me some time for myself. As for money, well, I've stopped buying designer purses or clothes. It's been a while since I've stepped inside a mall or had my hair done. Instead I buy my crafting supplies. I work full time and have a great, rewarding career. It is very stressful, having someone's life in your hands. After 12 years of nursing, I've learned to leave it at work when I get home. But it's not always easy.

Bottom line, I think I'm getting quite good at my coloring. I'm very proud of that. Last week, I got my Intermediate Copics Certification. I love that I'm well rounded enough to want to pursue something other than my career or being a mom. It is definitely not easy to balance everything. But I am grateful for my hubby who's watched the kids while I holed myself up in a room for a couple of weekends and studied for my promotion and my certification. And to my mom, who's watched the kids while I'm at work. Any hoo, I wouldn't change it for anything. And thank you for all of your comments and visits. And to my friends who cherish my cards in their treasured collections, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

XOXO,

My First Published Card.

The day has finally arrived when I can announce that I am a published crafter! Woot-woot!!!
We were told to wait one month after publication to announce, facebook or tweet about it. And it was hard to keep quiet, but now I can shout it out loud!!! One of my cards got picked up for the April/May 2012 issue of Designed to Color, "a magazine devoted to stamping, coloring, and paper crafting!"

Open publication - Free publishing

I really have to give props to Design to Color - it really is for the crafter who's just like me. My style of cards mostly involve coloring. It's the first of its kind! Other magazines mostly focus on just stamping so I am truly honored to be part of DTC's second issue! And what's great is you can now order it in print! Here's the link for more details and also how to subscribe.
Anybody out there also a believer that things happen for a reason? I do!
You see, I entered this card for a different publication call. It didn't get picked and I was sad. Then, I entered it for Design Team call. It was rejected and I was devastated. Along came the call from DTC and when I found out it got chosen, I was ecstatic!!
So don't ever give up!
Supplies list:
CS- Bazzill (brown). Neenah (white). DP- American Crafts (multi-colored flowered one). Crate Paper (yellow roses and striped ones). Stamp- Some Odd Girl's Noveau girl - Believe. Ribbon- Hero Arts. Quilled butterflies- Martha Stewart. Red Border- Crate Paper. Pins- House of 3s (Pink Paislee).
Please click on the issue above for details on the Copics I used. I'm on page 33.
Thanks for visiting!

Blooms.

Good afternoon, folks!

For today's card, I was feeling more of that Spring fever. And that means lots of blooms! Used more of Cathy's felt flowers. Just can't get enough of these beauties. I also tried my hand at rolled flowers...a first for me. It was a total disaster (it's the striped one with pink and orange), but I kinda like how 'jagged' the petals look. Then, I fussy-cute the roses and other flowers out to add to the bundle.

The image is from Some Odd Girl's Noveau Girl (Bliss). The ribbon is from Amy, and the papers/ lace ribbon are from my stash.

Although, I'm making lots of Spring-themed cards, I'm hoping that this coming week won't get too warm! We are going for a little road trip to Lake Tahoe later this week, where we'll be playing in the snow with some close friends. It should be lots of fun! I'll be sure to share pics, and I've got a couple of posts lined up. Have a wonderful day!

Whimsical & ecclectic.

When I first saw the Noveau girls from Some Odd Girl, I knew I had to have them. Not only were they beautiful, they were so different from any of the stamps I own. And because they were inspired by a period of art history, they appealed to me even more.

I have always been into art as far back as I can remember. I recall preschool art projects that consisted of pencil sharpening bits glued on paper to make flowers. My mom taught me how to do figure drawings and faces. I always doodled borders and letter art in high school.

While I was envious of my childhood friends who took up dance and sports, I felt lucky enough to take part in art classes and piano lessons. I dreamed of majoring in graphic design but eventually gave in to my parents' insistence to take up something more financially 'stable' and 'practical.'

I love my nursing career and do not regret my decision. Yet there is always going to be a small part of me that long for the arts. I am very grateful for my hobbies of papercrafting, stamping, scrapbooking, and photography. I am blessed to live so close to so many amazing art museums. So even if I don't get to make art for a living, I sure am lucky to be able to include it in my life.

Anyway, I am digressing...

I finally got to work with my Noveau girls. I went all out with this first creation of Grow. To me, she looks part Marie-Antoinette-ish, part fairy tale princess. I pictured her in an exotic and lively forest full of wonderful creatures. Or walking in front of a big window in her fanciful castle.

There are a lot of elements mixed in here, and I love them all! Call it a whimsical & ecclectic card if you will :). To me, it's very artsy. The way all the leaves flourish and grow...lots of flowing lines and dynamic curves. A little bit like a modern art noveau style? Hee hee, not quite sure but I'd like to think so.

The stamped images that make up the inner borders are from Grow as well. I really like them because I used to always doodle something similar to those. The sentiment is from Bliss. The PP are both from Basic Grey. The leaf pins are from an old Taylored Expressions kit. The shiny leaves embellies are from a kit I won from Gauche Alchemy. The images are colored with my beloved Copics.

Thanks so much for visiting and reading my post!

Paper Child.

Good Saturday morning, everyone!

I decided to play along with Some Odd Girl's Facebook Paper Child contest. To know more about what Paper Child is, read here.

These were pretty addicting! The ones of Tiny Baby weren't as creative as the ones of Believe. Still, I had a lot of fun trying to find 'photo locations' for my models!

Tee hee! I was flying around the house yesterday when I should've been taking a nap or cleaning. But I hadn't crafted in so long so I gave in to my 'craving.' :) Hey, it's better than eating the cake I just baked!



Oliver inspired my shots of Tiny Baby. At 6 months, he is already much more active than MK was at that age! So Tiny Baby is climbing all over the place, a dare devil at that!









Buwahahahahaha! This one cracks me up!!



And now, to channel my inner sexiness, I used Believe. LOL, Pardon me but I have been stuck in the house for a few days now tending to l'il sick ones and I have a bit of cabin fever. I'm dying to get dolled up & go out!!!



She is the ultimate femme fatale, isn't she? She decides to hang out in my jewelry stand.



And look, I have some Art Noveau-ish earrings! :) Believe is an image inspired by that period!



ROWWWWWRRRRR!!! Who knew a stamp could exude such sex appeal? Buwahahahaha!!!

Thanks for visiting! And y'know what's cool about these images? I can still make cards out of them :).

*Images colored with Copic markers.

XOXO,