What I Want for Christmas...

is a new camera bag! And I have my heart set on this:

Isn't that just beautiful? This stylish bag is from Kelly Moore and I learned all about it from My Organized Chaos. Tammi is giving away one lucky reader's choice of Kelly Moore in her blog.

I will have to tell you that I had the hardest time choosing just one bag. I must have spent an hour watching the videos showcasing the bags' features. I finally had to settle for the Classic bag in cranberry croc. Isn't it gorgeous? And isn't that color Christmassy? Just perfect.

And I want it. Hope I get lucky. Try your luck, too. Visit Tammi's organized chaos.

Weekend Scrap-Away

My scrappy friends and I went on a scrapbooking retreat at Tin's Tagaytay hideaway and we had a blast! A foregone conclusion since we were hosted by Tin and accompanied by the best girl friends anyone can ask for.

Not to mention, all the scrappy doodads a scrapper can ask a genie (Hello, Tin and Mia) to conjure for your scrapbooking pleasure.

I made 20 layouts in two days cause I really got it on with Mr. Mojo. Here I am with Mitch whose scrapping prowess I absorbed through osmosis, on the first day.

Yes, twenty layouts, but I still couldn't beat CV who made 26 layouts, slept for only a few hours each night and who still had the strength to do Jillian Michael's Shred without breaking a sweat. That girl is certifiable.

And here's what Super Scrapper (that's me, faster than an American Craft O, stronger than an UHU glue, able to leap scrap tables in a single bound....) made that wonderful weekend.

Bootcamp: Guiding Prnciples Quiz

I don't often scrap about myself so this drill was a challenge in more ways than one. The journaling also required some serious introspection. Thank you, Angie, for guiding us through the process. Now I have a layout that will always remind me of the things that matter.

Bootcamp: Cool, Custom Backgrounds Part 2

I was not so happy with my take of Nichol's drill (I realize now I didn't actually make a patterned paper background using images. I only stamped on the patterned paper) so here's another attempt.

Made a stamped border, too. :-)

Bootcamp: Brightening the Eyes Layout

Kahlo and her signature mischievous look.

Bootcamp: Brightening the Eyes

The thing about me is, I never even noticed that eyes in photographs can be much improved. Thank you Maggie Holmes for "opening my eyes." Hahaha.

Now if I could only learn that trick on capturing catch lights.

Bootcamp: Embossing and Resisting

I enjoyed this exercise. I may not have that many stamps but I have quite a collection of distress inks. Many still in their original packaging. So it was with satisfaction that I broke the seals and finally used those lovely colors in this layout's title and circle accents.

Also that tip to put embossing powder in a bigger container worked for me. One reason I heated embossing was because I hated the clean up that came after.

Those silver Hambly rubons look so nice but since they're many years old, they didn't rub. I just glued them onto the page cause I felt they were the perfect finishing touch to this LO.

Bootcamp: Extracting Inspiration

Inspiration abounds everywhere and in this particular case, I found it in my KiDS' K-Zone magazine.

Who would have thought that Ice Age 3 would inspire this layout of Sarah?

Bootcamp: Urban Look Layout

Sarah had a project in their English class where she had to make her own magazine. She was editor, writer, designer, all in one. I was so proud of her when I saw it cause she did it all by herself. There was a section in her magazine where she talks about herself. So I asked her permission if I could use what she wrote as journalling for my layout.

Bootcamp: Adding an Urban Look

This was a fun photo effect as taught by Maggie Holmes. I think my version is too yellow (I couldn't get that beautiful skin tone Maggie has in her photos). Or is it supposed to be this yellow? That's the trouble between me and Photoshop. I am never quite certain when is it exactly right. My eyes are not the most reliable in the world.

Bootcamp: Fun with Word Stamps

My first though when I watched Lisa Dickinson's video was I don't have word stamps. I have lots of alphas, and a few word stamps with phrases like Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas. But I wasn't sure how to make titles out of those words. But I looked through the drawers and found a few stray word stamps that when put together made me quite a good title.

Remember those one-word Heidi Swapp stamps? I used it here. :-)

Bootcamp: Designing with Grids

Lisa Dickinson taught us to how to make sketches using different grid designs. I've always wanted to give grid designs a try but I always balked at the idea of preparing my photos to be printed a certain size. But after working with Maggie Holmes on Photoshop, I decided to give it a try.

I had fun making this one. And look! I was able to use the Love, Elsie designs I bought many years ago because I wanted to make a funky page about artistic talents in my family.

Finally! Two things off my things to do.

Bootcamp: Connective Journaling

In this lesson, Angie shares three strategies for deeper and more insightful journaling. Sometimes in my rush to make layouts of my many photos, I don't give journaling much attention. I am reminded that the story-telling part is why I started scrapbooking in the first place.

So brace yourself as I became a little maudlin while writing the story I wanted to tell about my eldest son who's growing up much too fast.

Bootcamp: Grammar-Free Journaling

I love journaling! But sometimes, even I am bored with my ramblings and musings. Thanks to Angie Lucas, our Journaling Drill Instructor for showing us fun ways to journal.

I made a chart comparing Kahlo and Sarah. It was quick, painless, and too embarassing (my KiDS are beginning to complain) to share on the internet. :-)

Had to laugh when I included that Sarah is very good at Math but Kahlo thinks she has "so many problems she's like a Math book." Makes you wonder what kinds of problems a 9-year old dwells on.

Bootcamp: Basic Photo Editing Layout

I took a photo of this layout. The colors are not as vibrant as I'd like. Perhaps I should have taken the time to use Maggie's Photoshop tricks.

Bootcamp: Basic Photo Editing Tricks

I looked forward to Maggie Holmes, our Photo Effects Drill Instructor's, lessons. My photos don't always turn up nice so I need some Photoshop help to make them better. Maggie gave shared tricks to make our photos "even more rich and magical."

I am not sure I nailed the exercise, because I think Photoshop is much like cooking (which I am not adept at) - you either under cook or burn the food. I hope with more practice I get it just right.

Here's my before and after photo:

And here's my layout:

Next Photoshop lesson should be about removing those extra pounds hehehe.

Bootcamp: Cool Custom Backgrounds

After watching our Stamping Drill Instructor Nichol Magouirk's video, I wanted to rush out and get me some stamps. LOL. But sanity prevailed, so I had to make do with what stamps I have in my stash. And here I thought I had a lot but there wasn't much I could use for this exercise. Next time, I'd choose stamps that will give me more mileage. I loved how Nichol uses her stamps in many creative ways.

I'm not much of a stamper, so for this layout, I used a text stamp for a background, some bare trees (or is that grass?). Kahlo said I overdid the birds. :-( I also heat-embossed a border for my photo.

Bootcamp: Designing With Pattern

I fully enjoyed the past week, attening Ella Publishing Co.'s Bootcamp. I am not kidding when I say that each day I was inspired and raring to scrap. I wasn't able to scrap daily, but once I sat behind my scrap table there was no stopping me.

Our design drill instructor, Lisa Dickinson, shared with us several guidelines to mix and match patterned papers. Even without actually scrapping yet, I enjoyed the exercise of making matched sets to be used in future layouts. With Lisa's tips, I didn't have to wast much time sorting through my paper stash or moving the papers endlessly on my desk. Thus, for this exercise, I was able to make two layouts.

Kahlo likes the colors of the first layout. I think I went overboard with the monochromatic scheme but I like it, too.

Photography and Scrapbooking

Ever since I got myself a digital camera, I took pictures of everything. I'm a believer that I may not pass this way again, but at least I got photos to show for it. And what to do with all these photos? Scrapbook them, of course.

I love scrapbooking and I would've been content with just playing with glue and paper, but then I saw the works of my favorite scrappers like Maggie Holmes. She can really tell stories through her photos. And then highlight those photos creatively through her layouts. Suddenly, learning to scrapbook was not enough. I have to be a better photographer, too.

So I scrutinize Maggie's website every day, anxiously waiting for new posts so I can learn and be inspired. I am totally bowled over by her new website. If my photos were half as lovely as hers I would be one really happy scrapbooker.

Boot Camp!

I signed up for Ella Publishing Co.'s Boot Camp 2011 and I'm quaking in my boots...in excitement! I figured I needed something to shake the dust and cobwebs off my rusty scrapping skills as well as my long-ignored scrapbooking supplies. So from September 19 - 24, I will be training and undergoing drills from much-admired scrapbookers like Maggie Holmes, Nichol Maqouirk, Lisa Dickinson, Angie Lucas and Wendy Smedley.

I expect a lot of action in my little old scraproom as I am sure to be inspired and challenged in the next few days. This is going to be one fun boot camp - without anyone shouting at my ear or demanding push-ups. Or perhaps, there will be shouting - from hungry KiDS demanding dinner. Maybe I should design some crafty boot camp for them, too, so I can scrap in peace.

Another One

Thank heavens (even if they are cloudy) for long weekends. I managed to scrap two more layouts today. This one that I am sharing with you is based on a sketch from My Scraps and More.

You'll notice that I'm scrapping old pictures. That's because I decided to stop lying to myself. How can I claim that I don't have photos to scrap when I have boxes upon boxes of them? I now realize that a good photo doesn't mean that it had to be taken by a digital camera and photoshopped until it doesn't look anything like the original. My old photo prints are still scrappable and memorable.

Too Many Cars

That's one hangup down. Next post I'll tell you about another excuse I've been using not to scrap and how I beat it.

Easing Back into Scrapping

Sketches really helped me alot when I started scrapping in 2006. While I have earned some confidence to start from scratch since then, sketches are still very much part of my scrapbooking. So now that I have taken up this hobby again after more than a year of hiatus, a popular sketch blog was my first resource.

This is Sketch 53 of the Sketchabilities blog. I have never tried any of their sketches before but now that I have, I'm planning to go back to their very first sketch and use all 52 for my layouts. Hey, now that I'm back, I'm on a roll.

And here is my interpretation:

Swimming Lessons

Now excuse me while I go back in the other room. I feel a scrap coming on.