An hour to spare..

10:49 PM | 1 Comments

I mean seriously...
If it isn't enough that the biggest scrapbooking store in Southeast Asia is here, they have to open a bookstore just a stone's throw away from my office. I will not be surprised if I will not be able to save a single cent from all of these retail therapies I've been doing.
During my lunch break today I decided to drop by at Harris/Popular. I figured since I am a fast eater I would browse by the store for a few minutes to see what they have in the store. Popular is just like National Bookstore - more of supplies and maybe a few good books. But this one is
different, although they still have supplies it is more of Powerbooks than it is NBS. Usually, if I wanted to browse quickly, I'd go to MPH (along CitiLink) or Times (just above MWL). On days that I am in the mood to really take my time to choose books or just hang, I'll go to Orchard where Borders and Kinokuniya is located. Now that there's a decent bookstore that I can
visit during the weekday, it will now be too impossible for me to get out during the weekends..







I like the Harris store.. It's bright and not so crowded.. My few minutes turned out to be a full hour just browsing for titles (which left me no choice but to grab a baguette at Delifrance). Although I still miss Powerbooks because you can pick up a book or a magazine and you can actually sit and stay in the store the whole day and finish a novel.
I love books.. I try to broaden my literary palette by picking up books beyond the bestseller rack. My affinity for books started with Archie, and eventually to Sweet Valley, Danielle Steele, VC Andrews, The Vampire Chronicles, Socrates to Saarte, Holocaust and the Catholic Church,
anything about the Priory of Scion and Mary Magdalene (yes, I fell into that trap). No self-help books about love, marriage or mars and venus but I did read The Art of Seduction (love the book, but never had the nerve to try the 'art').
I've always wanted to write something myself, maybe get published. Or maybe speak eloquently. But for now my word play revolves around writing emails, and previously, giving out trainings on how not to get electrocuted (being a H&S person)..
Anyway, I did pick out a book (and that elusive UHU Twist & Glue bottle!). With the smorgasbord of choices, I ended up buying something I've already read (The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova) - it's just that I can't make up my mind! And I super love this book anyway so it was worth reading all over again (paging my ex-office mate - I want my 'The Historian' in trade paperback back!). But I'll definitely pick up 'The Art of War' by Shu Tzu (illustrated) before I go home for the holidays...

Guess who is turning 30..

8:09 PM | 1 Comments




T minus 14 days...

I can't hardly wait..

Rest in peace, Joel..

10:34 PM | 0 Comments

Please whisper a short prayer for our dear friend, Joel Mendoza, who passed away due to heart failure. He was my one of brother's barkada. I have known Joel for almost 17 years, my brother and his group of friends practically grew up together. Joel's house was the headquarters of my brother Hem and his friends and I would often be at his house to fetch the gang when they are out playing basketball or jamming (they have a rock/cover band) or to borrow/return his drum set. A few hours before he died, their group of friends including my brother were at his place for a mini reunion. So I can just imagine the devastation they are feeling right now upon hearing his demise. Joel, wherever you are, thanks for the memories.. We know that you are in God's kingdom playing your drums and shooting some hoops.. Keep an eye on usf rom up there.. You will be sorely missed..

Retail Therapy - Nov 15, 2007

10:04 PM | 2 Comments

ATE! Nagpanic-buying ka nanaman!!!





But the cutest find of all...

But I am proud to say that I was on budget for this visit.. But I'll definitely be back this weekend because I have yet to browse the Creative Cafe and Creative Imaginations goodies.. Skyflakes for lunch next week.. Hay...

See this week's new arrival at Made With Love here


MAYA ROAD is coming to town!

10:10 PM | 0 Comments

Actually, Caroline Lau - founder of Maya Road- is coming to town and a Make and Take Maya Road party is scheduled on the 23rd of November at MWL and I'm (imagine me in a sing-song voice) excited!! Two workshops are scheduled on the 24th as well titled Happy Defined (minibook using MR chipboard album)and A Love For All Seasons (minibook using MR sheer album). But I don'tthink I'll be able to make it to the workshop because it is EXPENSIVE($95/workshop) so I'll probably just go to the party ('coz it's free!). I'm saving up because there's a thing coming up callled Christmas, in case you haven't heard..
In semi-related MWL news, it's their 4th anniversary this month and there are loads of activities lined up (Marix and Abby - kita kits sa MWL!). Many freebies, activities and promotions that even a trying-hard-to-save-money like me will not hesitate to drop by 2x a week this month! I'm also joining their scrap challenge. As I have probably mentioned, I am now a Scrapaholics Anonymous member at MWL and I have 3 free workshops to redeem , I will still check if I can attend at least one of the MR workshops. But if not I'm thinking of taking the StarStruck workshop to be given by Avina Lim. I missed the Sheer Album workshop of Brenda Mae Teo last October and now she's taking a break for a while (Congrats Brenda Mae on your new bundle of joy!) - sayang! The StarStruck workshop looks interesting.

See the MWL workshops here.

See Caroline Lau's blog here.

See the Maya Road DT blog here.

Come join in the FUN :)

10:03 PM | 0 Comments

I am promoting the exciting activities lined up at Bad Girls Kit. They have the Christmas Workshops, Challenges, RAKs and Secret Santa activities happening. Our very own Ria Mojica and Bad Girl DT Iris Uy have their own Christmas projects lined up as well and it looks really exciting. The Christmas Workshop projects supply list are already up so register now if you're not yet a member and join the fun! Visit the Bad Girls Kit site here.

Mockery..

9:41 PM | 0 Comments

Everyday I walk from Suntec Tower One (where work is currently located) to the City Hall MRT station. Give or take, depending on how slow or fast I walk, it takes me 15-20 minutes to reach the MRT/office. I see the lines of deliciousness (from clothes, to shoes, to bags and food) all the way everyday. It's mocking me, screaming 'Buy me! Stop by and take alook! I know you want me!' But nothing mocks me more than this display:




It will probably be displayed the whole month of November. But there are some days that the display gets creepy.. People (or models) are actually in the display using the gadgets inside that - aquarium.. And at times it can get annoying since they show up at rush hour and so people are actually stopping oggling these fishes. And so I'm thinking twice if I will still walk or take the free shuttle (give or take, 30 minutes from waiting to riding).
Although I am set on buying the Nikon D80 or Nikon D40x real soon, the Canon EOS is a real beauty as well. I am technically challenged when it comes to operating a DSLR and right now I don't know the difference between aperture and all that crap but I am willing to fork out a decent amount to learn this stuff (photography lessons here in SIN is SGD200 - roughly about PHP6k) if it means I can take better photos (which means more scrapping for me -yay!). Did you guys know that Canon recently launched Mark III - I was absolutely (mouth gaping open) shocked to know that it is 21.1 MP! Unbelievable! Although cameras like these are for hardcore photographers but it is one helluva camera. From what I can remember from reading a blurb for this camera, it costs about PHP150k. If you are a simple hobbyist like me, I have no plans whatsoever-never-crossed-my-mind to buy a camera of this kind- unless I want to make a scrapbook layout as big as the billboards in Mandaluyong..
Which brings me back about three weeks ago. On my Saturday duty, walking in CityLink, I saw a group of people wearing the same Canon shirt with a picture of a DSLR camera, toting their hi-tech gadgets and tripods and flashes and paparazzi lenses. More mockery for me (why don't they just shoot me! - no pun intended). Apparently that day, Canon hosted a photography contest. So if you have a camera, DSLR or point & shoot, you get a free shirt and a chance to win - I don't know, bragging rights? - the contest. I saw throes of people with the same shirt, alone or with a group, all the way to Nicholl Highway. I did not have the urge to scream, but I did have sudden impulses of pulling out that card and just buy the damn thing already!
Deep breath...
Patience is a virtue..

Tagged

11:27 AM | 0 Comments

Tagged by Cabbie

7 random facts about me:
1. I love the color green
2. I still cry everytime I watch 50 First Dates
3. I wear my watch on my right wrist
4. I can tie a cherry stem using my tongue
5. I love peanut butter donuts
6. I can sleep for 14 hours straight without bathroom breaks.. Go figure..
7. I own 15 pairs of flat shoes, 5 flip-flops, 3 high heeled shoes and 2 Converse All Stars..

A - Age: 29
B - Band Listening To Right Now: Natalie Merchant
C - Career: Freight Forwarding and Logistics
D - Drink or Smoke: Both
E - Easiest Friends To Talk To: Tita Bang
G - Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms: I love Gummi! Even the sour ones!
H - Have a Boyfriend: None... Yet...
I - In love: Love is relative - so yeah I guess I am
J - Junk Food You Like: Wasabi Potato Chips
K - Kids: Non.. Yet..
L - Longest Ride Ever: By land: Baguio, By plane: San Francisco, CA
N - Names For Your Future Kids: secret.. Baka nakawin ang names...
O - One Wish You Have Now: Win the lotto...
P - Phobias: Mascots and Clowns
Q - Favorite Quote: My life could be somebody else's dream - from my friend, Arnold
R - Reasons To Smile: Chocolate and Haagen Dazs Ice Cream
S - Sleeping Hours: 11pm-1pm (on weekends)
T - Time You Woke Up: 6:50am (weekday)
U - Unknown Fact About You: I can't cook, I only pretend to know I can cook.. I'm a fraud..
V - Vegetable You Hate: Too many to mention.. Me and vegetables don't really get along well..
W - Worst Habit: Smoking..
X - X-rays You've Had: Standard chest x-ray..
Y - Yummy Foods: Chickenjoy with lots and lots of gravy...
Z - Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Crazy about October Afternoon

3:46 PM | 0 Comments

I made this layout a few months ago for the Kaya challenge for the stamping challenge. October Afternoon stamps were then just available from the SOMO kit and lately, even here in SIN, scrappers are crazy for these stamps. The stamps I used for this layout are the vintage set and I love it! It's really cute!



The stamps are now available in the LSS here and are selling like there is no tomorrow!

Christmas Minibook

2:56 PM | 2 Comments

So I am not just doing scrap shopping I am actually doing something about the stuff I have bought.
I just finished doing a minibook using the new Basic Grey Figgy Pudding 6x6 pad. I also love the chipboard albums of BG. Finally, I am able to complete a minibook! And I am getting a hang of it.. I think I'm going to do some more of these projects.

Here's a few snap shots:




Materials used:

Chipboard Album, Patterned Papers, Rub-ons, Letter Stickers: Basic Grey; Chipboard Numbers: American Crafts; Transparency: Hambly; Buttons: Autumn Leaves; Ribbons: May Arts & 7Gypsies; Thread: DMC & Kreinik; Stamps: Fontwerks, Cats Life Press, Autumn Leaves; 7Gypsies, October Afternoon; Inks: Technique Tuesday; Flower: Prima; Pens: Staedler & Uniball Signo; Others: Stickles, star rhinestone.

Retail Therapy - Oct 25, 2007

12:36 PM | 3 Comments

I must admit that I am a Trendy New Arrival Thursday fan of MWL.. Actually, I also visit every Tuesday for double stamps in my membership card.. But trips to MWL every Thursday is so worth it! I try to limit my spending to not more than S$30 on every visit (no matter what day it is).. But I found myself spending just a wee bit more yesterday because the new stuff they have in the store are just too damn irresistible...

BG Figgy Pudding
This is the new Christmas Line from Basic Grey.. It was not til I got home to look at the papers again that I realized that this line is actually double sided! How cool is that? I think BG has never done this before...

Don't you find the name of the line funny? In my head, I keep thinking it's Fidgy Widgy...


MM {note}Worthy
Dainty is the word to best describe this line from Making Memories.. When I read MWL's blog for the new releases, this was one of the reasons why I thought the trip was worth taking (actually from the office, it's just a 10 minute or so bus ride).. And boy was I right! I'm a sucker for ledger paper and this line was no exception..



* I'm thinking of selling half the contents of the MM glitter die cuts.. If anybody is interested, please leave a comment in this post.. Total of 30 die cuts for PHP190.

MME Out and About
I love MME! And they have kits 1 & 2.. And they have two more racks of more paper, transparencies and embellishments..


After offering to buy the CLP stamps for my super scrappy kababayans in MNL, Sharon of MWL was kind enough to let me hang around the counter to ask her about the stamps... They have the brochure of available stamps but she is not sure if all the stamps in the brochure are still available.. She told me that it would be better if I copied the codes from the mini drawers for the stamps B-E and browse the box for the G-H.. She was astonished to see the long list I have of the stamps wanted in Manila (paging Tin and Phylline...). And I was influencing Marix (halatang mga addict sa scrapbooking noh?) to buy some because the stamps are so cute.. Thanks to Sharon and Sweech for the help! So I already made a list with images of the stamps available and it's already uploaded at the PS and SE files sections..

** Pics are lifted from MWL's website. To see more of their new arrivals, click here.

Catslife Press Stamps

10:22 PM | 0 Comments

Catslife Press Stamps are sooo cool! And they are available in a LSS here.
Below are the some of the stamps I have.. so far.. These are unmounted stamps.
MWL has some of the seals, 'original', 'limited edition', 'handmade art', date & labels, crowns and birds stamps.
Price range are: B - PHP150; C - PHP190; D - PHP230; E - PHP270; F - PHP300; G - PHP340; H - PHP380
And for PHP20/stamp, I can EZ Mount these babies for you so you can use it with your acrylic block!
Sorry for the crappy pictures...
Made By


Exhibit A
-I've used this stamp in several of my layouts coz it's catchy..
Limited Edition Scrapbook


Handmade Art By



Official Scrapbook By


Imagine


Prices of the stamps are the retail price from the store.. What's in it for me is if I buy on Tuesdays, I get double stamps in my Scrapaholics Anonymous Card.. Which means that I will be closer to becoming a Scrapaholics for Life member... Yay!
If you're interested, email me the code of the item you are looking for (visit www.catslifepress.com to see the stamps) at pjrigonanatyahoodotcom. Payment details will be pm-ed to you as well..
Thanks...

Scrappin' Moms Idol Challenge

9:11 PM | 1 Comments

As promised in my previous blog, layouts in this post are my entries to theScrappin' Moms' idol contest.

Elimination Round - Scraplift your idol
The challenge in the elimination round was to scraplift a work of our international scrapbooking idol. Personally, I have many scrapbooking idols: Elsie Flannigan, Danielle Donaldson, MG Abuzman, etc. There are just too many really amazing international scrapbookers out there and choosing just one to scraplift was a feat in itself. Being a regular patron of Made With Love here in SG, I have the privelege of looking and touching the works of Brenda Mae Teo. Brenda is an amazing scrapbooker and photographer. I really have no words to describe her work.. She is just amazing! And so I thought why not scraplift her (a Singaporean scrapper for a Pinay scrapping in Singapore)?As any scrapbooker will feel, I was afraid to scraplift her for fear that I will not give justice to the inspiration.. But I did the best that I could.
PS.. Me and Diane Miraballes have the same idol.. Great minds think alike, eh Diane ;)
Round 1 - Stuck on Cardstock
In this round, no patterned papers (pre-made or self made) was allowed. You can embellish your page with anything provided that 50% of your cardstock will still be visible. Not that I haven't worked with cardstock before but I still am essentially a patterned paper person. I wanted a minimalist approach to my layout so I just embellished with as little as I can and let the basic design of the layout carry me through the next round.. How ironic - it should be easy to make a layout with just limited material but I found myself stumped for ideas. But this is what I came up with:
Round 2 - What's your color
I thought Round 1 was tough.. This was torture! I have to admit that I am not proud that I am ignorant when it comes to the color wheel. So to have your paper and embellishments come from the same color family was too trivial for me. I have these great photos of my mom from her college days that I snuck out of her biscuit can full of memorabillia. So I thought of scrapping those and making my layout sort of Bohemia-ish. I promised myself not to buy any more materials and just use the stash that I have. The closest to what I have during that time was not allowed (distressed with other colors not belonging to its family) so I had this insane idea of making sort of a tie die what-not on the MME handcut pattern.. I have to admit I kinda liked that idea as it brought out the era of when the photos were taken (I think maybe mid -70's or so..).
Round 3 - Alter It
Who said it was easy? I've been scrapping for quite a while now but I don't recall that I have altered something. Sure, you can decorate something and call it altered but repurposing something? Insane! It was tough enough that you have decorate and beautify but having to think of another use for a thing.. Ugh! I started painting this free plate carrier from Ikea when I bought a set of plates I can use in the flat. I was really meaning to decorate it just for fun and functionality but I had no clue as to how was I going to do it. As I was still crunching for money, I thought that I would make this my entry. This was a hard challenge.. Apart from the repurposing, we had to use three non-scrapbooking material (mainstream) that should be visible in the item..What the ****?!? Three challenges so far and I feel like my creative juices are running out.. And my repurposed item came out like this:
It's Wonder P! Or Volta P...
Round 4 - What's In A Photo..
No people, that is... Or any other living thing.. The challenge was to scrap non-living objects and using only one photo, two textiles, three words in the title and four kinds of embellishments. Handcut patterned papers are already considered as die-cuts. As like the challenge1 & 2, I had a hard time deciding and using limited materials. I am not really a embellishment person, I guess it was the restrictions that frustrates me..I decided to make a layout about the three things that make me happy (apart from scrapping, of course..) which was reading books, listening to music and drinking a cup of coffee. I was still on the height of reading the Eclipse series when the challenge was announced. As for music, I love the 90s (Gin Blossoms and Natalie Merchant, anyone?)... Coffee is always caramel macchiato, when I can afford it.. I found these gorgeous papers from Sassafras Lass in MWL that I was itching to handcut. This is what I came up with:
Round 5 - No Photos Allowed
Scrapping ephemera is one of the many things I would consider as my scrapping waterloo (I have a long list) and to think that I am a junkie when it comes to saving up those little knick-knacks and whatnots that I get from travelling or just window shopping. It's just that it's all in Manila..I wanted to be crazy in this layout - which was good for me because the challenge requirements were all the techniques I love to do - doodling and stitching.. If I dare say so myself, I had the funkiest layout (love your own, syempre..). I did not fall in the trap of predictability. But I knew that it will not be fully appreciated because it was a fun and happy layout. It's something that you do not take seriously. For you to like the layout meant that you got what I was trying to say. At the back of my mind, judges probably thought that I was making a joke out of the challenge. And the thing is, I scrapped what I felt at the moment. I was eliminated in this challenge.
That was some challenge and it was fun while it lasted.. I hope to join some more challenges in the future..

Retail Therapy

12:09 PM | 0 Comments

Not having a real nice place for my scrapbooking stash has not detered me from buying and buying... Hmm.. No new shoes this month but I have this:










It's the 7Gypsies stamp set where you can change the seals and the inks.. I also got additional stamps of journaling spots since I think these will be useful for my layouts. I've yet to use these stamps but I had fun stamping some of my personal belongings like books and magazines with this stamp and writing my just my name.









And I am so psyched that I finally got my August Poppy Ink and Story of My Own kits. I will post pics of the monthly kits soon.. I've yet to get my Paper Posies kit for August and September. I missed the TSL's spree for the Sep-Nov SOMO kit. Had I seen this earlier,I would've continued subscribing.. It's a good thing that another spree started but it will start from Oct-Dec. One of the reasons why I subscribed to SOMO is because of the October Afternoon stamps. Before this year's summer CHA, you can only get these stamps on SOMO. Hopefully, somebody will sell the September stamp in the TSL forum. OA stamps are soo cute! Here's the Paper Posies kit:

August Kit



















September Kit
























The LSS here have an early start with Christmas themed goodies.. I absolutely love the Making Memories line for Christmas. But I already got some papers a few weeks ago from Daisy Bucket for this year's Christmas layouts:






But I can't seem to resist these:


Really nice embellishments from Making Memories.

Must resist, must not buy.. Just yet..

From MWL, these Fancy Pants clear stamps from summer CHA are already available:





















But I almost fainted when I saw the price (SGD84 x 30, not including the huge acrylic block which is about SGD24). So much restraining was done on my part not to put that stamp in my basket.. FP is the reason why I did not go to MWL this week.. Haha.. But I know I will be screwed next week - payday na! Maybe I can buy the stamp and not buy anything else for the rest of the month (nyek! Sino naman ang niloloko ko noh! Hehe).
View this week's arrival at Made With Love and Laine's Papeterie

Something new..

9:17 PM | 0 Comments

Welcome to my new home..
My previous blog was too much of a mess so I decided to make a new one.. Although contents will not be different, I wanted something clean and simple, uncluttered. This blog is all about my love for the hobby. Occasionally, I will post or talk about things that are non-scrapbook related just to vent or share. In this blog I will be showing some, if not all, of the layouts or projects I've made, good finds and everything else that perks up my interest in the wonderful world of scrapping. I will try my very best to update this blog often. Here's for the love of scrapbooking!
See you all here again real soon :)