7 ways to use tags on your projects.

Have you noticed that I really love using tags on my projects? I had one of those phases when I loved buying patterned paper with tag designs on them...Echo Park Paper and Crate Paper were my faves. Well, the buying has stopped but the using up part hasn't. *winks* Here are 7 ways to use tags on your projects.

The one about the lemon curd tarts

1. For your title work.

Hang a dimensional tag with your title work next to your photo for an eye-catching focal point.

A cute layout for Maya Road/Ruby Rock-It Swap

2. As a design element.

There was already a lot going on on this layout so I "broke" up the grid design with a embellished tag.

Travel journal pages January 2017

3. As a mat for small photos.

The tags are perfect mats for the small photos in my travel journal.

A card to go with a sweet treat

4. As a base to pile on your embellishments.

One of my fave ways use a tag on a card.

Tag on a gift box

5. As a gift box topper.


A decorated tag makes a great gift box topper.

Quick paper bags with found objects

6. For a sweet note on a decorated paper bag.

Sometimes we just have to use it the way a tag is supposed to be used...for a sweet note to go along with a gift.

Someone finally has a pair of Oakleys

7. For your journaling.

It's really easy to tuck a tag in behind a photo for a bit of journaling on your layout.

There you have it...7 ways to use tags on your projects. Do you like using tags on your projects? What's your fave way to use tags?

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This week's eye sketch

Hello friends! This week I went back to basics and played with my graphites for this eye sketch. I did "cheat" a little by using a black Faber Castell Polychromo coloured pencil for the darkest value (huge time-saver!). 

Here are the supplies I used for this eye sketch (minus the tissue paper I used for blending..*winks*).

I started by lightly sketching the eye with a HB pencil, then I went in with the black coloured pencil to lay down all my dark values. After that I did tonal shading with the 4B and 6B graphite pencils, blending with a tissue paper and the fine-point eraser. I finished by adding in the white highlights with a variety of supplies (different degrees of "whiteness").

P/s: Everybody can draw! Just pick up a pencil and give it a go!

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10 ways to "frame" photos on your projects

As memory-keepers, we scrapbook to preserve little snippets of life past. And photos are integral to jogging our memories of those fleeting precious moments. Here are some fun ways to highlight the photos on your projects.

The one about carrying Zoe (and not making her cry)

1. Try a frame.

Ever notice how everything just looks better in a frame? When something is framed, the borders around the object help guide the eye to see what's within that frame. It's a great way to highlight the parts of a photo you want to bring into focus.

2. Double frame them.

If one frame isn't enough, try a double frame for a deeper impact! 

My dark side on canvas

3. Put them in "frames on a wall".

This is a fun way to create a "scene" with your photos.

Will I ever get a nice photo?

4. Frame the faces within a photo to create your titlework.

This is a great technique for showcasing the facial expressions of individuals in the photo and a fun way to create your titlework.

Celebrating July's mahjong marvels

5. Vary the size of your frames to create visual interest.

You can play with the size of your frames to highlight different aspects of your photos for visual interest and aid in your story-telling.

For the love of pizza

6.  Mat them.

Add a punch of colour with your photo mat to make your photos pop.

It was a tiara-wearing kind of day

7. Double-mat them.

Double-matting creates more depth and visually "pushes" your photo out towards the viewer. This is a useful technique to employ if you have a busy background.

Spending a day with my mum

8. Create a thin border with a white pen.

The eye is instantly drawn to white so using a white pen to create a border around your photos is a fabulous way to draw the viewers in.

Guess who got to ride the scooter?

9. Write your journaling around them.


This is a fun way to "frame" your photos and get the viewer to read your journaling!

When art imitates life

10. Make them look like polaroids.

Insta-fun way to "frame" your photos. :)


There you have it. 10 ways to "frame" photos on your projects. Which is your fave way to "frame" photos on your projects?

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Prawn Noodles at Beach Road

So the other day, my dad came to town and asked me out for lunch. We took a long walk (okay, it wasn't that far (15 mins) but noon in Singapore at 34 degrees celsius (93F) in 4 inch heels is no joke. (Note to self: stick to nearby places next time. *winks*)

Now my dad really loves eating "famous" local cuisine at coffeeshops/hawker centres/food courts. 

Look how happy he is with his bowl of prawn noodles! (And check out the random guy in the background who is obviously enjoying it as well...*LOL*)

Happy week ahead friends! :)

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Just another girl from my sketchbook

Hello friends! Today's share is just another girl from my sketchbook...that I did on my trip to Hanoi last month. :)

I started by drawing a girl from a magazine on the plane. Yep, people flip those magazines to see what they can buy and I flip through to see which girl I can draw! *LOL*

Happy weekend friends!:)

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9 ways to get your journaling done on your layout

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you would know that I never plan my layouts and just go "with the flow"... which works sometimes and other times, I'm left with the awkward situation of having no "place" to add my journaling. Fortunately, I'm resourceful (no humility here..hahaha) and have learnt to circumvent those situations. Here are some of my fave ways to get my journaling on a layout.

Cheeky kids

1. Add a journaling block under your photo.

Sometimes the background is just too busy for visible journaling so add a journaling block under your photo. It looks like part of the photo mat but now you know that I slipped it in at the end for my journaling. (Shhh...don't tell on me.*winks*)

Someone was happily posing in the garden

 

2. Use a note card.

Not sure why I like to collect note cards (I have a gazillion!) but every now and then, I take one out to use for journaling on my layout. The size of the notecard does dictate how much journaling actually gets written but I like practising my summary writing skills when I journal so it's usually succinct. *winks*

The challenge to not get my hands "dirty"

3.. Write on strips of paper.

This is great option if your background paper is textured. Also a fabulous way to use up little strips of paper you have in your stash.

The Gangster Gang in cool sunnies

4. Write directly on the layout.

I know most people fear "ruining" a layout with their journaling written directly on the layout...but just try it...you can always cover up with patterned paper if you think it looks terrible (I used to do that a lot). 

Guess who I met at Typo?

5. Make it look like part of your cluster design.

This was me trying to be "clever" and making the journaling look like it's part of the whole layout design...did it work???

Feeding the big baby

6. Journal on a fish tail.

This is a great way to incorporate your journaling through a design element. The fact that the fish tail design element is repeated throughout the whole layout makes everything cohesive.

When Murphy's Law came into play

7. Journal directly on the photos.

This can done by writing directly on the photos or even using stickers to help tell your story. If you don't already know. This is my fave way to journal. I use a white acrylic paint marker...it works way better than a white gel pen.

The one about Frankenmouse

8. Try some speech bubbles.

A fun way to ad journaling to your layout is through speech bubbles.

An awesome day

9. Do it all over the layout.

This one combines #4, #5 and #7 on one layout...great if you have a lot to journal.

There you have it...9 ways to get your journaling done on your layout. Did you know prior to this that I always just try to "fit in my journaling" somewhere on my layout right at the end of creating my layout??? *LOL*

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The basket makeover (a tutorial)

So the other day I found this old basket in my stash that was beckoning to me, "Make me pretty!" And of course, since I always listen when inanimate objects speak to me, I just had to. *winks*

I kept my fingers crossed when I went rummaging through my fabric stash for this remnant lace fabric (that I used for One piece of fabric: 10 projects), hoping that it would be big enough to cover the basket. And it was! Yayness! :)

Next I added some Maya Road pearl trim to the edges of the basket.

I covered the handle of the basket with cream satin ribbon. And embellished with some pearl trim.

The ribbon I had wasn't quite long enough for the entire basket handle so I improvised by adding some Maya Road felt blooms at both ends of the handle. 

Then of course, I had to finish off with an embellishment cluster of all things pretty. :)

Here it is...photographed with 3 large pencil boxes and 2 planners so you can gauge its size. 

What do you think? Did I make it pretty? 

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Repurposing happy mail packaging: a decorated paper bag! (part 2)

Last month, I shared how I repurposed happy mail packaging into 2 cards, here is part 2 of the same happy mail from Lizzy Hill: a decorated paper bag. 

I started with this fun sturdy paper bag from Kikki K which had black handles and b/w stationery pattern on the sides. I cut some patterned papers to size, ran them through my Xyron Creative Station for an even layer of adhesive (and saving a lot of time) before adhering to the front and back of the paper bag.

Then I added this floral patterned paper with red doiley and cup with hearts diecut collage layer from the happy mail. I did distress the edges to add a little bit more texture. I also took the heart stickers and chipboard heart from another part of the same happy mail packaging to add a little more interest with some dimensional pieces.

Of course, I had to be a little "extra"...so I added bling and Maya Road diecuts (the words "with love"). And I further "blinged up" the diecuts with Ranger Stickles. *winks*

For the top part of the bag, I used some b/w washi tape and trim from my own stash before adding the gold glittered tape (from the happy mail packaging).

It was a little challenging trying to repurpose someone else's design and incorporate my own style at the same time. But I love the idea of passing happiness on to another person this way (cumulative happiness?)

P/s: Apologies for the crappy photos. It's been hot and sunny when I'm out and just dark and gloomy when I'm at home. 

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