IN THE AIR

Hi from up in the sky everyone! Well actually I've already landed, but took this photo while in the air this morning. I'm off and overseas again, this time back to Bangkok.

For my newer readers, I was in Bangkok last year end and had created my own minibook to fill in on the trip. You can read more about it as well as view the album here.

This time around, as the time was tighter, I used one of the original Amy Tangerine Daybooks. And of course I made it my own. Here's a picture of some of the items that I brough along this trip around to make my own minibook for Bangkok. And yes * sheepish grin* I have not yet finished my Hong Kong trip one yet, but move on to what's going on in the present and keep documenting, especially my travels. 

Yes I brought my doily punch along for this trip and the Stepping Stone Add-on Alpha to work with as well as more than just these few rolls of washi.

Here's a close-up of the cover that I have done.

Can you identify any of the items used here? I love the polaroid pattern paper from the latest dear lizzy collection which I used on the cover, and it is available at Scraplicious in Singapore, though I heard it is flying off the shelves. I'm  also itching to put some sequins on the cover.

As for my special project that I mentioned yesterday, some of you got it but not totally correct. And I will reveal more in time to come.

Hope you liked my short little sharing (:

ON THE PLANE

It's going to be a little more quiet than usual here as I am overseas in Hong Kong.

To prepare for documenting during the trip, I did the same thing that I did for Bangkok last year, by preparing a mini-book to be filled along the way while I am on the trip.

And I started working on it on the plane

Those items surrounding my minibook are but a small portion of the things I brought along to scrap along the way... I definitely over-packed scrapping supplies. I'll try to update as my book progresses, but limited light will be an obstacle for sure. So stay tuned to my possible live updates of my progress with the book. I have my trusty pivi mp300 with me, but won't print all the picture with it, just the important ones (:

For those in Singapore who were interested in the sneak that I posted the other day, here's the class schedule from Scraplicious.
The class name that I showed the sneak of is "Pretty in Pink". Here's the sneak again for reference (:

Hope to see you in class and have a good rest of the week!

BANGKOK MINIBOOK PART TWO

I'm back to share the rest of my Bangkok Mini.

See the first part here

A few more things and details:
1. I used washi tape on the name cards as I can remove them easily if I need the other side for future trips. Love the properties of washi tape just for this purposes.
2. The Jenni Bowlin stickers I used are the perfect size and shape for minis
3. I realised that I take way too many food photos

Also I am entered in the American Crafts Facebook contest with this mini. The winner will receive all four of the new books and embellishments from the Amy Tan Daybook release and that means even more minis to make to document my trip.

If you liked my mini in all its brightness and memorabilia, do cast a vote for me here (Click on 'here').

It is much appreciated and thanks in advance. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them too!

BANGKOK MINIBOOK PART ONE

I'm back with a share of the first half of my "Amy Tan" inspired book from Bangkok. Warning: It will be a photoheavy post!

Just a few random notes:
1. Thai Airways was the flight that I took
2. I printed out some of my photos with my pivi, but decided to print majority back at home
3. I use the roll of washi tape I had with me to mark out pages for certain photos I had taken and wanted printed out back at home so I knew how much space I had. I wrote with a ball point pen on the washi, and because of its properties, easily removed it when I got back home and added my journaling.
4. Crazily, it was only the night before I left that I decided to make a minibook to bring along for the vacation. So I was busily handstitching away at 2am with my luggage half-packed.
5. Memorabilia was collected and pasted on the trip. As mentioned I marked out spaces so as to keep the album chronological and completed when I got back.
6. As the album is at bursting point, I used a strip of washi tape to keep it closed, which means that I can open it easily when I want to too.
7. I use a Selphy ES40 at home. Love this printer though it does not print true 4x6 photos.

Will share the other half tomorrow. I'm also kinda addicted to making these books and am making some as presents for friends who I know will use it. Yet all the same, I'm looking forward to the new "daybooks" that American Crafts and Amy Tan have paired up to create.

DECEMBER 7 & 8

What happened to December 1 to 6?

Well I was actually away from home at the start of December, which I'll share more about later, so I decided to dive right in and record the days memories and do catch up later. That seems to be what a couple of people are doing and for me, it just makes better sense. After all even if I don't get back to the front pages, some being recorded is always better than none, right?

DAY SEVEN

Supplies: Crate Paper, American Crafts, The Twinery, Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon, Maya Road, My Mind's Eye, Studio Calico

As DD is not to just document Christmas, as it isn't a big thing at home, I document interesting things I see of everyday life too. As my table is usually in a mess of bits and pieces here and there, I just grab what I have and use it, in addition to already put aside for DD supplies. Thus my supply list is long at time.

This is a Merlion (a national symbol in Singapore) there was made purely out of lego pieces that was in the toy store that I was in. What is gushing out of his mouth is supposed to be water created from lego.

Interesting fact, a Singaporean is one of eight lego certified lego masters in the world today and is commissioned to make many large objects out of lego.

Christmas trees are in every mall everywhere. In Singapore, malls are everywhere, so I'm sure you can imagine how many trees I have seen so far.

DAY EIGHT

Supplies: Crate Paper, Keng, Jenni Bowlin, Silhouette, American Crafts,  October Afternoon, Doodlebug, Maya Road

Love the grey October Afternoon opaque mist to add a little dimension to the mix. Isn't the "EIGHT" paper tape too cute?

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street? Shows like that are galore in numbers in Singapore. Growing up, Elmo and Cookie Monster were my favourite characters ever.

So back to being away at the start of the month

This was where I was for work. And I made a minibook "Amy Tan" style to add things about this trip inside. Previously I had used a photo album with pockets to documnet trips overseas, as for the long haul ones, it would include items that I would want to have pictures of both side or want to be able to feel. But for these short ones, a book to stick everything down and have it look cute is good.

Here's the pre-book, as taken on the plane towards Bangkok. PS: I only did the cover when I was on the plane as I had stayed up the night before to create the book and did not have enough time.

Will share the completed book tomorrow, all done within just a day.

It helped that I used my new Fuji x10 as the SOOC shots are generally of very good quality and colour, so minimal, if any, editing is needed. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it immediately.

WANDERLUST

Traveling has always been in my blood. I love going to explore a new country, even though admittedly it can be tiring, but the life experience you get from especially traveling solo is not what anything else can give you.

Of course people have asked, why don't you travel with people or wait for friends to go together, but being alone is good, for the mind and soul and the  embracing of what life is.

And of course the footwear which accompanies me to every country I can wear it, barring winter. 

Love the twine that swirls around behind the letters at the bottom of the page to give the layout some movement. And the diecut paper makes it look like a stamp, which I like

Hidden journaling in tag behind photo.

Supplies: October Afternoon, Studio Calico 

NEW YORK NEW YORK

I had the opportunity to visit the city that never sleeps in June for a full week. It was packed full of fun and activity, really earning its name. I was actually even shopping at Forever 21 at Times Square after midnight on a week day.

I made a scrapbook on the road, or rather a photo album which I slotted in all my memorabilia. After coming back I printed out my photos and added relevant journaling.

Supplies: Sassafras, Studio Calico, Fancy Pants,American Crafts, Crate Paper, October Afternoon

The epitome of New York City is Times Square where at all times of the day there is always people and the place is always packed. And the Avenue of Stars was my inspiration for the layout.  I lay out the veneer stars and misted the entire background to make the stars stand out. The filmstrip stamped out also pays tribute to the theatre industry, Broadway. The title draws inspiration from the song "New York New York". I also ran my Sew Easy along the bottom strip of the layout with the zig zag head attached to the body.

A POST-JAPAN LAYOUT

June, July and the early part of August have been laced with travels and work, so I haven't been around much, returning not too long ago from Japan. So apologies for not having blogged.

Well, my job involves travel, and one unique opportunity I had was to go to the areas struck by the tsunami in March to document the post-tsnuami recovery, especially in the coastal towns in the Tohoku region.

To prepare, I spent two and a half weeks binge reading about the tsunami and the recovery efforts that were taking place, while emailing every single person possible to build my contact base and get help in the land. All this without a translator and not being able to speak a sentence of Japanese.

Luckily for me, there were angels sent down that helped me in getting around as well as translating and navigating me around the area.

In my layout are the two places that I had visited and the photos that I took that impacted me the most, a salute to my photojournalism teacher (I hope). Kept the layout simple as it really is about the pictures as I journaled about my feelings, particularly as I never thought that I would be doing this out of school. 

This was put together quickly with the scraps I had on my table, as I just wanted to document how I was feeling at that point of time. The camera tin pin from October Afternoon and the typewriter tag from American Crafts for me, illustrate what I was doing there.

Other supplies: Studio Calico, Jenni Bowlin, American Crafts, Hambly Studios

Have you made a layout about your job or what it means to you? I think you should, no matter what your feelings towards it at the moment, as like it or not, it plays a great part in terms of the time it takes up in our life at least (: 



JAPAN YUMS

A quick one in just to share, using 4x6 photos.

Going to Japan is always a treat, especially for all the delicious food that is available all over the island.

Supplies: Crate Paper

Photos taken from a trip to Japan last year.