{create}

yes, finally! i was able to pull my act together and came out with a lay-out! Yey! my first for the year! after being so overwhelmed with the amazing creations of Ali Edwards yesterday, i was so inspired to scrapbook.

this is the first time that i am not working on a sketch or scraplifting. i just gathered my photos and supplies and work my way into creating a page. i think part of the motivation also came from the free online class that i joined at Big Picture Scrapbooking entitled Embracing Perfection. and just a few weeks in the class, it hit me to the core of why i don't scrapbook the way i should. sure, i wanted to preserve my precious moments but i was just too afraid that my layouts would look too plain and simple compared to those of what others do. i am afraid to have mismatched colors and unproportioned layouts. i would spend time trying to figure out how my papers match with my limited supplies that i would end up frustrated and quit making the LO altogether. i am just soo afraid to have imperfect LOs. i am afraid that my family will not appreciate what i am doing.

but why do i scrapbook? does a layout have to be more important than the memories that i intend to preserve? sure that's part of scrapbooking but i think more than the visuals, it's still all about memory-keeping. i have friends who wanted to try out scrapbooking but i hear them say that they are not creative or they are not into arts. i always say that to them that we are on the same boat. i am not a born artist nor i am creative, but i just have this passion of wanting to preserve what i enjoy now so that i have something to look back to years from now.

maybe i just got it from my mom who is a "photo addict" because she likes to take pictures a lot and we had lots of photos when were kids. actually, even up to now that we have kids of our own. we have tons of albums! she told me once that she wants to have as many memories of the events in our lives and have those in pictures because she doesn't have any picutres when she was a child. how sad is that? so she delights in seeing those photos - it makes her really happy. and i want that. i think it's a legacy that i want to take on. that's where the passion is coming from.

so for those of us who are not gifted with such creativity, don't be discouraged. scrapbooking is also for us. because the very purpose of why we scrapbook is not how beautiful our layout will turn out, but it is how the memories come alive each time we see what we have created. how it brings us back to the moment and re-live those memories. pure joy!

i am still in the process of embracing everything altogether, slow-paced and all, but i know in my heart that nothing would stop me from documenting the everyday. and i am doing this for my family, to let them know that each moment with them are truly cherished, all worthy of the effort of putting it all up together - in a scrapbook layout.

i {heart} u

last friday, i got this from euan. when he saw me, he hid this behind his back and told me to kiss him. then he proudly held up his hand with his gift and told me: Happy Valentine's day Mama! I love you!

My {heart} just melts with him! I so love him dearly!

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last weekend, we made several valentine's gift for his grand parents and cousins. he was so excited it them that the moment it was finished, he raced to them and gave his gifts. i love how he is becoming thoughtful now. and i also love that he is now getting more involved into this gift-giving, more than just writing his name but he helps in putting glue and pasting stuff here and there.

for C and N, we made this owl.



this peek-a-boo card for his grandparents was the cutest, that they just love it!



for richie, we made this mini book. this is my take from ali edwards' i love you mini book. i tweaked it a bit as i didn't have a fabric to work on. this is actually my first project for the year. i've been wanting to create and finally i was able to make one. it just feels liberating to do something creative! this is also my first time to try out a hybrid project. on the last page, euan wrote a note. opposite that page is his thumb-print to form a heart. it looked perfect when we tried it out on scratch paper, but somehow looked a bit odd when we did it on the actual book. richie didn't noticed it at first, but euan was quick to point out that he made a heart out of his thumbs. clever kid!


some reflections:
it was a relatively easy project to do because it's all print and go... ali provided a template and tutorial for it and so all you have to do is to assemble. but while i was doing it, i keep on getting the wrong measurements that i was so tempted to give up the entire project. i was also pressed for time! and when i was going through my stash, i found out that i don't have a red patterned paper to work on! but i just can't let frustration ran over me {i was so so bent on doing this for my dear hubby}, so i just "improvised" everything to make it work. i think what is good about scrapbooking is how it does not limit your creativity but it challenge you to be more resourceful {and gets you more creative} into making an imperfect project perfect to your liking.

besides the wet glue {because it was finished just before he was at the doorsteps}, dear hubby was so happy about it altogether. and that made me even happier!

happy valentines day!

in retrospect

i'm not into new year's resolutions but lately i've been thinking a lot on so many things i want to do for this year. things that i want to improve on and things that i needed to do but wasn't able to. and so now i wanted to not just dip my toes but take the plunge and dive into a different level of memory keeping.

so this year i want to start anew with project life.

last year i made only around 5 LOs... not bad for a moody and slow scrapper like me but it also did not fulfill my need to record memories. i took a lot of pictures but those did not end in scrapbook projects, they were buried in my hard drive. so now i have tons of backlog and i'm thinking of a better way to do with those pictures.

i also noticed that euan loves to see pictures of him and that is a major cue for me to put up an album for him. NOW. which would mean simple LOs that would document the now of things. i want him to remember. i want him to leaf through the pages of his life. this year i want him to be involved not just as the subject of LOs but i want him to be able to write down some of his thoughts or even get the actual bits and pieces of his daily activities like his doodling and drawings. i love that he loves my LOs, which is a big inspiration for me to really make this process work.

i also want to be able to involve richie as well. between the two of us, he is now better at taking pictures even if i am the one who influenced him into photography. i wanted him to be able to capture life and to capture him capturing life.

i also want to take more piuctures of me and have it in LOs as well. and i also wanted to be able to take more pictures that would speak more of how our lives are, NOW. i also wanted to take more family pictures because i also noticed that we only have a few. even if it means taking it from a tripod or just from self-timer and not-so-perfect photos, i would be more than happy if we would have plenty of pictures together as a family.

i also see that i work best with a deadline. most of the LOs i did were from a blog challenge so i think i can do more if i set myself on something. this would not mean having to pressure myself to take photos a week or do a LO a week. but i want this to be free flowing, something that i will enjoy doing. with a lot of things happening this year, especially with the coming baby, i wanted this to be simple, doable and enjoyable. thinking about it ignites my creativity and all its possibilities. i think i will love this process.

this is a great, big plunge for me. it overwhelms me but i know in my heart that it can be done. one little problem though, project life is sold out after i decided to even try it! guess i would have to keep everything digital first, journal and all then transfer them to the album when it arrives. at least i have something to start with...

that's the spirit! cheers to creativity!

mimic

i love this stage when all that kids do is imitate whatever you do, whatever you say no matter what the situation is. sometimes it gets into my nerves but most of times it just makes me roll with laughter.

and so i did this LO for sketch 196 of pencil lines, highlighting how my son loves to mimic me. it's my first time to join in their challenges but i've been a frequent visitor of their blog.

here's the sketch...

and here's my take...

i did some paper tearing and distressing...

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Journaling: The moment you saw me aim the camera at you, you immediately held up this worn out toy you were playing with and mimic me. I love it when you let me in to your imaginative world. It reminds me to see things through your eyes. Love, Mama

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i love how the pins turned out in this LO. i did not plan to use it this way but i love the effect! :)

i am glad that i was able to use some of the papers i bought from a scrapbooking sale 2 years ago...

thanks for looking!

another one for pagemaps

this month for the pagemap's challenge ...i flipped the sketch and added a few embellishments... here's my interpretation...

i love how the color scheme matches the shirts of my son and his cousins... and how these robots from bella blvd somehow mimics the pose of the kids... i wanted to make the robots look like they are sitting so i propped them on a cardboard and folded their legs...

instead of buntings, i added a strip of jute string. thanks for looking!

tribute

i made this as a gift for richie on father's day. i want to capture his joys as a father, thus the sub-title.

what made it more special is the note that euan wrote... his first, but something that he understood this time :)

happy father's day richie... thank you for being my strength and my comfort. know that euan and i loves you so much!

wow!

this was my son's word when he saw the recent LO i did of him for the Pagemaps challenge. 3 letters. big impact. and it came with a BIG, BIG HUG too!

i cherish the fact that it helps him remember the story when the photo was taken. i could also sense that he is happy to be part of my work. he is not big with words yet but hearing him express his thoughts on my work takes me on a different high. seeing him appreciate my work gives me a whole new sense of direction in documenting our life story. it inspires me to create more.

now on to the challenge...
i am a HUGE fan of pagmaps... i LOVE all their sketches and now, i am having FUN to actually try out the sketches... this is my 3rd 12x12 LO! yey! i am just so happy to be reunited with my papers again! here's the sketch and the goodies...

here's my son with my take on the pagemaps challenge...

Title: Baby Love

Materials used: Papers: Tree bugs in Rug, Basic Grey, Bella Blvd; Inks: Ranger; Transparencies, Jute string, buttons, flowers, and pearls

Journaling: You were just babies. But can we help it if you adore each other so much?

i did a few techniques here and did some hybrid embellies... i distressed the cut-out flowers and i also experimented on printing some digital elements on transparencies for those butterflies and flourishes. i love the effect!

i also love this picture of euan and AJ, it makes them look all soo grown up. they were both 2 years old when this was taken... and all that hug? we were all surprised when AJ hugged him so i just clicked away... now, what would euan think if he sees this years from now? hmmm...

happy day

just a very quick note...

i am so happy to finish a layout based from the sketch of inspired blueprints! my first for the year, and my 2nd 12x12 LO! yey! finally! it just feels so good to scrap again!

i just love the pictures of euan and his cousin yancee. i love how they laughed, played and had a great time by merely playing with a yellow ribbon they picked up while running around.

here is a picture of my son after i finished the layout. i think he is more excited than me! :)

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Title: That yellow ribbon

Journaling: (continued from the title) ...was enough to make an afternoon of endless fun...

Materials used: Paper: Scrapworks Magpie, Srout and Starburst; Bella Blvd Super Stud; Embellishment" Carolee's creations word play; All about scrapbooking chipboard and alpha stickers; ribbons and buttons.

torned!

this is one great deal that is sooo tempting! i recently found out that scrapjam has extended its early bird deal until august 20! i've always wanted to join but somehow, my schedule won't always permit. **this has always been a part of my wishlist every year.** now if only i can attend this event, and get to shop! {kahit window shopping lang!} hmmm, i still have to work out our schedule because euan has kindermusik class every saturday and we have consumed the allowed make up classes {we missed 2 sessions already!} but im sooo dying to join the scrapjam! i'm so torned! ...so many sponsors and lots of goodies to look forward to... i'm drooling! :P

my first 12x12 LO

this is actually my first attempt to do a 12 x 12 LO as i am always intimidated by the size of the page.

but i had fun doing it and i am satisfied with what i was able to create. and such a great inspiration from scrap schemes. i usually follow a sketch but i found this blog interesting because they give ideas based on patterns and inspiration pieces seen almost everywhere. (like this challenge was based from the patterns of a curtain. cool!).

so here's my take for scheme 12:

Title: Higher

Materials: Chatter box - Scarlet summer dots, all about scrapbooking - asian heritage, white cardstock, acrylic paints, ribbons, chipboard

Journalling: Euan, No matter where your dreams may take you, know that we are always behind you every step of the way -- Papa & Mama

Photography by Anna Ridulme

on altered art

i happen to love altering stuff. it just dawned on me today that most of my scrapbooking projects border on altered items. maybe this year i would try to make some 12x12 LOs (and get over my intimidation to it). my husband used to tell me that scrapbooking is supposed to be "recycling" and "re-using" items (which i definitely agree, thus my altered projects) but he would also often asked me as to why i keep on buying papers and embellies when i am supposed to recycle and reuse (hmm, good point though but not good enough to stop me from shopping anyway :) )

so when i found out about artzdescrap, i was elated! because this site is full of inspirations on the altered world! :) the team are so talented and their works are just as awesome. and as they celebrate their 1st anniversary, here's wishing for overflowing ideas and more wonderful creations! and thanks for rubbing in the passion! congratulations!

altered frames

last christmas, i was able to make around 9 altered frames as gifts. and that was the last time i touched my stuff!! i've been meaning to scrap since the latter part of december for another batch of gifts for my officemates (which were supposed to be christmas gifts, but all were left unfinished and untouched :( di man lang umabot sa chinese new year ang gift ko!) i have been putting it aside, telling myself to take a rest because i've been busy (and mostly sleepless) last holiday season pero sobrang rest na ata upto now i can't get myself to do it! now i'm sinking into my moody state again! hay!
i guess i really have to "pressure" myself and set deadlines coz i think that's how i get my scrappin mojo cookin'! yan e kung may mojo nga hehe but at least enough to keep me focused on doing something creative.

for some reason i can't seem to embed my slideshow (and i'm getting frustrated for spending half a day trying to figure out what's wrong), so just click here for the rest of the altered frames, all done in a week's time (a week of sleepless nights too!) :)

another altered art

these are wooden chopping board, made as key holders. i made these as gifts for our godmothers.

i miss scrapping!

these are the latest scrap i made as gifts for my friends. i made these last july. these plus a couple of altered chopping boards (which i will post soon) are the only scrap that i made this year :( since i'm on leave, i am planning to finish so many albums that were put on hold...i am also planning to start doing my christmas gifts for family and friends, the scrappy anna way. i'm so bad in meeting deadlines but i do hope to finish, even just the gifts. that's quite a lot and being the moody scrapper that i am, i'm crossing my fingers, sana matapos ko lahat! goodluck na lang sa akin ;)

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i wonder why there are 2 versions of the slide? hmmm.... baka may mali akong napindot!