It's been a while yeah!

Sorry gals. I lost the blogging and scrapping mojo a while back and to say I've been on a hiatus would be an understatement. 

Still, I thank you for coming to my blog even when i myself don't pop in to update it.

Some updates on what I've been up to:

1.  Severely obsessed with typewriters and I've recently got myself two lovely babies:

 I stalk e bay like crazy and even contemplated getting a friend to bring one back from the UK for me as the seller won't ship overseas.  I'm nuts. Completely bowled over.

The Olympia one (in grey) is in script font.  What a lovely gem.  No regrets giving her a new home!

 And this is how I use my typewriters - as an embellishment for my pages.  I love love love how they make me journal so much more - given that I don't fancy seeing my own handwriting on my scrappy pages.

And this photo also reminds me how hard it is to give up scrapbooking for good.  I've had the urge in me for a while to get rid of all my stuff but somehow my inner demons are stil holding me back.  I still enjoy crafting but just wish I can cut down on my stash.


Two journals I made over the past weekend - I call them junk journals cos they're made with paper that i want to get rid off and I'm putting them up for sale.  Cross fingers I get a buyer for them!  Else I won't know what to do with them! :)

Thanks for dropping by and have a good week!

Typewriter sightings

I've been on the hunt lately for more typewriters and by some stroke of luck, I met some really good enablers and now have some connections for getting them!

Here's some tappys i spotted lately while on the prowl:

Olympia SM 9 with a huge huge carriage. It's in pretty good condition but way to big for my liking.

Royal 200 typewriter. Looks ok cosmetically and the carriage is small but the cover does not close tightly. :(  The size is a big plus although I could not bring myself to purchase one whose cover did not sit well.

An Antares typewriter. I've never seen this brand in my life and was quick to dismiss purchasing it but once I got home and did some research I realised it was an Italian brand. Bummer!  It was in very good condition as well but oh well.. :( 

This same company, Antares, made this lovely Annabelle typewriter.  A pity this tappy belongs to a lovely lady called Adwoa from Geneva and is not up for grabs.  I literally stalk her blog all the time cos I love really about her typewriter adventures!

Apart from tappys, here's what I've been up to:

Dear Lizzy inspired cards:

I'm still bad a taking photos. And with the lighting and all.  Some things will never change :)

And a peek into what I got this week, all the way from Germany:

Thank you, Justina!!  I really love the washi and the stamps! :)

More stuff!

I've been on a scrap roll these days - whoo!  And am enjoying it so much.  It really makes me happy to use use up my crafting stash and sometimes i think it makes me happier to use than to buy!

Here's what I cooked up for the last 2 days.  I'll let the photos do the talking:

1. Dear Lizzy Notepads.  Super love. Ok i cheated. Not 100% Dear Lizzy all the way but I tried.  Added some K& Co butterflies and My Littleshoebox bicycles.  Who can resist those bicycles??

2.  Crate Paper Notebooks.  Used up the whole pack of chipboards (except three pieces) for 4 notebooks. Not bad uh?  Getting maximum mileage from the whole pack. 

Ok, where is notebook No 4?  Can't seem to find the photo but I assure you it exists!  You have to come to my flea stall to see it! :) come early!

3.  Canvas Board

4.  Echo Park Sweet Day cards. I like using up the whole sheet of patterned paper to see how many cards I can make.  And the number is 8. Yes!  Only going to show a few here..btw, the 'Hello Friend' one is my favourite card.  :)

And here'show they all stack up in my house.  2 containers full and rearing to go.  I'm left with 3 more notebooks to go (to use my my blank notebooks!) and whatever else I can think of!

And a random picture of my scrap space for those who are interested.  I like to take photos of it regularly just to see how it evolves over time. And for this year, the theme is 'simple and clean'.  I'm still going to downsize and cut down buying.  Let the rest of 2012 by 'use up my stash year' and see what I'm left with at the end of the year. 



Come down on 21st July 2012 to Toa Payoh Library!  12pm..see you there!

Support please!

Saw a friend post on FB last thursay that she was setting up a simple flea stall to sell her of her crafting supplies and I immediately messaged her to ask if I could partner her so I won't have to do this alone!  I've been toying with doing something like this so that I can sell my crafts as they are really piling up in my house and after a while, I did not craft as much as I would like to as I did not know where to store or display them.  Running out of space.

I guess it also gives me a chance to use up my insummountable stash that has been piling up, especially since the LSS started this 50% off wave that sent us all into a frenzy.  I really have too much.  I know there are many other ladies in this industry who have way more than me but by my own standards, i have too much and it irritates me.  I like to keep mine at a sane and tolerable level.  That would make me happy.

Some photos of what will be on sale: 

1. Washified Manila Tags.  Ok, for the record, the washi has kaboomed to 50+ rolls this week.  They are like rabbits. Very promiscuous!  I made about 50 of these so far, around the themse of 'Happy Birthday', 'Thank You' and for congratulating students who do well in school. 

 

2.  Notebooks.  These two are my favourite among the lot. Quite possible because they are on a travel theme and from my favourite brand - October Afternoon.  I have a few more from Crate Paper which i will show at a later post.   

3.  Maya Road Tags.  All 8 of them, with a mini one.  I basically cleared out my entire stash of name tags and did these in one day.  Yeah! 

If you like what you see, please come down and support us on 21st July, outside Toa Payoh Library.  I will be there from 1230 to 7pm. Please let me go home early by clearning out my stall!! :)

You can contact me at joannavlee@hotmail.com for more details or if you wanna reserve any of the above items! 

Washi boom!

It's been a while, yeah?  As usual the mid year marking got the better of me and my time as the past 2 weeks were spent intensely splashing red ink all over those essays.  It was tedious and most draining but I'm glad it's all over. OVER! yeah!! 

As the title of this post reads - I've been on the washi trail and my collection has KABOOMED to like 36 tapes and at least another 15 on their way to me. YIKES! ahah :) I store them in this little white tray but i think i'll have to buy anther larger tray soon to accommodate all of them. Only saving grace about buying washi is that it's a lot cheaper compared to buying punches and stamps. I've kind of lost interest in buying punches lately. PHEW!

But i like ALL of them..every single one.  I've already sold off the not so pretty ones (usually they come in a set and I only like one or two so I sell off those I don't fancy). Thank God for SBM to sell of stuff!

On a different note, I made some tags for my kids to encourage them before the exams..here's a few pieces (can't fit all 40 into a photo)...  The girls get the cutesy ones and boys the more manly ones.

I love my typewriter.  Thank God for one!!

And here's a shot of these 2...This is what happens when u ask Kate to pose for a photo and she's reluctant too..she gives you that look. And Beth as usual in a 'shocked' face. heee
I love these 2 monkeys!  They are so cute and funny, esp K.  And only a kid at 3 can pull of blue tights with white polka dots. Way to go!

The weekends are upon us..time for much needed rest and sleep. And scrapping..and shopping!

WHOO!!

Have a great weekend!

Washi Tags Mini Tutorial of sorts...

What a week it has been!  Very hectic and most of my afternoons were burnt due to meetings and courses.  Sorry for the silence.  April has never been a good month in my work calender and is infamously known to be one of the hell months.  July is the next one.

Managed to create some washi tags this weekend and was very happy with the end result.  Washi is my lastest craze and addiction, no thanks to SBM and the many companies producing washi tape with the lastest CHA collection.


Let me explain how I did these:

First, I got hold of some manila tags and inked them with Versamark.  I tried to stamp on the tags and realised that it turned out very light.  I added some Versafine Sepia onto the stamp pad and using my pinky finger, rubbed it all around to distribute the color.  Thereafter, more Versamark and you're ready to stamp!

Here's how it'll look like after u stamp on the tags:

Photo on the left shows the lightest Versamark without any ink and the next two show varying degrees on how dark the background image can be.  I like the middle one the best as it creates a very soft background and perfect for decorating.

Thereafter, PILE ON YOUR WASHI!!  I added an Ali Edwards Technique Tuesday stamp 'The absolut blessing of Today' to complement the washi.

Tag No 1: A Thank You tag...

Tag No 2: 'For you'...

Tag No 3:  Happy Birthday...

Tag No 4: Another Happy birthday....

Don't you love playing with Washi?  I'm having so much fun.  For these tags, I used about 4 different washi designs and 3 from the Colet collection which has the words 'Happy Birthday', etc.  They're really very fun and easy to use.

Some simple guidelines if you like to create something similar:

1. Plan in advance which tapes you have will 'match' in colour and use them generously.  Washi really does not cost that much and it'll take you very long to use up one roll so just bring it on!

2.  I started out by creating one tag first, as I always do when I'm creating multiples of anything.  Once you are happy with it, you can 'copy' your design to the other tags. Line them all up in a row and you're good to go!

3.  Have heaps of fun!  Washi is meant to bring you joy! :)

Have a great week and thanks for dropping by!

Jo

Instagram Love

Can't believe I'm hooked on Instagram.  Me, the techie noob. hahahah :)

Among my favourites are Early Bird and Sienna..Or rather, I should say Early bird cos it's about the only one I use.

Aren't these photos pretty????

Cute buttons I made..decided to type words on them but aligning it to appear in the centre of the button was tough work.  Many redos.

My other Royal baby.  MUCKS!!!  Put some washi to make it look better!

Smashed away last night and this morning.  I love my smash journal. As J rightly put it, it's like a mini layout.  Only easier. 

Another page of my smash.  Dedicated to Terence who left us at work this month.  Sure gonna miss him. 


Updates on work:  This week was way better.  Next week will be hell but I will try my best to survive.  I hope it will not be as bad as I think it will be.  Following week is exam.  Different kind of hell but there are perks for us adults when the kiddos take exams. 

Thanks to one and all who have left me positive comments, esp those who are praying for me.  I know that God is good and He will continue to see me through. :)