Going for the Prize

I will confess. I went to the Scrapfest with the intention of coming home with a prize. Be it from the raffle (I introduced three newbies to the craft, so more chances for me - yey) or any of the challenges. Of course, I dreamt of getting a major prize - the Canon PowerShot A430, so much so that last night, I looked up the camera's specs in the internet. Yes, I am not ashamed to admit, I really, really want that camera.

Nita, as usual picked me up and we met up with CH in Jollibee. We had a leisurely breakfast and then we drove to Makati Park and Garden. No, we didn't get lost this time because we all agreed to stop talking when we reached Megamall. I think we get so engrossed in our discussions that more often than not, we miss crucial turns going to our destination. We arrived just in time to grab a parking spot and to get good seats. Time enough to go around the different sellers, too. But I exercised as much control as my limited budget allowed me.

When Joanne announced the start of the event, we rushed to our seats. I exchanged seats with Mich so I was able to sit with my good friend from SSEAYP and her two adorable daughters. Liza and Joanne opened the event with raffle draws for the early birds, which Donna won (uh-oh, an inauspicious start) and the bring-a-friend raffle, which Hanna, who brought her mom won (there goes my three chances at the raffle).

Joanne showed and walked us through the different techniques used to make the layouts for the photo box. I listen intently, knowing that the techniques she discussed should be used in the 6x6 layout challenge. They announced the mechnics for the challenges right before lunch and they have hardly finished when I ran to the vendors' area to get what I needed.

The Challenges:
1) A 6x6 "She" layout
2) Altered photo box (must purchase at least P500 worth of items from two vendors, and use some of the items to decorate the box)
3) 12x12 layout using the Cherry Arte papers in the kit (or can be bought from the vendors)

My Plan of Action:
1) Concentrate on challenge numbers 2 and 3 to win either one of the two Canon cameras (or maybe both, hehehe).
2) Skip lunch (or at least delay it until I was satisfied I had what I needed).
3) I had decided on a vintage/ephemera look for the altered box last night. I knew Simply Scrappy had vintage stickers so I rushed to their store. While there, I spotted the Shakespeare line of papers from Project Imagination. For P29 each, they were perfect so I grabbed three of those. Added a bottle of Modge Podge in my bag, too.
4) Nita showed me her good finds - ephemera chipboards from All About Scrapbooking for P70 each. Again, they looked just right for the project I had in mind, so into my shopping bag they went.
5) Back to my table to concentrate on altering the box.

I find I work faster when I stop thinking about it, so I just cut here, there and everywhere. I didn't have any specific technique in mind. In fact, I described what I was doing to my seatmates as gift-wrapping. Except that I was making sure that the pretty words and designs of the paper were highlighted as I adhered them. I am very grateful to the scrapppers (Christine V., Sym, Marian King) who passed by my table and gave me words of encouragement. I can only hope that my responses made sense to them, so engrossed was I at what I was doing. When Joanne passed by me she even lent me a tube of glue, saying I shouldn't waste my Tombo. (Thanks, Joanne, btw, the glue is still with me.)

I also have to thank Mitch, who lent me her Li'l Davis paint (again it was the perfect color). She even painted the box lid for me. Also, by this time, I was running out of momentum and was just staring at a gap between papers on my box. Mitch suggested I put the ribbon from the kit on it. And what do you know, again, it was the perfect fit. I was looking at the remaining chipboards, wondering what else I could use when the letter L stared right back at me. Again, perfect and coincidentally, Imee, who was sitting behind me was showing off her black velvet ribbon. It was the perfect finishing touch to the box. I happily submitted my altered box to April but not before showing it off to Nita, Au and Tin. When I saw all the wonderful creations the other scrapbookers made, I was simply amazed. I saw my chances of winning slipping bit by bit as each entry was displayed.

I think my stars and planets were in perfect conjunction last Saturday though. With all that happened, all the unexpected support from friends, I think the universe was conspiring to make me win! And win I did. At first I didn't believe Nita and Au when they excitedly whispered, "Panalo ka. We saw Joanne holding your box." I didn't want to expect anything, not until I hear it straight from the horse's...I mean, a scrappinmom's mouth. When my name was called, all I could do was stand up and clap, too. I was ecstatic. I don't know if people could see me jumping up and down from behind my table. And I do apologise for not immediately going to the stage and making people wait. I was rooted to where I was standing, clapping my hands like mad and grinning from ear to ear. I can hear Nita, shouting "Woo-woo-woo." And Nina, exclaiming I should donate my prize because I already have a good camera. (Sorry, Nina, no can do.) Friendly faces giving me the thumbs up... Really, it was just too overwhelming.

If I sound so melodramatic to many of you, please forgive me. Winning a major prize at the Scrapfest is doubly meaningful for me because this month (May) also marks my first anniversary at scrapbooking. It took a year before I'd win anything, but I could not ask for a better anniversary gift.

Now let me make more entries to different challenges before the universe shifts again.