Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2010

Its been quite a while since I last updated my blog.  My apologies - I have been so busy with Track and Field day, 2 football tournaments,  change in maid and our vacation that I just couldn't do anything else in between. I know I have not wished everyone a Merry Xmas - although its late but Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends and hope you had a great Christmas.

I still have not had anytime to scrap - the hired help has proved to be very challenging and I find myself spending a lot of time with the house chores.  

I leave you with some photos of my 2 in Seoul,  Korea.

Having fun in the snow.

Kimchi anyone?

Loving the rides at Lotte World.

Skiing in Jison.

Fantasizing being a World Cup football player at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

An interesting old man in Insadong.

Merry Christmas 2010 to everyone!

Cooking peanut candy.

The Fish market at Noryanjin - we tasted very yummy seafood there - absolutely fresh!

Guards at the entrance of the Gyeongbukyong Palace.

Going crazy at the palace corridor.

Posing in the Korean Folk Village.

Working hard pounding grains.

Scrap-it-Lah December What's In a Name Challenge - Take 2

What a totally meaningful challenge Jessy came up with.  I had to do another take on it and this time I have decided to scrap about Sean's chinese name.  Another simple layout that I really enjoyed making. Hope you like it too.

Layouts todate:  87

Scrap-it-Lah December What's In a Name Challenge - Take 1

Jessy came up with the idea that we would all scrap our names and explain what it means.  I have always wanted to tell my kids why their chinese names are they way they are and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.  For the challenge details,  please head over to here.

Here is my simple take on the challenge using my favourite Scarlet Lime kit and some personal add-ons. Not forgetting the vellum that I have hoarded through the years.  Hee hee...

Layouts todate:  86

Best Pals

Another layout of my 2 favourite subjects.  They always look so good together in photos - its amazing.  I guess when you are true friends and at ease with each other - it will show through the photos.  

Dug out more old stash - this time its the Basic Grey's Lily Kate collection from years ago - faint.  I loved the pleated borders so much that I redid it but this time I noticed its harder to pleat along the circle and it was not so proportionate.  Ah well - embrace imperfections.

Layout todate:  85

Bob and Me

I have never been much of a girly girl when I was young and the ironic thing is that both my daughter and pet dog loves PINK!  Hmmm....  Where did that come from?  When I saw this pink squeaky piggy at the local pet shop,  I knew I had to buy it for Izzie.

Look at the way she is so possessive with her little piggy.  Clarissa was cheeky and named her piggy Bob and Izzie spends many mornings and afternoons and nights playing with Bob and sleeping with him.

I have finally dug up more old stash - this is mainly my Collage Press paper.  I finally renewed my love with vellum paper which I punched using my Martha Stewart puncher and pleated it as borders.  Love the effects on the layout.

Layouts to date:  84

Put a Lil Heart in Everything You Do

Another of those simple layouts that I did on a whim.  More photos are surfacing from my Photobooth and I found this very cute photo of Clarissa and her friend April which I decided to scrap simply and in a messy style using my scraps.

It turned out a bit funny but heck it's my creation and I have put my stamp on it.  Love the tulle that bought and the beautiful doilies from the Chip Chop Shop on Etsy.  That gorgeous green rose is from my Scarlet Lime kit and I love it to bits!

Layouts todate:  83

Lights, Camera, Action and Football 101

I have so so so very many photos in the Photobooth begging to be scrapped and I have decided that I will start now.  Here is a very simple layout of the 2 just having fun with their new sunglasses.  I find it hilarious as they are both love taking their photos so much.  Talk about being narcissistic.  LOL...

Finally dug into my BG Recess paper collection - gosh it's been in my scrapping wardrobe for the longest time.  Love love the Tim Holtz film strips to complement the look.  My last favourite would be the 7 Gypsies stamp which I have hoarded - it has finally seen daylight - hee hee...  It's been a great dqay scrapping wise - such simple pleasures.  I am quite the simpleton,  aren't I?

Next another cut and paste layout of Sean in his most recent friendly match.  He did very well and I have shots of him defending vehemently.  I am so happy to see all that time shuttling him to and fro practices have come to fruition.  Hope that he will love football or soccer for a long time as I always believe that boys need to play sports to expel their excess energy.

Layouts todate:  82

Picture Perfect

I love taking photos for both Gloria and Clarissa.  They definitely share some serious friend chemistry and the camera loves them 2 together so much.  Took this photo of them together the last time Gloria came over and decided to scrap them simply.

This is what I do when I have the time at home - just scrap.  I haven't been too well and hence I have started to scrap more.  Love the new Martha Stewart punches that Jessy chose for me and I have used them in this layout.  I love the happy colours here and hope that the girls will love them too.

Layouts todate:  80

The layout that was ruined by my incessant UTEE

It must be me being very rusty - I have botched up another layout.  Its been weeks since I have blogged and scrapped.  I finally started scrapping last week and boy was it disastrous.  I was definitely too heavy handed with the UTEE and should have used a finer embossing powder.  Ah well - we live and learn.

Here is a slightly damaged layout of Izzie with her favourite toy Bob.  She enjoys chasing after Bob and the squeaks that Bob makes when she bites him.  Kinda cruel - if you asked me.

Materials used:
Bazzill cs,  Sassa Fras Lass pp,  Tix Tabs (Thanks Aida),  Yellow Lace,  Notepad pp from SC kit,  Thickers Chipboard Alphas,  American Crafts Chipboard Flowers,  Lace Doiley from local shops,  White Lace from Jessy (Thanks Jessy),  Embossing ink and UTEE white embossing powder,  Pearls from local shops,  3D foam and Beacons Glue.  

Layouts todate:  79

Scrap-it-Lah November Flaggy Challenge

At each swim meet, coaches write on the events that each swimmer is participating in on their arms.  Clarissa was of course very happy with her events and I have taken a photo of her with her events tattooed on her arm.

This month at Scrap-it-Lah,  DT Nad has decided to come up with a Flaggy challenge :  more details here and this is my take for the challenge using the Kosovo flag.

Glad to use up more of my old stash - namely the lace and bazzill cardstock.  Bought the butterfly border from the Studio Calico site and I must say I was quite inspired by Nad's recent messy layouts and I have decided to follow suit.  Thanks Nad  for the inspiration.

I have decided to dust off my heat gun, stamped and embossed the blue doiley above.  Gosh it has been so long since I have used them.  I really need to start using my stash more effectively.  Lastly - I randomly spritzed Tattered Angel mists all over the layout and I guess I am done with this one.

Materials used:
Bazzill cardstock,  Doiley Stamp from Singapore,  Martha Stewart Punches,  Prima flowers,  crystals and canvas bird cage (Thanks Jessy),  KI Memories Lace cs,  Twine from local haberdashery,   Tattered Angel Mists,  Thickers alphas,  beacon glue and 3d pop up dots.

Layouts todate:  78

Materials used:

Courage

It is nerve-wracking to see your child in any form of competition.  Clarissa took part in his first swim meet this Saturday and I have to say that it was very hard for me to watch her.  For me,  it was easier to watch Sean play football as its a team sport and the results come from the teamwork.  As for swimming - its more nerve wracking as its her and she alone who can pull in the results.

She has been training since late August and I guess she is a late bloomer in terms of swimming.  She did not win any of the events but the consolation was that she did improve on all her times.  Even before she went into it,  I had warned her that this would happen as most of the girls start swimming really early and they had more experience than her.  I was just glad that she did not back down in spite and tried hard.

Oddly enough - I found this beautiful quote by Thomas Krause which depicted her whole sentiment going into the meet:

"Courage is the discovery that you may not win and trying when you can lose."

Here is the mismatched layout:

Materials used:

Sassa Fras Lass pp,  Scenic Route pp,  Cosmo Cricket pp,  Hambly Transparency,  Notepad from Scarlet Lime Kit,  Fontwerks Scalloped Cardstock Stickers, Pink Paislee Sticker and Alphas,  7 Gypsies Sticker sayings,  Basic Grey Sticker Flourish,  Chatterbox Brads,  Prima Flower,  Zig Journalling pen,  Beacon Glue and 3d pop up foam.  

Layouts todate:  77 

Wacky Tacky 2010

It really seems like ages since I have blogged.  Combination of school activities and my daily routine has made my days seem so much shorter and I just did not have the mojo to scrap.  I must admit I do go through episodes whereby I scrap a lot and then whoosh - I stop for a while.  Tonight I have tried to stop being lazy and start scrapping again so that I can accomplish my 100 layout target this year.

I chose some very old papers from 2005 again - Junkitz and some Autumn Leaves Mod Citrus Paper kit.  They have been in my scrapbooking closet for like forever and I have not yet touched them.  Sigh... That seems to be the story of my life.  

I have decided to combine the 2 papers together and achieve a wacky tacky layout for Clarissa.  Nothing fancy - just cut and paste.  :)

Materials used:
Junkitz paper,  Bazzill cs,  Autumn Leaves Mod Citrus pp and Epoxy Stickers,  Momoyo Sticker Trim,  Chatterbox Chipboard sayings,  buttons and butterflies,  Making Memories Glitter Alphas and and Sticker Alphas,  Thread from Studio Calico,   Brilliance Inks,  Beacon Glue,  Pearl Blings from local shops and 3D pop up dots.  

Layouts todate:  76