Boys can craft too… just bring them to a Canon PIXMA Craft Workshop

For the first time ever, I brought the elves to a Canon PIXMA Craft Workshop on Saturday 31 May at the Inter-Continental Hotel. The theme was “We Are Family!” and it was definitely one popular family event as streams of adults and their little ones queued up to register, get their goodie bags and excitedly go through the materials provided by Canon.

It took a bit of coaxing but my older elf, who at first thought of the event as “girly stuff” eventually joined in the fun with his craft-crazy sister. We posed with mustaches, speech bubbles and spectacles at the photo booth, fixed crafts together and the kids started getting into the games with their peers.

My gal even got a photo with the lively and witty hosts, Jeremy Yeo and Joanne-Marie Sim!

We made two items, a door hanger and a photo holder. The Canon-provided materials were all printed from their Canon Creative Park website and all we had to do was to cut, paste and stick them in any way we wanted. I did most of the cutting and let the elves decide how they wanted to decorate.

Before the event we were asked to store a few of our favorite family pix in our phones. We then printed them out using the Canon PIXMA Printing Solutions app at the printers stationed all around the ballroom. It was so quick and simple and the colors were vibrant!

The kids were well-entertained with games that had them interacting with each other and running around the ballroom looking for answers to Canon-related questions on “clouds” that were posted above the various printers. My gal was thrilled when she won a prize bag of exclusive Canon products!

In between, there was a tea break which was a delicious treat of egg tarts, dim sum and carrot cake. It was heartwarming to see all the family photos and the love and detail that went into each craft item. Sharing our table was a family of five with mummy, daddy and their three children helping one another to finish their creative keepsakes. As there was only one set of double-sided tape and scotch tape and a couple of scissors, it was a good moment for my children to learn to share and wait patiently for their turn to use the tools. We had a great time chatting while crafting too!

Canon organises these craft workshops at least twice a year near the school holidays. Registration is free so places get snapped up real quick. So look out for details for the next one and make sure you sign up. You'll definitely have an enjoyable family-bonding time!

A Robotic Invasion!

So the grand plan was to create a town where the smaller elf's Little Ponies can roam. My gal happily selected the buildings and structures she wanted and in a few seconds, each page of beautifully-coloured templates, looking just like what we see on screen, were printed out on the Canon Pixma MG5570 printer that Canon sponsored.

Then the work for mummy began.

Most of the structures were easily cut out and my gal actually figured out how to put together the hospital on her own by following the instructions at the Canon Creative Park website (with some of her own idealistic architectural imagination as you'll find out later)

But the green tunnel took a bit of contortionist skills to glue the parts together as I bent the paper here, there, and everywhere to form the shape and make the side steps stick to the tunnel. At one point I was nearly using all four limbs to hold them in place while I applied glue. Finally it was all done. But before the Little Ponies could gallop about their town, the Hero Factory robots decided to have a go at it first.

 We imagined all sorts of hilarious scenarios like this one: "Hmmmm, so which way in?"
(By the way, you may have noticed that my gal exercised some architectural creativity in gluing the different parts of the hospital together.)

Santa: "I sense there's someone else here besides me…"

And voilà… the amazing tunnel! Robot: "Arrrggggh, how do I get in?! Time to lose weight…"

Poor Santa, he keeps getting targeted. And all he wants to do is to deliver toys to children. It's a tough job I tell ya.

We had a good hour of fun playing around with the make-believe town. Go check out the heaps of buildings, roads and other craft projects that can be printed from Canon Creative Park as well as Canon PIXMA town. I dare say even adults would enjoy the challenge of piecing together some of the famous landmark models.

*note: Although Canon sponsored the printer for this post, all experiences shared and opinions expressed here are entirely of my own.

My perfectly imperfect home

This layout was a lesson for me in itself.

Just as I was all ready to pin the elements down after misting the kraft cardstock, the kids accidentally overturned a cup of water and paint on it. I was gonna freak out - at them and at the "ruined" layout when I thought: Hey, isn't this what a REAL home is all about - messy, unexpected, perfect simply because it's IMPERFECT.


So I told the kids it's ok, mummy knows it's an accident and it's perfectly fine - a big step in self-control for me.

And the more I look at the layout, the more I love it, because it's such a reflection of the spontaneity and randomness of everyday home life.

Supplies Used

Sizzix: Banners & Keys Set #657402
Maya Road:
Kraft Mini Tickets
Kraft Scroll Frame Journaling Tags
Wood Bingo Bird motif
Green Gingham Point Blossom
Sheer Journaling Tag
Butterflies Mini Chipboard Set - painted with MM Ruby 
Specialty Glaze and TA Copper Kettle Glimmer Glam
Bethany Mini Alphabet Chipboard Set - inked with Tsukineko Rich Cocoa Memento ink
How's the Weather Mini Chipboard Set - painted with TH Distress Crackle Paint (Picket Fence)

Others: 
Pps: American Crafts + Crate Paper
Rub-ons: American Crafts
Flower: Prima
Flair Badge: October Afternoon
Buttons: Crate Paper
Baker's Twine

2012 Week 7

Whatever it takes to make them eat the veggies

Bedtime story by gor gor

2012 Week 6

Happy birthday to my better half! 

Life is so different with you as husband, dad and friend :)

Some family love...

With Valentine's Day just round the corner, the Made With Love design team was asked to come up with love-themed projects.  I thought I ditch the lovey-dovey twosome kind of album and focus on love within the family. (Actually, the real reason is because I've a lot of polaroid photos of my nephews, niece and in-laws sitting around) So I made a mini album that tells {The Story of Us}!

2012 Week 4

Chinese New Year celebrations!
Dressing up, clowning around, catching up with friends... it's the next best season to Christmas :)

2012 Week 3

A 5th birthday celebration...
A 1st concert performance...
A quiet moment to myself.

2012 Week 2

Scootering in the park....
Yummy Angry Bird cupcakes...
Enjoying birthday spoils...
An out-of-the-box layout...

2012 Week 1

This year I hope to capture more of our daily lives and mark those milestones. The kids are growing up so fast and doing hilarious things, I want to be able to look back and see what we've done over the years with them. So here's a peek at the first week!

crafting a Valentine's mini album

{clockwise from top left}

1. making a globe puzzle together

2. home-cooked lunch for hubby to take to office (I'm aiming to do this at least once a week)

3. New Year's eve home-made dinner

Menu: 

fresh salad with butter garlic mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, 

home-made mushroom soup (prepared by our friends)

pasta

sparkling grape juice

ice-cream

4. my gal's 5th birthday

Scraplift Challenge at MWL!

I've the privilege of hosting the last challenge of 2011 over at Made With Love's forum!

It's a Scraplift Challenge, and I've scraplifted one of Basic Grey's designers, Yuhko Takiguchi's layouts here. She has a beautiful simple style, do check out her projects on her blog!

This is my take on her layout:

So Singapore scrappers, come join in the fun and upload your layouts for the challenge!

Polaroid Love

I love the weekly gatherings at my in-laws' place where all the cousins come together. Our kids have a great relationship and I'm so thankful for wonderful parents-in-law and sisters-in-law. They are easy-going, fun, and extremely supportive and encouraging. 

Using mostly supplies from October Afternoon's 5&Dime and Boarding Pass collections with bits of Cherry Hill stickers. Title alphas from American Crafts. Sizzix diecuts:  Tim Holtz Alterations Sewing Room die (#657186)