It Was a Great Christmas for Us!

Hope yours was great too!!!! Here's looking forward to a brighter New Year! Cheers to all of you!

Boo!!!!

It's almost Trick & Treat again! That eagerly awaited time of the year when young (and even old, too!) children walk around our village holding pumpkins and bags to get loads & loads of sweets, treats & whatnots. I kid you not when I say that the amount of candies my kids bring home will surely make our family dentist just throw up her hands in surrender. You just can't imagine how they'll be able to finish the loot.

So what I do is divide & conquer! They get to choose the candies they like then I give away the rest. The candies they get to keep should fit one (just 1!) pumpkin. I collect the candies (usually mint & gum), share a few with the househelp while the rest are given to street children.

For a Halloween idea, I made these cute candy containers using scraps I had left over from my project. Aren't they just cute? My DS saw them and said that he just can't wait for Halloween. Happy Halloween to all!

Materials used for the projects here are available at Lasting Impression. Check out their gallery.

My Baby

I hope you enjoyed the video I just posted. We sure all need cheering up after Ondoy devastated major parts of the country just last weekend. I loved that video so much that I posted it here in my blog. Watching it makes me yearn to have another baby. God forbid though! I'll just wait for my first grandchild in about 20 or so years. lol!!!

Here's my latest LO of my "baby" & I for Lasting Impression using new gorgeous 7 gypsies products. The photo here was taken by my brother, Arthur, at a cousin's wedding at Calaruega. He shoots with a Nikon. Thanks for the picture, Brother!!!

Materials used for this layout are all available at Lasting Impression. Please check out their gallery here.

Anti-Depression Video

My FB friend posted it yesterday. It's guaranteed to lift your blues away!!!! Have a happy day!

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DD's Photoshoot

Tsk...tsk... sorry for neglecting this blog. I have a few layouts that I've yet to post. Been busy with activities at my daughter's school. She graduates this school year and will be off to high school next.

Sigh.... Can't imagine that just a few years ago, she was once a tiny delicate baby girl who was our own little princess. Now she's in her teens and I do hope she'll be able to cope with all the challenges of this new phase in her life.

Journaling: We had a practice session at home in preparation for your Grade 7 graduation yearbook photo shoot. Good thing we did because on the day of the actual shoot, you sat and posed like a PRO! Good job!

Materials Used: Papers from the Teenage Angst Collection (isn't it appropriate!) by We R Memory Makers

Layout created with materials available at Lasting Impression. Do check it out!!!

Collage Press Layouts

I'll always cherish this recent picture of my mom with all her grandkids (U.S. based not included). This was taken at Moon Garden located in Tagaytay City. We had a great weekend escape then. We attended a wedding out of town and at the same time celebrated my Mom's arrival. How I wish these kids could spend more time with their Grandma.

For these layouts, I used the Sweet Shoppe Collection from Collage Press. Yummy pinks and oranges! Cool combination! This line is of course available at my favorite LSS, Lasting Impression. Here's another layout of my niece from the Sweet Shoppe Collection. Btw, the sticker embellishments are from Pink Paislee.

Websters' Pages

Do check out the latest Webster's Pages papers available at Lasting Impression. Aside from "Hello Beautiful" (pictured here), the other lines "A Sweet Life" and "Magical Wishes" are also available. I'm really, really so happy it finally came. Please swoon with me....

It's just fitting that I make a layout of my mom using Websters' Pages. I chose an undated black & white picture of her which is prominently displayed in her room. I just scanned a copy for my layout. My mom estimates that this was taken during her pre-teen years so this is circa 1940's.

To match the vintage-y feel, I sprayed Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist on the base paper as well as the flowers. Here's a closer look....

Please check out Lasting Impression's gallery for more inspiration.

Good To Be Back

Just came home from a wonderful vacation at the beach. If only we can stay longer....

Back When You Were 3

The school where my 2 boys go declared a 2-week suspension of classes due to the AH1N1 (It's-one-in-one... as pronounced by our Pinoy Boxing Champion). They go back to school on July 6 so there goes the peace & quiet I enjoyed for just 1 short week!! My DD's the only one going to school and she says it's unfair. lol!!!

Youngest DS says that he'll go to the park everyday to play while school's out. As a remembrance, here's a layout I made of DS at the village park when he was just 3 years old. I used the new Sassafras Anthem papers available at Lasting Impression. I just love Sassafras! It's so playful and colorful! More please!!!

It's been quite a while since I've made a mini so I decided to do one to finish off my Sassafras Anthem stash. I've a quite a few (ok, a lot!!) small-sized photos of DS in my photo box. I decided to use random pictures of DS from the age of 2 to 5. To tie it all up, I used the DaisyDs "This Boy Descriptive Words".

Materials used are available at Lasting Impression. Please check out their gallery & online store now! Thanks for looking!!!

Of Weddings & Pearls

It's the month of June and of tadah!!!..... weddings. The family attended a cousin's wonderful wedding last May in Calaruega in Batangas. Well, she was 2 days short of being a June bride but I guess that counts. I made a special layout to mark that special day. Oh not of the bride but of my mom and my aunts. The story later. First, a short tutorial.

Do you have this in your stash?

I got a the metallic set ages ago at Lasting Impression and like a few things in my stash, I totally forgot about it and let it just sit in the drawer for the longest time. Last week, I was in the mood to do some embossing and decided to resurrect my Perfect Pearls.

Before you start, be sure to read the instructions carefully in the packaging and you'll be amazed with the results. I decided to try out a vintage-y layout with some shimmer using the new 7Gypsies Gypsy Market line from Lasting Impression & this is how I did it:

1) Mix gold embossing powder (TopBoss) with a smattering of the Perfect Pearls. It said that "a little goes a long way" so let's see... You may also use clear embossing powder.

2) Stamp the title using Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad.

3) Dust the stamped image with the powder mix.

I also tried it out on the flowers....

....and the photo corner...

4) Using a heat gun, apply a little heat on the stamped images and embellishments. You can sprinkle a little more powder for a added more bling.

And here's my layout which I call "Golden Girls". I decided to make the title a bit subtle. It's barely peeking through the frame pp. It's a picture of my Mother with my 2 aunts and cousin at the wedding. They're really very close and have gone through a lot together: widowhood, empty nest syndrome, not to mention the menopausal years. Lol!!
Here's another layout which used Pefect Pearls on the flowers. It's a picture of my Mom taken on October 16, 1956 when she was about to turn 18! (God bless her for remembering to write the date at the back of the photo) She's the 3rd one from the right. I never thought my Mom could dance.... Gee, don't they all look pretty here. There's really something about old photos that I really love! It's magical to me! A closer look....
Thanks for indulging me!

Materials used in the layouts are all available at Lasting Impression. Please check out their online store!