Groovie December Cover It Challenge

It's a real swell start for December! And what better way to start it off is to share what I did for the Groovie December Cover It Challenge!!

Here's the cover:

Boy! When I first saw this CD cover to be inspired by, I was a little stunned. I thought, ok, 'am gonna be using lots of my Prima stashes for this one.

I procastinated a little to getting it done and as my dateline drew near, I was still a little clueless to what I wanna do.

LOL! (anyone ever get that??)

Anyway, I was going through one of my big plastic boxed on getting some stash out, I found out this hidden treasure:

Yupz! That's the Ikea Rubba 9 x 9" Deep frame

(or shadow box as some of you like to call it)

So, bear with me, I'm gonna let the pictures do the talking.

Photos are taken by my lovely husband, super Dave!

Enjoy the photos!!




I just love this phrase stamp by Unity Stamps!!! Absolutely lovely!!

The above gorgeous rub-ons are from the Fancy Pants sheet that I had.

See the familiar stamped Manuscript writings? That's my Hero Arts Manuscript Stamp which I stamped unto the glass using Staz-On Opaque Cotton White. Am loving the effect! Staz-On is great for surfaces like glass, transparency and other non-porous materials.

Standing buttons with the help of some Scotch Craft Glue

I hope you liked this piece of work!!

Took me 2 nights (2 hours per night after work) to complete.

Basically, the moment I laid eyes on my stashed away Ikea Shadow box, the ideas just came flooding into my head and I had a perfect Unity Stamp Phrase which I bought at my LSS recently to be used as the center (in place of photos).

My Fancy Pants Rub-Ons (purchased via PeachyCheap spree on my local SB forum) came in really handy too! I used up nearly an entire sheet of rub-ons on this too.

And....

I'm giving this

Altered inspired frame to

Groovie Ed!!!

It's her birthday present!!! :)

I hope you're inspired too!!

I think I'm gonna make another one for myself to be placed at home!!

LOL!

This cover is not limited to just LOs but to a frame or anything you can think of!

Come play with us over at Groovie or share your take on this cover with me in the comments on this posting!

I would love to see what you come up with yah??

Altered gift for my SGGF

SGGF = Secret Groovie Galfriend

This happened over at Groovie Cafe sometime back in June/July this year.

LOL!

My SGGF didn't guess it was me till I asked her if she liked her gift at the crop party at my place recently.

Hahahahahahaha.

I seriously hoped she liked the gift coz I liked it!!!

(Hah! Thick-skinned am I not?!)

Anyway, thought to share that altered work with you since it's been revealed that I'm her SGGF. It was a plain wooden heart-shaped container with handles.

All I'm sharing is a finished work. I didn't think back then to snap photos on a step-by-step basis to show and tell.

But I'll explain along the way what I did so that you could replicate something similar.

Here it goes:

Before I started to mod-podge the patterned papers down - using SEI Winnie's Walls line; I've painted the handles and edges with Making Memories Paint. Used a chocolate brown and a funky vintage color.

This is the front side

Close up of the work. I totally love those American Crafts Glitter Thickers! Makes it look Groovie!

This is the other side. Do not be fooled!! The little square is actually a mini picture frame.

I believe it's 2.5" x 2.5"

I left a little secret note so she could measure the cardstock note against the photo she might wanna put in.

Close-Up

See the word "PURE"?

It's stamped on and then I used Glossy Accents to go over it to give it that embossed look.

Coz this galfriend here ain't got no heat gun and embossing stuff! I gotta improvise!

Once the glossy accents was dried, I love the feel of the glossy bumps of the letterings. Feels like the real thing!!

This is the side view, I couldn't let it look empty!!

So I stamped some florish pattern and again, used Glossy Accents to go over it to give that embossed feel.

My favourite all time embellies!!! Buttons!

Ain't they pretty??

I hope you liked this piece of simple altered piece. I spent a good 3 hours or so completing it. I guess once I've decided on the concept, the color scheme, everything else flowed pretty easily.

Give it a try!

The main thing you will need is Mod-Podge!! it helps stick your paper down and you gotta coat a thin layer over to seal it in, makes it slightly water resistant.

No embossing heat gun? You could use Glossy Accents to "fake" the embossing effect and still turns out beautifully! It's great for when you rarely do any embossing work!

For the frame, you could cut out small strips of chipboard backing (those you find behind your mat stacks of cardstock or a stack pack of pattern papers?), play with the width and length and stick it down. I sticked down the bottom and top piece (horizontal pieces) first as they help to "raise up" the side pieces so that you could slot in the picture/card easily (from sideways that it)

Play around and see what works for you yah?

If you had liked this altered work and explaination and had done something similar, share your work with me!!! I would love to see it! Just link back your project to the comments on this posting.

Can't wait to see what you've come up with!

Cheers!

Sophia

A Fun UYSC Layout to share

I did the layout for a UseYourStashChallenge (UYSC) over at Groovie Scraps Cafe, using a sketch from PencilLines #109 which featured one of my TSM gals, Sasha, as their guest DT.

I'm starting to be really reliant on using sketches for my layouts. They are really convenient!!

LOL.

Ok, the Groovie Cafe's November's 1st UYSC challenge is that you gotta use 11 pattern papers in the layout and 4 other embellishments.

I used my Autumn Leaves Cuteworld Boy Paper with some of my existing October Afternoon papers for this challenge. Found the perfect pictures to scrap on.

Here it goes:

{Say Cheese}

Check out the cute Owl below! Stamped using my October Afternoon Clear Stamps. And of course my own stash of Riff Raff Curly Tree that came in on Tuesday! Used 3-D pop-up foam dots to prop the tree and the owl up! =)

Journalling on the Tim Holtz Journaling Tickets. Hold your breath! It can be flipped to reveal the other side for more journalling!

Coolz huh?

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Thanks to all of you for leaving your awesome comments on what you think the layout I did for The Story Matters "talks" to you. I'm really grateful for the interaction and I get to blog-hop a little and leave some love back on your blogs.

I'll be drawing the blessed random winner on 13th Nov yah?

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Next up.

Some sneaks on what's to come for Pink Sketches this Sunday!! Here's some sneak pics for ya!

Hope they are keeping you on your toes for more =)

Have a great weekend ahead!!!

Groovie November Cover It Inspirational Challenge

Alright. Just needed to update this blog with one more ongoing challenge that I'm involved in doing a LO for.

Are you ready for our next Cover?

Here it is:

And here's my take:

What I did was to rotate the cover to fit a landscape picture that I wanna scrap on.

Playing with "white space" or what's left of it, I allowed the focus to be on the picture and the title in itself. I played with strips of October Afternoon Pattern paper that I have in my stash to form the rows as depicted in the cover.

I hope you liked it and do play along yah?

If you like this Groovie Cover It challenge, do share with me your takes on your LOs!! Leave a link of your LOs under my comments if you are keen to give it a try but not yet a Groovie forum member :) You can choose to scraplift the way the cover is, or the colors or even use the words on the cover.

Though there's no RAK for this one but hey! Just join in the fun with me and participate yah? Would love to see your take and creativity on this one!! You have till 30th November to play with this one! Can't wait to see your takes on it!

This week is absolutely bursting with lots of challenges to try! Do give them a try!!

I'm a Groovie Cover Girl!!!!

Yes! It's official! Been waiting for the launch of this.

LOL!

Now, don't get me all wrong. I'm definitely not modelling for Groovie Scraps Cafe,

BUT

This Inspirational Challenges are to be inspired by Book and CD Covers that will take place once a month!!!

abstract from Groovie Scraps Cafe by Edleen -

"inspired by Book and CD covers, a fresh and brand new Groovie Inspiration challenge for us to step outside of our comfort zone"

So here's the official launch of the 1st book over that we're gonna be inspired by:

Here's my take:

{Ahoy Mates}

Supplies: Basic Grey Recess Line PP (used up last of my stash!!), Tim Holtz Ideology Journalling Tickets and Maya Road Sheer Travel Journal tags (I think that's what it's called), American Crafts Thickers.

I hope you will come play with us over at Groovie Scraps Cafe (a local Singaporean set-up with a good international crowd)!! Remember, do get registered if you've not yet done so and play along with us! You'll love the warm and cozy community there! And chill with us!!! We have a few own going interesting challenges going on in there! It's a place to share LOs and share-alike!

p/s: Thanks Ed for giving me this fun opportunity to be a Groovie Cover (It) Gal!!

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On another exciting front, something else exciting is brewing for me too!!

Stay tuned!

What an honour for me...

Thanks Ed!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your Groovie blog's Featured Guest Designer for the month of August. I'm still awed and privileged at the same time....that's coz I'm still busy admiring every single talented local scrappers' works! And still learning at the same time.

Just to sidetrack a little, Ed is such a humble person with great personality! What I admire about her is that to her, there's no such things as a good or no good scrapper, the right style of scrapping; she just sees the best in each and everyone's style of scrapbooking and she gives recognition to the local scrappers in Singapore.

Learning point from that for me, so long I scrap from the heart with heart and express it through my own style of scrapping, that is all that matters. =) And yes, for me, I believe that so long if you love beautiful things, scrap with heart from the heart and do it because you love to and not so much for the supposed fame, that's all that matters....and fame for some, will find them out as it's their livelihood =)..... I hope I didn't lose anyone here....if yes, nevermind, moving right along.

Ok back to the August feature:

I did this LO quite sometime ago, about a month ago for Groovie's August feature. JTS it now on this thread since it's 'published' on Groovie site.

For the LO that I did, I chose to scrap on Dave's photo taken at last year's SEA games. To feature 3 budding shooting atheletes who are still reaching for the stars even at their age (27, 31 and 34 then) (= And yes, I'm being patriotic too to dedicate this LO to Team Singapore and the sporting scene in Singapore, as part of the National Day celebrations.

Do give Ed and myself some support by participating in the August Groovie challenge yah?

I'll be giving away 2 RAKs for 2 winners this month =) Ain't this a swell month of celebration?

Thanks for looking and playing along with me. Cheers!

***Updated 7 Aug 2008***

I'll list down the criteria of the challenge here as well:

1) Using SB elements to create a visual triangle in your LO (i.e. photos or embellishments)

2) Showcase the use of stars in your LO! Could be in patterned paper, stamps, doodled or your embellishments.

3) If possible, include the main colors of red, white and some black.

Pretty easy yah? So just choose colours of red, white and some black in your patterned papers or cardstock, have some elements of stars. Use photos or embellishments to create the "visual triangle" in your LO. =)

{Luvin Dad's Shooz}

Just to share a LO I did for a Use-Your-Stash challenge in the Groovie Scraps Cafe for the month of July. It's really well-thought of by Felicia. It requires a minimum of at least 10 chipboard elements, and the more the merrier. Without the following: Other patterned papers, other embellishments. Only cardstock is permitted.

What I used mainly was my Maya Road Chipboard alphas and arrows. I realized that I still have a near boxful of arrow chipboards left!

Anyway, here my take:

(Click on picture for clearer view)

Oh yah, I really didn't use any patterned paper, I doodled on the cardstock so that it looked like somesort of patterned paper.

It's a considerably "simple" LO but I had fun creating it. The painting of the chipboards was the slightly time consuming part as well as the doodling on the CS. Let me know if you like it yah?

TFL!

Best Friends Forever

Phew! Managed to do this up just tonight. Had been playing mix and match with my PP with this picture. I'm submitting this for the Groovie July Challenge on Best Friends Forever.

You know, I was thinking which of my gfs I should scrap about as the closest ones I have, well, they are all good friends and I would be proud to say that they are the best of my friends in my years.

Just to sidetrack a little, you know how it was like when you're growing up, the title of "Best Friend" is always left for that special friend ever, among all the other good friends? I always felt it's important to be careful and to be sure of my friends before I "bestow" that sacred title.

But now, I've just come to a place where by, one need not just have to have 1 best friend, but if they have been through thick and thin with you, or rather with me, I would dare to call them as my best friends.

My girlfriends are a real blessing to me, i.e. Sherry, Shanthi and Joey. These are the precious people who stood by me all these years and believed in me, despite that now our own individual commitments doesn't allow us to talk and meet up as often as we would like to but hey, the Lord really maintains these kindom friendships. Though there was one time where I've not spoken with some of my gfs for nearly a year, but when we do catch up, that connection was still there and better than ever!

But this time, I didn't scrap about them. I decided to do a "cover" of my darling husband, David also known fondly as Dave.

Most of the time, he's been taken for granted but a recent incident where I needed his help and him being my shield and "strong tower" made me realize that I've been taking this precious gem of mind for granted. I had a picture of us taken recently at Ben's wedding and I wanted to use that as a photo for some anniversary LO.

However, I'm totally inspired by Leena that IT IS ok to scrap more than once on the same photo. =) Sometimes, there's so much to be said and felt with one photo that one LO simply cannot contain it and that it requires a few LOs before that feeling can be settled.

So without further adieu, I present to you my Best Friends Forever LO:

(Click on picture for clearer view)

Using Fancy Pants Celebration range of PP. American Crafts Thickers for my title. Making Memories Journal Paper, chipboard and flower embellishments courtesy of my gorgeous RAK from Leena (thanks Leena!!!).

I'm falling in love with the uni-ball Signo broad pen!!! I used that to journal around my photo and it doesn't smudge!!! Oh my...I think I've found a new favourite pen for SB purposes.

TFL!

{Why I Scrap}

This is for the Groovie Online Crop theme:

I've used PP from my bag of scraps (leftover PP after my LOs and not touched since) and scraplifted this idea from Ali Edward's Book on Designing with PP (I think).

(Click on picture for clearer view)

I scrap because:

1) To recreate & capture the moments in an art form. To remember the events that happened & note down the feelings.

2) Papers are oh so pretty! Totally inspired by the talented scrappers around me, their style & techniques in using them.

3) To find an outlet to 'let myself go'; to find an expression in an art form to express myself. To release my feelings & in turn, find myself.

TFL!

Some new LOs to share

I'm going on a scrapping frenzy! Coz the datelines for submission of LOs for the June challenges are drawing near and I hope to push myself out of my comfort zone and scrap according to theme =)

Below is my take for Groovie Ed's June Challenge on using chipboard elements with some bling.

(Click on pictures for clearer view)

{AMORE}

Used Rhonna Farrer's PP, Hambly's Screen Prints and K&Co Twinkle/Glittered Chipboard Alphas/Elements

The Scrapbossed Butterfly (Dave sweated over helping me scrapboss this) which I cut-out afterwards. Oh yah, I stringed the pearl beads as well.

Hidden Journalling on MR's Sheer journalling Tags:

Below is another LO for Groovie Mini Challenge using materials provided by the hostess for the month of June's GMC.

{June Memories}

My "virgin" 6" x 12" LO for this GMC.

TFL!!

{Moms R Us}

This is for Groovie's May Challenge to do a LO for a mother and use up whatever precious stash I have and to include her favourite colour in the LO. I used Rhonna Farrer's PP which had been sitting in my Cropper Hopper file for some months. The PP is too pretty to be used up, as precious as it is to me, so is my mother who is much more dearer to me.

Incidentally, I'm a mother myself, and this the journalling is from a mother cum daughter to her mother.

This is for my mom with lots of love from me:

Journalling Says:

It's funny how when I was growing up, we were at constant "loggerheading" each other. But now we're so close, eversince I've been a mom myself. I grew to see and learn the wisdom that you've been drilling in me the past few years. That's the beauty of motherhood, it binds the hearts of mothers together. And out of that, I begin to see and appreciate much more, how much of unconditional love you have still towards me and to Daren. You're always there for us no matter what even at the expense of your own busy schedule. I love you mom, for all that you are.

{M is for Mine, The 101s of Toddlerhood}

Did this LO within 1 hour. One of the fastest LO ever. It's done for a "Use-up-Your-Stash" Challenge for the month of May at the Groovie Scraps Cafe, where by you have to use ONLY at least 30 rub-ons or stickers for the LO. Ok, I didn't read instructions properly, ended up using some buttons to "complete" the look.

Here goes:

TFL!

{1st Groovie NSD}

The above mentioned LO is for the Groovie Scraps Cafe's NSD Challenge to do a LO based on the focal picture taken by one of the fellow Groovie chicks. I got the tree idea from Ed's tree on her own LO. =)

The below are using My Mind's Eye PP from their Out and About Series (background PP and the tree!!!)

I was looking at the photos and recalled what a fun-filled day it was. I 'celebrated' National Scrapbooking Day at MadeWithLove on 3rd May 2008. It was a blast!!! There was so much going on in the store, great bargains, discounts, games, candy floss....It was a Fiesta in there!!

It was my 1st time participating in the event really and I didn't quite know what to expect. It was definitely very crowded and the Q to the cashier knows no end! The scrapholics really know how to shop and willing to shop on this day for the great bargains awaiting them. I bought some handy-dandy items and made full use of their coupons to be entitled to certain discounts, signed up for one of their workshops and got the chance to participate in games!!

Oh yes, there's this Tik-kam Tik-kam where you just pay $5 for a chance to get goodies that can range from anywhere between $7 - $60 plus dollars!! I participated TWICE! Got a paper-pack with MM's velvet brads and laced ribbons and 2nd time round, I got 2 7-Gypsies Journalling Stamps!!!!

Here's a parting shot of me and the Groovie Gals (they are a wonderful group of people!! After taking the 1st step to say ,"Hi!", they were so warm and welcoming! That meant alot to me!):