SugarPea Designs: Happy Mail

Happy, happy, joy, joy! Today is my 1st post as member of SugarPea Designs design team. I am so excited!! SugarPea has lots of cuteness and other fab products to share with you on their first release of 2015.

Through out the week, I'll be sharing projects showcasing all the new products. Today, we're introducing Happy Mail set, SugarCuts Heart Border & SugarCuts Air Mail set.

This Happy  Mail set is my favorite! I mean, seriously, how cute is this penguin? And, you know what make me shriek when I look at all the little pieces? The smooches mark! How cute is that? When I stamped it to the penguin cheek, I was all giggling just because it's so darn cute!! Come on... who could resist a cute smooches?

Love this set so much, I just have to make another card. This time it's a shaker card and I went with softer coloring compare to the 1st card. Am also entering this card to Simon Says Stamps Anything Goes challenge.

  

Now, with the introduction of our SugarCuts dies, we are thrilled to provide you with even more convenient, stylish storage and organization options with our NEW Magnetic Cards. Our Magnetic cards have a sturdy chipboard backing and feature a strong magnet that will ensure that even the tiniest of your dies is securely stored. They are designed to fit perfectly into our Stamp & Die Storage Pouches or they may be used independently on their own.

And, let me tell you, I have several magnetic sheet to hold dies and this one is the best one I have. The chipboard backing is S.T.U.R.D.Y. It keeps the magnetic sheet straight and the magnet itself is strong. I tested it by shaking it repeatedly and none of the dies fall. It stuck good!

Remember our entire January Product Release will be available for purchase in the SugarPea Designs Store on Friday, January 9th at 6:00 PM EST! And, so you can try our magnetic card, you'll get one free with any order. Awesomesauce!!

We would love to hear your thoughts on the products introduced today!!  Please leave a comment on this post and on each of the talented SugarPea Designers shown below and you could WIN!  We will chose one lucky person to WIN the Happy Mail stamp set from the comments left here and on the DT Blogs!  All winners during our January Product Release will be announced on Sunday, January 11th.

 

Check out what the other SugarPea gals have created for this release.

InLinkz.com

Just For My Mom

Today is my dear mom special day as she's celebrating turning 73. For those who have followed my blog for a while, you know how close I am with my family and how much I look up  to my mom.

Growing up, just like any family, my mom and I went trough that period where we couldn't quite understand each other. I am very much a softie, super sensitive, struggling with a major case of shyness. My mom, the opposite. She's strong, level headed, confident. Pretty much the kind of woman I hope to grow up to be. 

One of my tutor used to say, "When your mom walk into a room, you could feel she radiates intelligence, strength." I tend to think with my heart. She's much, much more level headed. So, yeah... we went through a few rough patch.

My mom doesn't have a college degree, but most people who have met or work with her thought she had engineering degree. What they don't realize was that she educate herself constantly just  by reading and asking question. She worked for company that make heavy machinery & she learned everything about it. She read about current stuff constantly. From Times magazine to Newsweek, etc. None of the girlie woman magazine for her. That's me. She could talk about everything from politics to flower, etc. Except sport. Hah...

Today, as I am getting close to 40 (still a few more months left) I cannot be more thankful for my mom. She taught me so much and every strong part of me comes from her. She always there for me as I went through the up and down of life. She cried and ache for me when I went through difficult period, she keep pushing me to get up and be strong. I am where I am today because of her faith in me.

To my mom, I just want to say....

Supplies (all from i {heart} papers): Wplus9 Pretty Peonies set,
Pretty Peonies dies, Simple Stories Vintage Bliss 6x6 paper pad,
Avery Elle ink pads

Happy birthday and thank you for being my mom. Thank you for lending me your strength when I was weak, for your wisdom when I need guidance, for pushing me & give me tough love when I need it. Thank you for showing me it's okay to be different as long as I am being a kind human being. Most of all for always loving me & being there for me even when I was being stubborn & for teaching me about love & family. I love you. And as what a lot of people say: you're one cool, rock 'n roll mom/grandma! So, may you rock 73! xoxo

MFT Introduction

Hi all. Thank you so much for sharing my excitement over the news of my new adventure for 2015. Being part of MFT Challenge & Inspiration team is a dream come true! I am thrilled  to see so many of you joining us on our FB page.

Today, Susan Opel is introducing Erin Lee Schreiner and me on MFT Challenge & Inspiration blog. Here's a sneak peek of my introduction card. To see the full view of the card please check out the challenge blog HERE.

So, when we were asked to write about ourselves, MFT asked us to describe our style. Susan describe my style as delicate. I lean more toward CAS & cheerful. What do you think? And, what about you? How would you describe your card making style?

Well, I have so  much fun playing with my MFT goodies, that not only I have finished my cards for January challenges, but I even make extra card. Here's my card featuring one of my favorite MFT background dies.

Supplies: Cardstock: Smooth White, stamp: Birthday Sentiments,
dies: Die-namics Floral Fusion Cover-Up, Die-namics Stitched Traditional Tag STAX

After I die-cut the background, I use watercolor technique on the flowers and this is the end result. I think it turned out quite lovely. Hope you like it. Thanks again for stopping by here. Cheers.

2015 Season's Givings Blog Hop

Hip.. hip.. hooray!! Happy 2015!! I wish you all a very happy New Year and may this year be a blessed year for all of us filled with many goodness and amazing things.

Welcome to the 3rd annual Seasons Givings Blog Hop. What's unique & fun about this hop is every single blog that participate has giveaways. So, grab your cup of coffee and browse around. Stick around and you'll see my giveaways on the bottom of  my post. :)

2014 had been a great year for me. Most memorable part was that I get to go home to Indonesia and spent some time with  my family and met my beautiful niece. Work wise it's been pretty good as well. There's some hiccups here and there, but I really can't complain. I'm looking forward to 2015.

My motto for 2015? The best is yet to come. Maybe it should be my motto for life. What's your motto for 2015? And speaking about best thing... see my MFT announcement post below. Fun stuff ahead! :)

Now, as we started the new  year, I look back and want to share my top 5 favorite project from 2014. Let's get on with it right away, shall we?

1. This card that I made for 2014 Gallery Idol Top 15 is my favorite card of all time. This was the only card where I had to re-do it at least 5 times. But, I do so love the end result. From the colors, design to the texture. And, it went to one of the most special person in my life, my dear mom.

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2. This second card totally captured my love of flower sets using one of my all time favorite flower set from Wplus9. Hm... yeah... looks like I am loving blue & white in 2014. And, a dash of gold never hurt.

3. If you have followed my blog for a while, you know I love my Silhouette. Especially to make shape card. This card was one of the few shape card I made in 2014.

4. Another fun card to make is of course, interactive card! If you click on the pic, you could see a bigger pic of the card and you could see there's a skinny track that allow the penguin to skate to the right.

5. Now, this card below, capture my love of watercolor technique. I think this is one of the most delicate card I've ever made. Funny that I used to think flower stamps are intimidating. ;)

Now the giveaway. I've been blessed to be on several awesome DT in 2014 and also won quite a few goodies. As usual, when I enter a new year, I clean up my craft room to make room for new goodies. And, I am offering those goodies to you.

I have 2 giveaways. Simply leave a comment here by midnight Sunday, 1/4/2015. And, if you enjoy my blog, I'd love for you to follow my blog. There'll be lots of exciting thing coming in 2015! You can also find me here, on: Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. Thank you for stopping by here and may your New Year starts off great!

Box 1: There She Goes Stamps, Unity Stamp, Hero Arts Neon  ink pads

Box 2: There She Goes Stamps, Riley & Company stamps,
Spellbinders dies & I Zink

My Favorite Things New Adventure For 2015

Dum...da..da...dum!!! Drum roll please. Slightly over 2 weeks ago, I received this email from someone who's very dear to me. Many of you know her as the cheerleader in the card making community. Yep, I am talking about the one and only Susan R. Opel.

Well, it turned out Susan has joined an awesome company as their creative ambassador and she's heading the company challenge team! In her email, she wanted to know if I'd join her on this new adventure. I was floored! I had to re-read her email a couple times to make sure I read it correctly and it's pretty much a no brainer. I love Susan to pieces and to work with her... heck yeah!!

And, today, we finally can unveil our secret!! I am proud to introduce you to the new My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration team! Not only I get to work for an amazing & generous company, but I get to work with these amazing, talented girls!! I could burst with so much excitement. Keeping it a secret was hard!! :)

Now, to celebrate this big moment (I am still pinching myself!!) and the New Year, I have this bright & cheerful MFT card to share with you. Lots of exciting thing for 2015 and I hope you will follow us and join this exciting ride!

Supplies: Cardstock: Red Hot, Pink Lemonade, Orange Fizz, Sno Cone,
Sour Apple, Blu Raspberry, Grape Jelly Stamp: Birthday Sentiments, Photo Booth

Starting tomorrow, Susan will be highlighting the girls on the MFT Challenge team on MFT Challenge Blog and on Wednesday, January 7th, 2015 we will kick of the first challenge. We will do our best to bring you fun & fabulous projects. See you then!

Wishing Penguin

Oh my... there's only a few days left of 2014. I always have mix feeling about the end of the year. On one end I am excited for the coming year, on the other end, I'd look back and wonder where did the year go. And, looking back often makes me feel melancholy.

There's always so much things I want to do, to experience and the fact that the year fly by so fast, sometime just makes me wonder if I'd get to do all the stuff on my bucket list. And, I also think of the many family moments that I miss with me being far away from my mom and my brothers. This part definitely makes me sad.

Anyway, I try hard not to dwell  on being sad. It's not something that just come naturally, but over the years, I have become a more optimistic person and subconsciously I tend to wish big. And, sometime the wish doesn't come true right away, but for it come true, you have to dream it, to wish it, right?

This card says it all. Wish big! :)

Supplies: Avery Elle Storybook set, More Stories set,
Lawn Fawn Hello Sunshine petite paper pack,
Glitz Felicity 6x6 paper pad

I made this mini card using goodies I got from i {heart} papers. My SIL just let me know she needed more mini card and of course, I am happy to oblige. :) Am also entering this card to Simon Says Stamp anything goes challenge.

For now, I am enjoying the long weekend. It's nice to have a break from work. I was feeling burn out and totally savoring this time off. It's nice to just rest, you know. Well, that's all for me. Come back on Monday as I'll have a fabulous announcement to share. See you soon.

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

From our family to yours, wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. May your day be filled with lots of love and blessings.

With lots of love,

Vera, John, Eli & Abby

Quick & Easy Christmas Cards

4 more days till Christmas! And only 10 more days before we hit 2015. With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I want to share a couple quick and simple Christmas cards in case you need some last minute cards.

First up is this super quick card, where I just trim part of a patterned paper for the main image.

Supplies: Chickaniddy Jolly Good, Dear Lizzy Daydreamer
6x6 paper pad &  Lawn Fawn Snow Day

I almost go with no stamping at all, but decided to add the stamped bunny. If you super short on time, you could leave it just the way it is, with no bunny.

Next, is a mini card, using the other part of that same sheet of patterned paper from the above card.

Supplies: Chickaniddy Jolly Good,
Wplus9 Twenty Fifteen, Spotlight/Disco Gold sequins

Now, have some cleaning and organizing to do. You know how it is. Christmas, family coming over and yesterday we just had some windows and tiles replaced at our home. So, lots of cleaning to be done. See y'all later, alligator. :)

Dancing Baby Groot & More Caring Hearts Pics

Happy Wednesday. Slowly but surely I get my Christmas cards mailed out. The way I look at it, better late than not sending one at all, right? 

For today, I want to share this card that I made for Purple Onion Designs. They have shared it on POD blog, but I haven't share it here. 

Have I told you, I love cutesy stuff?? LOL, you probably like, "Yeah, we know!!". Sorry, I tend to gush when I see cute stuff. For example, this past weekend we saw Guardian of the Galaxy and at the end, did you see the dancing baby Groot? Oh.My.Word!! The moment I saw it, I told hubby, I want baby Groot! (What's dancing bay Groot you asked? Check it out HERE)

Hah... Hubby actually saw this movie before me and when he saw Rocket the raccoon and the dancing baby Groot, he knew right away I'd love this movie and that I'd want the dancing baby Groot. And, guess what?? Nope, of course it's impossible to get an actual dancing baby Groot, but yepper, he's getting me baby Groot Wobble Head! 

                                             

I love my hubby. He knows his wife is not much into jewelry or fancy stuff, but prefer cutesy stuff. I think he knows he got it right, when I hug him the moment he told me what he's getting me. I plan on putting this in my office, so I can look at it and smile every time I have a stressful moment. :)

Okay, enough gushing on baby Groot. I have more Caring Hearts Card Drive pics to share with you all. These ones courtesy of our elf in New York. Thank you Kimberly Rendino for sharing these pics. Kimberly said the people have fun checking out each other card and see where they came from.

Then, this next one is from elf in Houston. Thank you Laura Coplin for sharing this pic.

Michelle Ramirez & Elf happily receiving the cards
for the residents at Michael E. DeBakey VA Hospital Nursing Home

Hope you  enjoy seeing the pics. Again, thank you for helping us reaching out to thousands of people and spread Christmas joy all over. Your cards do brighten someone's day. xoxo

Christmas Poinsettia

Happy Tuesday. I actually made today's card back at the beginning of 2014. I was making this for publication call and it didn't get picked up. But, I love the crispness & modern look of this design. 

And, I am happy to say that I got some pictures from our Caring Hearts elves in Wisconsin. :) Thank you Dawn L for sending these pics. 

I think our elves showed the Christmas spirit perfectly. I'll be sharing more pics as I also have received pics from our elves in New York.  

Seriously, Caring Hearts Card Drive is a gift that keep on giving. With each picture I got or note telling me how the people love it, I feel the joy again and again. Kudos to all our helpers who help distribute the cards all over. Thank you for all your help. I appreciate you so much!!

Quick one today. I have splitting, piercing headache as I try to finish this post. Be back tomorrow.