Mad Mad May

Yes, it has been merry, but it has been a very busy month as well. I am looking forward to June. I'm sure many more challenges await me (and I don't just mean scrap layouts). Different ones to be sure, the KiDS being back in school, their yaya not coming back, me finally agreeing to help out DH with the business, pursuing my doctorate, taking care of the KiDS and tutoring them in between... I am sure it will be another exciting roller-coaster journey. But until then, I have a few days just to catch up on my reading.


It's been a long time since I've done a book review entry for the blog, quite a number coming up soon. Promise.

Sucked Dry

The Scrapfest, however fun and enjoyable and challenging it was, seems to have sucked my creative juices dry. What limited scrapping powers I have were drained by that one hectic Saturday. I haven't touched my scrapbook stuff for more than a week, not even to return the materials I brought to the Scrapfest to their proper storage. My Archivers bag is still unpacked.

Trying to jumpstart my creativity, I browsed through my files for photos that would call to me to scrap them. So far, I am deaf and blind to the possibilities. But I did find this:

When I first saw him in his tight-fitting shirt and pants, I knew I would vote him as a senator of my republic. LOL. Of course, those of you who know me know that I say that facetiously, right? Sayang, the photo is not so clear. Nag-selos yata si DH.

Scrapfest Altered Photo Box

When I was preparing my photos for the Scrapfest, I also prepared for the altered photo box challenge. I thought we would be using a box with a lid that opens up like your regular baul. Something similar to the 4x6 index card boxes sold at the office supplies stores. With that in mind, I created, in photoshop, a 4x6 label that I could put on the lid. Since the theme was "All About Me", I added my photo, and what the box might contain. Taking inspiration from Pandora, I knew my box would hold my dreams, my thoughts, my heartaches, my joys, my sacrifices, but always, deep within, my hopes.

Credits: Digital kit (Inspiration) by Vicki Stegall

Inspired by the Victorian scrapbooks that DH lent me and the Nostalgiques stickers that I have seen at Simply Scrappy, I vaguely decided that I would make something vintage or ephemera. Vaguely, because much depended on what was being sold during the Scrapfest as we were required to show receipts and use the materials we purchased from at least two sellers that day.

Materials Used:
Project Imagination Shakespeare PPS - just perfect for what I had in mind; the aforementioned Nostalgiques by Rebecca Sower stickers (vintage keys and locks and stamps); All About Scrapbooking chipboards; Li'l Davis Acrylic paint; ribbon from the Scrapfest kit.

The Process:
Concentrated on ignoring everyone around me, and kept repeating to myself and to everyone else who would care to listen that I really want that camera. (Wasn't it Joanne who said you have to be in it to win?) I am glad people thought nothing of my crazy ramblings. Maybe because they took it as normal? Hahaha.

When I cut my papers, I made sure that I highlighted the words or patterns. I first worked on the back of the box.

Then used a different patterned paper on one side (added the chipboards last)

Covered the other side with patterned paper, wrapping it to the front.


Mitch helped me by painting the top of the lid (thanks Mitch). I added the chipboards from All About Scrapbooking. Attached letter L with a black velvet ribbon from Imee (who insists until now that the box won because of that ribbon - thanks Imee).


On the upper half of the box, I used a third patterned paper, tore the sides, and added ribbon. I was going for broke, so I still added the label that I had printed at home, just cut off my picture so it would fit in the window.

I added the chipboards and then sanded the front, sides and back of the box. I wanted to cover it with Modge Podge but was afraid it might not dry, so will do that sometime this week.

So that, friends, is how you make an altered photo box in an hour. (Not detailed - the stress of working on a limited time, looking for things that were right in front me all the time, and of trying to control my urges to pee.)

This is the first time I won at any scrapbooking challenge and it is doubly special for me because this month also marks my first anniversary scrapping. It is a validation that I am learning and improving (I hope). In the first scrapfest I attended (September 2006) I was too afraid to join the challenges and too shy to mingle around. I have come a long way since then, thanks to all of you.

*****

My DH and the KiDS were not home when I arrived. I placed the camera and the photo box inside a paper bag and placed it on top of the piano. I wasn't sure yet how I would present it to him, but I couldn't wait to see his reaction. After all, I finally won something non-trivia related. (Smile). When they finally arrived, I opened the door for him and without saying a word, I went out to the garage to get the KiDS. He went in and then he came out again, and with a grin on his face, slowly said, "You must be very happy." I ask nonchalantly, "Why do you say that?" "Because you have a camera" then he leaned over and kissed me. I had forgotten that I had shown him the major prize on the internet the day before. So no matter how I planned, the secret would've been out once I pulled out the camera box. But when he asked for the winning LO, he looked confused when I handed him the altered photo box. He just didn't get it...

We Missed the Dots

So they're baa-ck.

Those of you have been asking me to post my altered box, a little more patience please. Just been busy catching up with stuff here at home and with the KiDS. Wouldn't you know it? Summer vacation is almost over.

Artist

My husband comes from a family of artists. His father is a noted sculptor/painter and his mom was curator of a gallery. She now also paints and at the age of 65, had her own solo exhibit recently. DH's three younger brothers are also into the arts. B is another multi-awarded sculptor, J is a portraitist, and K is a graphic arts designer.

Growing up, my DH was always surrounded by wonderful works of art as well as the artists who made them. He grew up calling national artists like Napoleon Abueva and Alejandro Roces titos. Since he was young he has been encouraged to draw, paint and sculpt. However, part of him resisted the seemingly inevitable expectation that he would also be an artist himself. So in college, he took up architecture and when he graduated, he set up a successful architectural firm with his classmates and friends. But the call of the arts is too strong to resist. And soon enough, he was back in the studio, painting, creating, sculpting and building monuments. To see a few of his works, see Cabbie's blog or click here.


Journaling Reads:
The sculptor represents the transition from one pose to another...he indicates how insensiby the first glides into the second. In his work we still see a part of what was and we discover a part of what is to be. - Auguste Rodin

There is no denying it. No more running away from it. It is in your blood. More than that, it's in your soul. You put your heart into it. It is who you are meant to be. You were born to be a true ARTIST.

Materials Used:
DCWV brown CS, DCWV Retro PPS, Canson tracing paper, Staedler triplus black, Sizzix Shadowbox aplhas, UTEE, faux metal book plates.

The Process:
This is my entry to Valerie Salmon's Sketch and Scrap challenge at MSW. When I saw the two photo sketch, I knew it was perfect for the two photos I had of DH sculpting. I chose the retro paper to establish that the young picture was taken in the 70s. I wanted a paper or color to show the new millenium too but couldn't quite figure out which. It was my DH's suggestion to use Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man for the half circles above and below the photos. I downloaded a copy of the image from the internet and printed it on white CS. I had to adjust the lower half a bit because Da Vinci's sketch is anatomically correct, and the male parts looked striking hanging just below my DH's photo. Now I know that this is an artwork and was not intended to be rated PG but you never know how some people would react. Case in point, my DH was commissioned to make more-than-life-size sculptures of horses. Being a true artist, he rendered horses that were anatomically realistic. The head of the committee, a very prim and proper old lady daintily requested him to remove the offending male parts. So if you see the castrated horse sculptures in Clark Airbase in Angeles City, that really was not my DH's doing.

But I digress. To complete the LO, I added bookplates indicating when and where the photos were taken. DH selected a quote from Rodin that he felt fit the photos. I actually finished the LO last Friday but left the title for last. I took the opportunity during Saturday's Scrapfest to use the Sizzix machine to cut the title. When I showed it to my DH he wanted it to be more 3D since as he said sculpture is a three-dimensional art. I didn't have enough supplies to do what he wanted so I heat embossed the letters with clear UTEE. I didn't paint the cardstock with acrylic paint so I guess the UTEE seeped through to the back of the CS, causing the brownish tinge in the letters. I didn't have time to make new ones though because I was running on a deadline. As always, DH says there's something missing in the finished LO but couldn't quite put a finger on it. That is what's frustrating about asking for his opinions. He would never really articulate them to you. Maybe because he is afraid to hurt my feelings, or maybe because the last time he did, I told him, but that's not the way scrapbookers do it. Hahaha. Occupational hazards of being married to an artist.

Thank you for viewing. If you want to see the finished sculpture at right, please click here.

I just learned that the deadline for the challenge has been moved to June 3. So maybe you can help me figure out what is "missing." Nina has already given me very good suggestions. I would appreciate your comments, too. But if I would actually be moved to change it, is another matter entirely. LOL. Sorry, but when I finish an LO, I do a lot of mental "what ifs" or "could haves", but so far, I have never gone back. But this may be different, if MSW would still allow me to post a new and improved version.

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.

I Know Her Heart

This is one of two Mother's Day layouts that I planned this month. The first one I had already given my mother-in-law (wasn't able to take a photo though). This one is a tribute to my mother whom I haven't seen for awhile as I haven't been to the province since March.

I am not sure when this photo of my mom was taken (I will have to ask Manang Marissa about that). But I remember this and a photo of my Dad when they were younger placed near the altar at home. I was always fascinated by the photos because for me, they didn't look like the parents I knew. I didn't know my parents when they were young and carefree. I knew them as the parents who worked hard and went through so many challenges just to make sure all of us, eight children, finished college. How they managed it at government employees' salaries I still cannot fathom. Such is the miracle of a parent's love and dedication.



Journaling Reads:
My mother was 40 years old when she had me - the 7th of 8 children. My earliest memories of her were of a woman with ample bosoms, wide hips, slightly graying hair, and an apple-cheeked face. Not this slender and beautiful woman in this photo. I never really met this young woman. I never really knew her. But then now and always, I know her heart.

Materials used:
Basic Grey Scarlet's Letter (Walks in Beauty, Rapture, Confession), BG Alphabet stickers, Prima Flowers, Making Memories eyelets, All My Memories hearts, Bobbin Ribbon "Memories", Deja Views Fresh Verse, assorted metal embellishments, black Sakura Aqualip, Glue Dots Vellum.

The Process:
I had actually mutilated one BG paper and found out too late that the cut pieces didn't fit my photo before I decided on simply combining two papers. I think I am better off when I stop trying to cut patterns. As this is also my entry to the Scrappinmoms' Flowers Bloom in May challenge, I used as many Prima flowers as I can. The hardest part was hammering the eyelets onto the flowers as I do not have a decent eyelet setter. After I added the vellum quote I stepped out of the room and when I came back, my DH has added the two metal hearts I had lying on the table on it. It was also his idea to put the lace and ribbons sideways to anchor the photo. (My DH doesn't like floating elements as he calls them on my LO.) So I guess you can say this is a husband and wife scrap page.

A New Look

I finally got tired of seeing dots before my eyes while I updated my blog, so I decided to get a new template, a new header, new colors and a new title.

Those of your who have been reading this blog since I started it less than a year ago, know that my DH calls me the armchair scrapper. (In college, we used to call people armchair something. We had a friend whom we called armchair Marxist, before he proved us all wrong when he went to tra-la-la-land. In other words, namundok po siya.) But anyway, my DH calls me armchair scrapper because he thinks I read more scrapbooking books and magazines that I actually scrap. He is always after me to produce more scrap layouts. To actually apply what I have read in those books and magazines I borrow from good friends. He feels he was vindicated when I won first place in the Scrapmeet's scrap trivia contest. I am working and scrapping really hard to prove him wrong.

Well, as a tribute to my DH, who is nonetheless very supportive of me and my scrapbooking foibles, I am changing the name of this blog from Live. Love. Laugh. Scrap. to The Armchair Scrapper. But I will continue to live by my early title. For really, what else is there to do?

Credits: Au for inspiring me with her awesome headers in her personal as well as the PS blog; photo - mine; alphas - vicky_grads; DH - color consultant; pastel painting in my profile - portrait artist Gig de Pio; Adobe Photoshop CS - having way too much fun with it.

A Digital Layout

I don't do digital, not really. My attempts at digital scrapbooking are limited to the annual Christmas cards that I e-mail to friends on Christmas day. Our Christmas family photos are taken on the evening of the 24th, before we leave for dinner with our in-laws. So come X'mas morning, I am in front of my computer rushing to send off holiday greetings to family and friends.

Recently, there seemed to be a spate of digital LOs in the PS e-group and challenge blog. That was kind of surprising and well, gratifying. You see, we had a discussion whether we would allow digital entries in the blog. And we agreed that creativity is creativity, regardless of the medium - traditional or digital. I am happy that many seasoned traditional scrappers made their digital debut in the PS blog.

And so I was inspired to sit down for a an hour or so to scrap a digital layout myself. Actually, I got so bored waiting for Godot (aka my DH) that I took out my laptop and just started moving things around in Photoshop. That's the great thing about digi-scrapping. A computer, some downloaded kits, a software and you're all set.

I thought I'd scrap the group photo of the Pinoyscrapbookers taken at the May 6 EB. This is such a great group and I want to pay tribute to them. Hopefully, they will like my digital offering. :-)


Credits: Genevieve Sass Fresh Green Kit; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS; Font: Script Bold

Journaling is a quote from Kahlil Gibran which I think captures the spirit whenever the members meet. "Let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures."

The Process:
The most difficult part for me was determining which font to use because I didn't really know what they looked like with the LO until I have actually typed them in. Like real scrapbook stuff, I also have to organize my digital thingies so I wouldn't have to open too many folders and so it would be easy to look for suitable elements. My sister Marissa has a very good system that works for her. Maybe someday soon I will be able to organnize my stuff the way she does.

Kaya 1 Entry

I started and finished my entry to the Pinoyscrapbookers challenge blog yesterday. It's an LO that I did together with the KiDS - choosing their favorites, cutting and pasting. If only for that, I will treasure this LO forever.


You can read about the details here.

The Process:
I had DH take a picture of my hand clasping the remote with the TV in the background. I thought up the title and the journaling. DH wants me to add Rule of Thumb, but am not sure where I can fit that in now. The KiDS helped me with positioning and adhering the TV shows. Lots of arguments as to whose favorite show should be on top.

Oh, but before that, several disasters with the printing of the text. First I cut the 12x12 cardstock into half so it would fit in my printer. I created text boxes in MS Word. Then I couldn't figure out which side to load into my printer. When I was finally ready, I hit the OK key. But I had several documents open and printed the wrong one! Isang matunog na s***t which had Diego covering his ears followed by lots of sorry's from me. I should have practiced on scratch paper. Good thing the mistake was covered by the TV shows. See, I knew these shows would save my life someday. Hahaha.

So Thoughtful of Him

My husband went to Divisoria last month and bought me these:
To put my buttons and other itsy-bitsy stuff in, he said.

Yesterday, he went to the hardware, and he happened to pass by Japan Home Store where he got me these:
So sweet, so thoughtful. And he's very much appreciated. But please, can somebody give him directions to Vivian's store? Thank you!

Faith

Here's a BG layout that I finished last week. My goal is to make two BG LOs this month. So that's one down, another one to go.

I call my 9-year old - Diego the Worrier. He worries about everything. He would watch Discovery Channel and worry that he would catch some incurable disease. He insists he's afraid of heights but loves flying in airplanes. When we rode Jurassic Park the Ride at Universal Studios when he was 7, he wasn't concerned about the drops and the ferocious dinosaurs popping here and there. He was worried that my glasses were going to fly off. All through the ride, he kept saying, "Mama, your glasses, your glasses..." He worries about the littlest things, and what else can we do as good parents except reassure him and show him that everything is going to be alright. We tell him as long as we have each other and as long as we have faith, everything will be just fine.


Whenever we go to Church we make it a point to light votive candles and say our personal prayers. This photo was taken by my DH at Baclaran Church last September 2006.

Materials Used:
Basic Grey Scarlet Letter Papers (Night, Revelation, Recognition); BG Alphabet stickers; white Uniball Signo pen; photo of Mother of Perpetual Help from our Ninang Ting given at our wedding (it has a dedication at the back); crucifix from Lola Mama; Colorbox Chalk Ink; stamp; ribbon.

The Process:
I simply followed the BG Gallery April 2007 sketch. Didn't put much pressure on myself either. I could have distressed the crucifix (it's really shiny like freshly-minted gold) but it was from Diego's paternal grandmother so I decided to leave it alone. I could've done better with the journaling, too. I wasn't sure that it was the appropriate writeup, but I wanted to keep it real - about a little boy's worries at this young age. I'm thinking now maybe I should just have written something about prayers and going to church. The last line was a last-minute not really well-thought of addition. The whole thing should have ended at "gotta have" then sequed on to "Faith." Maybe I'll change the journaling, maybe not. We'll see... (So, can you say didn't put much pressure on self? LOL).

Too Much of a Good Thing

This afternoon, I spent some time talking with Donna, congratulating her for her winning streak (four challenges to date) and teasing her that she should already be relegated to the Hall of Fame (if such exists in Philippine scrapbooking) to give chance to others. She was very adamant in her refusal that she is already of HoF status. She says she is still learning and has a long way to go.

Then the talk turned serious, specially, in relation to the new PS challenge blog. Au raised the question, what if someone has been chosen favorite for three months running, what should we do? This is a matter that should be discussed extensively by the PS team if and when it happens. But personally, here's what I think.

We all join challenges or competitions to "win" - some may have an eye on the prize, for some the prize is the process, some think the finished LO is the reward, and still for others, peer recognition is more than enough. But let's all agree we invest our time, money, hearts and efforts in our LOs.

I do not believe that a scrapper should be banned from joining competitions or even challenges because she is a good scrapper. That defeats the purposes of issuing challenges - to find the best LO and of joining challenges - to better ourselves. To paraphrase that popular commercial, don't hate me because I make beautiful LOs.

If we discriminate against a scrapper for having won several times previously, we are in effect saying that making a winning LO is not a good thing. Instead of giving positive reinforcement we would be discouraging scrappers from doing the best they can everytime.

The competition should be about the layout, not the scrapper. The work should speak for itself. All things being equal, if an LO stands out from the rest, then it should be judged the best, regardless of who the scrapper is. Those whose LOs do not make it, should take it as a challenge to do better next time. For again, isn't that the purpose? Open competitions keep previous winners on their toes, and it encourages non-winners to continue forging on.

Art has a fickle muse. One day (or even several months) you may be producing the best works of your life, the next, someone else may be producing works better than yours.

So Donna, I take my HoF remark back. But if by some weird stroke of good luck I win second place in a competition and you place first, I would no doubt demand that you be considered a Hall of Famer already. Hey, move back and make room for me, okay?

Kayang-kaya!

It all started out as a seed of an idea, reluctantly voiced out, and which, amazingly, found fertile grounds in close scrapper friends - a challenge blog for members of the PinoyScrapbookers. I will have to admit it I was inspired by other blogs like For the Love of Effers. If could they do it, why couldn't we? I dreamed of a blog where all members of PS can showcase their works. A forum where we can share techniques and learn.

So one night (actually in the wee small hours of the morning), after a crop party, when all the other scrappers have gone, Au, Nita and I got to talking about our lives, what made us scrap, why we love challenges. I finally found courage to say, we should have our own challenge blog where we can vent out our creativity. This was greeted with a resounding yes by my two co-conspirators and pretty soon, we were discussing what the blog should look like.

It should be hosted by blogger so we can ask PS members to join in as team bloggers. It should have pinoyscrapbookers in the address so that people will find it easily. The name should be in Tagalog because we are Pinoy (Gales of laughter here.) Oh, to be so witty at 2 in the morning.

Then we started running through several Tagalog words, basically translating the words challenge and dare to Filipino. Nita, from her very comfortable position in the couch shouted, "Laban!" That sounds like a political party so it got the "no" vote. I don't think we had to go through so many words before we ended up with "Kaya." Kaya is a verb that means can. When we were kids, we used to dare people to outdo us, "O kaya mo yan?" (Can you do that?) Now as adults, we encourage others by saying, "Kaya mo yan". You can do that. Or, you can go through this. So we agreed that our dares or challenges would be called Kaya 1. Kaya 2 and so on.

But we had no title yet. Kaya! for a title seemed too short. (And at that time of the morning, reminded me of kaya jam.) At the back of my mind, I hear echoes of Kayang-kaya kaya? (Can s/he really do it?) I tell this to Au and Nita and say I am reminded of someone saying that when I was younger. (Pia, in a message left at the blog chatbox mentioned that it is from Batibot - a Sesame Street-like children's show in the late eighties.) Anyway, by this time Nita has fallen asleep on the couch and Au and I moved on to talk about far more interesting things.

The seed has been planted and left to grow though. We always discussed it during our Friday crop parties, although no concrete action was immediately taken. Until finally, at the April 1 EB, the seed sprouted. Au announced the challenge blog idea to the group and it was received warmly. There was no turning back now. Donna and Jenn immediately volunteered to help out. And indeed, they sent very good suggestions through e-mail. We owe Jenn much for her suggestions on what elements to put on the blog. Donna came up with a list of possible challenges. Au came up with the very cool header. Diane lent us her LO. And after back and forth e-mail and phone calls with the others, I drafted the mechanics. The rest of our crop party - Nita, Cabbie, Nina, Sym and Mitch were always supportive of the idea. That is all we needed to tarry on. I think we finalized everything in less than two weeks and we finally went live last May 2, with Au issuing the first challenge.

The response has been overwhelming. And we are very thankful to the very creative and talented scrapbookers we have at PS. With your continued sharing of your works, I don't think the PS challenge blog will die. Naturally or otherwise. Thank you. Kudos to all of you.

O ikaw, kaya mo ba? Kayang-kaya Kaya? Kaya!

The Merry Month of May

When I was a working stiff, I used to keep several calendars. We had a centralized calendar in the office, where all our meetings and engagements were recorded. My days were filled with senior management meetings, book launchings, events openings, project monitoring, accounting deadlines, and the like. I would then synchronize this with my PDA, and then I'd add my personal appointments - a listing of more mundane stuff like a reminder to pick up the dry-cleaning or the more exciting like a dinner date with friends or a weekend get-away with my husband.

Fast forward to this day. I no longer use my PDA, instead, I keep a simple daily planner from Manila Bulletin. And my days are filled, not with meetings with people who work themselves stiff, but with the dental/medical schedules of my KiDS, piano recitals, children's parties, scrap events and challenge deadlines.

Take a peek at this month's entries:
May 6 - Pinoyscrapbookers EB
May 9 - deadline for PS challenge entry
May 12 - self-imposed deadline for two mothers' day LOs (for my mom and my in-law)
May 13 - Imman's b-day party at the Fun Ranch
May 19 - Scrapfest
May 20 - deadline for MSW Valerie Salmon sketch
May 23 - deadline for Scrapbytes article
May 26 - self-imposed deadline for 2 BG LOs that I've been planning since forever
May 30 - deadline for Scrapbytes challenge
May 31 - deadline for Erica's Sketch It contest

A far cry from the life I used to lead for sure, but there are days when the pressure from deadlines is just the same. Except now, I can choose not to meet these deadlines if I were so inclined.

Prison Break Schizophrenia

Sometime last year I would chance upon Prison Break when I surfed between channels 47 (Lifestyle Network) to 55 (Star Movies). I don't switch to other channels except when the KiDS watch their daily dose of too much cartoons or my DH insists on Discovery and National Geographic. And no, I don't watch local channels, especially now that the election campaign is on. (Don't ask though why I seem so updated on the travails of the Rounin and Maria Flordeluna.)

Anyway, I had always dismissed Prison Break as just another old violent testosterone-laden prison movie. So Season 1 came and went on channel 50 (Crime/Suspense) without me sparing it more than a glance. Then the season run of Desperate Housewives ended on channel 48 (Star World), and I was left with a gaping hole in my Tuesday night viewing schedule. The replacement is, you guessed it, Prison Break Season 1. And that was when I realized that the show is new. I had always thought it to be many years old because the actor who plays Michael Scofield reminds me of the actor who played Victor in the 1991 Julia Roberts movie, Dying Young. I watched episode 1 and I was hopelessly hooked.

The next Thursday, I caught the Prison Break Season 2 premiere on channel 50 and again, I was addicted. Because of the different storylines, you can follow season 2 easily even if you didn't watch season 1. Flashbacks to events in season 1 help you follow the story.

And here lies the cause of my schizophrenia or "the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements". One day, Michael Scofield is in prison, scheming to get out. And two days later, he and company have broken out, trying to keep out of prison.

Maybe I should just end my misery and go to Baby dvd-dvd and get a copy of the two seasons. But then what would I do at 9:00 PM Tuesday and Thursday evenings?

Diane Tagged Me

And though she didn't say that something bad will happen to me if I didn't respond to her tag, I am playing it safe. :-)

Here are my answers:

A - Available or single: taken by the same man since 1996
B - Best friend: my college roommates
C - Cake or pie: Mrs. Yulo's chocolate cake
D - Drink of choice: Coke
E - Essential item you use everyday: my scrunchie
F - Favorite color: pink and green
G - Gummy bears or worms: neither
H - Hometown: Tarlac, Tarlac
I - Indulgence: a day at The Spa
J - January or February: February (bday month of Diego, Kahlo, my mom and my MIL)
K - Kids & names: Diego Gabriel (named after Diego and Gabriela Silang, and Mexican muralist Diego Rivera), Sarah Melisande (named after The Little Princess and Princess Melisande from the animation movie Flight of Dragons. OK I really named her after Sarah Michelle Gellar and would have nicknamed her Buffy but my DH put his foot down), Kahlo Julia (named after Mexican painter Frida Kahlo)
L - Life is incomplete without? chocolates
M - Marriage date: September 27, 1997 and September 28, 1997 (long story)
N - Number of siblings: 3 brothers, 4 sisters
O - Oranges or apples: oranges dipped in dark chocolate
P - Phobias or fears: public speaking (but I'm usually OK once I get going)
Q - Fave quote: Been there, done that, scrapped a page about it.
R - Reason to smile: my KiDS' antics, dessert, a finished LO
S - Season: sale season
T - Tag 5 people: who hasn't been tagged by Diane???
U - Unknown fact about me: I have a gym membership (yes, di halata ano? hahaha)
V- Vegetable you don’t like: ampalaya
W - Worst habit: missing gym days
X - X-rays you've had: chest x-rays at least once a year
Y - Your fave food: pasta, seafoods
Z - Zodiac sign: Gemini

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.

A Quickie LO (Three Wise Monkeys)

Last night at around 7 pm, Au challenged me (or did I challenge Au? I forget) to make a simple scrap layout of any theme, any brand paper. We agreed, even shook hands virtually, that we should show each other our LOs via YM at exactly 1:00 pm today.

Thinking I had more than enough time, I spent the rest of the evening surfing and/or watching TV. Yes, sometimes simultaneously. I slept at around 2 a.m. and woke up quite late. To make the story short, I didn't get to start on my LO until 1:30 pm. Way past the deadline. In truth, I didn't think Au was serious about this but I scrapped anyway. At around 3:30 pm, Nita called to tell me Au has already shown her her LO and that I had until 4 pm to show her - Nita, the self-appointed judge - mine.

So I had to quickly put the finishing touches to my LO, quickly take a photo of it, and quickly upload it. O di ba? Quickie?

The LO is based on 3 Bugs in a Rug's April sketch.


Materials Used: DCWV Cardstock, 3BIAR Wonder PPS (cut into strips), white Uniball Signo pen (I am so loving this pen), black staetdler tri-plus pen, P.Etc. Stickers.

Journalling reads: Luneta Park, 01/21/07. When we chanced upon these three wise monkeys at the park, Papa immediately saw a photo opportunity so he had you pose near the monkeys. While you didn't understand what was going on, you were very cooperative and cute.

On the circle: But someone couldn't resist taking a PEEK at what's going on.

Around the photo: If we do not hear, see or speak evil, we ourselves shall be spared evil.

The Process: This is probably my first LO where I didn't do much thinking or second-guessing. As you can see, I didn't even use regular titles, just phrase stickers. The journalling is very simple, and was inspired (see below) by my sister Marissa. I wanted use up my 3bugs paper (plus another chance to be in their gallery) so I chose to follow their sketch. It worked well with the photos I chose though. I just had a blast doing this LO. So that's what it feels like to scrap without any pressure. Hahaha.

And I learned something new, too. I learned that the 3 "evil" monkeys are not Chinese in origin but Japanese. I always thought it was a Confucian saying.

And, oh, here is Au's LO. It doesn't look simple and rushed at all. I should have asked for a handicap. Next time, I will.

BTW, here's Manang Marissa's digital LO of the girls. For someone who didn't know how to use Photoshop two years ago (she taught herself), she has come along way.

Summer Scrapping

I am a scrapping squatter in my own house. Sure, I have my own space for scrapping but since it's in the attic, it's an oven during the day. (And most nights, too.) So I have taken to scrapping in our dining room where the ceiling fan keeps the room cool. At first, I brought down only what I needed and returned everything to my scrap room afterwards. But eventually, I got tired of going up and down two plights of stairs to the third floor just to get a prima flower or the color cardstock I needed. It breaks my momentum. Not to mention, I abhor exercise in any form. :-) So finally, I brought most of my stuff downstairs. Much to my yaya's dismay, I imagine. In addition to my kids' toys and books, she now has to clean around my boxes in the dining and living rooms.

The dining cum scrapping table. I have to make sure I evacuate during meal times. But I think the time will soon come when I'd be scrapping at one side of the table while my family eats at the other.


Some of my stuff has spilled over to the piano. Sarah and Diego complain that they have to move my stuff out of the way before they can play. I'm sure they're just using that as an excuse to avoid piano practice.


Books and magazines have been removed from the library to be within easy reach.


Cardstock, patterned papers and the printer in one corner of the sala set which my DH made. In case you didn't notice, the scanner was in a corner of the dining room.


More stuff (thankfully in boxes) strewn on the floor.


I don't know how much longer I can scrap like these, but so far, the past few days have been very productive.