Scrap My Life

2010-09-22T18:05:00.000+08:00

I have a new web address! Please click on the image above to take you to my new home. This blog will still be available in the next few months but will no longer be updated. All the contents of this blog have been replicated in my new blog. Thanks for following this blog and I hope that you will continue your support by following my new blog. See you!

Winners

2010-09-20T10:22:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone!

Thank you to all who dropped by my new blog, became followers, left messages and comments. Really appreciate the time you took. Now, on to the prizes. Please note that to be fair to everyone who followed all the instructions, I only included those who completed the 3 steps in the draw. As stated in my instructions, you need to be a follower, leave a message in the cbox and leave a comment stating what prize you want to win. And all of these should be done by 11:59pm on Sept. 18th.
Camera Strap:

Only Liza completed the 3 steps. Because of that, Liza wins the beautiful strap by Valerie Salmon. Congrats Liza!

Studio Calico Back 40 Kit:

For this, the following names were entered - Liza (1), Nina (2), Ruth (3), Susie (4), Kline (5), Gracie (6)

Congratulations Susie for winning the Back 40 Kit!

Songbird Clear Stamps:

Here are the names entered: Jhoanna (1), Susie (2), Kline (3), Gracie (4)

The winner is Gracie! Congratulations Gracie for winning the Songbird Stamp set.

Wings Clear Stamps:

The names entered are: Nina (1), Ruth (2), Jhoanna (3)

Congratulations Nina for winning the Wings Stamp set!

Now, I have a little surprise. There were a couple of you who expressed interest to win some of the prizes but were not able to complete the requirements. So, because I had fun on my birthday, and I want to share some joy, I am giving another chance to win a prize among those who left comments on my Welcome post and indicated a prize. Here are the names:

Liza (1), Nina (2), Ruth (3), Jhoanna (4), Chiqui (5), Geng (6), Susie (7), Kline (8), Gracie (9) and LG (10).

What's with number 4 today? Anyway, congratulations Jhoanna for winning the surprise giveaway!

Here's what you've won.

That's the Joyland Kit from Studio Calico.

Winners, please give me your complete name and mailing address (Philippines only) by leaving a comment to this post. Don't worry, your comments won't be published so you don't have to worry about security. Will send you your prizes next week.

Susie, I haven't received my September Kit yet so I will send it to you as soon as I get it. Based on past deliveries, I should get it by next week so I should be able to mail it to you by then.

Thanks everyone for your support!

An Announcement and A Birthday Giveaway!

2010-09-17T09:33:00.007+08:00

It's my birthday and I thought it's the best time to unveil my new blog. My new blog will go LIVE on SEPTEMBER 18, 12:00 MIDNIGHT.

To celebrate turning a year older and the unveiling of my blog, I thought I'll giveaway a couple of prizes. This giveaway is open to anyone with a Philippine mailing address. I apologize to my readers outside the Philippines. I can only afford local shipping fees.

Anyway, here are the giveaways.

One MIA SLR Strap Cover by the talented Valerie Salmon (encircled below). The strap fits most SLR strap covers. This one fits Canon 40D's strap. I'm sure it will also fit Nikons.

lifted from Valerie Salmon's website

One BACK 40 Kit from Studio Calico.

One Prima WINGS Clear Stamps and Gems.

One Prima SONGBIRD Clear Stamps and Gems.

Those are the prizes and here are the mechanics:

Go to my new blog and be a follower by clicking on the "Follow" button on the sidebar.
Leave a love note on the cbox.
Leave a comment on the welcome post stating which TWO prizes you want to win out of the four posted above. Each one will have a chance to win two prizes!!!

You have 24 hours to complete the steps above. This giveaway closes at 11:59pm, Sept. 18.

Thanks for following this blog and I hope you will also follow my new blog. See you there!

Inspiration Monday 3

2010-08-31T23:00:00.001+08:00

The Savvy Window Tutorial by Christine Middlecamp is almost over. If you haven't seen it yet, it's time to check out her blog. I am just blown away by her artistry. What I love about her is that she is not heavy on techniques. No, you won't find heavy distressing, or extraordinary stmaping techniques. She's no Jennifer McGuire or Tim Holtz. But what makes her work truly unique is the way she uses supplies. AMAZING! And chunky! LOL! She really made me see my supplies in a fresh light. Can't wait to try out her Window project. LOVE LOVE it!

Ali Edwards moved to a new home. If you are following her, you would know that a new home means just that. A new home! A new physical house ( a bigger space for her growing family). And also a new blog or web address. Her new blog doesn't feel much different from her old one. The layout is still very simple. Very Ali. Can you tell I am a fan?

I love this masking technique at the Hero Arts Blog. You know how I love stamping, right? One of the reasons I love it is that there are so many creative ways to do it. I never get bored with stamping. And I love the Hero Arts blog. I learn something new about stamping every single week. The work of the HA designers are simply gorgeous. Very inspiring.

Speaking of stamping, one thing I am really into in the past couple of months is coloring with Copics. Here is a tutorial on "Feather Blending" by Marianne Walker. In this blog post, she also provided a link on understanding how shadows differ between objects that are near and those that are far away. Another Feather Blending post here.

On the home front, Filipina talent Cabbie shared how you can use up your stash of rub-ons by making cards. I thought it is a brilliant idea. I have a lot of rub-on sheets and sometimes, I don't get to use everything in the sheet. This idea is perfect for those leftover pieces.

Look at this desk organizer that LG made! Isn't it awesome! I love the shabby chic feel - the distressed look, the soft colors, the layered embellishments. Love it!

That's it for this week's Inspiration Monday! Wishing everyone an inspiring week ahead!

Dressed up jewelry box and some cards

2010-08-31T22:02:00.003+08:00

This is one of two "naked" jewelry boxes given to me by a good friend years ago. She knew I am into arts and crafts and would be able to transform the boxes into something beautiful. It took me a very long time to work on the first box and finally transformed it in 2008. You can see it here. Now, two years later, I worked on the second box. Here is the "before" picture.

The first step is to unscrew all the metal hinges and closures using a small screwdriver. Then sand the box and wipe with a damp cloth.

Then apply two coats of gesso all over the box including the inside, letting the layer dry in between aplications.

Apply two coats of brown acrylic paint making sure that the surface is totally covered and the white gesso won't show through.

Cut small pieces of patterned paper (I used Crate Paper Pink Plum Collection - Wildberries) to fit the sides of the box, as well as the inside bottom. Adhere the paper using decoupage glue. Dab a small amount of brown paint on the edges of the paper to cover the white core. Set aside.

Apply embossing ink on the cover of the jewelry box. Sprikle with UTEE and heat. Apply 3-4 layers of UTEE. After the last layer, let dry. Dab red and butterscotch alcohol ink on the dried layer of UTEE. Then dab copper alcohol ink to give it a metallic look. Heat again to bring out the shine. Before the UTEE dries completely, press a rubber stamp to leave a textured impression. Let dry. Embellish with flowers. Here is the top view with the stamped impression clearly visible.

Here's another view. You will note that I've re-attached the hinges and closures.

And inside, I attached a photo of myself and Ariel. Now, this is truly a treasure box!

Now, onto some cards.

Cut 8.5” x 5.5” pieces of paper (I used Crate Paper Pink Plum Collection papers). Fold in half to make the base card.

Using a die cutting tool, cut label shape from scraps of patterned paper or Kraft paper. Apply pink paint around the edges using your forefinger. Adhere die cut on the center of the base card.

Stamp sentiment on the upper right corner of the die cut and heat emboss using copper powder.

Cut Bazzil flower in half. Dip edges on embossing ink and sprinkle with distress embossing powder. Heat set. Adhere flower on the bottom left of the card. Embellish with cut outs from patterned papers (these are from Crate Paper - Paper Doll collection).

For the next set, prepare the same base card using patterned paper (I used Crate Paper – Paper Doll Collection papers) and Kraft Paper.

From scraps of Kraft Paper and patterned paper, die cut label shape. Distress edges of card and die cut shapes using Distress Ink. Adhere on the center of the card.

Stamp on a paper flower (Bazzil) using distress ink that matches colors of your die cut shapes. Adhere flower on the center of the card. Adhere fabric blooms (Basic Grey Sugar Rush) on the center.

This All-Occasion card actually takes only a few minutes to make and is a good way to use up your supplies.

These next two cards are very easy to make. Cut two sheets 4.25” x 5.5” rectangular shapes from Kraft Paper. Cut 2 pieces of the same shape from a patterned paper (these are from Crate Paper Pink Plum Collection). Get an old credit card, ATM card, playing cards or similarly shaped chipboard (I used the backing of Crate Paper Brads). Apply a strip of paint on the edge of the card. Use this to apply paint on the rectangular pieces of Crate Paper. It will not be perfect which is great. Some of the patterns on the paper will still be visible and the thin coat of paint will let the texture of the paper show through. Let dry.

Cut all four pieces of paper (the Kraft paper and painted Crate Paper) into a label shape using a die cutting tool – making sure you cut them one at a time. Now you have four pieces of label-shaped papers.

Score the Kraft papers about ½ inch from the left edge and fold. That will be where the card will open and fold.

Adhere patterned paper on the side of the Kraft Paper making sure that the painted side is facing up. Embellish with chipboards, stickers, trim and cut outs from your paper scraps.

Apply Stickles and Diamond Glazed on some of the elements for added texture, shine and dimension.

In the previous set of cards, I used some label shaped die cuts. That left me with a couple of negatives which I used in this next set. The card on top is made from Kraft Paper base while the one in the bottom is made from Pink Plum base.

I simple adhered the negative die cut which now functioned as a frame. The Kraft frame in the bottom was adhered using foam adhesive so it has a bit of dimension. I then embellished with chipboards and stickers.

Apply Stickles and Diamond Glazed on some of the elements for added texture, shine and dimension.

Crate Paper and Basic Grey products are all available at My Little Attic. Check it out!

Thanks for looking!

Inspiration Monday 2

2010-08-23T23:01:00.000+08:00

Since I was not able to scrap last weekend, I thought I'll just share stuff that inspired me this week.

Jennifer McGuire and Joy Taylor have a week-long challenge in their blogs. They are now on day 6. Day 7 has been postponed as Jennifer got sick. I find it inspiring how these two ladies managed to come up with very different projects using the same stamps (or stamp sets). It just goes to show that there is no limit to one's creativity.

I've been admiring Keisha Cambell's work for some time now. Her layouts are always so classy and elegant. So different from my own style but I do pick up inspiration from the little elements of her layout. I love the butterfly die cuts from her latest set of layouts!!!

I love Pia's work. Her layouts are always so fun and colorful! I always feel so inspired after checking out her blog and seeing her work. She is one girl who sure knows how to use COLOR on her layout!

I miss my friend Cookie. She is now making us proud in the land down under. Look at her layout! Oh, and her cards! Gorgeous! She is one generous soul, too! She's always willing to share her scrappy blessings with her scrappy sisters.

Iris is another local talent who made it big in the international scrapbooking scene. She is the first Philippine-based Memory Makers Master. I have been blessed to attend her classes locally and she continues to inspire through her blog. I love how she uses different art mediums in her layouts. Every project she makes is truly a work of art.

That's all for now! More inspiration next week.

Inspiration Monday

2010-08-16T19:30:00.000+08:00

If you dig Christine Middlecamp's Doily tutorial, then you might be interested to know she has another one up her sleeve. See her announcement here. I am so excited! I'm sure it will be another fabulous one. The little sneak peak is enough to leave me in eager anticipation. I followed her doily tutorial and I was floored by her creativity. Really inspiring! Granted that I didn't make any doily (I did buy a set - and it's still gathering dust somewhere - in my kitchen maybe?) embellishment, her tutorial inspired some of my projects, the latest of which was my last post Best of Cambodia. The layered embellishment on the upper right and lower left corners were my attempts to channel Christine Middlecamp.

I also follow Lucy Abrams' blog. I found her through Jennifer McGuire and she is also a Hero Arts designer and a very creative cardmaker, and she's from the UK. She has a giveaway and I joined for the first time! How can I not? Lots of yummy Hero Arts goodness there. I figured if I win, I can have the prize sent to my brother in law in Scotland. He and his wife are are coming home for a vacation later this year. I can wait. If you're interested, as much as I don't want to decrease my chance of winning, click here.

Another card-maker that I love is Kathy Racoosin. She is a designer for Penny Black and SRM Stickers, and she is a very talented colorer (is that a word?). Well, she uses Copic markers to color her stampe dimages in many of her projects, and she sometimes shares step by step tutorials like in this post. What an enabler! Reading through her post now makes me want to grab my Copics and color away. Except that I decided to leave my markers in Cavite thinking that I won't have the opportunity to color. Oh well.

Karen Russel - I am a huge fan! Stalker level. I don't know how she manages to take such amazing photos! Taking one of her classes remains to be one of my top personal goals. A bit steep at US$400 but if it will bring me closer to taking photos as good as she does, it's definitely worth it! I love how she shares her life stories through photos. So beautiful.

I want to do this. I will do it for free, just so I can try it. I know I'll cry buckets of tears (I'm such a softie) but I also know I'll take very good photos. I need volunteers!!! Here's another great example. I want to capture real life, raw emotion, unguarded moments - things you cannot manufacture in a studio.

I also want to do travel photography like this. I want to see the beautiful world that God gave us and share it with everyone else.

I hope this inspires you all.

Best of Cambodia

2010-08-14T15:41:00.003+08:00

I just needed to scrap today (stressful week) and since I am out of ink, I just rummaged through my pile of photos and decided to scrap these couple shots from our Cambodia trip last year. Coincidentally, the July Kit of Studio Calico (Continental) happened to be sitting on my work table and it's a travel-themed kit! So I quickly started working and came up with this layout. The photos were desaturated so it worked perfectly with the papers of the kit.

Here's a closer look at the details. I used foam tape to layer the die cuts to create a bigger layered embellishment.

I love the vintage feel of the kit which I thought went well with the desaturated photos.

Got the idea to overlap two colors of chipboard alphas from Cookie's "Simple Joy" layout.

Thanks for looking!

I-Rock Rocks!

2010-08-08T14:19:00.001+08:00

A girl can never have too many tools! So when I heard about I-Rock from Imaginisce, I got curious. I-Rock is an applicator for bling. Just what I need, a marriage of two things I love - Tools + Bling!

l-r: Jewel-Setter Sticks, Crystal and Stud Heat-Setting Tool, Stencil Kit, Hot Rocks Compact

The Crystal and Stud Heat-Setting Tool - runs on 3 AA Batteries

The system is very easy to use. First, dip the Jewel Setter Stick into a little bit of water to dampen the tip. Then, pick up a piece of crystal using the tip. You can also opt to use tweezers instead. Please ignore my nails. I know they badly need some loving!

Use the stencil to create a pattern for your crystals. Simply set appropriate size of bling on the hole of the stencil.

Then switch the tool to the "on" position. This does not heat the tip yet. You have to press the small button on the switch to start heating the tool. You have to keep this pressed until the crystal is set, which won't take longer than a few seconds. Just lightly press the tip of the tool on the crystal to prevent it from sliding. Note that the stencil is made of heat proof material similar to the Ranger Craft Mat or Bazzil Splat Mat.

You can also opt not to use the stencil and just make your own designs.

Add bling to embellish a stamped image

Use the stencil for easy patterns

Here is one of the finished cards. I used a die cutter to cut the label shape and embossed it using an embossing folder. Then I distressed the edges using Distress Ink. The butterfly is a digital stamp which I colored using Copic Markers, then cut and adhered to the card. I added a handwritten sentiment on a piece of scrap paper. The jewel swirl was created using an I-Rock stencil.

On this second card, I adhered jewels on the butterfly image. Then I applied more jewels randomly on the card using the I-Rock tool.

What can I say? I-Rock rocks!!! Overall, the I-Rock tool is very easy to use. There is a huge selection of crystals, pearls and studs. Different patterned stencils are also available. The Jewel-Setter Sticks are very useful specially for the teeny tiny pieces of crystal. For the bigger pieces of bling, you can either use tweezers or just pick them up with your fingers.

I-Rock products are now available at My Little Attic. Nenette just got the box of goodies late last week so these aren't posted yet on the website as of this writing. Just send her a quick email to reserve. If you hurry, you might just get your hands on this cool tool.

UPDATE: I-Rock products are already posted at the MLA website. To check them out, click here.

Mannequin

2010-07-24T22:49:00.000+08:00

This was one of the projects we did in Iris Uy's Prima Class this year. I had so much fun making this as this is the sort of thing I wouldn't do on my own. I love the techniques and I love how it turned out. So pretty!

Thanks for looking!

RAK from Marix

2010-07-22T23:41:00.000+08:00

Fellow scrapper Marix has a RAX over at her blog. Head over there and see how you can win some awesome stamps!

Thanks Marix for the opportunity to take home these goodies!

Quickie

2010-07-12T22:06:00.001+08:00

Ariel and I plan to drop by the hospital to visit a friend who just gave birth. I already baked some muffins to take to the hospital and placed it in a circular container. Being a scrapbooker, I couldn't just leave the box of muffins bare. So I tied a ribbon around the container. Then I thought, I can't just give this to her without a card! So I made one.

I finished this card in just a few minutes. I just used paper scraps, a border punch, distress ink, a piece of trim, a brad, and alpha stickers.

The base is 5x7 so I just cut a 4.5 x 6.5 piece of patterned paper, and another 1 x 6.5 strip from the same paper (I used the back). Then I punched one side of the bigger piece of paper and inked everything with Fired Brick Distress Ink. After that, I just adhered everything. Voila! A finished card.

Thanks for looking!

Learning from the Master

2010-06-30T17:11:00.000+08:00

I feel blessed to take part in Iris Uy's classes this year. Iris is a very talented artist and known all over the Scrapbooking world. She is the first Philippine-based Memory Makers Master and she designs or has designed for a number of international scrapbooking manufacturers, kit clubs and other groups. Anyway, here are the projects I've created in her classes.

The first few layouts were made in a class earlier this year.

1. Wish - The base is a transparency. I used a photo taken during our trip in Singapore last year.

2. Life is Beautiful - The photo was taken last Christmas 2009.

3. A Day In My Life - Photo was taken in Cambodia last year.

4. A Brand New Day - Photo was also taken in Cambodia last year.

The next set of layouts were done in the series of classes last May - June. There were three classes total. I missed the first class but Iris posted instructions in the private website for class participants. The instructions were very easy to follow so I was able to create my layouts at my own pace. There were three layouts in the first class.

1. Just Us - The photos were taken in Singapore last year.

2. Safari - The photo was taken at the Calauit Reserve. I desaturated it and added journaling on the photo itself.

3.We Are Family - Photos were taken at the Nurture Spa in Tagaytay last January.

For the second class, we created a mini-album. Unfortunately, I haven''t been able to take a photo of that yet so I'll post that one some other time.

For the third class, we created a layout and an altered project. I have yet to take a photo of the altered project but here's the layout. I am still thinking about what the title would be so I will just add that later.

I've learned a lot from Iris' classes and they are lots of fun! I can't wait for the next class!

Not So New Studio Calico Layouts

2010-06-22T23:21:00.000+08:00

I made these layouts a few months back but didn't get to take photos. These were created using Studio Calico Kits. I am still trying to make a dent on my stash. I probably have almost a year's worth of unopened kits!

This one is my favorite in this set. I used the Whodunit Kit here. I thought the colors fit my photos perfectly. The photos are some of my favorite shots from our Cambodia trip. I took them while cruising the Tonle Sap. We passed by the floating village and saw the simple life of the locals. I played with color saturation and textures here and I love the outcome. Click on the photos for a bigger view.

No complicated techniques here.

I cut out some patterns from the paper and distressed the card to make it consistent with the "aged" look of the photos.

I desaturated the photos, added textures and boosted the contrast.

The next layout features our youngest doggie - Cain, our miniature poodle. Every family member deserves a layout. For this one, I used the Bibliography Kit of Studio Calico.

The alpha stickers are from October Afternoon.

The blue circles and lines are made from a mixture of clear tar gel and acrylic paint.

The last layout features a photo of my creativity nook. This corner of our house is where I spend hours scrapping on a weekend, and I thought the Playground Kit of Studio Calico fits the photo perfectly.

I love using the Tiny Attacher to, well, attach ribbons and trims.

No complicated techniques here. Just a bit of layered embellishments to complement the photo.

Thanks for looking!

Crate Paper Goodness + Certified Cutie Photos = Fresh New Layouts!

2010-06-20T14:54:00.005+08:00

I'm happy to have scrapped in the past two weekends. Actually, I've been scrapping every now and then but didn't have time to take photos. Anyway, I just thought I'd first share my most recent layouts. I am very excited about these because of three reasons: 1) The color scheme are not my usual. I'm not really very big on pink since I usually scrap about our travels, and pink, lots of it, doesn't figure well into our outdoor photos. So, because I have pink papers, I decided to scrap about other people. So another reason why I'm excited about these layouts is: 2) My subjects are totally adorable - kids! My niece, nephew and a friend's daughter. Lastly, it's been a while since I used this brand of scrapbooking stuff. So I love this set because: 3) I used Crate Paper in all of them.

When I showed the layouts to my hubby, he asked me if I will give them to the kids' parents. Hmmm...maybe...or maybe not. I love the layouts and I love these kids. I took the photos myself and they were taken during out of town trips. They are part of my life. So maybe I will hold on to these pages for a while. :D

FACES

Materials:
Paper – Crate Paper Pink Plum (Pink Cherry), Paper Doll Collection (Katie Addi), Brook Collection (Sunshine); Ink – Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Mustard); Embellishments – Basic Grey Sugar Rush Fabric Flowers, Chatterbox Chipboard Stickers, Crate Paper Sparkle Chip Pink Plum Collection; Alphas – Basic Grey Sugar Rush Mini Mono Stickers; Others – Ribbon and lace

Instructions:
Punch one side of the Pink Cherry paper with an edge puncher. That side will be the top. Apply a thin coat of gesso on the upper portion of the base paper and let dry. This will tone down the color and pattern of the paper. Once dry, sand using fine sand paper to smoothen the painted surface. Using a distress foam, distress around the edges using Mustard Seed Distress Ink. Set aside.

Cut along the wavy line pattern of the Katie paper to make a strip approximately 1.5 inches x 12 inches.

Cut out paper doll patterns from Addi paper.

Matte photos using the Sunshine paper. Apply Mustard Seed distress ink along the edges of the photo matte.

To assemble, adhere the strip of Katie paper on the base, just slightly above the center. Stick ribbons on the strip of paper. Adhere the photos. Adhere the title. Embellish the page with chipboards, pattern cut outs and fabric flowers. To finish, apply distress stickles on the alpha stickers to add sparkle.

What I love about this layout:
Where do I begin? The photos are just adorable! I think these are some of my favorite portrait shots ever. I also love the techniques used here - the gesso on the base paper, the distressing.

I also love the trim!!! Let me tell you a secret. Do you see the pleated ribbon? It's very easy to make. My secret weapon? The TINY ATTACHER. The staples are so small you can easily hide them under a layer of trim. So I stapled the pleats and adhered a strip of lace on the ribbon so the staples don't show.

Clever huh! Oh, and before I forget, I LOVE the EK SWIRL BORDER PUNCH! I'm all about tools!

BLESSED

Materials:
Paper – Bazzil Glazed Cardstock, Crate Paper Brook Collection (Pebbles, Sunshine), Crate Paper Paper Doll Collection (Olivia Grace); Ink – Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Worn Lipstick, Antique Linen, Tea Dye); Chipboard – Crate Paper Brook Collection Chipboard Accents, Pink Plum Collection Sparkle Chip; Brads – Crate Paper Brook Collection Art Brads, Crate Paper Pink Plum Collection Art Brads; Stickers – Crate Paper Brook Collection Title Stickers, AdornIt Mini Alphas; Ribbon – Basic Grey; Bling – Basic Grey

Instructions:
Distress edges of Pebbles Paper using Tea Dye Distress Ink.

Cut Glazed cardstock to 11 inch square. Distress around the edges with Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick and Antique Linen inks.

Matte main photo using the reverse side of the Sunshine paper.

Cut Sunshine paper to 3 inches by 12 inches, tearing one long side by hand. Ink the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink.

Cut patterns from Olivia Grace paper.

To assemble, adhere glazed cardstock on Pebbles paper. Stick Olivia Grace cut outs on the bottom portion of the page. Adhere the 12-inch sticker on top of the cut outs. Adhere the strip of Sunshine Paper partially covering the sticker strip. Stick the photos on the Sunshine Paper. Attach brads on a ribbon and adhere along the bottom of the photo. Adhere the title/journaling and embellish with chipboards and bling. Add clear glaze on the flower centers for added dimension and texture.

What I love about this layout:
Aside from the photos that I absolutely adore, I also LOVE the Glazed cardstock from Bazzil. It's the first time I've seen one! At first, I didn't know what to do with it. But then, I realized I can distress it and the glazed area will resist the distress ink. Voila! Instant patterned paper!

I also love the flower shapes at the bottom of the page from the Katie paper, and the distressed cardstock provided a very nice background for those lovely blooms. Did you notice the glaze on the flower centers? It mimics the epoxy brads I used as accents. At least that was my intent. :)

PUPPY AND ME

Materials:
Paper – Crate Paper Pink Plum Collection (Very Berry, Tangerine), Crate Paper Paper Doll Collection (Katie, Olivia Grace, Addi, Ashley); Ink – Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Tea Dye); Chipboard – Crate Paper Brook Collection Chipboard Accents and Sparkle Chip, Pink Plum Collection Sparkle Chip; Brads –Crate Paper Pink Plum Collection Art Brads; Stickers – Crate Paper Brook Collection Title Stickers, AdornIt Mini Alphas; Others – Thickers, Stickles

Instructions:
Distress edges of Tangerine paper with Tea Dye distress ink.

Cut Very Berry paper to 8.5 x 11 inches. Then, from the remaining scraps, cut out some branches and flowers.

Cut Olivia Grace paper to 8 x 5.5 inches.

Cut Katie paper to 8 x 1.5 inches. Punch the edge with a fancy pattern. Distress edges with Fired Brick ink.

Cut Ashley to 5.5 x 4 inches. From the scraps, cut a few bag patterns.

To assemble, adhere 8.5 x 11 sheet of Very Berry paper. Then adhere the Olivia Grace 8 x 5.5 sheet and the strip of Katie paper. Stick the photo at the center of the 8.5 x 11 sheet. Add the trims and embellishments – stickers, chipboards, paper cut outs. Add the title. Apply Stickles on the foam alphas for additional sparkle.

What I love about this layout:
I asked my hubby if he likes it and he said YES. He said he likes the glittery title. And I have to agree with him. I'm glad I decided to add the Stickles.

I also love the layered trims on the side of the page - again, I used the Tiny Attacher to pleat the ribbon. I also like the gathering of embellishments below the photo.

AND the branches! It took a while for me to cut them out and at first I didn't know what to do with them. I am just happy that it all came together.

That's it! Special thanks to MY LITTLE ATTIC for providing the materials. CRATE PAPER products are available at the store so feel free to drop by and get some of these yummy goodies.

Scrappy Stuff

2010-06-14T18:24:00.003+08:00

I've been subscribing to Jessica Sprague's free classes for quite some time now. I'm always on the lookout for her freebies. I have been wanting to enroll in one of her online classes but the fee can be quite prohibitive. So i just wait for freebies to come along.

So anyway, she has a new one. It's called Computer Tricks for Cards. Just click on the link if you are interested. Once you register, you would get notices of her upcoming classes so you'll never miss one again.

I've been following Karen Russell's blog for a long time and I always enjoy reading her entries. This one is so touching.

Christine Middlecamp is sharing a tutorial on Embellished Paper Doilies. I love her work but can't get over how chunky her layouts are. And the way she uses her products...wow! I should actually follow her lead to make a significant dent on my stash. But I'm too lazy. Anyway, if you are interested, click here. That's her thirteenth embellished doily so just scroll through her old posts for the others.

This never fails to inspire me.

This and this are also daily sources of inspiration.

That's all for now!

I have a lot of completed projects but I have not had the time to take photos of them. I will! Next weekend. :)

It's been a while

2010-06-08T22:44:00.000+08:00

...since my last post. It's not that I haven't been scrapping. I just wasn't taking photos of my work lately. Anyway, just want to share the latest addition to my stamp collection. These are all from Penny Black, and I love them. I like that the images are colored, unlike all my other stamps which are just black. Don't they look great on display?

I made a birthday card for my dad using the owl stamp. I stamped on white cardstock using brown ink and extended the branch using a pen. Then I colored using Copic Markers and cut out the stamped image. The card was embossed using Cuttlebug embossing folder. I also distressed the card using Ranger Distress Inks.

I glued the stamped owl on the card and used foam adhesive on the owl body to add dimension.

Thanks for looking!

So thrilled!

2010-04-15T23:18:00.000+08:00

This simple card of mine had been featured at the Hero Arts Social Club TODAY, April 15th 2010. I am so thrilled! I found out about it when I logged into my Flickr account. Juicyflavor left me a message congratulating me for being featured. Of course I had no idea! So I went and checked Hero Arts' blog and there it was. My card. This is what I call return of investment.

The Art of Rubber Stamping

2010-03-28T12:26:00.004+08:00

I fell in love with stamping when Mia and Tin had a stamping demo during one of the Pinoyscrapbookers EBs. That was truly a life-changing moment. Well, more like wallet-changing moment. Laugh.

Since then, I've been collecting stamps - both rubber and acrylic. Last year, my collection grew drastically that I had to re-organize my storage space to make sure they are all visible so I can actually use them. So here is my growing collection of wood-mounted rubber stamps. My clear stamps are stored separately. Admittedly, I have not used more than 50% of these stamps. But I will! Soon!

A Tribute...

2010-03-22T21:45:00.003+08:00

...to my space.
This is the birthing room.
Of Art.
Also of a big mess.
And dust.

Digital Debut

2010-02-28T18:12:00.004+08:00

So a few of my scrappy friends know about my admiration (probably an understatement) for Jennifer McGuire. She is not only a brilliant craft artist. She also has a big heart. I stalk her blog. I get daily inspiration from her work. And I like that she shares her talent with everyone! I love watching her tutorials ad I learn a lot from them. As far as I am concerned, any manufacturer who gets her as an endorser would get very good ROI. I can't count the times I have decided to purchase a product just because Jennifer McGuire used it. Stamps, Inks, Glossy Paper, even tools! It was also because of her that I came across Lucy Abrams and Kathy Racoosin. Between the three of them, I have enough card-making inspiration to last a lifetime. Anyway, stalking these three blogs got me seriously considering digital card-making. So, last night, I downloaded my first couple of digital stamps from Hero Arts over at Two Peas.

I lost no time trying out the digital stamps. So here are my creations.

For this "everyday" card, I used a combination of rubber and digital stamps. I printed several butterfly images on a letter-sized cardstock and colored two of them with varying shades of yellow Copics.

Meanwhile, I stamped a floral set on white cardstock and colored it with Copics. I cut a slit on both sides of the stems and wrapped a ribbon around the bouquet of flowers. I then inked the edges of the cardstock with Peeled Paint distress ink and adhered it on an A2 card.

Then, I layered two butterflies on the cardstock. I added bling on the center of some of the flowers for a bit of sparkle.

My next card is made from 100% digital elements. Even the background paper was done digitally. I used Hero Arts' digital paper that came with the kit, stamped the Word Art Dictionary on top of it, and stamped a Bird in a Cage image on the bottom right corner. I resized the image to fit an A2 card.

Then I stamped the same Bird in a Cage image several times on white background. After printing, I cut out the background paper which is slightly smaller than an A2 card and distressed the edges with dye ink. Then, I cut out a plain white print out of the Bird in a Cage image, distressed it with Peeled Paint ink and layered it on top of the patterned paper background.

Then I cut a small slit on top of the birdcage and tied a ribbon to make it look like that the cage is hanging. I then added a handwritten sentiment and attached it using the Tiny Attacher. A small pearl adds a touch of elegance on this card.

This week, I'll do a bit of coloring on all the butterfly prints. Hopefully, I'll be able to make more cards this weekend.

Thanks for looking!

Sweet As Sugar

2010-02-25T19:34:00.004+08:00

I instantly fell in love with Basic Grey's Sugar Rush Line. I love the range of colors that are not too bright but still evoke a very happy and warm feeling. I think I am getting better at using BG products. I was able to complete the following projects in one sitting. Yay!

I have this photo of Ariel which I took using my lensbaby. I loved it and wanted to scrap it so badly. And then I have this paper, Cinnamon Bear, which I fell in love with and wanted to use the moment I saw it. Both are a bit busy so I had to find a way to make it work. I decided to mat the photo with Jelly Beans paper (I used the back) to make it stand out against the busy background. I distressed the edges of the paper with chalk ink to define it against the busy backdrop. And because the base paper has such gorgeous colors that I want to show, I opted for a simple layout with a lot of white space.

To avoid cluttering the page, I opted for hidden journaling which I inserted behind the photo.

I used the matching Sticker Elements to embellish the page. I used the tree branch horizontally as a perch for the bird instead of vertically, which I thought was very clever. LOL! I used foam adhesive on the bird and some parts of the branch for dimension. The title was from the Mini Monograms of the same line.

I added a few more elements on the upper left portion of the page to balance the grouping of elements on the lower right portion. Here, I used foam adhesive on one heart to add dimension. The red pearls add touch of elegance and texture.

For this next layout, I used Candy Hearts as base. I thought it brings out the greens in the photo. I brought out my cardstock (Bazzil) stash and found one that I can use for this layout. I then cut out a strip from the Jelly Beans paper, and some patterns from Peanut Brittle paper. I arranged the cut out patterns on the cardstock, right side down, and sprayed the cardstock with Shimmerz - Bamboo Leaf.

I also decided on a hidden journaling since the page is already very busy. I added a bit of Diamond Glaze on the heart at the center of the flower for a bit of dimension. It's not that visible in the photo but it's there.

I also added Diamond Glaze on the circle with heart to make it look like an epoxy sticker (again, not that visible in this photo). The bird was adhered using foam tape. I thought the die cut sticker that says "today is: absolutely perfect" just captures how I felt at the time the photo was taken.

I also cut out a pattern from Bottle Caps paper. After starting on one pattern, I realized it's too hard! It's that plant at the lower left side of the photo. But since I've already started cutting, I decided to just finish one. So there it is! The butterfly was cut using Slice.

The sparkly stuff are mica flakes. My favorite element here is THE TURTLE! Isn't it the cutest?
I used white Thickers for the title which I painted a bit with Antique Lace Shimmerz which I absolutely love (photo is horrible though), and topped with a bit of mica flakes.

After the layouts, I decided to use the leftover scraps for cards. I made two 5x7 cards from the scraps. The paper here is Bottle Caps - I used both sides! I cut one piece which is slightly smaller than the base card, and another one that is even smaller. I just layered the papers on the card and embellished with Rub Ons and a stamped butterfly which I colored with a marker. I used red pearls to embellish the card.

I used foam adhesive on the butterfly wings to add dimension.

This one has the same basic design, using both sides of Peanut Brittle paper. I stamped the sentiment on a strip of paper and perched the owl on it. I used googly eyes (is that what they are called?) on the stamped image to make it more fun. I gave this card to a colleague who recently lost her sister in a tragic fire and my note was a bit serious so the cute and fun owl sort of lightens the mood of the card.

I also adhered the owl using foam adhesive to make it three-dimensional.

I really enjoyed making the layouts and cards! I was so inspired by the papers and I found it easy to use them on my projects.

Basic Grey Sugar Rush line and Shimmerz are now available at My Little Attic. I was told only a few items are left so better hurry and get some before they are gone.

Thanks for looking!

Farewell gift

2010-02-10T16:00:00.006+08:00

A friend of mine will be moving to New York next week and I thought I'll send her off with a notebook so she can scribble her thoughts about this next chapter of her life. I made this for her.

The stamp belongs to my colleague and she lent it to me for a few weeks. I stamped the image twice on white cardstock. I colored one with Copic Markers. I only colored some elements in the second image - the flower on the hair, the stickers on the luggage. Then I cut out the parts I colored on the 2nd image and layered them on top of the first stamped image. I added Stickles on the red flower on the hair, and the slippers.

Then I embellished with paper flowers and bling. I added some gold Mica Flakes on the petals of the paper flowers.

I also made a card just to thank her for her friendship. I stamped the butterfly image three times on white cardstok, colored them with Copic Markers and then cut them out. I adhered them on a piece of pattered paper and then adhered it on the base card.

I used foam adhesives on the wings to add dimension to the card.

I hope my friend likes these.

Thanks for looking!

So Blessed

2010-01-24T13:00:00.006+08:00

The photo is the inspiration for this layout. It was a candid shot of myself and Ariel taken by my friend and fellow scrapper Karen. This was taken during last year's Hot Air Balloon Festival. It was indeed a blessing to be able to enjoy the festival with good friends.

I used June Bug papers for this layout. I think I'm getting used to the bright colors and bold patterns. Don't you just love the colors on the base paper? It looks like a painting. It's colorful, but not loud. It's very soft and feminine.

I did some hand cutting on this page. I used foam adhesives on some of the cut outs to add dimension to the page.

I also used Rock Candy Stickles on the flower cut outs and chipboard hearts to add shine and texture.

Here's another close look at the details.

Materials: Cardstock - Bazzil Basics; Patterned Paper – Basic Grey June Bug (Corsage, Crazy Quilt, Park Bench); Chipboard Stickers – Chatterbox; Others – Rock Candy Stickles, Chalk Ink, Floss

How to:

Mat photo on white cardstock. Apply chalk ink that matches the photo.
Cut a 4” x 12” strip from Crazy Quilt Paper. Adhere photo on the lower portion of the paper.
Apply adhesive along the top and bottom edges of the strip of Crazy Quilt paper and along the right edge of photo. Adhere on a sheet of Corsage paper (I used the back).
Cut patterns from the Park Bench paper. Insert along the edges of the Crazy Quilt strip, using foam adhesive on some cut-outs to add dimension.
Apply stickles on some of the flower cut-outs.
Adhere the title.
Embellish the page with chipboard stickers. Thread floss through the chipboard buttons for texture and dimension.

Basic Grey papers are available at My Little Attic. A little birdie told me that awesome stuffs are coming soon, so check the MLA site often for new surprises.

Thanks for looking!

Last weekend...

2010-01-17T10:00:00.004+08:00

I was so inspired to scrap that I finished four layouts in a day. These are easy layouts to make so I'm sure anyone can do the same. The first one was using BG June Bug papers which you can see in my last post.

Then, I opened my Stucio Calico Kit cabinet and was overwhelmed with bags and bags of unused kits. I thought it's about time to make a dent on my kits. So here I made three layouts using 2 kits. The first two was from the August Kit "Over the Rainbow".

My choice for the kit was inspired by the photo below. I love the photo and it showed four of us 30 something ladies having fun like teenagers (we're still very young at heart). The happy colors of the kit was perfect for this happy photo, and I thought the hot air balloon pattern complements the jump shot. I used a Kraft cardstock as base here and just cut patterns from the papers. No special techniques here. Just cutting and gluing.

I used foam adhesive in one of the balloons. I also doodled on the title for a stitched look.

The next one was inspired by the paper with "My Favorite Guy" printed on it. Who else will fit this paper but my hubby. Since our printers our busted, I just searched my stash for printed photos and saw this which I thought would be great for this layout. Good thing I had this printed in black and white so it works well with any color.

For this one I did a little misting. I sprayed copper mist on the chipboards for a metallic look. then I tied a crepe paper ribbon on the small chipboard for a softer touch.

The last layout was made using the "Director's Cut" Add On from the July Kit (Documentary). The papers and embellishments are travel-themed. Good thing I had prints from my Malaysia trip. I love this photo! I mounted the camera on a tripod, adjusted the aperture and shutter speed, then asked my friend (who I met in Kuala Lumpur during that trip) to help me get the right angle and release the shutter. We tried several poses and really had a great time capturing photos. This one is my favorite among the set.

When I used the alphas included in the kit, it got lost in the background. So I doodled on the alphas to make them stand out against the background. Here's a closer look.

Working with kits sure makes it a lot easier to scrap! And I love Studio Calico Kits!

Thanks for looking!

Creative Souls - Another BG Layout

2010-01-10T09:44:00.004+08:00

My photo printers are both busted. I was saddened by the demise of my Selphy, though I think the 4 years that I've had it had been worth the price I paid for it. Now my Epson Stylus R290 is a different matter. It's only 15 months old and simply saying it cannot be fixed is unacceptable. Anyway, I called Epson and I was told that they still have parts to fix it. So hopefully, it would still have more years of use before it dies a natural death.

Anyway, the lack of home photo printing capability made me restless so I embarked on a photo hunt. I found a few at home and it led me to a scrapping frenzy. I have a photo of myself scrapping at home with three of my colleagues. The photo was taken from above and it shows our beautiful mess of a table. It inspired me to create a layout packed with color. And what better paper to use than Basic Grey's June Bug! So here it is!

I really love the colors of the June Bug line. However, I still have difficulty using bold and bright patters on a layout. So as usual, I had to break down the papers into smaller pieces. This time, it's flowers! I cut out flower patterns from the papers. And I also made flowers from punched circles. Here's a closer look.

Materials: Papers - Basic Grey June Bug (Kaleidoscope, RicRac, Fresco); Fabric Paper – MAMBI; Rub-Ons and Bling – Basic Grey Bling It On; Pearl – Basic Grey Opaline; Chipboard Stickers – Chatterbox

All of the materials listed above are available at My little Attic.

And here's how I created the layout:

Cut RicRac paper to 6 x 12. Cut the remaining RicRac paper to 5 x 12. Tear about 1.5 inches from the edge of the smaller paper. Adhere the smaller paper on the left edge of the 6x 12 paper with the yellow side up.
Adhere photo on the center of the RicRac paper, making sure that the upper left corner does not have any adhesive.
Cut a small rectangle, about 3.5” x 4”, of the Kaleidoscope paper. Insert in the upper left corner of the photo. Adhere the photo to the journaling card, and adhere the journaling card to the base. Clip a small piece of ticket to the photo.
Stamp sentiment on the lower-right portion of the yellow paper.
Cut flowers from the Fresco paper and adhere on the page.
Punch two large, three medium and three small circles from the Kaleidoscope paper. Spray with water. When soft, crumple and fold edges. Apply chalk ink on the edges and dry with a heat gun. To make the flower, layer the circles from smallest to largest and adhere with glue. Put pearl on the center of the flower. Adhere the flower to the page.
Embellish with rub-ons, bling and chipboard stickers.
Adhere the title.

Happy scrapping everyone!

Gift Tags using Copic Markers

2010-01-02T00:27:00.005+08:00

So happy with hubby's Christmas gift. That's why even with our hectic days following Christmas, I couldn't stop myself from playing with my Copic markers. Here are some gift tags I made using Hero Arts stamps and of course, my Copics.

I used 5 colors in this turtle image - 2 shades of warm grey and 3 shades of green.

Here are some butterflies which I colored using shades of red, blue, green, yellow and purple.

I also made several Christmas gift tags (post-Christmas gifts - better late than never!).

Thanks again honey for the fabulous gift!

Christmas ATCs

2009-12-29T14:10:00.003+08:00

I made these for the Kaya Nov-Dec challenge. I actually finished it early December (or was it late November?) but I wasn't able to post at the Kaya blog until a few days before deadline. Anyway, I thought I'd make a series on "Jesus is the reason for the season". I thought it is very timely as Christmas is becoming more commercialized. In fact, I just got back from Thailand where the majority of citizens are Buddhists, and I was surprised to see Christmas decors everywhere. The locals told me that they love Christmas for the festivities. So here, I guess even among those who claim to be Christians, it is easy to get lost in the merriment of the season and we need to be reminded once in a while that Christmas is here because Jesus was born to be our redeemer.

So anyway, I used old kits and paper scraps to make these ATCs.

I hope you all had a meaningful Christmas and I wish you all a prosperous and spiritually charged 2010.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 25

2009-12-28T20:00:00.002+08:00

As with most Filipinos celebrating Christmas, December 25 is traditionally a family reunion of sorts. Not a big one. Just the usual suspects - my parents, brother and his wife, my aunt and uncle from Cainta (mom's youngest sister) which includes 4 kids (my cousins), their spouses, and 5 grandkids, and my aunt and uncle from Gen. Trias (mom's oldest sister). This time, we were also joined by family friends - Peter, (a German who married a Pinay) who also happens to be a ninong at our wedding, his wife, ate Fe, and two kids who are my godchildren. On top of the relatives, we have 9 helpers (2 are mine, 1 my mom's, 6 are with my cousins and aunts) and a driver. All in all, there were 34 people in our house.

Every year, I and my cousins would agree on what the menu is and will assign everyone a food item to bring or cook. Sometimes, all the cooking are done in my and my brother's kitchens (we live right next to each other). Fortunately, this year, my assignment is salad (greens) for lunch and originally, pasta, for afternoon snacks/early dinner. However, I insisted that I will cook goto and tokwa't baboy instead, to which everyone agreed with enthusiasm.

So, for the salad, I prepared mixed lettuce and arugula, diced ripe mango, cucumber, turnip and pop beans. I prepared two dressings - one is from Sonya's garden (hence, the Tagaytay trip on the 23rd), and the other, Honey Mustard from Gourmet's. It was a hit! The salad bowl was wiped clean!

For the goto, I bought ox tripe the day before and slow-cooked it to make it very tender. Then I cooked the goto using a mix of regular rice and sticky rice. I added turmeric and kasubha (poor man's saffron) for color and flavor. For the tokwa't baboy, I used sliced pork liempo which I boiled the previous day, then roasted in the oven on Christmas Day so it's crisp-tender. I prepared the sauce from scratch and added slices of celery and green finger chili's. Again, the goto and tokwa't baboy are big hits!

It was another happy Christmas celebration. I was also very happy that I got to play with my niece Jana.

Can't wait for New Year's eve!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 24

2009-12-25T21:04:00.003+08:00

Today is the time for last minute gift wrapping and shopping. Ariel and I drove as early as 6:45am to the SM Bacoor Supermarket to buy food items for the Noche Buena. Then I slaved away in the kitchen the whole day to cook for both the Noche Buena feast and the Christmas Day celebration with my cousins.

By 9:00pm, I started roasting the baby back ribs in the oven. It was tender and ready for the hot coals by 11:30pm, just in time for the midnight feast. I also prepared some buttered corn, baked mashed potatoes, grilled boneless bangus (fish is a must have for my dad), almondigas soup and macaroni salad. My brother and his wife arrived at 12:30am in time to join us for dinner.

At 1am, we exchanged gifts and took some photos. My parents and brother left at around half past one. Ariel and I stayed a bit longer and had some wine and cheese. Then it was our turn to exchange gifts. No surprises there. We got each other things we both want. In fact, Ariel was with me when I bought his Northface Backpack and Onitsuka Shoes, while I gave him the contact details for the local vendor of Copic Markers.

All in all, it was one fine Christmas Eve. When I was growing up, we didn't celebrate Noche Buena. Christmas Day is a bigger occasion as it was the time for a mini-reunion with some of my cousins, aunts and uncles. When Ariel and I got married and we didn't have a house yet, we would join Ariel's parents on Christmas Eve and then join my side of the family on Christmas Day. But when we built our own house, we started our own Noche Buena tradition. Our parents, siblings and their families now join us for Noche Buena.

My feet were aching by the time we got to bed. I was standing up in the kitchen practically all day but it was very rewarding to see the satisfied faces of my family as they partake of the feast I prepared for them. Looking forward to next year's Noche Buena!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 23

2009-12-23T23:04:00.002+08:00

2 days to go before Christmas! Although we didn't do much shopping this year, I think we've got everything covered. I stopped stressing about getting everyone (as in every single one!) a gift and just focused on who mattered the most to us. And we got them covered. So today, I was more concerned about getting the right food on the table for Christmas eve and Christmas Day. I forced Ariel to drive us to Tagaytay so I can check out Santi's, Gourmet's and Sonya's and pick up a couple of things for my menu.

First stop was Sonya's where I bought 2 bottles of their salad dressing. It's what keeps me going back to Sonya's. In fact, I managed to convince Ariel to have lunch there. We had a wonderful time! Lunch was perfect as usual. Great-tasting healthy food and beautiful ambiance!

I also picked up a bottle of pop beans, and a pack of salad greens. My lunch assignment for Christmas day is covered (I'm in charge of serving salad).

Then we made a quick stop at Santi's in Silang where I picked up a bottle of Pinot Noir, a bottle of Beaujolais Red Wine and some cheeses. Last stop was Gourmet's. They didn't have a lot on the shelves so I just picked up a bottle of their Honey Mustard Dressing and a bottle of hot laing.

When we got back home, I finished wrapping all the gifts and just relaxed a bit. Can't wait for Christmas!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 22

2009-12-23T08:33:00.000+08:00

Last day at work. My vacation begins tomorrow!

December Dailies - Day 21

2009-12-22T09:33:00.003+08:00

Aileen, Nollie, Kristen and I tried a new restaurant for lunch today. It's called Kitchen's Best and they serve yummy Pinoy dishes. I tried the Rellenong Bangus which is among the bestsellers and it was described as having 100% bangus, unlike other rellenos that usually contain extenders like ground meat and bread crumbs. It was yummy!!! We ended the meal with a slice of Mango Sans Rival which is heavenly. Crunchy meringue layered with butter frosting and mango bits. Perfection in every bite.

Aside from the mouthwatering dishes, I also liked the country inspired shabby chic interiors. I love the dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the white wooden chairs with red cushion. Very cozy.

And the food fest has officially begun. I don't know if I can survive the holidays with the same (already bulging) waistline I have now. Tsk, tsk. I'd better postpone shopping for clothes to January.

Deceber Dailies - Day 20

2009-12-21T09:50:00.002+08:00

Every year, we look forward to watching the Christmas Cantata at our Church, and today is the day! Armed with my DSLR and zoom lens, we climbed up the stairs to the balcony to get a full view of the stage. It was a beautiful presentation with an even more beautiful message. Jesus came to us as a baby in a manger on the first Noel. He will come again in His full glory to gather all the saints in the last Noel.

I thought it was an apt reminder of the true meaning of Christmas as it is so easy to forget what with all the commercialization and trivialization of this holiday.

5 more days!

December Dailies - Day 19

2009-12-21T09:32:00.002+08:00

Today is gift shopping and wrapping day! I actually love doing it if not for the stress of rushing everything. Surprisingly, SM City Bacoor was not packed today. We were able to park near the entrance. There were no lines in the supermarket cashiers. Ariel and I each had a big cart which we filled with food and beverage items that will go into our lootbag for our village and condo guards, maintenance, and admin staff. Then we headed off to the department store and boutiques to buy gifts for relatives and family members. It was exhausting!

At home, we immediately packed the loot bags and then I headed upstairs to wrap gifts and make gift tags. I used leftover kraft paper from last year to wrap the gifts. I enjoyed making the gift tags from heavy board paper which I stamped and then colored with markers (can't wait to get Copics for Christmas!).

After a long day of shopping and wrapping gifts, it was time to relax with hubby over two episodes of Flash Forward. Sigh. The Season is over and we will just have to wait for Season 2 next year.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 18

2009-12-19T16:51:00.002+08:00

This week had been so stressful for me. Everyday left me so exhausted at night, and longing for more sleep in the morning. It was too hectic that on this day, for the first time in 128 monts, I forgot our monthsary. I left the house early to catch an 8am meeting. At 10am, Ariel texted me to greet me a happy 128th monthsary. Crap!

Some people might find it cheesy to celebrate monthsaries. Or maybe they are just turned off with the term. But how else should we call it? Anyway, we don't make a huge production out of it. There are months when one or both of us would have a gift for the other. But most of the time, we just go out on a date - have dinner, watch a movie, get a massage, etc. Tonight we went out to dinner (at Pazzo), shared a plate of pasta and a pizza, and then went home and watched 2 episodes of Glee.

Happy 128th monthsary honey!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 17

2009-12-19T16:43:00.002+08:00

Exhausting day! But it ended nicely with dinner at People's Palace. I, Joycee and Nollie met with Gabby who's getting married next week. It was great to catch up a bit and share the hottest chismis. And I finally satisfied my craving for Phad Thai since I never got to eat it in Bangkok! Love the food at People's Palace!

I was also pleasantly surprised to find a comment on my previous post. The comment came from Virlanie Foundation! Since it was written in Tagalog, I thought Marvin (one of my Virlanie contacts) wrote it. I emailed him and confirmed my guess. So sweet of him to leave a message. And how on earth did he find my blog? Go figure!

December Dailies - Day 16

2009-12-17T18:12:00.002+08:00

On Day 16, I had the privilege of spending a few hours at the Drop In Center of Virlanie Foundation. I had a great time interacting with the kids, some of whom have been abandoned and/or abused by their parents. Most of them were polite, well-behaved, helpful and very appreciative. They are very articulate and most of them socialize well with adults. I am impressed with how Virlanie is taking care of these kids.

One image that really moved me was when we served early dinner. We provided Jollibee rice, chicken and spaghetti, corn dog, squidballs and kikiam, ice cream, and Coca-Cola beverages (choice of Minute Maid, Real Leaf Iced Tea, Coke, Royal, and Wilkins Distilled Water). At one point I saw a young boy in his early teens (around 14) not touching his food. I went up to him to ask him why he isn't eating, but before I could ask, I saw that he was busy feeding another boy - a special needs child, probably just a few years younger than this boy. I was so touched at the genuine care and selflessness of this child that I choked up and literally walked away before my tears betray my emotions. Later on, I saw a colleague take over feeding the special kid so the other child was able to enjoy his meal.

I was also moved by the dance numbers given by these kids. In the early stages of our preparation, I was frantically looking for volunteers who will perform in front of the kids. I thought it would be great to provide them with some form of entertainment. Fortunately, our media partners volunteered to give a dance number. But then, the kis also prepared not one, not two, but three performances. There could have been more if we had time. At that point in time, it was hard to see who was the giver and who was the receiver. I believe at this very moment, the saying that "the more you give, the more you will receive" was very true indeed.

This day, I did not only see my colleagues in the act of giving to the less fortunate. I also saw some of these "less fortunate" kids give so much of themselves to us, and to their friends in the Drop In Center. It was a day I will not soon forget.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 15

2009-12-15T22:36:00.002+08:00

35 years ago today, my mom and dad started living the rest of their lives together. They are as different as night and day but they complemented each other perfectly. I am so blessed to be brought up by an amazing couple - a left-brained mom who taught me logic, rules, structure, accounting, saving money, doing household chores, and a right-brained dad who taught me about God and faith, the joy of reading stories, the art of drawing, painting, photography, and other crafts. Because of them, I am who I am today. I praise God for the privilege of calling them my parents and I pray that they may have more happy years of serving God together.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 14

2009-12-14T23:17:00.003+08:00

Ariel is out of town today til Wednesday. :( I did a bit of book shopping for my cousins, nephews and nieces. Since I was all alone, I had to carry the heavy books from Greenbelt 4 (Powerbooks) to Greenbelt 1 where I parked. Anyway, since I bought a lot of books, I got my Powerbooks Planner after just a few visits to the store. This one's a keeper. I love the content - although the exterior can still be improved. The faux leather cover looks exactly like that - faux leather. I wish it looked a bit more authentic.

Today, I got the shock of my life. It's Christmas next week!!! Gasp! Where did time go? I'm still all stressed out with all the requirements I have to fill before the Christmas break. Not to mention that I am not even halfway done with Christmas shopping. Why does this happen year after year after year? Sigh.

So, do you know what you'll ask Santa for Christmas? I haven't made up my mind. I want the Singer Sewing Machine but the model I prefer is out of stock. So I'm thinking maybe a couple of lighting equipment for photography. But I also like Jessica Sprague's new class on Adobe Illustrator. So difficult to choose! Help!

Sweet dreams everyone!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 13

2009-12-13T23:18:00.002+08:00

I got my Starbucks Planner today! It's my second, the first was the first planner they ever released. Anyway, this isn't really for me since I already have my Belle De Jour Planner. It's for hubby!

Ariel and I met with another couple today to discuss business prospects. Very promising.

And just before this post, Ariel and I got a massage. We used the massage oils I got from Harnn. I also used some aromatic oils for the burner which I got from Harnn during our Phuket trip in 2007. Yummy!

That's all for today! Tomorrow is the start of a very busy week for me (like the past few weeks weren't!). And hubby will be out for three days! Sigh. I just got back and now it's his turn to go.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 12

2009-12-13T08:18:00.002+08:00

No more shopping! No more Thai food (the hotel's version isn't good anyway). Just a heavy breakfast of chicken congee with all the goodies on top - century egg, pork floss, salted duck egg, spring onions, Chinese sausage, and something that looks like a cross between tapa and pork tocino. To complete the package, I had a cup of coffee and two glasses of Grapefruit juice - my staple breakfast beverages during my entire Bangkok stay.

After breakfast, I embarked on the challenge of squeezing in all my stuff into my gigantic luggage - all the things I brought with me, and all the newly acquired items. Of course my life would have been easier if I just pulled that extra zipper that would expand my luggage, but NO, that would signal defeat. So I took on the challenge of putting some extra load into my already bulging bag and SUCCESS! It's a lot heavier than when I arrived in Bangkok, but still the same size.

At 10am local time, we pulled out of the Shangrila driveway in a sleek BMW to get to the airport. It was a cool Sunday morning and the traffic was very light. The drive to the airport was comfy and took only about 30 minutes. At three hours before take off, the line to the check in counters was already very long. Thank God for the business class counter it only took us a minute to check in. The worst line was at the immigration. It was packed!!! It was a bit of a wait but after that, we were free to roam and do a bit of pasalubong shopping.

Our plane landed at the NAIA terminal 30 minutes ahead of schedule. We were first off the plane and past the immigration counter, but the luggage took a while to get out. Sigh. By the time I got into the company rented car, I was really spent. I couldn't wait to get home and savor the Sinampalukang manok that I asked our helper to cook for me.

By 7:45pm, I was enjoying a quiet dinner at home sans Ariel who was out for our annual barkada party which I skipped. Anyway, he was back before midnight and found my surprise under his pillows - a bottle of Chanel Allure Homme Sport perfume which he loves.

Then it was time to sleep.

December Dailies - Day 11

2009-12-11T22:01:00.003+08:00

Earlier today, I had a sudden feeling of homesickness, it almost made me cry. I think I just got to a point where I am too physically and mentally exhausted that I have become emotional. Not to mention that I got my period yesterday - thankfully, both light and painless. I texted Ariel right away and told hime I really, really miss him. That's when my eyes started to tear up a bit. Good thing no one noticed.

Anyway, the workshop is over. It had been a fun three days. I would say this is the most fun workshop I've had since I joined Coke. The set up is very light and informal, and the facilitators kept emphasizing playfulness as a key element in creativity. Think feather boas and funky shades all over the training room. No tables, no powerpoint shows, lots of colorful pens, and a lot of pointless energizers. Nonetheless, it's a lot of hard work, and it left us really exhausted physicall and mentally.

We finished a bit early today, so by 4pm, I, my boss Agnes, and a colleague from China (a guy!) headed off to the mall for a quick shopping spree. I really didn't get to buy much - just a little trat for myself and a surprise pasalubong for hubby.

We were back by 6:30pm (1.5 hours are spent on the road roundtrip) which left us about an hour to freshen up a bit before our Italian dinner - the best meal I've had in this hotel.

Signing off to continue packing. Will take a warm soak in a bit.

Can't wait to get home!!!

December Dailies - Day 10

2009-12-10T22:43:00.003+08:00

Today is much more exhausting than the previous days. I guess the lack of sleep in the past days is catching up on me. Fortunately, our day ended a bit earlier today. We had a cruise along the Chao Phraya river and enjoyed buffet dinner and some drinks. The food isn't so great but the ambience and the company definitely made up for it. And the view along the river was amazing.

Anyway, short post today. Will take a warm soak and then go to bed. Yawn.

December Dailies - Day 9

2009-12-09T23:44:00.003+08:00

Yesterday, I bought some bath products from Harnn and last night, I took a quick warm soak where I tried the bath salts I purchased. I was tired and a warm bath was all I need to sooth my aching muscles before I go to bed. It was amazing. Love the Asian smell!

Anyway, I had about 5 hours of sleep and I had a very hectic day. I just got back to the hotel 10 minutes ago from fieldwork! So tired! But it has been a fun day too! We - with my 3 groupmates - had an amazing dinner in a Thai restaurant (can't pronounce or spell the name!) and we ate with the owner's son and a guy who was a fashion stylist for local movies. We also got to interview a radio DJ of a local radio show on location in their radio booth, the Marketing Manager of MTV Thailand, and another DJ in a top rating radio station. And just when our energy levels are about to drop to zero, we rode in the tuktuk to get back to the hotel and we were treated to an exhilirating ride! The four of us (one local, one from China and one from Australia) squeezed into one tuktuk and our driver drove like a maniac in the highway (we were probably doing at least 60kph - we were passing by a lot of cars!) and we hung on for dear life. We were all laughing the whole time but in truth, I was terrified! Nothing like a brush with death to awaken every cell in my body.

Lots of food shots for my DD album. :D

Fun day! But exhausting! Off to another soak tonight.

December Dailies - Days 7 & 8

2009-12-08T23:56:00.002+08:00

As predicted, I had a very long day on Monday. At 5pm, we had a company activity at the Mandarin Hotel which ended past 8pm. Then I headed back to the office to finish off some work that needed to be done before I leave for Thailand. By the time I got home, it was almost 11pm. We've arranged for our suking masahistas to come at 11 for a bit of Swedish massage. I almost cancelled it because I wasn't sure if I can make it home by 11, and besides, I had to finish packing. Good thing I decided to push through with it because my body was aching all over and I badly needed that massage. An hour of blissful kneading later, I was up and putting the last few items into my luggage - good thing I actually started packing Sunday night.

I was up at 5:45 this morning to prepare for my flight. The car rental (a Toyota Fortuner) came to pick me up at 6:45 and I was at the airport by 7:30am with 3 hours to kill. Business Class check in was a breeze and in a few minutes time, I was enjoying a warm bowl of congee at the Mabuhay lounge. I ate too much - 2 helpings of congee, a pandesal, a slice of white bread, a cup of coffee and 3 glasses of orange juice. That's what 3 hours of doing nothing does to me. I cannot just sit there and stare at nothing. I had to do something, and that something is food! By the time I boarded the plane, I knew I would spend most of the flight going to and from the rest room. I just had too much liquid in my body too early in the morning. True enough, I must have made at least 6 bathroom breaks throughout the 3.5 hour flight. In fact, as soon as I entered the plane, I had ot use the lavatory. Same thing happened just before deplaning.

It has been a while since my last visit to Thailand, and it's my first time in the new airport. From the outside, it looked fantastic. Inside though, it looked very industrial, maybe even like a warehouse. I thought the lighting can be improved to make it brighter. It was very crowded, too! We had to wait behind a long line at immigration.

I was picked up by the Shangrila car - a very nice BMW. A guy would probably know the make and model, but not me. It was very comfy! That's all I can say about it.

A lady welcomed me and a colleague into the hotel. I was surprised when I was led straight to my room. I didn't have to check in at the front desk. A small bag with 4 cans of Coke and a welcome letter from the training organizing team were waiting on the desk. I love the room, it has a beautiful view of the pool below and the Chao Phraya river. It is even better at night (I'm facing the window now!).

Anyway, within 30 minutes of checking in, I was already out with a colleague to go to the shopping mall. We grabbed a quick ...err...lunch(?) at around 4pm, and then went to a shop called Harnn to buy a few items for a colleague. I first encountered this brand in Phuket a few years back. I purchased a few aromatic oils back then in a small stall at the Phuket airport. I had no idea it is a big brand in Thailand, and the store we went to today is huge, and has a spa in it. Anyway, I ended up buying lots of bath products (I love bath products!) - like bath salts, body scrubs, massage oils, etc. Love, love it. Well, our shopping spree started and ended there, because our bags are too heavy to lug around. We decided ot head back to the hotel and just rest a bit before we go out for dinner with the rest of the training participants.

At 7:30pm, we boarded a van that took us to the home of the MS & I director for Southeast and West Asia, where a feast of Thailand and Indian vegetarian dishes was prepared for us. It was a great dinner - but I was exhausted and sleepy from lack of sleep the previous night.

Funny that the page in my December Dailies album dated today is a simple envelop with some stickers and die cuts on it. I figured since I'd be travelling, I won't be able to say much, or even take photos, and that i'll just insert my borading pass and other ephemera from today. But I had lots of nice photos today including a shot of the magnificent view from my window. I guess i'll just have to find a way to put them in. Can't wait!

Long day tomorrow!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 6

2009-12-06T13:48:00.004+08:00

Growing up, we didn't have a lot of Christmas decors around the house. My parents are pracical people and they taught us to value the real meaning of Christmas than to dwell on the material and commercial aspects of the season (No Santa's for us!). We also didn't celebrate Noche Buena. On Christmas morning, we would go to our lola's house to celebrate with the clan. We exchange gifts, feast on a glorious lunch (valenciana, lumpiang shanghai and halayang ube were the staples), but the highlight of the fay is really enjoying time with our family. We play games, share stories, and just hang out with each other. Now that I am all grown up, my hubby Ariel and I started our own traditions. We kept the old family customs but we spiced it up a bit by creating a festive atmosphere through colorful Christmas ornaments, twinkling lights and a Noche Buena feast. Since Noche Buena is still a few weeks away, we are content to enjoy the season relaxing at home surrounded by physical symbols of Christmas. While these are material things, they remind me of God's unwavering love and His desire for us to live a full life. So every time I look at them, I say a prayer of thanks for all the blessings, material or otherwise, that He so generously showered upon us.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 5

2009-12-06T13:33:00.003+08:00

This time of the year, our Christmas tree is already up. We usually put up the tree the first weekend after All Saints Day. Every year, we buy a few pieces of tree ornaments to add to our old collection. This year, we haven't had the chance to shop for new ornaments. Also, I decided not to use some of the very old (and dated!) ornaments so our tree is still a bit bare. The photo above is one of my favorites from last year. Hopefully, we'll be able to get good ones this year.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 4

2009-12-05T11:14:00.002+08:00

Another one of those hectic days - seems to be the norm this past few weeks. I'm leaving for Thailand Tuesday next week so I'm tryign to do as much as I can at work to prepare for my absence. I kinda dread the trip since I know I will have to attend to work in between sessions (I'm attending a training session) which means I might have to work in the evening. Sigh. But as my friends say...keep the eye on the prize. Just a few more days of this craziness and it will be Christmas break soon.

So, off to the good stuff. After the stressful day, I went to The Spa for a massage. I have a gift check that expired Dec. 5! It's a good thing I decided to check the date just the night before! And even better that the Greenbelt branch can accommodate me. I also decided to get a mani and pedi at The Spa so I don't have to transfer to Piandre after the massage. Anyway, bad decision since The Spa's mani and pedi services really SUCK big time! On the other hand, the massage was heavenly! And since it's the main reason for my pit stop, I guess I'm pretty satisfied. But I'm never going back for nail treatments ever! Piandre is still the number one salon for all my beauty needs. LOL!

Hopefully, I'll manage a more Christmasy entry by tomorrow. :D

December Dailies 2009 - Day 3

2009-12-03T21:52:00.002+08:00

It's almost weekend! How time flies. I don't know if I want it to go faster or for it to slow down a bit. Anyway, it's December 3 and I still have nothing "Christmasy" for my December Dailies. We don't have any Christmas decor here in Mandaluyong. It's just not practical to decorate to houses. And besides, hubby has been busy in the past week and will continue to be busy til end of next week. It's that time of the year and he's been working really hard. Next week, I'll be off to Bangkok and will be out from Tuesday to Saturday. Sigh.

So today was pretty routine. Got stressed a bit as I needed to rush some stuff before driving to Quezon City. I had lunch at 3:30pm. We finished at 6:30pm and I found myself driving to Helen's to pick up my stamp pre-orders. Yey! That's about it for today.

It's funny how in the past 3 days, my high moments had something to do with scrapbooking.

Can't wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow, I get to sleep in our home in Cavite. I'm always more relaxed over there, in the suburbs, away from the noise of the city. Maybe I'll get some cheese and we can open a bottle of red wine and watch Flash Forward. We'll see.

December Dailies 2009 - Day 2

2009-12-02T20:07:00.002+08:00

My day started fabulously (is there such a word?)! My first stop - the Mandaluyong Post Office. I went to pick up my Studio Calico November box. I usually come early to avoid long lines. Another advantage of coming early is being spared the scrutiny of the custom's guy who might charge me a fortune on customs taxes. You see, the PO officially opens at 8am but the parcel window lady usually arrives 10-15 minutes early and would entertain me right away. In the past months, she would hand me my box saying that next time, if the customs person is there, my box will be opened and I will be taxed accordingly. Anyway, today, I was early as usual. Lo and behold, I was surprised when a guy asked for my permission to open the box. Turns out he was the customs guy. I watched him scrutinize the contents and it was funny to see his reaction when he saw a pack of papers, 2 spools of twine, some clear stamps and a butterfly punch. He seemed puzzled, maybe amused, too. He turned to the parcel lady and gave his thumbs up. No tax! I just paid the usual P35 postal fee. How's that for a great start of the day?!

After that, it was pretty much routine. Only, I didn't have to spend it in our Makati office. Instead, I drove all the way to Quezon City for a full day fieldwork. Boring stuff.

So there, that's pretty much my day. So now I'm off to editing photos. I took photos of my niece's birthday party last Saturday. I was the impromptu photographer, and the craft teacher. There's always a first time! So maybe I'll include a photo in my day 2 DD entry.

Happy week ahead!

December Dailies 2009 - Day 1

2009-12-01T22:04:00.003+08:00

Since I usually scrap on weekends, I figured the best way for me to make sure that I will actually do my DD is to blog about it first. So this is sort of the digital version which I will put into the album.

So anyway, I've been preparing for this and even though I haven't done the entire album pages yet, I've made enough to kickstart the week. So I woke up today thinking of how I will document December 1. I wanted to make it special. I had a good start. I dropped off Ariel at his office and on the way, I picked up a cup of Toffee Nut Latter - my favorite Starbucks Christmas coffee. I tried chicken pandesal for the first time and didn't like it. Corned beef pandesal is still my favorite. I would have gotten whole wheat croissant but it wasn't available. And if we were dining in, I would have opted for multi-grain bagel with cream cheese. But since I will eat en route to the office, I needed something easy to munch on. Hence, the chicken pandesal.

When I got to the office, I decided I will pamper myself at Piandre with a manicure, foot spa and pedicure. I swear, Piandre has the best foot spa in the country! So I called for an appointment and was confirmed for 6:30pm. I thought it would also make for a good December 1 entry. Unfortunately, it got hectic at work and by 6pm, it was clear that I won't have my beauty treat, so I canceled my appointment and rescheduled for later in the week. By the time I left the office, it was almost 9pm. I was hungry and tired.

So anyway, the day didn't exactly turn out the way I envisioned it to. I mean, I was hoping I can put something less ordinary in my December Dailies. However, I am reminded that I do not live so I could scrap. I just live life spontaneously and capture the moments as they happen. And when I have time, I scrap them - the special days, the ordinary days. So in the coming days, I will not think about what I will put in my December Dailies. I will just let life unfold and make the most of what the Lord blesses me with.

And the highlight of my day? Getting an email from Basic Grey saying that my layout was selected to appear in the Basic Grey Gallery! Woohoo! I guess it wasn't an ordinary day, after all!

Bright Colored Layout

2009-11-22T16:06:00.003+08:00

I gravitate towards warm colors and earth tones when picking my patterned papers. Bright colors usually overwhelm me although I love looking at them. Basic Grey's June Bug papers are filled with bold designs and bright colors. I knew it would be challenging to use them on layouts. In fact, it took a while before I determined what to do with them. My solution: Break them up to little pieces. That's exactly what I did with this layout. Here's how.

Materials: Papers - Basic Grey June Bug (Picket Fence, Strawberry Cheesecake, Kaleidoscope, Fresco, Orchard, Apron), Rub-Ons and Bling – Basic Grey Bling It On, Ribbon – Basic Grey, Button and Bird Chipboard Stickers – Chatterbox.

Choose a base paper. I picked Strawberry Cheesecake from the June Bug line.

Then I got the Apron paper and cut it to 11 x 11. I used the back portion which is more like a distressed cardstock, since the base paper is already very colorful and busy. I distressed the edges using a paper distresser and then adhered it on top of the base.

I then got some paint and sort of made a sweeping motion with a foam brush at the bottom right portion of the paper, where I decided my title will go.

Now here's the fun part. I got my square punch and well, punched squares from different patterned papers. I distressed the edges of the small squares and lined them up in two rows to form a grid. I trimmed my picture so it would fit in the space left by the square papers.

After that, I just embellished the page with cut outs from the patterned papers, rub-ons, bling, chipboards, ribbon and of course, a bit of stamping.

Here's the layout. I used a colorful photo to go with the colorful papers.

Here's a closer look. I used the Bling It On rub-ons and matching bling to embellish the photo.

I used a blue paint to bring out the yellow title. I also used a yellow ink for the stamped journaling block.

Basic Grey products are available at My Little Attic. By the way, there's an ongoing sale at My Little Attic/Scrapbooks Hawaii. Check out the website for the MLA items.

Thanks for looking!

December Dailies 2009 - The Album

2009-11-09T21:51:00.004+08:00

I am excited to get started with this year's December Dailies. I attempted to make one last year and failed miserably. In fact, I wasn't even able to do a Christmas Album last year. This year, however, I am very much inspired by what I have accomplished so far and I thought I'll end the year with December Dailies. So here's the album I made that will be home to my December Dailies project.

The album is an American Crafts Modern 8 x 8 D-Ring Album. I bought it a couple of months ago and it's red! I didn't intend it to be a Christmas album but I'm glad I decided to go for red.

I covered the chipboard portion with Scenic Route patterned paper. First, I distressed the edges with dye ink using an Ink Blending Tool. Then I inked the edges with gold using a Gold Leafing Pen.

Then I got a small scrap of rectangular patterned paper and distressed the edges with dye ink.

I have a lot of Heidi Swapp chipboard alphas in my stash so I thought it would be a good opportunity to use up some of them. I picked some raw chipboard alphas and painted them with gold acrylic (Kaiser Kraft). When dry, I adhered them on the rectangular patterned paper. I added a little cardstock sticker and used buttons as dots on the "i"s.

Then, I got an old Kaisercarft Wooden embellishment (Christmas) and embossed it with gold embossing powder. I then outlined the wavy pattern with Liquid Pearls. I tied a ribbon around the seam where the red fabric and Scenic Route paper meet and attached the Christmas ornament and 3 bells in silver, red and green.

I was already able to finish up to page 5 of the inner foundation pages (as Ali Edwards would call them) and will share them soon.

Thanks for looking!

Baguio 2006: A Mini Album

2009-11-07T20:36:00.006+08:00

I recently discovered our photos from our Baguio trip in 2006. I just have to scrap them - I was 20lbs lighter then! Anyway, I thought it would be the album to use the Wisteria papers in. So here it is.

Cover: Album - Basic Grey Tabbed Chocolate Chip Album, Wisteria Papers (Cornflower, Jardin, French Topiary), Chipboard – Bazzil Chips, Paint – Making Memories, Alpha Stickers – Making Memories, Bling – BG Bling it on and Prima

Here I painted the cover with green acrylic paint. I punched lots of butterflies and you'll see more inside the album. The title was cut using the Slice.

A close up on the beaded embellishment. I actually made this butterfly during that Baguio Trip so I thought it would be good to use it in the album.

Page 1: Wisteria Paper (Cornflower), Chipboard – Wisteria Chip Sticker Shapes, Cardstock – Bazzil

I typed the journaling on cardstock and highlighted some words by using a different font from the rest of the text and making them bigger.

Page 2: Wisterial Papers (Jardin, Cornflower), Bling – BG Bling it On, Cardstock – Bazzil

I typed the journaling again and highlighted some words. This is one of my favorite photos in the set. Ariel took a photo of me while I was beading - the butterfly on the cover was one of the embellishments I made that time.

I cut the flower from some of the scraps, colored a portion of it and added bling on the center.

Page 3: Wisteria Paper (Cornflower), Chipboard – Bazzil Chips, Cardstock – Bazzil, Others – Paint, Shimmer Mist, Liquid Pearls

The journaling on the right side was printed just like in the previous pages. The strips of words on the left were stamped on cardstock. The crown and flourish were done by using a rub-on adhesive and rubbing gold foil on the pattern. I painted the base green just like the cover of the album.

Page 4: Wisteria Paper (French Topiary), Chipboard – Bazzil Chips, Cardstock – Bazzil, Others – Paint, Ink, Perfect Pearls

This is definitely my favorite photo in the set. Journaling was handwritten on this page. The flower and flourish chipboards were painted using paint dabbers. Then I stamped on the flower using a glue pad after which I dusted perfect pearls to bring out the stamped image.

Page 5: Wisteria Paper (White Dynasty), Chipboard – Bazzil Chips, Cardstock – Bazzil, Others – Paint, Stickles, Alpha Stickers

This is a very simple page. I simply used stickers for the journaling. I just did a bit of cutting - the flowers were cut from scraps of the same paper and then I layered them on top of the flower patterns.

Page 6: Wisteria Paper (Garden Patio), Chipboard – Wisteria Chip Sticker Shapes, Others – Vellum

I printed the journaling again but this time on vellum so that the pattern behind still shows through. Then I just embellished with chipboards. It's not obvious in the photo but the flower center was dotted with Stickles.

Page 7: Wisteria Papers (Stone Wall, Garden Patio), Chipboard – Wisteria Chip Sticker Shapes, Bling – BG Bling It On

More butterflies and bling on this page. No special techniques here.

This is actually the "negative" from a butterfly chipboard (you'll see it on the last page) which I adhered on a piece of patterned paper.

Page 8: Wisteria Paper (White Dynasty), Bling – BG Bling It On

The lovely rub-on on the right side of the page is actually BG Bling It On which I absolutely fell in love with. I thought the rub-on and bling combo adds a nice touch to the page.

It adds a bit of sparkle, texture and dimension on the page. It's also very easy to use.

Page 9: Wisteria Paper (Stone Wall), Chipboard – Wisteria Chip Sticker Shapes, Bling – BG Bling It On

There's the butterfly chipboard! Can you see another Bling It On on the page? I scattered the rub-ons and bling across the page.

Here's the full album again.

All the Basic Grey products featured here are available at My Little Attic.

Thanks for looking!

I heart BG's Wisteria line

2009-10-30T20:06:00.002+08:00

I mentioned in my previous post that Lily Kate was among my favorite BG papers. That's because I love purple and similar colors. Lilac and yellow were our wedding colors. In fact, purple is one of the hot colors in fashion this year. I probably have more tops in various shades of purple than any other color besides black and white. Needless to say, when I saw the Wisteria line of Basic Grey, I was smitten.

Here's a layout I made using some Wisteria papers. It's called "Blooms" and features photos of flowers. The layout is about my love for flowers. Fortunately for me, Ariel loves to surprise me with bouquets of flowers every now and then. By the way, did you know that Wisteria is actually a vine with flowers in shades of purple, pink or white? Beautiful! I could use one of those in our yard. :D

I think I am currently in the Stickles phase. I use Stickles in practically every project I can manage to squeeze into my busy quarter 4 schedule. Notice the stamping? Another layout staple these days. Just trying to get the ROI on my stamp purchases. LOL!

The color of the acrylic paint I used on the chipboards is Wisteria. How cool is that? The shimmery splotches on the painted chipboard is yellow shimmer mist.

Materials used:

Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Wisteria (Willow, Pond, Jardin)
Cardstock – Bazzil (Light Green)
Chipboard Shapes and Alphas – Bazzil Chips and Basic Grey
Stickles
Acrylic Paint
Shimmer mist

Here's how I made the page:

Distress edges of cardstock with dye ink.
Trim the Willow paper to 11.5 x 11. Trim the Pond paper to 11 x 10. Distress the edges with dye ink and when dry, distress the edge with an edge distresser. You can also use the edge of your scissors to do this.
Assemble the two patterned papers on top of the cardstock, the smallest paper on top.
Adhere the photos on the page.
Cut a rectangular piece of light green cardstock. Distress with ink and stamp with journaling lines using dye ink.
Paint the alpha chipboards with yellow and the shapes with wisteria acrylic paint. When dry, spray with yellow shimmer mist to add shine.
Assemble the journaling card, title and chipboards on the layout. Add stems using a green cord.
Punch the edge of Jardin paper with a scallop punch. Cut ¾ inch strip of the punched paper. Distress the edges with ink. Adhere to the page just above the photo using foam adhesive.
Cut a ¼ inch strip of Willow paper. Distress with dye ink and adhere on top of the scallop strip.
Write the journaling and add stickles for some sparkle.

Thanks for looking! Watch out for my next post for more projects using the Wisteria line.

Basic Grey Wisteria is available at My Little Attic.

More Basic Grey Marrakech Projects

2009-10-29T22:04:00.008+08:00

Did you know that My Little Attic is one of the first, if not THE first, local store to bring Basic Grey to the Philippine shores? I fell in love with BG when I first started scrapping and soon I began hoarding the papers. Lily Kate was among my all time favorite lines. I still have a few papers left from my hoard (I used to buy 2 of each sheet!). I also still have Motifica and Skate Shop papers from my first few purchases. Now, I'm happy to be using some of Basic Grey's newer lines. One of these is the Marrakech line. I've already shared some projects at the MLA blog and also a few posts back in this blog (see it here and here). Here are a few more projects I created using the papers and chipboards of Marrakech.

First off is a 12 x 12 layout called East Mebon. I used a photo taken during our trip to Cambodia. When I saw the Darjeelings paper, I knew right away which photo I would use.

I stamped the journaling block and added hand-written journaling.

That photo corner is actually a chipboard covered with cardstock and stamped on.

Here are the materials used for this layout:
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Marakech (Darjeelings, Honeybush, Elderflower), Cardstock – Bazzil, Chipboards – Basic Grey Marakech and Bazzil Chips

And here's how I made it:

Ink edges of cardstock using chalk ink.
Cut an 11” strip from Honeybush paper. Ink edges.
Cut an 11 ¾” strip from Elderflower paper. Ink edges.
Cut pattern from Darjeelings paper. Ink edges.
Assemble and adhere the strips of paper on the cardstock.
Stamp journaling block on green cardstock.
Cover corner chipboard with green cardstock. Cut to shape. Stamp flourish on the covered chipboard.
Adhere journaling block, photo and chipboards.
Adhere title.
Write journaling.

The next layout is called Ocean Adventure. The photo was taken while dolphin watching in Dumaguete. While the papers are not those typically used for summer or beach layouts, I decided to give it a try since the colors match my and Ariel's shirts.

I added sparkle, dimension and texture using Stickles.

I also used stickles on the flower centers. And as always, I did a bot of stamping on my page.

Here are the materials I used for this layout:
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Marakech (Elderflower, Masala Bella, Honeybush), Cardstock – Bazzil (red), Chipboards – Basic Grey Marakech, Stickles

And here's how I made it:

Distress edges of red cardstock with dye ink.
Cut Honeybush paper into 7.5 x 12 and distress with dye ink.
Cut flower patterns from Masala Bella paper. Distress edges with dye ink.
Adhere photo at an angle on the top portion of the red cardstock.
Adhere patterns cut from the Masala Bella paper as well as chipboards on both sides of the photo.
Adhere the Honeybush paper on the bottom portion of the layout, overlapping on a portion of the photo.
Cut a strip of Elderflower cardstock and distress edges with ink. Adhere on top of the Honeybush paper leaving a small margin above.
Cut the title from the Masala Bella paper using Slice. Distress with ink to darken and increase contrast. Adhere on the layout.
Stamp a journaling block on the patterned paper using dye ink. Write the journaling.
Apply dots using Stickles on flower centers and across the Elderflower strip.

Finally, I made a card using scraps of paper leftover from the layouts.

My favorite element in the card is the butterfly that was stamped and embossed on vellum.

Here are the materials used for this card:
Materials: Card, Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Marakech (Vanilla Chai, Calming Moon), Ribbon – Basic Grey, RubOns – Autumn Leaves

And here's how I made the card:

Cut a 2 x 7 strip from Vanilla Chai paper. Distress with dye ink and adhere to bottom of card.
Punch a design along the border of the Calming Moon paper. Cut into 2 strips of 1 x 7 and .5 x 7. Distress the strips with dye ink. Adhere the wider strip on top of the Vanilla Chai paper and the narrower strip on the topmost portion of the card.
Stamp a butterfly image using pigment ink on the card.
Stamp flourish patterns on the card using Glue Pad and dust with Perfect Pearls.
Stamp another butterfly using embossing ink on a piece of vellum. Pour copper embossing powder on the stamped image and heat until the powder has been embossed. Cut along the pattern and fold wings. Adhere the body using dimensional adhesive directly on top of the other butterfly image.
Apply greeting RubOns on the card.
Adhere ribbon on the card.

There you have it. Basic Grey products are available at My Little Attic.

Thanks for looking!

Relax

2009-10-12T22:58:00.004+08:00

I made this layout over a week ago - after hybernating for about a month. To make it easier for me, I used the Documentary Kit of Studio Calico. The photo is of Ariel, chilling in Dumguete. Because there is a big white space on the photo itself, I decided to put the title on the photo, using Jessica Spragues digital stamp. Got this from her online class.

Despite the fact that this is a guy layout, I used butterflies, lots of them...

...and bling! I used black pearls to make it a bit masculine.

Actually, the earth tones on this layout helped make the "feminine" embellishments work for a masculine layout. At least that's what I think.

More Cards

2009-10-12T22:47:00.004+08:00

Nothing new here. These are the cards I made in Tagaytay but failed to take photos of.

Here, I used a shipping tag (thanks Tin!) which I distressed with ink and stamped. Then I embellished with scraps from Studio Calico's Soda Fountain kit.

For this one, I embossed a piece of brown cardstock using Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots embossing folder. Love it! Then I embellished the card with scraps from Studio Calico's Soda Fountain kit.

Both cards are very simple and easy to make, and are good ways to use up those scraps. :D

2nd Chance

2009-10-04T20:55:00.002+08:00

I bought a few colors of Paint Dabbers about a year or so ago. Didn't like it. Didn't work like I expected. I thought I got a bad batch since the paint was too dry to possibly seep through the foam cover. I never used paint dabbers again. Even after a few friends advised me to store them upside down.

Until I saw Jennifer McGuire use it in one of her tutorial videos. Not sure if watching her videos helped at all. I learned a lot...but it also made me want to have it all. Yup, I wanted to buy every single product she used in her 2-month Thinking Inking class. Including the Paint Dabbers.

So, when I went to Singapore and accidentally found myself in one of the dark corners of Made With Love (I swear I had no idea how I got there!), I picked up a few colors of Paint Dabbers. I opened and used them yesterday as I started working on a mini album. LOVE it! I used it on raw chipboard and I love the velvety texture it leaves. I also love that I I just have to dab the paint on the surface. No mess. No rinsing required. After I'm done, I just put the cap back on and I'm done!

I'm happy I gave the Paint Dabber a 2nd chance.

Clock Frame or something

2009-09-13T11:03:00.003+08:00

Ariel bought this in Bangkok last year and he's been bugging me to put some photos in for some time. I don't know why it took me so long to actually work on it but well, I finally did. Instead of three photos, I just used two and then I added a bit of scrapbooking in one of the circles. I just used paper scraps and some embellishments.

I love the liquid pearls! See those red dots and the gold strip on the butterflies? The butterflies were punched from scraps of paper using Martha Stewart's puncher.

And that lovely rubon is from K & Co. It comes with the bling. It's quite a challenge to rub it on the paper but I love the design and the blings! I still have a few sheets waiting for the special project to use it in.

Here is the whole thing. This clock frame, or whatever it is called, is now sitting by the side table of our living room, beside the phone.

Thanks for looking!

Scrapping my fave photo

2009-09-13T10:35:00.002+08:00

When I got the Studio Calico July kit "Documentary", I knew I will use it to scrap my favorite photo. I just love the colors, the patterns and it's great for a travel photo. So I printed my photo a bit larger than usual - 5x7 - so it will be a strong focal point.

This photo was taken in PreRup, one of the temples in the Angkor region of Cambodia. It was already our third day and we have become more comfortable with our guide Sophal so we were game for some cheesy shots. I love the texture of the wall behind us and I love that we were looking at each other. I experimented a bit with some actions and I love how it turned out.

I used a light blue cardstock - I thought it matches our jeans. I distressed the edges of all papers with ink so they don't look flat.

For the flowers, I inserted some foam adhesives under the petals. Then I adhered the center and the petal tips on the paper.

I just love the stamp that came with the kit. I also love those perforated tickets. I made a little ATC here which I used to embellish the page. The camera and the stamp stamp (get it?) emphasized the travel theme. The little ticket I used on the ATC was sprayed with water, crumpled, straightened out and inked.

I also distressed the flowers with ink. I added a few more stamping (from October afternoon) and more perforated tickets. Can you see the fabrips across the paper just below the photo? I love the fab rips!

Thanks for looking!

Guess Who's In Scrapstreet?

2009-09-01T20:07:00.002+08:00

Me! And a couple of talented Pinay scrappers. So head over to Scrapstreet and be inspired by the lovely layouts featured this month (my birthday month, no less!). My layout is featured on page 27.

Thanks for looking!

Scrapping in Tagaytay

2009-08-31T21:14:00.009+08:00

Last August 5, I joined some friends for a weekend crop in cool, hilly Tagaytay. We stayed at Tin's place and enjoyed a weekend of scrapping, food tripping, happy chatting (and a lot of talks on politics and cancer), photography and just plain hanging out.

We stayed here.

We walked around the village to take photos and played on the streets like kids.

I took a blurry shot of this flower - the wind was so strong for macro photography.

I caught the funicular trip downhill.

The caretaker planted some crops on the vacant lot adjacent to the house.

We had dinner in this restaurant with beautiful lighting fixtures.

We took photos of each other...

...and stuffed ourselves with mouthwatering treats.

This is Saturday night dinner...

...and we had a guest.

I opted for ravioli in tomato sauce.

I was among the first to go to bed - few hours of sleep in the few days leading up to the weekend.

The following day, we woke up the rest of the sleeping crew and caught sleeping beauty wearing her eyeglasses in bed!

I went out to take more photos and saw this quaint chapel from afar (thanks to my zoom lens).

This is the spacious living room.

And this is the harvest from the weekend's crop.

The girls taking photos of the exhibit.

A close up of some of my projects. I took individual shots except for the two cards in the bottom right corner below which I failed to take solo shots of.

Ariel picked me up around 11am and Au took photos of us.

My favorite shot for the day.

And here are my projects - two layouts and 5 cards (only 3 are shown below).
This, I think, is my all time favorite. I used a grid design and I distressed each square before machine stitching each of them to the page.

Some of the squares have additional details.

Here is my second page, featuring one of my fave vacay photos. More stitching courtesy of Mia's lovely sewing machine.

Finally, some cards. Here I used Tin's embossing powder and Lee's Doily puncher. Beautiful!

Another card. More stitching. More embossing.

Another grid design. I used all available stitches in Mia's sewing machine here.

Have yet to take photos of two more cards. Not a bad turnout for one weekend! Not bad at all!

Had lots of fun! I think I'm getting the hang of scrapping with a group. I am actually productive. Thanks to the girls for a super fun weekend and thanks to Tin for being a very generous host.

A Perfect Day - Take Two

2009-08-23T09:42:00.002+08:00

Here's the paper version. It's both very similar and very different from the digital version. What I love about this are the texture and dimension. I used a lot of pop-up foam adhesive here. I also like the real torn paper. If I can change something, I probably would use a lighter base paper instead of the dark green.

Can you see which elements are the same as the digital layout?

Here's a closer look. This layout has warmer colors than the digital version.

Except for the flowers (Heidi Swapp and Prima), all materials are from the Studio Calico June Kit - one of my favorites, so far. I've already done two other layouts and three cards using this kit though I have yet to post them.

I used the same photo but instead of adhering it flat on the paper, I used foam adhesive on some corners to add dimension.

There you have it - identical set of photos, two layouts. Which one do you prefer?

A Perfect Day

2009-08-22T16:41:00.003+08:00

I've decided to make two layouts using one set of photos. I've been wanting to try making two versions - a digital page and a paper layout.

At this point, I've only managed to finish one - the digital version. I already printed the photo and it will be scrapped shortly. Meanwhile, I'd like to share the finished digital layout which I also submitted to this month's Kaya challenge.

For this layout, I started by searching for 3 photos of myself. I opted to use photos from our 2007 Cebu vacation - when I was still fit and fab. LOL! I have recently purchased a template from We Are Storytellers (at 50% off!) and I've been itching to use them. Since the Kaya requirement was to use 3 photos, I thought it's the perfect opportunity to use the Photo Clusters #3 template.

I've already prepped the photo and actually printed it for the paper layout version. The next thing I did was search for the digital kit that will best showcase the photo. I opted for the Express Yourself kit by Ronna Penner. This is a free kit I've downloaded eons ago so I'm just happy to find a home for the lovely papers and embellishements. I chose this because of the clean design and of course, the pink paper and embellishments which perfectly match my outfit in the photo.

Here it is.

It's a very easy layout to make. I just layered, resized and added dimension through drop shadows. I added some "torn paper" effect which took too much time (anybody want to teach me the easy way of doing it?) but I love the effect. When I first finished the layout without the torn edges, it looked a bit flat and uninteresting. In paper scrapping, I normally distress the edges with ink to define the layers. So I decided to spend a bit more time and add the torn edges.

Thanks for looking!

Sewing Machine or Lens?

2009-08-22T08:08:00.001+08:00

In less than a month, I will celebrate my birthday. It will be a different celebration this time since I'm spending a couple of days with my entire family in Singapore, instead of just with Ariel which has been the case for the past 8 years.

Anyway, I've been thinking of my "wish list" for quite some time now. At some point, I was considering an iPhone.

I have an iPod touch and I love it. So I thought my next phone should be an iPhone. Later I thought it to be impractical considering that we have "free" phone with Ariel's corporate plan. And even if I ended up adding a few thousand bucks for the Nokia N97 model that I opted for, it's still tons cheaper than if I got the iPhone. After all, I've always had Nokia from the very first analog phone. And I still have my iPod Touch, which I now use as a portable movie payer. I'm not much of a music person anyway.

Then I went on a weekend crop with some friends in Tagaytay.

I grew up with two dressmakers for grandmothers. I've learned to sew at an early age and my Barbie doll matched my own outfits. It was only natural that I use stitching in my scrapbooks. In fact, I've already bought 2 sewing machines - an old heavy duty one which survived the Milenyo flooding but is no longer working at optimal levels, and a small portable one that can't handle cardstock. So I went on a hunt for the perfect sewing machine. And I found this.

I showed this to Ariel in one of our visits to Anson's. I told him I am considering this as a possible birthday gift from him to me. Anyway, when we went on a weekend crop in Tagaytay, Mia brought her Singer baby and let me use it. In fact, I made a couple of layouts and cards with machine stitching. I got to use ALL of the stitches available in this baby. Needless to say, when I got back home, I told Ariel that this is what I want for my birthday.

That is until August 15th when I attended the food photography workshop by Mr. Ricky Ladia. I went home thinking "I've got to have a macro lens!"

I am still researching but this is what I have in mind, so far.

Of course, an L lens is out of the question unless I plan to make money out of it so this is the next best thing. Since we are going to Singapore, I thought we'll check out the prices there first before actually making the purchase.

Any reco from my photography friends? I really have to make a good decision here. I can't afford to buy new lenses every now and then so this has to be THE macro lens I will be committing with for the rest of my life, probably. Is there a cheaper option? :D

Are you ready to JAM?

2009-08-12T09:31:00.010+08:00

The most exciting SCRAPBOOKING EVENT is happening this OCTOBER, and I feel so blessed to be part of it. Yup, I will be assisting in the classes along with the talented ladies of My Little Attic and Scrapbooks Hawaii.

If you haven's signed up yet, I suggest you hurry and avail of the EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT which was extended until August 20th. Details on the SCRAPJAM MANILA here.

Lots of goodies in store for the participants. The registration fee will definitely be worth it with all the kits, make and takes, raffle prizes, challenges, and the techniques you will get to try. Some of the SPONSORS are listed below. YUMMY!

Hurry! Slots are limited and the list of participants is getting longer. Join us for a fun-filled day of scrapping, chatting and shopping.

See you at the SCRAPJAM MANILA!

MLA Layouts

2009-08-05T17:42:00.006+08:00

Now that the news is out, I'd like to share some of the layouts I submitted to MLA. These are posted at the MLA blog, along with the project details. I just want to show a bit more behind the scenes photos and thoughts about these layouts.

This one started with the photo. I love the photo and I thought the Marakech line is perfect for this. I wanted to keep the overall look simple so I opted for a dark background which isn't so busy. Then I just added a splash of color, a bit of stamping and some dimension through the layered elements. I added the buttons on top of the chipboards and I thought they really made a big difference.

Here's a closer look. The word "unforgettable" was stamped and heat embossed.

And here's a closer look at the layered elements. That's a button on top of a chipboard on patterned paper.

This second layout also started with the photo. I desaturated the photo so that there's only that bit of yellow showing through from the camera strap. Because it was desturated, it can work with any patterned paper. I chose to work with blue since the photo was taken in summer, by the pool. More layered elements on this layout. Can you spot them?

More stamping too! The word "adventure" was framed with a label chipboard which I painted with crackle paint.

Look at those cracks!
But my favorite part of this layout are the dots of Stickles all over the page.

Finally, this box has been sitting on my scrap table for months. I painted the edges red and covered it with scraps from my two layouts. Here it is when it was still naked...

...and all dressed up!

Here's a view of the cover. The flower stem was first "painted" with Mod Podge and then sprayed with a shimmer mist. I love how it turned out.

And here's a closer view of the gorgeous flowers.

There's more where these came from so stay tuned. And, before I end this post, I just want to declare...

...I'm BG-challenged no more! Oh yeah!

Happy News!

2009-08-03T21:23:00.001+08:00

You can check it out here.

Thank God for the blessing!

It's 1:00am!

2009-07-31T01:00:00.003+08:00

And I'm still blogging! I'm still awake. And hyper. And not sleepy at all!

Earlier this evening, I met up with Cookie, Lee and Nina for dinner. It was our last hurrah with Cookie, as she is leaving for Australia this Sunday. We enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at Mesa in Greenbelt 5, followed by coffee and dessert at Seattle's Best. Our decision to go for Seattle's Best was based on the fact that they have two lovely iMacs available for use with a P250 purchase. What do we need the iMac for? Well, Lee couldn't wait to see the Idol entries. And so, we all stood there and gaped at the stunning entries this round.

Anyway, we had a good chat. Time passed really quickly and without realizing it, it was 10:30pm and domestic duties were beckoning us to come home.

Normally, when I go out with friends, I would be dead tired by 9pm. I would be itching to get home to sleep. So, I realized one thing tonight. When I am with fellow scrappers, and we talk about anything and everything about scrapping, I can go on all night without getting tired. It's not like we talked about new stuff. In fact, some of the things we talked about are the exact same things we discussed in each and every gathering we had in the past few months. And we still talked about it with the same fervor as if they were fresh news.

And so we bid dear Cookie farewell as she takes on a new adventure in the land down under. We will surely miss her.

Fabric Album Masterpiece (Warning: Lots of Photos)

2009-07-26T22:05:00.017+08:00

Finally, after several weekends of getting my hands dirty, I completed my fabric album. I started this when I attended the class at Visual Creations. Thanks to Mitch, Cabbie and Iris for teaching us the techniques and for inspiring us with their lovely creations. Without further ado, I present my masterpiece (drumroll please)...

I used more techniques in this album than any other scrapbooking project I've made. Here you will see that I stamped some words and a bird image (October Afternoon). The cluster of flowers at the left is a Rub-On from October Afternoon. I love it. It adheres very easily on fabric.

Here I stamped words again. The felt thingy below is from Prima.

More stamping on top of the cover - the stamp is from the Build a Frame set of Prima.

Here's the whole album cover. The album came in plain canvas. I first primed it with Gesso. I discovered that the best way to do it evenly is by using a palette knife instead of a brush. The thick Gesso applies like butter. Piece of cake! After the Gesso has dried, I applied acrylic paints, first with a palette knife, then with a brush. Using a brush brings out the texture of the canvas. I used a wet on wet technique where in I applied yellow green first and without waiting for it to dry, I brushed on some blues and reds. Since the paint underneath is still wet, it was easy to blend them together.

This album is about how we spent our 8th anniversary which was last April 18, 2009. I stamped the date using VersaFine. The flowers are RubOns from OA.

This is the first inside page. The fabric album comes with 5 canvas pages and 5 page protectors. This page alone boasts of several techniques. Can you spot all of them?

First, I primed and brush-painted the canvas. Then, I used a butterfly mask and sprayed Radiant Rain on it. I love how it turned out! The chipboard was painted with crackle paint. After drying, I spritzed a bit of water and brushed Perfect Pearls on it for a bit of shimmer. I also stamped some words on the background.

The paper that says "a day in the Life" was distressed with well...Distress Ink using an Ink Blending Tool. I also inked the edges of the fabric tag which I stamped with "Ariel Alby". The punched butterflies were also distressed with ink.

Here, I applied acrylic paint mixed with gel medium using a palette knife. It left a nice rough texture on the canvas. I distressed the paper, lace cardstock and the border edges with ink. This was my first attempt at tearing the fabric - inspired by Iris' sample album. Note to self: do not tear fabric that has been primed. It didn't turn out as good as I wanted.

Here you can better see the texture made by the paint and gel medium mix. I journaled about our first activity wherein we had a bit of fun snorkeling in a nearby marine sanctuary.

For the page protectors, we were supplied with Hambly Screen Prints! Yes, the kit contains 5 whole sheets of Hambly transparancies! At first I didn't want to cut them but well...what the heck. For this one, I decided to paint the other side. Not completely though, such that parts of the page are still transparent.

This is the side that I painted. I applied a thin layer of acrylic paint so that the design still shows through.

I stamped some swirls on this page but it didn't turn out good, so I applied Stickles over the stamped image. It added a bit of texture and sparkle to the page. Here, I journaled about our brand new aquasocks.

See those inverted words and numbers? That's a technique called Paper Peeling - shared by Cabbie at the class. I had so much fun doing this. First, I primed the canvas and let it dry (a heat gun helps speed up the process). Then, I applied gel medium on the paper, over the design that I want to show on my canvas. Then I adhered it to the page and rub it with a bone folder until it dries up a bit. Then I lifted the paper and scrubbed on the top layer using my fingers. Voila! The bottom part stayed on the canvas. This works very nicely with words (book pages) and musical notes.

Here, I painted the the canvas with a thin layer of acrylic paint (mixed with water). While still wet, I dropped alcohol ink on the canvas. The white specs on the fabric are pearl mixatives.

See the red and orange dots? Those are alcohol ink drops. I also distressed the journaling card where I wrote about our trip to Balanan Lake.

Here, I painted on the acetate again. The flourishes were cut using the Basic Shapes 3 Design Card of Slice. I love it!

I didn't paint this side so the design on the Hambly transparency is visible. I cut two butterfly shapes using a Cuttlebug die. I distressed them and layed them on the page. I journaled about taking the boat across the lake under heavy downpour.

Here, I painted the entire page with acrylic-gel medium mix using a palette knife. I finally got to use my lace cardstock which has been gathering dust in my cabinet for months! I also love the photo of Ariel which I took while descending the treehouse which I captured in the journaling.

Here are details of the paint texture. The stamp still looks very clear even if the surface was rough.

I love this page! I love the blending of the brown and pink pain! I used a palette knife here but I didn't add gel medium so the surface was smooth.

It's not very clear in this photo but I brushed Perfect Pearls on the bird for a bit of shimmer. Here I wrote about our adventure going up to the water falls.

I painted the transparency again. Then I stamped on the upper left side of the photo using Staz On. The grungeboard shapes were painted then brushed with Perfect Pearls for a bit of shimmer.

Here, I cut the clouds free hand from white cardstock. Then I distressed the edges with blue ink. I love how it turned out! Oh and my 9-month old Just the Edges (Bazzil) and Paper Frills made their first ever appearance here. LOL!

I only primed and painted 2/3 of the page here as I intended to cut thorugh the fabric for a journaling pocket. I also used a mask and then sprayed the fabric with silver Radiant Rain.

The grungeboard shapes were painted brown and then stamped on using Glue Pad. I then brushed the stamped image with Perfect Pearls for a shimmery impression. My journaling is about how I surprised Ariel with a sunset cruise.

Here I only primed and painted the edges of the fabric page. I stamped all around the edges with VersaFine. The image is much better on the primed and painted surface than on the plain canvas.

I stamped two butterfly images on a cardstock, cut around the pattern and layed them on this page.

This time, I adhered the photo behind the transparency so that it is framed by the print on top of it. I painted some parts of the transparency where I adhered some Whispered Words from Prima and a label word from Creative Imaginations.

Behind the transparency, I adhered a piece of cardstock to cover the photo. I used the CS as mat to the two small photos and the fabric tag which I stamped on.

I forgot to distress the tag like what I did in the first page. Oh well...

Here, I painted the transparency with several layers of paint, except under the photo, to make it opaque. First was a coat of white. When dry, I sanded it lightly and applied blue paint. Then another coat of white.

The reason why I didn't paint under the photo in the previous page is because I adhered this photo on the other side so it is framed with the design on the transparency.

I first painted the border of this page using a paint-gel medium mixture. Then I used a mask and sprayed Radiant Rain on top. The flowers and butterflies were first painted with acrylic. Then stamped and embossed with copper powder. I love the design! The stems and leaves were painted with crackle paint.

The butterfly can be pulled up to reveal the journaling which is about our dinner. The tag was distressed and then stamped with journaling lines (Creative Imaginations). The butterfly was adhered with foam tape.

Finally, the last page. More painting, stamping and distressing.

I used the Americn Crafts Minimarks rubons here.

The end.

Scrap Buffet and Beyond

2009-07-23T21:45:00.004+08:00

Here are some photos from the Scrap Buffet last July 11. I wish I took more pics but once the scrapping started, I didn't have time to take photos anymore.

Part of the buffet

With Cookie

My table

Photo courtesy of Lee

Busy scrapper

After the scrap buffet, Lee, Candy, Donna, Cookie and I went to Focacia at A. Venue for dinner. We ordered the Crazy Rolls which is similar to our C Italian Dining favorite, the Panizza. Since C is in far away Clark, we are content to enjoy Focacia's version of rolled pizza.

Lee and Candy

Cookie, Me, Donna

Ang saya namin, bakit kaya? There is a second version, but I decided
not to post anymore as Donna might never speak to me again. I'll hold
on to the soft copy though, in case I need one to blackmail Donna. :D

I had fun at the Scrap Buffet, and I certainly had fun at dinner! Next time ulit! But we'll miss Cookie and Donna!

Scrap All You Can!

2009-07-19T13:04:00.004+08:00

This is a bit late, I know. "Stuff" got in the way and I was only able to take photos today. Anyway, like I said here, I finished 5 layouts and 2 cards in the 6 hours I spent at the Scrap Buffet. Here they are.

First, we were given a kit that we were required to use for a sketch challenge. There were two sketches and we can choose one or both as inspiration for layouts using the kit provided. We were required to submit only one entry. When I opened my kit, I was shocked to see the papers. they were hot pink! And there were hearts. Lots of hearts. Needless to say, the color palette is something I wouldn't pick on my own. But a challenge is a challenge and this is supposed to bring out our creativity and a chance to work outside of our comfort zone so I gave it a shot. The next challenge is choosing the photos. Fortunately, the main photo I printed for this challenge (we were given the photo requirement prior to the event) had a bit of red in it so it sort of matches the color scheme. Whew! Here it is.

The base paper I used here is double sided and the other side is also pink!
My favorite part of this layout is the clustering of hearts on the title. I mounted two of the hearts using foam adhesive for a bit of dimension. And to unify all the elements, I distressed all edges using a chalk ink. Here are the details of the hearts.

After the challenge, the buffet table was opened and this is the layout I made using the first batch of papers I took from the buffet. I used one of my favorite Sassafras papers. I also picked a sheet of embossed vellum with butterflies. I only used one butterfly here, which I adhered on top of a butterfly chipboard.

The photo is 5x7 and I desaturated it a bit and added a frame from Jessica Sprague's photo editing class. The color of the frame served as the inspiration here. I picked papers that match the orange and blue frame.

I added the bling on the flower centers as well as the journaling card at home. All other materials came from the buffet. Yes, I actually painted a few chipboards in the event. I just did one batch with a few pieces (some swirls and butterflies) and decided later on that it's too time consuming so I didn't do it again. The head of the deer was adhered with foam adhesives for a bit of dimension while the legs were wet glued to the page such that only the head was lifted.

The third layout is my favorite in the batch. It was a very simple layout but I think the colors were perfectly coordinated to match the photo and the nature theme. My favorite element is the tag which I distressed and stamped on. I used an abaca-looking twine to match the nature theme. I just inked the butterfly chipboard and stamped on it using Perfect Pearls. The title was cut from green cardstock using Cuttlebug Dies.

Here's the detail on the butterfly. I added the bling and wrote the journaling at home. See that embossed vellum under the title? It's so pretty!!!

My fourth layout is an 8 x 8 which I made as part of our despedida gift for Cookie. I was not able to take a photo of it because I gave it to Cookie that same day. Anyway, I asked her to take a pic and send me the file so I can post it here. Will share as soon as I get it. :D

Meanwhile, here's the last layout which I did about 15 minutes before we packed up. I used a photo of Ariel while snorkeling. It's very quick and simple page actually. I wrote the journaling at home so I just left that journaling block blank during the event. The paisley print on the patterned paper was cut and used to depict water or waves.

Here's a closer look on the "waves". I mounted two of them on foam adhesive for dimension.

And here are the cards I made using scraps. I used the Sassafras paper scraps ont his first one.

Here I used the butterfly shapes which I cut out from the embossed vellum paper. I didn't bring sentiment stamps with me so the "a hello from me" sentiment was added at home. The flourish was stamped using Perfect Pearls. Ever since I watched Jennifer McGuire's Thinking Inking video, I've rekindled my love for Perfect Pearls, so they get to go with me on crop sessions again.

There you have it! All done in one day!

My Kaya 27 Entry

2009-07-19T12:14:00.004+08:00

This month's challenge is not that difficult, if you know what "thing" to scrap about. The use of mixed alphas is nothing new to me and I figured I'll put the layout together first and then select the alphas that will work well with the look of my layout. It didn't take long for me to figure out what "thing" I consider as one of my prized possessions. In fact, I love it so much that this isn't the first time I made a layout for it. However, I didn't think I did it justice the first time as that layout booted me out of my first Scrappin Moms Idol competition. So I thought I'll make a new one and give it the honor it deserves. Here's my layout in honor of my MacBook.

Here's a closer look:

One thing I do when I want a quick page is to break it down to a smaller layout like an 8.5 x 11 or an 8 x 8, then mount it on a 12 x 12. That's exactly what I did here. I used an 8.5 x 11 white cardstock which I distress with ink as base. After I've assembled everything on this smaller page, I then mounted it on my pre-selected 12 x 12 patterned paper. After that, I just added a few more embellishments and a bit of stamping to finish the page. I chose this Sassafrass line because the subject of my layout is a gadget. The robots kinda support the hi-tech feel. Anyway, the busy patterned paper was offset by the plain white CS so I thought it worked out pretty well.

See the details and the other entries here. I hope I get picked this time!

Fabric Album update

2009-07-12T14:16:00.002+08:00

I got to work briefly on my fabric album today. I finished one back to back non-fabric page and primed my cover. That leaves one more fabric page which will not contain any photo. One side will be the home for my journaling about our anniv dinner. The other side which is also the very last page will just bear my signature, it is a masterpiece after all - I'm thinking of stamping something like "Limited Edition by _____". We'll see. Darn, have to work next Saturday.

I am still thinking of what to do with the cover. I've already primed it with gesso. It's so much easier to use a palette knife rather than a brush. The gesso was applied more smoothly and more evenly than the pages where I used paint brush. Hmmm...maybe I can create a real painting using the palette knife. And I also fell in love with gel medium. I got introduced to gel medium in one of the Scrapfest demos by Iris Uy. She mixed it with acrylic to add texture to painted chipboards. It works just as well on canvas and I love it! I already have ideas. This fabric album really re-awakened my interest in painting.

Can't wait to finish my project!

No Leftovers Please

2009-07-11T22:41:00.002+08:00

I just got home from a super fun scrapbooking event. I am not sure what the event title was. I thought it was Scrap Buffet, but there was also a banner that says Scrap Your Stress Away. Hmmm...both are fitting titles actually. The first 30 participants got a 15 minute complimentary chair massage that lifted the burden of a hectic week's stress. Heavenly!

Now on to the buffet. There was a buffet table, but instead of food, scrapbooking supplies were served in little bowls and plates. The papers were hung on a rack. All we had to do was go around and fill our trays with the goodies. Just like in most buffet restaurants, the rule was "no take home and no leftovers". In order to prevent a stampede and scrap-crazy women from killing each other over paper, there was a policy of 10 embellishments, 3 patterned papers and 2 cardstocks per serving. After selecting the contents of our tray, we then proceeded to creating layouts, or cards using the materials. Then, once we've used up the supplies, we can go back for another serving.

I finished a record-breaking 5 layouts and 2 cards. I only mde 3 trips to the buffet table, and in the end had to return one cardstock and one patterned paper.

It was fun but nerve-wracking, specially in the last hour. We still scrambled to finish more layouts and get more stash from the buffet table, ignoring the hunger pangs and the announcement that the lunch buffet and later on, the snacks, are available at the food buffet. 10 minutes befire the scrap buffet closed, I gave up and decided to appease my hungry tummy. I took a quick snack and went back to finish my 5th layout.

Will take photos tomorrow and share my layout soon.

Thanks to Studio Azul who organized the event with the support of the PinoyScrapbookers mods and Visual Creations.

Sneaky Peaky of my Fab Fabric Album

2009-07-05T19:39:00.002+08:00

A little sneak peak on the fabric album I'm working on. Can't wait to share the whole thing! It's a masterpiece! I love it and most of all, I am having so much fun working on it. For the first time after many years, I am painting on canvas again.

I've also done a lot of techniques here and I am using most of my forgotten tools and supplies. I used the Perfect Pearls again. I used the Big Shot to cut some dies. I've finally used my Fancy Pants 12 x 12 clear stamps again, as well as the Prima Build A Frame clear stamps. My lace cardstocks finally found a home after so many months. So did some of my Prima felt shapes and Whispered Words alphas. This album is a combination of the old and new stuff, both in terms of materials and techniques. I'm down to one more fabric page and one acetate, plus the album cover. I will probably need one more weekend to complete it. Meanwhile, here's a little peak.

Have you seen this...

2009-07-05T09:18:00.002+08:00

...post by Lee? Hilarious!

How about the Thinking Inking class videos of Jennifer McGuire? You can check it out at her blog or the TwoPeas website. I've been applying her techniques to the fabric layout album I am working on. I'm far from done but I'm so loving the results. I am finally painting on canvas again! It's been ages since I did that. In fact, I still have at least 5 blank canvases at home. Anyway, back to the Thinking Inking videos, my favorite is using the ink blending tool. I always ink the edges of my papers. I do it in maybe 99% of my layouts. This technique and the blending tool really take my inking to the next level and I'm loving it. Because of that, I am finally using my Distress Inks, and ordered a few more colors from Studio Calico. I have a few colors already but now that I discovered a new use for it, a few more colors are in order.

The only thing I am not so hot about are the Paint Dabbers. I also have a few in my stash but they are al dry. I don't know what to do with them. Any tips?

So that's it for today! Happy Sunday everyone!

A Love Story

2009-07-04T21:22:00.004+08:00

This conversation happened this afternoon in the car. Ariel was about to drop me off at home before taking off to visit his parents. I was excited to resume my scrapping which was interrupted by the 30-minute visit to the vet.

Me: I'm going to miss you honey.

Ariel: No you won't. You'll be scrapping.

Me: Oh yeah, you're right. Ok then, have fun!

Ariel: Ok. You too. You turn into a single unattached woman when you're scrapping.

Me: Hindi naman! Well, sort of.

Isn't that sweet?

Welcome To My Playground!

2009-07-04T08:58:00.003+08:00

This is where I create beautiful works of art. It's my space and it's red - to inspire creativity. And I realized that since the makeover of my corner, I've actually created more layouts, mini-albums and other projects. I guess it's also because my stuff are organized in a very user friendly way. It's still work in progress, I constantly re-organize and fix it but it's all part of the fun.

And this is the latest addition to my space. Ariel keeps bugging me about my chair - an old white monobloc chair with cushion. I was perfectly happy with it but he thought my new space deserves a better chair. Who am I to complain? So about a month ago, and a little over 6 months after my space makeover, we got this chair. I would have wanted a more colorful one but my space is already red so I thought black would provide a good contrast. And if I get bored with it, I can always cover it with cloth. I'm a scrapper for crying out loud. I can alter!

It's got wheels so and it can rotate so I can easily move from one space to another (it's not a big space, mind you) with ease. The chair itself and the armrests can be adjusted to my desired height so it provides maximum comfort. The backrest can be fixed into position or tilted down when I want to relax my back a bit.

The arms can also be folded down. I do this when I need to stand up frequently to wash my brushes in the adjacent bathroom.

This is my little treasure trove. This is where I work to preserve precious memories. This is my home spa where I unwind and wipe out the stress of a hectic workweek. Welcome to my playground!

Tool-a-holic

2009-07-02T21:05:00.004+08:00

So, I'm thinking if I should get this.

I know I have far too many tools already. But I loved my Crop-a-Dile hole puncher and eyelet setter so much that I don't leave home for a crop without it. So this tool made by the same company should be another gem for a tool-a-holic like me. After all, I love rounded corners on my layouts and cards that I also don't leave home for a crop without my corner rounder. So what makes this special? Well, just like the hole puncher, it can cut through tougher materials like cardstock, acrylic, leather, etc., without much effort! How cool is that?!

So, should I give in and get myself a chomper?

Maybe I should just wait til honey surprises me with one. (*wink*)

Confessions of a Scrap Hoarder

2009-07-01T18:26:00.005+08:00

I'm probably not the worst hoarder in the planet. Not even in the Philippines. But I hoard nonetheless.

Two weekends ago, I decided to clean up my space a bit and reorganized some of my supplies. I started with my inks. I realized that my current storage system is not working. I have a basket where all my stamping supplies are stored - inks, acrylic block, stamp cleaners. However, I'm having difficulty looking for the inks that I need since I couldn't see all the colors right away. I had to take out some of the inks on top so I can see those underneath. So, I got out one of my unused toolboxes and decided to use it for my inks. Here it is now.

It's not that I have too much inks. I just have too many browns! Oh well, I love browns. And I always ink the edges of my papers. Maybe 99% of the time. So this is one supply that is worth what I paid for. Well maybe except for the pinks and oranges. I don't even know why I have those colors.

Next up, Alphas. I store my Alphas in two magazine boxes as shown below. I got those from the National Bookstore. I was surprised not because I have too many alphas - chipboards, die cuts, stickers, etc. - but that I have a lot of unused, unopened packs that go way back. Not only that, but I also have more than one pack of my "favorites". Take for instance the mini alpha stickers from Making Memories. I have those in all colors available. And I have 3 packs each of white and black. Another favorite is the Scenic Route alpha stickers. Again I have all sorts of colors and I have 4 whites, 3 reds, 2 greens, 2 blacks. I also have those MM shimmery mini alphas. And the Thickers of course! Anyway, I organized them by color and my biggest collection are the whites and browns/beiges/neutrals.

Finally, I decided to clean my clear stamps. I have them hanging on my clip it up and they've been gathering dust since I don't have a cover for my Clip It Up. I decided to take all of them out of the CIU and wipe them clean. Here is my mess.

I have far too many stamps! My faves are Fontwerks, Hero Arts, Basic Grey and Inkadinkado. Fancy Pants and Autumn Leaves have beautiful designs but the quality is not as good as the others. The worst are the Gel-A-Tins. I've already torn a few pieces and not after using them for a while. The torn pieces are all brand new! Too bad because I love their designs!

I also have a lot of those small stamps. A lot of them are still unused. Sigh. Here they are, all clean and ready to gather dust again.

So, what scrap supplies are you hoarding?

A 2nd "Pearly" Layout and 2 cards

2009-06-14T21:10:00.004+08:00

The following projects were made using Studio Calico's "Iconic" Kit.

This layout could also pass for this month's Kaya challenge but I already submitted one so I guess I'll just post it here. Anyway, it took a while for me to complete this layout because I struggled with the elements - like those yellow vinyl Thickers. I had to distress them a bit with chalk ink to mute the brightness of the color. Arggh...I really hate the viny Thickers! The adhesive is so gooey and they don't stick well. If I try to remove them, they leave a mark behind.

I added the pearls to the butterfly transparency (Heidi Swapp) for added texture and dimension. Oh, and those stamps are the cutest! I adhered the frame with foam dots to make it pop on the page.

The strip of paper that says "Soda Water" is actually a patterned paper from Jenni Bowlin. I just cut a one-inch strip, distressed it and pleated a few inches. The phone book page which I tore was really fragile. Not sure if it's acid-free since it is already falling apart. I used it anyway. LOL!

I made this card for a friend's baby shower. The train and giraffes were cut using the Animal Crackers cartridge of Slice.

The next card is for my dad on Father's Day. I used the stamp from the Iconic Kit.

The stamped image is actually adhered on the inside page of the card. I just punched a semi-circle on the cover.

The message explains why I used the guy holding an umbrella. :D

And this is the envelop. I love the colors!

Thanks for looking!

Dream

2009-06-12T14:06:00.005+08:00

I'm happy that I was able to complete my Kaya entry today. This is one of my favorite solo pics from our trip to Cambodia. I thought I would document my dream of traveling the world someday. I'd love to see places of historic, religious and cultural significance. I want to see art, architecture, natural wonders. While we jump at any chance to go out of the country, right now our priority is to see most of what the Philippines offer. We have some of the best beaches in the world and a whole lot of natural wonders.

Anyway, here is my layout. I love the many elements I've layered on the page. Sometimes, I just let myself go and have fun with embellishments.

(NOTE: I had to remove the photo of my layout as it has been submitted for publication at Scrapstreet. Watch out for it! )

This month's Kaya requirement is to use pearls. I don't have a lot of pearls in my stash but I didn't scrimp on this page.

I've had this BG chipboard set for quite some time and I'm glad to finally let it out of its plastic packaging and use some of the shapes in my layout.

That frame is from Maya Road. I painted it with a mixture of acrylic and gel medium. Instead of using brush, I used the flat end of the American Crafts rub-on tool to apply the paint for some texture. Oh, and that postal thing in the frame is a stamped image which I heat embossed. It's been a while since I did some heat embossing.

You can see the layout details and the other gorgeous Kaya entries here.

TFL!

On a Roll

2009-06-09T20:19:00.005+08:00

I haven't been scrapping for quite some time, save for the mini I rushed for my cousin's daughter (my inaanak). So, after my dad's party last Saturday, where I cooked 7 roasted chicken and 2 kilos of penne putanesca, I decided to unwind in my scrap area. I finished one layout that night but my brain was packed with layout ideas that I've been itching to put into action. So, upon waking up on Sunday morning, I dug through my photo stash so I could scrap. I managed to complete three more layouts.

Here they are in random order.

1. U & I. This is actually the last one I completed on Sunday. I had the sketch in my mind all night and couldn't wait to execute. In my mind, I already decided to use a white CS as base and a small photo. I just had to search for the right patterened paper. This one from Webster's Pages happened to be sitting on top of my stash and it was perfect. I've been saving it for THE right layout and this is it.

No complicated techniques here. I just distressed the edge of the white CS with chestnut chalk ink (which I do 90% of the time!) and cut the patterned paper. At first, I adhered the photo directly on the white CS and drew a line around it to frame it. I didn't like it so I decided to cut a rectangular piece of paper from the same Webster's Pages paper and used it as a mat. Love it! As a finishing touch, I used American Crafts Minimarks for my title (U &I) and added Prima Say It In Crystals. I love how it turned out. It's exactly how I envisioned it.

2. Psst...I Love You. This is the 3rd layout I finished this weekend. I used the February kit from Studio Calico for this layout. First, I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Screens (Fanciful Stencils) and sprayed Glimmer mist on them against the black cardstock base. Finally, I was able to take the stencils out of the box - I bought them over six months ago!

Anyway, I've set aside the sprayed CS to dry. Meanwhile, I painted the chipboards with acrylic (and the bird wing with crackle paint) and sped up the drying with a heat gun. Then I sprayed them with the same Glimmer Mist and let dry. As a final step, I used my god leafing pen to add more sheen onto the chipboards.

After the CS has dried, I noticed that it curled up and wouldn't flatten. That's when I decided to mat it on red patterned paper. I trimmed it a bit to allow about half an inch margin around the matting. Then I assembled the page. It was a very quick process save for the drying time of the CS.

Here's a bit of detail on the chipboard flowers.

3. Photo Shoot. This is the second layout (first on Sunday morning) I made using the February Kit of Studio Calico - Fortune Cookie. Been wanting to scrap these photos and am happy to finally do it. The photo tabs and the journaling tag were cut using Slice. Coolness! I've ran out of letter "o" so I used zeros ("0") to complete the title.

The sticker "Expressions of Love" on the upper left portion of the page refers to the facial expressions in the photos and to the act of love Ariel showed by coming with me to the studio for a photo shoot even if I knew he absolutely hated it. Sweet!

My favorite part is the upper right corner. I folded the base paper and attached a chipboard flower which I sprayed with Glimmer Mist.

A closer look at the flower chipboard - I added the red pearl at the center.

4. One Fine Day. This is the layout I finished on Saturday, also using Studio Calico's Fortune Cookie Kit. I love the chipboards in that kit, specially the birds. I used one of the birds here and one of the trees, as well as some flowers - all were sprayed with copper Glimmer Mist. They retained their color but are now shimmery.

What I love about this layout is the photo and the layered elements on top of it. I used foam adhesives to add dimension to the layered embellishments.

Oh, and I love the rub-ons (Narratives by Karen Russell for Creative Imaginations).

Here's a closer look.

Got to have more of those rub-ons.

Thanks for looking!

A Mini for Jana

2009-05-30T14:00:00.008+08:00

Last Saturday, May 23, I started and completed a mini album for my inaanak - Jana, daughter of my cousin and maid of honor, Jo-Ann.

I used mostly October Afternoon papers. I purchased the Daydream and Detours paper packs about a year ago and I've only used some of the papers. I thought this album would be the perfect project for this adorable paper line.

I decided to make the album 6 x 6 but I cut the papers to 5 13/16 so the inner pages will be slightly smaller than the 6x6 cover page. But then, after cutting everything to that size, I realized it didn't matter because I decided to use Zutter's Cover Alls and it's the coolest thing ever! :D

Here is a photo of the cover. In the interest of time, I decided to make a very simple cover design with just a bit of embellishments.

For the first time, I used the big sheet of Prima Say It In Crystals bling that I bought several months ago. I just used a few swirls here.

Oh and one other thing I used for the very first time is Zutter's Perfect Closure. I only bought one so now I have to buy again for future use.

I printed a 5x5 photo of my niece-goddaughter and used it for the 1st page.

The next spread shows Jana at birth held by the OB-Gyne who delivered her by emergency C-section on May 26, 2008. I added a journaling card so my cousin can write sme trivia related to Janna's birth (e.g. doctor, hospital, etc.).

This one shows the proud dad and the still groggy mom. I used chipboards to say "Love" and MM stickers to say "at first sight". I added die-cut thought balloons so mom and dad can write their thoughts on how they felt the first time they laid their eyes on baby Jana.

I love those adhesive backed alpha chipboards from Prima.

And I must have a dozen packs of the MM Alpha stickers in al sorts of colors.

This spread shows Jana with mommy.

This is one of my favorites. It shows some sweet moments with dad.

A few solos of Jana. I love that pack of tickets from Tim Holtz. I used it a lot on this mini. And the stamp "LOVED" is from Autumn Leaves.

A few more solos. The base of the page on the right is actually Hambly transparency. The flower and swirls perfectly match the opposite side.

The left page shows the Maya Road scroll chipboard and Prima flowers that match the other side of the transparency.

At a very early age, Jana has shown fascination with Barney. When watching a Barney show, she would stand up on her crib the whole time, in utmost concentration. The right side of this page is another piece of Hambly transparency.

I inserted a journaling card for mom and dad to write their thoughts on Jana's interest in Barney.

The Uy family - my cousin Jo-Ann, hubby Alfred and 1st baby, Jana.

I used another Tim Holtz ticket here, perfect for Jana's giggly photos. And look at those chubby feet!

Jana with her doting grandmas and grandpas.

Here is Jana with her cousins. I added chipboard tree and bird from Maya Road to add interest in this page. I painted them with crackle paint for some texture. I thought the chipboards match the paper perfectly.

This page is Jana with her young pals. The boy on the right page (and top left) is actually her cousin Riley who is a year older than she is (just like Jana's mom and I). The "best friends" sticker is from 3 Bugs In A rug which I've had for quite some time now.

This spread is about Jana's extended family. On the left is Jana with her grandma and grandma's sister and brother-in-law. I inserted a file folder so mom can jot down notes about Jana's Lola Uring and Lolo Ped.

On the right side is Jana's dad's family. Dad can write on the file folder about being the first niece and grandchild in their family.

Finally, the end! I inserted a note with my birthday greetings to Jana.

I love making minis!!! And it's so easy to do! I hope my cousin and her hubby like it, and I wish Jana will enjoy looking at it when she grows up.

Hop On

2009-05-21T07:15:00.002+08:00

...to my other blog to read about our latest adventure - a weekend beachcapade in Zambales.

And the winner is...

2009-05-09T00:35:00.010+08:00

I'll get to that in a while.

Last week, I showed this to some friends and told them that I like it. And they both said that it's nice but it's totally not my style. I was shocked.

Me: What do you mean, not my style? This is so my style. I like clean layouts with minimal embellishments.

Them: Yes, but your layouts are always neat, carefully measured, with straight lines, uniform margins, etc. This one doesn't have straight lines, a bit rough on the edges, etc.

I immediately browsed my blog to show them that I do have "crooked" layouts. After several minutes, I still couldn't find one. So, I told them I was going to make a "crooked" layout over the May 1 long weekend.

The result is my NSD digital layout.

I showed it to them the following Monday to prove that I can make layouts with elements that don't line up perfectly. It was while showing it to them that I spotted my little "mistake".

Care to take a guess again? Here it is. On top is the original layout. Below it is the "corrected" one. Spot the difference.

So, based on the responses, I will reluctantly admit that I am OC when it comes to scrapping! Gasp! Not just paper scrapping, mind you. Even in digi-scrapping. Double gasp!

Ok, most of the time I just eyeball the measurements. But if things look crooked, I get my ruler and measure. The thing is, I never realized it until my friends pointed it out!

In digital, I'm OC about shadows. Ok, there's your clue. You see, I want my digital layouts to look like paper layouts. And one way of accomplishing that is through shadows. Elements that look bulky in a paper layout should cast the biggest shadows. I'm OC in that way. I play around with shadow settings to make a "realistic" page. So, my mistake in the layout above is that I missed adding shadow to ONE element. That's because I added that last and forgot about the shadow. Can you spot which one it is now?

Ok, it's the brown ribbon. Since it is pleated, it should look bulky, like in a paper layout. Hence, it should cast a shadow so that it wouldn't look flat.

I had a good laugh reading through the comments! Thanks for playing along girls!

And the winner is...

Marian -1
Karen - 2
Candy - 3
Bjay - 4
Jeanie - 5
April - 6
Trina - 7

Congratulations April. You will receive the full set of Coke Smile Glasses and Coke coasters. Please email me where you want these sent.

Summer Kickoff

2009-05-06T22:51:00.006+08:00

It's been a while since I last made a digital layout. So, for National Scrapbooking Day, I decided to make one. Ok, I admit, I was feeling lazy and I didn't want to create a mess in my scrap room. So I figured, a digital layout will be perfect. However, I was too lazy to get up, get my external hard drive and browse through hundreds of digital kits I've accumulated over the past year or so. Hence, I just chose among the more recent kits I've downloaded (all for free, of course!). I decided to use Jessic Sprague's Thank Ya Kindly and Shabby Princess' Happy Go Lucky kits.

Well, here it is.

The photo was taken at the Antulang Resort in Dumaguete where we spent our anniversary last April. It was a bit cloudy and windy so we decided to just hit the pool instead of the beach since the waves are a bit angry. We used a point and shoot encased in waterproof housing to take this photo. It was our first day so this really kicked off our summer.

-------------------

I noticed that I made a little "mistake" in the above layout. Can you spot it?

I'm giving a complete set of the Coke Smile Glasses plus a set of Coke coasters to those who can guess the correct answer. Post your guess on the comment section. You have until 11:59pm, May 8, 2009. One guess per person only.

If no one gets the correct answer (that means it's nothing and I'm just being OC), I'll draw a winner from all those who left a comment.

Sorry, open to Philippine-based Pinay scrappers only. I don't have the resources to send the items abroad. Unless, you are abroad but you want your prize sent to a Philippine address.

Late Bloomer

2009-05-03T21:57:00.002+08:00

I only started buying flowers last year, after almost three years of scrapping. I've bought a few every now and then, but last year, I really bought lots and lots of flowers. You can call me a late bloomer. So now, I have more flowers in my flower drawer than I can actually use on my layouts. So what's a girl to do?

Why, make cards of course!

Here's one way to use up all those leftovers. This works best with small flowers of all shapes, sizes or color. Fill in the gaps with very tiny flowers.

Can't wait to give this to my mom on Sunday!

Photos and a recipe

2009-04-25T21:49:00.000+08:00

Click here.

I miss...

2009-04-11T18:03:00.003+08:00

...this.

MyScrapworks was my first scrapbooking community. I was a hermit scrapbooker until I joined Scrapmeet organized by the MyScrapworks team. There I met Mabelle and the rest is history. I started writing for the monthly column Photo Rx. We used to meet regularly to share a bit of scrapbooking news, swap layouts, eat, etc.

I miss the website. I was really so blessed to be part of it. I thought we did a pretty good job coming up with great articles, useful tips and tricks, interesting interviews with celebrity scrappers (Valerie Salmon, Leah Fung, Anna Cabrera, etc.).

I miss the girls - Mabelle, Anj, Carrie, Airees and Lala. Sigh.

And I miss Scrapmeet! I think it was the best scrapbooking event ever. Sigh again. I was able to attend two. I missed the third one because I was in Malaysia that time. Too bad, because it was then that I was part of the organizers.

Oh well. Life goes on.

Magazine Junkie

2009-04-09T08:15:00.002+08:00

Before scrapbooking, I have subscriptions to:

Good Housekeeping
Real Living
Travel and Leisure
Reader's Digest

Since I started scrapbooking, I dropped all of the above and switched to:

Creating Keepsakes (3 years)
Simple Scrapbooks (2.5 years)
Paper Crafts (1 year already)

I still get GH and RL through Ariel's freebies at work. I still get to read RD at work - borrowing my colleague's freebies. But I miss reading Travel and Leisure!!! Now that Simple Scrapbooks is a goner, maybe I can subscribe to T&L again - after all, it costs a lot less than any of the Scrapbooking magazines.