Year 2009 has been good to me

Looking back at just how quickly this year just flew past, recalling back how this year went for me, and that in only a matter of 2 days before i step into another new year and the resolutions i've set for this new year, i actually think that despite the ups and downs i get at work, this year has indeed been good to me and my family. This is how good life has been to me:-

* being able to watch Kaylen go through many of his 1st moments still in life, and having that little more time with him was bliss, and going through his emotional highs & lows, and for him to make sense of what all those emotions are. It's life baby.
* having family & friends with me, spending their precious time with me despite their tight daily schedule, for this i am grateful
* everyone's in good health
* being on the Design Team at Made with Love was a definite dream come true
* able to have a hobby which i call my passion - SCRAPBOOKING, and loving how im discovering my own personal way of scrapping and what it truly means to me

Life is never real if there isn't that occasional discomfort or difficulty in getting things done, and why things are happening the way they are. The road i have to take is rough at times, but without all these challenges i call in life and at work, i would have not come this far, and i'm thankful i have these learning opportunities and chances i get to make myself a better person.

I'm contented at where i am now, at how i'm feeling at this point of time about my life, and to some, it might not be enough, and that life should not be that simple, but truly for me, it is that simple, it's only people complicating that element of "life".

What's most important to me? This lil one! Having dreams & wishes for him as he grows up, wanting him to love & be loved and for him to be happy and creating as many lasting memories for both of us as we each grow up in life.

It's good for me to know that he loves life, and approaches it as how he interprets it at his age of 31 months, i'm seeing another phase of him of being unsure & fearful of the unknown he comes across, and for us to assure him that it's ok to be afraid, and most importantly we're there for him.

Till my next post, have a good day!!

This is out!!

Geraldine's having an additional new class at The Scrapbook Carton, and you'll surely love what's she's plan for you come this Jan 2010. A class filled with fun working with Jenni Bowlin's latest papers, and a chance to recoard your happy moments in this sweet album class, and suitable for that very special Valentine of yours....

For more details, write in to : classevents@thescrapbookcarton.com

Check it out!!

This Christmas....

I've got myself a super happy, & more then contented lil guy with loads of presents, and this year, no more baby toys, he's gotten his most loved - an excavator from Uncle Yixi (& this year super sweet uncle gotten him 2 presents for X'mas (looks super identical to the origin Kolbelco excavators he sees on the expressway that he can sit on, and literally scoop & dig holes like he said, and a motorcyle which he can also drive on from Gong Gong).

Just look at the face of this lil one....you can see how happy & excited he is, and when this photo was taken, it was only minutes of when the present was given to him....surely not letting go of this one....& i have to love his Sheriff PJ's which i got him for Christmas (could you see that little Sheriff star badge peeking out from the corner...just cute!!)

I've still more photos to show from our Christmas Eve party at my place, so stay tune for those cause we had Kaylen & his uncle Yixi dressing in red, and of the same T-shirt (with compliments from his favourite Aunt Apple of course), and this year they got us for the Lim family, a set of similar T-shirts with the same "chicken" print from this store at ION (it's from Brazzil, and i sort of forgotten the name of the store). Kaylen's gotten all poofed out from the many rounds of gift passing to all our loves ones, and had him running around the whole night.

With the Christmas eve party done with, i had to scrapped given that i was all hands off all scrap materials for only 2 days, i had to scrap something, and this something was brewing in my head since the start of December, and that in office, i've been always receiving gifts & Christmas cards from our suppliers in Europe, that i kept those lovely Christmas packaging, boxes, cards, envelopes & what i could get my hands on for this next project - a Christmas journal for Kaylen since i felt that this being his 3rd Christmas, it's also the 1st where he is totally involved & making some sense of this festival, and surely walking down Orchard Road for the very 1st time for Christmas. So i incorporated these non scrappy materials like Christmas cards, ribbons, envelopes & calendar paper for this project.

I'm still a few pages away from completing it, and putting the final touches but truly i enjoyed this journal once the words are filled in cause i get to remember all the funny moments of Kaylen with the Christmas tree, with the Christmas jingle CD that's playing in the car right now, to even getting him new PJ's for Christmas too. I hope when he is older, he gets to look through this 1st X'mas journal of his and remember these good old times.

Here's some of his jounal pages...which i titled the journal "Deck the Halls" & it sure goes with the "Very Merry" series from October Afternoon.

I've had time during this Christmas weekend to work on a layout with the latest from Basic Grey's latest - Orgins, and yes though i don't often work on colours of the Origin series, i find that i'm drawn to this series mysteriously (don't ask me what it is but i just like what i saw, and gotten myself on some Origins papers & matching embellishments from The Scrapbook Carton), and you've got to like their Pak of Nic Naks cause using the part of the Mixed Bag, i came up with this....

Title: "Soar"

Using materials from Pak of Nic Nak

(pearl picks & tulle flowers with vintage dictionary)

It's a good 3 days at work for me, cause come New Year's Eve, my dad's planning a massive party for 40 people at his place, so looks like we're partying till the end of 2009.

Till then, enjoy this short work week everyone!!

I know...

* that i've re-arranged the console for Christmas with additional Christmas decors, but nothing beats this heart warming gift from G which is totally one of its kind....a super cool canvas with everything special filled within it.

* that majority of the Christmas wrapping is done (a few more tonight, and I'm done with all that wrapping), and all the gifts nicely tucked under the tree by Mr Kay himself, and one thing for sure, he loves Christmas not knowing what it means, but only Christmas jingles, trees, lights and presents. I've had Kay every morning & night bothering this just 1 smaller sized gift and you'll hear him say "wah soooo small"....hmmmm

* that the couch has this cute and comfy snowflake fleece from Italy draped over, adding to the Christmas atmosphere at home...

* that having the pressure to pack up ALL scrap stuff from the dining table (it's already 80% cleared since 3plus am last night), i was still able to scrap this last piece of altered frame for my sweet brother, and i loved loved the Autumn leaves paper so much that i hoarded them for the longest time, and i had like 2 sheet of the same type of paper. I love the string pearls i've gotten in a bunch, and how i could just loosely have them around creating a super soft feel to the whole frame.

* that the online scrapbook store - The Scrapbook Carton is officially opened as of now, and watch out for their super fun "Pak of Nic Nak" which i would be having fun scrapping with in my upcoming layouts, and watch out for fellow scrapper - Geraldine's Valentine's Day Mini album!! Not to be missed!!

Till then, it's loads of preparation for 2 joyous celebration for Christmas at work & at home, and a good family time for me!! Fridge will be loaded with goodies for tomorrow, and tonight I would be busy busy. Don't see myself stopping till Christmas Day which I've planned to spend with the boys....just pure public transport, no cars, no pram, just the 3 of us out with minimal baggage!!

Have a Merry Christmas you all, and love you!!

Today...

I have got tons to do, and at the back of my mind, this to-do list keeps on repeating itself in my head now.

* one more X'mas pressie to scrap for my colleague (yes just 1 more to go & I'll be done with this lot, but to finish i have to go down to spotlight to grab letter "E", how can i forget???)
* to start wrapping those X'mas pressies that are sitting under my dining table, i just see bags & bags of shopping bags and amongst it is X'mas pressie for myself from myself (finally did some non scrapbooking purchases for myself)
* to start to plan our family X'mas feast on the 24th, what's on the menu this year?
* the scrap stuff on the dining table has to go away for a short while, so i'm left with this weekend to have both my scrap stuff tidied up (wait i have to finish scrapping my last X'mas pressie before it disappears till after New Year)
* X'mas shopping Part II needs to be done as well this weekend, and do we have the time??
* it's potluck at our office X'mas party, so what will me & Jayce be bringing? Grilled Portobello mushroom topped with bacon bits, basil & mozzarella cheese? Every year i always make the same dish - potato egg salad, and it's a must have dish at our X'mas feast, so this year i want to try to make something else.
* to take photos of the lovely yummy X'mas gift that G's made me, you should just see how crafty this gal can be, cause it just blew me away, and I've gotten them arranged to be displayed around the house, so i can't wait to share with you cause nothing beats handmade gift. Thanks alot G, Kay's already bitten into his 1st ever ginger bread man this morning.....he loves it, and he's eating him up real slowly.

Somehow i think this list would get a little longer if i think of stuff that's not done yet, and thanks so much for your well wishes, Kay's alot better already, Jayce sounds better but the flu still sounds bad, and as for me, throat is starting to be clogged up, and what seems to be building up some slight coughing....argggghhhh i hate feeling this way!

Love the rainy & cold weather!

Tis the Season...

What's Christmas without Christmasy layouts? Got to love the photos of Kaylen soaking in all that Christmas atmosphere in town, and with only 1 week away from my most favourite season of the year, this is his X'mas layout for 2009.

Title : Merry Christmas

Used Cosmo Cricket's latest X'mas series "Jolly by Golly", and a mix

of X'mas embellishments from K&Co, Collage Press, Prima Blings and some of

my personal stash.

We're all hoping to recover by this weekend, cause not only is Kay down with flu, it went on to Jayce with a terrible bout of flu & sore throat (he sounds terrible now), and today i'm down with what seems to be a sore throat & cough if i don't medicate early enough. Been to the doctor's already, taken the medication as well, and hopefully the 3 of us will be feeling much better by the end of this week for more fun action next week with all that feasting. Please please let us get well soon!!

I'm already feeling all festive already, how about you?

This sits by my bedside table

I've waited & waited, and finally i've gotten my hands on 1 copy (the last copy apparently at the store), and I simply adore Elizabeth Kartchner's scrap style..... & my other favourite scrapper - Sasha Farina is also featured within this cute book.

Love it, and i'm surely getting my hands on this when i get home tonight!

Fun filled Weekends

Come every weekend, it's my favourite part of the week since it's my time with Kaylen for 2 whole days. Don't mind how tired i can be from the work week, or that my back is acting up again with terrible pain that has me using loads & loads of medicated plaster each night i go to bed, the pain would be secondary whenever it's all about him.

This week at home would be a major clean up at home (both me & jayce has taken half day leave to just pack & clean up and preparing our home for Christmas, so that means i'm taking a break from scrapping since i have to clear up the "scrap area" aka dinning table for the annual family feast, and still loads to be done at home. And come this weekend, Kay's having a good 2 week break from weekly classes at GUG, so i get to spend even more time just doing stuff we like.

Here's Kay at his class X'mas party....loads of snacks which lil ones love and not get to eat on normal days...

And as promised i got to take a photo of him and his class buddy (or partner in crime) - Jaedon, and i'm so going to scrap this photo of them cause Jaedon will no be continuing, and this would be the last day they get to see each other....and in the future when he flips his album, he would remember of this friend he had in playgroup. Both of them do practically everything together, and usually it is Kay tagging along behind him.....

This week is going to be packed for me since it's the last week before most of our overseas suppliers close for Christmas, and that means before i enjoy myself this weekend, it's go go all the way this week. Tons of stuff to be looking forward to...and up on my list of to-do's, got to finish the X'mas pressies for my colleagues.

Oh yes, Kay's down with slight flu again, and we've all geared to a day of X'mas shopping with him & my mom, hopefully he will be feeling better real soon for his very 1st X'mas shoppng experience.

Have a wonderful Monday!!

Good to know...

There is still time if you haven't heard, The Scrapbook Carton has some contest going on...go find out and stand a chance to win some yummy prizes....

Last night we had a family night out at the Botanical Gardens where they are celebrating their 150 years anniversary, and was a good 1 hour+ of easy breezy strolling around the park, and marvelling at each of the nicely decorated X'mas trees. Kay had fun, and so did we. We got to get outside more....for kay at least cause us adults are just too caught up with the everyday life, the work we do, and just not spending enough time to expose him to our outside world. With the year coming to an end, we're planning to just have a full day of just me & Jayce spending quality time with him, bringing him out more, and to do some X'mas shopping as a family. We need badly time together.

I'm looking forward to Kaylen enjoying himself at his very 1st class X'mas party with his friends this Saturday, going to be pot luck, and gift exchange among the lil ones, and hopefully i get to snap a photo of Kay and his class buddy - Jaedon cause come next year Kay would be transferred into another class, and his class buddy might or might not be there, so for memories, i hope to get a photo of them both to scrap for Kay to remember this stage of his fun life at class. It's been a good last 6 months at GUG for Kay, and i'm glad that he likes classes, music, art, making friends. He's going to be there for another 4 months at least till i decide what next.

It's back to work for me now, and till my next post, have a great Wednesday you all!!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

where will i ever be without them? They've been there practically at all different stages of my life, some since primary & secondary school days, at diploma stages, and uni life in Perth, and at work now. With scrapbooking for the past 2 1/2 years, i've also made some new friends too, and some of my old pals caught the scrap bug, and we certainly bonded even more now since each of us has been constantly so busy with each of our life. There never seems enough time to do everything, but each time when i see them for even a short 1 hour, it makes loads of different. I'm truly blessed to have good old friends who's always dear to me, and each of their friendship is as unique as they are. Thanks you all for making my life that extra special.

Scrapbooking has found me new friends like G, who's equally as passionate as i am about the hobby, and us being friends. A short 4 months of knowing each other has us scrapping more with each other, she's totally nibble with her fingers with making her own embellishements, and always open to sharing her ideas & tips. I love her for her style, her personality & her constant openness about things around us. So to have a friend like her in my life is blessed. I'm grateful. This is for our new found friendship, and for the love of scrapbooking!

Title: Girls

Materials:

pp: american craft "letterbox"

stickers: american craft, heidi swapp

adhesive badges: american craft

blings: prima

metal tag: making memories

others: robin's nest tear drops, masking tape, vintage opera sheet

So celebrate friendship cause they are certainly people in your life that makes a difference!

This is him one year ago....

looking all so small, and trying out mostly everything that comes in his path. Having someone almost right next to him making sure that he doesn't fall or hurt himself (yup that's my brother right behind him). So much life in this lil guy, never stopping, and always full of smiles....i miss that age, and always wishing that i could slow down time somehow to be able to savour that very moment just a bit longer. No words yet, but a bunch of baby language that comes out from you.



This is now, all grown up, face full of expressions. Making sense now from his conversations, and i love love talking to him, and getting answers back. Starting to understand him better, and getting occasionally "no" answers. Loads of fun to be playing with him, and i'm loving every moment i have with him. Loves to play with children, hanging around them each time he sees them, and he follows them practically everywhere and everything they do. Loves his weekly classes at GUG, and come this January he'll be going for weekly classes on his own. Gosh!! my lil guy is going to be on his own at classes...makes me think, did 2 1/2 years just fly by so quickly!!! Arrrgggghhh!!!!

Can't believe it that this year is going to end in just couple of weeks time, i've still lots to do before the year wraps up with loads of handmade Christmas scrap gift for my colleagues & friends, some scrap prjects in Christmas shopping for the family, our family Christmas feast to plan at my place & definitely my scrap area needs to be cleaned up before Christmas.

Till my next post, have a pleasant Monday!!

This journey....

of teaching scrapbooking is going to be a whole lot of fun for me, since i'm going to be able to meet new people from all walks of life, and for us to all share one passion - scrapbooking, im sure there's going to be a good exchange of topics, girly chit chats, and a great deal of interaction.

Come join my very 1st class with The Scrapbook Carton, an online store which will be lauched in Dec 2009, and my class will feature - Cosmo Cricket's latest series - Nutmeg. I fell in love with this new series, and knew it that my class would all be about this whimsical line. With a great mix of its fall coloured papers, and you'll get a chance to handmake some of your embellishments and a hand at misting with Glimmer mist too.

Go home with 2 co-ordinated series of layouts, and loads of fun goodies in the class pack - including a full 12x12" nutmeg chipboard stickers.

Here's a look at my 2 fun filled layouts i created for you!!

To sign up for your class space, e-mail to : classevents@thescrapbookcarton.com , or check out www.thescrapbookcarton.com for more details.

Have a good Friday!!

I enjoy...(part II)

The many things in my life that of which some are things & people that keep me sane, and makes me happy when i'm around them....


*this lil guy's smile at the wake of every morning, and this is it which helps me to start my day. I enjoy the conversations we're having now with him cause i'm getting responses for the questions i ask, and the sweet & sometimes head scratching, eye rolling answers i get from a 2 1/2. This morning i had this coming out from his mouth "swift swift (that's what he calls our car), where are u? come out come out where you r? And this came from me asking him to see if he was able to spot the same model of car i was driving on our way to grams place....hmmm by far the longest sentence i've ever heard.

* knowing that i have this brightly coloured fabric album waiting for me to continue on & play with since i've prepared the Sandi Henderson fabric & Amy Butler since some 2 weeks ago, and had only left at the cover page.
Was inspired after seeing Irene's fabric album at Made with Love, and had to have my 1st, and this one will document Kay's 2009 which i've already prepared his monthly photos till October, and hope to have it completed by the beginning of the new year.

* looking at the latest of my canvas project which i've had it simply done experimenting with the ever so popular paint splats and, and this piece will sit nicely on the TV console replacing some of my older albums, and i like how it looks. As you can see, my canvas oozes out totally "yin wen" style, too clean, minimal splats, and totally my tone of colours.

* how scrapbooking has brought me new friendships, and this gal is one fantastic one cause she's super talented i tell you, and how fun it is always whenever we meet to scrap together. Never too late to be finding new friends through our lives, and i'm sure we're going to have some good old stories to tell....

* how scrapbooking has made a couple of my dear old pals into scrap buddies of mine, and seeing each of them having fun creating memories for themselves & their familes warms my heart, and i love them to bits cause i've grown through life having them as constant reminders that i'm never alone, and i'm always wishing that i have lots more time than i have now to be spending time with them. Thanks KY & J for scrapping along with me!!

Are you enjoying to the simple things in your life?

I enjoy...

Having a fantastic, one of a kind weekend....

*Meeting New Friend....
I've finally had the chance to meet up with Kim from Miri after such a long time of exchanging scrap tips to mommy tips since both Jon & Kay are only 3 months apart from each other, and so alike in many ways, and you should just see the both of us at the LSS, we just chatted, chatted & chatted somemore, and i wished we just had more time.

*Scrap Crop...a group of great friends from old & new, family & a passion for scrapping...thanks you all for such a great time. Will post the photos later today once it's all freshly edited.

*Scrapping for Made with Love , and working with one of my favourite products from Prima, you've got to love it & if you've haven't heard - the store's having a 40% discount of $60.00 purchase on Prima, and today's the last day!!!

Here's my turn this week, and of course working with Kay's latest X'mas at Ion photos!!! Got to love his November photos... and my brother's a darling to have them taken for me....

Title: His Christmas

Materials used:

patterned paper: collage press "joyride"

blings/flowers/clear stamps : prima

All available at Made with Love

* knowing that very soon i'll be teaching my very own scrapbook classes and this experience is totally a new one for me and with only that little time i have spare, i'm glad that i managed to squeeze in some time to teach the classes by "The Scrapbook Carton" , and you can't imagine how thrilled I am when G's in it too. She's totally a very fun person to be with, and always open with teaching you so much she knows about this hobby, and i'm thankful that i've gotten to know her through scrapbooking, and i'm liking that we're in it together for the classes.

Most of you would know of my scrapping style, and here's a peak at what's coming in Jan 2010 - "Nuts about U" using Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg series, and a chance playing with Glimmer Mist, and making your own embellishments. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as i did putting it together for you.

For more details, please check out on the class mailer which G's ultra sweet Valentine's Day layout classes are simply hard to resist.

I'll be back soon with more photos to share....

Certainly helps....

when my day hasn't gone that well, and I feel sucky, and instantly looking at these freshly edited photos by my brother of us at Ion yesterday , and seeing all that X'mas lights sure made one lil boy very happy and excited as well. Can't be any happier that my brother takes cute photos of him, and this time Kaylen's co-operative and even says cheese (yes to some extend till he thinks we're over doing it, yes it's pesky mommy at work).

Kay squatting at the front of the Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant where we had dinner


His "say cheese" pose infront of the Mango store, and i love what they have this year on their window showcase...

Kay with his fave Aunt Jianxi, and kay just loves calling her "kim kim" and follows her around the mall, and yes his "say cheese" pose again

Break dancing away on the ever changing light box in front of Ion, and Kay had on a new pair of track shoes that has lights whenever he walks, and he loves it. A pressie from daddy!!

A rare photo in which i don't look goofy like my brother says it, and my dear Kay was about to shuff that lil finger into "you know where"..

I'm happy to just see these happy faces and photos, and i hope i get to see these everyday, and there are my source of what makes me truly happy. I sometimes feel that i've loads bottled up somewhere inside me, and would it one day burst out, maybe? or maybe not?, sometimes i just like to be left alone to just think about it, and some other times i wish to be just somewhere else. Whatever it is, i know i've got loads of love from my family to be fighting through my thoughts, and still be okay. Life is too short to be bogged down with all these stuff, and i'm telling myself this all the time.

I guess it's just one of those Monday blues getting to me. Too much already!!

Thanks you all for dropping all that love and concern for Kaylen, he's up & running as you can see from yesterday's photos, and just left with slight flu, and a nasal voice, and those sticky mucus that crust up all the time and you'll see him rubbing his little nose non stop cause it bothers him. Giving him as much love as possible, but i've discovered just the past 2 weeks, Kay's like into another growing phase where he would whine even more than before, and get into very nasty tantrums and insist on things. I'm trying to be as patient as ever with him.

I'm off work soon, so i'm just going to complete some loose ends and head home!!

This is happening soon!!

I definitely missed it out again this time round, but i'm sure many of you have already signed up for this one of a kind adventure whenever Celine Navarro visits, and she's teaching again with Karine at Made with Love.

I'm just feeling bumped & drained, and just hoping that today will just go by quickly enough for me to just go back home. Kay's down with flu, slightly sore throat, and fever since yesterday, and with me being busy with dinner with our overseas supplier, I've my mom and Jayce watching him, and by the time I got home, he's already asleep, but not for long cause from 1am to this morning, he was waking up every hour crying, feverish, and it goes the same for me, trying my best to make him feel better. So you can just imagine the night we had, so i'm just wanting to be going back home to our home, for Kay to be more relaxed, and hopefully tonight would be better.

Looks like to be squeezing some scrap time would be tough these few nights unless i regain my energy level, i'll just take it slow tonight, and see how it goes.

Have a beautiful Tuesday!

This is how much fun i had.....

even if it means having only 20mins at Made with Love for their 6th Birthday Bash. With all that girl power going on, you can just imagine. For me, it's the 1st of meeting these fabulous & super talented ladies and being on the team is like a dream come true as I started out this journey idolising their work, and at awe at how some of them creates their master piece, and each of these ladies are as unique as the layouts they churn out each time, and i'm glad i have the chance to just say hello.

I glad i'm part of this team, and given the chance to create and share, and to learn from these more experienced scrappers whom had started out their journey way way before me.

I like this photo of us.

Yes to the upcoming DT crop, i'm so looking forward to this, and and definitely a much longer time chatting with them. Till then.....

How have your Monday been?

Drum roll please.....

Here's the winners to my recent RAK giveaway:-

RAK 1 - Chong


RAK 2 - Eva

Ladies, kindly drop me your mailing address at :- tanyinwen@gmail.com, and i will have the RAKs sent out to you very soon. Hope you will have a great time scrapping with these materials.

Thanks you all for dropping by with all that love, and all the well wishes to Kay, he's feeling much better already but still with occasionally whines (guess with all that pain going on in that lil mouth of his, it's hard to smile at times), and i appreciate each & everyone of you but fret not, there are still RAKS coming your way from me, so stay tune!!

Till then, have a great weekend ahead!!!

In the mood....

For scrapping of course, and my very 1st canvas done , and yes it turned out super sweet, and i like how my brother's wedding photo had all that nature background, and it goes so well with Basic Grey's "Nook & Pantry" paper i choose to match. This is definitely not the only canvas project i would do, definitely creating one for Kaylen soon. This project is just all things pretty from laces, to swirls, to Prima's fabric bloom.

Had the time to also work on another LO for Kay where i had these series of photographs taken when i'm with him at home in October, and they're just all super smiley faces. Love them!! I happen to notice that recently my LO's are getting simpler, don't ask me why but i just scrap with the mood i'm in lately, and i like how that sometimes with little embellishments, it still looks great!!!

Materials used:

pp: american craft, my mind eye, bo bunny

letter: american craft

overlay: hambly's

paper clip: making memories

brad: american craft

Glimmer mist

Thanks for all that concern for Kay & his episode of the ugly ulcers, he's getting better, feeling better in mood, sleeping slightly better, and hopefully by this weekend, the ulcers would have already be gone. Up next for me, are still the X'mas gifts i'm trying to complete, and Kay's mini album "12 days in Oct" whereby i'll be documenting my 12 days with him. Fun!!!

Have a good Wednesday!!!