Mini Envelope Album Tutorial

I made lots of mini envelopes and turned it into a book. Wanna know how I did it? Click HERE. 

 

challenge entry for Crate Paper + GIVEAWAY!

I have been in the mood to scrap lately. I couldn't stop. When this happens I love to visit my favorite paper company blogs and join in some challenges. It's not always for the prizes or the fame that I do it (although of course I am always very happy if I get to win, because of the goodies!) but more than that, it is really fun! And there are things I learn and discover in process. 

Last Friday I observed my son watching Minute To Win It,  and I saw how sad he was when his favorite blue team (boys team) lost the game.  On that show, one mom was asked to say some words of encouragement to her kids and she said: "FOCUS! FOCUS!" with her eyes really wide and her face showed how stressed she was!

 I felt sad for the kid. If it was me, cheering for my son, I will tell him: "Just enjoy! Have fun!" because I believe it is NOT in the winning.. It is in the PLAYING. So I turned to my sad son, and told him what my parents told us when we were young: In anything you do, make sure you do it with joy. Have fun. Love every moment. With that, whether you win or you lose, you already WON. And if in case you win the game, that's just a bonus! 

I hope my 5 year old son understood all of it. 

The challenge was to create something in one color in varying tints and shades.  So I collected all the yellows I could see from the different  Crate collections I have. I also made my own embellishments such as this "candy". I just rolled a paper, wrapped it with a torn yellow paper, tied with white twine and added some rock candy stickles. I think the elements go well with my son's photo taken on his birthday picnic at the beach... 

Another handmade embellishment is this twine spool from a grey board and Tim Holtz sewing room die. Will be submitting this piece to Crate Paper Color Challenge. Now check out this guy who assists me in taking photos of my projects. He does this all the time ... 

Most part of the world celebrate National Scrapbooking Day today. I am a bit lonely over here, wishing I was having some crop or a scrapbooking party with more than just myself.. but since I can't I thought of something to join in the fun ... GIVEAWAY! Comment in this post by Monday 8:00 PM and I will draw a winner to have these stuff I made with love...  If  you are my follower, I promise to visit your blog and follow you back too! 

These are some handmade greeting cards, a blank mini book, handmade tags and embellishments and stamped cardstocks I sell in my my shoppe. Thank you for participating and for checking out my blog. Have a happy weekend! Love, Gen. 

It's raining! *grin*

Because a few hours ago it wasn't, so I went out. To the park. Take photos of my latest projects... What if I chose to be lazy and thought of 

doing-it-later? EEEK! No nice photos for my post! Good thing I did! YES! 

So I made this sweet gifts using Crate Paper's Pretty Party collection, Sizzix and Robin's Nest. So pretty I even thought of making one for myself =) It's my first time to work for a young guy client  so I made it extra special! It's almost valentines day so you can also make something like this. It's so easy just follow the formula: 

An Ikea frame. Cheap no more. 

... and a simple card to go with it! 

I love making these. Smiling the whole time hoping the ones who get these will have the same or even better smiles =) 

Thank you for being here. Love. Gen. 

Flea Market: Love at First Try!

I  discovered  was reminded of something today.  Aside from scrapbooking, I have another passion. Selling. No not the Big Time kind.. Just the Flea Market kind of selling...  As a kid, I would sell home cooked sweets to my classmates, ice-cold watermelon slices to our neighbours.  In college, I'd sell make-ups! I love to sell anything! haha.. I re-lived my happy-selling-days today at the Flea Market organised by PCF, where I sold all-handmade stuff. It was F U N :) 

... especially that my sister was with me :) 

 ... sales exceeded my expectations :):):) met other sellers and future students!  Thanks to Teacher Sam's students and parents from other classes for dropping by our stall :) 

 ... look who came by to show support!

That's all I can share about our event today.. Thanks to all who dropped by, said hi, bought from us. Hope to see you again in our next flea market adventure! :) 

***

On another note, I'd like to share a layout I made for Crate Paper's "Thankful" challenge using Story Teller. My inspiration for the all caps/bold title page is a "SHOUT OUT" because I want to shout to the world how much my little man makes me happy. He is at this stage when he talks nonstop about just anything, about his day, about previous experiences... he's got some "dramas" and he likes telling jokes too. I could go on and on!

So far, I like the simple straightforward page made possible by my eclips, 

a white cardstock, dew drops, buttons, AC flair, some stamps and CP's yummy papers :) 

Thanks so much for dropping by!

happy despite all odds + zutter time!

Feeling a bit sick right now. I guess having 3 small jobs (a regular part time job + teaching job + my little online store ...  all of which are related to scrapbooking) not counting mommyhood and wifeyhood, no matter how much you love these roles will really give you colds at times. I'm not complaining. I love what I do now. I just hope I will improve on my time management skills. And would facebook a lot less. God help me.

Anyway, here's a project I made recently using my favorite tool, bind-it-all. This is made for my son's teacher for her wedding day....

I had been holding on to these spare zutter rings for a while thinking I'd use them one day and that day has come LOL.... See, I have 2 pieces of rings good for 4 holes, and 1 piece of ring for 5. What to do? Punch holes following these numbers! Easy arithmetic! Now I do not need to run to my local scrapbooking store  to get new rings, and I have used my spare rings. What a great feeling =)

Next, I covered my chipboard pages with cream cardstocks, sanded the edges and did the bind-it-all magic!

Here are some close-ups a collage of what's inside... 

... used Crate Paper's Portrait collection, my punches, and have added some crackle paint for texture.

...love that silhouette and the glossy accented letter stickers.

... Teacher Lala gave me very limited photos but I like how my pages turned out. Simple and a lot of space for guests to write down their wishes for the couple.

Supplies: 

tools: Zutter Bind-It-All

papers: Crate Paper, American Crafts

chipboard accents: Crate Paper

trims & laces: Crate Paper

glimmer mist: Tattered Angels

glossy accents: Ranger

others: chipboard, twine, brads, pearls, bakers twine, doily

That's about it! Thanks for looking :) 

road trip + happy screen shot

One of the things our family love doing is travelling. Car rides. Train rides. Plane ride. Our boys love it when we do all these. That's why we make it a point to go home to the Philippines at least once a year.  Thanks to the budget-friendly air fares! God willing, I'd be able to tick one item in my bucket list before I turn 50. To travel around our beautiful country of 7,107 islands --- The Philippines! 

This week at Made With Love, I'm assigned to create a project with "travel" as a theme.  The mini album I'm currently making which is about our latest travels would have been perfect but since it's only halfway done, I made this layout using Crate Paper's Neighborhood and Portrait collections, this palette, and this Sizzix stamp which is perfect for travel and road trip themed layouts and projects:

... I bet I'll be using this stamp often :)  by the way, so so soooo happy about this screen shot below *can't stop grinning 'til now :D:D:D Thank you American Crafts! 

good times

Using Crate Paper's Neighborhood collection, I made this mini accordion album for a dear friend... will be sending this to Japan as my "thank you" gift for her.. she's not blogging and I don't think she checks my blog so I guess it's fine that I'm posting it now haha! Hope she likes it :)

... that green handmade envelope contains more photos we took while they were still here :) 

Thanks for looking! :) 

Vanessa

Here's another Crate Paper layout, using the lovely Portrait collection. My entry for this month's color challenge, and at the same time, a special gift for Vanessa's 22nd birthday. So happy she loved it!

Details... 

... that flower is actually a glimmer misted tissue paper. Just added a silver brad.

... denim, tapes, CP trims and some twines. Also splattered some white paint randomly over the page.

... lastly, sprayed some iridescent gold glimmer mist over the page. Poor lighting won't allow you to see the beautiful glimmer effect. Just imagine. Haha. Thank you for looking! :)

Happy 46th Birthday Singapore!

One of the best things Singapore gave me and my family is our St. Anthony community (Neocatechumenal Way) in Woodlands. We couldn't imagine life without our brothers and sisters who, like us, walk the narrow but fulfilling path. In life's ups and downs, we can rely on our brothers and sisters who love and accept us. We may be in a foreign land but we always feel at home because of our community.

Played with my Crate Paper's neighborhood collection, (one of the prizes I got for winning one of it's monthly contests! yay!), stickler, glimmer mists, and my forever favorites: buttons and dew drops!

Speaking of contests and prizes, do you want to win this one? :):):)

Visit Made With Love now and find out how you are able to win this scrappy goodness worth $100! It's our way of celebrating National Day! Hurry! Hurry! 

when it rains...

It really pours! I have been overwhelmed. Both with good and not-so-good happenings. Life is too challenging, fulfilling and too colorful that it makes me speechless....

...my barcode strips project was liked at 2peas!

...Moments layout for Made With Love won May's challenge over at Crate Paper! 

... and this father's day card I made for Emeline's challenge was featured over at Websters! 

Can you imagine how happy I am right now?  Thank you 2peas, Crate and Websters! Got so inspired that I was able to finish this LO for Sketchy Thursdays in less than 30 minutes :)

Journaling: " One fine day in the train, we had such fun time taking photos, taking turns with the SHADES your Daddy gave me THE DAY you were born! love, Mom. "

... and then,  here's a capture-the-moment collage of our very simple anniversary date @ IMM. So happy that Kuya finally likes ice cream. Never liked it since the day he was born. 5 Years was such a long time right? But at least, the degree of joy we all felt when he finally is able to get crazy over a .70 cents cone is worth the wait! He is able to request for it confidently: "I want ice cream!" Very precious words coming from Kuya! Miguel's moment that day was when he took his very first photo: "Daddy's right leg". Did you spot it? lol! 

Lastly guess what I found?

 *so giddy when I got it!*

Got so many things lined up to blog about.. Kuya's very first Eucharist.. my new class at MWL... my miserably failing at trying to lose 2 kgs... and so much more.. but I'm  afraid you'll get bored with this long post and would unfollow me lol.... Thank you so much for visiting. This also goes to all who just silently lurk. Though I honestly wish to get to know you :D There's time for everything! Hanggang sa muli. Hugs :)

“Lord Jesus, through the gift of your Holy Spirit, you fill us with an indomitable spirit of praise and joy which no earthly trial can subdue. Fill me with your resurrection joy and help me to live a life of praise and thanksgiving for your glory. May I witness to those around me the joy of the gospel and the reality of your resurrection.”

8 years ago...

I got married to Benjo Rulona. May 31, 2003 *flash back with Jim Brickman music* it hasn't been an easy life. For people closest to us, they know we are happily married. Blessed. But we have struggles. Major ones. The hardest struggle is having a child with special needs (that would be a different story, I will blog about it when the right time comes, ok?) But all in all, we are very blessed. It's because of the 3rd person in our love triangle.

God has been our first love. When trouble comes, we look up to HIM. Not immediately all the time. For there are times we falter. But sometimes, even when we fail to be faithful to Him, He is always there to rescue us. He has done so many miracles in our life. I can only look forward to many more challenging and happy years with my family, without fear, knowing that we have a mighty and loving God, taking care of everything!

So as remembrance of our 8th year,  I made this special present for Him and Benjo... A book containing not just photos of our guests, but precious memories of our family, friends, loved ones who witnessed our union and were one with us in sealing our love triangle with God. Can't thank them enough!

Here's a slideshow of what's inside.... 

Happy 8th anniversary Baby! I love you very much! :) 

moments

There's no better way to spend "the last day" than say a prayer, to cook a sinful pork meal, dance with hubby and kids in a total of 10 tracks (making them so tired they all sleep) and scrap, most definitely!

This is my "last" layout...

Love this photos so much. It was one candid moment in our bedroom. Naptime. Tickle time. Cuddle time. We do that daily. And when in times I'd forget to have that moment. The little one would say, "Mommy, I want to yab yab (love love) on the bed!" Oh so precious precious everyday moment I will never ever get tired of doing. 

Used toy box and neighborhood collections from crate paper (my latest paper crush!) and to make those heart and star shapes, I used this die:

Do I really think it's the end of the world? Who knows? It could be today. Tomorrow. Next year. Next decade...  I don't really make a big fuss out of the prediction. It could happen anytime. To anybody. That's why I always try to remind myself to choose to be happy each day. To capture each ordinary but genuine moments. To choose  time with family and loved ones over earning more money. I am not saying I have perfectly done it. I falter at times. But it helps to try and try. Little by little. In God's grace. Because only through Him are all these things possible.

But really, though I try to live as if it's my last,  I don't think it's my last day today :D and so I was just joking when I said it's my last layout :D

Hugs to you XOXO :)