It's OFFICIAL

I'm taking a sabbethical break from

ALL

Design Teams.

I apologize to my scrapper friends and blog friends who have been faithfully dropping by from time to time to check up on me, to see how I'm doing/holding up.

I'm doing alright now, just busy, still get the bouts of stressed up feelings but it's better manage now.

I'm really really grateful and THANKFUL for my various DT owners, mainly Kelli, Penny, Dolores and Debbie, Edleen and Dorcas for allowing me to settle my busyness with work and house moving.

It took alot of thinking and deciding to just do it and email all of them to ask for a sabbethical break.

I will definitely miss working with them during this period of time, the opportunities they had given me had been had been wonderful and mind-blowing too!

I've grown much in my scrapping style, in the topics, in the use of different techniques/products, scrapping outside the box and out of my comfort zone.

Through these design teams, I've gotten to know tremendous talented scappers from around the globe, always inspired by what they contribute to the team, and they go beyond the SB mags/publications.

I don't see it as a lost by going on a sabbethical break or even if the need be, to step down/give up being on the design teams.

As much as it feels good getting some form of recognition

(come on! most of us who are on design teams do somewhat wants some form of recognition)

but honestly, if you take all that away from me,

I'm still me

and I still love to scrap and will continue doing what I've been doing.

I'll still share my layouts here coz of friends from far and wide who do ask me to continue to share.

So,

I will be back scrapping for the current DTs come Feb 2010.

(provided they still want me around. LOL!)

Maybe I'll just post the status of my house moving with pics!

Cartons are starting to stack up around my home now.

So till then, stay blessed and thank you for your love!!!

And the RAK Winner is

.... Kheng Yan!!!!

Yay!

Do email me at soh.sophia@gmail.com on how best to mail out your RAK to you!

I apologize for the week-long wait.

Was really busy with work and packing and tired out by all the busy-ness!

Will try to update my blog soon!

(I hope)

On the scrapping front,

I'm gonna be taking a long break to concentrate on finishing my work project (late nights, weekends) and packing my home into boxes.

We're scheduled to be moving by 7th Nov 2009 and I'm doing the packing mostly by myself and assisted by my domestic helper.

Coz I'm the packer in the family.

So till then, thanks for dropping by anywayz!

Love,

Sophia

DreamGirls Challenge #36

Just to share what I managed to crank up over last weekend for DreamGirls Challenge #36

The challenge:

Prompt: "First Impressions" - Using the first line of a book - eg: Jane Austin's Pride and Predjuice "IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife

Product: Paper with words on it

Technique: Paint washing - watered down paint to create a sutble paint effect.

And so here's my take on it:

I used Glitz Designs Olivia pattern paper and mixed it up with a little of Jenni Bowlin and Little Yellow Bicyclen and Making Memories. I played with Adirondack Dabber Acrylic Paint in Pearl to get the paint washing effect.

Hope you liked this one!

Remember the chance for a RAK and a chance for me to blog hop too!

Look at the post below!

Some Layouts to Share

Alrighty, some layouts to share before I post more of my San Francisco trip Day 2 onwards.

First Up for Pink Sketches:

For Sketch #44

For Sketch #45

And guess what? Kelli is having a Design Team Search! If you fancy sketches and love scrapbooking, we welcome you to come join us!

Hop on over to our Pink Sketches blog for more details!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Over at The Story Matters

This layout was delayed for Sept's challenge but I got it done anyway after recovering from a nasty cough and sore throat (I'm still recovering).

This month's challenge is all about your daily rituals and routines. To share them. So I just shared Daren's daily MUST-Have as part of his everyday routine.

Here it is:

------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's the layout that I got done in Sunnyvale, C.A when I was over at Sarah's place:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm slowly catching my groove back in scrapping ... but work now is taking precedence in my priorities after my family.

I was just sitting and thinking what to scrap for my DT assignments, yet at the back of my brain I keep thinking about my workload... and I realized that scrapbooking and blogging can become full-time jobs all on their own!!

I was totally amazed at how some people I know of are "speedsters"! They can churn out 4-5 in a day!!!

(Pssst! You know who you are *winks*)

I can sometimes sit at my scrap table for an hour or two, stare at my photos and supplies and have them stare right back at me! And at times, I still cannot get anything done!

LOL!

So I'm gonna pace myself and not get stressed out with my DT work... if need be, I will request for a sabbathical break or a step-down...whichever works best for everyone (DT owners and myself).

I'm grateful and thankful that Dorcas (MomentsRecorded) and Edleen (Groovie Covers) are graciously covering for me during this period of time. Though I feel bad towards them both - I feel as though I'm letting them down in one way or another, but their friendship and support are so precious to me.

In the meantime, thank you for still coming by my blog from time to time.

Whoever you are.

And stay tune for more updates on SFO and RAKs!!!!!

I'm gonna be going through my stash and start to pull out items to de-stash!

Coz I'll be moving house in a couple months time and I seriously need to lessen my moving load.

How about this? Add yourselves as followers to my blog if you haven't already and to double your chance for winning a RAK, leave me a comment with the following:

1) Who you are and where you're from

2) Your blog addy (if any, so that I can leave you some love)

3) What you like about my blog/scrapbooking works.

Isn't that simple?

I think it's a fun way of getting to know you my fellow scrapblog friends!

International friends are welcome to join in too!

So join my blog and leave me some love by 20th Sept 2009 - 1159hrs Singapore Time!

*hugz*

Sophia

San Francisco Part 2 - With Sarah and Gloria

Saturday 22.08.2009

(Continuation of my day with Sarah and Gloria)

And they brought us to this beautiful place called the Legend of Honor - a place where they exhibit historical artifacts (i.e. Dead sea scrolls), etc. I love the Greecian feel of this place.

Took a quick picture with Sarah when we hopped off the car.


Dave and I.

Another pic with Sarah for the scrapbooks!

Love the above inscription!

Love the details on the underbelly of the arc frame!

Love this pic!

A replica of Rodin's - The Thinker

Photos taken by David.

Next stop after coming downhill from Legion of Honor - Golden Gate Bridge.

But alas! It was a really foggy foggy day (it was already 1 plus pm)

And this is all we could take of the bridge.

(I was really dissappointed by the FOG...I read so much about walking along the bridge and taking some awesome photos online but.... nevermind there's always a next time *right Dave?*)

So we headed to the Coit Tower! Another famous landmark in San Francisco!

Here's one of Dave with the stately tower:

Our perspective of the tower.

This is the famous Lombard Street - The Crookedest Street!

Photo was taken from the carpark of the Coit Tower.

-------------------------------------------------------------

We went to Chinatown for a quick lunch break at one of the Hong Kong Cafe style restaurant. The food servings were huge!!! Sorry! No photos...we were way too hungry!

LOL!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Next Stop - The Palace of Fine Arts

I totally love the Renaissance feel of the whole place! It's whimsically romantic!!! I totally heart this place! My breath was totally taken away!

Now I wish I could do my bridal photos with Dave here!!! Hmmm, maybe for our 10th wedding anniversary? (I still have my wedding gown)... time to lose the excess kilos that I've piled on... oh Dave!!!!!!!

Don't you just {heart} this place??

A couple pic.

One for the scrapbooks with Sarah!

A random shot of a couple having their bridal photos taken.

I'm not a very renaissance artsy person, but I sure love the above two pictures of the architecture! The details are so intricate and amazing!

A parting shot with the palace of fine arts.

Next Stop - The Painted Ladies

I thought it's a feature of some theatre actors/actresses dressing up during the Vicorian times sitting in an original Victorian home with all Victorian Decor.

But no...they are these:

Interesting huh?

Apparently these are the original Victorian houses here and Sarah/Gloria was telling me that they have to maintain the original structure and overall design of the houses when new buyers buy over the place. There are 6 of the houses but one of them is under renovation works so we kinda shift the camera to crop that house out.

Love the beautiful garden bed across The Painted Ladies. Just had to take a picture with Sarah and sweet Maui!

And before our day ended, we took a drive down Lombard Street - The Crookedest Street!

Thanks Sarah and Gloria for being the hostesses with the mostest!!!

We covered much ground than expected and we had a great time!!

Oh man...I totally fall in love with both your pups... especially "The little man" - Hilo... his behaviour somewhat reminded me of Daren :P Playful but yet affectionate.

That's all for Day 1's photos.

More to come...do stay tuned!

San Francisco Part 1

Friday 21.08.2009 - Singapore

Here we are at the Changi Airport Departure Hall. We did our own self-portrait. Can you tell how happy and excited I was to be going to SF?

After a long flight (estimated 18 - 20 hours, sorry I wasn't really counting!) with a short transit in Hong Kong, we've finally arrived!!

It's USA Friday 21.08.2009 - night time.

Here I am getting my passport and immigration card out.

Yes, Welcome to San Francisco!!!

We had a really, really, really, really, really.... long wait at the customs!! OMG! I was tired from being cramped up in economy class and I had to stand for a really long time just to clear the customs! Too slow!

As soon as we got our luggages at the airport, we hopped unto a yellow taxi and headed to Bush and Powell Street in downtown San Francisco where we stayed at the Orchard Hotel. It's a really LOVELY (I betcha Sarah and Gloria are laughing at this word :P) boutique hotel. It's good enough for Dave and myself and I find it really comfy!

And as soon as we placed our bags in the room, we layered up and ventured out in search of some chow! We were hungry! We decide to venture out to the next block where they had this really awesome diner called Lori's Diner and we had a sumptous meal of Fish & Chips and Chilli HotDog.

Yumz! Sorry! We were hungry! So no photos of ourselves at the diner!

We went right back to the hotel after our dinner and decide to catch some shut-eye as we were meeting Sarah and Gloria the very next day - they had so graciously and awesomely to show us around the best places in SF!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday. 22.08.2009

Meeting time: 10.30am!

We woke up at 6am!!!

LOL!

We couldn't sleep (lah).

We were really jet-lagged!

So we got out really early at 7.30am for breakfast back at Lori's Diner again!

David took a quick picture of me with the upriding cable car in the background on the way to Lori's diner. This is the corner of Bush and Powell street where Orchard Hotel is just along side Bush Street.

And yes! I was cold in the early morning!!

As usual, we didn't take pictures of our yummy breakfast. :P We were just too hungry.

Since we were still early, we decide to take a walk around. We just walked straight down Powell Street (that passes Union Square - a major fashion shopping district to famous US brand names)

and we ended up at the "terminal station" and starting points for the cable cars running along this street. Where we stayed was a good 4-5 blocks away from the station. It's not really that far off!

As usual, Dave and I took turns to take a picture.

At the T- junction of Powell street was Market Street.

And there stood a stately GAP building!!!

(I'm not really sure if the whole buidling was owned by GAP but we did our main GAP shopping there!)

We made our way to get ourselves a pre-paid phone by T-mobile (they have a shop along the GAP building) that made it easier and cheaper for me to contact Dave and Sarah without incurring too much IDD charges.

They opened at 10am! So by the time we were done, it was close to 10.30am!! Yikes! We were really late!

We rushed back to the hotel by brisk walking and got there by 10.35am and saw Sarah sitting in the hotel lobby. Yikes! Sorry about that Sarah babe!

We dropped off our stuff at the room and came back down with a meeting gift for Sarah and Gloria - a jar of yummy Ya Kun Kaya (it's like coconut/egg jam).

We were greeted by their beautiful Schnauzer (did I spell that right?) pups - Maui and Hilo! Boy were they excited and they were generous with their puppy kisses! I'm really sure Daren would have loved to hug them both!

First stop for us - Scrapbook Territory!

Dave was NOT surprised.

LOL!

We headed to Berkeley area just outside of San Francisco via the Bay Bridge. Sarah and Gloria decided that we should work from outside and back inwards towards SF!

And here we are:

Clear evidence of our buys! I swear I didn't really buy as much and went overtly crazy in there! But I think I bought enough to help Sarah gain a 5% off her future purchases. *winks to Sarah*

Next stop - TeaCake Bake Shop @ Bay Street Mall. Emeryville, CA

For CUPCAKES!!!

I was swooning to Sarah time and again via email and on her blog comments how I wished I could sample the yummilicious cupcakes that she had "advertised" on her blog! And boy did she and Gloria brought us to try the yummy cupcakes!

Here are some pics to share:

A gleeful me!

Yumz!!!

They were the most scumptioulicious cupcakes I've ever had!

The ones in Singapore doesn't even come close!

On our way back to the car, Dave found these stone ornaments around the outside of the cupcake store highly amusing and thus snapped the pictures of these.

They reminded him of the Japanese cartoon version of poop!

And away we go to another site to see the sights!

Driving through the Bay Bridge! I'm amazed at the suspensions!!

Gloria and Sarah proceeded to share with us the history of a great earthquake that took place and how it had disrupted the bridge or something. But they had assured us that it is still safe to drive through. LOL!

See how foggy SF bay area can be?

And here we are at Ocean Beach!

It was freezing cold!!! We had a ball of a time to see Maui and Hilo run through the sand and having lotsa fun!

The waves were strong and "high" and the wind was really blowing really cold! I was freezing and had to have the hood of my sweater over my head to keep warm!

A great lovely shot of Sarah and myself! Great for the scrapbook pages!

Look at the huge waves!

Gloria and Sarah drove us up a little higher to see the Ocean Beach from a vantage point.

We hopped off and took some more pics!

And away we go..... to more interesting places to see.

Stay Tuned! More SF updates underway!

JTS the layout I did in SF For Pink Sketches #43

Just to share the layout I managed to crank out over at Sarah's place when I visited her while I was in San Francisco. :)

This is for Pink Sketches #43.

I know, I'm late in posting this. I just managed to up-load the photos from my camera into my computer last night!

I had fun with this! Most of the materials are from a Scarlet Lime Kit except for the background cardstock which is from Basic Grey and the Jenni Bowling Mini Calender.

Thanks for looking! :)