Journey of Happiness

A few of you asked me where I printed my photobook, in the last post. Well, here is my answer: www.blurb.com ! After so much 'researching' and comparing different printing services, I chose Blurb because it offers the cheapest price for more pages. So it costs me around GBP20.00 to get a 40-pages photobook printed out and mailed to me! I know that a lot of people use Shutterfly, but gosh, I think their shipping prices are so EXPENSIVE! So, I had to give that one a pass. I love blurb ! Their services are superb and their software is easy to use. I think I'm gonna stick with them until I can find a cheaper alternative (Yeah! I'm all about cheap :p).

I t was supposed to be my Christmas gift from Lan last year, but somehow, it didn't make it in time... But I am glad that I finally got it NOW! What is it, anyway? Well, it's the very FIRST photobook of my scrap-pages! I love how my pages turned out. Though, I did complain about it not being as sharp as it is on my screen or sometimes the photos came out darker than intended, I am so very happy to have it printed out! Totally loving it! Even Lan, who hesitated when he ordered the book for me, loves the book very much and encourages me to aim for another book for 2010. :) (Click the images to see bigger size) This week, snow hit Liverpool BADLY! I mean, really, badly! I was so happy when it snowed so much. I went out by myself on a photo-hunting trip, because Lan just hated the cold! I have to say I had so much fun taking photos with my new 50mm lens, although when I got home, I was drenched with water! LOL! Here is the bad part though... the snow stayed for DAYS and turned to i...

T his time I am here to present you another fabulous kit, where Michelle and Laura of simply.scraps has teamed up again! I present you: About A Guy! This kit is so FABULOUS to scrap about your beloved MAN, your handsome BOYS and many other themes! As per usual it will be 20% until Friday! So go grab it while it's HOT! Here is what I made with it and a photo of my beloved hubby: Now, that's NOT all I wanted to tell you. At the end of 2009, Michelle had rearranged her CT for a bit and there so called the freebie team, which are making fabulous freebies for Michelle's FAN! And so, it starts RIGHT now! We have not one but TWO freebies up for grab! The first one is this awesome cluster frame made by Angie, which you can get from Michelle's blog: (Click on the image to go to Michelle's Blog) The second one is made by me and I hope you like it :) Now, here is the way of getting this second one... You just have to be a FAN of Michelle Batton Designs in Facebook ! So, if yo...

I know that this is a bit late for the day, but I still want to dedicate a post for my mum's birthday, like I do it every year in the past years of my blogging. So, here is a very happy birthday wish for Mami! I pray The Lord adds to you all the desires of your heart and the best things that He has in store for you! Amen! And as for the requested birthday present, please keep reminding Lan so that you really get what you asked, Mam! LOL! ;) But, here is a little birthday present from me. :) I love this picture of you smiling. You do know that you are really beautiful to me; when I 'grow up' I want to be at least like you. I love you, Mam! Credits: Composure Plus by Taylor Made Designs Birthday WA by Three Paper Peonies Date strip from A Work In Progress - Designs by Vicki. And, since it is only the third day of 2010, I think it's not too late to post about my resolutions. I am never really committed on making resolutions each year, but this year, I make this list as a ...

G osh, this year has flown so fast... I cannot believe it is almost the beginning of a new year already! Time rotated around me like a breeze. To think back on this year, I can only smile and smile... It was a year of God's provision in our little family. I've seen many unbelievable things happened in our lives and for all of those, I can only give thanks to The Lord. He's been more than just GOOD. I am so thankful that I was shown how The Lord takes care of my family and that His Hands never fail to sustain us. The way He teaches Lan by Himself (sometimes I am amazed by the words that Lan says by himself!), the Grace that brings our family even closer together, the holiday wishes that came true (Dubai!) and many little but so-sweet things that came into my life. And above all, I am grateful for his guidance on my study; how I once felt like quitting and He encouraged me through my beloved ones. How He provides, oh how He provides... not just financially but in everything H...

T oday, Michelle has released an essential paper pack, called "baking cookies" ! Isn't that a cute name? And aren't those papers lovely? They are so versatile that they are a must-have! They are on sale for $3.00, but, as usual, it's 20% off until Friday! So go and grab it fast! Here is a double-page LO that I've made using one of the papers in baking cookies . Are you still tuning in? Well, if you do, you won't regret it because we have some goodies for you! Michelle and us the CT have prepared a little fun blog train for all of you to celebrate the upcoming Christmas! It's a Cookie-recipes blog train ! We hope that by sharing all these tasty cookie and treat recipes, we help you to cook up some great treats for this holiday season! Just follow this blog train to collect lots of tasty cookie and treat recipes - HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the DESIGNS BY MICHELLE BATTON CREATIVE TEAM! (Click the images or the download link below to get the recipes!) DOWNLOAD...

F irst of all, I am sooooo happy that Amy Stoffel has asked me to return to her Creative Team permanently last week! What an honor! I am absolutely delighted to be in her very very FUN team and she has awesome designs too! So, I say I am totally proud to be creating for her :) Well, this month, Scrap Orchard has a HUGE celebration to welcome Christmas. Each day of this month there will be one designer's shop that will be 50% off! Yep, you read it right, 50% off! And guess what? Today, it's Amy's Shop ! So, go and grab a bargain! This only happens ONCE a year and for ONE DAY ONLY, so you would not want to let it pass :D That's NOT all! Today, she released 2 adorable and stunning kits: Angel Song and I'll be home for Christmas . Here are the previews and the layouts I made for these: Angel Song I'll be home for Christmas Ps. All the images are linked to the shop/the corresponding kits. Lovely kits, aren't they? Well, go and grab your bargain of Amy's go...

I am so delighted that Suzy accepted my application to be in her Creative Team (CT) and even more delighted that she is selling exclusively at my favourite Scrapbooking shop, Scrap Orchard ! And to celebrate Thanksgiving, Scrap Orchard is having a Farmer's Market, where a lot of goodies are for $1 each!! $1 is a hugeee bargain! And today, I'd like to highlight one cool kit, Celebrate , and cute alpha, Laugh Out Loud , that I've played with and love them to bits! What's better is that they are for $1.00 ONLY until Sunday, 29 November 2009!!! Here are the layouts that I made with the above gorgeous kit! Both are little gifts for MJ and Christophe. :) Aren't they adorable? Click on the images to see the full credits and on the kits' previews to be directed to the store right away. So, what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking and when it's gone, it's gone! Happy thanksgiving and have a blessed weekend!

H i ya!!! Can you believe that Christmas is only a MONTH away?! I know! Time flies crazily... It's almost a new year again! Gosh, where did time go?! Anyhow, today, Michelle Batton has released a new Christmas-y mini kit called "Merry and Bright" . As you see from the preview below, it's not the usual-traditional (red-green-gold) Christmas kit, but it's awesome! I love the bright blue and green in this! Totally gorgeous and versatile, even for some non-Christmas themed layout. Here is an LO I've made with this kit: Credits: Pencil Lines template 161 Merry and Bright by Michelle Batton Designs at The Digi Chick Fonts: Arial, MTF Under Your Skin and MTF Base Outline by Miss Tiina What's even more fantastic is that she's having a 20% SALE through 29th November for everything in the shop! Isn't that a bargain?! Oh oh, and we have a freebie for you! I've made this December desktop wallpaper using Merry and Bright and there are 2 sizes available: 1...

S ince the crazy rain, it has been extremely cold here in Liverpool. It is just the perfect weather for snuggle and snooze under the blanket. Man, you would not want to go outside on this cold weather. Yesterday, to attend my weekly meeting with my supervisors, I was wearing full 'armors'! Thick gloves, hat, wind-proof jacket, two layers of pants and so many layers of tops! And it was still so COLD! It's like going into a freezer, except this is a huge outdoor freezer! Anyhow, I am still thankful for yesterday! After quite a long discussion of my research (well mostly, me talking about what I've done and my founding!), my supervisors gave me positive feedback. They said that I've progressed much quicker than I was in June & July - when I was sort of in a depressing and discouraging time of life! (read here ) They are very happy with my progress and the 'TLC tableau rules' that I've proposed looks promising. Of course that makes me super duper happy! ...

L ately, I have been making some LOs that are quite dear to me... I'd like to share them with you. :) First of all, is the LO I made with the photos we took when we went to the pumpkin patch in Warrington. (Since, I'm to lazy to upload one by one to FB, I thought, the easiest way of doing it would be putting the best ones together and scrap them in a layout!) Here it is: Credits: SO Topped Template , Designs by Sine. Harvest Spice , October Mega by Scrap Orchard Designers. I have made this one using Designs by Sine 's SO Topped Template pack! Oh, I forgot to say that, the lovely Sine had invited me to join her fun Creative Team (CT)! I feel so honored to be joining her team! I love her templates! I have to say, I love how the LO turns out! Those photos hubby took are stunning! Love the striking orange of the pumpkins in each and every photo! :D Another one that is very lovely to me is... dedicated to our not-yet-here little baby. Yep, this is the very first LO for our Zhang...

T here is this nice challenge in Scrap Orchard today. It's a challenge to scrap a page without any photo on it. And it suddenly popped into my mind that I haven't scrapped about my beloved Jesus yet. So there came my inspiration. I really love how it turned out, so I thought of putting it on my blog. Credits: Everything from Rainy Afternoon from LCC by Amy Stoffel. WA from Elegant Wordarts by Bethany. Both are selling at Scrap Orchard . Ps. Click on the image for a larger version.

B ack from holiday also means back to my responsibility of scrapbooking for some designers I have contract with. Well, today is the new release of Rena Designs' Magical Violet . It is now available at Sunflower Scrap for CAD5.09, which is 15% off! The kit looks like below: I love this kit, it's stunning! Majority of white colors and some hints of violet! Truly lovely!!! Here is the LOs I made with it: So, isn't that lovely? What you're waiting for then? Go and grab it while it's on SALE @ Sunflower Scrap !

I am very honored that Farha (Fliffy) invited me to be in her Creative Team (CT) for her newly open Digiland Designs shop at Digital Scrap Ink! Of course, I would love to work for her and her beautiful templates! So, anyway, to celebrate the opening of her shop, Fliffy is having a 35% off sale until 31st August of her shop! Isn't that a great bargain? So, what are you waiting for? Go and shop her beautiful templates HERE !!! Here are some of my scrapbook pages using her templates: Can't wait! Can't wait!! Holiday is coming!! 4 more days and it will be there!!! I am super duper excited!

O h! Let me tell you how glad I am that Lan is back!!! It was like high school romance! LOL! Butterflies in my stomach and smiles just keep hanging on my face! It was as if the flood-gate of joy being opened when I saw him again at the train station! We talked and talked. He fascinated me with his stories of his Montreal's trip. He said one day he will definitely bring me there for a holiday. Sure, love, anywhere in the world as long as it's with you, I'd go! After the stories, we talked about our feelings... We feel exactly the same about not being with each other. Gosh... he's literally my life! :) Anyhow, I am so glad and thankful to God that Lan's back safe and sound (although right now he's beyond tired!). I am so proud of him for the two presentations he did! I am sure he did very well on those two! I am swelling with proud to see that his work is published by one of the top -academic- publishers along with other famous and talented Computer Scientists! Wh...

H i friends! I've decided to seriously 'dive' into the digital scrapbooking world! I am so glad to announce that I am accepted to be one of the creative team (CT) member of Rena Designs ! I am so excited to be able to create layouts for her beautiful kits! And so, here is the first kit of hers that I got to play with... The name is Pink Dream. It's so beautiful and pinky (as the name suggests!). You can get it from HERE for $5.90. Here is some layouts that I made with it: Hope you like it! :)

H appy very 1st birthday for MJ !! God bless you always yah! I have a little present for you, I hope you like it, dear MJ! Yoan, sorry I stole your son's photo... He's so cute, so I can't resist to make one scrap layout for him. =) Enjoy! Ps. If you want a better quality version, e-mail me, Yoan! *wink*

I learnt something new today... That what I think is just a simple thing, can be a huge blessing to other people. So, lately, I have been enjoying my new hobby to the fullest, that is the digital SCRAPBOOKING! I have decided to join a scrapbooking forum last week, and I have been participating in some challenges they have in there. I have a blast in this forum! People are kind and they give great love and advice for the scrapbook pages I made. Anyhow, yesterday, I saw this challenge, where we were asked to make a page that pictures a 'Motherly Advice', either from yourself (if you are a mom) or an advice that you remember from your mother... So here is what I made... At first, I was not sure that it will go a long way, but since I love it, I posted it anyway in the challenge's thread. Surprisingly, after several hours, I got some comments that those who see my page love it! *Thank God for that!* However, there were two ladies that specifically thanked me for such a wonderf...

I t's been quite sometimes I used the simple layout for my blog. And, since today, I got diarrhoea, I had to stay at home and can't go far from the bathroom... so it's time to play with Photoshop! Hence, here is the new look of my blog! :) This time, I tamed 'the beast' aka the blogger XML template. Finally after 4 hours (and beyond), I got the hang of fiddling with XML. Thank God for that! Oh, the scrapbook above I made quite awhile ago, but I forgot exactly when... I love how it looks, so I put it here as for my own memory. Yesterday, my hubby bought me a very nice and special gift! Yep! It's a handbag, not just any handbag but a Radley handbag! He made one of my dreams come true... I am soooo happy! Thanks to him, I can have the handbag I've dreamed of! Thank you, hun, for making me so happy. :) We've made our decision about CADE. The ticket to Montreal, Canada, is too expensive for us to buy (well, Lan is paid by the University to go to the conferen...

A fter anxiously waiting for the news for a few months, the news is finally here... CONGRATULATIONS AND A VERY WELL DONE TO MY BELOVED HUSBAND for getting his scientific paper accepted into the infamous CADE* (the Conference on Automated Deduction)! I am very proud of you, honey! You worked hard and you deserve this acceptance very well! I thank God, above all, for such a great blessing that He has given to us; for your great achievement and for the happiness painted all over your face that continues to make me smile! Thank you, Jesus! I hope next year, I will be able to make you proud as well in the 23rd CADE! I am very competitive, you see... If it weren't for my eczema, I probably will be competing with you this year hahahaha... So, is it home or Montreal (Canada) we are going, dear? Ps. CADE is the major international forum at which research on all aspects of automated deduction is presented. The first conference was held in 1974. (taken from http://www.cadeconference.org/ ) P...