Manila Ocean Park

Call us crazy to go to the Manila Ocean Park today because a few other thousands had the same crazy idea! The place was really as tight as a can of sardines! The entrance fee as P400 for adults and P350 for children 12 years & below. Manila residents with valid IDs get special discounts though. We didn't mind paying that much because it seemed reasonable if you compare it to prices of similar establishments abroad. Our expectations were not really that high though as we heard that the place is not yet 100% complete.

Did I mention that the place was really full? Makes one think that the Philippine economy is really not that bad at all if that many people could afford to get in. hmmm... but I digress.

Before guests were allowed entry, an usher made several announcements on proper decorum, etc. and emphasized that flash photography was NOT allowed. He even gave a quick demo on how to disarm the auto flash in a camera. Of course when you get in, you'd want to get pictures of the fish. Alas, we Pinoys are not really known for being disciplined in our own backyards and as expected flashes popped here, there & everywhere. Btw, let me assure you that the photos above were taken without flash.

Verdict: My kids totally enjoyed the place despite the huge crowd. The tanks were clean and the fish looked healthy. The manta ray even seemed friendly and loved going near people. We just hope that the clean conditions are maintained. Oh, the place is not exactly stroller-friendly because there are stairs that you have to pass to enjoy the outdoor aquaria. I'm sure though that there is access for wheelchairs because there were a couple of them there.

If you want to be able to linger around the tanks, I suggest that you NOT go on a weekend. Go see it for yourself!

I Want These!

Here are the newest tools for scrapbookers! These 2 products are from Zutter Innovative Products, a company which have produced for Xyron, GBC, Chatterbox, All My Memories, Konica Minolta, Li’l Davis, 7Gypsies, Karen Foster, KI Memories, Junkitz and various others in other countries such as Austria, Australia, South Africa etc.

The Bind-It-All does what it says-- it can bind anything from cardstock, chipboard, plastic, among others. Imagine all the wonderful books that we can make with this machine! A bit pricey at $59.99 but I think so worth it.

The Dreamkuts goes hand in hand with the Bind-It-All because it cuts pages evenly. You can cut paper in 6x6, 4x4, 5x5 or whatever size you want your paper to be. It has a self-sharpening blade and use a crank motion for cutting.

This sells for $89.99 which lands it among the more expensive cutters in the market.

Check out their website here. Now, any takers????

Bye, February!

The Love Month of February is about to end but we it's still a bit chilly, specially in the early mornings. My friend has a fool-proof, reliable prediction that once Chinese New Year comes, the summer winds will start to make its grand entrance. Well, my friend needs to check again. Not only is it still chilly, it's also been RAINING!!!

Here are a few more layouts I made for Lasting Impression for the month of February. The theme is still Valentine's but well it really should be a year-round theme for everyone!
Photos for the 1st & 2nd layouts are by Yours, truly while the pictures for the 3rd layout are by Dominic Barrios, an up and coming wedding photograper connected with Imagine Nation. Thanks, Doms, for the prenups pictures taken at the La Mesa Watershed! (no laughter in the house, please...)

Please check Lasting Impression's gallery for the credits to these layouts. Thanks so much for looking!

A Very Scrappy Weekend

My highly enjoyable 4 day weekend is just about to wind down. My kids had no school last Friday and today is an announced official holiday. Yipeee! The prospect of a relatively stress-free weekend must have triggered my mojo because I was able to complete 8 (yes, 8!) layouts.

Ok, ok, I actually sat down & started working on 3 layouts which were in various stages of (un)finish. Then, the ball just got rolling. It's a great feeling to be able to be productive & finish them over the weekend.

I was finally able to use these K & Co. Amy Butler papers which I shared with Liz G.! I cut out some of the patterns while watching TV last week & finally got to finish them this weekend.

That's basically the story of the first 3 layouts.
This LO was just waiting for the right pictures. It's actually "pre-made" because I had to use the MAMBI rub-ons which unfortunately started sticking to the packaging (that's another story). Last week, DS received an album full of pictures from his pre-school teacher. When I saw the pictures, I instantly went AHA!! and it was done in a jiffy.

Now here's the real deal!

This LO was done in about 30 minutes. Simple, simple, simple.... I even shunned the computer and instead just decided on hand-written journaling. Yipee! I finally got to use the DCWV Rock Star stack.

I'm finally seeing my style... I tried the cutting & layering but I really like it clean & simple. The less embellishments, the better. For me, that is!
This is my eldest DS. Love this photo of him cocooned in his own world.
This LO is absolutely liberating! Done in 10 minutes flat! And the longest thing that took me was placement of the pictures. har-har...Simple for some but I just love it!

And last but not the least, good thing I was able to finish this because I could feel my mojo slowly but surely slipping away. Sigh!!! It was a great scrappy weekend for me! I hope it was for you too!!

I'm OK, Mama!

Those are Gabriel's reassuring words to me everytime he gets into an accident. I've always found it amusing how he finds comfort in plastering a band-aid on his OUCHIE. Sometimes, it's really just a slight bump or a harmless scratch but a band-aid is still a must.

I'm proud to say that DS is no cry-baby. A "major" ouchie just requires Mama's kiss & hug after application of immediate first-aid, of course. A soft whimper, a worried frown, Mama's tender kiss..... then he'll go "I'm OK, Mama". Off to another adventure!

Materials courtesy of Lasting Impression. Please check out their shop for more ideas!

Back to My First Love

It's been quite some time since I made a digital LO and I found it so refreshing to be able to finish a layout in a matter of minutes sans any mess. Have been in a scrapping rut lately and this might be just what I need to boost me up.

Credits: Wild Sorbet Kit by Michelle Coleman downloaded from Memory Magazine's online site. Thanks a lot!

I'm on Youtube!!!

Last December, I had to do an interview for Lasting Impression because its owner, Vivian Uy, was unavailable at that time. This clip was shown about the second week of February this year in the United States on GMA Pinoy TV. Hopefully, viewers there would know that we also have a fast-growing scrapping community here in the Philippines.

In behalf of Vivian, we'd like to extend a big thanks to Ms. April Lim for making this all happen. Cheers to all scrappers!

Not Junk at All!

Before 2007 ended, Junkitz announced that it would be closing its doors. This was sad news because a lot of scrappers loved Junkitz' designs. The good thing though is that Junkitz' designers, Kenny & Stacey, are right now working with Inque Boutique stamps! Personally, I love Junkitz, particularly its vibrant Salsa and School Days lines. The School Days line is perfect for my DS who started pre-school this schoolyear and is off to big school next!

So here it is.... a layout I made of my DS (again!) in this P.E. uniform. I remember how excited and proud he was when he donned his T-shirt and jogging pants for the first time. Of course, he obliged Mama with a pose.

Here's another layout using Junkitz' School Days line of my DS blowing out the candle on during his last birthday. Sigh.... I just love the wonderful expressions I caught on Gabriel's face!

Please check out the Junkitz line available at Lasting Impression.

Scenic Route Layouts

Here is a layout I made of my niece, Anabelle. This girl is just as sweet as nice little girls get. Just the right combination for Scenic Route's Loveland papers. The colors of Scenic Route's newest line are just gorgeous: hot pink, strawberry red, yummy raspberry & cool green. Just right for a sweet little girl. Oh, and if you're looking for papers for Valentine's Day projects, this is THE one!

Please checkout Lasting Impression's gallery for the list of materials used. Thanks so much for looking!

And speaking of Valentine'Day projects, here's a layout I made of DH using the Scenic Route Loveland line. Scenic Route Materials courtesy of Lasting Impression. Happy Valentine's Day!

Webster's Pages Challenge

Please come & join the Webster's Pages Challenge sponsored by Lasting Impression. Last day of submission is on February 28, 2008 so you still have a lot of time to make your entries. The entries will be judged by Webster's owner, Ms. Brandin O'Neill.

Here's a couple of Webster's pages layout that I made. "Gifts under the Tree" was really an easy LO. I really wanted to capture my son's expressions as he opened his gifts last Christmas so I cropped the pics to 2x2 sizes to fit in as many pictures as possible. I then cropped another one a little bigger to make it as the focal point. If only capture the squeals and giggles of DS...Btw, he really did dive under the tree...

For "Enjoy", I experimented on embroidering swirls on my LO. I was inspired by a layout which I saw and thought of giving it a try. It was really hard at first, but I eventually got the hang of it. Tip: Poke holes along the edges of the design to make it easier.

Please check out the guidelines for the Webster's Pages Challenge here. We can't wait to see your entries!