East Mebon, Ta Phorm, Preah Khan

Now the second day on Angkor Town. But the third day at Siem Reap.

East Mebon
East Mebon is the earlier structure of building. This is a three-story temple-mountain crowned by five towers.The building is made from brick while those building we saw at Angkor first day was made from Big Stones. Many structures are in poor shape. The carving are less noticeable because they are carve at those bricks.

It was located on an island originally. Here is where they park their ship and enter the temple.
The temple is best known for its massive (restored) elephant statues.
Ta Phorm
Ta Phorm is another temple. It's beauty of the building temple is there are there have huge, huge trees among an on top of the building. We can see big huge roots lying on walls.



Preah Khan
Preah Khan is another building this is quite similar design compare to Ta Phorm,in the meaning that alot of roots are conquering the building. The temple is still largely unrestored. The free-standing statues have been removed and kept at musuems.
Here is the long way path towards the building. Besides are stones with missing buddha. All the buddha has been dig out when the king changed and the religion change as well. They dig every stones with buddha faces out. It is a large area, see how deep the path of roads. The building on the left is the place where the king keep his sword. And the opposite is his administration building.
At the front gate: 2 Statue without heads. The one on the left is holding a sword.

Previous: Bayon
Next: Neak Pean and Banteay Kdei

Bayon at Angkor Thom

Just remember that I seems forgotton on my cambodia trip blog.

Another stone building again - Bayon, the interesting part of this historical building is it consist of stone faces on the many towers. The tour guide say it consist of 49 buddha smiling face. You can see them on the entrance. So many faces smiling at you went to enter.
All of us in front of the beutiful Bayon.
Some closer view on some stones faces of buddha, notice not all have the same face.
Me trying very hard to kiss the buddha..... Haha...

Previous: Angkor Wat
Next: East Mebon, Ta Phorm, Preah Khan

Many carved Stamps

Yesterday didn't went to stock take. Which means the whole day is mine. TS is sick and he need to work at home later at night, so we just hang around at home. I was in the mood on carving and I carve so much. I trace more then this but I just couldn't carve all of them. Too many.

I love the apples and the swan the most. The chirstmas stamps looks great too. Planing to do some greeting card for Chirstmas soon.

Below is the erraser that I use. You should be able to find them at some stationary stores at Malaysia.

a) & b): I love to use these both erraser to carve. They have the same texture and they are medium hard and easy to carve.
c): I never use before. So no comment on this. I guess should be the same as b)
d): Similar texture compare to a) & b), just a bit harder,with a larger width of erraser for larger width of stamps.
e): Medium hard erraser
f): Soft erraser. Easy to cut but too soft, sometimes will miss cut those fine lines.

To me: softer erraser is more easy to carve. Because you don't need too much enegry to carve them. It is not good in carving for fine lines. I prefer medium hard erraser. I don't use those branded erraser. I find cheap errasers are so suitable for stamp carving. I recomend to try on a) or b) erraser for beginners.

Flower ATC (Received)

Here is the flower ATC that I sent and the above is what I receive from 5 partners. One partner was so generous and gave me 2 ATC. Everyboday seems to have its own technique or style in creating cards.

I find these group of people are just so generous in sharing ideas and technique - chinese Cari forum (CARDMAKING自制卡片及工具分享区). They welcome you as a beginner and try to answer all your questions. As a beginner on any crafts, you will be lost, alot things you won't know unless to buy and try and try. It is great that there is someone there to guide you to prevent you going to the wrong path. Or even give you tips and where to buy crafty stuff that are cheaper in price. Or even the correct tool. I glad that I'm a part of this group.

I have some bad exprience in other forums where the group of person are no so friendly to answer question. They just ask you to go ahead and try first. Or go search online for answers. Or read thru that thousands of post before questioning. It really shows how our country education influence them : Not to question so much but to seach yourself! Such a sad thing.

Handmade coin purse swap [recieved]

This is what I sent and above is what I received. It is so beautiful. A small coin purse with colorful linning, some scraps of fabric (beautiful design), buttons, beads, lip balm, pen...... Just made my day so happy indeed.

Later I think still need to go and buy stock... A busy day ahead.

Gold embossing Wedding Red Packets

I always wondering why people can create lovely effects cards and why not me?? I finally found the answer. They spend alot of money in tools. That's why.

Saw this heat gun at Craft Haven, 1- Utama 2 months ago. Was doing a promotion of RM88. Was wondering want to buy or not. Because if I buy the heat gun, I need to buy the Versa Mark, the embossing powders. Plus I need stamps so I can stamp a picture up and do embossing. I am so lack of stamps and if I buy stamps, clear stamp need clear blocks. And both stamps are not cheap. Just a headache to make decision. Decided to buy on my next visit as I'm going for vacations.

To cut the story short. I brought this Heat Gun at Stencil Works, 1-Utama (2nd floor, near the old wing cinema). The heat gun is RM89.50 because Craft Haven which is selling RM88 doesn't have stocks anymore. Stocks will be coming but not sure if it is RM88 anymore in a months time, according to the seller. Versa Mark Stamp ink pad RM28.50 is from Stencil Works too. The embossing powder (RM15.90) is from Craft Haven. I brought gold and clear powder. Should get the sliver one of my next visit.

Carved this wedding mouse and "Just married" stamps. The word is so small and it take me more then 3 hours to just carve this 2 stamps. Don't want to spend money in buying stamps are like that, need to be patience carving them. Plus they are unique.

These are wedding red packets (ang pow) for weddings. I have this idea because everytime when I attend a wedding, I always use those McDonalds or Coffee bean ang pow that is just not related to wedding. Those are actually chinese new year "ang pow". But because I didn't buy any wedding "ang pow". So I used them for all these while.

So these are for my next wedding dinner that I will be attending at Penang next month.

For the Red packet: I stamp it with Versa Mark inks and put the gold embossing powder and heat it with the heat gun. The powder will melts and form a shinning gold color. Beautiful.

Closer snap shot of the emboss "angpow". For the pink packet: I stamp it with Versa Craft ink and put with clear embosing powder and heat it again. But not very successful I guess. MAybe my ink dry off to quicky. They told me to use pigment ink, but I'm not sure Versa craft is pigment ink or not.
Embossing looks good in fine lines stamps too. This are some of my try out of those kawaii stamps with fine lines. But some the words melted together.

Heat Gun also works perfect for the popcorn pens. It pop's in like just 1 minute. Faster then my hair dryer alot.

TS seeing me so happy and busy using the heat gun, he came and join for a play on the popcorn pens.

Its fun playing with embossing. But I need to stock up more stamps or carve more stamps from now then.

Butterfly Award - For the coolest blog I ever know

I have been awarded by both people: Karen and mangosteenskin for this wonderful award: For the coolest blog I ever know. Thanks guys~!

For those who decide to accept this award, I would appreciate it if you could do the following:

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate 10 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

I want to pass these very special awards to these lovely friends:
Cheryl, Prezzie (Seok Liew), White Garden, Candlelight, izchan, yoonie, sing yee, molly chicken, Ivy, little beary li, Gianni Goh, Aileen, Samantha, Tang Mei Ying,Joan Beads House 珠珠馆, cassettee, onebowl, pfang.

Flower ATC

First time trying on Artist Trading Cards(ATC). Its small and easy to make. I enjoy making them from my existing scraps of papers, swap items that I got. Recycle those stuff and make something new. I did some cards with my handmade carve stamps too - the sakura of the bottom right of the image. This is a swap from a chinese cari forum.

I love accepting letters

I manage to go to the post office today and finally got this letter from a online friend - Gianni Goh . Both of us meet online and share comman interest in carving stamps. She was so generous and sent me this handcarve shampoo bottle stamp with a small card. Her cards are full of her handmade stamp stamped on the card. And color them over. Such a kind heart girl. Her carving was neat and tidy. I can see how she carve and will improve on my carving too.

Thank you, Gianni.

Sakura Coin Purse & Macaron Sewing pins

Another swap that is very rush for me. All because of my lazyness. The swap is 2 months time but I drag and drag until the last minute. Actually I did a coin purse for the swap, but it is way to ugly to swap it over.

Started to take up sewing again. Sewing is just way too difficult for me. Compare to paper crafts. I seem doesn't know how to handle the sewing machine properly. I always cut the wrong size of fabric, sew the wrong zipper on it. And I need to tear down the strings again and re-sew them. The previous coin purse I done, the fabric thin and makes it too soft to even stand alone it self.

After tons of try and error. I finally made this. I even break the needle when I sew toward the zipper part. I didn't sew on top of the metal part of the zipper. Can someone tell me why this is happening? Or how to prevent my needle from breaking.

Added a Macaron Sewing pins that I made from light weighted clay. Hope my partner will like it.