Family Christmas Balls as Gifts

I've been busy making my gift of glass christmas balls with the photos of individual family members. I've done about 15 families already. The work itself is fast and easy once I knew how to assemble it. However, gathering ID photos of everyone is the harder work. Friends and relatives had to be contacted again and again just to make them send me photos. Some, I was able to download from the Facebook (thank goodness for people posting photos there!), but others keep on promising, and still forgetting to send them via email. Oh well, everyone's busy.

However, last Christmas Eve, I witnessed my relatives opening their specially made boxes of the christmas balls. Everyone was ecstatic! I told them about my idea of transforming the christmas tree into a family tree. Despite the fact that most of my relatives only got 3-4 balls (based on number of family members), they still LOVED the idea. So I guess, it is all worth it. --- Now if I can just get the remaining relatives and friends to send their photos, I'd be done with this project!

Next year, I'm going to add more balls to each family, by asking them to send me photos of their parents and even grandparents. Then their Family Trees will also become Ancestral Trees as well.

I'm thinking of selling these balls next year. Don't know if there will be takers.

Glass balls FOR SALE!

A number of my friends and scrap buddies have asked me where I got these glass Christmas Balls. I tried using clear glass lightbulbs, had it trimmed with the glassmaker, only to find out the lightbulb glass is so thin, it breaks even with heat.

I designed it and had it made in a glass blowing shop. Each ball has a diameter of 2" and a circumference of 6". It has an upper lip that has 2 holes for inserting a string or wire for hanging. It also has a wide opening with a diameter of 3/4", which was crucial for inserting photos). Since people have been asking, these balls can be bought at P395/6 pcs. By the way, these balls are heat-resistant and more sturdy than most glass balls in the market. I should know. I dropped one of them accidentally on a wooden floor and I was amazed that it didn't break nor chip at all! It just rolled off!

If anyone is interested, please buzz me or leave a message for me as to where I can get in touch with you. I'm ordering a few more to give away to my own parents, so I can add anyone's order as well.

My 1st time to host the Kaya Challenge!

This is the very first time I'm hosting the Pinoyscrapbookers' Kaya Challenge. Kaya Challenge #20 is actually the Christmas Challenge. My deep respect and connection to my ancestry has pushed me to include my ancestors into our christmas decor, specifically our christmas tree. Hence, in our house, our christmas tree is now also a Family Tree. The tree is no longer just a decor and a place for putting beautifully-wrapped gifts in. It is now a collection of memories, a sacred place for honoring our loved ones, as well as a great conversation piece for family and friends. What better way to keep the spirit of Christmas alive?

If you'd like to check out the challenge rules, the RAK, as well as the entries that will be displayed for this month, do head on to http://www.pinoyscrapbookers.blogspot.com/ Good luck to everyone. MERRY CHRISTMAS and MERRY DECORATING!!!

Ancestral Family Christmas Tree

I've been meaning to do this since last year. I couldn't find clear glass christmas balls, but was fortunate enough to know of a glassmaker who was able to do them for me.

Inside the glass balls, I placed individual photos of our family members, from our grandparents, to current living relatives. These photos were printed on transparencies. This gave the photos an ethereal touch. I also stamped green vines on the sides of the glass. Although not an original idea, since this came from a reader in a scrapbooking magazine, I decided to extend her idea into having individual photos of our ancestors as well. When these glass balls were placed on a tree, our christmas tree literally became a family tree. All 10 balls are all Galo's ancestors from both sides. I also added him, plus all of my family members, or as much of them as possible. Since I don't have complete photos yet, I intend to add on more of our current family into this tree.

Materials used: glass balls, StazOn olive green, wire ribbon with grapes design, misc. olive ribbon, christmas tree trimming of berries and leaves that were cut and reattached on the christmas ball and ribbon, AAS wires, magic wires for hanging.

Parol 101: How to build a lightbulb for the lantern

Supplies Needed: plug adaptor, lightbulb, plug, at least 1 ft-any length of plastic coated electrical wire (2-wire, can be easily split in the middle of the plastic coating)

Instructions:
1. Cut through the middle of the length of the wire for about 1" on both ends. Make sure that the cut is only on the plastic part and that no wire is exposed during the cut. (WARNING: Exposed wires can cause electrocution!) If wire is exposed, cut through the middle more and cut off the parts that were exposed.

2. Then, carefully cut around each group of the copper wire, making sure that the cut is only up to the plastic part, not the copper wires. This is important since if many of the copper wires are cut, then electricity will only be able to flow through fewer wires. Then, using your fingers, pull the cut-off plastic part, and twist the exposed copper wires to make them into neat ends. This will make it easier to use as well. Do this to both ends, then set aside.

3. Unscrew the 2 screws underneath the lamp base. Twist the exposed wires around the screws and screw them down. Take your time in doing this. No copper wire should stick out from the screws. The neater this is done, the safer the wiring.

4. Take the plug and unscrew the casing. Open the plug, attach the remaining ends of the wire (by twisting and screwing the wires) to the 2 metal prongs of the plug. Close the plug.

5. Screw in the light bulb and plug to check. For safety, you can wear silpat gloves or any rubber when plugging. If it lights, then it's good to go inside the parol.

6. Insert the lightbulb in one of the corners of the parol. The wiring comes out at one of the sides. Use masking tape to keep it from moving inside. When covering the parol with cloth or paper, don't completely glue in the cover on the side where the wire comes out. I suggest a flap that opens and closes so that you can always replace the lightbulb later should it go out.

BIG TIP: Cloth is a good covering material because light shines through. If using paper, it's good to have it perforated or have a design that is cut through so light can pass. Another is to just keep the sides of the parol uncovered so light shines around the star instead.

WARNING: Don't leave the parol unattended when on. Always take it out of the electrical socket when no one is around as a safety measure.

KAYA 19 Challenge #3 Distressed Look

I did this challenge thinking it would be easy. Distressing is easy for me since it is the core of my vintage style. Unfortunately, I am definitely challenged when it's a Christmas Theme. Of all LOs, I am consciously aware of avoiding Christmas, from avoiding the prerequisite bright greens and reds, to the cute Christmas papers and embellies being sold. For some reason, I sometimes think my vintage style and Christmas don't go well together, at least most of the time. I was really glad it did for this one though.

This photo of Galo however started to call to me. This is last year's Christmas Day at his grandfather's house. He just received his gifts, and yet he still had an open hand, as if asking for more. At 3 years then, his grasp of the meaning of Christmas is limited by his experience of receiving many, many toys (much to my horror whenever I think about where to put all of them, and how to weed out last year's batch!). After all, he's still a kid. And so he will be for a few more years. ---I guess, what I'm saying is, let him have his fun.

Journaling:
All I want for Christmas are more... Christmas Toys.

Materials:
Love Elsie Noel Tree Lot, Tinkering Ink Yuletide Joyous Noel/Mulled Wine, Daisy d's Rub Ons Telling the Story, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Merlot, Brilliance Moonlight White, misc. gold ribbon, Carolina's grey cord, Carolina's lace, Pigma Micron 03 pen.

Techniques Used:
Folding and sanding the photo, inking the photo, paper tearing, rolling the sides of the LO, spraying mist around the sides of the LO + rubbing same mist on the undersides of the rolled portions.