Gift

Gift shows my son. It took me a while to get pregnant. And when I finally did, I went through a difficult pregnancy. My husband and I were so happy that we named our son, Gonzalo which means "saved from battle." His nickname, Galo, is also short for "regalo" or gift. There are times however, that I forget that things can happen for such a precious gift to be lost. Good thing that God really meant this gift to be ours.

For this LO, I printed Galo's photo in B&W on a 81/2" x 11" transparency and stuck that to the 12x12 journaling paper. Hence, the designs of the journaling paper showed through the transparency and created very interesting designs, as if rubons were placed at random!

Journal reads: Mother’s Day, 2007. I almost lost you that day! You cried that morning because daddy left without you and you wanted to ride your kart beside him. After a few minutes, you stopped crying. I left you alone, thinking you’re all right. You followed me upstairs after 5 minutes. When daddy returned home, he saw your kart outside the open gate! Apparently, you brought your kart out with the intention of following daddy! I cried that morning, in both fear and gratitude. I cried in fear because I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if something happened to you. And I cried in gratitude to the guardian angel who stopped you that day. That miracle is the best gift I’ve ever received on Mother’s Day.

Materials: Plain chipboard for backing, Creative Imaginations Narratives Journaling Panels by Karen Russell, Transparency of photo in B&W, Creative Imaginations Narratives Chipboard Alphas, mm Attachments Sky photo turns & brads, Bo Bunny bella Journee lace, Kotex Thread silver, Fancy Pants Dapper Rub-Ons, Autumn Leaves Epiphany Rub-On Flourishes, Rhonna Farrer Keyword Rub-Ons, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Merlot, Tsukineko Walnut Ink. Font used: Mistral 12pts. Adhesives: UHU Bastel Kleber, 3M Spray Mount.

Techniques used: Using 12x12 journaling sheet (with 6 journal-design) as background paper; Printing a B&W photo on transparency to go on top of journaling paper; Inking sides of LO with walnut ink, then with glimmer mist spray; Painting alphas with glimmer mist spray; Hand blade cutting on background paper to insert photo; Sewing sides for interest; Using rub-ons on alphas & transparency.

The Scent of Violets

The Scent of Violets features one of remaining photos of my great-grandmother, Lola Bachang. I never met her, yet I'd like to think that since I knew her daughter, I might know a little of her too.

Journal: When I smell violets, I imagine you. I only know of you because of your daughter, my grandmother, Lola Chiching.
I imagine you to be strong because my lola was strong. I wonder how you survived the Spanish-Filipino War, being half-Spanish and half-Filipino. Oh, the tales you could tell, if your photograph could speak!

I imagine you to be a great beauty because my lola was beautiful. I wonder how you must have turned down many admirers, and I wonder too about your own love story.

I imagine you to be very interesting to talk to because my lola was easy to talk to. I wonder what your childhood was like. Did you have brothers and sisters?

I imagine you to be intelligent because my lola was intelligent. She remembers details in history like it just happened yesterday. I imagine you to be like that too. I'm sure you can tell me many things about your parents, as well as grandparents!

I imagine you to smell like violents because it reminds me of the old world, of the life of nobility and gentility, of a life beyond mine, ---just like the scent I find in my lola's wooden closet. That scent and this photograph are all I have of you.

Materials: chipboard for backing, Bo Bunny Marakesh, BG Periphery Bordeaux, IOD Coquette Collection Vanity, Anna Griffin violets AG030, tracing paper, Maya Road Fresh Scrolls chipboard, Heidi Swapp SHe Raw alpha, Thickers Alpha, Autumn leaves Frech Twist RubOns, mm Colors eggplant, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Merlot, Carolina's lace & ribbon, Carolina's sequinned flowers, Fancy Pants French Market RubOns, VersaCraft 15 Pine, Colorbox Chalk warm violet, Uniball Signo white pen. Adhesives: Ms. Elizabeth's double-sided roller tape, UHU Bastel Kleber, UBL double-sided mounting tape, Glue Dots vellum.

Techniques used: Spraying of Glimmer Mist, doodling, inking lace and leaves with chalk and stamp ink, painting, hand-cutting pps + free-hand cutting of leaves, layering, gluing patterned paper over the chipboard scroll for emphasis.

Sisters Act

Sisters Act is based on a photo of myself at 3 years old, Pie at 2 and Honey at 1. Because we were all closely spaced together, we grew up helping my mom in her chores.

Journal reads: Acting as a sister means hard work. At ages 3, 2 and 1, we helped mommy take care of us. We knew how to push baby carriages, then later, grocery carts. This act prepared us to be there for each other for life.

Materials: Heidi Swapp carefree Sky School Stripe, Fancy Pants About a Boy Expression, Daisy d’s Capri, Hot Off the Press Chocolate Flowers, Creative Imaginations Marah Johnson brads, MME Tres Jolie Mademoiselle Sisters die cut, Crate Paper Crateboard Wildflower alphas, Cherry Arte Chipboard corner,mm Noteworthy Spiral notebook paper, Rhonna Farrer Keywords Rub-Ons, Carolina’s lace and mini-ricrac cord, Tsukineko Walnut Ink, Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan, Brilliance Moonlight White, Whispers Dual Tip Brush Markers Vintage colors, Leeho Glitter Powder, mm Specialty Glaze, Sakura Gelly Roll pen. Adhesives: UHU Bastel Kleber, Tombow Mono Aqua, Ms. Elizabeth’s double-sided tape roller. Stamps used: Prima Build-a-Frame II, Fancy Pants From the Garden, Stampin’ Up En Francais.

Techniques used: stamping - background words with 2 inks (for dimension), alphas + glazing, hand blade cutting to “lift” scrolls from background paper & insert the photo, free-hand cutting of leaves (no templates), doodling, mounting with foam adhesives, using glitter for emphasis, handwritten journal, inking sides of leaves, journal, alphas with stamp ink, inking sides of LO, die-cut with walnut ink for aged-look (* Inking with walnut ink erases part of the brown, stamped words to reveal the white stamped words.)

Food for the Soul

Food for the Soul talks about my life-long love for the piano. I am no concert pianist and never aspired to be one. When I was growing up, I danced, sang, played the piano and drew. Dancing ballet was my childhood dream. Hence, playing the piano took a backseat, despite very early progress in this field. Also, I wanted to play music I liked. I didn't like to practice. I just liked to play music. Even until now, every once in a while, I sit down on the bench and play to my heart's content.

Journal reads: Each time I play the piano, it feels like I've come home. I am transported into a world of my creation. I feel the joy, the pain, the passion for life. It is food for my soul.

Materials: 12x12 scrap chipboard (from packaging), white Bazzill cs, transparency, QuickStripz Manhattan, Barbara Trombley's Vintage Glass Glitter 610 Onyx fine, Rhonna Farrer Phrase RubOns, BG Wholly Cow RubOns, Luxe There's the Rub, Chip Chatter Alpha Essentials, Prima flowers, Hot Off the Press chocolate brad pack, Karen Foster Nickel Heirloom, mm black ink. Adhesives: All About Scrapbooking rubber foam sheets. Stamp: Fancy Pants From the Garden. Diecut: Quickutz Sophisticate. Adhesives: Ms Elizabeth's double-sided roller tape, Polar Bear Photo Memory Mounting Tape, UHU Bastel Kleber, UBL foam adhesive, Tombow Mono Aqua, 3M Spray Mount.

Techniques used: no background paper except for chipboard, using transparency of the negative of my favorite sheet music for background and the positive of the sheet music to make the paper for the flowers, raising piano keys with foam sheets to show dimension of piano keys, pasting of cut hands to appear like the fingers are on top of the raised keys, stamping, using vintage glass, handwritten journal, hand blade cutting to shape grand piano pocket for journal, handmade flower and swirls.

MMM'09 Entries- What Matters Most in Kindergarten

This is a photo of the original LO I sent to MMM'09. The main photograph is me in kindergarten, right before I performed in the title role of a school play. I was about 5 years old then. I also included a small photograph of the current me. I had fun making the flower of the hidden journal because I used glitter to make a mosaic of the big flower.

Journal reads: In Kindergarten, I learned many things about myself. I learned how to make friends. I learned I was good at art, music and dance. I learned I thought differently from others. I could empathize with and feel what others feel. I saw what others didn't. I became self-aware. I became an individual unique in every way. I became an artist, always strugling to know herself through her work.

Materials: Bo Bunny Paris Garland, Bazzill cs brown, DCWV cs old rose, Colorbox Caribbean, ProvoCraft Eco Africa Plant Paper & Wire Frame, Diasyd's Cardstock Diecuts Remember Journalling Tags, StazOn timber brown, Prima Postage Stamp Alphas, BG Sultry RubOns, mm Springtime brads, misc. ribbons & lace, Elit Tracing Paper, Doodlebug Sugar Coating Glitter, Tsukineko Walnut Ink. Stamp: See-d's Majestic Flight Stamp. Adhesives: UHU Bastel Kleber, Glue Dots vellum, UBL foam tape, Tombow Mono aqua.

Techniques used: stamping, handpaper tearing, precision blade cutting, distressingt, inking with walnut ink, sewing lace on 2 layers of ribbons, glitter mosaic.

Uploaded Week #1: Philatelist Convention

For Week#1 of the ScrappinIdol 2 Challenge, I decided to go for a Philatelist Convention Party. I really had fun making everything, including photographing the whole lot. Today, all of the photos were uploaded and shown in the gallery. Unfortunately, 2 of my file photos were missing. One was the table decor, a big red mailbox with flowers inside, plus a smaller version for the personalized placecard. It was inevitable that a few files would go missing because of the sheer number of entries and files to be uploaded. Good thing, Ria of ScrappinMoms saw my post and immediately remedied the situation.

So for the next challenge, what will they come up with next? Another meat grinder, I'm sure.

Week #1: The 4-piece Party Package

After reading the instructions, I must admit, I wasn't flustered. I was more bothered with the time element. Good thing that there are no classes today, Aug. 18 (to commemorate Aug. 21 or Ninoy Aquino Day) and tomorrow, Aug. 19 for Quezon City Day. I suppose I won't be so lucky next time.

The reason I wasn't really too scared is that I really do personalize my son's birthday parties and make such items for friends for years now. I don't get paid for them, I just like making them. I get excited and feel the adrenalin rush whenever I have to be creative. I have to think outside the box and see how else to make the party special.

I just finished my party package tonight. Instead of the requisite 4, I ended up with 5 pa nga. It was fun because I had to make a hypothetical scenario for such a party. Now tomorrow, I'll just buy the one item I need for one of the pieces, then photo time in the afternoon! I'm sure to have a blast fixing up the table!

I have actually wondered if I can do this for a living. Many of my friends have urged me to do it. Maybe after this whole 8-week routine (if I survive that long!), I can finally have the portfolio I can show to my friends in Bounce. Aside from Wedding LOs, I can also customize party details and decor. Hmmm. That really sounds more appealing right now than teaching. May kakagat kaya?

Hard Choices

This is a LO I did on the topic Recession/Inflation. With the weekly rising of gas and food prices, Filipinos are feeling the pinch. Many are tightening their belts, literally. And a solution is nowhere in sight.

Journal: Gas or food? I need gas to work. I need to work to live. I also need food to keep alive. When one has to make such choices, there is no denial that life is now really hard.

Materials: DCWV red cs, Bazzill brown cs scrap, Hambly Screen Print 3/4" Graph, Elit tracing paper for journal, newspaper clippings as ephemera, Heidi Swapp Sea Chipboard letters, Chip Chatter Alpha Essentials black & white, Maya Road Scrolls, Monacco cotton thread black, mm Springtime brads, Perfect pearls blue patina & gold patina, Tsukineko Walnut Ink. Adhesives: Tombow Mono Aqua, Ms. Elizabeth double-sided adhesive tape, UHU Stic Color.

Techniques: handwritten journal, newspaper collage ephemera, screen as acetate, using thread, Perfect Pearls and walnut ink on sides of LO, making a balance scale for photos.

Joined Scrapping Idol 2008

A last minute whim led me to join the Scrappin'Mom's 2008 Idol Challenge. I've been vacillating between joining and not joining for some time. Finally, the week before the deadline for the elimination round, I chose to join. I decided that I will always wonder and ask myself the question "What if?" if I don't pursue it. Not that I expect to win with the really spectacular entries of all of the ladies who joined. Still, no pain, no gain.

Time Passes

This is my first time to alter a canvas and was I challenged! I've painted acrylics in the past but I've never used it any other way. Although I could slap more paint and collage on it, I felt it just wasn't me. Hence, I ended up painting, sewing and slashing it. Scrappin' Moms Challenge really made me think more about the canvas in a different way and I'm afraid I just wasn't able to make as much texture as I'd like. You see, I only made it that evening of the deadline. That's what I get for suddenly deciding to join even at so short a time left.

Oh, the photograph is of me when I was very young. Cute ko noon, 'no? I used rub-ons to make the photograph look like a clock.

Journal reads: Time passes slowly when young, moderately in our teens, and quickly as an adult. Life reveals itself in time.

Materials: UBL 9x11 canvas, Heidi Swapp metallic clock rub-ons, mm Scrapbook colors celery, acorn & chocolate, K-ology Alpha Stickers, Prima mulberry Leaves, Craft Express dried leaves assorted colors, Craft Express handmade paper flowers, Kotex gold thread, Petaloo Palette of Petals daisy Retro Rage, StazOn Black, Queen & Co felt border leaves. Stamp: Inque Boutique Narrative Elements.

Perfection

This LO was a fun and easy one to do. This is the first time I've used KI lace cardstock. I decided to use my parents' wedding photo of the exchange of rings on a clear acrylic sheet. What is striking is that this is also similar to one of my wedding photos which I scrapped early this year for the Scrapbukan GDT.

Using StazOn, I stamped the background script all over the acrylic sheet using Stampin' Up's En Francais stamp. Then I cut out KI lace cardstock and arranged it around the photo, inked it with my favorite Tsukineko Walnut Ink to age the lace, and embellished it with black buttons. The title is from the mm De-fined Wedding stickers.

The hidden journal is revealed when the flowers mounted on DCWV black cs and decorated with Barbara Trombley's Vintage Glass Glitter are pulled down. The journal is handwritten on vellum paper mounted on a scrap kraft paper with the same En Francais stamp all over and again mounted on the black cs. It says: Marriage is not the absence of imperfection. Rather, it is perfected when a true match is made. Such a match, when worked at in a lifetime, can only be considered perfect. My parents are proof of this.

Materials: 12x12 acrylic sheet, KI Pop Culture Flower Child White, DCWV black cs, vellum, kraft paper scrap, mm De-fined Wedding Sticker, StazOn Timber Brown, Barbara Trombley's Vintage Glass Glitter 610 Onyx Fine, mm 5th Avenue Blossoms & Buttons (buttons only), Tsukineko Walnut Ink, Carolina's cord and ribbon, Pigma Micron 03 pen.
Techniques used: handwritten journal, stamping on acrylic sheet, inking sides of LO with StazOn ink, inking sides of lace cardstock with walnut ink to age it.

Bithday RAK Winners

First of all, I'd like to say , "THANK YOU to all of my friends and well-wishers!" I didn't realize it until then but I got so many birthday messages and greetings, it was overwhelming!!! I have so many friends in this group, I feel so blessed.

After getting a headache sifting through exactly 50 title entries, both hubby and I were very impressed with the variety of names everyone came up with for the given series of photographs. I'm sure I couldn't have made even 10 if I tried. Of course, hubby and I made a final choice on the title that both captured the photos and the sentiments behind the LO I'll make. Dan-da-raran!!! (Drum roll, please!) RAK #1 Title Winner is "NEON MAGIC" by Dinah!!!

Little Galo had to have a role too. He was the one who let me borrow his Jollibee chicken joy pail to put in the 39 names of all of those who greeted me in my blog. And the lucky chosen one by the little hand is (dan-da-raran!) Cookie!!! Cookie gets to have RAK #2.

Congratulations, Dinah and Cookie!!! I'll get in touch with you regarding your RAK very soon.