We Wish You a Merry Christmas

From our family to yours:



May the true spirit of Christmas fill our hearts and homes!!!

Only 3 days left till Christmas

Things have been really crazy around our household...Julia had back to back Christmas programs (one for school and another one for her ballet class), Christmas parties, last minute shopping, wrapping presents, etc, etc, etc... My kids' yaya also took a few days off. It's no surprise that I can hardly touch my scrap stuff. I managed to finish this layout last week. It was lying on my table for a few days and I just had to finish it. This is actually based on the December Sketch for Basic Grey. I used papers from the Offbeat line.



Journaling: Simple moments like these are worth remembering. (11-20-08, Burnham Park, Baguio City).

Gotta go back to wrapping gifts...

Good news!

The news is out and I can't wait to share it with you. Here it goes...


Yup, I made it to the design team of Creative Scrappers, a wonderful site for sketch lovers. I'm really so excited! Do visit the site and get inspired too!

Sketchfest 2

I joined Sketchfest 2 at Creative Scrappers . There were 20 challenges posted, to be finished in a week's time. Usually, a sketch is provided along side one more requirement. In between work & motherly duties, I was able to complete 3 which is usually the most I can finish in a week.

1) Bling a Ling - Requirements for this challenge was to use the sketch & some bling.

Here's the sketch:



Here's my layout:



Journaling: I love seeing you share sisterly moments like these. (Nov 20, 2008. Burnham Park, Baguio City)
Used Pink Paislee Pop Fashion pp's for this one.

2) Shaped Paper - There was no sketch provided for this one. The only requirement was to used shaped paper for the base. Here's my take:



Journaling: Grow old with me, the best is yet to be. (Aug 2008, picture taken by Julia)
Used mostly Making Memories 5th Avenue papers and embellishments.

3) Stitch, Stitch, Stitch - The following sketch was provided & stitching was required. Here's the sketch (which I rotated 90 degrees clockwise):



Here's my layout:



A closer look of my stitching:


Journaling: "this is real, this is me! I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now, gonna let the light shine on me!" these are the lyrics of one of your favortie songs. You sing it with so much feelings and even Ally & myself sing it with you!
Used mostly October Afternoon stuff.

Thanks for looking!

Layouts I forgot to share

There are so many things going on right now, I haven't been able to scrap as much as I want to. I have the pictures printed out, I have new scrap stuff (yipee!) but just can't sit on my scrap area to scrap...

Just sharing some layouts I've done but wasn't able to post here.

This layout is for Lasting Impression's 7Gypsies challenge. The requirement was to use only 7Gypsies products. Shown in this picture are Julia & Ally's cousins from Cebu: Gabie, Mya, & Enzo. They don't see each other often but when they do, they have lots of fun!



Here's a close-up of the title. I like the effect of dabbing a little fluid chalk over chipboard painted with acrylic, then topped off with Ranger Glossy Accents.



I made this layout of Ally's Christening using a sketch from Creative Scrappers. The crocheted embellishment is actually made by my maternal grandmother. I found it in my mom's drawers, & I knew it will find a place in one of my layouts.



Here's the sketch:


This is a quick layout of my mom's 73rd birthday!



Thanks for looking!

Kayang-Kaya-Kaya?

November passed by right in front of my eyes. So many things are happening at the same time. I can already feel the Christmas rush. We just came back from a trip to Baguio which was very relaxing, & we had a really good time! We took a lot of pictures, & I can't wait to scrap them. Anyway, I haven't been so productive as I want this month, BUT thanks to the KAYA challenges, I was able to scrap at least 1 layout a week.

Challenge # 1 : Use a bow. This is my first time to place a bow on a layout. I like the idea so much. I will definitely do it again.


Journaling: I want to remember… your funny antics…the way you look at me with those round eyes…the innocence of your face…our little conversations. Don’t grow up so fast my dear! (10-18-08)

Challenge # 2 : Negative/White Space. Again, I like this style in layouts. It's quick to do, & saves up on supplies, plus the focus is really on the pictures. I used pics of my mom & my nephew Korey.



Journaling: Times like these are time well spent! (Lola & Korey at Millenium Park, Homewood, Illinois. Oct 2008)

Challenge # 3 : Distressing. This is quite a challenge for me. I admire scrappers who are very successfull in achieving the "distressed" look in layouts 'coz when I try to do it myself, it doesn't look so "distressed" after all. Well, here's my take!



Journaling:
What’s your favorite movie/show? High School Musical 3
Favorite song? Can I have this dance
Favorite food? Magicaroni & kutsinta
Who is your best friend? Pia, and Angela
What is your favorite color? Violet and Pink
What keeps you busy? ballet
I asked Julia to answer the questions so it's her actual handwriting on the journaling.

There's still 1 more challenge for this week, a double pager! Yikes! Spreads are very challenging to do. I think I've only done 3 in my my entire scrapping life & I wasn't so happy with the results, haha! Wish me luck.

Mom's back with lots of goodies

My mom is back from a 2 month vacation in the US. Of course, what will a scrappin'daughter ask for? Your guess is as good as mine...haha!

Lots of inspiration...



Some necessities...



Lots of papers...Sassafras, KI memories, Scenic Route, October Afternoon, & Pink Paislee.



And everything else in between...



The papers & the embellishments are actually the stuff I got from A Peek into Yesterday & Scrapmuse using my gift certificates from past wins.

Can't wait to play!!!

I Miss You Dad

Twelve years ago today, the most important man in my life, my FATHER passed away. It was a heart attack that surprised us early in the morning. I was a 4th year medical student when this happened. Twelve years may seem such a long time but he still & will always live in our hearts. He was a self-made man, & he proudly told me & my sister his life story. His family was not well-off, he was the 4th child in a brood of 12. To be able to finish his studies, he had a lot of odd-jobs, but his efforts paid off because he was able to graduate from college on his own. He was even able to finish his master's degree, again, as a working student. This time, a foreign visiting professor took notice of how hard working my dad was. He was offered a scholarship for PhD studies, at the University of Minnesota. Of course he did not let go of this chance. Through his hard work, he was able to give us a comfortable life, & I will be forever grateful.

I saw him as a doting grandfather to his eldest grandson, Kanoa, the only grandchild he lived to see. He would come home early from work so he can take him out for small treats. I know that if he was still alive, he would have loved spending time with all of his grandchildren.

I really miss you dad...you will always be a part of our lives.

Sugar & Spice Scrapbook Cyber Crop

I joined Sugar & Spice Scrapbooking Cyber Crop a few weeks ago. I like joining these kind of crops coz there are so many challenges to join. Even if I don't get to do all of it, I still get to finish a few layouts. Here are some of my output.

1) Magnet Challenge:
I'm sure you have a lot of those promotional refrigerator magnets. Well you can alter it to give it a personal touch. I have several of these magnets:



I turned it into this:



2) Scraplift the Gallery: I lifted on the Wild Child layout by Rita, one of the DT's at Sugar & Spice. This is her layout:



Here's mine, but I rotated it clockwise.



3) Recipe Challenge: The recipe called for: 1 cardstock, at least 2 patterned papers, hand cutting, chipboard, & doodling. Here's my take:



That's all folks!

Stuck?! Sketches

I recently joined a 4-week challenge at Stuck?! Sketches. The winner gets a 6-month DT stint. I didn't win but I was able to create these 4 layouts...

1) Sketch # 59





Journaling: It was quite difficult to take pictures of you when you were younger. BUT now at 2 years old, this is the smile you give when we point the camera at you. (Aug 2008)

Materials Used: patterned papers: Making Memories Noteworthy Delaney & Funky Vintage; MM Noteworthy Delaney metal signage; flowers: Prima; Brads: All About Scrapbooking; MM noteworthy journal notebook; American Crafts Thickers (Lax); American Crafts Slick Writer



2) Sketch # 60





Journaling: A chance to play at Fun Ranch surely brightens up your day. To get loose in one big playground is definitely your kind of treat! (July 27, 2008)

Materials Used: Bazzill CS, KI lace cardstock (disco ball red hot); Cosmo Cricket Get Happy pps; Cosmo Cricket Hey Sunshine stickers; Making Memories Tiny Alphas; American Crafts Thickers Lax; Assorted buttons; embroidery floss.


3) Sketch # 61



I did this layout a few days before my 36th birthday. This is actually round, I just placed it on top of a black background.I had fun layering the flowers.





Journaling:

1) I was born on October 18, 1972.

2) My real name is Charisse but only a few people call me by that name.

3) I’m more used to being called Chiqui, or Chix.

4) Bobot, my other half was my group mate during internship at Med School.

5) I’ve been married for 6 years.

6) I have two amazing daughters, Julia Francesca & Anneliese.

7) I’m a Pediatrician by profession.

8) Scrapbooking has changed my sleeping habits, I rarely sleep before midnight.

9) I’ve spent soooo much on scrapbook supplies.

10) I easily cry when watching drama shows.

11) I want to get published someday.

12) Two bottles of beer can make me tipsy.

13) I love pizza, pasta, & chocolates.

14) I trip easily, I have some scars to prove it.

15) I worry about my white hair.

16) Pink is my fave color.

17) I miss my one & only sister.

18) I was in a minor car accident 10 years ago. I didn’t get hurt but my car did.

19) I’ve undergone 3 surgeries (2 C-sections & 1 for removal of ovarian cyst).

20) I started driving when I was 18.

21) I drive a red Toyota Innova.

22) I’m basically shy.

23) I hope we can build our own house soon.

24) I’ve been to HongKong, the United States (Hawaii, California, & New Jersey), & Sydney, Australia.

25) I want to travel some more.

26) Breakfast is not complete without a cup of coffee.

27) I used to be so organized, but that was before I had kids.

28) I want to learn to cook more dishes.

29) I’m not a dancer, or a singer.

30) I love the beach, but I’m not a good swimmer.

31) My hair is almost always long.

32) I need to stay offline more so I can get more scrapping done.

33) I use a “point & shoot” camera to take pics. I leave it to DH in using the DSLR.

34) I don’t watch a lot of TV.

35) I’m not a picky eater.

36) I’m 36 years old.


Materials Used: Making Memories Noteworthy, October Afternoon Detours, Pink Paislee Spring Fling pps; Prima Flowers; Inque Board All Frills chipboard; Heidi Swapp chipboard alphas; American Crafts Thickers (platforms); Judikins diamond glaze, Making Memories paint (spruce); Reeves acrylic paint (bronze); Autumn Leaves buttons; Colorbox fluid chalk (chestnut roan & moss green); Assorted brads.

4) Sketch # 62







Hidden Journaling (clipped): I love it when you wake up with this smile on your face (April 2007)

Materials Used: Making Memories Passport, Pink Paislee spring fling pps; 7gypsies zannibar clip; Cosmo Cricket hey sunshine cardstock sticker; DCWV chipboard sticker; Prima Essentials flowers; Daisy D’s cardstock die-cut; Making Memories tiny alphas; Autumn Leaves On the Edge stamp; Staz-On jet black; Colorbox fluid chalk (chestnut roan); Others: metal flowers; assorted ribbons.

Thanks for looking! I just realized I used Making Memories papers on 3 out of the 4 layouts!

November PageMaps

Woohoo! The November PageMaps is up! Do check it out here.
It is truly an honor to design a layout for Ms. Becky Fleck.

The words you say

Ally started talking at around 1 1/2 years old, well, at least we kind of understand her. Some of them are very challenging to decipher & she gets frustrated at times when we don't understand what she's trying to say. Now, at the age of 2, she has a rich vocabulary, although some words she says still cracks me up. I made a layout so we can remember her "very own" words. This layout is for Method Playground's Challenge #30 using corrugated board, chipboard, ribbon, & patterned papers to create depth.






Here are Ally's words:

1) Chu-me: excuse me
2) C-pon: cellphone
3) A-turn: shortcut for Ally’s turn
4) Mee-mim: Milk
5) Chichen: chicken
6) Hum: Come
& many, many more…

Something Different

I haven't been so productive these past few weeks. Things have been quite hectic at work & at the homefront. Fortunately, I was able to scrap last night. Yipee! This layout is for the Scrappin Kids October challenge. I must say that this is something different for me. I have cut out these pics into circles for sometime now (inspired by my newly acquired MM circle cutter) but the idea of using them as flower centers just popped into my head as I was about to take a nap. Hahaha!





Journaling: We decided to name you ANNELIESE, which means graced with God’s bounty. We got your name from one of Ate Julia’s favorite movie, “Barbie presents: The Princess and the Pauper.” When I was still pregnant with you and was thinking of possible names for you, we asked Ate Julia if she liked her sister to be named Anneliese? She agreed right away and would not have it any other way! Your nickname “Ally” was a suggestion by one of my friends, Tita Pam. Other suggestions were: Lizzie, Annalee, or even Nelly. Now, we call you funny names like Allypopot, or just Popot. But whatever name we call you…you’ll always be our darling little daughter!

Movie Date

I had a movie date today...with Julia. She has been waiting for this movie to be shown.




Daddy was so nice to take care of little Ally while we watched the movie.

Here are more pics:







I know the pictures are not so good. It's quite hard to take pictures when there's a lot of commotion going around (like in the Mall, LOL!) & it was just the two of us so the pics of us together are self-portraits. A scrapper mom has to take pics right?!

It was a FUN movie, & the choreography was really great! Can't wait to watch it again.

Thirty Six

Guess who turned thirty six last saturday?




We headed off for a mini road trip for the day & here are some pictures to share.


Of course Daddy was our driver...




Had lunch at Exotic Resto near Paete, Laguna. The place has a very nice garden.




We picked up a few Santa Clause figurines along the way.




These girls are very willing subjects. Daddy can't help but be trigger happy.








Our last stop was Liliw, Laguna the shoe capital of Laguna where Ally picked up these sandals. Is it obvious that orange is her fave color?



It was a great day!