Challenges, layouts, and a freebie

I definitely didn't plan it but when I looked at all the layouts I want to show you today, I realized they were all created with prompts from challenges!

What I love the most about challenges is how they push your creative boundaries. You get to do what you might not normally choose to do, try new techniques, and sometimes even explore some of your own buried feelings. I'd recommend it if you haven't tried yet.

I've totally enjoyed the challenges at MScraps forum where I hang out the most these days. They are creative and challenging (as challenges should be), and the sample layouts from the site CT's are very inspiring. Oh, and of course, the points that you can collect toward $ to use in the store are quite nice too. ;)

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Did you happen to notice the tweet button on the right side of the blog? Hehe...yep, I'm using twitter now. In my twitter page I use this layout as background.

I created this LO for an About Me challenge in the theme "Phobia" and that means heights for me. It was a long process thinking, planning, and executing the page, which is why I just love how it came out looking so simple and easy. The ladies at MScraps gave me so many encouraging comments!! TYSM!

(The city silhouette is inspired by Famous City Skyline brushes by Rawox and Balloon girl modified from a brush by xCassiex24. Thank you both!)

Just 2 days later I created another page for the Photography challenge: reflections. Mine was taken on our short train ride 2 years ago. It shows not one but two reflections! One on the magnifying glass and one in my son Neill's eyes, and I just love how I can see myself in his eyes!

The page went on to earn a mention in the Gallery Standouts blog! I was so excited!!!

Both pages above were created with this beautiful kit: Little Discoverer of Designs by Anita.

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For this month (July) I have 2 challenge layouts to show. :)

This first one I made for the Recipe Challenge. Not food but scrapping recipe - with a certain amount of photos, papers, fasteners, lines, circles, etc. you have to put in. Not easy at all but so much fun!!!

Journaling reads: Neill isn't normally allowed to play with toy guns.

I let him have this one because it hasn't got a trigger

and there're no dangerous parts that can become loose.

It can make a heck of a noise though.

From collab kit Things to Do on a Windy Day of Designs by Anita and Che Yang Designs

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And the most recent one is another About Me challenge. This time it's about what you dislike about yourself. Oh boy. I have to say, when it's done, I felt so drained and naked! LOL



Journaling reads: I'll admit it

there are times when I am not too happy with the fact that I'm

NOT so young, wild, or free anymore.

I haven't totally come to terms with it yet.

But I know I'll get there ... one day.

From kit Young, Wild, and Free of Designs by Anita

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Now a little bit of news!

Two Little Pixels is closing shop so all Anita's products there, including the ones you see here, are now on sale at 35% off! This is only until August 5 so hurry up!!

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Congrats! You've survived the loooong post. Here's a present for you. As I said, I spent a lot of time planning, drawing, cutting and piercing those digi papers to make the layout so I think, well, maybe you can find some use for it! :D Here's the download link if you're interested:



Just a little reminder here: this template is for Personal Use and NOT for any promotional purposes. So, please refer to the TOU when using. :) Thank you so much! Please let me know if you do make something with this. I would really love to see your art. :)

a template freebie and some other things

1. I seem to be apologizing and making excuses about why I didn't blog more often every time I update the blog. So I'm not gonna do that today. I'll just.... blog. LOL
   
   
2. I've been busy with my son Neill's many after-school activities. (Isn't that an excuse too? Oh well..) Among other things, he recently participated in a singing contest and even won a small prize! I'm so proud of him! :)
   
   
   I haven't uploaded the video clip of the contest yet but here's his previous performance of the same song 'Whataya want from me' by Adam Lambert. Enjoy, if you have a few minutes to spare. ;)
   
   
   
   
3. I created this layout for Val C. Designs almost a month in advance before the product hit the store. So when it eventually came out, I completely forgot about it. Bad, bad me! (So sorry, Val!) Anyway, here it is:
   
   
   Enjoying Summer
   
   "This bread is soooo yummy, Mama! Can I have some more?"
   "Uh.. Neill, it's actually for the fish..."
   "Oh really? ... They don't look very hungry. Can I have some more, please?" :)
   
   
4. The kit I used is Morning in Summer. It's now available as a part of Val C. Design's Zig Zag Scrap Birthday Grab Bag, until the end of July. Afterwards you can of course purchase it as a single product.
   
   
   
5. I made a template out of the layout above. It's a gift for you. Hope you like it. Just click on the preview below or here to download.
   
   
   
   I also have another template to give away in a day or two. See you then. :)
   
   
   

Party in the summer rain

Nobody can tell anymore what color my car is exactly. :D Since it's been raining cats and dogs almost everyday here in Bangkok, I've decided to forego the pointless act of washing the car altogether. (Or at least until my son can't take it any longer and has to wash it himself. LOL)

Well, when it's not raining, it's just so darn hot here. I guess it's the perfect reason to be in an air-conditioned room and do some scrapping! I'm so in love with a lot of scrapbooking kits coming out right now. The bright summer colors certainly liven up galleries that it's such a joy to browse around.

Anyway, in the midst of sun and rain, I created a few double page layouts I'd like to share here. :)

P.S. Just notice that I put "Summer Rain" on the title! Love the song! Love you, Mr. Schue!

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We went to South Africa in April to visit Ouma and Oupa (my mother- and father-in-law) and had such a great time there. I took a whole bunch of pictures from the trip which you'll definitely see later in my layouts. This one is about their new dog, Muffin, whom Neill created an amazing bond with...

Journaling reads:

In the brief 2 weeks that we stayed at Ouma and Oupa's house in Pretoria, South Africa, Neill has found a friend in little Muffin, Ouma's 4-month-old Yorkshire Terrier.

Both were at first awkward playing together. Sometimes the boy was too rough with the dog, other times the dog was too loud for the boy.

But they worked out their differences soon enough. By the time we had to leave, they were the best of friends and tears were flowing freely when they said their goodbyes.

Ouma told us later that Muffin sat at the gate for days, waiting for us to come back. And, of course, Neill has been begging to have his own dog ever since.

Credits:

layout created with Bloom of Colours kit by Val C. Designs

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Val (Val C. Designs) and Terese (T for Me Designs) have teamed up to create this lovely kit called Summer Party.



They've also come up with a fun challenge with loads of freebies (add-on from both designers plus 2 word art sets in English and French) for us all to play with and prizes to win.




I had soooo much fun creating my double page layout for the kit and the challenge. :)






Come to the party at Zig Zag Scrap and join the challenge here!

I'll be back in a few days with my own template freebie. ;)

Back with a bang - LO's, a GSO, and a freebie

I took a 5 month scrapping (and blogging) break and coming back to it again isn't easy at all! It's quite a struggle actually. :) Well, however, you know what they say about riding a bike, right? Just take a few falls and you should be fine. Keep your fingers crossed for me please!

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The first few pages I created after my "comeback" were for Anita of Designs by Anita. I love the cool, calm, and collectedness of her products, they absolutely make me feel more cool-headed than I usually am. LOL So here they are:

This first one is about the day Ella, my French digi-scrap friend, and her family were visiting us in Bangkok. It even earns me a mention in the Gallery Standouts blog! Woohoo!



Journaling reads: @ Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) with Ella's family - Feb 11, 2011

For almost 2 years, we talked in forums, enjoying each other's art.

Then came the day we finally met in person.

It definitely was a day to remember.

Credits: Manic Monday - collab kit of Designs by Anita and Click Photo Designs Lien

(in Something Everyday bundle)

Available at MScraps, TwoLittlePixels, and DigiScrappersBrasil

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Then there's this layout created for a photography challenge at MScraps. You actually don't have to scrap the whole page for the challenge but I just couldn't help it. The picture begs to be scrapped! ;)

Journaling reads:

Byblos: March 24, 2010

This 2,000-year-old port on the Mediterranean Sea is just a short drive from Beirut.

Neill, Michael, and Papa hiked up and down the ruins tirelessly

while Mama brought up the rear snapping away.

On that small path, with the modern Beirut as backdrop,

it's almost like taking a journey through time from the past to the future!

Credits:

Chirping Birds - collab kit from Designs by Anita and Sabrina's Creations

Available at Mscraps, TwoLittlePixels, and DigiScrappersBrasil

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Now for this one I just wanted to keep it clean and simple to set off Neill's wicked smile. :)

From Unique kit of Designs by Anita at Zig Zag Scrap

Good news! If you like this page, you can have it as a quickpage for FREE. Just visit Anita's blog here to download.

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And this last one was created with a very special kit. As Anita is the Featured Designer at MScraps this month, she has created the kit A Day at the Beach especially for the occasion. Throughout July only, purchase more than $5 of Anita's products and you will get this fun summer kit for FREE!


Here's my page with the kit. Just wanna try to do a bold and busy page for a change. ;)



And here's a little something for you. Just to say thanks for visiting me again after my long break. You can click on the preview to download or just click here.


Enjoy the template and please let me know if you like it! :)

More to come very soon. Stay tuned!

So irritated by ImageShack

Okay I admit to having neglected my blog lately. (Not too much, though. Only half a year. No big deal, huh? ;) ) But it's just not nice to come back and found that ImageShack has made me look like a criminal!

You might have noticed that some images on my blog were replaced by IS's notice saying 'This domain violates ImageShack's ToS.' Well, I checked ImageShack® - Rules and, in short, it says you must not upload anything that 'can be construed as porn, copyrighted material, harassment, or spam.' So? My images are not those at all! The ones that I.S. yanked out of the blog were my scrapbooking layouts which are my own, created with material bought or given with permission from designers. There's absolutely nothing offensive or abusive about them.

What irritates and confuses me the most is the fact that most of the layouts and even some scrapbooking previews and ads are still showing. Why??? There's nothing different between the ones IS refused to host and the ones allowed to stay. How would I know then if the next one would be alright by IS or not?

I guess it's time to move on then. Sorry about the rant, just have to take it out of my system. I'll switch to other file hosting site from now on. And (fingers crossed!) hopefully I'll be back to blogging regularly very soon!

:)

Edited to add: Now some of those 'This domain violates ImageShack's ToS' notices are gone again. Ugh! I just don't get it!