Merry Christmas One and All

May the true spirit of Christmas live in our hearts, today and always.

From my family to yours -



Every year, we take a family portrait under our Christmas tree. It is always exciting and trying. I don't know why, but it seems to me to always be a big production - making sure the kids stay put, that they put out their best smiles, that they don't place bunny ears or sungay on their siblings, that the lighting is just right and so on and so forth. It is always excruciatingly painful but we do it every year nonetheless.

This year's resulting photos are not that great but definitely better than last year's. At least, this time the kids stood up straight and smiled for the camera. I will tell you a secret though. We bribed the kids into behaving and smiling. We promised the kid with the best smile a special gift. So who do you think has the best smile?

For comparison, here's last year's best Christmas photo. We tried, oh, how we tried, to get a seriously formal family portrait under the tree. But I guess with our individual and independent personalities, it will never be easy. But you know what? I wouldn't want it to be any other way.



Happy holidays everyone!

(Thanks to Shabby Princess for the free digital kits.)

I'll Have a Chocolate Now...

After weeks of turning things in my head, I made my very first layout (post scrapmeets, scrapfests, buying sprees and memorizing magazines and idea books.) As far as I am concerned, the few I did before these do not count. Let's just say it's the beginning of a new era.

With the help of my sister Marissa and scrap friends Nita, Au and Mai, I am finally ready to debut my work, such as it is.

This photo is of my daughter, Sarah Melisande at her very first day in Nursery school, June 2002. She was only two years and two months old then. Photo was taken just outside the door of our old apartment by paparazzo dad.

While she looked filled with trepidation in this photo she was actually excited to go with her Kuya Diego to school. Thus, journaling reads:

While you may look so YOUNG and VULNERABLE in this photograph, you were actually EXCITED to be going to school for the first time. If anyone was feeling ANXIOUS that day, that would've been ME.



Materials Used:
Patterned Paper - DCWV (Spring stack, I think) and Three Bugs in a Rug (Tickled Pink - Inspire); Title - Creative Imaginations Stickers, which I highlighted with Schneider White Gel It pen; Wooden flowers (from my sister, I do not know the brand name); Pink ric rac for the border; Mini pop ups to give dimension to the flowers on my journaling but placed there primarily to cover the adhesive that would have shown through the Canson paper; "First Day" sticker from Joann's.

It took me a long time to finalize this LO because I just couldn't commit. The patterned paper I had to choose from were all so pretty but I dreaded cutting them up. However, it's impossible to see how the elements would look together until they are cut down to size, so drawing a deep breath, I finally did it.

I know this is not yet perfect, but I am ecstatic just to have started at all. I think the adrenaline of accomplishment pushed me to post it at the Scrappin Moms' gallery. Guess who is feeling anxious again?

I welcome all your comments and feedback, but please be gentle. :-)

Now, kindly excuse me while I take a bite out of my reward and do my dance of joy.

There is No Excuse

The dust has finally settled. The workers have long gone. After weeks of living like a nomad, moving from room to room, as the renovation progressed, I can say, I am finally home.

I have a spanking new bathroom. New pin lights in all the rooms of the house. New shelves and bookcases. And just for me, a new place to scrap. Of course, I was also left with a monumental bill and massive cleaning up to do, but even that has slowly been dealt with. Everything now has a place and everything is in its place.

Now I have to really get scrapping. There is no excuse.


This used to be where I scrapped. A small dining table and galinera in the masters' bedroom.

Let me just share my new corner, at the third floor attic, with you.

All my stickers and other embellishments are safely tucked away in clearbooks. My foam stamps and colluzles are in the mini-file drawers. So are my 8.5x11 cardstock. My acrylic paints are in clear containers on the shelf with the decorative scissors. I tried to have everything within sight and within reach so I will remember to use them.


My daughter is a cute addition but hopefully when I scrap, she will be busy with her own stuff.


I had special racks with doors made for my patterned paper and cardstock, but until they are ready, this shelf will have to do.


What few ribbons and fibers I have are prettier displayed. Candy jars from Japan Home Store (P88.00).



New books and magazines should provide inspiration.


Look, Ma. Frango mints.

With my stash of CS, PPS, acrylic paints, coluzzle alphabet templates and foam stamps (ordered compulsively from joanns.com) my craft fairy sister sent me two boxes of Frango mints. With the agreement that I should reward myself with a mint for every layout I finish.

One layout: one mint. So if I want them chocolates (and God, how I want them...) There can be no excuse. Really!