WPlus9 Release

Posted on | February 1, 2011 | 13 Comments

It’s February, folks! I know, time flies, huh? January has been very busy for us but we are looking forward to February. See, this is why I like doing a lot of things in one time; Time just keep passing by me every second and I have no pause button.

Have you been liking all the previews? Besides mine there are more! Go check them out on Dawn’s blog and also from our guest Sarah Martina Parker (glad she’s our guest… she’s SO TALENTED)! Then, hop on over to WPlus9′s store and grab yourself a couple of new stamps! They are lovely I tell you and the my favorite sets so far. The illustration on the Flora and Fauna set is awesome and the sentiments and cute dating option from the Spring Post and Postmarked are wonderful. LOVE!!

See the glitters on the butterfly? I stamped it twice. First I used Versamark, then covered the image with bronze embossing powder from American Crafts, and then I used the heat gun. For the glitters, I stamped it again with Versamark, covered it with very fine Martha Stewart silver glitters, and used the heat gun again. The result: Sparkly without glitters falling off everywhere. Just take note: Don’t touch it soon after you’re done heating. I know, this was my second butterfly. Smeared the first one.

Tata for now. Enjoy your day and I’ll have more when I have more…

London, Again

Posted on | October 10, 2010 | 5 Comments

We went to London Saturday and had a fabulous time. I initially wanted to go to the British Museum but we didn’t get to London until 2-ish and while walking to Chinatown to get some pork buns we stumbled upon and Indonesian restaurant, Nusa Dua, and had to stop. We didn’t order much though because before we came in we decided that yesterday would just be culinary day instead of museum day and just try whatever we find, a little bit here and there. So we just ordered two appetizers and a soup dish for me. The appetizers were great but the Soto was a bit off. Maybe it’s because I’ve had some of Indonesia’s best Soto and so it’d be hard to beat those ones. I’d like to come back though to try their main dishes.

Then in Chinatown we got some ?1 pork buns. They were good but not as good as the ones my aunt makes. Hers are DA BOM!! Before we got to the dumplings we came upon a grocery store with all sorts of fruits that I love: Rambutan, longan, mangosteen, and durian. The last is my favorite and if you’re new to this fruit you’ll either love it or hate it. It’s the smell that turns people off and yes I can see that being the case. This fruit is probably the smelliest fruit in the world. It’s awesome tasting though! I also found some Indonesian ramens and sator/petai. The last also smells. It doesn’t smell when you eat it but when it comes out. We’ll see what hubby thinks of this after he eats it… or after #1 he he he…

For tea time (I’ve gotten this habit of drinking tea at around 4-5 p.m.) we stopped at Cafe Nero right in front of the sushi restaurant. We all got something to drink.

Coffee for the adults, milk for Jovie and water for M. Yes she drank the whole thing but the majority of the milk ended up in her bottle. Jovie still drinks her milk from a bottle because that’s the only way she’d drink a lot of it. She’s on a drink a lot eat a lot diet due to her size. She loves to drink from a sippy/cup/glass but to get her to drink all her milk she still prefers the bottle.

Jovie even got a taste of dad’s chocolate sprinkles from his milk froth. Jovie LOVED!!

The main destination of our London trip was sushi. I have not had sushi since we got to the UK. I had a taste of it in Cambridge but just wasn’t too into it. It wasn’t as succulent. After some research I decided on?Sushi Hiroba. I picked this because the reviews were decent, the location right, and there’s a conveyor belt so that different dishes can go around the sushi bar.

M had fun picking and grabbing her plates (she had four plates of nigiri — fish on top of rice). Prices ranged from ?2.50-?5/plate.

The restaurant was nice and if you’re not early you probably should book in advance. Great ambiance and the food we got (who knows what, the hubby and M just grabbed whatever and i somewhat did too) was good too. The fish was fresh and the different dishes were prepared well. Still I don’t think it has beaten our favorite place, Edokko, in the Kansas City area! You get a steal of a deal there and very fresh fish!

I am so glad too that one of my very dear friend lives in London. My birthday dinner was more fun. I just wish more of my very close friends live nearer. I’d have a party just to have them around me {::SMILES}. We ended the night with some coffee and more great chit-chats. To add to the greatness we met a very sweet old lady on the tube. She adored the girls and the 20 minutes we were together there was always a big smile on her face. Great day for sure!!

Card details:

The above card was created using stamps by Clear and Simple Stamps: Beware. For the base I used some Orange You Fabulous by CSS and also gorgeous satin ribbon from CSS. For the tool base I did some stamping on the base and then I ran it through my embossing tool. If you’re curious about the tag, I found it from an old packaging. It was shiny and so I sanded it a bit so that the ink sticks better. After some distressing and ink I liked how the tag looks. The rest are pretty obvious, EK border punch and then some more stamping. I did a birthday with this Halloween stamp set cause there are people born around this time of year too — or over the hill cards as long as he person has a sense of humor {::SMILES}.

Alrighty, enjoy your Sunday! Toodles!!!

The Birthday Cake, Answer

Posted on | July 10, 2010 | 7 Comments

First of all, I’ve been getting emails again on how to subscribe to my blog. If you look up, top right, you’ll see the search box and two icons above it. If you click on the elephant’s butt you’ll be taken to the subscription page. Yes, I have a thing for butts — one of my favorite college time song is by Sir Mix-A-Lot (ha!!). You can also click here. I am starting to feel it, not yet but it’s coming, of the need to update my blog. I like the design just fine but I need to make it more web and user compliant. I whipped this baby up in a few hours cause I was working and all that junk and I want to now dedicate more time to it. Plus, it’s the only way to keep up with my geek skills.

As for the birthday cake… I have this lady friend, Susan, whom I can rely on to ask (silly) questions about Britain, the folks, the culture, etc. She’s my go-to gal basically. I asked her about the cake deal and she said that a lot of times there are food at the party, even a 2-4 p.m. one, and by the time it gets to the cake the kids are full. Another reason would be because they just didn’t have time to eat the cake at the party — too jam packed with activities. Due to the two main reasons parents just got into the habit of putting the cake in the children’s party bags. That seems like a logical answer although it didn’t quite fit one of the last party. M ate ice cream at the end of the party but the cake was in the bag. Susan said she usually serves her cake at the party and assured me that whatever we decide to do for M’s party will be just fine.

Here’s another birthday card that I did. You all better tell me this looks boyish!! I like this the best but I think for a little kid it’s a bit too formal. Whatcha think of the fish? I love this new set, Hooked on You, from WPlus9!! So fun, fun, fun! It’s my friend Kerianne’s first design and I think she did a FABULOUS job!! I love her graphic style, just so clean and solid! I hope she does more in the near future!!

Materials:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink and Bazzill
Stamp: WPlus9 Hooked on You and Waltzingmouse vintage label #10
Ink: Stampin’ Up! and Copic markers
Accessories: Martha Stewart ribbons and staples
Tools: Cuttlebug template and Crop-a-Dile

Home

Posted on | July 9, 2010 | 8 Comments

I was about M’s age when my family moved from Indonesia to the U.S. By the time hubby’s UK tour ends in 2014 M would have been my age when my family went back to Indonesia. I was young and I should have adapted but I never really felt like I was back “home” after our return. I’ve always wanted to go back to the U.S. and when the opportunity arise, I jumped on it. Then I got restless again. It’s not that I didn’t feel at home but it was more of me wanting to experience more. Somehow my wish was granted and here we are.

Emma loves it here. It’s quite surprising that she’s able to adapt so well. We had parents day at school the other evening and her teachers said they felt like M’s always been there. I asked M if she wants to go back to the U.S. and she said no. She wants to go to school here she said. I wonder if she’ll feel the same in a few years. Or, when we go back she’d feel the way I felt.

It hasn’t been a full three months for the whole family to be here but we feel very comfortable in our new environment. Of all of us I thought that hubby would be the one feeling a bit homesick but he’s not. He’s quite enjoying life in our new village. Ha ha, yes, we’re the village people now!

I was reading Tina’s blog the other day and she mentioned how America just didn’t feel like home anymore despite all the goodness it has to offer. I wonder if we’ll feel the same when we go back? The good part of all this is that we have the opportunity to live outside the U.S. after the military. I’d like that… actually I’d love that! I know Miss M would too and Jovie… well, she’s too little to have a say. Hubby… another surprise… he’s now open to the idea.

I don’t think you have to move to another country to feel this way. For example hubby doesn’t think Mississippi is home anymore. He still claims it as the place he grew up and came from but not where he’d want to go back to. It just doesn’t feel the same anymore each time he visits. This is great for me. I don’t mind visiting now and then but I’m a tad bit too liberal to live there. I don’t think this comes across in my blog but if you really know me I can have a big (sarcastic) mouth.

Have you been in my situation? Where do you feel like “home”?

We have a few years to decide what we want to do next and hubby still has at least 8 more years in the Air Force. If we can have it our way we’d love it if we’re overseas until he’s done. Germany, Italy, Japan, Turkey, or extend our stay here. In the meantime we’re going to enjoy every minute of our time in the UK and we hope the next place will be as exciting!!

The card…

I’ve been making boy cards! URGH! Decided that Savitri doesn’t like doing boy cards. Just not as fun. Very little frills, limited on the ribbon and embellishment usage, etc. I told hubby I’m not taking anymore boy/man card orders. He said I couldn’t just tell people I only do girl cards. Well, I think I can. If I don’t enjoy the process there’s no point for me doing it. I do have to thank Sarah Martina for helping me “fix” my sewing machine. It was bunching up all the time and she told me to clean it. I don’t know if blowing = cleaning but that’s all I did. I blew on the bottom where the little bobbin’s at and it works again. Whoohoo!!! Thanks, Sarah!!

Materials:

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up!
Pattern paper: American Craft
Stamps: Practicing Creativity, Clear and Simple Alpha Block II, and WPlus9 Hooked on You
Accessories: American Craft chipboard, Annie42 (Etsy) twine, sewing machine

Is This THE Night?

Posted on | June 16, 2010 | 17 Comments

For Jovie to sleep through the night? She cried twice but very short and she put herself back to sleep. Crossing fingers!!! M was, and still not, one who can put herself back to sleep. Now and then she’d calm herself down but most of the time I’d have to come in and tuck her back in. Or chase her around the house first and then tuck her in. She sleep walks and pee in random places. Last time was the waste basket which was, still is and always have been, right next to the toilet. Good thing it’s a plastic basket!!

I got some short blog hopping done and Sarah made me want to do a SCS CAS challenge. I thought I’d combine it with a 2S4Y sketch and I came up with this:

I liked how I layered the houses in this scrapbook page and thought I’d do it again on a card.

I think after all’s done it’s borderline not CAS but I think, looking at it, it’s still pretty clean. What do you think?

I put my light kit together. Now I can take night time craft pics. I love my bay window natural light but sometimes I just want to post my stuff right after I make it… or a deadline, ha!

Ok, short and sweet. Laters!

Materials:

Cardstock: SU
Pattern Paper: American Craft
Digital Paper: Kellie Mize Iced Latte from The DigiChick
Stamps: Practicing Creativity
Embellishments: Buttons and baker’s twine from Etsy