Wish List Accomplished - Hero Arts CL145 Baby Girl

Finally my top wish list to have Hero Arts CL145 Baby Girl has accomplished!

For the past few days in end of September 2011, I been searching the whole eBay for this Hero Arts CL145 Baby Girl. Since it is a discontinued product, Hero Arts itself did not sell this stamp anymore. Thus, I have to look at other alternative which is eBay. 

After an intensive search in eBay, finally I found a really cheap price of the clear stamp at USD6.50 from this seller known as djlaw899! The usual price for this 4" x 6" size clear stamp is USD15 which means I saved about 56% and it really put a big smile on my face! The shipping fees is reasonable as well at USD2! The whole total cost me USD8.50 which I cannot get at anywhere else for the stamp that is on my top wish list! I made the payment on 26 September 2011 and the seller confirm the shipment on 28 September 2011.

However, after about three (3) weeks of patient waiting, the item has not arrive. I e-mailed the seller on 15 October 2011 since the estimated arrival date has been due on 14 October 2011. The seller replied the next day and informs that he will send another item on the following Monday, 17 October 2011 and estimated to arrive within seven (7) to ten (10) working days.

Hero Arts CL145 Baby Girl

Finally, the Hero Arts CL145 Baby Girl is on my hand today! I hope I can ink up this stamp set very soon as I have some projects idea on my mind even before I purchase this stamp set!

More Hero Arts Stamps!

I dropped by at Simon Says Stamp! blog on 09 October 2011 and discovered a great news whereby they are having eBay clearance sale! According to the post, there are almost 1,000 active auctions starting under USD1 and most deals are over 90% off which are ending in the next day or two! 

I quickly navigate to Simon Says Stamp eBay store to check out the auctions. Guess what? Some of my wish lists are in auction starting from USD0.99! I am particularly looking at Hero Arts 2" x 3" sparkle clear stamps. I browse through the auctions and weighing which clear stamps I should bid. Furthermore, some of the items has been bidden by someone. Thus, I need to weight on the cost as well even it is starting USD0.99 as I plan to bid few items. More savings means I can bid more items and not forgetting the shipping costs as well.

Finally, I made up my mind on which items I want to bid and the maximum amount I can afford. However, I did not place the bid immediately as I like to bid in few last minutes to ensure I can win the items. Due to different time zone, the items will be ending at about 3+AM Malaysia time. Thus, I need to get up in the middle of the night to monitor and bid the items. It is the first time I done such a thing even some of my friends did the same regularly. 

From left to right
CL179 Party
CL187 Coffee
CL188 Tea

But the efforts are well paid off as I won three (3) of the bids for the items I want as per above! The best part is that the total amounts of the three (3) Hero Arts 2" x 3" sparkle clear stamps including shipping costs is about USD12 only! Usually, one (1) Hero Arts 2" x 3" sparkle clear stamp costs USD6 but now I get three (3) of the Hero Arts 2" x 3" sparkle clear stamps at USD12! It is indeed a great deal!

Finally, the items arrived to my doorstep today! I am so happy that I completed some of my wish lists with such a saving! I hope to get them ink up soon!

My First Penny Black Stamp!

Penny Black 30-063 Mimi & Miles

Finally I have my first Penny Black stamp!

I actually did not plan to purchase anymore stamps after the recent purchase of Hero Arts CL145 Baby Girl (which is yet to arrive by the time I am writing this post even that stamp was shipped earlier!). Somehow, my husband persuade me to buy another stamps or craft supplies I want.

I always have a habit of buying direct from the manufacturer. Thus, I go to Penny Black website to check out. However, their International shipping fee is very expensive (cost more than the stamp I want to purchase) which I quit the intention to buy direct.

I look for Simon Says Stamp store and the shipping fee is very expensive too but when I look at their eBay Simon Says Stamp store, the shipping fee is reasonable. I been weighing between buying two (2) Hero Arts sparkle clear stamp (2"x3" size with gems) which cost about USD5.99 each or buying another brand stamps. Well, I finally settled to buy another brand stamp since the amount I pay is about the same. So, why not buy another brand stamp that is on my wish list, right? 

Thus, I look for the stamp I want which is Penny Black 30-063 Mimi & Miles. The price in eBay Simon Says Stamp store is about the same in Penny Black website but the shipping fee is way cheaper. However, I always look for saving in my money whereby I search for another intensive search in the whole eBay for the cheapest price. Somehow, only eBay Simon Says Stamp store offered the best price inclusive shipping fee.

I made my payment on 29 September 2011 and they confirm my shipment on 30 September 2011. After about a week, finally the Penny Black 30-063 Mimi & Miles arrived on my doorstep! I hope I can get this stamp set inky as soon as possible especially on these few months as there are many couples getting married (due to good months of Chinese lunar calendar).

Octo Wedding Wishes

Octo Wedding Wishes - Front 

Made this wedding wishes card for my best friend who is getting married this Sunday. I heartfelt wishes her and her husband have a wonderful marriage finally since they been dating longer than me and my husband (not to mention that I am going to have my second child soon).

Pink {INK} Sketch Challenges Sketch #7

This card layout is inspirational from Pink {INK} Sketch Challenges Sketch #7 sketch/challenge as shown above. I decided to use gold as the color of the card as my best friend mention that she likes gold when she hand me her wedding invitation. I decided to incorporate some red which in Chinese symbolized happiness events.

Octo Wedding Wishes - Different angle

As the layout suggested, I used lots of layers of papers and pop dots to make dimension for this card. The first layer is a red patterned paper of happiness in Chinese character (cannot see the character much as it was covered by the top layer). Then, I layer a gold corrugated paper on top of the red patterned paper. The third layer is a red strip secured with a white lace and red ribbon.

Close-up : Red strip with white lace and red ribbon

The circle is the fourth layer. Inside the circle, I make a sand bed by tearing up the yellowish paper but it cannot be seen much as the king and queen octopus has covered the sand bed. I decided to use 'king' and 'queen' because the whole card is gold based which is perfect for kingdom theme. Furthermore, marriage is once in a lifetime and people always make the best out of it which I think you can be 'king' and 'queen' for a day!

Close-up : 'King' and 'queen' octopus

In regard to that, it gives me opportunity to use lots of gems too on the 'king' and 'queen' octopus! I just love the bling on the crowns! I stamped "Heartfelt Wishes" on top of the circle in gold ink too!

Theme : Octopus

Title : Heartfelt Wishes

Dimension : 13.97cm x 13.97cm or 5.5" x 5.5"

Type : Vertical fold

Inlay : None

If you would like to have a similar design of these items or individual item, please e-mail us at msgkeeper@gmail.com for order. Please do include the color or theme you prefer, purpose of the item(s) (farewell, retirement, birthday and etc) and message (if any).

This card is entering the challenge(s) organized by :

1) Pink {INK} Sketch Challenges Sketch #7 

2) Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

3) Lawnscaping Challenge #19 - Dimension

4) Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 184 - Animal Crackers! 

5) Paper Sundaes Challenge #89 - Lots of Layers

6) Charisma Cardz Challenges - Challenge #39 - ♥♥ Love ♥♥

7) Lothian Crafts Online - Challenge 19 - Anything Goes

8) Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes 

Stamps and tools used :

Ocean of Thanks!

Ocean of Thanks - Front

This card is purposely made to enter Lawn Fawn's World Card Making Day Challenge which I think this is the first time Lawn Fawn organize a challenge through its own blog. As the requirement of the challenge need this card to be send to someone physically which I decided to post it to my best friend.

Card Patterns Sketch 135

This card layout is inspirational from Card Patterns Sketch 135 sketch/challenge as shown above but I decided to take a total revamp of the sketch as explained below.

Close-up : Top portion of the card

The top portion of the card, it is the ocean and I decided to have turtle, fish and hermit on the scene so that the middle of the card is focus for the sentiment. I do not have any "thanks" sentiment from Lawn Fawn. Thus, I used "thanks" from "thanksgiving" from Lawn Fawn Hats Off to You. :P I added some gems to resemble the bubbles from the sea animals.

Close-up : Dimensional layers

As per the sketch, I should have ribbon or scalloped strip on the bottom of the card with three (3) circles. However, like I inform earlier, I decided to revamp the sketch. Thus, I turned the strip into three (3) layers of ocean bottom or sand which I dimension the layers. I purposely tear each of the layers so that it looks more like ocean bottom or sand.

Close-up : Ocean grasses

As for the circles, I decided to stamp three ocean grasses to represent the circle. I really like the outcome whereby it is really looks like ocean!

Theme : Ocean

Title : Thanks

Dimension : 10.16cm x 15.24cm or 4" x 6"

Type : Horizontal fold

Inlay : None

If you would like to have a similar design of these items or individual item, please e-mail us at msgkeeper@gmail.com for order. Please do include the color or theme you prefer, purpose of the item(s) (farewell, retirement, birthday and etc) and message (if any).

This card is entering the challenge(s) organized by :

1) Lawn Fawn's World Card Making Day Challenge

2) Card Patterns Sketch 135

3) Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

4) Lawnscaping Challenge #19 - Dimension

5) Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 184 - Animal Crackers! 

6) Paper Sundaes Challenge #89 - Lots of Layers

Stamps and tools used :