Life Without Technology

The past few weeks I have been without a cellphone (it finally died on me, and I am still deciding whether I should continue with my Smart subscription or shift to Globe), without my laptop (my DH commandeered it for work purposes as his laptop is in the repair shop) and without cable TV (we have been spending so much time in Marikina, TV viewing right now is limited to a smorgasboard of Wowowee, Iisa Pa Lamang and My Girl.

It felt strange at first to have no access to text or e-mail messages. It felt like losing an appendage initially but I eventually got used to it. At least, no internet access meant staying away from E-bay. LOL. Funny, the last few days, DH and I play musical chairs. Every time he would leave the computer unattended, I'd rush to check my e-mail and my Facebook account. Yup, I am finally on Facebook. So if you're there, too, Facebook me. Hehehe.

Anyway, I was able to work on one LO which I'd like to share now. This one is about my Yaya's baby (or is it?). She's turning two next August.

Godchild


Journaling:
According to Ate Juliet, Sarah volunteered to be Jazmane Marie's ninang or Godmother when we were planning her baptism back in August 11, 2007. I don't know if at the young age of 7 1/2. Sarah understood all the responsibilities of being a ninang. Certainly, not with the Fairly Odd Parents or Cinderella's Fairy Godmother as role models. But loving, caring for, and being a good role model for Jampong is a good start. Who said a Godmother can't be a little angel to watch over God's child?

Materials:
PPS - Autumn Leaves, Creative Imaginations; Chipboard - American Crafts; Flowers - Prima, Bazzill; Buttons - UBL; Sticker - Colorbok; Rubons - MAMBI; Thread - DMC; Ink - Clearsnap; Puncher - Fiskars; Adhesive UHU.

Thanks for looking. I'm off now, gotta yield the chair to my DH.

Maling Kaya

Hahaha. I made this this afternoon as my response to Tin's Kaya challenge with the subject "Letting Go." I got so carried away, I forgot it's a sketch challenge. Waaahhh!!! Well, it's still based on a sketch, by Becky Fleck. LOL.

We never expected that we would find it hard to let go of a pet that wasn't really ours in the first place. For months afterwards, we would still mention talk about Mao like he was just around. I think, we've finally accepted that he's gone, but we will never let go of his memories.

Stray Cat


Journaling: (Warning: long read ahead)
We once had a cat named Mao. He was a pusang gala that started coming to our garage in 2006. The KiDS fed him so not surprisingly, the stray cat decided to live there. Every night, without fail, it would come and stay. Always, he would leave in the morning to do what it is that stray cats do.

One day, he just stopped coming. The KiDS started missing him. When Mao finally came home late one night, we were horrified to see him dragging his hind leg at a very awkward angle. His right leg dangled limply and uselessly behind him. We think he must have been in an accident and that he stayed in some ditch to heal before finally finding the way to our house. I was touched that out of the many houses in the village he chose to find haven in ours.

If I couldn't drive him away before, the more I couldn't turn him away then. So we took care of him and fed him. He hardly ever left the house, except to relieve himself. When he heads our van arriving, he would drag himself from the street into
our garage. He didn’t run, he sort of glided across the floor. The KiDS loved him, imperfect though he was.

In February 2008, Mao didn't come home again for a long time. We were worried something had happened to him. When he finally resurfaced,his face was swollen and he was very weak. I took him to the vet and I was told that with his injuries there was only a slim chance of survival even if we insisted on a surgery.He was also very weak and in so much pain already.I cried upon hearing the news. I had to make the difficult decision of putting him to sleep. The doctor said it was painless, but until the last minute, I saw Mao trying to escape from our grasp. He was a survivor to the last moment. I stayed with him the whole time as I didn't want him to feel abandoned as he was in the early stages of his life.

Breaking the news to my KiDS was even more difficult, and soon all of us were crying. We all mourned Mao, even if he didn't have pedigree, or even if he wasn't the type of pet my KiDS could freely cuddle and hug. He was family.

Mao might have been a stray, but he strayed right into our hearts. He was sweet and smart and a really great mouser. I am sure he is now in cat heaven where all cats are free, well-fed, and healthy.

Mao left behind a stray female cat named Barra. Shortly after his death, Barra had kittens, which, had they survived, we would like to believe were Mao’s. (Written 2/11/08)

Materials:
PPS - Autumn Leaves; CS - DCWV; Ricrac, twine - unknown; Ink - Clearsnap; Stamps - Autumn Leaves; Alphabets - Heidi Swapp. American Crafts; Tag - Joann's; Adhesive - Saunders; Foam - Darice

Techniques Used;
While the LO is deceptively simple, it took me a long time to make. Not because of the layout itself, but because of the journaling. I had to figure out how to make three columns and text wrap around a box in Corel Draw.

An LO About My Bunso

I was still on a scrapping high, courtesy of Scrap Jam, so I worked on this layout intermittently last Sunday. Between homeworks, housework and office work, I finally finished it yesterday. It's based on a Page Map from Becky Fleck's book, except that I used only one photo, not three.

I Am Kahlo


Journaling:
Or "Me, Kahlo!" You always say this at the most unexpected times. Even in your sleep sometimes. Maybe it comes from having to assert yourself to a boisterous family of five. Or an attempt for people to remember you. But let me assure you, Kahlo, with your self-confidence, sense of humor, and flair for the dramatics, it will never be easy to overlook you. Yes, indeed, YOU, are Kahlo. Much loved daughter and sister. (7/7/08)

Materials:
PPS - My Mind's Eye, Collage Press; Flowers - Prima, Bazzill; Chipboard - Basic Grey; Sticker - Pebbles, Inc.; Stamp - Clearsnap; Felt - Fancy Pants; Paint - Making Memories; Glitter - Ranger, Making Memories; Foam - American Crafts, Darice; Adhesives - Zots, Saunders, Ranger; Brad - All ABout Scrapbooking; Ribbon - unknown; Pen - Uniball Signo, Others - Fiskar's Border Punch, Paper Crimper.

I've Got A New Squeeze

The past week, I've been acting like a zombie, waiting, mouse in hand, in front of my computer, listening to the clock go tick-tick-tick. A few minutes more, and the item I am bidding for would be mine. So I refuse to budge, not even to answer my DH's question if I've had dinner yet. As I refresh my computer screen, he shakes his head and exclaims. "OMG! If you're not careful, you're gonna be just like me years ago. Ma-addict ka diyan." Yeah, tell me something I don't know.

My heart beats faster in anticipation. I can feel the pressure building up. Will I be able to click in time? As I refresh yet again, I curse the other bidders for driving the prices up. And then, another disappointment. I lose just by a few dollars. Oh, well, there are other items to bid on in Ebay.

So I turned my attention on another item. A Quickutz Squeeze with Metro Unicase Skinniminni alphas. I hesitated a bit because one of the Scrap Jam's announced raffle prizes was a Quickutz Squeeze. I've seen similar offers in Ebay before but I thought I'd wait to bid until after the Scrap Jam, just in case I won in the raffle. But I the price for the whole set at Ebay was just too good to be true. Less than $20. I know the price will be driven up still but it would still be a good buy at $35. A small voice was telling me, if you won this bid and then won at the raffle, what would you do with the extra Squeeze? But then again, the logical part of me said there's no guarantee I'd win in Scrap Jam. So I decided to go for it online.

But Ebay won't accept my bid. It said that the vendor does not sell to the country I was registered in. I changed my mailing and shipping address to my sister's in the US, but still it just won't let me bid. Then I remembered that when I registered, I was automatically redirected to ebay.com.ph. I didn't take notice of that at the time but DARN! Now I was so psyched up I really wanted that Squeeze. Out of frustration, I just said, "Hay naku, ayaw niyo ako pa-bid, di huwag. I'm going to win that at Scrap Jam tomorrow, anyway.

If you've read the previous post, you'll know what came to past. Out of the many coupons in the jar, my name was drawn. I only had two raffle tickets in there. The Squeeze comes with a Metro Classic Unicase which retails for around $60 (alphas only). And I can begin using it, too, no waiting for shipping. Just perfect! Now I'm a believer.

When I showed DH my prize, he told me, "Bilis mag-isip ka na ng Lotto numbers..."

Scrap Jam!

Never before had I seen tickets sell as fast as tickets to Scrapbook Hawaii's and My Little Attic's Scrap Jam. I think as early as May, the tickets had sold out - for a July event! I was just lucky that Candy texted me that Rachelle was about to pay for their tickets, so I texted Rachelle to pay for me, too. If it had been me, it would've taken me a long time to schedule a trip to the bank.

July 5, 2008, Saturday - Rachelle and I car-pooled with Candy. We thought we were early, but when we arrived, we realized that there were people who came earli-ER. They had by 9 am bought most of the scrapbooking stuff off the shelves. I guess I should be thankful for that because I had just brought enough cash to make me happy and not feel so guilty. It's very easy to get overboard when scrap shopping. What with the many goodies that you just gotta have. I am particularly vulnerable about this, because although I had my mind set on what I should and should not buy, I am always tempted by what other scrappers have in their baskets. Yup! I'm like a lemming when it comes to my scrap shopping. If they're buying it, there must be something I'm missing out on and so I gotta have the same, too. Take for instance the white Basic Grey rubons. It's not on my list and I must admit I've seen it countless times before, but when Candy put it in her basket, I had to get one, too. Wishful thinking that I'd create LOs as fine as Candy's? Hmmm....


These are what I bought and wonder of wonders, I am exactly within budget. Thanks to the 25% coupon off one item that our wonderful hosts gave us with our kits.

One of the best parts of going to a scrapping event is a chance to get to know scrappers whom you only meet online. Rachelle and I shared a table with Liezl and Rita of the LB Scrapaholics. I really had fun sharing a table with them because they also selflessly shared their tools, stories, and tips. As Candy would whisper to me later on, she was quite impressed on how Rita and Liezl asked for each other's opinions as they worked through their LOs.


Around 10, we all got busy with Marisa's classes. She prepared several projects for us and I must say they are all something I want to replicate once I get home. I just wish I could recall her instructions. Unfortunately, I didn't take notes because I was busy following along with her, and her gregarious daughter cum assistant, Jian. We made a pretty bag out of cardstock (Sarah immediately lay claim on that one so I have to make sure I make Kahlo a purple one), a CD mini-album using papers from Scenic Route, a beautiful black and white gatefold album, which I didn't finish yet, but will soon (promise).

We had a very filling lunch at our tables (I refused to go back to the shopping room, lest I expose myself to unnecessary temptation, so I was glad when we had another make and take project - lovely card with materials from Melissa Frances. I didn't finish it, too, cause I'd like to use photos that I didn't bring with me. Then we had a Scrap Jam Bingo! This was my first time to participate in a scrapping bingo and I must say it was quite fun. It was made even funnier by Jian's bingo host antics. "I have a very loud voice..." she'd boom as she picked out a number from the envelope. Lucky Cookie, Helga and Christine V. won some prizes that I would have liked in my basket.

And then there was the prerequisite scrap challenge - make an LO with the theme "friend" using Bazzil Basics Fancy Edges, BB Boshers - "is it a button or a washer?", and the Anna Griffin papers that were given us. When I prepared my stuff for Scrap Jam, I prepared my photos, too. I do not always like joining on the spot challenges because I scrap more comfortably at home, surrounded by everything I could possibly need. I also do not scrap well under pressure and within a limit of one hour only. But last night, I decided to go for the whole experience and just have fun. Besides, the challenge kept me away from the shopping area.


My LO didn't win, not that I was expecting to, because many of the best scrappers in Manila were in the room. But I was so happy when my seatmates, Rita and Candy won third place and second place, respectively. My friend, Cookie (so what else is new?) won first place. Woo-hoo...I just felt energized by all the goodwill in Nette's lovely-smelling house (courtesy of Faberge aromatics, I was informed). I was quite satisfied to come home with an LO that I finished in one hour. I didn't even know that was possible. Hahaha.

And then the much-awaited raffle time. At this point, I had not won anything major so I really kept my fingers and legs crossed. There were three draws - one from the pre-orders (prize was an AMM tote bag, which Bea won). The next was the Making Memories carousel (I dropped one coupon there, cause I would've liked to get one for free, even if I didn't really need it). Marian won this. And the last prize was a Quickutz Squeeze with Metro Classic alphabet. My crossed legs must have worked because I won it! Wooo-hoooo!!!! Would you believe me if I tell you that I had a feeling I won when Jian couldn't read the name on the coupon? Hahaha. I always sign my name with two slashes on the L's loop to form a smiley face, and a heart at the end of E. No wonder I confused the poor child. :-)

You'd think that was the end of it, but no. We just had to add more items in our already full kits. At left is a photo of all the free goodies we got just for attending, Before we all left our separate ways, Nette and Marisa had to literally throw extra prizes in the air towards the end. Scrappers scrambled to catch the goodies, some tripping over their humongous scrap bags, thankfully no one was hurt and they just picked themselves up laughing. Some of the stuff even fell into the bowls of dinuguan on the tables but do you think anyone cared? No damage that the ubiquitous baby wipes cannot wipe off. LOL. Everything I brought home still smells like Nette's home. Just brings back more pleasant memories. :-)

And so it was that three, nay, four (Donna hitched a ride with us going home) very satisfied scrappers went home to brag about their loot to their family. Already, we were planning for the next Scrap Jam.

Thank you very much Nenette and Marisa, we all had a blast!

Campaign for Real Scrapping

I was surfing randomly for inspiration and found this from Kim Guymon's site.


Now that is inspiring. I love it! What Kim has to say resonated with me. So I am picking up on her campaign. Don't get me wrong, I believe that scrapbooking is a personal thing and it's really up to you how you do it. There is no right or wrong...supposedly. Unfortunately, the layouts that are published in books and magazines, the layouts that win in contests, tell me otherwise. And many times I get sucked in, and I forget why I started scrapping in the first place. This is a good reminder...

That I scrap to remember and be remembered. That means photos and stories. Photographs that capture real life as it unfolds and heart-felt journaling that will give insight to future generations about my life. I do still love all the pretty papers and embellishments and I don't think I'll ever be able to stop buying them (well, a moratorium works now and then) but I refuse to be stressed out anymore. Scrapbooking is supposed to be a stress-buster. It is not a "competitive support" as Kim calls it.

If you would like to join Kim's Campaign for REAL Scrapping then copy the logo and add it to your blog. Write your thoughts about what REAL Scrapping means and how to refocus our efforts to make sure we aren't overwhelming and frustrating ourselves with that which is not real.

If a soap can campaign for real beauty, why can't we scrapbookers campaign for real scrapping?

A New Love

After much deliberation, I finally took the plunge - I am now a certified Postie. A Postie is someone who writes paid reviews for PayPerPost. As many of you know, I have taken to writing sponsored reviews on my blog. It's something I do quite well (if I say so myself) because I love to blog and write my opinions about anything under the sun. So why not earn while doing it as well?

How did I discover PayPerPost? Well, I simply googled "paid blogging" and there it was. PPP is among the top avenues to make extra money from your blogs. Well, I certainly need that, specially now that I have experienced the joys of ebay. Haha. There is no stopping me now.

I know most of you love scrapbooking, too, and we often want more stuff. There is no denying and ending it. We will always want more. :-) So why don't you just sign up yourself and write a review and make extra money. It's an honest living and it’s really very simple. You do it through something that you already do anyway, grab one or two of the many available opportunities, post and GET PAID! Review and GET PAID… it's that easy. All you have to do is sign up at PPP but do remember word of mouth ethics, you have to disclose to your readers that you accept sponsored posts. I do this in my blog, if you'll notice. Thank you so much.

Look Who's On TV

Oh, well, there isn't much evidence because it's taking a long time to upload my video capture of Pinky Webb. I simply gave up. But I still want to brag a little.

In just a matter of weeks, ABS-CBN interviewed DH for three different shows.

Last weekend, DH and my MIL and FIL were in "Salamat, Doc." The show featured artistic families. Apparently they don't consider scrapbooking a mainstream art cause I wasn't invited. Hmph.

This morning, DH was in "Umagang Kay Ganda - Saludo Kami Sa 'Yo" segment. Most of the footage were taken in DH's arts studio, and some during the launching of the e-jeepney (electronic jeepney) in Makati last July 1.

And then, this afternoon, DH had to rush to the factory site of the e-jeepney to be interviewed again. This time it's for TV Patrol to be shown on Staurday, July 5. Catch it if you can.

DH volunteered to design the artworks for the e-jeepney project with Greenpeace.

Here are some photos from last Tuesday's launch.



I hope the e-jeepney takes off because it's much more environmentally-friendly and cheaper to operate than vehicles using diesel. These e-jeepneys are now manufactured locally, so the price of a unit is almost the same as the regular gas-driven jeepney.

Diane's Digital

D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-lightful! So sings Ernie as he exhorts the delights of the letter D. And I'm sure you'd understand if in this post I delight over Diane's digital layout that she made for me.

I was happily working one day when Diane buzzed me asking if I had dinosaur photos. I knew at once that she was going to use it in one of her layouts so I immediately opened my Adobe Photoshop Elements. Just one click and I had all our photos of our US trip in front of me. A bit of scrolling, and there they were - photos in the La Brea Tar Pits. Well, they aren't exactly dinosaurs in the background, but I guess they'd do. They'll have to if I want an LO from Digital Diva Diane.

And she didn't disappoint. Here's the LO, using yummy a digital kit that had my Sarah proclaiming, "I didn't know dinosaurs can be so cute."

EXTINCT ADVENTURES


Don't you just love it? For all the details, please do visit Diane's album here.

Thanks, Diane. I've never had a chance to scrap these photos and I appreciate that you did. Now, what photos do you need next?

June Recap

June was a slow month in terms of scrapping. I was otherwise occupied taking care of the KiDS and getting them ready for school. And there's the job I have taken on, too.

So I am happy to at least be still on target. Four LOs this month. I've already posted three here. My fourth LO is my entry to Kaya 14. I almost gave it a miss but I didn't want to ruin my record. I've never missed a Kaya challenge and I didn't intend to start now.

Details in the Kaya blog

I made this Saturday night, in between packing our things for a weekend in Baler, Aurora. I still have to blog about that in my KiDS' blog, so in the meantime, you can read a more official account here. Sigh, an official press release, and they couldn't get DH's name right. Well, they got it correct for the most part, but left out the all important JUNIOR. That's what separates the son from the father.

This month, I also turned a year older. And at this ripe old age of (clearing throat) I finally acknowledged my weight and learned to ebay. What wonderful accomplishments! LOL.

The Wild Wild World of Ebay

Yup, I must admit, I'm an Ebay virgin. It's a whole new world for me. Should I jump into it with both feet or test the waters first? The idea of buying something in ebay is exciting yet scary at the same time. Not so, my DH. DH is what you would call an ebay denizen. Even when it was in its infancy, DH was glued to the screen, waiting to bid on the last second, to snipe some complacent individual out of his/her bid.

I remember one of the worst fights we ever had. The year was 1998. Our computer was then a bulky desktop that was parked in the small landing between the stairs and our room. Our internet connection was through a dial-up modem, which was connected to our phone downstairs. Thus, if either of us was online, it meant that our phone was busy. It also meant that you had to be very careful walking down the stairs because of the cords snaking through the steps.

DH is an avid collector. He collects action figures, McDonald's Happy Meal toys (remind me to tell you about the time when he just had to have all the 101 Dalmatians, and no, he didn't go to ebay for them), antiquarian books about the Philippines... The list is endless. That summer he was into collecting vintage toys. Specifically, the toys he remembers playing with as a child. He even browsed his mom's family albums to search for photos of him with toys. He had these photos tacked in a board behind the computer and he patiently searched ebay for them.

That time it was a tin tank that runs over a flat giant gorilla. He had been waiting for days to bid on this item. And at 3:00 that morning, he patiently waited for his opportunity to make the tank and the gorilla his. I awoke from a deep slumber feeling very thirsty. I said "hi" to him as I groggily walked towards the stairs. And then disaster struck! In my haste, I tripped on the telephone wires on the floor. I heard him yell and while I steadied myself, he scrambled to re-connect the wires. Yes, my gallant husband didn't even care that I almost fell over the stairs. He was more concerned with his bid. And unfortunately for him, in those precious few seconds of disconnection someone outbid him by a mere $0.01. He never lets me forget about that. And I never let him forget that I almost died (okey, I am exaggerating) because of his preoccupation with outwitting, outsmarting and outbidding other toy collectors.

Fast forward to now. I finally got a paypal account, so now I could ebay. But as I said earlier, I was not sure how to go about the whole thing. So I kept bugging DH to help me. I wanted him to bid for me using his account because he has a feedback of 100%. I have yet to build a record and I was concerned I'd make a big boo-boo and be branded negatively forever.

It seems I have to test the waters on my own. So tentatively, I placed a bid for a Quickutz Moxie SkinniMinni Die set. It was less than 30 minutes before the close of the bid and it was still $9.50. I put in a maximum bid of $10.50 and then I waited. For what? I do not know. Hehehe. I guess I was trying to check if someone had set an automatic bidding for this item. I then got engrossed looking at other stuff in ebay and when I came back, the auction was over and I had been outbid by 50 cents. I had an a-ha! moment. I have to set a higher maximum bid if I wanted to win something. (Obvious ba? Hehehe.)

My next foray was another learning experience. The bid was at $9.50, so having learned previous lesson, I typed a maximum bid of $19.50 (medyo nagdalawang-isip pa ako bago ako nag-confirm, pero sige na nga...). Less than a nanosecond later I had feedback that I was outbid. Again. Wah??? So fast? How did that happen? I realized then someone had set a higher maximum amount than my $19.50. I didn't bid again. It was much too expensive for my taste already. I didn't want that diecut so badly anyway.

Three more attempts and I finally got the hang of it. I was having fun. I bid here and there, always stopping short of actually winning. So if you saw unusual activity on Quickutz items these past two days, that was me. LOL.

Bidding is actually quite exciting. It's a little bit like gambling so I can understand why some people are so hooked on ebay. And I know if I'm not careful, I could be like my DH was 10 years ago.

Budget Travel Itinerary

With 3 KiDS and two adults, all paying full fare, there is no other way to travel. If we want to be able to do a lot of sight-seeing or stop at the prerequisite Toys 'R' Us (and of course, Michaels and Joann's for me and Barnes and Noble for DH), we have to find the best bargains in terms of air flights and hotel accommodations. So I'm glad I stumbled on this site which guarantees the lowest hotel rate publicly available on the internet for U.S. hotels.

While we have friends and family in L.A., it's sometimes better to stay in a hotel so we can come and go as we please. Besides, not everyone is ready for my KiDS' rambunctiousness. Planning to stay in Los Angeles hotels seems just the ticket to spare everyone from extreme guest fatigue. :-) I'm sure the KiDS will enjoy visiting the La Brea Museum and Universal Studios again.

I have always told DH how much I enjoyed San Francisco when I last visited, and I'm sure he and the KiDS would, too. I particularly enjoyed the relaxing drives outside the city to Carmel, Monterrey and Tiburon and I would love for them to experience those. Unfortunately, my roommate from college has since moved so we would definitely have to book a San Francisco hotel if we were to visit there.

And who says there's nothing much for children to do in New York? Well, my KiDS are geeks so I'm sure they'll enjoy the museums. Will have to make sure we go on free days, of course. Hehehe. Then there's the zoo in Central Park. We really have to find cheap New York hotels because NYC can be expensive. Maybe I'll visit my old office (well, it's an official landmark that I can showoff to the KiDS) and try to get free lunch from my former bosses. Wink- wink.

Oh, well, all this planning makes me want to go right now, but I know I will get better deals if I pre-book online first. Everything should be planned perfectly. And in the cheapest manner possible. (Must leave money for scrapbooking stuff.)

Album Fillers

It has been a hectic month, what with medical emergencies, housework and office work. But I had been raring to scrap, not because there was a creative urge that couldn't be ignored within me, but because I couldn't stand that there's three blank spots in my album. The 20-page album (40 LOs) which I started late last year is almost full, except for three LOs. I couldn't move on until those 3 blank sheets are no more. There's nothing more fulfilling than completing one whole album.

Sapilitan baga, heto ang naging resulta. Sorry, no time to take better photos and edit such. I'm really more comfortable with my Microtek scanner but it needs cleaning. I'm still looking for a local service center.

HUGGLES

My girls have a love-hate relationship.


Journaling:
When you're not fighting, you're hugging. It seems to me though, that it's always Kahlo who initiates the first contact. But regardless, Sarah always seems happy to hug right back. I wish there were more moments like these. They're more precious than the snubbing or the pretending the other doesn't exist. 6/12/08

Materials:
Paper - Basic Grey; Stamps - Autumn Leaves; Ink - Tsukineko Versamark; Embossing Powder - Ranger Polysparkle; Diecut - traced Big Scoops parenthesis to make two more; Paints - Making Memories; Stickers - EK Success; Glitter - Hero Arts; Pen - Gel Writer; Punch - Fiskar's; Adhesive - Saunders.


Finally got to use the elusive Threading Water puncher which Ching gave me as a birthday present. I love how the stamped image added texture and glitz on this simple LO too.

CAPTURE

When DH and I travel, our biggest problem is taking photos of us together. Since we hike most of the time, we don't bring a tripod. In this trip, we brought one small enough to fit in the pocket but I broke it as soon as I tried using it (Ssshhhh...he thinks it broke because of shoddy workmanship.) We also don't like bothering other people to take our photos. But maybe we should change our attitude about that. :-)


Journaling:
capture moments...capture love...capture the look of love. DH and I hamming it for the camera, on a plane from Boracay, 9/03/06 trip. capture our wacky personalities.

We are not so bad when it comes to photographing our KiDS. But when it comes to capturing photos of us together, we could certainly do better. Between your antics and my off-center shots, I should be smiling.

Materials:
Papers - Prima; CS - Debbie Mumm; Chipboards - Heidi Swapp; Pen - Uni-Ball Signo; Adhesives - Saunders.

I Can't Help It

What can I say I love to eat, and this photo at one of my favorite restaurants, Italianni's, with favorite friends certainly captures that.


Journaling:
I won't write it down cause I reveal my weight in this LO. Hehehe. Time to hit the tracks and exercise!!!

Materials:
PPS - Making Memories; Flower - Petaloo; Stamp - Hero Arts; Ink - Tsukineko; Rubons - Imaginisce; Foams - American Crafts; Pen - American Crafts; Adhesive - Saunders; Ric rac - Joanns.


My first time to stamp on a flower. And I did it after I had adhered the flower on the LO. It was really an after thought. Thus, I had a minor accident with the ink pad which slipped from my fingers and fell right on my LO and stupid me, I tried to wipe the impression off with baby wipes - see top of LO. I'm still thinking whether I should fix it or leave it as is. But knowing me, I know I'll just move on to the next LO.

So that's it. I'm so excited at the idea of filling a fresh new album with more creations.

My Studio Azul Win

Bragging much? Hehehe. Sorry, I couldn't think of any other title. The grey skies and the cold winds combine to make me too lazy to come up with anything else.

Anyway, this is late because I actually found out I won last June 1. And today, I got my prizes from Mia of Studio Azul. Yummy papers from Crate and AC Thickers. I've always liked Crate papers but for some reason never bought any, so these are just perfect for my girly-girl LOs. Thanks, Mia and Tin.


Up until now, I still cannot believe that Iris chose my version of her LO. There's that goofy smile on my face again. This is one of the best compliments anyone's ever paid my scrapbooking.

And also, I've received questions on how I made the U in "All About U". Well, it was one of those experiments that failed. What my son Diego would call a happy accident.


I was aiming for a beaded U actually. So I covered the raw chipboard with pearl UTEE and before it dried up, I poured beads over it. Unfortunately, not all the beads clung to the UTEE. I removed those few that did cling so I can start over again. And then I thought I liked the effect of the "holes" on the chipboard. So I heat embossed the UTEE again and deliberately used the beads to make more pock marks on its surface. I then sprayed gold Radiant Rain for a two-tone effect. I am not the type to experiment on techniques much, so this is the closest I'll ever get to being experimental.

Here's to more happy accidents in the future. Hmmmm...maybe my winning was also a happy accident. LOL.

Respecting our National Flag

This was supposed to be a post for National Flag Day last May 28, but I was quite overwhelmed with family matters for the past few weeks as you may know. But I think it still merits posting.

I don't know about you, but since grade school respect for the flag has been programmed in my psyche. Always face the flag and stand straight when you hear the national anthem playing. The Philippine flag should always be raised higher than any other flags. The flag should promptly be taken down from the flagpole before night fall, and it should never never touch the ground. (We used to freak out as flag bearers when a part of the flag would accidentally scrape the floor.) I have taken these rules to heart, that until now, whenever I see our flag hang incorrectly (when it's pinned on a wall, the blue field should be at the viewer's left, you don't just turn it 90 degrees making the blue field at right), I would look for the person in charge and ask them to correct it.

Other things that bug me, which, when you read the National Flag Code or R.A. 8491, are unlawful are: 1) personalities appearing in advertisements with the flag as the backdrop (especially true for election posters); 2) manufacturers using the flag as trademarks for designs and labels; 3) people wearing the flag as a costume or uniform (I think the Reyna Bandera in Santacruzans is tolerated because of tradition, although I do not see how she fits in the story); 4) imprinting words and images on the flag for advertising purposes.

Yes, I know, you're beginning to think I'm a loon, all because of a flag. Maybe so, so imagine my reaction when I saw this:

An innocuous child's toy you might say. I think some people would even rejoice at this, because to them, it might be a symbol of Manny Pacquiao's recent wins in international boxing. I'm sure the manufacturer intentionally capitalized on that. But to me, it's not right. It is a punching bag, after all. Would you take pleasure in punching a symbol of your nation? Literally? What are we teaching our children?

DH has a conspiracy theory: China shipped a huge lot of these toys to Mexico, and now Mexican children are using these punching bags to train as pugilists.

Kawawa naman ang aking bayan. Ginawa na namang punching bag.

Let's put more respect for some things that symbolize our freedom and independence shall we?

The Scare

So, about two weeks ago, I had quite a scare. And no, I'm not talking about turning 41. Although come to think of it, that can also be a scary proposition. What with osteoporosis, menopause, memory gap (ok, wider memory gaps) in the offing. Thank God, my body doesn't feel like it's in forties yet. Woe to you who says I look like I'm 40 or older. Grrr.... :-)

Anyway, my earlier post about Sarah being sick did turn out to be dengue! I don't know where she got it. We stayed put most of the summer, with a few trips to Lola Mama's house in Marikina and to the mall. Still we are mobile, and the mosquitoes are mobile and then wham! Somewhere in the universe, the twain did meet.To make it worse, damn mosquito wasn't content to bite just one kid. She had to have a taste of Kahlo, too. So it was that I spent the week of my birthday in the hospital. (For a timeline of events, you can view my KiDS' blog here.)

It's not easy taking care of a sick child, so I am grateful for the efficient staff at SDS. I am glad that is not a teaching hospital because I do not think I could have tolerated interns coming in every 30 minutes to "check" on the patient. Still, since I took care of them full-time (DH had to earn money to pay for the hospital bills hehe), I had to find ways to entertain myself. I finished the Chronicles of Narnia (yes, all the seven books) in 4 days. And on the 5th day, DH smuggled in our DVD player, so Sarah and Kahlo were able to watch Pokemon (sadly, no cable in the hospital.) I also managed to watch Season 3 of The Closer.

But all's well that ends well, the KiDS are fine now, and I am one happy albeit tired and older Mama. The good thing, I discovered this small restaurant at the back of the hospital called Qizia. They serve really good pesto pasta and at really cheap prices, too. Didn't have a chance to take food photos cause I usually ate in the hospital room in styropor packs. Not very picture-worthy but oh so delicious.

So one life challenge hurdled. School will start this Monday, so I expect more challenges on the way. Heaven help me!

BTW, I did have some sort of a birthday party before we went to the hospital, thanks to Ching, who so kindly turned a welcome salo-salo for herself to an impromptu bday party for me. They even got me a birthday cake, and a really cool present which I will brag about, I mean blog about later. :-) Ching is a scrapbooker based in the US who came home to the Philippines with her family for a brief vacation. Nina and I went all the way to Novaliches to meet her and her husband Bob. We had a lot of fun meeting them. They're really such a sweet couple.

May Recap

This month, I managed to squeeze in 7 layouts! I feel I could have done more, but it was also a busy time with the children and returning back to work after almost two years.

I missed Scrapfest 5 - every Pinay scrappers most talked about event, but that's okey cause I got to spend that time bonding with the KiDS at Manila Ocean Park.

We fulfilled a promise to the Carmelite nuns to teach them to scrap and make cards. Thanks to Candy and Nita, without whom this would not have happened at all. And we can never be grateful enough to all you scrappers who shared your creativity in making cards, and cash and kind donations.

I started working for a small US-based communications group about two weeks ago. My official title is Senior Writer/Project Manager, but really, I'm still trying to figure out how I fit in the organization. What I love about this job is I get to work at home, with only my computer, a trusty internet connection, and Skype. No commuting and all the hassles (traffic, rushing, being late) and expenses (transportation fees, lunches out, power dressing) that it entails. I can literally work in my pajamas, without having to shower or brush my teeth first. Hehe.

Last week, I attended a 3-day workshop on fund raising (not related to the job above). Since we started helping the Carmelites raise money for their chapel, I have been kicking myself for not taking advantage of all the fund raising training that I was invited to in my former job. I kept thinking I could be more help if I had more background on that subject. But God works in mysterious ways because just a week after we turned over the funds to the nuns, I received an email from Venture regarding a fund raising course. I was quite surprised because I have had no contact with them since I stopped working. But I took a deep breath and e-mailed them that yes, I am interested to attend their course, but I cannot afford to pay the P8000 course fee, but if they like, I could offer my services to for future workshops. Amazingly, they said yes, and that's where I've been the past week, exchanging ideas with development NGOs like World Vision, Philippine National Red Cross, etc. It was really stimulating and it made me realize how much I miss my old job. Like I told the organizers after the three days, that was the most fun I had in two years (scrapbooking not included). Hopefully, I can help the Carmelites more fully with the strategies I learned.

Scary moments with Sarah yesterday as she has been running a high fever the past few days. Rashes appeared on her stomach so we brought her to the hospital. Thankfully, her platelet count was normal so we went home with antibiotics and antihistamine. However, when I was feeding her dinner, her nose bled, so we went to the ER again, and demanded another CBC. Her platelet count dropped but still within normal range so we were told to go home again. I am still closely monitoring her, praying that it's not the dreaded dengue.

This morning, I left Sarah with DH to bring Kahlo and Diego to the premiere of Prince Caspian in Glorietta. I wanted to beg off but I couldn't bear to disappoint them. We got free tickets from Sky Cable again. The organizers served delicious meals from Kitaro, Sugar House, Fish & Co. and Krispy Kreme. And Diego won a box set of the Chronicles of Narnia for answering "Who is Lucy's first friend in Narnia?" correctly. He's been begging us the past few days for the next book in the series. He already has books 1 - 4, and now he has all 7. For free!

And last, but not the least, I was featured as Scrapbukan's GDT.

So now I leave this month with an LO I haven't had a chance to post. This is based on another Page Map again.


Journaling:
You had so much fun at a field trip to La Mesa Ecopark. Being so close to nature brought out the best in you both. You laughed, you ran, you played, you had so much fun. If only all days could be like this one. (April 26, 2008)

Materials:
DCWV CS; My Mind's Eye PPS and Diecuts; Clearsnap inkpad; Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist; Ranger Stickles; Ribbon (unknown); Saunders adhesive; Staetdler Pen.

I hope I continue to be as productive in the coming months.

Scrapbukan Guest DT

What can you do with these yummy papers, ribbons and journaling stickers?


Visit Scrapbukan here and here to find out.

Thank you, Sahrie, for this wonderful opportunity.

Three This Weekend

The past week, I experienced withdrawal symptoms, as I focused all my energies on learning the ropes in my new job. I have been so used to scrapbooking whenever the whim strikes me, of course, after making sure that the KiDS have been fed and are safely ensconced in front of the TV or the Playstation. (Hey, it's summer vacation, they will be back to "no TV/Playstation during schooldays" soon enough.) It didn't help that my office is also my scraproom. So while I tried to concentrate on learning a new software and editing texts, I can hear my scrap supplies alternately screaming and whispering "you know you want to scrap." But I had to impose some discipline on myself or I would never get anything done so I purposely ignored those insidious voices.

So that being said, I planned to work over the weekend, too, to catch up as I will be officially out of the house, errr...the office in the next three days. However, DH reminded me that I have to discipline myself, too, about work-life balance. So work is from Mondays to Fridays. Me-time and family time is Saturdays and Sundays. So in short, I got me some scrappy time last Saturday.

SURPRISE GIFT

This is my entry to Scrapperie's second chance contest. If you would recall, I was eliminated with the card, but the site owner has a continuing contests for those who are eliminated. Since I was looking for scrapping layouts with subjects or materials that I wouldn't think of doing otherwise, I decided to continue on.

The Round 3 challenge was to scrap any inanimate object.


Journaling:
It's amazing how you can be friends with someone you've never met. I met Marj online less than a year ago and it feels like we've been friends forever. She encourages me and inspires me. She is sweet and generous. Her friendship is truly a gift.

Materials:
Cardstock - Debbie Mumm; Patterned Paper - My Mind's Eye; Rubons - Autumn Leaves; Ribbon - Queen and Co.; Flower - Prima; Stamp - Clearsnap; Diecuts with Glitter - K and Co.; Pen - Uniball Signo; Adhesives - Glue dots; Saunders; Button - unknown.

This is a photo of scrapbooking stuff my online friend, Marj, gave me. I treasure these as much as I treasure her friendship.

Life Happens

This layout is entry to Nina's Kaya Challenge this month. You can read all the details here.


Look-Alike

And this one is of Sarah and DH, goofing around in Serendra. At first glance, people would always say Sarah takes after me - we both have the same fair complexion and same eyes. But if you really look closer, she is more her father than I. This is based on a Page Map.

Journaling:
I always tell the two of you that you look alike but neither of you would believe me. Sure, Sarah is fairer than Papa, but if you look beyond that you will see that you share the same mouth - have exactly the same pout. You share the same profile - almost. Sarah, you are a more feminine, softer version of your Papa. I think if you look past Sarah's being "chinita", no one will ever take Papa for a kidnapper again.

Materials:
CS - Debbie Mumm; PPS - My Mind's Eye; Stamps - Autumn Leaves; Ink - Clearsnap; Embossing Ppwder - Ranger; Puncher - EK Success; Diecuts - Bazzill, We R Memory Makers; Stickers - Pebbles Inc.; Foam - Darice; Brads - Making Memories; Adhesives - Saunders; Pen - Uni Ball.

I think I should make a follow-up LO about the time DH was mistaken for a kidnapper. Sarah was only less than 2 years old then, and she was throwing tantrums in the mall. I was in the other aisle, and when her Papa picked her up, she started wriggling and screaming. Now that was the time when kidnappings inside malls was a regular occurence. The security guard approached DH and asked him, "Sir, may problema ba dito?" (Is there a problem here?) We were surprised because guards usually ignored what must be normal incidents in a toy store. But look at it from the guard's point of view. DH is not the most nappy dresser, and often times he goes out wearing a tubao (scarf) over his head, and pants and t-shirts splattered with paint. My DH can be a dugyut (this word refuses to be translated) sometimes. And then there's this Chinese-looking kid trying to escape from his grasp. With his long hair and dark complexion, I don't blame the guard for profiling him as a bad element. LOL.

Scrapbook Page Maps

I have known about Page Maps since I started scrapbooking but it wasnt't until recently that I started fully utilizing them. It was an amalgamation of many things, including the fact that the sketches now tell you the size of the photos needed. No more guesswork! No more taking out my magnifying glass and ruler, trying to convert the small sketch into 12x12 scale. There was also the realization on my part that if I wanted to make a dent on my scrapbooking backlog, I will have to make more multi-photo layouts. And I do not want to waste my time trying to determine photo size, placement, etc., when I can have the experts do that for me. I'd rather be playing with my paper and tools than just moving things around endlessly, hoping that things will fall into place...eventually.

One might ask, why would I need to buy Becky Fleck's Page Maps book, when I can go to www.pagemaps.com for her sketches or just wait for her regular column at Memory Makers? Why indeed?

Well, for starters, the book includes 60 never-before seen sketches. It is also unlikely these sketches will be used in the website or in the magazine. So the only chance you have of seeing these sketches is if you get the book. Second, you don't have to waste ink printing out the sketches and accompanying sample layouts, they're all here for you in a durable ring-bound book that you can lay flat on your table as you scrap. No more worrying that your book binding might fall apart. Or putting your cell phone on a page so you won't lose your place. And third, you get more inspiration from the many amazing layouts, and tips and techniques included in the book.

Becky Fleck explains her, and her guest artists' approach to the sketches, which you cannot find in the website. She gives tips on how to make the sketch your own. Also scattered throughout the book are step-by-step instructions on how some techniques were used in the layouts. The layouts also want me to bring out my scrapbooking tools and start scrapping, right here, right now.

One thing I look for when I buy scrapbooking books - do the layouts call to me to scraplift them in part or in full? (Might just be a technique, an accent, etc.) I know that some scrapbooking purists don't think highly of scraplifting or basing their layouts on sketches. Maybe, they just do not understand it's value. In fact, when my DH bought the book for me, he texted me to make sure it was the book I wanted. Bakit daw puro diagram ang laman ng libro. Well, I said, those diagrams make my scrapbooking life easier. And contrary to purist belief, they jumpstart my creativity instead of stifling them. Following a sketch doesn't mean being boxed in.

For instance, there are 60 sketches in the book. But there are 140 layouts by amazing artists. 60 sketches = 140 layouts. And no layout exactly or even remotely alike. The math doesn't seem right, does it? Well, it only proves the versality of sketches. A single sketch can be interpreted many ways, depending on how you use it. You can flip it, rotate it, keep it as is, change the elements as you see fit. You can convert a 12x12 into an 8 1/2 by 11, or even a spread into just one page. The sketch may have been provided for you but you, the scrapbooker still has to decide on which photos, papers, embellishments, etc., to use. You still have to make sure everything goes well together, and that is where the fun lies.

If you are not still convinced, the book also includes a set of travel-sized cards that you can easily bring to scrapping sessions. You do not have to bring the book, unless you want to show off to your friends that you have the latest Becky Fleck.

Scrapbook Page Maps: Sketches for Creative Layouts
Author: Becky Fleck, 2008
Publisher: Memory Makers Books
MSRP: $24.99