You're My Sunshine After the Rain

It's probably time to get the umbrella, raincoats and rainboots out! For the past days, it has been raining real hard. It's not that it's weird since we're approaching June in a matter of days. It's just that it's still too hot before and after it rains. Not to mention we haven't been on a real vacation yet.

Anyway, since it has been raining. Here's a layout I made using Prima-Umbrella Collection.I love the bright colors of this line. I also love those cute crocodiles too.

Aside from Prima, I also used scraps from different lines having the same hues. There's just too much colors on this layout - I totally enjoyed the creative process. Perhaps my current favorite color would be yellow. But I also noticed I've used too much of that color on my recent works. Hmmm....maybe I should give that color a rest for awhile.

Please allow me to indulge. Even though this are just very small accomplishments for the year, it means a lot to me already. An update on my Project 52: I finished 22 layouts already, one of which won at the Fancy Pants NSD Challenge and three are going to get published! Wohoooo!

Now for some, non-scrapbook related.

Ethan will soon be in Senior Kinder, his last schoolyear at Rosemont as a preschooler. As of this time, he's already enrolled, his uniforms, shoes and school supplies are already prepared. I just want to enjoy the rest of the vacation thus I prepared early. The little boy has been enjoying his vacation - full time. When I say 'full time', I meant no-summer-workshop for him. I never get to mention on my posts that my-little-actor went to Trumpets Playshop from April to 2nd week of May. The workshop concluded in a showcase entitled, "The Best Toys". I'm a proud mom when Ethan performed on stage for the first time. Indeed,  at a young age of 5, he has experienced something his dad and I experienced when we were already in college. Anyway, we hope that his love for the theater will continue until he's a grown up.

We're off to the beach next week. Last hurrah? Yup, we'll just pray it won't rain. Oh sunshine ... I need you now!

Media Noche '08

click the image for a larger view

Finally I was able to scrap our New Year's Eve pictures back in 2008! This is my 2nd spread layout for the year. I have to tell you spreads are really tough and very challenging (atleast for me)!

What I really like about this layout is the clothes line I made. I placed a baker's twine on the top right side of the page and 'hung' the mittens and caps. To finish the clothes line, I added birds! I find this really cute!

For the journaling, I divided it into three parts: first, I wrote about the feast that we've had; second, I wrote who celebrated New Year's Eve with us and lastly, I wrote what was unforgettable during our celebration.

materials used: Cosmo Cricket, Chatterbox, We 'R Memory Keepers pps, America Crafts Thickers, Zig pen.

TFL!

Little Handprint

Ethan made this in school for Mother's Day (which they usually celebrate on September coinciding with Mama Mary's birthday). The handprint goes with a short poem which I also included in the layout.

materials used: Scenic Route (I'm missing this manufacturer!), Studio Calico (scallop), Creative Imaginations (frog), American Crafts and Pink Paislee letters, Daisy Bucket rub on, Zig pen

-Pia

Taking Turns

Finally, I was able to make a summer layout!

These photos were taken during Ethan's swimming lessons from last year's summer.

Jeff overheard this conversation during one of the sessions. Here's how the conversation between Ethan and his coach went:

Coach: Ethan, dip your face in the pool.

Ethan: No, you first : )

Coach:  No, you first then I'll count.

Ethan: No, you first then I'll count : )

Coach: Ok ...

So the coach agreed ...

Ethan (counting very very slowly): 1 ...... 2 ...... 3...... 4....... 5

Don't worry the coach is still alive as of this time hehehe.

Title: Taking Turns

materials used: Bazzill cardstock, Cosmo Cricket pps, Sassafras Lass card, Chatterbox epoxy buttons, Clearsnap ink, buttons, Dasiy Bucket rub on, American Crafts letters, Zig pen

TFL!

-Pia

Scooter Fun

It's my first time to join a contest this year. I'm so happy to finish this one in the nick of time. Here's my entry for the Fancy Pants NSD Challenge.

I used three lines from Fancy Pants to make this project - Rough and Tough, Summer Soiree and Trick or Treat. I just love how versatile these papers that it can be used in a variety of themes. 

I have one problem though, when I uploaded my layout at the gallery, I'm surprised to see that my layout was posted on May 8. The deadline is on May 7, 12mn MST. I made sure I uploaded it on time by referring on this site. I can't seem to figure out what went wrong. Anyway, I hope my layout can still be counted.

-Pia

Shabby Green Door

I'm not really a fan of shabby chic or vintage papers but this one is an exemption. Just take a look ...

I used Shabby Green Door Farmer's Market - Blue Ribbon Recipe, Strawberry Jam, and Sweet Peas papers, Spread Joy sticker label and Cherry Twist (red baker's twine). I added the yellow base paper from My Little Yellow Bicycle, kraft cardstock, Fancy Pants felt shapes, and of course, buttons. The letters are from American Crafts and Prima (yellow Es). 

I'm lovin' these everyday pictures taken by our cellphone cameras and I love how this layout turned out!

Shabby Green Door is available at Lasting Impression.

-Pia

Lakbayan: How much of the Philippines have you visited?

I found this site a year ago and wanted to know how Jeff and I rate. So, we both took the test. We were both laughing when we found out that even though we've been to a number of places in our country, it's not enough to say that we know our country too well.

Here's Jeff's map:

My Lakbayan grade is C+!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Here's mine:

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

I've lived in Bocaue, Bulacan when I was a kid. Jeff and I have lived most of our lifetime in Metro Manila. When we got married, we settled in Cavite  and we've been here for 7 years already. We've both been to the northenmost tip of the Philippines which is Batanes (Batan and Sabtang Islands) and stayed there for 2 weeks - you could say we fell in love with that place. Boracay is an all time favorite destination for we go there almost every year. Jeff frequents Cebu, Davao and Bacolod because of work. He's even luckier than I am because he stayed from more than a week at Babuyan Islands way back. Yet it seems that we still have a looong way to go.

Jeff and I have always been proud of our beautiful country with it's very beautiful places to visit and the very hospitable Filipinos. If we probably have all the money in the world and the luxury of time, we'll probably be exploring our 7,107 islands. But even though that it's not our case, there's no stopping us to explore. Hopefully two to three years from now our grades will improve : )

How about you? How much of the Philippines have you visited? Why not take the test to find out.