A Productive Week

The past week was a welcome respite for all of us. No school, no homeworks, scrap time for Mommy. Yeah! I finished four layouts in my newly-organized scraproom. No more running up and down the house to get stuff that I need. And the bonus is, the KiDS stayed with me most of the time. They just played and read in the outer room which serves us our library. Yup! they forgot about TV. Toys and books are strewn everywhere but it's a small price to pay for some quality time together. With Mama getting some actual scrapping done.

PIGGY TALES CHALLENGE

Ever After

Journaling:
A mother's wish - that the three of you grow to be strong ang healthy, sensitive and considerate, loving and respectful, smart and successful. But my most fervent wish is something straight out of a fairy tale. That when the world seems large and scary, you will always be there for each other. Like the three little pigs. Or the seven dwarves. So that in the end, I could sincerely say, and they LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

Materials:
PPS - Goldilocks, Broken Chair, Porridge, 7 Gypsies; Chipboard - Fancy Pants; Sticker - Craft Express; Stamp - Autumn Leaves, Gel-a-tins; Ink - Tsukineko; Colorbox; Photo Turns - All About Scrapbooking; Brads - Oriental Trading; Pen - Uniball Signo; Misc - ribbons.

The Process:

As promised, I used Walnut Ink (Eucalyptus) for the first time, to color the ribbon (originally beige) green. I learned that one long spray is better than several spurts. And that lifting the ink at least 3 inches from the object gives a finer (not blotchy) mist. There was also a very pretty negative of the lace left on the scratch paper I used giving me an idea for next time.

Ink finally touched my Gelatins and Autumn Leaves stamps. I tried to emboss the title but it turned out too thin (I don't know what I did wrong) so I just stamped it with Brilliance ink pad. I added dimension to the title by mounting them on DH's scrap illustration boards. I tested the surface and it's acid-free, but to be safe, when you cut the board (the pulp inside might not be acid-free), seal the sides with acrylic paint.

I thought the details of the title font didn't show up much. I used this color PPS and ink to keep with the overall colors of the LO. Maybe I should have used a darker ink, like black? DH thinks the E looks like an I. What do you think?

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Well, somehow, the Piggy Tales papers had me thinking of far-away lands, happily ever afters and princesses. Like my little Sarah.

The Petulant Princess

Journaling:
ONCE UPON A TIME there lived a beautiful princess. She was kind, sweet and smart. But she had her many lightning moods. One moment she was happy and gay, smiling and laughing. The next, she was sad, angry, and throwing tantrums. Her Royal Family never knew what to expect. THE END.

(Idea for beginning and ending the journaling with Once.../The End in a different font from the main write-up came from Vicki Boutin.)

Materials:
CS- DCWV; PPS - Porridge, Cozy Cottage; Rubons - Hambly; Stickers - Creative Imagination, ProvoCraft; Thread - DMC; Flowers - Prima; Buttons - Foofala; Stamp - Autumn Leaves; Ink - Tsukineko; Sticklers; Uniball Signo.

The Process:

I finally got to use my stash of alphabet stickers, hahaha. And the Basic Grey Notch and Die tool which I've had for awhile. I used it to make scallops around the circle. To add texture, I stiched (I never stitch in real life!) the arrow which I cut out from the PPS. I thought it would move the eye towards the photo.

I was worried that the colorful photo won't work with the muted PPS at first, but I didn't want to print one in black and white (umandar na naman ang kakuriputan), so I just went for it. After all, Ali Edwards said in her book about patterned papers, your colors do not have to be the exact same shade. Take the greens in this LO. It worked out well, specially after I added the flowers. Six Primas in one LO? Gasp!

I used Stickler over the stamped AL swirls. I thought when it dried it would have volume like Pebeo. It's not as thick but I liked how you really get glitters and not just dried glue with a few scattered glitters.

I am really happy with this layout. I like the photo itself and the colors of the flowers. (Thanks Nita for persuading me to get that box of Primas.) I liked especially how all the elements worked out together, seemingly on their own. No sketch or other layout followed. I just let the paper talk to me. Usually, I'm just the one who talks or bursts into song. LOL.

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HAMBLY SCREEN PRINT CHALLENGE

I just couldn't say no to Mitch of Visual Creations so the night before the deadline, I found myself staring at my few Hamblys. I had frames, alpha stickers, journaling bits, mini-graph, none of the same color or the same feel. So at the last minute, I was at Mitch's store buying rubons that I thought would work with old photos I had.

Yup, these photos are pre-digital era so pardon the faded colors and the background clutter. No time to scan and photoshop. I'm on a deadline here. But really, I'm happy that I was able to save these photos from those horrible magnetic albums.

Para masulit yung transparency I made a back to back layout. The minig-graph background is actually clear. I should have taken a photo instead of scanning the layout so it will show.

Hangin Out (front)

Journaling:
Diego at almost six months, saying, "Lemme outta here, please..."

Materials:
Transparency - Hambly; Rubons - Hambly, Daisy Ds; Papers - Daisy Ds; Pen - American Crafts, Zig; Buttons - Japan Homes; Thread - DMC; Others - Ranger Glossy Accents, Making Memories brad.

The Process:
I tried using Glossy Accents to add dimension to the title. It is more apparent (pun intended) IRL.

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Sci-Fi Fan

Journaling:
My Papa loves to collect toys. He is also a Star Wars and Star Trek fan. Like him, I love toys like spaceships and robots. I am so happy that he lets me play with his toys outside their boxes.

Materials:
Transparency - Hambly; Rubons - Hambly; Papers - Bam Pop, Daisy Ds; Diecuts - Bam Pop, Daisy Ds; Pen - American Crafts; Buttons - Japan Homes; Stickers - Joann Crafts

The Process:
I had to make sure that the elements on this side exactly match the edges on the other side.

Photos of the Hambly LOs. Can you see clearly now? LOL.

That's my red scrap table right in front of the window. I have a nice view of my neighbors' rusty corrugated rooftops when I scrap. :-)



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And this last layout is one I actually did for the elimination round of the Idol challenge. It's a scraplift of Vicki Boutin.

Taste

Journaling:
You were not born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but when you had your first meal (Cerelac), Lola Mama and I used her silver bowl and silver spoon. If you can't be born with it, eat with it.

Materials:
Paper - Basic Grey; Rubons - MAMBI; Chipboard - Scenic Route; Acrylic paint - Making Memories; Ink - Colorbox, Ranger.