Sizzix: Keychain | Owl

Hello everyone! I couldn't help but do another project with the Sizzix Owl Bigz die! This owl has me really hooked. This time, I used felt instead of paper and made myself a little owl keychain.

How cute is this! Just cut the pieces required to assemble the owl. For the body, I used blind stitching and inserted some foam for the body. For the rest of the elements, you can choose to stitch or simply add glue to assemble.

Viola! A quick project and now my clutch has a matching owl keychain to go along!

Hope this inspires you to use different materials for the bigz die and you can achieve different purposes!

Be sure to check out the Sizzix UK blog or Sizzix Lifestyle Instagram for more ideas!

For my local friends residing in Singapore, the dies are available at Made with Love  whilst stocks last!

Supplies Used:

MWL DT: Workshop | Scrapbook Basics

Hi everyone! Today I am up as MWL DT member, sharing about one of our workshops - Scrapbook Basics. This workshop is very close to my heart. It is also what got me hooked to scrapbooking and documenting my daily life right now.

14 years ago, I was attracted to a beautiful shop named Made With Love. On my first visit, I remembered feeling lost, because I did not know what to buy nor how to get started. The projects on display were so pretty and I really hoped one day I could do something like that. So I took the first step to attend a workshop - Scrapbook Basics (previously known as Just Getting Started).

Yes, stepping into the workshop then was probably the best choice I ever made. That was the start of one project to another, and it led me to where I am now, teaching the very same workshop which got me started. I am a true believer of 2 things - foundations and practise. Foundations provide a base of information, and practise brings one to greater levels.

Scrapbook Basics covers 3 important sections to aid your journey into scrapbooking. 

Firstly, introduction of tools and essential scrapbooking terms. How did scrapbooking come about, and why we scrap? What is the difference between a scrapbooking shop and a stationery shop? What do we need to start making a layout? In this first section of the workshop, we will cover the necessary terms and items to get started.

Next, how do we get started with a layout? What makes a layout? What styles bring out the photograph? How to highlight the story you want to tell? In the second portion of the class, we discuss composition guidelines, and how to get started on a 12" x 12" page. 

Last but not least, the workshop isn't complete until you give it a try! Nothing beats having to try out what you have learnt, and the hands on practise will allow you to understand the theory learnt.

At Made With Love, we prepare you for what comes next. Be it scrapbooking layouts, mixed media work, altered art or album making, this first step will help you embrace your next part of the creative journey. 

Scrapbook Basics Workshop costs $45 for 2.5 hours of informative and fun experience! Products and supplies are provided for this workshop, just bring along 2-3 4R photos.

Check out the workshop samples which are on display in the store! Made With Love is located at B2-08, 313 Somerset, Orchard Road Tel : 67337630 Facebook |  Instagram

Thanks for joining me today and have a great CNY week ahead! 

MWL DT: LO | Love

Hello crafters! Happy 2018! I can't believe it, 2017 has wheezed past so quickly, and I am writing my first blog post of 2018! Here's wishing all of you a blessed, happy and healthy 2018 ahead!

Today, I'm am inspired by the pretty Crate Paper - Good Vibes collection available at Made with Love! Just a walk around the shop gives me great inspirations!  

The elements and vibrant colors in this collection are gorgeous! I was so excited and nearly fussy cut 3 pieces of the pattern paper! Adding elements of fussy cutting does give me much joy. I find that the layout becomes less rigid, and the variation of shapes makes the layout look more alive. Here's a couple of the fussy cutting. I do them while watching TV or waiting for my food to arrive. After all, it's a much better activity to do than using the handphone all the time!

Another inspiration I got off from the collection was to use some thread / twine and hook them up so that they look like tassels all around my photo. To do this, I made use of the Sizzix Framelits Die Set 9PK - rectangles, dotted and die cut a rectangle. Then I used the dotted markings to pierce a hole and attach the thread.

Adding layers behind the photo helps to enhance it. Here, I've cut some tags from the collection and randomly added some fussy cuttings to accompany the layers.

Lastly, to finalize the entire layout, add journaling. I tend to forget the details of the photo after some time, so I make sure to add some details. Sometimes, the photo says it all, and in that case, I would add the date. Journaling is one of the most important detail for a layout, yet also the most commonly forgotten by a lot of people. I make use of my WRMK typewriter to do my journaling. It is not only a pretty sight, but also my favorite tool for layout journaling.

Supplies used are from Made with Love:

• Crate Paper - Good Vibes Collection
• Sizzix Framelits Die Set 9PK - rectangles, dotted
• WRMK Typewriter, Mint
• American Crafts Thickers

Thank you for joining me on this new year, hope you have enjoyed the walk through. Have a blast in 2018 and stay creative!

MWL DT: Mini Album | 12 Days of Christmas

Try not to be alarmed by the title, yes it is only August, and 4 months away from my favorite season! I always like to make my minis a little earlier for the season, so when time comes, I just have to stick the photos and do my journalling. 

Today I am on the Made With Love design team, sharing a Christmas album I have prepared for this year. Christmas is always my favorite festive season, because it is filled with lots of love and joyous cheers!

12 Days Of Christmas

12 Days Of Christmas - Front Cover closeups

I couldn't help but to do some fussy cutting for the front cover. The little figures in the pattern paper (supplies below) are just too adorable! Decorations on this album are inspired by the pattern papers. These beautiful papers are by Pebbles - Merry Merry Collection. 

12 Days of Christmas - Sunburst

There are a total of 12 tags in this sunburst album. I made it 12, so it can house 1 picture each on my 12 days of Christmas. I wanted to document my 12 days with a photo of the day. Well 12 tags also corresponds to a sheet of 3x4 grid pattern paper! Since I love them so much, might as well use them all right?

Sunburst, tags close up

Here is the tag close up. I left some white matting on the tag, so I can just paste my photos in afterwards. The white mat also helps to highlight the photos! Then I did some more snipping. Randomly cutting out the florals in one of the pattern paper and used them as tag headers! Not only are they asthetically pretty, they function as a holder so I can pick out my tags easily from the pockets. 

Now don't forget to add some fillers! I used the Tim Holtz punch to punch out some leaves so I can stuff them in between the flowers or behind them. You will be surprised at how these little things add dimensions and layers to your project!

Piano Hinge Binding

How could I not have any binding for my albums? You can say that is almost impossible for me. So yes, I am making use of the piano hinge binding this time. The red and green combination has me wishing for Christmas to come soon! Top it up with weaving to complete the entire look. 

Oh yes, straws are used here. Don't worry, these are absolutely clean ones, used for scrapbooking purposes! I like these straws because they are sturdier than the usual ones, and they come in multiple colors! These straws are by Doodlebug Pixies - ladybug. 

All materials used for this project are available at Made With Love. 

Supplies:

• Pebbles - Merry Merry Collection

• Doodlebug Pixies - Ladybug (straws)

• Tim Holtz Punch - Pine

• Kaisercraft Decorative Block Words Dies

• Sizzix Thinlits - Gatefold Card, Birthday (bracket die for covers)

• AC white cardstock

• Red Twine

• Green Dotted Cardstock (fillers)

Want to learn how to do this? This month, I am conducting a similar workshop teaching how to construct a sunburst album with piano hinge binding. Don't forget to look out for more book binding projects / classes available only with Made With Love. 

Thank you for dropping by my blog today! 

MWL DT: Dreams~ [Secret Belgium Binding]

My upcoming workshop Made With Love has gotten me thinking. The experiment with a variation of the secret belgium binding had been so fulfilling, so I really wanted to vary this method of binding again! Today I am sharing a new hand stitched album on Made With Love blog, after exploring this secret belgium binding a little further!

I wanted to make this album for my little niece Sophie; she is growing up way too fast! Seeing her on the day she was born warms my heart. The first collection which came to my mind was the Pink Paislee "Oh My Heart" collection by Paige Evans! This collection has packed a lot of fun elements and I totally can see how Sophie would love these colors!

Now that I have the stitch and papers in mind, the next thing to decide was the album structure. I commonly get inspired by Sizzix dies, and of course, this was no exception! This time I chose to use the Sizzix Eileen Hull's Scoreboard XL Die - Caddy Bag. Sure, it was meant to be used as a caddy, but who says it can't be turned into a pocket album? Eileen Hull has a great collection of dies which can be used in different ways, check out her other Scoreboard XL dies in Made With Love! (Another of my personal favourite is the Flower pocket XL die. That's another die which could possibly turn into another album!)

Here is a closer look at the secret belgium binding. This binding method is beautiful. This time, I altered the front stitches so they look like a branch out / arrows, just to add some fun element to the front cover. 

How can you not love this collection? There are a number of puns in this collection, and I love how witty they sound! This was one of them, and I had a good laugh over it. Most first time parents would know how their weekends and weekdays are fully booked! It always seems that there is no time except baby time~

Each of the pages had a pocket, where I filled them up with tags. Additional photos and journaling goes onto these tags - you could use both sides of the tags if you wished.

This is my best friend for making tags! The We Are Memory Keepers Tab punch board has made our scrapbooking lives much easier, just a few steps and viola, you get the tab all punched out! 

This was how I assembled the pieces from the die-cuts - using the Xyron Creative Station Lite. I am using the 5" refills. Album making just got a whole load easier with this machine! The added benefits - running the pattern papers through the machine gives an awesome sense of satisfaction as well!

I had fun with this album, and hope you enjoyed the walk through! All products used are from Made With Love, thanks for dropping by my blog today! 

Products Used:

Pink Paislee Paige Evan
- Oh My Heart Collection

Xyron Creative Station Lite

Sizzix Eileen Hull
- Caddy Bag

We Are Memory Keepers
- Tab Punch Board

MWL DT: Products I love & 12x12 Layout | Stay Lil'

Aida & I are on the MWL blog today!

How has the Chinese New Year been for you? Chinese New Year has always been one festive season I have loved since I was a kid. In the past, it used to be for the food and red packets, but it has much more meaning to me now. Seeing my nephew grow up over the years, I can't say how much it made me feel older. It is also this season where I see the other members of the family. Yes, it is a tiring affair, having to need to visit every single household in the family ( I have a large family of 7 households). But nothing beats the family bonding sessions and the jokes my uncles crack over a game of cards. 

Yes I love the CNY season, though now it means I have to give red packets. But I enjoy every visiting session and the laugher it brings.

Today on MWL blog, Aida and I are sharing our favorite products this week! 

I am inspired by a recent scrapbook basics class I taught recently in Made with Love and the beautiful products to come up with a layout. The pattern papers are from Amercian Crafts - Shimelle Little by Little Collection and the background is colored with Tim Holtz distress crayons.

Oh how I wished my nephew would stay forever little and always hugging me close like this. This sweet young man is always making my heart melt away.

First I started the page by doing some prep work. The white cardstock is primed with gesso, and later colored with Tim Holtz Distress Crayons. It helps to enhance the background cut piece which I laid behind my photo. Love the colors which fade below my background in unison.

Afterwhich, I have done quite a bit of fussy cutting, most of which was done on a bus ride. Well, I figured better doing fussy cutting than looking at the handphone in the 40 minutes of bus ride right? The hearts are sewn on with a sewing machine to the layout. 

I have also done some zig zag machine sewing to the matting of the background.

In that 40 minutes ride, I have also managed to fussy cut these critters! Ain't they super cute? (In fact, i did the fussy cutting for the entire 2 pieces of pattern paper on that 40 minutes bus ride) Was not sure which element I would use on my layout, but since I enjoy fussy cutting, I might as well prepare all for later use. Who knows? I may have another layout soon!

Here I layered the embellishments up around my photo. I used to fear writing on layouts since my handwriting is awefully square and small. But I realised over time that the writing is also part of documenting the story and I overcome the fear quite soon. In fact, I almost always insist on documenting on all my layouts, because it warms me to read it 5 years or 10 years down the road. 

Hope you like this layout, and inspires you to experiment with your own style. 

Supplies used from Made With Love Sg:

• American Crafts Shimelle Little by Little Collection
• Tim Holtz Distress Crayons

My second favorite product has to be the Simple Stories 6x8 paper pack.

It is versatile enough for use with almost anything! This size is wonderful!

Document your stories in the 6x8 Binder with the 6x8 paper pack. It is that simple. Life documentation need not be complicated. On another note, you will need this paper pack for home decor. Just use it as it is! I am looking forward to decorating my room soon with the collection!

Needless to say, the collections are taking my breath away. Faith and Domestic Bliss collections are now available in MWL. (Hang in there! Emoji love and Say Cheese III are coming to store really soon!)

Hope you have enjoyed the products so far, and keep feeling inspired for more crafting!

Made With Love Singapore

B2-08, 313 Somerset, Orchard Road.

Tel : 6733 7630

MWL Workshop: Chic Love [Jan 2017~]

Description: A shabby chic 10.5" love album specially created to house the memories of your sweet other. Specially including a new english case binding for this project and includes 10 layouts! Celebrate love this month with all things sweet!

Techniques Learnt: English Case Binding, Album Construction, 10 bonus layouts