Look at what I got from Royal Mail (UK) :

an adorable shaker card from Lyn!

Its my first time receiving a shaker card from someone instead of giving it to someone and I am totally crazy about shaker cards. !

Thanks so much, Lyn!

I think I am getting a little into paper models, esp the ships, war planes and fantasy air craft. But I think I will not be pursuing it as a hobby until I manage to earn stable income as the templates and printing out can be very expensive, not to mention the papers as well.

And one of my drawing been featured by  uu-crengutza-uu  and Dragonsanddaffodils !

I have make a short list of new year resolution and one of them is that I am going to work harder to be a better traditional artist. I have admired quite a few DA artists who have improved so much as comapred to their earlier works.

I have been quite ashamed to draw so few this year and decided to try harder to draw more , and improve and invent new techniques in my drawings. Already, I am working on a fantasy drawing (which is like 2 months back!), and I do hope to create more fantasy drawings next year  

My earliest works (click picture for full view):

This is one of my earliest works when I just started out and I think this is my third and fourth portraits. I have condemned my first few drawings as looking back, I am alittle *cringed* when I saw my earliest drawing. I cannot find the link in my photobucket but found it in the earlier posts of ma forum I used to frequent.

Then second attempt again when I keep practising...

...at least I didnt cringed so much

  More earlier works...better now isnt it?

*  *  *

Portrait of my grandparents:

dedicated and given to them =)

And this is the drawing when i started to develop my own drawing technique and I must say I improve tremousously after that!

I put my time and effort into this drawing as I want to make it special as they are very special to me. I love them very much !

The drawing took me 3 weeks.

*  *  *

And the following drawings starting from earlier to the latest:

The first one is when I started being obsessed about hair and I keep my full focus and effort on drawing realistic hair, and since then onwards, I guess hair is the part I concentrate most as compared to the rest of the facial features.

*  *  *

This is my favourite and my very first fantasy drawing.

It got featured in Masterpiece: Art Group

Currently, I am working on this:

And its the first time working on 11"X14", which is bigger than A4 size itself.

I have cropped half since the other side..let's say, I am trying hard to improve on it as it doesnt turn out what I want.

Billy Gilman - Oklahoma

Suitcase packed with all his things
Car pulls up, the doorbell rings
He don't wanna go
He thought he'd found his home
But with circumstances he can't change
Waves goodbye as they pull away
From the life he's known
For the last 7 months or so

She said "we've found a man who looks like you
Who cried and said he never knew
About the boy in pictures that we showed him
A rambler in his younger days
He knew he'd made a few mistakes
But he swore he would have been there
Had he known it
Son we think we found your dad in Oklahoma

A million thoughts raced through his mind
What's his name, what's he like
And will he be
Anything like the man in his dreams
She could see the questions in his eyes
Whispered "don't be scared my child"
I will let you know
What we know

About the man we found
He looks like you
Who cried and said he never knew
About the boy in pictures that we showed him
A rambler in his younger days
He knew he'd made a few mistakes
But he swore he would have been there
Had he known it
You always said this was something that you wanted
Son it's time to meet your dad in Oklahoma

One last turn he held his breath
Till they reached the faint house on the left
And all at once the tears came rollin in
And as they pulled into the drive
The man was waiting there outside
He wiped the worry from his eyes
Smiled and took his hand
And he said

I'm the man who looks like you
Who cried because I never knew
About the boy in pictures that they showed me
Oh a rambler in my younger days
I knew I'd made a few mistakes
But I swear I would have been there
Had I known it
Never again will you ever be alone
Son welcome to your home in Oklahoma

I am soooo into Billy Gilman ever since I heard his song "Oklahoma". It is sooo sweet and heart touching. I'll post it up in my next post.

 And I have been listening to his songs and now, I found another song relating to christmas and it is so cute that you almost want to sing and dance together with him.

You should WATCH!!!

Warm and Fuzzy - Billy Gilman

(It is disabled embedding upon request, so here is the link: LINK)

Sleigh bells ringing
Choir singing,
Wonder what old Santa's bringing
It's the warm and fuzzy time of year

Snowflakes fall
The temp is dropping
Families out together shoppin'
It's the warm and fuzzy time of year

Elves are working over time
Making all our toys
Reindeer hooves on all the roofs
Of good little girls and boys

Big old cups of steamy cider
Fall asleep by a cozy fire
It's the warm and fuzzy time of year

Elves are working over time
Making all our toys
Reindeer hooves on all the roofs
Of good little girls and boys

Big old cups of steamy cider
Fall asleep by a cozy fire
It's the warm and fuzzy time of year

It's the warm and fuzzy time of year

Spoken: Santa's on his way...

And another song by Peter Auty, which is "Walking in the air". The song is so delightful and its quite popular as well. So I thought I would like to share it here too.

Walking in the air - Peter Auty

We're walking in the air
We're floating in the moonlit sky
The people far below are sleeping as we fly

I'm holding very tight
I'm riding in the midnight blue
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you

Far across the world
The villages go by like dreams
The rivers and the hills, the forests and the streams

Children gaze open mouthed
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their eyes

We're surfing in the air
We're swimming in the frozen sky
We're drifting over icy mountains floating by

Suddenly swooping low
On an ocean deep
Rousing up a mighty monster from his sleep

we walking in the air
We're dancing in the midnight sky
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly

* * *

I just received a great christmas gift from my aunt yesterday and it is "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" book! I have been wishing for that ever since it came out and even put it in my amazon wishlist and here it is, right in my hand.

UK version!

It came as a surprise as I never told anyone about the book except Eil and I even was thinking of buying the book last week after Elaine told me the affordable price but I change my mind after that.

I cant wait to get started reading it!

And one of my drawings got featured in DeviantArt News (traditional art) as well.

Double wow!

And thanks to those who gave me christmas cards and e cards! And many more which i prefer not to say it here since they are all personal. But still..thanks guys!

And I am wishing you guys a Merry X'mas and a Happy new year!

Credited to : Deleket

I was blog hopping and came to Nazzy's blog and something about her post makes me cracked up. Met her, 2 E's and pong for lunch last monday (is it last mon?) and took some pictures (I escaped most part of the camwhore...muhahahah! I wasnt feeling good that day so I was kinda in my worst form to be photographed). And this is what I found:

Extracted from nazzy's blog:

Esther, you look like ur gonna kill someone. O.O

*  *  *

Hhaahha! I didn't realize she took it in front.

The caption she wrote makes me laughed.

If only I am holding a sabre....lol.

And another picture we took:

I dunno what nazzy has against me to make it look like she wanna eat me.

If you dunno what i mean, here's another photo we took quite months back:

The monster face is nazzy, of course.

Two pictures of different time, but her same reactions (to me).

And I have a wish...

That my parents would just stop working for a day and celebrate christmas as a family like we did before which is like many years back. And when we filled our house with christmas decorations. But now, they didn't have the time for it so i guess I just feel a little sad about it.

Ahhh. tomorrow's christmas. 

I received a call yesterday from a company who said that I was selected to go for a photoshoot regarding about some dunno what studio (she was speaking too fast and phones ringing in the background) where i will be given a makeover by some make up artist blah blah blah,  and due to my age, need my parent to accompany me.

And i was like... "Did I ever sign up for this? Got so lucky one meh? Or am I that ugly? " . Lol. So thinking that its just sham,  I just declined and hung up on her. Poor she.

I have make another birthday card for a 3 year old boy, who will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow together with his class in his child care. It is kind of brain racking to come up with colours combo suitable for a boy since I am always into females cards!

And in the end of the evening, I finished the card and my sister who ordered from me is extremely pleased with it! The reason is because the boy is one of her favourite students.

Here's the snapshot:

(click the picture for full view)

Materials used: Orange and black construction paper, blue ribbon, DecaDry black, Plaid black pigment ink, Plaid clear stamp, shimmering blue paper, light blue cardstock, black sparkle embossing powder, markers, Bienfang watercolour brushes.

I know my cards have mostly ribbons and embossing. I am so into them!

I have been neglecting my art project I have been working on, and I am getting alittle frustrated with my progress as it doesnt turn out what I want, so i am leaving it for now until new ideas come to me to work on the "spoilt" area.

* Counting down to christmas...*

Finally, I gave most of my christmas cards out! I am down with a few left.

I have decided not to post up the cards i made for the past few days. All has been given away and I am not sure if they have seen them since I never heard a reply yet so yea. *keep the thoughts to myself*

I have been kept busy in the afternoon. I just got a call from my sister who ordered from me ten christmas cards to be packed into christmas goodies bags for the kids in a child care center for their christmas celebration (I think), and a birthday card for a sweet boy, same child care centre, who is also celebrating his birthday together as well.

Well, sister is crazy over those little kids she has been taking care of them, and showing me pictures of them.

Been working on the cards immediately after doing housework, and boy! I just plain love doing them! I'm tired, but satisfied.

Here's three snapshots of the cards I have been making:

(click the pictures for full view)

Close up:

All ready to be packed into the goodies bags!

*  *  *

I have make a list of new year resolution. Ahhhh.

I am feeling a tad depressed for these few days and I find myself distancing from everyone I know, even my close friends. I dunno if its my problem, but they wouldn't understand the situation I am in.

I am struggling with my own personal demons, and making cards and drawing is just two ways for me to vent my negative feelings. But I am still wasn't secure. Don't you will feel tired having so many things bottled up?

IBoy! My chest hurts.

And I think I am going crazy.

And it will great if you dont leave any comforting words or anything because I will NEVER reply back. I dont believe in comforting words or anything anymore. I just going to be unemotional. It is a way of dealing my pain better.

Garth Brooks - Belleau Wood

Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence
Over Belleau Wood that night
For a Christmas truce had been declared
By both sides of the fight
As we lay there in our trenches
The silence broke in two
By a German soldier singing
A song that we all knew

Though I did not know the language
The song was "Silent Night"

Then I heard my buddy whisper,
"All is calm and all is bright"
Then the fear and doubt surrounded me
'Cause I'd die if I was wrong
But I stood up in my trench
And I began to sing along

Then across the frozen battlefield
Another's voice joined in
Until one by one each man became
A singer of the hymn

Then I thought that I was dreaming
For right there in my sight
Stood the German soldier
'Neath the falling flakes of white
And he raised his hand and smiled at me
As if he seemed to say
Here's hoping we both live
To see us find a better way

Then the devil's clock struck midnight
And the skies lit up again
And the battlefield where heaven stood
Was blown to hell again

But for just one fleeting moment
The answer seemed so clear
Heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's just beyond the fear

No, heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's for us to find it here

Kristina has posted another of her weekly colour challenge, and I decided to take up once again, as I am itching to make another card.

Here's her colour challenge :

And here's my card for the challenge:

(click on the picture for full view)

Material used: Chocolate cardstock, Tang's art gift wrapper, navy blue ribbon, rainbow sparkle embossing powder, KCK craft chipboard embellishment

I asked my sister how's it...and she just simply flipped the card horizontally, and then said: "There...this is what I feel is better!"

Result:

Wow! Not a bad idea. =)

I made another card which is quite similar to the card i posted in my previous entry.

I got quite a number of responses from my other blogs, and decided to make a video for those who wish to make it.

Here's the snap shot:

This card will be put on sale

So here's the video and it will be better to watch in high quality. Simply click on the video where it will direct you to youtube, and from there, click "watch in High quality" just below the video itself.

For the time being...enjoy!

BECME - Elysium Bubbles Card

Today is my dear sister's birthday and I made a card for her.

And to admit, I fell straight in love with the card after I'm done with it!

Oh my!!!

Here's the snapshot:

The flowers in the picture is actually all glitter, which I done by heat embossing using rainbow sparkle embossing powder, but it is not that visible/obvious in the photo.

And the "Happy Birthday" is done by heat embossing as well, using black sparkle embossing powder.

And glad to say, my sister was like "wow" when she saw it.

Now I am waiting for pizza to arrive. Its has been in my family that we celebrate our birthday by ordering pizza instead of birthday cake.