What would you do with it?

What would you do with it?

Today I read an interesting article in my new favorite More magazine. According to an Oxygen survey, if women 40 to 49 were given $500, 43 percent would buy a video iPod, cell phone, digital camera or other tech device over spa treatments or designer shoes. I couldn't believe that! Would you? As for me, no tech device nor designer shoes (though very rarely i might treat myself to a spa treatment), I would use the money to go somewhere, take a trip, travel. We save whatever we can and spurlge it on holidays. Hence the load of holiday pictures I'm always behind in scrapping!

Today was good, Jared was invited by his friend to his church's young Rangers' day out. That motivated him to complete his homework yesterday on his own (yes, friday!!) and he really enjoyed himself today. Our bible reading this evening was "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil 4:13, and he happily agreed that what seems impossible on his own (like homework) is possible with God's help. That really makes me glad in my heart. :)

Here's the layout I just completed - photos of Macau, where we visited last year:

Journaling reads: It was an odd mix of sensations.Old and new juxtaposed. Ruins of St Paul’s standing in modern Macau. The children eating Mac burgers on its steps. Missionaries’ tombs. Portugese architecture. cantonese speaking chinese. English speaking family learning about our culture and the influence of history. I hope the children captures some of this sense of history.

Credits: Paper and flower from October Collab kit from Style It Studio - it was perfect for the subdued colors I needed for this layout. I almost wished my photos were in the same color tones!


Well, this layout started out looking like this template below, although it turned out very different! I thought I'll still make it into a template for anyone who likes. Also thanks to everyone for your lovely and interesting comments, thanks for taking the time and I love to hear from you.

This is now available as a set in the store here

My Little Photographer

My little photographer

Writing the last post reminded me to scrap these pictures of my little photographer, Jared. When he has his camera with him, it's hard to catch a picture of his face. All we can get is him shooting us shooting him.. :) I say he takes after me while dh argues that it's from him. Can you tell we are very proud? Tink, I'm definitely going to take your advice to scrap his pictures into a journal with him, that will be such a terrific mother and son time!

Credits: Everything is this layout is from Style It Studio's October collab kit, to hit the stores on 1 Oct! Check it out here: http://www.styleitstudio.com/store/

Almost

Almost
My latest layout is entitled "Almost"- my older is now almost a teen, and exhibiting symtoms of it - and we're not ready! :) He lets me take much fewer pics of him now, and so I tend to have less layouts of him, but I'm determined not to let that happen!
Journalling reads: You’re growing up so quickly! These days you complain when we ask you too many questions, saying things like. “I’ve told you all you need to know..”, or “why do you need to know so much about my personal life?” What a shock at first! :)But we’re now getting used to it. You’re still any parents’ dream, obedient, disciplined, reasonable,so we have no worries. It’s just that we want to know all about your day, your friends, how you’re feeling about things, everything! You’re just growing up, we know, and we’ll get used to it by and by,.... but, take your time, ok? stay for a while our ALMOST a teen.

Credits: Paper from Sarah Robinson's Overexposed Papers from Style It Studio, Warehouse clips by Nathy Geuens from Style It Studio, bracket from Amy Teets' Sun Porch, Arrow stamp from Jackie Eckles' DingyBoy, and paint strokes from Brittishdesigns' scribbles

I just want to say a word for the fabulous new store Style It Studio where I'm CT for Sarah Robinson, the store is full of whimsical, unusual, interesting elements that I can't have enough for!
And you must go over to http://www.styleitstudio.com/blog/ to check out the Blog Challenge for this week - this week a $20 voucher is waiting to be given out to the fabulous store!
Here's the Overexposed papers by Sarah Robinson that I used.

And here's the link to the store http://www.styleitstudio.com/store/ Check it out!

Disney Moments

Good Times
We had a good weekend. The children are showing great discipline after the past week's little "talks", homework were finished early, and we all had fun for the rest of the weekend. Every time we seem to fall a step back, we do manage to take two steps forward. It's comforting. I will press on in this amazing journey of being a parent!

Been able to catch up on layouts, here's more Disney photos, this one is of random images and moments of our day at HK Disney. I like these un-posed photos a lot, look at the one of Jared pointing his camera at me while I was shooting him! When he was six, he asked for a camera for his seventh birthday. We managed to buy him a second hand digital camera with his red packet money (from chinese new year) and it's now constantly with him. A son after my own heart!! One day I must make layouts of his pictures, they are totally unusual, unexpected, and very cool, stilll-lifes of his surroundings and seven, eight year old life - I know what I must name it now - Jared's photo journal - it's going to be great! Credits: backgroun paper from Scarletheel's Dirty Kraft, tag and gold sequins from Mary Scrap Gallerie's 100% Nature, Flourish from Weeds & Wildflowers' creating beauty, alpha from MoniqueG's framboise, and border from Jessica Gorny's lush grid border.
Lovely stuff, isn't it? Almost all of them were freebies - thank you so much ladies!!
And here's my contribution to the freebie pool, template #7.

This is now available as a set in the store here

Mommy Days

Mommy days

Been getting both good and tough mommy days. The tough came by way of complaints from my son' teachers, three of them!! Normally I get upset but I realise it's better that we know the issues and are able to deal with it. We had a talk with him and he wrote a few apology letters. Hopefully he is able to improve his behaviour in school ... the teacher had been so kind to give him a chance to prove himself as group leader despite everything. Yes, that's the good - he was chosen as group leader and was given a badge - how proud he was! And we are so happy for him. I had to take a pic and commerate the occasion!

Credits: Paper, flower, arrow from August Collab kit at Style It Studio. Frame and alpha all by Sarah Robinsons at Style It Studio. Stamp from Peppermint Creative's Elementary Grammar kit. Paper dolls from MJB's Coleurs kit.Font was Echelon

Reference Manual

Want to thank Miyon and Tink for their always wonderful words and Risa who left these : "Honestly while my son was growing up there were many occasions I would wish for a reference manual like 'dummies for parents' or something like it. There just isn't anything though that can ever prepare you for what your little 'individual' may do or say, you know? Still okay though, it builds character and keeps our minds and "imagination" active - LOL "- I needed that Risa!!!

It's late so I'll just post this layout and share with you the template. The white doodled frames were drawn and scanned in, but I think they were too small, so the final result if you print this 12X12 might appear a little fuzzy, but if you think it's fine, then enjoy it! I did them because my usual white frames didn't look good on these photos that had quite a bit of white in them.
Credits: Paper from Rak by Kim Christensen, glitter heart by Scarletheels (Miyon!!), watercolor buttons by Bren Boone, word art by Gina and W&W, doodled bar from Digidare's Dare to be kit This is not available currently

New Experiences

New Experiences
I've got quite a few photos to scrap and I just realised that they are all about new experiences for my boys. How nice when you're young and there are so many new things to experience! We adults do get a bit jaded, and lovely experiences no longer seem as great when we've had too many of them. I am making a point to enjoy my daily life by seeing the lovely and great in them, today I will thank God for the warm sunshine when I'm putting up the laundry, and the lovely cakes we got for breakfast....

And oh! How can I forget? I do have a new experience, I received my first MP3 player, a Zen stone, from dh who won it at a company dinner lucky draw. He loaded in lots of lovely music for me, from inspiring christian songs, to some old classics, a few ballads, and some lovely cello cum guitar music. I've been using it a week now, on my commutes to and from work, and loving it!

Here's to new experiences and everyday joys.Journaling reads: You used to be too small to ride a kayak with dad. But look at you go this time! Doing the stroke, bending your body just like daddy does. Looking cool, going fast, such a great pair together, love to look at you, dudes.
Credits: By Sarah Robinson:Paper from her Tropical Fizz papersFrames from her Cutting Edge framesChenile BlossomsTotal color collection alphaOthers:Swirl from Weeds&Wildflowers' ReverieTeal bubble alpha from Scraphead's C. AbramTag from Ksharonk's Day trip kit

Individualism

Here's to Different styles, and Individualism !

I took the challenge at DigiDare, to scrap in a different style that I never did before. It was fun and somewhat liberating!

What do you think? I took the cue from Lauren's Layout right there on the blog (link: http://www.thedigidares.com/) There's a gift of a fabulous kit for participating!

Well, it was not planned, but picking this photo led me to talking about his "individualism" which is a positive way of describing his very strong and stubborn opinions! They are a joy and also trying on me :) ... so I say let's try different styles, appreciate individualism, celebrate unique personalities, and much wisdom as parents!

Building Memories

Building Memories

I read somewhere that holidays are great ways to build memories for our families and our children. In fact, the author suggested that we should simplify our lives but try to save and spend on holidays as they make such great family memories for the growing up years.

Although I am a lover of the everyday life, scrapbook a lot of everyday moments, and believe in keeping the everyday memories for our children, I do subscribe to this idea quite a lot. Sometimes day to day life do get blended into each other, and children especially forget, but holidays are great times of family time, fun, experiencing new things together, and so my family save and simplify, but try to do our one splurge on holidays!

Every time we plan a trip, especially now that the children are older, we try to engage them in the planning, in the guidebooks, maps, even stories or movies that show the place we are visiting. I really hope they will love travelling and experiencing the fantastic, interesting world we live in, just like we do.

I'm writing this because these thoughts come to me as I try to catch up on our holiday photos, I'm yet to complete those from NZ in 2005, and HK in 2006 ... but still enjoying every scrapping moment of them, trust me!

I've also been reading this delightful book: MaryJane's Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook for the farmgirl in all of us. and she had many wonderful suggestion for family trips, and listen to this for a hike:
Hiking BraceletWrap a piece of two-inch-wide duct tape around your child's arm, sticky side out. While she's walking along the trail, she can gather flowers, leaves, and other little treasures and stick them to the bracelet. Back at camp, see how many acquisitions you can identify and have a science lesson around the campfire.

Great? I'm going to try it very soon! And here's the layout I just completed:

Credits: Paper from DigitalDesignEssentials' Shabby Shack kit, hearts from Peppermint creative's Foxy lady, alpha from Sarah Robinsons' kit at Style it Studio, and "happy" stamp by Debbie Fisher from Pickleberrypop.

If you're like me and like to put many photos on a page, or have a need to, due to too many photos un-scrapped (haha!) here's the template for you.
This is now available as a set in the store here

Time Flies!

Time Flies!

Thank you to those who left lovely and interesting comments, especially to my ramblings about how hard it is to be mom at times... I still don't have all the solution to setting guidelines for my sons' gaming habits (lukie, hang in there with me!), but how wonderful to hear from tink that standing my grounds will reap good in the long run, no matter how hard it is now, even from Miyon who loves gaming too but agrees that guidelines will prevent them from being consumed, and Dahlia who reminds me that "train a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it"... thanks ladies, I will press on!!

Anyways since last monday's great "battle" between us, we've had a peaceful week of absolutely ZERO computer games... achievement eh?? They did not even bring it up because that was the agreed "punishment".. but next week, when they get to play again... the idea is to press on, and trust that our efforts to guide them will pay off someday, somehow, God enabling, amen.

Anyways yesterday I finally got to do up my September desktop from Shabby Princess, they're so lovely! And I thought time really flies, and how I would like to preserve the memories of the desktops I've had on my home and office computers for the past two months, so, they deserve a place on the blog which is very much my "diary cum scrapbook" of sorts.

Being a Mom

Being a Mom


Today I had a tough time being a mom. Had to do things I don't like to to. But nevertheless had to do.


It's this on-going "battle" I have with my sons over their computer-gaming. I set rules, I revise rules, I discuss the rule with them, we negotiate, I explain how they can gain my trust and have more "freedom" the more they show they can be responsible.... and it all comes crashing down every now and then.


Today was one of those days, it was so bad, I decided to delete or uninstall the games from the computer. They broke down and cried (more like weeped!). My heart cringed. But I had to stay my ground. Thank God we came to a good compromise, and they deleted 10% of them. At the end of it, we had closed ranks again, a team again, they had gained understanding that my objective is not to wipe out computer games from their lives, but that they are able to enjoy them without being controlled by them. Phew.... tough but necessary, hard, but part of what it means to be mom.



Well, how timely that my just completed challenge layout for Style It Studio reminds me to be continually thankful, no matter how tough motherhood can get sometimes....

The current week's challenge is "What did you want to be (growing up)" Go over there http://www.styleitstudio.com/blog/ and check it out, you stand a chance to win a $5 gift voucher!!Journaling reads: What did I want to be, growing up, you ask?I was stumped for a while. A teacher? a psychiatrist? I toyed with those for a while.Then I remembered, of course, the only overriding, constant dream I had growing up, was to be a MOTHER. I wrote many a journal entry in my teens “to myself when I am a mother”,dreamt of how I’d bring my children up, what I’d do with them .... my dream came true, the only thing is, I dreamt of being a mom to girls!! God knows best, of course, and today I’m reminded, I’m thankful, for fulfilled dreams.
Credits: Papers by Sarah Robinson (from Girls Night out and Aug collab kit)Borders and buttons are all by Sarah RobinsonAlpha from Total Color COllection by Sarah RobinsonGraph Journal Block by LisaMarieAll available at Style it StudioNotepaper by Ksharonk designsFont: MA BRownie downloaded from DigitalDesignEssentials, and Fabulous fifties.

The Library

The Library

Today is our weekly jaunt to our local library. And I want to sing the praises of the library! We have been going every week (except when we are on holidays) for probably 5 years now, and what a blessing that has been.



Because of the library:

• my children caught the reading bug
• I saw my first Creating Keepsakes magazine and caught onto scrapbooking
• we've discovered all kinds of worlds we otherwise will not in the endless stories and encyclopaedias
• we've enjoyed years of free magazines, educational CD Roms, DVD Movies, comics...
• it has become one of our family's favorite pasttime and memories

Today I found a book illustrated by Shirley Hughes called: A book of Proverbs. It was first published in 1977, and I had a wonderful time discussing the good-old proverbs in there and enjoying the lovely illustrations...just for my own remembrance, these were some of the proverbs:
Make hay while the sun shines
A stitch in time saves nine
A watched pot never boils (Jared used that one on us when we were intently watching him practice a piano piece ;p )
It's no use crying split milk
Look before you leap
While the cat's away the mice will play (they laughed sheepishly at this)
Jack of all trades is master of none (they reminded me of all my multi-tasking at this point)
Great oaks from little acorns grow
All that glitters is not gold
Many hands make light work
Let sleeping dogs lie
Once bitten twice shy
If you've made your bed you must lie on it
How nostalgic! I was delighted at this little time spent with my kids on this lovely book!
And here is a layout of photos we took in the library a few months ago:
Journalling reads: Our family loves to read. But you do not seem to have stopped reading since you started at four! You read while eating, in the car, on the school bus, you always carry a book around in case a 'moment' turns up! Dad caught these scenes at the library - you never even moved, while Jared was climbing, running all around in the background! So glad to have these memories for keeps!
Credits: Sarah Robinsons' Doodle Pad Frames and Total color collection alpha. I did not need anything else - love them! The graphical yet whimsical touch was just what I needed for this layout of my Reader and his brother. I also used Sarah's background paper from the August Collab Kit
As usual, I'd like to share this template because I think the layout worked! I had to replace Sarah's frames with some I made myself, you'll have to go over to Style It Studio to get her lovely ones!

Here's the link, do say hi if you download, I love it when you do! You can get this free template from the store here!