Count your blessings!

Tonight, I plan not to go any place for count down but spend quite time at home counting His blessings and look deeply into myself - what I need to change and what I wish to do in the coming year. 2009 - is my final year (I would say 5 months) in China and I want to see - what I have to do and i want to do to this country, to the people :) Wanna wish all of you a blessed 2009 :)

Let's sing this together...

Count your blessings 数算主恩歌

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Chorus:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

1. 有时遇见苦难如同大波浪
有时忧愁丧胆似乎要绝望
若把主的恩典从头数一数
必能叫你惊讶立时乐欢呼

副歌：
主的恩典样样都要数
主的恩典都要记清楚
主的恩典样样都要数
必能叫你惊讶立时乐欢呼

2. 有时挂念世事如同挑重担
有时背着十架觉得难堪
若数主的恩典疑惑就飞去
必能叫你快乐立时赞美主

3. 每逢遭遇争战不论大或小
不要丧胆因主早已得胜了
深知主有恩典必甘愿扶助
安慰引导我们一直见天父

My first Starbucks mug

Argggggg! Today is not my day! The design project that i did for the past week gone in a sec! The orignanl and backup file corrupted at the same time! Arg..... i have to redo everything. Arg... I am not I going to do that now! I want a cup of starbuck coffee!

When you earn USD and spend USD, it seems reasonable for you to spend 5USD in a cup of starbucks coffee. But when I am earning Chinese RMB, it is "heart pain" to spend 35 RMB for a cup of latte. I only drink starbucks (well, there is one right opposite my office) when i am stress of i feel like reward myself :) Fun huh :p

I think i never tell any of my friends that i actually wish to have a Starbucks mug. I love the Christmas series but i found it expensive and it seems not worth it. 80 RMB for a mug is really expensive when i can spend 5 RMB for a simple pure white mug :) However, everytime i go to starbucks, i will have a look at the mug - wow new design... wow- nice design... wow - expensive design :p

However, I think God saw my broken heart and He sent me a Starbuck's christmas mug through my church young + energetic pastor - Jason. Jason is a good brother of mine who has a pretty wife (both serve as full time pastor in church) and he is very talented in music and actively involve in youth ministry. When i received the parcel, I heard the sound of broken mug but i am still excited to open and read the small notes from Jason. I spent sometime glued the mug and well - i still very happy and touched for my 1st Starbuck mug :) I truly treasure it! Thanks Jason, you made my day!

Someone said this to me: it is broken. Throw it away - it might hurt your hands one day.

I told her: This is my first starbucks mug - i will not throw it away. I will treasure it and pray for the family who sent me this mug from Malaysia.

Arggg... i found my skill is bad in joinning them back :p

Chinese new year card

26th January 2009 is the new year for Chinese people. This is one of the biggest celebrations in China. They called it SPRING Festival :) Well, I am currently relocated in China and I think i should make some cards for my local friends and some chinese friends who are currently overseas. Well, I plan to make maximum 10 pieces only because I try not to burn out myself :)

I searched for the suitable paper and i found this in my box - Far Easy by DCWV . I bought this long time ago from Joann.

The design is very eastern - Chinese feeling - but i noticed something in this stack of papers. Some of the wordings are not suitable. It mentioned about death, sin, revenge.... Those who can't read Chinese but plan to use this for their Chinese friends, please take notes :) I circled the 3 most obvious papers in the JPEG attached above.

However, Chinese loves Red and Gold. It means good luck and prosperity to them. So i used these colours combination to make cards for my chinese friends. The word - FU means blessings and it was embossed with Stampin UP gold colour embossing powder.

Oh, how i get this wording? I have a spoilt punch which able to punch out the last word - FU and before it "died" yesterday :( So i took this FU words and made it as a MASKING - to stick on my Versa Mark and reverse stamp it on a piece of paper. So i got this negative effect and i add in gold powder and heat it :)

Simple stitches added on in the end :)

This card (below) - is from a piece of wrapping paper. The colour and texture is nice but the paper quality is not suitable for card making :( so just.. trial and error :)

The last Christmas Card of 2008

Tomorrow is Christmas day. So, i made last 20 Christmas cards for my Beijing colleagues :) Well, i still manage to come out with a card that i like (something new) and the rest - i repeated what i did before :) Here comes the card - the papers are from American Craft - City sidewalks and Like a light Bulb. The stamp i used is from Stampin up - Sincere Salutations. Very Christmas colour, right?

Tonight - i am going for a birthday dinner - it is Noel's birthday. Yes, his name is NOEL because he was born on the night before Christmas :) I made this card for him and wrap the mini gift using similar paper :) These papers are from Basic Grey Granola 6x6 pad and the stamp i used is from Stampin up - Curly label.

Handmade cards i received

I was so excited when i received the handmade cards from friends who love making cards too :) Below are 5 cards that i received this year. Thanks Senny, Liza, Wahlau, Shera and Vivienne for the heart of sending me these cards. Aha.. the card by Wahlau is currently at home - i will upload it tomorrow :D

This is from Senny :D I love the pearl decorations! So beautiful

This is from Vivienne - so simple and nice. Vivienne has her own way of tie the ribbon.

This is from LIZA! Nice - as usual

This simple and nice card is from Shera

Friends, merry christmas :) May God continue bless you and your family abundantly :) Wahlau - after you said YES, then i will post your card here :D I love it! You and Tze Yiing did it with your heart!

My calendar... again

I gave my calendar to Mr. and Mrs Byron Brenneman and I am happy that they like the calendar. Well, i made 3sets and one is for Wan yeen. However, i found the calendar is too bulky and heavy - so i planned another calendar. I decided to play with stamps for 6 months and papers with some stitches for 6 months. Here comes my 2nd calendar series :) This time - it is cleaner and "slimmer" :) Not so heavy as well :)

The cover paper" Butterflies saying from DCWV

Inside: All stamps are from Stampin Up! :D

Oh yes, Vivienne is very new in card making but she makes beautiful card with limited tools :) Visit her blog if you have time and give her some encouragements and suggestions! She shows me a video clip from Youtube on how to create my own stamp a-ma-jing using LEGO. I did it and that's how i manage to play with my Flights of Butterflies set! Thanks Vivienne :)

My First Handmade Calendar

This is my first handmade calendar. :) Well. I am going to give it away to a friend this sunday as christmas present - so i decided to take photos for every piece that i made :) This calendar looks simple - just paper and some stamps - but it took me at least 10 hours to mix and match and finalize the design. For certain expert - it might takes 2 hours only. Hee hee.

Well, I bought a photo frame from home deco (which is quite cheap - cost me about 2USD only) and remove all the holders and remain just the acrylic and the ring. After complete everything, i punch 2 holes each piece and join them together. Tadah... here comes the calendar!

Side View

Obviously i use Cuttlebug (my most recent toy) to cut out this 2009 :) And i use my favourite colour as cover - Brown and Blue. This piece of glitter paper is from DCWV - Butterflies Sayings. I cut out my favourite part and made it into the cover.

I thought i can make the whole thing looks consistent (with same style and layout) but i failed :) However i think generally still.. ok :p I play with buttons a lot.

I hope my friend will like this :)

Birthday Presents for Jian Xin and Yuan Yuan

It was my staff - Yuan Yuan's birthday yesterday. I explored my new stamp set -Season of Friendship and came out with this note book design. The note book is ready made - all i did is the cover + divider only. Her surname is Zhang - so i added a Z under the "tree" :) Well, i have some white paper bags - so i stamp the same image on one of the paper bag to replace wrapping paper :) I hope she will like this gift.

Jian xin's birthday was 2 weeks ago but i was too busy with my company's SS2009 bedding launch design. So i gave him this belated gift today as well and i really hope he will like it too :)

Card and Present for Linda

Life is really busy. No time for cards, no time for fun... Sometimes... no time for bible as well.

Daddy visited me from Malaysia. He is going to spend few days with me @ Beijing. When he arrived yesterday, he saw my card making tools in my house and he asked me to demonstrate on how I make cards. I made this simple card for Linda's birthday [Linda is a Chinese and Chinese loves red colour which represent happiness]. Dad said "Wow, your cards are unique and beautiful. I love them! Keep up the good works."

Although i am no longer a "young baby" of daddy, but he will talk to me as it I'm still a kid :) Thanks daddy for your encouragement. I love you daddy :)

Random Act of Kindness... again :)

Liza always send me something from the states. She is the one who inspired me to make cards and yet always send me goodies! I really wanna say Thank you for your love! You are such a loving sister!

Liza's husband travel to Beijing last week and she sent me this beautiful butterfly set from SU and some SU papers too! Ah.. I know i have more to play with now :) Thanks! I love this set of stamps and hope I will have time to make cards in the coming week.

She used a coming soon stamp set to make this card for me! Wow.... so loving! I love the colours so much!

Oh again.. I FEEL THE LOVE of CARD MAKING WORLD! I am so lucky and blessed!

Random Act of Kindness (RAK)

Liza told me this term from "Card making world" = R.A.K and i experienced that last Friday!

I still remember it was a "cloudy"' day (emotionally) BUT, when the receptionist pass me a surprise parcel from Kurtis, my "'cloud" gone and heart filled with sunshine! :) Thanks Kurtis.

Kurtis makes beautiful card. I displayed the card he gave me @ my house and spent quite sometime to look at everything sent by him. He knew I love basic Grey papers! WOW!

I quickly called Liza to share my happiness with her. She felt so happy for me as well.

Now I know - card making world - is full of LOVE! :)

Share with you what i received! :D

Season of Simple Grace

I GOT MY CUTTLEBUG and my Season of Simple Grace stamps set! So, i made these simple christmas cards using Real Red colour card stocks, Real Red ink pad and Real Red ribbon :)

I Made another one in Black and Grey colour. Well, this is not a very christmasy though...

Another simple card....

Made in Shanghai

I will fly to Beijing tomorrow. Before i pack my luggage, i decided to make another card since it is thanksgiving day today. I will send this to my boss later via his driver. Although it looks similar with the other cards (well, this is the only and only fall stamp i have @ Shanghai) but i still love the simple outcome :) Hm... well... i just want to show my appreciation to my boss though....

Made another 3 quick Christmas cards too. but... i gave them 60% only. The colouring part can be improved! I made them till 1:30am in the morning :p that's why i feel so sleepy this morning :p

OK. time to continue work! Will be more detail in blogging when i reach Beijing. Life is really CRAZY and STRESSFUL @ Shanghai :(

God bless... Marlene :)