Finally Posting...

...my Scrappin Moms' Idol Challenge Layouts. (Thank God for school breaks.)

ELIMINATION ROUND: (August 1-8, 2007)

THEME – SCRAPLIFT YOUR (INTERNATIONAL) IDOL

The toughest part of this challenge was deciding who my idol was. When I browse through online galleries, books and magazines, I would often be drawn to particular layouts for various reasons, never minding who the designer is. This challenge forced me to thing if I was following in anyone's artistic footsteps. I don't think I am. Not yet, at least.

by Kelly Goree

I chose this LO because of its simplicity, the colors and the serenity it exuded. Here is my take on Kelly's LO. I turned it sideways. I just love this photo and was just happy to finally scrap it.

New Kid on the Block

ROUND 1: (August 10 - 16, 2007)

THEME - STUCK ON CARDSTOCK

Scrapbooking using CS only??? Just when I have learned to love patterned papers. I stitched on the sides to add texture. The cute buttons were my DH's idea. It's like I made my own patterned paper, isn't it? Another photo I love. This one was a bit blurred because I used my camera zoom in a low light room but when I converted the color to sepia it worked out well.

Sandwich Kiss

Round 2 Challenge - (August 17-23, 2007)

THEME - WHAT'S YOUR COLOR?

And then they wanted us to scrap in one color only. I called this the monochromatitis challenge. Here I used paper-tearing to simulate the vibrations caused by noise, acrylic flowers from Japan Home and cocktail toothpicks. Would you believe that this photo was captured by my then 5-year old DS?

Noise

ROUND 3 (August 24-30, 2007)

THEME - ALTER IT!

This was my toughest ever that had even my DH and KiDS puzzled. Not only did we have to alter a household item, we had to repurpose it. My DH asked me several times, "what does that have to do with scrapbooking?" What, indeed. I altered an egg carton box and a dozen eggshells into a beads and ribbons holder. I think, looking back, trying out transferring photos on packaging tape and having buttercake for dessert were the most fun parts.

Eggs-tatic

ROUND 4 - (August 31 - September 6, 2007)

THEME - What's in a Photo

No photo of living things allowed, we had to use two fabrics and limit ourselves to four kinds of embellishments only. The photo of a significant object threw me for a loop because except for food and scrapping stuff I usually take photos of people who are dear to me. Thanks to my DH for being game and posing (his hands, at least) so I can get a lovely photo of our wedding rings. As by this time, I had reached my personal goal of reaching Round 3, I wasn't so jittery. At least, not until Her Royal Cabbiness showed me her LO at 2:30 in the morning. And then I panicked and had to re-think everything.

With These Rings

ROUND 5- (September 7- 13, 2007)

THEME - No Photos Allowed

Since my train of thought was on the wedding rings in the previous LO and our 10th wedding anniversary that month, it seemed logical to scrap our wedding ephemera. The downside is, the dolls were so bulky, my album won't close properly.

The Story of Us

ROUND 6- (September 14- 20, 2007)

THEME – Words from the Heart

A 12x12 spread! The last time I did spreads was when I started scrapbooking a little more than a year ago. And when I discovered the beauty and ease of scrapping 5x7 photos on a single page, there was no turning back. Or so I thought. I wasn't very hopeful in this round but I was encouraged by scrapping friends who told me that journaling is my strength. (Thank you for your belief in me - you know who you are.) And this round gave heavy points to the journaling. I decided to take a novel approach. Quite a gamble since I knew most of the other entries would be sentimental and heartbreaking.

Parenting 101: Wild, Wacky, Wonderful

FINAL ROUND - (October 6, 2007)

THEME – What Makes Me Happy

I never hoped it would come to this. Scrapping on the spot with eleven very talented scrappers. Oh, the pressure. I have written about this before but this is the first time I am posting the layout. I didn't plan this layout beforehand even if we were given clues as to what to expect and there lay my downfall. Even my journaling was written on the spot. And the materials came as a complete surprise to us. That I finished within the time allotted made me breathe a huge sign of relief. As I told the Scrappin Moms when they asked me "What makes me happy?" during the interview, I am soooo happy this is finally over. :-)

Happiness Is....

So, would I be doing something like this anytime soon? Only the scrapbooking goddesses know.

Back to School

Whew!!! It feels like I have been put through the wringer this past week. The KiDS just had their second quarter exams and I have been playing tutor/grand examiner in one. I am not bragging when I say my KiDS are smart (hehe - medyo lang), but I have to be be smarter! Otherwise, it will be the dreaded "but teacher said..." And who is Mama to argue with teacher?

Is it just me or are kids learning more advanced stuff these days? My five-year old who is in Prep just had an exam in Filipino at Sibika about yamang lupa at yamang dagat. I don't think I even had a Social Studies (yes, that was what it was called way back when) until I was in grade 4. My grade 2 student is learning about life cycles and food chain. I know I learned about the food chain from a cartoon show. Fish eat plankton, shark eats fish, man eats shark. (I love the line in Jurassic Park which goes - God creates Man; Man creates dinosaur; Dinosaur eats Man; Women rule the earth. But I could hardly use that as an example.) I had trouble explaining pangngalang basal at lansak, tuwirang layon, etc. to my 4th grader because I could hardly understand them myself.

And don't ask me about the Mathematics! I am not enamored with Math but I couldn't tell my KiDS that, lest they dislike Math, too. So I pretend that Math excites me. I even have a spiel that goes, "Your Papa finished Architecture and your Mama finished Economics, both math-intensive courses so you are genetically predisposed to Math. It is not hard." Yup! I am just waiting for lightning to strike me, night after night of reviewing fractions, multiplication and division...without a calculator.

Motherhood really isn't just vetting our kids' viewing choices, or reading children's literature before passing it on to them. We have to learn along with them, too. I remember approaching Diego's teacher to teach me finger math when he was Prep so I could check if he was doing it correctly. Our stock knowledge that tells us Pluto is a planet is insufficient. If we want our kids to excel in school, we have to go back to school, too. Ahhh...the things we do to raise our childen well.

Fatness First

Two days ago I was surprised to receive a letter from my gym. I have never received a letter from them, not even a birthday or Christmas card. My first reaction was, hmmm...maybe they're checking up on me and asking why I haven't been to the gym for quite a while.

Ehhhhh!!! Wrong! They wrote me a really nasty letter saying that I was still within the minimum commitment period and that I should pay my dues or else they will endorse my account to a collection agent and a credit rating agency for blacklisting. And that they reserve the right to take legal actions against me to enforce collection. Really nasty especially since this is the first time in my life that I am threatened with a lawsuit and this is the first letter I have ever received from them.

My monthly gym membership is auto-debited from my credit card every month. And two months ago, I decided not to renew this card because I found I was using another card more often. I had forgotten that my gym membership was attached to this card, and so when they were charging the fees, of course, it didn't go through. Thus, the nasty letter. No gentle reminder from this gym, that "you may have forgotten to pay your dues for the last TWO months" or an, oh, BTW, we haven't seen you in the gym for the past SEVEN months, so please come see us soon. No, sir, only a threat will do.

As long as they were getting paid, they didn't care that you weren't using their facilities at all. But the minute you miss out on a payment...wooh...lawsuit!

Well, it is my fault that I haven't been to the gym since February so I can't blame the gym for that. (I blame losing a good yaya and driver). But still.

I could probably contest this because I am two years past the minimum commitment period of one year, but who needs this headache? (Which is probably what they are counting on.) So yesterday, I trooped to the gym, paid my dues and tried to cancel my membership. Tried, because while they accepted my payment, they said I could only resign from my home club. I asked if I could just fax a letter but I was informed it has to be a personal appearance. (Yey! Look at me, I'm still as fat as when I joined your gym in August 2004.) Talk about inconvenience. And I have to give a 30-day notice. As if the past 217 days of non-use of their gyms weren't notice enough.

So, I still have 42 days of gym membership should I decide to finally cancel my membership. (I was always hopeful I could get back into my 4-days-a-week-at the-gym groove.) Might as well put it to good use. I know, sayang yung aking previous payments. Oh the scrapbooking stuff I coud have bought with those.

Do you think I could lose some pounds in less than 50 days?

I'm Fabulous! (Walang kokontra...)

Donna thinks I deserve this

because, in her words,
"I love her spunk and I love how her mind work. I admire her fabulous dedication in everything she does.. yes Mommy Lee that is how I see you! Mwuah!"

Still feeling down in the doldrums because of persistent cough and colds (more than a week already), this is a great picker-upper. Despite my red runny nose, dry lips and less than perfect bedroom voice, somebody, who is not related to me, thinks I AM FABULOUS. Hahaha!

Thank you very much, Donna. Here's to all the FABULOUS women out there!

The Idol Showdown

I have a confession to make. I never wanted to make it to the Scrappin Moms Idol Challenge Top 12. Those of you who have been with me in this journey know that my goal was to at least make Round 3. That came to pass. Still, I did my best in all the remaining challenges because, 1) I was making layouts that I will be placing in my albums and I will always have to look at them, so they at least have to look nice, and 2) I can't say that I am a very competitive person, but it just isn't in me to back down from a challenge. Still and all, I had hoped that some other scrapper makes it to the Top 12. I do not want to seem ungrateful for the opportunity and the privilege, but I know my limitations. I have never completed a layout under time pressure and in public, to boot. And really, what are the odds? Eleven other extremely talented scrapbookers, three winners, you do the math. I'd rather spend Scrapfest jamming with friends and shopping.

It didn't help that a week before the Scrapfest, I got sick with the flu. To make it more difficult, all my KiDS, and the yaya, got sick as well. DH has been sick the week before, I think we all got it from him. So I didn't really have time to plan out a strategy until the night before. My goal was to just have a decent showing and to finish an LO in time.

I do not remember much of the event last Saturday. It was really all a blur to me. I think I was on automated function. I was breathing, yes, albeit with difficulty, not only because of my colds and cough but because of the challenge itself. We had to scrap on a 1212 acrylic base. I had never even used any of Au's acrylic products! I had to remind myself to treat the acrylic as just another 12x12 paper, albeit clear. I was just happy to finally declare myself done.

The happiest part was learning that the top scrapbookers are three of my closest friends in scrapbooking.

Congratulations to Cabbie, who really deserves to be THE Idol. She is always consistent in her layouts, contest or no contest. Her projects always have heart.

Congratulations Tin, who has amazed me since I saw her Fancy Pants entry early this year. She continues to amaze me with her fun and wonderful layouts.

Congratulations Au, who has always declared that she was only in this because she couldn't say no to Joanne, but of course, that has snowballed to aiming to be Pick of the Week (twice!), and making it to the Top 12 (for the discounts) and finally, landing in the Top 3. Her layouts are as always, very creative.

And congratulations, to the nine of us who scrapped our hearts out last Saturday. We are all winners for having gone through and surviving all the challenges.

And most of all, congratulations to the Scrappin Moms for coming up with a very successful Scrapfest and the Idol contest. I'm sure you will see me in the next Scrapfest. Don't bet on another Idol-like contest participation soon though.

When I'm feeling much better, I will post all the layouts I made for this contest.

Woo-pee!!! It's finally over.

Wedding Cues (Part 3)

So we were married and all, but no honeymoon yet. There was still plenty to do before the September 28 main event. (Though I have always wondered, after weeks of preparation, endless concerns, sleeplessness, etc. do newly weds actually have the energy to have a honeymoon imemdiately after the wedding? Will they even be in the mood?)

From Smokey Mountain, DH took me to my apartment to pick up my wedding gown. He was going to drop me off at a hotel where I will be staying the night. Purportedly to get a bride's beauty sleep.

So he carries the long box containing the wedding gown, puts in on top of the car to help me in the car, gets in the driver's seat, and off we go. At the hotel parking lot, we both alight. He turns to get the gown, and suddenly there was this most ridiculous expression on his face. With nary a word, he gets in the car again and speeds off, leaving me in the darkened parking lot.

You surmise correctly. He forgot to put the wedding gown in the car. Although it was a relatively short drive from the apartment to the hotel, alot could happen in those few minutes. And he has to slowly track his way back to the apartment in the dark.

Lucky for him (I would have torn him from limb to limb otherwise), he found the gown lying in the middle of Kalayaan. Because of it's ivory fabric, the gown sort of glowed in the dark, and the few passersby there were were eyeing it warily. Thankfully, no vehicle ran over it or I may have marched to Pachelbel Canon with tire marks running down my gown. DH must have sighed a huge sigh of relief before bringing the gown to the hotel. Me? I just had the sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, his subconscious was trying to stop the wedding from happening.

"All the things that can go wrong will go wrong." I could kill Murphy - if I knew his last name and he were still alive.

The makeup artists one of my Maids of Honor commissioned arrived late. So the whole bridal entourage was late to the wedding. The traffic didn't help any. And oh, this would be a good time to thank Honeytess who chauffeured us to the venue in her metallic lilac car. No chauffeur has ever been sexier nor a bridal car cooler.

Meanwhile, until the last minute, DH was busy making sure that the reception was flawless. An hour before the wedding, he went to his best man's house (he lived near the venue) to shower and change. Thirty minutes before the wedding, he was trying to break into his own car because he left his barong and the car keys inside. His Best Man advised him to just smash the windows in, because they would be late. Fortunately for the car, a passersby was an expert in picking up door locks with a clothes hanger. (I hate to think what he does for a living.) Dressed in his barong, DH was all ready to step out, when he realized he left his shoes at home. (Sabotage, I tell you.) No Best man has ever been asked to live to his role fully, down to providing shoes for the groom.

DH aged so much during the past nerve-wracking week, that when my aunt saw him at the reception, she thought she was introducing herself to the groom's father! "Good afternoon po, kayo po ba ang tatay ni Toym? Haha.

Thankfully, everything went well after that. We didn't even know that the priest from the chapel tried to stop the wedding - because he thought that we were proceeding with the marriage rites without proper authorization - until later.

As we couldn't have the actual marriage rites, Fr. Remigio changed the script. He asked all the wedding sponsors to say a few words about the bride and the groom instead of holding a mass. But we still had the traditional lighting of candles, veils and cords, exchanging of rings and vows. After all, we had the complete line up.

More than complete in fact. We had two best men and two maids of honors. My groom's idea of a joke. If you knew the best men, whom I have known long before I knew DH, you would be in on it too.

Most of our family and friends didn't know that a wedding already happened before the September 28 formal event. It was like getting married again, with all the trimmings this time. And oh I now know the answer to my questions about honeymoons. Ask me when we see each other.

And so it came to pass that we celebrate our anniversary two days in a row.

Wedding Venues (Part 2)

So everything was ready for the big day. The gowns have been fitted, the invitations sent out. Nothing more to do but worry about the things that could go wrong.

We had decided to get married at Tito Billy Abueva's residence. In his gardens, he built a Temple for the Child Jesus and filled it with sculptural interpretations of biblical persons and events. He made floor upon floor of artworks and statues. Indeed, it was the perfect setting for our wedding.

A few days before the wedding, the priest who would marry us, a close family friend of DH asked if we had secured permission from the Catholic Church to have a garden wedding. Now being first-timers in this wedding thing, it didn't occur to any of us that we had to secure permits for the venue. Apparently, the Catholic Church has banned weddings outside the church. You needed special dispensation from the Bishop if you wanted a garden or a beach wedding. It was too late to get that, not to mention difficult.

We tried to talk to the parish priest of the subdivision if we could have the wedding at his church and then move to Tito Billy's house for the reception. But he was so put out about not being part of the original plan that he absolutely refused our request. And oh, there were those usual reasons like posting of the bans and marriage counseling sessions that we were supposed to undertake with him but didn't.

Some people confess to experiencing wedding jitters. I would admit to complete numbness. I knew I was really out of it when this piece of news didn't even make me panic. That was a big wrench to throw in the works don't you think? We can't change the venue, all the preparations have been made. And this close to the wedding, what alternatives did we have?

Our priest, Fr. Ben, was parish priest of Smokey Mountain and he came up with the perfect solution. He invited us to marry in his church the day before the wedding was supposed to happen. And so it was that on September 27, DH and I, together with his closest friends found ourselves in a classroom-like chapel in Tondo. We got married during the youth mass so our witnesses were the young people of Smokey Mountain. One young girl sang with the most angelic voice, backed by the church's combo. The choir was composed of a band complete with drums and electric guitars. Parang bandang pang-fiesta.

At the end of the rites, Fr. Ben reminded us to love and care for each other. That we shouldn't forget our commitment to each other, most especially to our community. And to forever remind us of our obligations to the community, he requested, the band, errr, the choir and the congregation to sing Bayan Ko. I almost burst out laughing despite the solemnity of the occasion. The only time I had ever sang Bayan Ko was during rallies pre-EDSA revolution. It was all it took not to raise my clenched fists while we sang the song. "Ibon mang may layang lumipad...." Well, obviously, this bird has been caught and caged.

He then introduced us to the congregation as Mr. and Mrs. DH's Surname. And just that like that, in a matter of a few minutes, after a lifetime of being, I stopped being Ms. Myself and became Mrs. DH's Surname. September 27, 1997. That's the official date of marriage on the marriage certificate.

But there's no time to mourn, still alot to do for the wedding celebrations with family, friends and guests the next day.

A Roll Call of Thank You's

DH and I are spending our tenth wedding anniversary this September 27 and 28. Yes, two dates. It has its advantages. Like when the dates fall on a weekend. We have a fine excuse to have a romantic weekend getaway. But otherwise, it's just plain confusing.

Ten years ago, DH and I decided to have a DIY wedding. Being in our late twenties, we did not ask for financial support from our parents. Instead, we leeched on the kindness of our friends. We invited them to the wedding, but not without volunteering them in the wedding preparations.

I was catatonic before, during and immediately after the wedding, so better late than never, I would like to thank the following, who made the wedding ceremony a success:

My Maids of Honor and Bridesmaids, for paying for their own gowns. Of course, I chose the color and the fabric, in my first ever trip to Divisoria. I wanted it bronze but had to settle for a paler color due to sheer exhaustion from battling the crowds in Divi. Lucky Suzie, a friend I met during a seminar on Soulmates, Karma and Reincarnation served as our tour guide. She may not be my soulmate but we are both sure we share a karmic relationship. We call her lucky because she always wins in raffles. In fact, she managed to furnish her house, including the garage with her winnings from all those contests. When she met and married Gerry, she sure hit the jackpot! :-)

My former officemates from Congress, who contributed the wedding cake. I just gave them a copy of the cake I wanted, and they looked for a baker. Red Ribbon couldn't do it with fresh flowers, so they used grapes instead. The cake looked great and instead of feeding each other slices of cake at the reception, DH and I fed each other, grapes. You gotta admit, that is hmmm...less messy.

Honeytess for the Precious Moments "Wishing You Roads of Happiness" featuring a bride and groom in a car. (I was a huge Precious Moments collector before the children started coming.) Red Ribbon used it as the wedding topper. I'm sure she didn't realize it would be that expensive until she finally had to pay for it.

My Craft Fairy sister who sewed the little bride and groom dolls for giveaways. The groom doll also had long hair. And to my former officemate Gary, who handcarried the items from New York to Manila.

Sweet Melissa, my former officemate at the PICC, who's also a part-time florist. She was supposed to cover the reception area with cut flowers. Unfortunately, the flowers failed to bloom (this is not a portent, believe me) so she just lent us her vases. The flowers are courtesy of my cousin Hope who sent them from Baguio through Dangwa Transit.

DH's high school friend Jessie, who at that time owned a printing press (now he's a nurse) for making the invitations. Much inspired by the book Griffin and Sabine, DH designed a series of postcards chronicling our courtship and wedding. (Nick Bantock's books fed many of our conversations when we were just getting to know each other.) I wrote the words because DH is hopeless with names and dates.

National Artist Napoleon Abueva for opening his house to us. We got married in his garden filled with religious statues and monumental columns. Until the day of the wedding, he was working on the pathways. Most memorable of all, when the priest asked the wedding sponsors to bless us, he sang us a love song he composed himself. Not only did he open his house, he opened his heart.

PUP's Grace Canteen for the catering, and Freedom Bar waiters for the, well, waiting. Actually, my in-laws used to run a canteen and a catering service so they took care of that part. The food was aplenty and delicious, or so I was told, and I thank them for that. (Honestly, except for the grapes, I can't recall I ate anything at all.) DH was a partner in Freedom Bar where we first met. E-mail me if you want the whole drunken story. :-)

Our friends from PETA who documented the entire affair on video. Their singer friend (sorry I don't recall her name) who sang the my favorite song "With You" from the musical Pippin and who called the wedding "the weirdest I have ever attended", but NOT in a bad way, I am sure. I marched to the altar while she sang that song. DH marched to a taped version of his own poem, which incidentally, I know he wrote for another woman, but who cares, he was marching to marry me. And the rest of the entourage marched to Pachelbel's Canon in D Major, something I had planned since I could dream up a wedding.

DH's college friends for hosting and emceeing the program. DH's photographer friends who are now so much in demand by the glossies, that I am sure we won't even be able to afford reprints. I hope they find our negatives soon. Butch The Technologist for giving me the only photos I have of the wedding.

My sisters, nephews and nieces, for putting the flowers the give-aways together at the last minute. They also gathered the sheaf of palay, which we used in place of the traditional arhae of golden coins, from our farm in the province. (We did many non-traditional things in our wedding.)

My family for being so gracious during the traditional pamanhikan dinner. So gracious in fact that when my future mother-in-law asked what kind of dishes I could cook, they stifled their laughter until they were red in the face. My mother could just look to the heavens for supplication.

My former housemate's recommended make-up artists, without whom I wouldn't have been late to my own wedding. And Manila society's couturier before they discovered Joe Salazar, et. al. for my gown. Unfortunately, I cannot remember her name but she did marvelous work.

And of course, DH for spending days and nights physically preparing the venue for the family, friends and guests who gathered together at the big night.

My apologies to all whom I may have inadvertently forgotten. Ten years may not be a long time by Hollywood standards, but it is to us. (A poor excuse for memory gap.)

*Photos of wedding memorabilia taken this month when DH surprised me with the box containing them. I thought we had lost them when we moved houses.

NEXT: Why the two dates

Sharing Smiles

Cabbie said I make her smile. Well, she makes me smile, too, but I don't think she intends for me to tag her again. :-)



But lots of SMILES to go all around, so I am tagging Marix, Christine, Nina, Manang Marissa, Alby, Airees, Leirs, Nita and Jenn. You make me smile each time I see your works and everytime you leave a comment in my blog. :-)

Kaya 5 Entry

My response to Idol Cabbie's challenge to use six pieces of patterned paper. The end result is not quite Cabbiesque, but it's a start. :-)

See all the details at the Kaya! challenge blog.

I'd love to scrap all the other photos from that shoot. Hope to, soon...



Photos by DH, kasi, hindi nila ako isinama! Waahhhh.... I think it was almost 10 am when the pics were taken, thus, the shadows.

Any suggestions how I should scrap these photos? Thanks much.

Shared Stories

Words from the Heart - that's the title of the final round of the Scrappin Moms Idol. The remaining 15 contestants were asked to create a two-page spread about "Life's Joys and Challenges and the Lessons Learned From Them."

Many joys and challenges flitted through my mind as I prepared to write my journaling but I chose to zoom in on just one - the joys and challenges of being a parent. I approached the subject with a dash of humor, as I believe that is the best way to deal with raising a family (and surviving.) I took inspiration from the writings of Robert Fulghum, Erma Bombeck and Bill Cosby. All the lessons learned, however, are mine and apply specifically to my family. You can see those Parenting 101 lessons here.

Please do take time to view all the wonderful entries in the gallery. You will not only learn lessons, but you will be touched, inspired and amazed by the stories all the 14 other contestants have to share. I applaud them, not only for their artistry, but for their willingness to share their stories. They are courageous souls because many of these stories are very personal, and some may have also been painful to write about.

I thank each and everyone of them for sharing their stories, for touching my life, albeit vicariously, and most specially, for the privilege of getting to know them better.

Thank you, too, to the Scrappin Moms (I was almost tempted to make an LO about the trials and tribulations, sige na nga, joys na din, of being an Idol contestant hehe) for brewing us this contest. It has made us see ourselves and others in a different light. Kudos to all of you.

Now the real test begins in a few weeks...

More Ephemera

When it rains, it pours. It all started with the Pinoy Scrapbookers Kaya Challenge when I needed ephemera to scrap. I dug up all my boxes of stuff in the bodega and found, ephemera galore. Truly, my DH and I are such pack rats that sooner or later, our "collectibles" will run us out of the house. Can you imagine the headlines, "Ephemera bury husband and wife. Wife can't scrap fast enough." Hahaha.

But I am enjoying these mini-trips down memory lane. And if I can't scrap just yet, I can scan and upload them in this blog. So be warned. Ephemera coming!


This is a brochure for The Alcove, the photo gallery of the Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL) in Makati. The upper left most photo is of Sarah at less than two years old. It is one of my first photos using my Nikon FM2, my first (and only) fully manual camera, which I bought in 2001. I enrolled at FHL to improve my photography skills, such as they were, a few weeks after I got it. I wanted to learn how to best use my equipment (note: my DH finds this statement funny) to maximize its features. Up until then, I had only used autofocus cameras. At the end of the 4-week workshop, we had to submit photos to our instructors Kat Palasi and Vir Montenegro for critiquing. My photo was chosen one of the three winners and it was used in the FHL brochure.

I kept this because it marks the beginning of my official (it feels more official if you're somewhat published hehe) foray into the wonderful world of capturing images. Now I have to look for the original rolls of film so I can have them scanned to digital files. I wonder under which broken-down piece of furniture I will find the box that contains them?

Spread Too Thin

Whew! I think I passed the Scrappin Mom's Idol "No Photos Allowed" round by the skin of my teeth. Truly, my co-contestants outdid themselves again as you can see from the gallery. Me? I was just glad to get to scrap some wedding memorabilia that I haven't seen since the day I packed them ten years ago.

Story of Us features our wedding invitations and wedding souvenirs. My journaling is an open letter to my DH. I think it was a bit stilted because I knew other people will be reading this missive. Medyo na-shy ako. Hehe. I made another postcard similar to the wedding invitations and handwrote my letter at the back.

The next challenge is a spread. The first and last time I did a spread was over a year ago when I started scrapbooking. Yup! Because I wanted to put in as many photos as possible, my first two layouts were spreads.

My Very First LO

My Second LO (Notice any improvement over the first? Hahaha.)

I hope whatever I come up with are better than these. Otherwise, I will be singing "Na na na na hey hey hey goodbye" next time around.

Twice Mentioned

Maybs saw it first from Jessica Sprague's blog. From there there was a link to blogher, where the author asks why we scrap. I guess I answered that in a previous entry in this blog, which she happened to read, and so she cited it in hers.

Next, came the Madcropper who picked me as her layout of the week for September 8. She cited the same layout.

Wow! So this is how it feels like to have your work featured anywhere. And it's not even a full-blown layout.

Thank you, Blogher and Madcropper, for reminding me with my very own layout why I'm into this in the first place.

Desiderata for Scrapbookers

So this is what happens when you're nose is clogged and your mind is fogged - rewrite one of the most famous poems ever. I apologise to everyone who might not find this funny, it's the Benadryl talking.

But first, a bit of trivia. Did you know that “desiderata” is Latin for “desired things”? Quite appropriate for us hoarders, I mean, scrapbookers, isn’t it?

Desiderata for Scrapbookers
(with my sincerest apologies to Max Ehrmann)

Go placidly amid the aisles of Michael’s and Archivers,
and remember what peace there may be in knowing that
you do not have to have everything.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all scrapbooking salespersons
and store owners. (That 10% discount is your reward.)

Speak your comments on LOs quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the newbies;
they too have something to share.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
(Somehow, all that comes to mind are Au and Nita.
And the exact opposite is true. They are loud
and spirited, but hardly annoying.)

If you compare your layouts with others’ layouts,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser layouts than yours.

Enjoy your finished layouts as well as the process.

Keep interested in your own stories, however humble;
they are real possessions that should be scrapped in time.

Exercise caution in buying scrapping supplies;
for the world is full of trends.
But let this not blind you to what a good sale is;
many stores strive for 49% discounts;
and everywhere the web is full of online stores with free shipping.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign scrapbooking styles.
Neither be cynical about your layout;
for in the face of losing at challenges
your acid-free materials are as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of other more experienced scrapbookers
but do not gracefully surrender the things that make you, you.

Nurture kindred scrapbooking spirits to crop with.
But do not distress yourself with trying to “keep up”.
Many fears are born of fatigue and wanting.
Beyond EBs and crop parties,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a scrapbooker of the universe,
no less than the Memory Makers Masters and the CK Scrapbookers of the Year;
you have a right to scrap.
And whether or not it is as clear as a Hambly transparency to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding like an accordion album.

Therefore be at peace with your partners,
whatever s/he may think of your scrapbooking,
and whether in Scrapfests or Scrapmeets,
in the noisy confusion of shopping keep peace with your wallet.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Scrap it.
Strive to be real.

Ambivalence

Well, what do you know? I'm still in the running for Idol. (Obvious ba, hinintay ko ang results, hehe.) One part of me loves the idea and am actually feeling proud of myself right now. The other half is filled with dread and trepidation.

The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride. While I love the process of creating for Idol, I can certainly do without the stress that comes with it. (Just ask any of the challengers.) My world has been completely turned upside down. Whereas before, I looked forward to weekends so I can scrap in peace, I now claim Saturdays and Sundays as my days-off from scrapping! LOL.

The movers to the next round are announced on Thursdays, so are the details of the next challenge. Of course, as I fall asleep, ideas fleet through my mind. But I refuse to fully entertain them yet, as I won't be able to scrap until the weekend anyway. But weekends are supposed to be stress-free so come the end of the week, I refuse to think about Idol at all. Ergo, I don't go anywhere near my scrap room. Crazy, isn't it? Sunday evenings I let my mind plan and strategize and hopefully, if all went well, I'd be done by Wednesday morning.

Not so this week. First, I had no file photos of any objects that may be significant to me. Except perhaps, food. :-) Got loads of those. So that means I have to stage a shoot. I'm pretty much "spontaneity" when it comes to my photography. Then, my significant objects are so small that my point and shoot can't quite hack the exact angle I wanted. Good thing serendipity came to the rescue. I finally had my photo but needed fresh inks for my printer. Finally got around to buying those, Wednesday afternoon. And I don't have to tell you about moving everything around until things fell into place. In my case, things didn't fall into place until 4:00 am Thursday morning. Talk about cramming. But I have to thank Cabbie (she showed me her LO past midnight) for inspiring me to do better. I literally had to start over again because I felt my LO was not good enough. The final outcome is very different from what I have been working on the whole night. But I'm glad I took the extra effort, not to mention the extra hours because as usual, all the other entries are something else again.

And have you seen the next challenge? Ephemera! I sucked at that in the KAYA! Challenges. Waaahhh...And no photos!!! And I just bought new inks.

Altered Perceptions

Well, the past week was a week for "egg" jokes in our house as I made my entry to Round 3 - Alter It of SMI. As I mentioned before, I am not really into altering. I still think my winning the Altered Photo Box Challenge last Scrapfest was a fluke. So this round is really a challenge for me.

The first thing I did was to walk around the house from the third floor down looking for an item to alter and repurpose. I ended my occular inspection in my pantry where I eyed my baking equipment with evil intent. Practicality won over, however, so my Wilton cookie sheets and muffin tins remain safe. I decided to alter and repurpose, instead, an egg carton, including the empty eggshells to make "Eggs-tatic." I'd hardly call the process of creating it eggs-hilirating. More like eggs-asperating. I felt that I would eggs-pire anytime. And most of all, I really felt that my being an Idol contestant would not be eggs-tended. See what I mean about the egg jokes? Eggs-cellent!!! LOL.

This particular round opened my eyes to many things.

First, it confirmed to me what I have always known. That the Pinay scrappers are remarkably talented. And we ain't seen nothing yet.

Second, that this is no regular challenge. It doesn't let up. One minute you're celebrating the fact that you made it through and the next, you are murmuring expletives as you read through the rules of the next challenge.

Third, many people take this seriously. Man, those are serious work in the galleries. This has gone beyond, "I joined so I am forced to make at least one LO a week." Who am I kidding? If that was all there was to it, any LO I come up with should suffice. Instead, I come up with an idea, and then I try to second guess the other challengers. Not necessarily to top them but to at least ensure that my entry would hold its own.

Fourth, as David Hume said, "Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them." Or more prosaically, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I do not envy the judges as they review each and every entry. It is a daunting task. But in this contest, three contestants are dropped every week and one project is Pick of the Week. If you think your work should be pick of the week or that you really deserve to still be in the running, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't let anyone question your faith and belief in yourself. It doesn't mean that you and/or your work are not good enough. It's just the rules of this particular game. (I tell myself these many times as frail human that I am, I have massive attacks of insecurities.)

At this point, I do not know what the fates or the judges have in store for me so let me now post this -


because next week, my photo might no longer be in the contestants roster and except for my creations in the galleries, it would be like I was never part of this.

Being U.P.

When I first entered U.P. decades ago (I don't mind that my age is showing, with ageing gracefully, hopefully comes wisdom), I was taught to observe, to ask questions, to be vigilant, and to say what needed saying. I learned that in the classrooms, in FGDs, and in rallies. I learned it well, and as I lived my life I found that that could be a blessing...or a curse.

At a blind date in a bar in EDSA Shangri-La mall, there was a promo for condoms (I forgot which brand). These pretty girls dressed in skimpy clothing gave the guys in my table condoms. When I asked, "What about me?" The girl answered, "Oh, it's only for the boys." And I replied (years of conditioning and working at a very progressive foundation), "You should give the girls, too." She looked at me like I was crazy. By this time, my blind date was turning apoplectic with embarassent at my audacity, I presume. I looked him in the eye and tried to explain myself. "Women should have that choice. It is after all, our bodies." He stared at me like he has never seen a thinking female before and said, "U.P. ka nga!" It sounded like a curse when he said it. He was obviously from "the other university" and needless to say, I never saw him again. Now, that, was a blessing. LOL.

At work, I earned the ire of some my officemates when I didn't agree to something they wanted to do, because I was following office policy. Sure, I have been known to bend policy now and then, but not when it meant the destruction of the foundation's and my core values as a human being. Those who didn't get that are still not talking to me now. That could be a curse or a blessing, depending on your point of view. Because I continued to work with them for a time, it was a curse pretending that everything was honky-dory.

At a social event with GMA, when my daughter Kahlo, loudly asked, "Mama, where is the President?" GMA, graciously bowed down in front of her, and said, "I am the president." I had to bite my lip to refrain from saying "Not for looong..." (This happened at a time when there were many rallies against her.) My eyes met my husband's and I knew from the quirk of his mouth that he was thinking the same thing. U.P. din siya. Hehehe.

So what is my point? Well, I guess I'm just saying that it's second-nature to me to ask questions and demand answers...until I'm satisfied. The words that toppled a dictatorship still run through the back of my mind everytime. "Kung hindi tayo kikibo, sino ang kikibo? Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?" That is why I live my life in constant danger...Of being booted out of parties. Hahaha. So sa mga nakukulitan na sa akin, pasensiya na. U.P. kasi ako, eh. LOL.

Ding...Round 3

As early as 10 PM, Thursday night, I learned my fate in the Scrappinmoms Idol Challenge. I get to move on to the next round. I immediately tried to figure out (their names are not announced, their photos just disappear from the gallery) who were the three scrapbooking artists who were dropped, not because their LOs were not good, but just because for this particular round, their LOs were at the bottom 3. Does that mean that the other LOs were way better? I wouldn't know. For all I know, it might just be a mere tenth of a point that separates them from the Top 24. But this I do know for sure, everyone submitted artistic creations that are their own, and that no one can take away from them.

I am happy I am moving on because I am particularly pleased with my entry, Noise. This LO took a long time coming because I had the photo printed, my title chosen and journaling written as early as March 2007. It took this monochromatitic challenge for me to finally put my ideas on paper. For that alone, I am rewarded. I am sad though because the SMI journey of my friend Nina ends with this challenge. Nina is a creative sensitive soul and I always admire her layouts. I continue to look forward to what she will come up with next.

The next challenge has also been announced. Altering a household item. You think that's easy? Try the restrictions. It's really mind-altering. LOL. When DH heard the next challenge, he asked, baffled, "What has that got to do with scrapbooking?" What, indeed. Ahhh...the things we do for our craft.

Happy Birthday Blog!

I started this blog the day after I joined the Pinoy Scrapbookers e-group so that I would have a venue to share my scrapbooking journey with people who would appreciate and understand. As many of you know and have experienced yourselves, not everyone is a scrapbooker, and they could never get why we are so passionate about photos, paper, and glue.

I am sure that at first, few read my blog, but as our number grew and more scrappers got their own blogs to document their own journeys, we visited each other, learned more from and about each other. Truly, blog-hopping has become such a part of my routine that my day is not complete if I didn't read about Nina's latest ATC, Nita's scrapbooking bloopers, Christine's shopping finds, Airee's Monday mosaics, Cabbie's newest creation, Au's deconstruction, Jenn's creative calisthenics...Oh, my, I never should have started this. Even if I failed to mention your name, rest assured, that if your blog is written on the blog roll at left, I never fail to read you. Never. So Leirs, I know the latest about your lost (and found) cellphone. And I didn't leave a comment because you warned me. I try as much as possible to leave comments to your blogs, as well as respond to your comments to mine because I think the blogging's best reward is that you provoked someone to pause and think. Thankfully, except for a spam message that was written in Portuguese, I have never read a negative comment on my blog. Although negative comments, especially about my layouts are most welcome. Just be warned that your blogs are free game, too. LOL.

So anyway, this past year has been a blast. I started hoarding stuff in October 2005 and I really thought I had more than enough. But as Au was telling me last night, one could never have enough scrapbooking stuff. (When will it ever end?) I finally made my first layout in June 2006. Yes, took me that long to gain courage (not confidence yet). In August 17, 2006, I joined Pinoy Scrapbookers and life (and my wallet) was never the same. I slowly gained confidence, enough to join challenges. I have had my altered photo box win me a Canon Powershot camera, but most of all I won friends. You guys are just great.

As of today, I have scrapped 42 layouts. Not much compared to most of you, I know. But considering that I didn't scrap at all for more than a year since I was gifted my first set of decorative-edged scissors and 12x12 albums, 42 is quite an achievement.

And today, I also learned that my Scrappinmoms' Idol journey continues, having made it through Round 1. My entry is called Sandwich Kiss and you can view it here. Congratulations (good news or bad news?) to all of us who made it to next round. Kudos, too, to Phylline, Pam and Marix. Your layouts are all very creative. Whoever invented the rule that three scrappers be dropped every week should be...commented for being such a brave soul. Hehehe. Kung pwede lang sana lahat tayo nasa finals... Pero parang ayoko yatang umabot dun. Di ko na kaya ang stress! Waaahhhh...

But anyway, happy birthday, The Armchair Scrapper. May you blog more, live, love, laugh and scrap more in the years to come. And dare I say, that you have successfully moved your b**t from your armchair. Hahaha.

Note: Cupcake by Sonja. Her shop is at Serendra. Been wanting to get me one of this since they opened last year. She just celebrated her first year anniversary, too.

Guess Who's on You Tube?

That's part 1, here's part 2:

Journey with Me

Yup! It's official. The non-stop "dings" and "to-toots" of my YM and cellphone confirmed yesterday that my audition layout made it to the Top 30 of the Scrappin Moms' Idol Challenge.

My first reaction was to shout, "Papa! I made it through the first round!" Then, "Oh, my, I am in very good company" as I saw the names of the other contestants. It read like (except for the judges themselves) a who's who of local scrapbooking. Familiar names, many of whom have won challenges before and some new ones who show much promise. But when I saw the next challenge, I could only mutter, "S..t. What did I get myself into?"

What, indeed.

I like joining challenges because they inspire me to make layouts that I would never have thought of making otherwise. Case in point, the Kaya! challenges. They also push me to create as soon as I have thought of them because they have deadlines. Otherwise, they would have stayed just as ideas until they are eventually pushed to the back of my mind. Sayang naman. I recently viewed my album and I realised that I have created most of them for challenges. I don't think I would have been able to fill two albums in less than a year otherwise.

I am usually always satisfied with my creations. Once I finish and I slip the finished LO into the protective sheet, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. I do not think of winning while I am making an LO. I only think of putting my ideas into paper, so to speak. It is when I have submitted my LOs to challenges that I begin to think of the possibilities of winning or losing. I guess that is human nature. Show me a person who doesn't have any expectations when s/he joins a contest and I will show you a person...who is not me. Haha. I do not stress myself out making an LO - I do not consciously set out to make a winnable LO. My LOs are personally meaningful and not just for show. But I do stress myself out when I see my LO side by side with other LOs, knowing that I have put part of me under relentless scrutiny.

My LOs have never won (notice I said LOs, not "I"), and I am disappointed. Who doesn't want to win? For a few moments I forget that I have already been rewarded. Again, it is human nature to sometimes question yourself when this happens, but I bounce back. It is in acknowledging disatisfaction that you learn to be satisfied.

This is my rather long-winded explanation on why I chose to submit an LO to the Idol challenge. (Well, aside from the fact that I respect and admire the organizers and that I want to do my part in making our small community flourish.) I know that I will be putting myself through a wringer but if it would make me test my capabilities and limits, why not? I am never one to back down from any challenge. And besides, it would ensure me at least one LO a week. I have a very supportive DH who respects my "Me" time (he even gives me days off when he knows I have a deadline to meet) and KiDS who love my scrapbooks no matter what. I have never heard them complain that I scrap too much. If anything, they complain that I don't make enough LOs about "us." Oh, Diego did complain once that I buy too much stuff but I don't use them as much. :-)

Also, as I said earlier, I am in good company. It would not be an embarassment to be eliminated amidst such very good scrapbookers. But my pride hopes I don't get eliminated early. Sana umabot man lang ng week 3. Hahaha. But this I say, if and when I am eliminated, I will continue to create LOs for the challenges. LOs that only you, dear readers, will judge. So come, journey with me.

Click here to view the layouts for the elimination round.
And this is my layout about our New Kid on the Block, Jazmane Marie. She is the daughter of our yaya of 5 years. We treat both of them as members of our family. Incidentally, today is Jazmane's first birthday.

Kaya 4 - No. 1 Fan

When you're inspired, things just seem to fall into place. This month's Kaya! is on using ephemera in a layout. As a mom of three KiDS and a DH who collects just about everything (even the instructions that come with Happy Meal toys), it should have been easy for me to find something to scrap. Wrong! I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of items that I have saved through the years. But inspiration hit me when I found this sweet note from my daughter, Sarah.


Journaling Reads:
(A conversation between Sarah and I while I am reading my scrapbook magazines and she is peeking over my shoulder):

Sarah: Mama, why are your scrapbooks not in the magazines?
Mama: Why? Do you want our scrapbooks to be in magazines?
Sarah: Yes...except the one where I was crying.
Mama: I don't thing my layouts are good enough.
Sarah: Oh, but they're very nice, Mama. Promise!

Lots of hugs and kisses ensue and my place in scrapbooking history is assured.

Materials Used:
Paper - Daisy D's; Cardstock - unknown; Ribbon - Michelle's; Stickers - Scenic Route; Stamp - Autumn Leaves; Ink - Colorbox; Distress Ink; Puncher - Paper Shapers Corner Adorner; Diecut: Cuttlebug; Pen - Uni Ball Signo white; Adhesive - UHU.

Ephemera:
A note from Sarah where she wrote " I "heart" you Mama. You are a great scrapbook artist." (It's exactly as she gave it to me except that I inked the edges. Nobody told her to write that and there was no particular occasion. I'm just sorry that I failed to note the date.)

The Process:
This is one layout where I concentrated more on my thoughts and feelings rather than on making it good. I scrapped this mainly for me and my daughter. A reminder to myself that I do not have to put myself through unnecessary pressure and fear of relentless scrutiny to come up with a good LO. I am scrapping details of our lives and my family (and their families) wouldn't care that I didn't follow basic principles of design. I know they will smile, awashed in fond memories, when sometime in the future they will look at my scrapbooks. Our love for each other will last, everything else is ephemeral.

For my daughter Sarah, a reminder that she loves (or loved) me, the works that I create(d) and that she is my No.1 Fan.

Challenged! Part 2

As I mentioned earlier, I had bought papers for specific challenges so to silence the twinge of guilt I feel each time I look at my scrap bill, I had to make LOs. And not just any LOs. But LOs that at least have a chance of winning the challenges. Otherwise, why would I scramble to meet the deadlines when I can surely scrap much later, at my own pace and leisure?

There were three more LOs that I finished last weekend of July.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS SCENIC ROUTE CHALLENGE

When I went to buy the Scenic Route papers and monograms in Vivian's store, I didn't have the faintest layout idea in mind. There were too many patterns and colors to choose from that I just decided that I would do a layout on my two girls. Thus, I chose the flower patterns in in rich pink/orangey colors.

In Dad's Arms

My initial title for this was "Wrapped in Dad's Embrace" but I didn't have the right diecuts or stickers. Besides, it was too long that there wouldn't have been any room. Thus, after much deliberation, I settled for "In Dad's Arms." I love this photo of my DH and the girls. It shows how comfortable they are with each other. Sarah and Kahlo truly are Papa's girls, while DH has no qualms about showing his affection in public.

Journaling:
We know we are safe, secure, warm, loved, treasured, so adored. Sarah, Kahlo and Papa.

Note: It was Nita's idea to use that specific PPS (the backside of the flowers) and write the journaling that way. I had initially written my journaling on a Hambly screen print but it didn't work out. It commanded too much attention away from my photo.

Materials Used:
Papers - Scenic Route (I say 'rowt', you say 'root'. Is it 'to-ma-to' or 'to-may-to'?) Charlotte, Stickers - Laurel ABCD Monogram; Flowers - Bazzill and Prima; Button - K&Co.; Rub-ons - American Crafts; Diecut - Cuttlebug; Ribbon - Divisoria; Swirls handcut by Nita Ang.

The Process:
This was the first LO I started during the past week and I finished it last Friday. I brooded over it for a while but there wasn't much else to do, so here it is. Plain and simple.

The layout below is quite especial to me. It is one of the very first LOs I worked on last year, albeit using different papers. I finished this LO at Nita's house, at a precursor of our Friday mini-EBs. She and Au helped clueless me how to start scrapbooking. It was good but I wasn't quite happy with it. And I am glad I waited to scrap this photo because when I saw these Scenic Route papers, I knew they were perfect. I know they are the "old" designs but to be honest, I like the originality of the early released SR papers.

I so love this photo of Diego beside one of his Papa's clay model for a monument in Pagsanghan. It is supposed to depict Shooting the Rapids.

Papa's Works of Arts

Journaling:
At this YOUNG age, you are soft and pliable like clay.
Like a SCULPTOR to his MASTERPIECE, let me...
MOULD your values and your character.
FIRE your imagination with the endless possibilities.
BOND you with love and pure affection.
CAST your spirit with courage & determination.
BUILD you a strong foundation.
You are God's work of perfection.
Papa's work in progress.

Materials Used:
Papers - Scenic Route Leonardo's Creation, ItalianScript Cream, Stripe with Patter; Stickers: Laurel Monogram ABCD; Hambly screenprint; Diecut,- Cuttlebug; Stamps - Fancy Pants Bella Brush (thanks Mia); unknown (thanks Tin); Rubons - American Crafts; Perfect Pearls pigments; metal brads.

The Process:
I wrote the journaling last year. I mulled over it for the longest time with the help of my DH. I wanted to show that the clay model and Diego are his Papa's works of arts. Thus, the title. I believe that our children are there parents' creations. So we have to be caring and loving to make sure that they grow up with strong foundations. Following that train of thought, I used the techniques that DH has to go through to make a sculpture. From clay moulding to finally putting up the sculpture on its pedestal.

For the word WORKS, I used the Aged Patina pigments for the first time. I am supposed to simulate the color and texture of bronze, I am not sure if I succeeded. I impressed the stamped images on transparency at the PS July EB and they fit perfectly here.

*Many thanks to Cabbie for uploading these LOs to the Lasting Impression gallery. Since I left the upload at the last minute, I wasn't registered in time for the gallery.

SCRAPBUKAN'S MY MIND'S EYE/THREE CHALLENGE

I edited this photo in Photoshop, blurring the background and making the colors more vivid. I wanted to popout the shades but there was no time for me to learn how to do it. The KiDS had just bought these visors cum shades from an ambulant vendor and I just love the goofy grins on their faces. Pure happiness over such cheap treats.

3 Shady Grins

Journaling:
A picnic at Rizal Park, Manila
Cheap plastic visors in shades of pink & blue
Lots of grins and laughter.

(I didn't think the layout called for lengthy journaling as the photo speaks for itself.)

Materials Used:
Paper - Tres Bien Birthday Boy stripe, Birthday Boy Circles; Tag - Mademoiselle Princess Quote; Arrows - American Crafts; Stickers - American Craft Thickers; Stamp - Autumn Leaves; Pen - Uni Ball Signo white; Ribbons, Buttons, Cardstock.

The Process:
Can you say beating the deadline? I started this LO at 2 pm last July 31. I love the MME papers so it wasn't difficult to conceptualize a simple sketch. I was in the zone, loving every minute of it when the phone rang as I was about to stamp an image (U Make Me Laugh) on my LO. I was going to test the color of the ink first to check if it contrasted enough with the cardstock. But hearing my MIL's strident voice on the line, I unwittingly stamped on my LO. The image didn't come out completely (I tried to salvage it by pressing again) but the color was all wrong! For some it would have been easy to cover it up with a Prima but I didn't have the right shades. I hastily looked through my drawers and found the flower diecuts from last May's Scrapfest. I know the Scrappin' Moms will forgive me for not using them to make my She layouts. Some ink still showed around the edges so I used ribbons.

Challenged!

Seven weeks no scrap. Crazy, indeed. I've been beset by ennuiand I haven't scrapped for more than seven weeks. Fifty days to be exact. It's enough to drive a scrapbooker loco. And for a scary minute back there, I actually loved not scrapping. No rush, no pressure. I was really comfortable in my rut, I could have stayed there forever.

But, the irony is, being in a rut didn't stop me from scrap shopping. (I think the guilt of spending way too much on scrap items added to it. Talk about digging myself into a deeper hole.) Even if I didn't have the drive to scrap anything, I bought materials for challenges that our local stores have been offering.

And finally, wonders of wonder, last week, with the encouragement of my DH (he actually gave me several days off from mommy duties) I finally sat down and began cutting and pasting paper. I'd like to share this feat with you. I don't want to jinx this this time, so I won't say what I said previously.

KAYA CHALLENGE ENTRY

The stamping challenge over at the Pinoy Scrapbookers Challenge blog really had me stumped. But as a member of the core team, I had a commitment to submit layouts to all the challenges in a timely manner. Well, it hadn't been timely, kinda last minute actually, but I made it! It felt good to be scrapping again, not to mention to be with close scrapping friends. I finished this LO at our regular Friday mini-EB. I wasn't able to attend the mini-EBs for as long as I was unable to scrap.

Big Bad Mama

This was inspired by an article by Panjee Gonzales which Leirs posted in her blog last June 30. I totally related to what Panjee had to say about being a mother. Especially as I had to make many difficult adjustments and meet many challenges (nope - not scrapbooking related) during the last two months. It had been difficult and I questioned my capacity to always be a loving mom. Making this LO made me realize that I don't have to be super-SAHM . To my credit, when I showed this to my KiDS, they were puzzled by the title and they assured me between hugs and kisses that I am not not a bad mom. Although I distinctly heard my DH pipe up in the background, "Yup, but she's big." I decided to ignore that.

Journaling (on tags which I have had for the longest time and was happy to discover are acid-free):
To-Do-List
Check that KiDS have healthy "baon"
Read PATECON notes re schoolwork
Remember to check homeworks
Supervise KiDS' meals
Referee quarrels/fights
Have lots of patience
Clean up/listen up
Pray...
To-Call-List
???put the KiDS up for adoption

Want to Do List
Scrap!!!
Read books for grown-ups
Computer (blog/surf)

It's not easy to be a SAHM. You are on call 24 hours a day. It is particularly hard now that my yaya decided to take a permanent vacation. I have a long list of "things to do" for my DH and 3 KiDS everyday. But sometimes I forget and the entire household runs amok. Many times I lose it. I become upset...mad. I lose my patience. I raise my voice. I turn into a bad mama. And when that happens. I don't like myself at all.

Materials Used:
Papers - Basic Grey Sublime Collection; Stamps for title - Making Memories Mixed Font foam stamps; MM acrylic paint - Espresso; Stamp on photo - Autumn Leaves "Invent Yourself It's Up To You"; Stamp on paragraph - Making Memories Magnetic Alphabet (thanks Nita for lendingf me the MM tools); unknown tags.

Techniques:
Paper tearing, lots of stamping. And lots of mistakes. It's not easy to stamp letters or words. Sometimes they come out baligtad. So to make sure, I stamp on scratch paper first. To illustrate, I mistook the "G" to be an "A" and stamped it on "Mama". I cut a piece of the patterned paper to cover up my mistake. I then did the same for the last letter "A", hoping against hope that it would look intentional. I still have to get the hang of stamping. But at least I tried and now I can say, Kaya!


MY LITTLE ATTIC VALERIE SALMON CHALLENGE

Would you believe I was actually able to make two entries for this challenge? Let's just say I love Val's sketches. Also, I made a deal with myself that I will join all of Val's sketch challenges over at My Scrapworks. And, I was able to use 4x6 prints! I have to mention that my 8x11 photo printer ran out of ink and I didn't have money to buy the six cartridges yet so I was forced to use my HP Photosmart which only spewed out regular prints. I think it turned out well because my memories of these events needed more than one photo.

Beautiful Dancer

Journaling:
Sarah, oh, how you love to dance. You hear music in your head and you dance to it. Continue to dance your way into our hearts.

Materials Used:
Papers - My Mind's Eye (Wild Asparagus, Tres Jolie); Tag - My Mind's Eye Quotes; Flowers - Prima and Bazzill; Stickers - Creative Expression; Stamps - Bam Pop; Technique Tuesday; Ink - Colorbox; Button - K & Co.; Diecuts - Cuttlebug Vintage Corners; Brad - All About Scrapbooking; Chalk; ribbon and shoe embellishment from Divisoria; Software - Adobe Photoshop CS.

Techniques:
I was able to use both sides of only two patterned papers. (Yey for thrift!) It was also my first time to use my new Cuttlebug and I loved it. I sanded the edges of the papers, even the journaling strips. It wasn't easy and and dust (and expletives) colored the air. The violet ink was too bright for the papers so I muted it with chalk. First time to use this palette that has been in my stash forever, too.

When Did You Grow Up?

I know my eldest is no longer a baby but neither is he grown up (at least in mama's eyes) already. But I have noticed and sensed many changes in his demeanor recently. Including, his resistance to join the other children in the kiddie chairs when there are parties. He has become reticent about joining parlor games. He would rather watch from his chair beside us in the adults' area. I chose different pictures of him in past parties, the biggest one being the latest.

Journaling:
You used to be excited over kiddie birthday parties. Yu can't wait to join in the games. But lately, I noticed you don't want to be with the other children anymore. You hesitate to join in the games. May I remind you that you are only nine. It's OK to be a kid...to play...don't grow up too fast. Time enough for that.

Materials Used:
Papers - Daisy D's; Stickers - unknown epoxy stickers, Creative Expressions; Stamps - Technique Tuesday; Diecut - Cuttlebug Red Tag Sale.

Techniques:
I took my inspiration from the photos. Since Diego is wearing a plaid shirt, I chose a plaid PPS. It was serendipitous that the matching PPS had circles on it as it echoed the balloons in the photos. I retained Valerie's circles as it fit perfectly with the circular patterns. Although the photos are colorful, it was lucky that the colors complemented each other. I had fun with the bright orange accents. I didn't think to use flowers for the LO as I want it to be fun and all boy. So I cut the different colored circles from the paper and adhered them in the upper-left corner with foam and pop-up dots. Also, by this time, I had practice using the sketch for Beautiful Dancer so it was quicker. I like it's simplicity as the focus is on the photos.

I joined two more challenges and I will posting them soon. Thanks for reading cause I am defintely back!!!