Another featured page in MM Online Gallery!

Katie Hilbert of Memory Makers sent me another note asking for the supply list of "Once Upon a Time Beautiful Belles." What an honor! I happen to really like this LO although it didn't win any contest. I just liked the idea of the corn on the cob to decorate the hidden journal. Here's the page once again.

I also included the hidden journal. It reads:

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a man with his wife and 5 daughters visited this enchanted kingdom called Disneyland. It was their first trip to this wonderful land so they sampled all the rides and all its shops.

In one shop, they saw a man making old photographs. This man was a wizard. He dressed them all up in old clothes and instantly transformed them into gentle ladies of the south. Everyone felt beautiful. Although the old clothes were sent back, and everyone returned to their normal selves, he captured that one enchanting moment. The wizard created a picture that would last a lifetime, once upon a time.

Then and Now

I've never liked pink, yet I find myself draw to scrapping fuschia LOs, coupled with black and/or brown accents. Hmmm. Maybe I like this shade of pink more than I care to admit. I suppose, I really love the drama that this shade gives off.

This Peek Into Yesterday LO is a tribute to my mom and is actually the first time I've ever made one of her. This is perfect since her birthday is about to come up.There are two photos that show how she was in 1967 and another in 2008. I wanted to show that the years have been quite kind to her and that her beauty continues to endure.

I chose to focus on the rose for my tribute to her. I've had this DCWV single red rose pp that was screaming to be used. I placed this on top of a Bazzill purple cs, inked the sides black and put minimal embellishments so as not to cover the delicate background. I also adhered a famous Shakespeare quote on the rose: "...a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." - Romeo and Juliet

Again, as is typical of my LOs, I hid the journal behind the photos. It reads:

The giving of the rose is our simple gesture to pay tribute to a wonderful lady who tended us,
nurtured us, supported us and loved us.

When she was a young mother, we gave her roses because it meant a gift to give from us on her special day. Seeing her smile, giving us a hug and saying “Thank you” were enough to make us feel that we made her happy.

When she matured to become a grandmother, we continued to give her roses. This time, the roses meant many things: gratitude, appreciation, awe, love and respect for her as matriarch of our family.

Yet, no matter how many roses we give now, we can never quite capture what we feel for her. The significance of the rose goes much deeper than mere beauty, much more fragrant than its sweet odor, much tender than its petals, much more penetrating than its thorns. The rose, like our mother, continues to bloom, captivate and entrance us. It is perfection personified. It is our mom, then and now.

Materials: Bazzill purple cs, DCWV single red rose, DCWV Rub-on DOODLES Flourish white, American Crafts Rub-ons Accents Book 2, Doodlebug Sugrad-coated Beetle Black Hopscotch alphas, WRMK Precious Metals Hardware Pewter Press, miscellaneous fuschia and black ribbons, Prima flowers, VersaCraft 182 Real Black, acetate, Elit tracing paper.

now.

Beautiful Moments

I recently came across my parents' old wedding album. The cover of the album is no longer pretty but the sepia photographs have been preserved quite meticulously. No sign of acidity from the Tropicana Studio's photographs. That really shows Tropicana does know what they're doing.

This past weekend, we celebrated my parents' 44th wedding anniversary. This Legacy Scrapbooking LO is my tribute to them. I sparingly placed glue all over the white scroll and the flower, then dusted Diamond Dust Fine and Onyx Vintage Glass glitter on them. These give the LO a spectacular shine and texture that resemble sugar frosting!!!

Hidden journal is revealed when the flower is pulled from the right side. It recounts the day they first met in an Ateneo-Maryknoll college dance. It reads: Their eyes met across the room. In that brief moment, their lives changed. So did their future. They became husband and wife. They became one.

Materials: MME Bohemia Boulevard Pals Nancy, MME Signature Life His Simply Handsome Foliage, MME Bohemia Butterfly, MME Bohemia Bella Little Moments die cut, MME Signature Life "Life Is..." accessories card, MME Bohemia Bella Adorable journaling card, AL Epiphany Rub-ons, FP Bella Brush stamp, Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan, Ancient Page plum wine, Brilliance moonlight white, Carolina's ribbons, Art Glitter Vintage Glass diamond dust fine & onyx, Sakura Gelly Roll silver and gold pens, Tombow glue.

Tagged Again

I was tagged by Tina and Sandra

Guidelines —

1. Link back to the person that tagged you.
2. Post these rules in your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six (6) people at the end of your entry.
   

* I am afraid of cockroaches, especially those that fly!

* I often multi-task.

* I love Barrio Fiesta Bagoong on rice.

* I often stare at my son's nose while he's sleeping and wish I had such a nose.

* I don't like to reheat and serve left-overs so I often "recycle" food to make it different and appealing.

* I am either overly messy or overly neat and organized but mostly the former.

Now, I am tagging Marix, Liezl, Donna, Roxannee, Pia, Phylline.

Belt Bag & Matching bag pouches

I am not fond of pink. I do like using it sometimes in LOs or in seeing it in others. I just don't like wearing pink. Maybe it has something to do with my personality--- like pink is supposed to signify "sugar and spice and everything nice." However, I know deep inside, I'm just not that kind of person. So when the belt bag arrived, I felt my insides turn to knots.

I knew I can still use and decorate on it, but in the back of my head, I still kept on saying, this will be better in black. So black I went. Not all of it, but most of it. Then I added touches of silver stamped scrolls and sewed parts of the scrolls. It's no joke to sew through the pockets and the thick rubber insides! I had to use a very big, and I mean a no-joke 3 1/2" needle, the biggest I could find! Plus a thimble and silver Kotex thread. I used the thicker silver thread at first but I ran out. Since Carolina's didn't have that particular sized thread, I had to re-do the stitching for almost half of it. Of course, I got a few callouses plus a few needle pricks. But, after the sore fingers, I must admit, I like how it turned out.

I stamped silver acrylic over the acrylic black areas, and black ink on the pink areas. I had to make some parts still pink since I figured I might not be able to clearly print the LIST in white or silver because of the text. I decided that the list is a good idea because if I were to go to a scrap meet, I always have to have a checklist of things to bring. If I have that on the belt bag, it would be easy to just mentally tick them off and pack them inside my bag/-s. Here's what's printed: List 1. Bring photos 2. papers 3. adhesives 4. scissors 5. cutter, mat 6. metal ruler 7. paints 8. alphas 9. rub-ons, stamps 10. embellies.

I decided to also embellish this belt bag with a beautiful black lace (told you am a fan of elegant black!) with silver stitching and a white baglace from Desi. I used black rub-ons on the white beads to make it really mine and personal.

I'm pleased with the result. Then, obsessive-compulsive person that I am, I had to have a go at the National Bookstore freebie black organizer. That one just needed a stamp. Then I just had to paint my orange bag of paints black to match it as well. How compulsive can I get! Until the last minute, I even thought of painting my scrapbag black!!! Lol! Even if I don't win in this challenge for the Scrapfest, I'm happy that all of these now represent who I am. I can't wait to wear it tomorrow!

Got Selected for Webster's Pages I Love You Contest!

A few months ago, I stumbled on Webster's Pages and fell in love with their line of papers, rub-ons and alpha stickers. They had this "I Love You" Contest wherein everyone was encouraged to give their definition of what love is beyond the use of words. I completely forgot about this since I just made a definition on a whim, thinking, "What am I to lose anyway?" Well, I got selected as one of the 3 out of 1000+ entries. Who'd believe it? I still can't. I never thought I was good at words, let alone defining the quintessential "LOVE." You can check it out at http://websterspages.typepad.com/

Here's what I wrote:

I love you is not said in words.
It is said in many different ways
without the use of words.
I love you is not said in 3 red roses.
It is said in a box of tissue,
when you've just had a fight
and the tears keep on flowing.
I love you is not said in a love letter.
It is said in a plain white mailing envelope
that you see in your mailbox every week.
I love you is not said in a box of chocolates.
It is said in a thoughtful gesture,
like a hug when you feel down.
I love you is not said in an engagement ring.
It is said in the holding of hands,
to assure you that you will never be alone.
I love you is not said in front of a priest.
It is said in front of God.
I love you is not a bunch of empty words.
It is a promise made for all eternity
to go beyond all mortality.

Mother's Day Card

This is the first mother's day card I've ever made for my mom, can you believe that? Am not much of a card-maker and I really feel challenged to make one this time. I really have to make a LO for my mom too. She really deserves to have one just for her.

Journal: To the Lady who loves us all, You gave birth to us, raised us, disciplined us, guided us and supported each of us in everything we did. We owe you our lives and dreams. With your wisdom, generosity and care, we grew up to be the best we can be. You will always be our mentor, guide and moral compass. You will always be our mother. You will always be loved. Happy Mother's Day!
Love and kisses, Candy, Pie, Honey, Jam and Cherry

To Galo...LO now up in ArtGlitter.com!!!

I'm so excited! To Galo (to be read) On the Day You Decide to Walk Down that Aisle, a LO I did for the KAYA 12 Challenge of PinoyScrapbookers is now up in Barbara Trombley's ArtGlitter.com website! I had to retake the photos to show off the vintage glass glitter (onyx and fine dust) under the sun to make it really sparkle. It wasn't as brilliant as I'd like it to be since in reality, the glass doesn't quite catch. However, adding vintage glass really did give the lay-out a certain old and timeless appeal! I never liked glitter because of the tinsel-like appearance it gives, but vintage glass glitter? YES, yes, yes!!!

Thank you to Lee, to PinoyScrapbookers, to Scrapbukan for making this possible!!!

Stamping 101

This is a LO for Studio Azul based on Iris Uy's sketch. I had a hard time doing this since I couldn't figure out how to use circle photos. Although the sketch only asked for 5 or so, I decided to make more and make it as part of the design.

What I liked about this, however, is that it showed how my son loved to do stamping. I know he had seen me stamp several times, but he wanted to do it his own way. When his nanny gave him the glass chess pieces I placed in a box, I couldn't help but laugh! Apparently, both Galo and his nanny thought that the chess pawn is a stamp, esp. since the base of the pawn is a circular felt cloth!

Journal: Note
1. Get a chess pawn.
2. Get a stamp pad.
3. Press pawn base on stamp.
4. Stamp on paper.
5. Repeat stemps 1-4.
6. Add a little gusto.
7. Repeat several times.
8. DISPLAY
9. WORK
10. PROUDLY!!!

Materials: WRMK Homemade Woolen Stocking, Thickers Champagne, mm 5th Blossoms & Buttons flower, SEI Pearl Brads Guy, Carolina's ribbon, Reeves Acrylic Phthalo Blue, Brilliance Moonlight White, Uniball Signo pen. Others: See-d's Savoir Faire stamp, Inque Boutique Nightingale.

Techniques used: Stamping, painting, doodling circular pattern on main photo, handwriting the journal.

RAK Win at Peek!

Weeeee!!! I won $25 worth of scrapping stuff at A Peek Into Yesterday for Coveted Slippers!!! (If you'd like to see the LO, it is a few entries below.) My first win there! Oh my, oh my! This is the 5th great news I've received in the space of weeks!!! Dear God, thank you, thank you, thank you very much!!!

Mudslide

Didn't think I'd be able to finish this one in time for the Scrapbytes' Challenge. I had to work on it partially in Tagaytay yesterday, then finish it today at home so I could upload before the deadline. It was quite a challenge because colors to be used had to be vibrant. Since I am partial to the vintage-and-washed out look, I had to figure out a way to make the colors still stand out. The scrolls were inspired by a lay-out of either Issa or Liezl of LB Scrapaholics a few months ago for Scrapbooks-Hawaii's stamping a cs challenge. Sorry, my short memory is failing me right now.

Two weeks ago, we went on a trip around the Laguna Loop. (That's where we met Chickmunk.) We stayed in a place called Caliraya Resort. To get to the place, we had to ride a boat to the hotel. It wasn't the best hotel, but it had some good amenities. One of them which we really had to try was the mudslide.

The mudslide, as the name implies, is basically a man-made slide along the 100-ft slope of the hill. Plastic sheet covered a narrow area spanning the length. No technology necessary here since a man sat at the top of the sheet, pouring soapy water mixed with mud down the slide. And just like any other slide, you slide down but with the added bonus of being really muddy as you hit the wet mud pool at the bottom. Galo couldn't slide down by himself so I sat in front of him and held his feet from behind me and together we went down. Weeeeeeee!!! We just did it once but it was enough to make our vacation.

Journal: April 14, 2008 Caliraya Resort, Laguna. Mommy and I slid down the mudslide. It was wet, soapy and dirty. My kind of fun!

Materials: ALPHAS: Heidi Swapp Crimson Chipboard, Heidi Swapp SHE Raw, Craft Express alphas, All About Scrapbooking Chipboard, American Crafts Thickers Prancer.
Taylor for Daisyd's Sienna, IOD Steel Toe Mary Jane Collection Sassy Pants (reverse side), Creative Imaginations Narratives Journaling Panel, Cherry Arte CHipboard Natural scrolls, Colorbox Cat's Eye amber, VersaCraft 165 pine, Whispers Strokes Markers Vintage, Tsukineko Walnut Ink, Liquitex Acrylic Matte Red, Luminarte Irish Mist & Blue Flame, mm Scrapbook Colors Specialty Glaze, Signo White pen, Pigma Micron 03 pen. Others: FP From the Garden Stamps, Inque Boutique Nightingale.

"Chick-munk" Piggy Bank

My son recently had his first pet, a chick that was artificially colored green. He called it "Chickmunk." I wanted to teach him responsibility which was why I allowed him to have the chick. Unfortunately, it died 3 days later. I still have to make a LO of Galo and Chickmunk sometime.

To appease him, I made a piggybank to remind him of his pet friend. In the beginning, my goal was just to cover the can with green paper, add eyes and that was it. Then, Galo asked for wings, so I had to make wings. Then he asked for feet, so I acceded to the request. How can I say no to my son in his time of need?

To make the piggy bank opening in the can, I used a hammer and a nail to first score the coin slot. Then I hammered through one punch at a time. To straighten the slot, I also inserted a dull bread knife into it, and hammered the handle. To keep the opening safe, esp. inside, I inserted a gaffer tape into the slot covering the rough edges above and inside the can. Then I covered this with pps.

To make the paper have feather-like texture, I cut strips of green paper (Daisyda's Capri and BG Embarcadero) and I made partial cuts on one side to simulate hair. I used about 1" of both alternately to make the feathers appear more realistic and not monochromatic.

To make the wings, I drew the wings free-hand twice, covered it with Daisyd's Morningside and inked the sides. Then I stuck them on the covered can. I added the eyes and the claws, and presto, CHICKMUNK lives!

Materials: Daisyd's Capri, Daisyd's Morningside, BG Pheobe Embarcadero, Bazzill olive green cs for beak, Creative Imaginations Narratives, UBL moving eyes, Colorbox chestnut roan ink, misc. chipboard.