Best Buds

Here's my last layout for Lasting Impression for the month of July. I got so excited with the new Scenic Route Garden Grove collection that I got to make two layouts from my DT kit. Atlast, there was enough white space on this layout! I tried to keep this simple - clustering all my paper and embellishments in the middle. But I also challenged myself to mix and match papers of different themes and seasons. The papers are: Christmas themed from Sassafras Lass, school themed from Scenic Route, beach/summer from Rouge de Garance, and Valentine from Fancy Pants! The SR Garden Grove proved its' versatility - I love how this turned out!

This is Ethan's bestfriend, Sancho. Sadly, Sancho was transferred to another section when they moved to Junior Kindergarten. Here's the whole journaling of my layout:

You met Sancho on your first day of school. You instantly "clicked" together. You danced and sang side by side. You ate together during recess time and would share your snacks with each other. Tita Sab, Sancho's mom, told me that you were the only one that Sancho remembers of all his classmates.

But as another schoolyear started, you moved to Junior Kinder without Sancho as your classmate. You were looking for him and when I told you that he's at the other class, you became sad. I'm sad too, you know, because I also like Sancho as your friend. I've seen you play togther - you were both rough and wild! You would shout and yell while playing but - there weren't any fighting, no issues of not sharing. You get along very well. Sancho was also a good influence. You would imitate what he does and that made me feel relieved.

I told Sancho how much you miss him when I recently saw him in school. He said he wants to bring you to his house so you can play! That was sweet!

I hope that even though you're no longer classmates, you will remain to be best buds! l

Love, mommy (journaling 07/11/09)

photo taken: 10/09/08

materials used: Scenic Route, Fancy Pants, Sassafras Lass, Rouge de Garance, and American Crafts pps; DCWV cs, buttons, Scenic Route chipboard, Heidi Swapp letter chipboard, Chatterbox letter stickers, Prima rub ons, Zig pen

-Pia

Homemade Goodness

It's my turn to post my first ever challenge at the Scrappin Kids Forum. I'm inviting you to come and join us this weekend. Resident Designer Issa also posted her challenge at the forum. RD Cookie will be hosting a tutorial at 8 pm tonight.

Challenge title: Homemade Goodness

My challenge is to use the word, “homemade” as an inspiration on your layouts.

- Think about homemade meals or desserts you and your kids make together.
- Think about your kids’ artworks
- If you have other hobbies/passions like painting, beading or pottery, you may want to scrap about these too.

home•made –adjective 1. made or prepared at home, locally, or by the maker's own efforts: 2. made in one's own country; domestic 3. made, contrived, or assembled by oneself; not professionally made or done; amateurish

Source: Dictionary.com

The word homemade does not necessarily have to be part of the title or journaling. Use the word as a jumpstart for your layouts.

Here’s my layout about my son, Ethan, making the Filipino version of the fruit salad the day before Christmas.

materials used: Sassafras Lass, DCWV, Making Memories pps, Bazzill scalloped cs, Fancy Pants run on (Season's Chill), buttons, Zig pen, American Crafts Thickers.
Photography by Pia Lopez

It's a weekend of fun challenges and a tutorial at the SK Forum! Happy creating!

-Pia

{Fire Chief}

Meet the Fire Chief!

This layout was a quickie! Did this in less than an hour, I'm referring to the layout huh! The journaling took over a month hahaha! I can't seem to decide how to incorporate the journaling and still keep the white space. The original plan was to use journaling strips - I cut a few to try and see if it'll work but I don't think it did. I had to detach one of the clouds just to make room for the journaling die cut! You might say I am a perfectionist - ok, I admit I am.

I layered the title work here. First, I adhered the foam letter stickers then added the yellow orange letter stickers on top. I love how it turned out!

materials used: Around the Block, Scenic Route, and Bam Pop pps, October Afternoon diecut, Fancy Pants felt shapes, Chatterbox letter (yellow orange) and photo corner stickers, American Crafts Thickers (green), Ki Memories chipboard, DMC embroidery floss, buttons, Zig pen
Photography by Jeff and Pia Lopez

-Pia

Creative Mini Albums

I'm so happy to announce that my mini album is featured at Creative Mini Albums Blog! If you love minis like me (ok, I've just recently fell in love with minis), do check this blog out for a great source of inspiration! Kristine also made a gallery where you can upload your mini albums.

Thanks to Kristine for featuring me and my album!

-Pia

Bound by Passions

Here's a quick layout I made 2 months ago but failed to post here. Thanks to Mia for helping me with the title.

At Scrappin' Moms, it's not only scrapbooking that bind us together ... but all the other passions that we have in life - be it our other hobbies, principles and beliefs that we commonly share. I think that's also one thing that made us click together as a group! Of course, we do have our differences but that what makes us stronger than divided.

On another note, on August 29, 2009, the Scrappin' Moms will host again the Scrappin' Moms Idol Season 3 Finale and Bazaar at the Makati Parks and Garden. We hope you can join us for a day of shopping, scrapping, chatting and eating of course! The Idol Contest is currently ongoing (now on its' 3rd round already!). Check out the blog for announcements and the gallery for the Idol entries.

matls used: Kaisercrafts Distracted-La La land and Dazed,Fancy Pants pp (base, Sassafras Lass pps, BasicGrey Obscure letter stickers, Chatterbox Eclectique chipboard, Zig pen, Colorbox ink, Prima flowers, blings

Photography by Jeff Lopez

-Pia

{Tropical Boy}

Ethan loves the beach so much that he can talk about our trips with much gusto even after several months! I wish that as he grows up I can show him how beautiful our country is. It is a dream for me and Jeff to visit, if not all (coz that will be quite impossible to do) of the islands of our country - atleast maka-1/4 man lang hahaha!

The photo was taken 2 years ago infront of the beach hotel where we stayed. We were welcomed with shell leis and Ethan wanted all of our leis all to himself!

For this layout, I used Inspired Blueprints' Sketch #23. I've used my stash that I bought 2 Scrapfests ago hehehe (except for the Tinkering Ink that I bought last April).

I used Love Elsie ledger paper as the base, then added the Rhonna Farrer Aqua Twist pp. I matted my photo on Rouge de Garance pp (1st layer) then with Tinkering Ink pp (blue with dots, 2nd layer).

The cluster of flowers is composed of 3 papers from DCWV (light blue Hibiscus), Karen Foster Design (blue Hibiscus), Tinkering Ink (yellow).

matls used: Love Elsie, Rouge de Garance (Urban Art-Urbaine Collection pp), Rhonna Farrer Aqua Twist, Tinkering Ink Beau Jardin - Jardin and Retro Metro - Flossie, DWV, Karen Foster, Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, Chatterbox letter stickers, Scenic Route bracket chipboard, Zig and Uniball Signo pen; Photography by Jeff Lopez

-Pia

Real Boys Don't ...

... Shop? I don't think so. Just take a look at these photos! I guess the saying, "Male Doesn't Rhyme with Sale" isn't true! Have you been with your husband or your son when they shop? Mas maarte pa sila sa atin, sa totoo lang at ang tagal din no! LOL! (hope Jeff won't read this!)

Anyway, I created this layout for Scrap the Boys. The challenge for this month is to create a layout capturing your boys doing things that may be not the most masculine, so a little bit on the "girly" side. Hop on to the blog to see what the other DTs have created for this challenge. And if you have boys too, I hope you can submit an entry for this month!

Did you like the sketch that I used? Guess who was my inspiration when I made that? My very good friend and Kumare, Iris! I saw her layout published at the July 2009 issue of Scrapbooks Etc. and boy am I glad to see how she incorporated 8 photos in her LO! My version though is a little tweaked coz I changed the sizes of the photos.

I also challenged myself to use one patterned paper for my layout. I used the new Scenic Route Garden Grove Scrap Strip. Since it is double sided, I was able to use the back part (yellow) as the base of my layout. I cut the inner portion of the paper so I can use as matting for my photos and for the strips/divisions of my layout. Unfortunately, I miscalculated the size and ended up with smaller pieces of paper not enough for a photo mat. So, I used another paper - Emerson Ave. to mat the 3 remaining photos.

Call me masochist but I felt I needed to challenge myself more (I was enjoying it by the way), I told myself I will use chipboard from my stash as an embellishment and it has to come from various manufacturers : ) I used Garden Grove Superstar, Chatterbox Eclectique and American Crafts. I wanted to add some more pero yun lang chipboard ko hehehe.

I also mixed and matched my AC Thickers becoz I ran out of some letters already.

Journaling: You must be kidding me! I mean, look at you! You love to shop for your toys and even food! You go around the toy store several times just to check which ones you are going to buy. You scrutinize a toy and look closely before you tell me you want it. Most often than not, you change your mind and look for another one! You also have a penchant for character standees and store mannequins - you want to have your pictures taken beside them! One time, I found you imitating a mannequin infront of the store - I broke into laughter! You're really a funny guy!

One thing I love about you though is that you know when is the right time to do "window shopping" and when you can buy a toy. You ask me if a toy is too expensive and if I say yes, you don't insist yourself. You know that big and expensive toys are for special occasions and are rewards for a job well done. (in school or at home). You understand things beyond your age and I'm proud of you!

materials used: Scenic Route Graden Grove pps, chipboard - Scenic Route Garden Grove, Chatterbox Eclectique, American Crafts (pig), DCWV cardstock, 7 Gypsies word stickers, title: American Crafts Thickers, Making Memories letter stickers, Chatterbox letter stickers (boys), hidden journaling - October Afternoon journaling cards, Zig pen, Fancy Pants and American Crafts ribbons, others: buttons

Did I mention that Lasting Impression has all of these products? Ok, it will be an exaggeration to say that I know. So, except for the October Afternoon journaling die cuts, (Thanks Iris for those!) the new SR Garden Grove, Chatterbox Eclectique chipboard and letter stickers are all available at Lasting Impression!

On a side note, Scrappin Kids has already posted the July Challenge at the blog. DTs Michelle, Yatie, Ria and RD Cookie made the samples for this month! I hope you'll join us by submitting your layout!

-Pia