Happy to Call You Friend

I made this card for the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge which requires us to use a Simon Says Stamp exclusive product on the project.

   I actually used three products!

2. Moxie Fab World, the Metal, Wood & Cord Challenge
    
3. Stampin' Royalty Challenge #195 – Trendy Triangles

Card Details

1. The daisies die cut and sentiment stamp are by Simon Says Stamp and so is the wood veneer paper.

2. The stencil is by The Crafters’ Workshop and butterfly die cut is by Stampin’ Up.

3. For DIY Perfect Distress Mist, please check out my old article here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Never More Than a Thought Away

(1)

I made this card for the following two challenges:

1. More Card Challenge MCC#96 – Photo Inspiration as follows.

My inspiration source was purely the Hydrangea.
(2)

2. Moxie Fab World, The All That Glitters is Gold Challenge
 (3)

(4)
Card Details

1. All stamps are by Stampin’ Up. They happened to be free stamps from Hostess and Sale-A-Bration in the past.

2. Hydrangea was heat embossed in Gold. It seems that Stampin’ Up’s gold embossing powder is not gold and glitter enough!

3. The flower and leaves were colored by Ranger Distress Markers.

4. The fishtail tag border was covered by Ranger Suze Weinberg Glitz Stickles Champagne which is so glittering gold!

這張卡靈感來自兩個挑戰(網址詳英文部分)，圖片如圖二、三與四。為切合金色挑戰主題，繡球花以金粉燙凸，不過SU的金色凸粉感覺不夠金、不夠閃亮，倒是亮膠非常搶眼，也讓這張卡片素雅中帶些貴氣！瑞尼很認真辦魔卡挑戰喔，出題很用心又有獎品，請大家多參加捧場！

Merriest Christmas Wishes

Inspired by Brushstroke Stamped Flowers of Vickie Boutin and a card of mine, I thought to myself, how about making a Brushstroke Stamped Tree? Viola! This is what I made! I am so excited that my random idea worked well!

I am entering this card to the following challenges:

1. Moxie Fab World, The Color Media Challenge
2. Moxie Fab World, The Stickers and Tape Challenge
3. Hero Arts Stamp Your Story Inspiration Challenge

Card Details

1. All stamps are by Hero Arts.
2. Sticker Gems are by Hero Arts and Washi Tape is by kamoi MT Deco.

If you like this card, please do let me know!

今年以來印章界掀起了水彩筆觸圖案的熱潮，一家家公司都推出類似的印章圖案；會畫水彩的人可能匪夷所思，不過像Helen這種不會畫畫的人，倒是很開心能藉著印章一圓自己的水彩夢！做完上一張筆觸花朵後，Helen直覺：能畫花，那是否能畫樹？哈哈！沒想到竟成功了，真開心！也許有空可以再想想，還能畫什麼？大家不妨也來腦力激動一下吧！

Hello – Tuesday Trigger, In Transition

 

I made this card mainly for Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger - In Transition. I was inspired by the photo below and had to give it a try!


Generally speaking, I am not a graphic person. Yet, the fine line background reminded me of a stamp which has been sleeping on the shelf for quite a while! And the rectangle of Hero Arts’ Texture and Shape Set, my newly arrived toy, happened to be the only rectangle-shaped stamp I have! Voila, this is how the card was made! It’s too bad the photo did not do it justice as the white random lines are not clearly shown!

Card Detail

1. Random Line background stamp is by Impression Obsession. All other stamps are by Hero Arts.

2. Technique involved: White Ink Resist (Or Velveteen Technique)

3. I am also entering this card to Hero Arts Stamp Your Story Challenge and Simon Says Stamp STAMPTEMBER Challenge.

Helen並不擅長線條與幾合圖案設計，不過看到圖二的照片後，馬上想到手邊的兩個章¬¬- 背景細條紋章和水彩紋長方形章，於是產出這張卡片，清爽與明亮的風格讓自己也心情大好，就以這張卡片和大家說聲「哈囉」！

大夥兒搬家告一段落了嗎？感覺上搬到Blogger的格友不多，不過Blogger可開放留言和訂閱都無須用Google帳號，因此即使不在Blogger當鄰居，大家交流還是很方便！歡迎大家重新訂閱，好讓Helen也可以重新找到妳！.

Feel Better Soon

I have been extremely busy for the entire August and half of September. I am trying to catch up! This card is for the following three challenges:

1. Hero Arts Stamp Your Story Inspiration Challenge

  
I got inspiration from Vicki Boutin’s Brushstroke Stamped Flowers and instantly decided to give it a try! A colleague of mine is currently in hospital. I thought the Clean and Simple style together with bright colors are quite suitable for a get-well card.

2. Moxie Fab World, The Stickers and Tape Challenge



3. CAS-ual Fridays, CFC115, Fall Colors and a Leaf



Card Detail

1. All stamps are by Hero Arts except the stem which is by Simon Says Stamp.
2. Washi tape is by Kamoi, MT Deco.
3. Technique involved: Masking.

At Home Thinking of You - MCC#95

I am entering this card for the following four challenges:

1. Hero Arts Stamp Your Story Inspiration Challenge
    I got inspiration from this card (of Kelly Rasmussen) for sketch
    and that card (of Cheiron Brandon) for colors.

2. Moxie Fab World, The Ready-Made Embellishments Challenge

3. More Cards Challenge #95

4. Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember® Wednesday Challenge Group Blog Hop

搬到新家(Google Blogger)已經一個禮拜了，雖然已經有個樣子，還是有很多東西要調整，例如：Helen想把原先清一色中文的標籤改成英中文並存，就是一個不小的工程。調整的過程，今天偶然讀到這篇文章，心中一下子又甜蜜又傷感，當時的情景也浮上心頭。啊！這就是回憶。這也讓Helen馬上想起目前魔卡挑戰#95的主題，正是「回憶」，然而示範卡截止日前Helen完全沒有 Fu，於是只好缺席，真是對不起瑞尼！

哈哈！既然現在非常有Fu，馬上就做！

Helen覺得卡片上散落的愛心，就像當時女兒撿起的散落一地的桂花，很傳神，是吧？而這回憶讓Helen更加思念離家不到一個月的小女兒。

卡片說明
1. All stamps are by Hero Arts.
2. Falling Hearts Die is by Simon Says Stamp.
3. Chipboard Hearts are by Simon Says Stamp.

對了，雖然今晚應該是看不到月亮，還是要祝大家中秋節快樂！

XOXO -- 六張 Artist Trading Card (ATC) 之九

These are the last series, series 9, of the ATCs I made for Stampers in Taiwan Gathering Activity back in July this year.

Since black is not my style, I seldom used black as background. But I wanted to try this technique – pencil coloring over white ink on black cardstock. I think the outcome is fine. It surprised me that lots of stampers chose this set when we were doing ATC exchange! 

Card Detail

1.      All stamps are by Hero Arts.

2.      Oil-based Color Pencils are by Faber-Castell. 

All in all, I made a total of 45 ATCs in nine kinds as shown below.

 

 

 

A Night with Chris Botti at Wente Vineyards, Livermore, CA

Grammy Award Winner Chris Botti is coming to Taiwan for two performances on 9/16 and 9/17.

My family had a chance to enjoy his beautiful music concert at Wente Vineyards (Livermore, California) in mid-August. How how how lucky! 

We enjoyed this one-of-a-kind night with delicate gourmet, lovely music and relaxing environment to the fullest. The night was truly impeccable! 

We not only got his signature (Photo 2) but had a chance to take a photo with the contemporary trumpet musician (Photo 1). Wow!

 

To sample one of his famous performances, please visit Chris Botti & Yo-Yo Ma - Cinema Paradiso live at Boston. Take a look and enjoy. You won’t regret!

著名小喇叭音樂家Chris Botti於9/16與9/17在台北演奏兩場音樂會，Helen與家人非常幸運地在八月中旬於北加州灣區的Livermore城的Wente酒莊已躬逢其盛，享受了一個非常浪漫的夜晚！美食與音樂，在皎潔的月光下，那真是個無可挑剔的美好時刻！

當晚的演奏家如圖三，無法去欣賞的朋友不妨聆聽上面聯結(是Chris Botti在2008年Boston的演奏會)！
 

 

The Best is Yet to Come --六張 Artist Trading Card (ATC) 之八

These are a series of ATC (Artist Trading Card) that I made for a special gathering activity - Stampers in Taiwan Gathering back in July! Boy, I was so so busy that I totally forgot to share! 

I like the quote – The best is yet to come. Then we can always hope for the best, right? 

Card Detail

1.      Background technique is called Alcohol Ink Floating, an easy and great technique that you can mass produce background paper in no effort.

 

2.      Stamp is by Stampington & Company, Christine Adolph.

World of Imagination

This is the third tag I made for my younger daughter. She plans to use it as a bookmark. Although I used same tools, stencil and DIY Perfect Distress Mists, the method are different from the previous two, and so are the effects! Hope you will tell the difference! 

I like the quote too  – 現實世界有其極限，而想像的世界中是無窮的. Hope it will encourage my daughter to think out of the box. 

Card detail 

1.          The stamp is by Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz.

2.          The stencil is by The Crafter’s Workshop.

3.          For DIY Perfect Distress Mist, please check here. The entire background paper is shown below.

 

Learning to Dance in the Rain

 

這張書籤也是為小女兒而做的。同樣用復古金質噴液和型版，不過做法和呈現的視覺效果與上一張大不同，不知大家是否看出端倪？ 
 
這句話Helen也覺得很有意思，「Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain. 人生不在等待暴風雨結束，而應學著在雨中跳舞」哇！好有哲理的一句話，也許18歲的大孩子不見得有所領悟，不過看久了，也許能潛移默化培養出逆轉勝的意志力！

 

卡片說明

1.          印章出自Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz

2.          Stencil 出自The Crafter’s Workshop

3.          背景技法詳自製復古金質噴液。整張背景紙如圖二。

 

若您喜歡這次的分享，請不吝來個讚！

 

Life Doesn't Have to be Perfect...

幾天前小女兒透過FaceTime畫面，以她一貫甜美的聲音問，媽咪妳可以做Tag送我嗎？就是妳常做的那種Artistic Tag，我可以用來夾在課本內！

行行行！這比摘月亮簡單多了，老媽一定設法辦到！

既然要當書籤，Helen覺得版面最好盡量平坦，且不要有太多裝飾品，再搭配立志文字應該很適合，成品如圖一！

背景是用自製復古金質噴液和型版做出，如圖二。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

小女兒是個凡事都很認真，全力以赴的孩子。送她這句話 - 「Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.人生不見得要完美才是精采」，希望她能享受學習的過程，不要給自己太大壓力！ 

卡片說明

1.          印章出自Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz

2.          Stencil 出自The Crafter’s Workshop

3.          背景技法詳自製復古金質噴液。 

希望小女兒和格友們喜歡這張小品。

 

搬家囉！Move to Google Blogger！

不到十天中，Helen歷經錯愕、焦慮、徬徨、冷靜思考等情緒，最後要以感恩的心向奇摩部落格道別了！Helen決定搬家到Google旗下的Blogger了。很高興在這裡和大家重新見面！

過去的七年，奇摩部落格在Helen生命中佔據了難以形容的地位。579篇文章和1149張相片，不算多產，但多數是在犧牲睡眠或擠壓週末時間下完成的。很難想像，一個素人、一個因緣際會的冷門嗜好、一個初始僅單純為自己做紀錄而起的格子，可以吸引873位訂閱者，也為Helen贏得美國雜誌Paper Crafts Magazine旗下Moxie Fab World部落格專訪的榮譽。天下無不散的筵席，在此離別前夕，除了感謝奇摩曾經提供的平台，更要謝謝訂閱的朋友們，謝謝您一直以來對Helen的欣賞與肯定。

至於Blogger，與其說是搬家，不如說是搬回，哈！因為Helen早在2010年就在Blogger的前身Blogspot開了個英文的格子，只不過後繼無力，因無法同時耕耘兩個格子，便擱置未用。有道是「危機就是轉機」，幾經思考後決定「多一事不如少一事」，在Blogger冷灶熱燒應該是最省事的選擇！

再者，國外彩印同好多數使用Blogger，在Blogger可參加數不清的國外挑戰和方便留言，Blogger亦有多語言設定，可讓大家及早國際化，甚至揚名海外喔！

目前Helen算是搬家成功了，這邊已有Yahoo那邊的所有內容(文章和照片)，不過還要再美編、加工與調整，因為Blogger有太多Yahoo沒有的功能了。請大家先將就看，也希望大家在Blogger繼續愛護Helen！