Tis the season to share

In 15 minutes it'll be 15 days to go til Christmas, and in 12 days we'll be back home (in good ol' Philippines) to spend the holidays with family. I can hardly wait! My sister (Kathy) and I have been exchanging mails and counting down the days. They're more excited about seeing their niece than seeing me. My mom and dad are a tad more excited (if that's possible) and have been helping to plan their first grand-daughter's second birthday. I swear if it weren't for them we'd only be having a modest get-together at home, but it seems they've invited their own friends (apart from our relatives) and now we've got a full-blown party. The theme this year is "stars" (colors: pink and silver) and I've only just started to make the invitation (design and message). Good thing the venue (catered food) have been handled so the decorations, guest list and loot bags are the only things left. *sigh*

On a good note, at work our last cutover was done (with a snag, but thank God it was fixed!) and I also got this layout I've been planning to make for Ces (my mommy at the scrapping monito-monita) done:


I've been dying to lift Jamie Waters work "Kira" (from Scrapbooks Etc, October issue) but didn't know what photo to use. This was definitely a stroke of luck and I find that making use of real scraps for the background saves on paper aside from making a great backdrop for the white lace cardstock. I definitely plan to do this again since I had great fun making it.

I'd also like share these great works from Ces and Andros from our recent scrapmeet, aren't they just so sweet?

And finally, a thank you card that I made from a few weeks back. I'm hoping I can get more cards made since work is supposed to slow down this season.

Happy Holidays and thanks for looking!

Rain

"Rain"

The last challenge we had was to create a layout for our mom/dad so I made this one of Rain (at the pool of a condo here - Sunglade). Ate Rowee liked it! (which made me doubly happy!) but I really wish I had more embellishments and more time to finish this properly. =)

After 10

It's eleven o'clock now and I've just tucked myself in for the night after a day of scrapping with the ladies of Scrappersatsg.

It was our Annual Christmas Party (yup, in November!) and it was definite blast! We started off with a guessing game for our Monito-Monita (Secret Santa). My Monito (or Monita?) was Andros and here are the layouts I made (which I couldn't post immediately because it would give me away).

"All Smiles"

The challenge went something like this:

Something round and something clear, so sorry that deadline is near... Then, add something hard, definitely not lard.


"Fab Five"

The second challenge mechanics were:

Something long, something small, that's not all but you'll never go wrong then add something soft to finish it off.

The last challenge was to make a layout for your mom/dad. Mine was Cecel and I decided on 2 photos - one of Rain (her niece) and she and her husband. I wasn't able to take a picture of the finished layout of Rain but I intend to finish the one I have of her (and her husband) and photograph it soon.

{Create} Challenge
"Funny Pink Riding Hood'

Eye of newt, toe of frog, adder's fork, lizard's leg and fillet of a fenny snake, those are the ingredients for this latest concoction of mine. Thanks to the sweet and encouraging words (and works) from fellow scrappers, I've been inspired to finish this entry to Sookie's "witchy" November challenge for {Create}. My only problem with it are that the "swirls" may not look like swirls (but they are!).

Materials:

Bazzil Blackbird, White and Light Pink, Grant Brights Pink, Sassafras Serendipity "Sunshine Lollipop", Doodlebug Limeade Serenade, KI Memories Pop Culture, Basic Grey chip stickers, Bag o' buttons, Francheville mini brads. and white metallic clip.

Techniques:

Handcutting, Used decorative scissors and Craft Robo (lettering)

Hope everyone has a great week!

The Apple of My Eye

HMITM # 92
"The Apple of My Eye"

I've been struggling to finish this Sunday night but I wasn't able to. I've been having "scrapper's block" (is there even such a word?) for a while and I can't seem to finish a layout. I'll start off strong, maybe even lay out the details and embellishments, then half-way through I'll change my mind and use a different design/element.

For this challenge, we needed to make use of 9 different colored cardstock and 2 staples. After finally managing to make use of 9, I couldn't factor in the staples so I left it at that (or I wouldn't be able to finish!). The butterflies were cut using Craft Robo (the big ones are paper-piecings, tedious but worth it!), and even the bright green "lace cardstock" with apple print was cut using that machine (too bad it can't cut 12 x 12 paper or I'd be making lace cardstocks by the bulk).

Our Monito-Monita at Scrappersatsg has started and I can't wait to scrap!

All Boxed Up

Kayang-kaya Kaya Challenge # 18
"All Boxed Up"

My first ever entry to the Pinoyscrapbookers blog (aka Kaya Challenge). And since it was hosted by the talented Marix I just can't help but join. I had a great time thinking of ways to make this layout "edgy". The edges on the cardstock were hand-cut (after tracing from a PP). The same goes for the orange PP.

I'm loving all the new glitter lace cardstock (bought me some "glitter" patterned papers from MWL just last weekend). Which reminds me... I need to post in the MWL forum so I can swop some of my "monster" coupons-cum-puzzle so I can finally complete one picture. I'll try to post here as well. =) On a side-note, I drew one of those 40% and 25% off (whole purchase!) coupons and can't wait to use 'em.

Now I need to create 1 more layout for a challenge (Color Combos or HMITM), 2 non-related-challenge layouts, finally get starting on that mini album (sadly methinks this will not be done in time for christmas this year given the current state of things), revamp the look of my blog and those tags!

Thank You cards

It's been weeks since I've posted, and not half of my goal list has been ticked off... *sigh*... but I'm trying! Yes indeed-y... I finished these cards (and 8 more 6x6 ones) just today and I must say it was no easy feat (given that I've been going crazy with work nowadays).

The photos of Nash go inside. Hopefully mommy A will like 'em. =)

and bushy tailed

Scrappersatsg Challenge # 24
"Bright Eyed Little Baby"

Jillian was 4 months and 9 days old when we had her christened. Her head was balding in places and the few pictures we got (showing the back of her head) were hilarious.

This was one of the few photos (taken by Tanya) that were decent enough to scrap.

The original title I had in mind for this page was "Bright-eyed and bushy tailed" but I didn't know if all the Thickers/stickers would fit (I had a hard time just thinking of all the 24 stickers I had to use!). In the end, it looked okay. The color scheme is nice, (obviously) bright, and not my usual safe, pastel colors.

I've been too busy at work so I think I'll give myself some creative time (I think I'm experiencing some withdrawal symptoms from not having scrapped for so long). So here's my goal list for the month to keep the creative juices flowing and to balance out my daily routine:

1. Create at least 3 layouts for 3 different challenges. Bonus: I need to use bright colors or at least not my "usual" color scheme.
2. Create a mini album for mom (for when we go home in Dec.)
3. Create a new banner for my blog and update the color scheme (white?)
4. Create tags for our christmas gifts.
5. Create 2 new cards and 2 new layouts (not related to any challenges)

Flying High...

Scrappersatsg Challenge # 23
"Flyer"

It's been a while since I posted. I wish I had more time to do this challenge (I love both ads!) but work won't permit me. I'm missing my scrapmates as well, hope we can get together soon.

Smiles and tears...

"Smiles"

Thanks so much Marix! Such a sweet gesture... super bait mo talaga! :) and I really appreciate all your wonderful comments.



I would like to pass this award to those whose sites I frequent as well:

Michelle - a lovely lady with a very creative soul
CJ - a fantastic scrapper with a bright personality
Abby - a sweet lady with a knack for making unique projects (and layouts of course!)

Check out their fantastic creations!

"Tears"

I bought "New Moon" today and couldn't help but start reading immediately. I've only read until Chapter 4 and I can't remember the last time a book touched me as much (nakaka-iyak! Gosh, I feel like a teenager instead of a mom...).

Two for the road

Card Maps (Sept 08)
"Smile"

Two (very simple) cards I did last night. I'm hoping my card skills will kick in thru practice. =)


"Miracle"

September's here! Just a few more months and it's Christmas, right? So here's my first card of the season. =D

This takes the cake...

Tadaa... after days of "baking" and decorating, it's finally finished. My 4-tier diaper cake for Alex.

Materials: 1-inch ribbon (Celebrate) in red and dark blue, blue satin Craft ribbon, 2-inch baby-blue glitter ribbon, and thread.

Baby stuff: 2 pacifiers, 3 pairs of socks, baby shoes (Mothercare).

Essentials: 58 pcs newborn diapers (Pampers), 3 pcs 60ml baby bottles (Avent), J&J baby powder, baby oil, small wipes (packed inside), baby cotton buds (Tolly Joy)

Dark blue circular place mat (base) from Daiso.

Jillian's card

From CPS# 77 - Jilian's card

Zzzz

Scrappersatsg Challenge # 22 - Altered
"Jillian's mini album" (back page)

Just last night, I finished this page. Looking at the photo, I was fighting off the impulse to just close my eyes and drift off as well. In the end, everything looked peachy (and pink!). =)

I wonder if I'll ever get to do another mini album. It's a great way to use your stash and easy to fill in (due to the small size). The only down-side is that the pictures need to be of a certain size.

That's another one (or two?) off my list! An altered project and a mini album!

Paper and wood

Just wondering, should I consider changing the title of my blog? These aren't exactly "paper" creations anymore. But then again, strictly speaking, I didn't "create" the wooden album either.

This picture is one of Jerome's faves. Jillian doesn't usually pose in front of the camera.

She doesn't smile either, which makes this photo quite rare.

This one's from her first visit to the airport (to send off her tita - my sister Kathy). She looks like a little girl (instead of toddler) here. *sigh* how they grow up so fast.

One of my fave pics! Jerome captured her in one of her "playful" moods.

And this one was taken on her first ride on a "mini carousel".

Jillian's first mini album

It was a thursday night and I was thinking of altering my old wooden doll house (the one which looks like a puzzle and you have to build a piece at a time?). I thought of using all my old scraps (color theme - pink, purple and white) which would really help to get rid of the paper I didn't know what to do with. I was also planning on using all the brads, buttons and eyelets as well - which would really make it one-of-a-kind.

I was done with a part of the attic (roof and facade) when I realized I would never finish it by Sept. 5... well, at least not this year.

I ended up buying this wooden crown mini album (from Kaiser Kraft).

Scrappseratsg Challenge # 22 - Altered
"Jillian's mini album"

Needless to say, I still got to use all the old paper and scraps I've been wanting to get rid of. Even if this just turned out to be "mini-layouts", it was great fun finally making an actual "mini album". The most time-consuming part was finding out what exactly to put at the top of the page (since I only had pink, green and blue crystals) and balancing everything out.

Of booties and blogging...

Scratch one off my to-do list - I got to do two cards! Hurray! This one's not based on CPS or Card Maps though, but the other definitely is. I used Jennifer Miller's design ("First baby card") in baby creations mag, and I used sketch #77 from CPS for the other one (which I'll post as soon as I take a decent photo of).

I also got to do the diaper cake! I'm probably 70% finished (I just need to put in a few more ribbons and make the box). I was pleasantly surprised to find that shaping and molding it into a "cake" wasn't as tedious and time-consuming as it first seemed. And i'm so happy I did it! Love the color-combo (hope to take a picture of it during the weekend).

I haven't blog-hopped (or even surfed) for the entire week so I didn't hear the news that I got a wonderful RAK from the lovely ladies of {Create}! I feel so grateful and blessed! Especially after these past 2 tiring and hectic weeks (work was more toxic than usual). Just one more day and it'll be the weekend... I can't wait!

A touch of Gold...

What a sweet start to the week. =) I received this from Marix, whose blog is one of those I frequent daily for my "scrapping fix" (and for the loads of other scrap-related links):

Thanks so much! Here are the rules:

1. Only 5 people allowed
2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award

I've chosen the following:

Abiik

Ces

CJ

Karen

Ate Rowee

Rain, rain...

HMITM Challenge # 86
"Walking on Tiptoes"

It's raining here and so I got to finish this week-in-the-making LO (at last!). Definitely a "challenge" as I needed to squeeze 33 patterned paper pieces. I'm not sure if the holes really count (and if the epoxy labels can be considered "tags"), but if they're not I'm still happy that I got to finish. Sadly, this didn't make it as the deadline was Aug. 11. =(

On a happier note, Scrappersatsg Challenge # 22 is up (quite a "challenge" as well). I'm pretty much finished with my end-of-July goal list so I'm making a new one:

1. Enter at least 2 projects to CH#22
2. Make 2 cards (both to be given to friends) based on CardMaps or CPS
3. Make a diaper cake (and need to do this soon!)
4. Make a mini-album

For item # 1. I don't know if I can enter Jillian's name letters:

I made these in Nov. 2006 when we were decorating/preparing her side of the room (which takes up half our bedroom). I haven't been introduced to scrap-booking yet (although the paper I used here are acid and lignin-free patterned paper bordered by Pebeo 3D paint) and I was doing very simple journalling. I think they're too simple to enter to the challenge but I can't help reminiscing. I can't believe it's been 20 months since Jillian was born and almost a year since I started scrapping and so much has changed.

I wonder what I'll be up to in another 20 months... wonder if it'll also be raining...

Finished!

Jiroken's Sketch # 2 Challenge
"Sesame Sweetie"

I finished this layout just today and I must say that even if I wasn't able to enter it to the challenge (too late already, lah) I feel good about how it turned out (considering I had several title changes). I'm not sure, as well, if it would have fitted the challenge mechanics as the title is supposed to be diagonal.

On a side note, I was able to send my entry to Scrappin Kids challenge since I'd already done a "water"-based layout some time before ("Baby Bath Bubbles"). I've never entered it into any challenge, so that was a stroke of luck. I'm just a bit concerned that the pictures were of Jillian after her bath so there really isn't any "water" in the photos. Hmm...

Because of the extra time, I got to make a few simple cards. I'm hoping I'll develop more skill to do a better job but for now these have made me pretty happy.

1. For Amy's little boy:

2. For Amy:

I better check out some of the good sites for card sketches as I'd like to try my hand on making more of 'em.

On a sad note, I don't think I'll be able to enter Laine's August challenge because I don't have any word stamps (or inks for that matter). Guess I'll start on HMITM's Challenge # 86 which is quite a challenge:

Use 33 pieces of patterned paper
Use 8 buttons and 4 tags
Use your own writing

Uggh, I hate my handwriting...

Happenings...

For starters, the Beijing Olympics started yesterday and I got to watch the opening ceremonies in the hospital. Not because of anything bad, on the contrary, a couple of friends and I went to Mt. Alvernia to visit our good friend A who's 7 months pregnant and who needed to give birth.

So here's wishing our new mommy A a swift recovery and good days ahead! And a very warm welcome to Alexander Julius Dempsey! Coincidentally born on Singapore's 43rd Birthday! What a happy start to the day...

And 3 other things which have added to my happiness:

1. My finished LO for the Scrappersatsg challenge:

Scrappersatsg Challenge # 21
"Sleeping"

I technically used 6 craft-related stuff for this LO: 1. Decorative scissors (pink trimming at the bottom) 2. One-hole puncher (pink notebook peeling strip at the lower right) 3. Making Memories hole punch 4. MM universal eyelet setter 5. MM Hammer (swirls on the upper right, framing the flowers) and 6. Craft Robo die-cutter (pink flowers).

2. A card (second item of my "goal list" done!)

Scrappersatsg Challenge # 21
"Thank You" (3 x 4 folded card)

For this card, I used 5 craft items: 1. One-hole puncher (pink notebook peeling strip at the bottom) 2. Making Memories hole punch 3. MM universal eyelet setter 4. MM Hammer (swirls on the upper right, framing the flowers) and 5. Revo die-cutter (white swirl), thanks to cute#1!

3. $20 gift hamper from Laines! (Thanks Marix, for voting for me!)

I also entered my fave LO - "Doggy & Me" to {Create}'s August challenge (Animal Love). So apt!

Well, those are the latest "happenings" in my life. After my cutover this morning I'm raring to finish the last 2 goals on my list. So sorry that I didn't make it to Michelle's challenge but I'm still going to make an LO based on her sketch! As well as try to make 3 more LOs (for HMITM, Scrappin Kids and Laines). Good Luck to me!

Like the new look?

It was bound to happen (and I've been putting it off for a while now), so here's the new look for my blog. =) The basic layout is the same, but I changed the chat widget from Chatbox to ShoutMix for a change (too bad all the previous comments can't be viewed here).

I'm thinking the color is too *blah* or is it because I'm just not used to it?

This was one of my "scrap goals", and here are the others I'm aiming to finish in the next few weeks:

1. Make a layout for Scrappersatsg Challenge # 21
2. Make a card
3. Make an entry for Jiroken's challenge
4. Make an entry for HMITM (or other challenges)

Wish me luck! =D

A Shopaholic's Confession

Scrappersatsg Challenge # 20
"Shoot Shop Scrap!"

I'd been saving the tags at the bottom of my patterned papers not knowing exactly when and where I'd use them. So it was a surprise that I finally got to incorporate them in this specific layout. The original design I had in mind for this required some handcut patterns (not flowers for a change!) that I didn't need in the end.

Can't wait for the next challenge!

Living in the Tropics...

{ Create} Tropical July Challenge
"El Nido"

These were some of the extra pics of our 2nd trip to Palawan (and I have more!). So I figured I'd use them in this month's {Create} challenge.

Journal:

"2006 - Enjoying the silence inside the cove. The sigh of leaves and gentle splashes of the oars. We enter cool caves and take a short dip in one of the beaches. The glorious sun strong, hot and continuously shining... Palawan is a wonderful retreat to enjoy nature . To bask in beauty, serenity and to experience it all with the one you love."

Red, Yellow, Black and White

Laines July Layouts
"Wuxi Snapshots"

I've been wanting to make a red, black and white layout for a time now but just didn't know how to go about it. I didn't even know what PPs to choose (hence the lack thereof). I mostly used Making Memories embellishments for this, plus rub ons and homemade hambly (transparencies).

I'm trying to be more active in participating in other "challenges" (Laines is so very generous, I received a great mini-RAK from them just by uploading a layout!). =D