Mei Li’s first ever sketch challenge!!!

May 20, 2013 · By · Leave a Comment

We are just coming out of our second long weekend of the month here in Hong Kong and it seems the rainy days are over. I think it has rained everyday for the past 2 months. Its nice to see the sun. The down side is, it is nasty hot and humid now so its not very comfortable to be outside enjoying the sun.

We have some exciting news over on the Mei Li Paperie blog! We have launched our first ever sketch challenge! I am so excited about it…. it is something I have always wanted to do. It was also my first attempt at making a digi sketch. So go one over and give it a try, we are giving away a $125 HKD voucher to our shop to one lucky crafter who shares how they were inspired by it.

Here’s my take. This is one of our wedding photos that has been sitting around for awhile. It was originally printed this size because I had different plans for it that never happened, so thought it was time to get it scrapped. It was fun playing with the Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm line again…..I haven’t played with it as much as I would like yet.

Sketch#1 May_

Categories: Our Wedding, paper & glue ·

Happy Labour Day!

May 1, 2013 · By · 1 Comment

May 1st is a labour day holiday here in Hong Kong and since it is in the middle of the work week, I didn’t expect much to happen. Yesterday, in my DH’s typical last minute fashion he let me know that we would be going on a junk boat trip for his co-workers birthday. Junk boat trips are a common part of life here in Hong Kong. We usually go on about 3 or 4 every summer. I love them as they are a great way to meet new people and get out of the city. Today was no exception. Nearly everyone on this trip was from Belgium, so I got to practice my French. Although it was crazy windy and a bit cold, I still had a good time. Here are some of my instagrams from today.

Do you have a labour day today? What did you do?

Categories: Hong Kong Life ·

Chic Tag and Social Media Butterflies Blogapalooza

April 29, 2013 · By · 36 Comments

BLOGAPALOOZA

Hello & welcome to our April #SMBiGblog hop! Each month we feature one of our favorite companies, and host a blog hop of inspiration, showing off the products and our designers, as well as a guest from the company. THIS month, we were lucky enough to have the entire Chic Tags team join us for a BLOGAPALOOZA– over 20 projects to inspire you to get those Road Trip goodies out & start creating! Along the way, there are plenty of prizes and freebies– Die cuts, printables and chances to win some of your favorite Road Trip paper goods, and one GRAND prize winner of the Road Trip, Everyday Life II & Birthday Wishes collection!!!! Good luck, and happy hopping! If you have missed the beginning of the blog, you can start at the Chic Tags blog here. 

To say I am excited about this blog hop is an understatement  I love Chic Tags and Veronica to pieces. Her business story and success are truly an inspiration to me and I feel very lucky to be a part of such a wonderful hop!

To be honest, it took me a bit to get my mojo kickstarted on this one. I think I was blocked by the name of the  line ” Road Trip” and could only think of driving… which is not something we do often in Hong Kong. But in exploring my photo options I found my photos of our trip to Milan last year and realised I hadn’t done anything with them yet… I mean I havent even shown them to anyone… not even posted them on facebook! So, I decided that an album needs to be made….and that lit a raging mojo fire that has turned me into a scrapbooking hermit for nearly 48 hours straight.

I started with this layout. I love that fork and knife image in the Road trip collection, and so I focused on it to get the idea of an actual ”road trip” out of my head.

You wouldn’t believe I didn’t even noticed that the words on the background paper were food related until after the layout was completed!! HA HA..

Next, I decided to focus on colour and created a little colour palette for myself as I went. I was really surprised that I used that bluish purple paper, its a colour that kinda makes me cringe but I love how it looked with the photo. I couldn’t stop tucking those Chic Tags everywhere on this one.

See.. I seriously couldn’t stop!! Here is a title page and a PL styled filler page I made as well both for this trip album.

 

These last two projects I used Chic tags “Everyday Life II” collection. Veronica sweetly gave me some at CHA to play with and I have been hoarding it for the perfect project.. I think this album is the right one. I am also obsessed with the round sentiment cut files she sent us. I know they will be making themselves a place on a few upcoming layouts.

For those of you who are in Asia, Australia or New Zealand I wanted to quickly mention that my shop Mei Li Paperie will be carrying both these collections and they will be in our shop soon.. like our facebook page to get updated on their arrival.

I promise.. I am done! Next up is the wonderful Chic Tags DT member Ginny > here!  But before you go one lucky commenter will win a set of “Everyday Life II” tags.. (you lucky ducks!!) just leave a comment below, if you follow me on instagram and/or comment on my #smbigbloghop posts I will enter your name one more time! My user name is “Jenmritchie” Good Luck! Thanks for stopping by and happy hopping!!

edlife
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Categories: paper & glue, SMBigbloghop · Tagged: , ,

Glitzing it up! Social Media Butterflys blog hop!

March 29, 2013 · By · 10 Comments

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This month the Social [Media] Butterflies are featuring Glitz Design, and we are so excited and happy to be included in the Uncharted Waters inspiration week. If you haven’t checked out Glitz’s blog, make sure you have a look at it… here… but make sure you come back and check out the rest of the hop to… its so full of awesome!

 

I have to say that the instant I turned that first corner at winter CHA, Uncharted waters and I locked eyes and it was love at first sight. We have been having a passionate love affair from that moment on! It holds prime place on my kitchen table and we have now resorted to eating at the coffee table… I can’t bare to move it away and stop looking at it! It was my first ever order I put in for my shop and I will always have a special place in my heart for it. I will most definitely have some bits in my hoard for years to come.  That said, it was exceptionally hard to even decided where to start… it is all so yummy… I really was paralysed with indecisions of what to play with first. I started and stopped a kazillion layouts before this one started coming together. Colour palettes are always my go to when I feel overwhelmed and once I had decided to go with turquoise and gold it all fell into place.

 

I have been trying to challenge myself to use more mediums on my layouts. This one I really wanted to add sparkle and shamefully glitter dust is the only glitter I have in my house… shocking I know! I couldn’t believe it myself. So I was faced with how to get the glitter to stick to my layout without having the adhesive showing. I decided to go on a hunt in Hubby’s studio and found spray adhesive. I very carefully spritz some on and then tinkerbelled all over the place… so much fun! I love how it turned out!

I also wanted to challenge myself to make a layout with Uncharted Waters only. This one has been perpetually in “paper pushing” status for the last week, up until tonight when I made myself just stick and go. I may have went a bit crazy with my gold paint pen….but thats me I guess ha ha! I also didn’t manage to stick to my rule of Uncharted Waters only, I just had to add those gold thickers (another current uncontrollable obsession of mine).

I also went to town with the anchor roller stamp, clear embossing and some misting… things I NEVER do!! It felt so liberating so going to try to use them more often.

Anyways, hope this wasn’t so long winded… I am just so excited about this hop and so madly in love with this line!! Go on and hop along now on your quest for more awesome.. I guarantee it will be found! Enjoy!!

Oh P.S. If you are in Asia, Australia or New Zealand and still have not had the amazingness of this line arrive on to your dinning scrapping table you can find it all at my shop Mei Li Paperie .. we have fab shipping rates!

Ok now you can go… have fun!!

Glitz

Shay

Corinne

Trisha

Amanda

Kristin T

Suz

Jenny

Malika

Ellie

Jen~~~~~~~You are HERE~~~~~

Kristin D<<<<<<<<<Go here NEXT<<<<<

SMB site

 

 

Categories: paper & glue, SMBigbloghop ·

A story for tomorrow…

March 25, 2013 · By · Leave a Comment

I think the biggest challenge I have come across so far in starting my own scrapbooking business is explaining what it is and why I do it, particularly as I have no kids. Before, I never had to explain these things to people . It is just something I love to do… so I do it..right? But try to introduce someone to scrapbooking with that statement… it just doesn’t work!

“Here come to my shop or take my classes and start documenting your memories.. why? because its fun?? why else??” ummmm ya not going to work.

Well this week I received this video in an email from an awesome blog I follow called The Middle Finger project. If you are an entrepreneur of any sort or even if you’re not… read this blog!! It is so awesome!

Now, at first I thought the video was just really cool cinematography but then I really listened…

The video is a series of short clips taken by a couple as they toured around South America, kinda like a movie scrapbook in a way, just a series of amazing shots. But they put it all together with this amazing story and thats what hit me.

The video asks “Is it possible to be happy with this life?” and “Did you enjoy your story?”… those questions really hit me and stuck with me… they have been resonating in my brain all week and have made me realise that this is why I scrapbook.

I am happy with my life! Actually, I love it! I have been so lucky for all the opportunities in my life, all the adventures I have been on and the people I have in it… and this is why I scrapbook!

My scrapbooks are small shots, tiny glimpses into what my life was like, little chapters that make up my story… and this is why I scrapbook!

I know that I want to remember the story of what my life was like before I had kids or when I lived in Hong Kong or when I had an addiction to instagram or what a typical dinner/day/weekend/holiday was like, because all that will be in the past.. only wisps of memories and its part of my story… and this is why I scrapbook.

Because I know in my tomorrow I want to share my story… who I was, what I liked, what crazy hair I had, what I loved, hated and obsessed over..even if I only share it with myself to remember the story of my life that I loved, that is enough..

I am creating my story for tomorrow and this is why I scrapbook!

Why do you scrapbook?

 

Categories: Our Wedding ·

Our first photo together…

March 15, 2013 · By · 1 Comment

So I am still working on killing my Studio Calico Front Row kit before the next one arrives… which is going to be soon I suspect! Since I am trying to kill my kit, I am doing things a bit different than I normally do.. I looked for a photo that went with what I have left of my kit instead of being inspired by the photo first. I can’t believe that I still hadn’t used the awesome city scape stamp that had came in the kit, so I made it a point that it had to go on this layout. With that in mind I went way back in my photo history and started searching from the beginning. My first file of photos on our external drive are of our very first date together… and our very first photo together. None of the photos from our first date were really good and so I doubt I will ever use any other photos in that file… but I had to do at least one and picked this one. With a bit of editing it turned out alright.

For our first “date” we took a ferry from Zhuhai China (where we were living at the time) to Hong Kong and spent the night over looking the amazing Hong Kong harbour. It was a very fancy first date!

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I had some vellum left over and so I stamped the city stamp on it over and over then cut it out to give it more of a 3D look. I also used some cards from the Project life kit, and ended up challenging myself with colours that are not really not me! I don’t love it but I like how it turned out. I am glad that this photo is finally documented  and that feels good.

Categories: paper & glue ·

#howIspentCNY

March 11, 2013 · By · 5 Comments

Woah! A layout with more than one photo on it… in fact many photos! I am really trying to get out of my envelope here and try new things, so inspired by Studio Calicos sunday sketch I decided to attempt a multi-photo layout.

I decided to do one with most of the instagrams I took on our recent trip to Australia over CNY. I was a bit hesitant to use these photos as I will include them in Project life and I also really wanted to do a mini album. I took most of the photos from our trip on my phone so these are the majority and there isn’t many left to document now. Will it be too repetitive to make a mini and have these included as well?

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Luke came home just as I was finishing this and loved it! He said it was the perfect recap of our holiday. He grabbed it from the table and took it to show his friends who were over! Ha ha… Maybe he is right… this is only a recap. Maybe making a mini to include the stories as well would be good. Hmmm…

Categories: paper & glue ·

Getting over a fear… of making cards?? Huh?

March 7, 2013 · By · 2 Comments

This week I have really been wondering why I don’t make cards more often… or ever!?!? I am ashamed to say how often I buy cards instead of just sitting down and spending a few minutes to make some. Why I don’t feel motivated to make cards has been running through my mind all week…  and I finally came to the realisation… I have a fear of making cards! Weird right?

I think it is because I know that the card is actually going to be given to someone. Unlike a layout, which is strictly for myself… and I try hard not to care what others think about them, a card is for someone else… how can you not care what they think? And this thought paralyses me every time I sit down and attempt to make a card. I push bits and pieces around the table, shuffle through card galleries, flip through magazines… but my heart starts beating faster, I start feeling stressed out and overwhelmed.  Before now, I thought maybe cards were just not my thing…. and try explaining that to family and friends who know you eat and breath scrapbooking that you just don’t do cards. Seriously, I have been at events where everyone is watching the person of honor open a card from me and I feel the disappointment in the room as they see it wasn’t handmade. Like, it seems to be expected of me as a scrapbooker that I can create fabulous cards to in only a few minutes.

So I have decided to get over this fear and stop feeling so in adequate in the card making department. I have told myself that after finishing any layout I will spend a few minutes… and a few minutes only!… to make a card from the scraps. I also try not to focus on who the card is going to and what they might think, because honestly, just the thought behind making the card is what the recipient really appreciates right?

So with this new goal in mind, I attempted my first stab at cards this year. It took me 10 minutes to complete both of them and it felt great. They may not be extraordinary and publish worthy but they are handmade and full of love and thats what really counts right?

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Since I just arrived back from Australia, how can I just put a boring regular “hello” anymore? ha ha IMG_5782

The sticker is really small but says “Oh, so thrilled..” its a fun card for a new baby, graduation or a congratulations of any kind.

So there you have it… my first attempt at getting over my fear. I am hoping to be bringing you lots more cards in the future.

Is there anything strange in crafting that you are afraid of? like the sewing machine?? But I will save that one for another post….

 

Categories: paper & glue ·

The Mojo is turned on!….

March 4, 2013 · By · 1 Comment

Just wanted to pop in quick and post a layout I made this weekend. I think with all the activity of getting my shop together as well as travelling to CHA and Australia,  it has taken a while for me to have a chance to sit down and let my 2013 mojo kick in. Up until this weekend I had only created ONE layout this year!! Gasp (hiding face in shame)… plus a bit of work on my project life which I will be posting in a blog post shortly. I managed to make 2 layouts in one night this weekend!! crazy!

I had this great tag from Elle’s studio that I was supposed to use in a layout for the blog hop below… but timing hasn’t been exactly on my side these past few weeks. One of my scrappy goals this year is to try to just keep things simple, stop over thinking and just let it flow out… and this is what I let happen here. I put my  fab Studio Calico Front Row kit on the table with a few other things I picked out of my stash and told myself not to go digging again! If it wasn’t on my table it wasn’t going to be used.  It worked!! I made this in less that 1.5 hours a huge record for me, who normally takes 5 or 6 hours! It felt so freeing!

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Don’t you just love that Elle’s Studio tag! There was a lot of black and white in the Studio Calico Front Row kit and it just worked perfect with the tag. I was inspired to make half my page a vellum pocket by  Tina Aszmus’s amazing layout for the Front Row gallery. I also love using the Studio Calico sunday sketches and used the one from Feb 24th by twisting it around.

 

Thanks for looking

xoxo

Categories: paper & glue ·

First Posts, Shop Openings and Blog Hops…Oh My!

February 28, 2013 · By · 17 Comments

Are you ready for a jammed packed post full of excitement?!? I hope you are because I am nearly exploding with it all!

First things first, Hello! Ni Hao! Welcome to my blog…and my first official post of my re-entry into the blogosphere. After an epic fail at blogging last year I was hesitant to get back into it, but with a bit of arse kicking from all my friends at CHA last month, a heart to heart over Dim Sum with the wonderful Kelly Purkey, and a blog face lift I am ready to go and am really excited about it! So please do excuse the mess it is in right now…I am still doing some housekeeping.

Next piece of excitement that I am bursting with is… I am finally a business owner and am working towards my dream of living creatively. Living abroad is never easy but when you are a crafter it can be even harder. Here in Hong Kong it was so hard to find all the great scrapping goodies. For the most part we have to order from the USA pay crazy shipping prices and wait 6 long weeks (or more) to get our crafty hands on them… but not any more!!  I have teamed up with a wonderful partner, Fiona, and we have launched Meilipaperie.com! We are so excited to be bringing the lastest and greatest goodies to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. So please, come check us out and share the news with all your friends on our side of the globe!

And finally… saving the best for last… this is my first month participating in the fabulous Social Media Butterflies Blog hop! I am over the moon that I have been invited to participate in such an awesome hop! I am assuming that you came here from Trisha’s fab blog but if you havent and would like to start at the beginning you can start here.

This month we are sharing with you our LOVE for Elle’s Studio, using her You & Me collection and showing how it inspired us. If you’ve never bought any products from Elle’s Studio before, make sure you check out the shop! Her tags, stamps & new papers are total must haves! Elle is also joining us for the hop this month, and we could not be more excited to have her join us!

My project for the blog hop is a bit different… Being where I am… I unfortunately didn’t have any Elle’s Studio You & Me collection and with Chinese New Years slowing down the post I had no way to get any fast. So I went with the theme of LOVE mixed it with the fab Dear Lizzy, Lucky Charm collection and voila… my layout was born.

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This photo is has become a recent obsession of mine and I can’t stop using it for everything… I just love it so much! So I am happy I finally have it scrapped.

Thanks for stopping by!! Have fun on the rest of your journey… your next stop is the wonderful Amanda! And don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win this amazing prize pack from Elle’s Studio!

ellestudioprize

 

 

Categories: SMBigbloghop ·