Renovation pictures

I have some photo's to share of the progress of our home renovations. Most painting has been completed and yesterday our beautiful kitchen was installed. Just need to finish off with glass splashback and timber flooring.

So click on the link to have a look.

http://picasaweb.google.com/chan3boys/HouseRenoS?authkey=ABptNsNz6g4

I'm so happy with how my kitchen looks and will certainly enjoy the extra space, my new oven and the light fresh look. Thanks to hubby who designed and made it all - it's more than wonderful!!

Colour Challenge 168

I've joined in with the Colour Challenge fun again this week. The colours are: Choc Chip, Very Vanilla & Sage Shadow - a very nice combination to work with.

I have a scrapbook layout (6x6). Normally with a photo of the beach I would tend towards blue cardstock; so it was good to use other colours that still compliment the photo. I've stamped a shell from the Seaside stamp set on the base card of Sage in the same colour ink. The sentiment comes from Define your Life stamp set. A wonderful set for scrapbooking. I've distressed the edge of cardstock with my new Cutter Kit. I've always thought I wouldn't need this tool, but the opportunity came for me to get it and now that I do have it..... well, it's fantastic. A cutter, scoring tool, perforating tool and distressing tool all in one. I'll be using it heaps, especially to distress the cardstock. The little embellishment has been made with the Tab punch, jumbo eyelet and ribbon.
My card uses the Baroque Motifs stamp set, one of my favourites at the moment. Love the swirly look!! So I've stamped up the base of card using the swirl stamp in sage ink. This card folds out from the middle, just for a different layout.
Since I don't have the Pretties Kit as yet, I've made my own flower from the Scallop Punch and blinged it up with a brad. More cardstock distressing and a ribbon has finished off this simple card. But I'm really happy with the end result.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

Just the three of you!!

Brothers & Friends!

Everyday God blesses me,

The wonders of caring for you three.

Everyday I'm blessed with many joys

From my three handsome boys.

The laughter and energy that you bring,

Makes my heart sing.

I thank God in heaven above

For giving me children to love.

(Photo taken today, 25th May, 2008)

My photo tips for displaying cards!!

Quite often, I get emails or comments regarding how I take my photo's for my blog. So I thought I'd share my tips or thoughts. Before I do this, I must first say, that I only have a simple digital camera and don't class myself as professional. But I do love taking photo's and know my camera well, which certainly does help!

* I never use the flash
* I always set up my card/item against a white back drop - usually white cardstock
* I take my photo's near a window where there is natural light coming thru
* My camera is set to Macro Mode (usually a flower symbol on most camera's)

By having a white background, the camera can focus on the card or item, rather than the background, which will make your image blurry. By not using your flash, you are more likely to get true colours in your photograph. Macro Mode allows me to take the picture close up. These arrangements work best for me and my camera but may not work for everyone. I think some understanding of your camera and what it can do, does help the process.

Once I have my pictures, I download them onto my computer using Picasa - which is a free photo editing program from Google, very easy to download. From here I can crop and edit my photo to how I wish before I publish it to my blog!!

I hope this helps.

Colour Challenge 167 - SCS

When I saw the Colour Challenge for this week at Splitcoast Stampers, I had to give it a go. Such a great colour combination.
So the colours are: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou & Certain Celery
And here is my card. I've used the Garden Whimsy stamp set, one of my favourites. The butterfly has been inked in Soft Sky, then I've rolled the edges into the ink pad of Blue Bayou. The butterfly also has some sparkle added - glue pen & Dazzling Diamond glitter.

While I was on a roll, I saw a black & white photo of the boys, waiting to be scrapbooked. So I've come up with this layout. I've used the Garden Whimsy set again, and also Boho Backgrounds. For this layout I've used textured cardstock in Soft Sky and also some Certain Celery DP. I was happy how this one turned out and it came together so quickly. Always good when that happens; motivation to keep going.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

Hope to share more with you soon. Enjoy the weekend and keep dry and warm. (A bit like winter down in Busso)

Fun & Fast Notes

I've been busy this past week, making card samples for the cute stamp set Fun & Fast Notes. I love colouring in images and using different mediums to do this. So in each card, I've done different techniques etc.


My colours for this card were inspired by my blog candy question: favourite colour combo's. One combination was: Elegant Eggplant, Pretty in Pink & Lavender Lace. These are colours I wouldn't normally use, so it was good to go with something different. And I think it really does suit the image. So I've stamped the image and coloured in with SU markers. Then I've applied glitter.
1. Cover white piece of cardstock with stamped image in Versamark
2. Sprinkle over Heat & Stick powder and heat with heat gun until just melted. Now it will be sticky.
3. Sprinkle with Dazzling Diamond glitter and heat set.
I haven't used this technique much, but it is fun and the result is just dazzling!!


This cute little square card used some of my favourite new In-Colours Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegrante and Groovy Guava teamed up with Certain Celery and co-ordinating Designer Prints. The image has been stamped with Black Stazon and I've coloured in using Ink from lid of ink pad and Aqua Painter. This is a great way to colour in as you can choose your depth of colour by applying layers and hi-lighting certain areas. The vase and plate have been covered in Crysal Effects, which is hard to pick up in the photo but looks great IRL.
Regal Rose and Soft Sky together with paper from Berry Bliss make for a great colour combination. This cute little bird has been coloured in with the Pastels. It's been finished off with the wide grosgrain in Regal Rose; I just love this ribbon so you will be seeing more soon. And a scallop edge with the Slit Punch.
Here is another one of my cute little pocket cards. This hedgehog is so sweet and I've coloured him with my Watercolour Crayons and aqua painter. Full images have been stamped on the pumpkin pie, so I've hi-lighted one by using my circle punch and scallop punch. Colours are Pumpkin Pie and Ballet Blue teamed with Close to Cocoa Designer Prints. I'm loving all the double sided paper SU has to offer. A jumbo eyelet has been set using my new Crop-o-dile and some tafetta ribbon to finish off. The Crop-o-dile is such a great tool; the ease at which you can set all kinds of eyelets and punch holes is amazing!!
This last card shows some paper peicing, so no colouring in and it's a fun way to cover an image. Simply stamp the image onto some pattern paper, cut out and stick onto stamped image. I've used the Crop-o-dile to dry emboss the top of cardstock and also used it to pierce holes in the scallop edge. Colours are Kraft base card with Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal and Brilliant Blue Designer Prints.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

I've been tagged....

I've been tagged by Makeesha (also another in the past few weeks), so I've decided to play along with the fun. Though, I won't be tagging seven others. All my favourite blogs and friends are linked to my blog, so be sure to check them out very soon.

So seven facts about me:

* I have three gorgeous boys, with baby #4 due in August.

* We've decided not to find out the gender of this little one, even though most people do that these days.

* My natural colour hair is dark brown, but I once had blonde streaks and then went crazy with the blonding spritz til it all went blonde. I kept it like that for a while but then decided it looked horrible, so I dyed it black and since then have remained dark.

* Speaking of hair, I have two brothers and two sisters and am the only one with dark hair!! Three have 'strawberry blonde' hair and the other blonde.

* I just loving camping holidays with my family. We are looking forward to one at the end of this year.

* I'm getting a brand new kitchen, thanks to my darling hubby, as well as new flooring and freshly painted walls.

* Since having a blog, I've made some wonderful cyber friends, been keeping in touch with people who have become great friends, am constantly inspired by crafty blogs and am enjoying my time with Stampin'Up.

So there you have it; not very exciting, but it's me!!

I have picked a winner..........

I've picked a winner for my blog candy and am happy to say it's gone to one of my faithful readers and also a friend. Her name is:

Helen. Her comment was: Wow Chan, the winner of this will be one lucky girl. I'm in love with all those colours at the moment, but I must say I love the chocolate chip and red rose. It reminds me of Lieschen's sunday dress, she has those colour combinations in it. I don't class myself as a contender as I'm not a card maker but I will leave you coments.... does that count?

Well Helen, you are the lucky winner. The idea of my blog candy is that anyone can enjoy it, card maker or not. So I'm sure you will love the goodies I've made when you receive them very soon.

Thanks to everyone who left comments, you've inspired me with some great colour combinations. I'm going to keep them on record and hope to use them soon. I must say, Choc Chip is a very popular colour, maybe because it's something you can eat as well!!

Tommorow, I'm heading to Perth for some Stampin'Up fun with my upline, Makeesha and her team. Should be a great day and I'm looking forward to it. So I'll be back early next week with some more creations.

My ribbon share is closed. I've had a wonderful response!! I'm sure I'll be holding another one very soon. Thanks

Ribbon Share!!

Do you love the many ribbons Stampin'Up has to offer and wish you could have every colour. Here's a way you can start. I'm hosting a ribbon share and here's how it works.

Taffeta Ribbon Share
Ribbon colours are: Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Kraft, Choc Chip, Basic Grey, Mellow Moss, Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink.
8 people can be involved in this ribbon share. For $13.50 you will receive 115cm of each of the above colours. Price includes postage!

1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon Share
Ribbon colours are: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Elegant Eggplant, Night of Navy, Tempting Turquoise, Certain Celery.
8 people can be involved in this ribbon share. For $11.50 you will receive 170cm of each of the above colours. Price includes postage!

It's a great way to get different colours. For the price of one roll of ribbon, you will receive equal share of different coloured ribbon.

I'd love for you to join in the ribbon fun, so if you would like further information please send me an email: chuizeng@bigpond.net.au

Photography fun!!

The boys were being very photogenic, so I took the opportunity and had some fun with them. What can I say, they are sooo cute. Boys bring many joys!!!!

Tyson(above) Liam (below)

Blog giveaway!!

Well, here it is. Some goodies to give away to one of my readers. If you would love to have this, just leave a comment with this post. Leave your name and tell me your favourite colour combo. I'd love to read of some wonderful colours and maybe use them in my next project.
"At the moment, mine would have to be Chocolate Chip with one of the new In-Colours: Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegrante." It's too hard to choose, they are all yummy!!

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008 ®

This goodie package includes:
* Decorated lunch (card) tin
* Tri-fold pocket card
* Post-It note holder
* Basket
* 2 x small cards
* Scallop punch outs in assorted colours

This is only open to those living in Australia (sorry to my overseas readers - I do love your comments and appreciate you coming to my blog. I'll organise of pack of cards, so please still leave a comment)

You have til next Thursday 8th May, when I will draw a name.

Coming soon........

WOW, I've reached 10,000 my visitor counter. Especially in the last few months, it's been ticking along very fast. So thank you to my faithful readers and visitors and for the many lovely comments I receive. I enjoy reading everyone of them and looking at your blogs as well!

Check back soon.... I'm working on some blog candy!!

Palette O'Prints - May special for Stampin'Up ®

For the month of May, Stampin'Up ® are offering the chance to receive a sampler of some of the new Designer paper as part of the Palette O'Prints promotion. Visit this link to see what's on offer and how you can take part in this special promotion.

http://www3.stampinup.com/au/ena/5752.asp


I just received my sampler pack in the mail today, so hopefully I can come back soon and show you a card using some of this beautiful paper.

Enjoy your day!!