Nothing but scrap!

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..

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

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.

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.

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 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

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!

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.

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.