Finally, BG

It was Cabbie who first called my attention to the BasicGrey (BG) gallery last year. While we were chatting, she excitedly told me that BasicGrey has accepted her work . Now, you have to understand that I was fairly new at scrapbooking then, and I naively asked her, "Bakit mahirap ba makapasok dun?" She replied that BG is very choosy about what they include in their gallery. When I saw her mini-album and the company she was keeping, the likes of Ria, Iris and Pia, I was suitably impressed. These scrapbookers are among the best in the Philippines. This year, many more talented scrapbookers like Nina, Joanne, Christine and Au also made it to the BG gallery. And they say that not all of their submissions were chosen. Duh??? These scrapbookers have it going and their works are not acceptable? Choosy is putting it mildly.

My sister has sent me a few BG papers and I bought some more at the MLA Party last October 2006 but I have never used them. Well, I did try to use two pieces from the Motifica collection and ruined them. For some reason I wasn't quite satisfied with the way they turned out. Then last month, I had to go out and buy (thanks to the greatest BI's in my life whose names start with the letters A and N) the entire Scarlet's Letter collection. I spent at least a month just looking at the papers, konting himas, then carefully putting them back in their original packaging. They are just so beautiful and I absolutely had no idea what to do with them.

Until I had a brainstorm. I've always wanted to scrap this photo of Diego. I had printed and written the journalling last year but have never found the right paper to convey the mood I wanted. While looking (for the nth time) at the Scarlet's Letter paper, the red one stood out. It matched the color and design of Diego's shirt so I thought it would be perfect. This was just the beginning of my love/hate relationship with BG.

I started working on this LO last April 14. I thought I'd follow a BG sketch but nothing fit. Then it got into my mind to use at least three patterned papers and layer them creatively. And I have to do hand-cutting like the other scrappers do. I was channeling every scrapbooker I know from Roxas District to Paranaque to Cavite (you know who you are), but still nothing was working. Finally, exactly a week later, on April 21, I decided to follow my instincts and used just the one paper I initially picked out. I was very happy with the result. Last April 22, it was accepted in the BG gallery. Now, I am not saying that I'm already as good as the scrapbookers who came before me. Some of you might even think, tsamba lang. But I do take this as a recognition that I am improving in this craft and that I can do well at it.


Materials Used:
Scarlet's Letter Recognition and tag; Hambly Screen Print; American Crafts Rub-on alphas; white Uni-ball Signo pen; ribbons and metal embellishments

Journalling Reads:
Diego, life is just like the obstacle course you just ran. As you grow older and live it, you will - stumble and fall (again); win some and lose some; hurt and be hurt; disappoint and be disappointed; break hearts and have your own heart broken. When these things come to past, REMEMBER that as SMALL boys do, BIG boys can cry. (And whether you like it or not, we will always be with you to comfort you.)

On Hambly Screen Print: Sarah comforts Diego after he stumbled in the race.

The Process:
A lot of hissing and cussing and plenty chocolates in between. I think I put too much pressure on myself, especially since I told Au, jokingly, that if I'm making a BG LO anyway, it should be good enough for their gallery. Buti na lang natanggap kundi naloka ako. Hehehe.

I wanted to use Sizzix alphas for the title and stamps for the journalling but since I wanted it finished (so I would stop obssessing about it), I just used the materials I had on hand. I'm sure I could have done better pero tama na! Sobra na! Time to move on to the next LO.