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.

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.

Visual Creations November GDT Project # 1 - 3D Family Tree

I did two projects for Visual Creations for November. To see them, plus Cabbie Lopez's great work in the Visual Creations' Gallery, go to http://www.visualcreationsonline.net/gallery/index.html

The first is a small family tree that I've always wanted to make. I used the Cosmo Cricket Botanico Album Kit, but only the front and back covers. Since the inside of both covers didn't have the tree design, I scanned the tree on the front cover twice, cut them out (it was so meticulous, I almost gave up in cutting small scrolls in the leaf tree design!), then pasted them on the blank sides.

Next, I made a cut a straight line from the top of the tree to way past the middle of 1 of the boards. Then I made a similar cut from the bottom of the other tree to way past the middle of the 2nd board. Then, like a paper doll, I inserted them into each other. Waaalaaah!!! Instant stand alone tree!

To make the family tree, I assigned 1 family per quarter of the tree: one for my hubby, son and myself; another for Galo's ancestors from my side, including both my parents and their parents; another for his ancestors from hubby's side, again including his parents and their grandparents; and lastly, one quarter for writing the title Bonoan-Lagazon Family Tree.

Since the tree is small, the best I could do was to rubon letters to form the names of all of Galo's ancestors. These make up 4 generations.

To finish it off, I added flowerettes and a few chipboards from the Botanico Album Kit, then rubbed walnut ink around it.

Materials: Cosmo Cricket Botanico Album Kit (chipboard covers only), Carolina's lace ribbon cut into small flowerettes, misc. olive green ribbon, KI Memories RubOns Ice & Silver, Tsukineo Walnut Ink.

Visual Creations November GDT Projects coming up!

In a space of a few days, I've created 2 altered art projects. One involves my heritage, something that I've been planning to do for the longest time. The idea was simple really. I wanted to have a visual representation of my family to remind Galo of his heritage. I already had all the necessary materials from Visual Creations, I just didn't have the time to execute it. Of course, I wasn't sure it would work, but when it did, no one was more pleased than yours truly.

The other project involves my childhood dream. Again, I wasn't 100% sure I could do it. In principle, I knew that it would probably work. And I was still surprised that it really did! It turned out so beautifully, I keep on wondering if such a thing is saleable. I even have a name for it. I call it "The Tin Soldier's Ballerina." That's a big enough clue as it is!--- Oooh! I wish I could make money out of this! I had so much fun, it's tempting to make and sell one-of-a-kind items such as this one.

Because of the success of this last project, I'd like to go all out on the next one, maybe not for the GDT, as this would make them redundant. But first, I'd need white feathers. Lots of them.

My Little Book of Ancestors

This is a little child's ancestor book. It is intended to introduce my 4-year old to his ancestors as well as see his connection with them. Each of the ancestors has a 2x2 ID photo, plus a photo inside the flap, including a trait or characteristic that was passed on to my son. Inside flap photos show my son with his ancestor (parent or grandparent). For deceased ancestors, I used a photo of the ancestor together with me or my husband or close relative. It also has a LO page for my son to tie him to his ancestors. At the end of the book is a family tree that spans 5 generations. Minimal embellishments were used because of the thickness of the whole book. Also, by minimizing the embellishments, I lessen the chance of the book getting easily destroyed with handling by my son. This little book of ancestors is meant to be just a start in Galo's ancestry. It can also be expanded and developed with more volumes and is only limited by the lack of old photos and still uncovered information.

Journal: (The format for each ancestor is the same as that for my little boy.)

1st- This is Daddy Arn. I got my love for Math, audio speakers and F-1 Racing from him. (Inside flap) Daddy Arn was born on Dec.30,1963 in Quezon City. He is a great Mathematician, a writer, an editor and a computer, speak and dvd afficionado. (Photo shows Daddy with Galo.)

2nd- This is Mommy Candy. I got my creativity, love for the piano and for music from her. (Inside flap) Mommy Candy was born on Aug.1,1965 in Manila. She is an artist, a genealogist and a Montessori teacher. (Photo shows Mommy with Galo.)

3rd- This is Lolo Arnie. I got my big Lagazon ears from him. (Inside flap) Lolo Arnie Lagazon is Daddy's daddy. He was born on Dec.21,1936. He is a retired well-respected Language teacher. (Photo shows Lolo Arnie with Galo.)

4th- This is Lola Tessie. I got my determination to do things my own way from her. (Inside flap) Lola Tessie is Daddy's mommy. She was born on May16,1940. She died on Mar.30,1986. She was an elementary teacher and a child psychologist. (Photo shows Lola Tessie with daddy.)

5th- This is Lolo Butch. I got my distinctive Bonoan chin from him. (Inside flap) Lolo Butch is Mommy's daddy. He was born on Nov.10,1941. He was a banker and a finance expert. He is also a businessman. (Photo shows Lolo Butch with Galo.)

6th- This is Lola Connie. I got my love for dismantling things from her. (Inside flap) Lola Connie is Mommy's mommy. She was born on June 7,1943. She is a businesswoman, a construction expert and a Jill-of-all-trades. (Photo shows Lola Connie with Galo.)

7th- This is Greatlolo Martin. I got my wide Bonoan forehead from him. (Inside flap) Lolo Martin is Mommy's grandfather and the father of Lolo Butch. He was born on May 4,1904. He died on Jan.17,1957. He was a war veteran and an engineer. (Photo shows Lolo Martin smoking a cigar.)

8th- This is Greatlola Chiching. I got my big Pineda eyes and beautiful nose from her. (Inside flap) Lola Chiching is Mommy's grandmother and the mother of Lolo Butch. She was born on Jan.15,1900. She died on Oct.9,1991. She raised her 5 sons single-handedly after Lolo Martin's death. (Photo shows Lola Chiching with mommy.)

9th- This is Greatlolo Carding. I got my dark and tanned skin coloring from him. (Inside flap) Lolo Carding is mommy's grandfather and the father of Lola Connie. He was born on Apr.22,1910. He died on Apr.11,1979. He was a printing ink manufacturer. (Photo shows Lolo Carding with mommy.)

10th- This is Greatlola Mary. I got my love for chocolates from her. (Inside flap) Lola Maria is Mommy's grandmother and the mother of Lola Connie. She was born on Feb.7,1916. She died on Nov.9,1960. She was a housewife and was a beauty shop owner. (Photo shows Lola Maria with Lola Baby, Lola Connie's sister, and Lolo Carding.)

11th- This is me, Galo. I got everything, my looks, my brains and my personality from all of them. They are my ancestors. (Inside flap) I was born on Jan.8,2004. I am 4 years old. I like Ferrari F1s, Disney dvds, toy cars and singing. I like having fun and teasing others. (Photo shows of Galo at 4 yrs.old.)

12th- (FAMILY TREE showing relatives on both Bonoan and Lagazon side reaching up to 5 generations. The Lagazon side only goes up to Galo's greatgrandparents, while the Bonoan side goes up to Galo's great-greatgrandparents.)